THE POWER OF THE MANE OF 'RAMA'

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these six attributes. Importance of Truth and Righteousness In the Ramayana,

Sathya (Truth) and Dharma (Righteousness) are the most important concepts. The

Vedas, which are regarded as their very life-breath by Bharatiyas (Indians),

have proclaimed: "Sathyam Vada; Dharmam Chara" ("Speak the Truth; Act

Righteously"). In order to honour the plighted word of his father, Sri Rama

elected to go to the forest leaving Ayodhya. Truth is the foundation for all

righteousness. There is no greater religion than truth. Lord Rama stood out as

an upholder of Truth to fulfill the promise of his father, to maintain the

traditions of his Ikshvaku dynasty, to protect his country and for the sake of

the welfare of the world. Everyone who calls himself a human being should stand

up for truth in the same manner. It is said of Mahatmas (enlightened men) that

what they speak, what they think and what they do are in perfect accord. In the

case of the wicked, their thoughts, words and deeds are at a variance with each

other. By these definitions Sri Rama was a Mahatma (a great soul) and Ravana

was a Duratma (an evil being)…. Triple Power of the Name ‘Rama’ What are the

inner meanings of the name Rama? The three syllables 'R', 'A' and 'Ma' indicate

the three causes for human birth, namely Papamu (the sins one has committed),

Thapamu (the troubles one experiences) and Ajnanamu (one's ignorance). "Ra"

represents the root letter for

Agni (fire)."A a" represents the letter for the moon. "Ma" represents the root

letter for the sun. What does Agni signify? It destroys everything and reduces

it to ashes. The letter "R" has the power to destroy all the sins committed by

man.The letter "Aa" (symbolising the moon) has the powers of cooling the fevers

man suffers from and conferring peace on him. "Ma" represents the sun who

dispels the darkness of ignorance and confers illumination of wisdom. Hence,

the word Rama has the right triple power of destroying sins, conferring peace

and dispelling ignorance…. We must learn to chant the sweet name of Rama with a

pure, unsullied heart, in a spirit of selfless devotion. In the mind of man

dwell the deities representing the moon and the sun… Face Troubles With Faith

In God Today everybody utters "Ram,Ram." But very few follow the example

set by Rama. They are not true devotees of Lord Rama. At best they may be

described as "part-time devotees." True devotion means perpetual remembrance of

the Name of the Lord and constant meditation on that Name, cherishing the figure

of Sri Rama in the heart. You should be prepared to face the vicissitudes of

life with firm faith in God. It is during times of difficulties that God is

remembered. To confront difficulties with faith is itself a spiritual

discipline. Although Sri Rama was the son of the Emperor Dasaratha and

son-in-law of King Janaka, he had to

face many ordeals in life for the sake of upholding Dharma. The Pandavas went

through many difficulties for the sake of adhering to righteousness and hence

their name and fame remain forever. You should pray to the Lord to give you the

strength to bear all troubles and face all difficulties. If you have even an

atom of Grace of the Lord, a mountain of troubles can be overcome. Sri

Chaitanya declared: "If a fraction of the time that is spent in worrying about

wealth, provisions, wife, children, friends and business is devoted to

contemplation on the feet of the Divine, one can face the messengers of death

without fear and cross the Ocean of Samsara! (Worldly life)." It is not

necessary to devote many hours to prayer. It is enough if one thinks of God

with all his heart and offers himself even for a few moments. A single match

stick when it is struck can dispel the darkness

in a room that has remained closed for years. Mountains of cotton can be burnt

down by a single spark. Likewise, wholehearted chanting of the name of Lord

Rama even once can destroy mountains of sins. But the chanting should not be

done mechanically like playing a gramophone record. It should emanate from the

depths of the heart.…Remember the Name of Lord Rama with love. God can be

realised only through love and by no other means. Divine Discourse at "Sai

Sruti", Kodaikanal, on Sri Rama Navami Day, 14-4-1989. - Heart2Heart Team

((SHARING WITH SAI

LOVE) RAM.CHUGANI Ram ChuganiKobe, Japanrgcjp

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