Bha:gavath bhakthi

[Guest guest]

Jai Srimannarayana!

 

A few points from 4th Aug HH Sri Sri Sri Jeeyar Swamiji’s pravachan:

 

Among all the species, it is the human race alone that is blessed with intellect

and common sense. Human body is the greatest instrument that enables us to get

rid of this karma bondage if used properly. Or else, will become equal to or

even inferior to the other species on earth. We have to use this body. For that

we have to take proper care of this. Then use it for the soul’s ‘ujji:vanam’

alone. We have a high-end car, which is meant to take us to our destination. If

we just wash it, cover it and decorate it and keep it, how is the purpose

served? Of course, we take proper care of it. We have to use it to reach the

goal. So also this body. God had blessed us to use it for the ‘athma ujjivanam’.

All the efforts we put in to keep it good and attractive are only secondary. As

long as they don’t become primary in our life, it is wonderful. Once they become

prime, our life becomes

dreadful. Always have a control on your body and use it as a proper tool.

 

Rama became a human being to show the world the right practice to use the body.

He took another three forms to show how to use our jnanam to reach the goal.

They are Lakshmana, Bharatha and Satrughna. Our purvacharyas say – in Balakanda

it is evident that He alone is the paraththvam.

 

Ayodhya kanda proves his easily accessible nature. Rama’s behaviour with a

tribal Guha, accepting him as his friend enjoying his meeting with him, shows

his accessibility disregarding his great lineage, vamsam, education, knowledge,

power etc.,

 

Rama was accessible even to the animals and it is his ‘sousi:lyam’

We experience the divine attributes – soulabhyam and sousi:lyam of Sri

Ramachandra in Ayodhya kanda. We come to know the sa:ma:nya dharma and vishesha

dharma in this kanda.

 

The first sloka in Ayodhya kanda demonstrates the love between Bharatha and

Satrughna. We see Lakshmana close to Rama and Satrughna very close to Bharatha

though Lakshmana and Satrughna were twins and were the youngest. SriRama

demonstrated ‘sari:ra dharmam’. Bharatha served Rama as per his (Rama’s) wish

and made him happy.

 

Lakshmana too served Rama but he did so the way he (Lakshmana) wanted to do.

Satrughna served such Bharatha whole-heartedly. The first sloka of Ayodhya kanda

enunciates the main principle of our sampradayam.

 

‘gachchatha: ma:thulakulam bharathe:na thada:naghaha

satrughno: nithyasatrughno: ni:thaha pri:thi puraskruthaha’

 

 

ma:thula = maternal uncle’s

kulam = dwelling place

bharathe:na = bharatha

gachchatha: = as he was going

thada: = at that time

anaghaha = without any papam

nithya satrughnaha = won over the everyday enemies

ni:thaha = was taken

pri:thi puraskruthaha = pushed by over whelming love

 

There are many arrangements made when Princes go out of town. The day that was

auspicious for Bharatha would not be favorable to Satrughna as his birth star is

the next star. He was just taken along with him. How? He was not given any prior

programme. He was not asked if he wanted to go. Still he was taken like an

inanimate object, just like we pick up a shirt or pen and use it. He did not

bother to take his parents permission also, for he considered Bharatha as his

mother father brother guide and friend. Who are the parents for athma?

Paramathma thathvam and those who help us attain Him.

 

‘gachchatha: bharathe:na ni:thaha’

He was taken along, by Bharatha who was going. He followed Bharatha just like

his shadow.

 

Satrughna means who crushed the enemies - the indriyas.

Anaghaha = who got no papam What is paapam? Any thing we don’t like is papam. It

gives us discomfort.

 

For nithya suris, staying anywhere else than in Lord’s presence is papam. For

Bharatha ‘ra:ma:jna’ is punyam. Opposing ‘rama:jna’ is paapam.

 

Those days there was none who would not derive happiness looking at Rama. No one

could turn his or her eyes away from him. They felt if they had seen Rama they

lived or if Rama saw them they lived. That

was the condition of all the people there. Rama, with his bewitching beauty and

gunas was – ‘drushti chittha apaha:ri.’

 

Satrughna was an exception. He was able to control his indriyas from turning

towards Rama. All his attention and devotion were directed to Bharatha alone.

There was no pollution of ‘rama bhakthi’ in his ‘Bharatha bhakthi’. It was an

impossible task. Whenever he served or attended Rama, it was only on Bharatha’s

insistence. He was taken by Bharatha and he followed - like a ‘gunam’ that is

inseparable from the ‘dravyam’. That is the great nature of Satrughna.

 

Jai Srimannarayana!

Adiyen Ramanujamma

Ramanuja Dasi