Raamaayana in Your Heart

The vehicle of human life is drawn on two wheels by the senses which are driven by Buddhi (intellect), with Viveka and Vairaagya (discrimination and detachment) as the reins, the two wheels being the Kaala Chakra and the Karma Chakra (the wheels of time and action). The spokes of the wheel are the rules of Dharma, bound by the rim of Prema. The self is the rider and he will not come to harm if the axle is Sathya and the goal is Shaanthi.

Raama, whose birthday, Raamanavami, you are celebrating today was the exponent of the means of saving the self in this perilous journey from birth to birthlessness. Raama is the embodiment of Dharma; that is why He was able to re-establish Dharma. Today is a sacred day because you get the chance to recapitulate the glory of God and His relationship with man. As a matter of fact, if you go deeper into the Raamaayana, you will find that Raama is the universal Aathma, the Aathma in every being. He did not come down to kill the Raakshasa ruler, Raavana; he is not the son of Dasaratha or of Kausalya; nor is He the husband of Seetha, weeping for her loss and gladdened by reunion.

On the day when Raama was crowned emperor at Ayodhya, every personage got some present or other before leaving the city. Hanumaan alone refused any material gift. He asked Raama to explain to him the mystery of His life, which he had failed to understand inspite of the length and loyalty of his service. Raama then asked Seetha to slake the thirst of Hanumaan and reveal to him the secret of their careers. Seetha announced that she was the Muula Prakrithi (the primal nature), the Maayaa Shakthi (the energy which agitates in all matter), which transforms and transmutes it into all this variety that binds and blinds; the Raamaayana, she said, was nothing but the play she designed.

top

Sweetness of Raamaayana cannot be described

Raama is the eternal, unchanging Purusha (spirit). The Aathma in every being is Raama; hence the name Aathmaaraama. Raama is eternal and so the Raamamanthram is said to have been taken by Shiva Himself. Raama means that which showers Aanandha (bliss), that is all. Now, what can give greater Aanandha than the Aathma? Raama is Aanandham and He is Aathmaaraama, the Aanandham in your inner consciousness. You can understand the Raamaayana only if you keep this aspect in view. Orange has a form and a name; when you squeeze it and take the juice, the form is gone and the name, orange, too is gone. The taste alone remains. The sweetness, the flavour, the essence, these alone are experienced. It cannot be exactly described. It is beyond any vocabulary. Hanumaan understood from Seetha the formless, nameless, sweetness of Raama.

Raama, the Purusha, accepts Prakrithi, Seetha, and enacts the play, Raamaayana Seetha is Brahma-chaithanya, (consciousness) for Prakrithi or Maaya activates the pure existence of Brahman. Now see what happens! Brahmajnaana (knowledge of supreme reality) is lost and Raama wanders about in the jungle, wailing for Her. Of course, Lakshmana or Manas (mind) is always with Him, for Manas is the instrument with which liberation has to be achieved. Vaali is the spirit of despair and he has to be overcome with the help of discriminatory wisdom or Viveka, viz., Sugreeva.

top

Raamaayana is gone through in every one's Life

You see, it is Viveka that sends emissaries to the various corners to discover where Brahmajnaana is available. Hanumaan is courage. Courage won through unflinching faith, that alone can penetrate the darkness and bring the good news of the dawn. Then Raama crosses the sea of illusion; He destroys the demon of Thamoguna (quality of inertia), namely, Kumbhakarna; the demon of Rajoguna, (emotional quality) namely Raavana; and He instals on the throne, the Sathwaguna (quality of goodness), Vibheeshana. After this, Raama meets and receives Seetha, who has become now Anubhavajnaana (knowledge derived from experience), not merely Brahmajnaana. That is represented by the Pattabhisheka (coronation).

The Raamaayana is therefore not a story that had an end. In each one's life there is a Raamaayana being gone through: in the Gunas, the Indhriyaas (the senses), the search and the Saadhana. Raama is the son of Dasharatha - he of the ten chariots. What do you think are these ten chariots? They are the senses, the five Karmendhriyaas (sense organs of action) and the five Jnaanendhriyaas (organs of perception). Sathya, Dharma, Shaanthi and Prema are the four sons; of which Raama is Sathya; Bharatha is Dharma; Lakshmana is Prema and Sathrughna is Shaanthi. Take as your ideals these great characters depicted in the Raamaayana. You will see how your life is filled with peace and joy if only you dwell with these ideals. The Raamaayana in the heart is to be experienced; not investigated as a mental phenomenon. As you go on reading and ruminating, the inner meaning will flash on you when the mind is cleansed by the elevating ideas therein. Do not exaggerate the importance of things that have but material utility; they fade, even while you grasp them by the hand. Search for the Sath - that which suffers no change. Search for the Chith - the state of consciousness, which is unaffected by gusts of passion, which is pure, which is free from egoism or the desire to possess. Then alone can you experience the light, and illumine the path for others. Search for Aanandha, the Aanandha that emanates from Prema, love with no blemish of attachment. Be like bees hovering on the flower of the glory of the Lord, sucking the sweet nectar of grace, silently and joyfully.

True Nature of Raama

Dharma (virtue) is not a matter of time and space, to be modified and adjusted to the needs and pressures of the moment. It means a number of fundamental principles that should guide mankind, in its progress towards inner harmony and outer peace. When man strays away from Dharma, he meets with greater harm than even physical slavery. There is a dread now about invasion and bondage to the enemy if you are not alert enough and united enough. But the loss of Dharma is an even greater calamity, for what is life worth if man cannot live up to the talents he is endowed with?

These principles are called Sanaathana (eternal), because their origins are not dated, their author is not identifiable; they are the revelations made in the clarified intellects of impartial sages. They are basic and eternal. They do not represent temporary vagaries. India stood unshaken and undaunted against the onslaught of attitudes that were bred in other lands to suit the needs of limited societies, because she stuck to the Dharma that was laid down for all time and all men. Indian rulers also respected the rigours of Dharma and took the advice of the repositories of Dharma and the interpreters of Dharma, those who were purified in the crucible of Thapas. They recognised the Ruler of Rulers, and sought His guidance by prayer and penance. They knew that their Prabu (master) was Sarvaantharyaamin (the eternal indweller or onlooker). They were taught that He was in full sympathy, not only with the king but even with the lowliest of his subjects. Therefore, the rulers of this land were warned to care for the happiness and cure the misery of every single individual in the State.

top

The Divine is an indivisible Entity

Dharma is the code of conduct which will promote the ideals of each stage of man - learner, householder, earner, master, servant, Saadhaka, Sanyaasi, etc. When the code is distorted and man undermines his earthly career, forgetting the high purpose for which he has come, the Lord incarnates and leads him along the correct path. That is to say, He comes as Man, to restore the principles and re-establish the practice of Dharma. This is what is referred to as Dharmasamsthaapana in the Geetha. Among these forms assumed by the Lord, there is no higher or lower, though Pandiths may argue who is better or greater among, say, Raama or Krishna! That is but a type of intellectual gymnastics, which gives the Pandiths the keen joy of a pugilistic encounter! Veerabhadhra Shaasthry has posed a similar problem now. Let me tell you at the outset that the divine is an indivisible entity, whatever form it may assume, here or elsewhere.

top

Raama never deviated from Dharma

Raama appeared as Maayaa-maanusha-ruupa (illusory human form); He stuck to Dharma in daily practice, even from His infancy. He is the personification of Dharma. There is no trace of Adharma (vice) in him. His divine nature is revealed in Shaantha guna (calm temperament) and Karunaa rasa (feeling of love and affection); meditate on Him and you are filled with Prema for all beings; dwell on His story and you find all the agitations of your minds quietening in perfect calm. When Thaataki, the female demon, had to be killed, He argued, hesitated and desisted, until Sage Vishwaamithra convinced Him that she had to be liberated from a curse by His own arrow. That is a sign of His Karuna Rasa.

Raama never provoked another in order to create a convenient excuse to destroy him; on the other hand, He gave the adversary every chance to be saved. He carried the message of Dharma to the Vaanaraas and the Raakshasas, as well as to sages like Jaabaali. He accepted the homage of Vibheeshana without demur and He announced that He was prepared to accept even Raavana, if only he repented his iniquity. "Sathyam vadha" (speak the truth), says the Shruthi; Raama stuck to truth, in spite of all temptations. "Dharmam chara" (practise virtue), says the Shruthi. He never deviated from the path. For example, He had, as you know, to live 14 years in the forest, to fulfil His father's behest. So during that period, He did not enter an inhabited town or village. He avoided Kishkindha and Lanka, even when the Coronations of Sugreeva and Vibheeshana took place. Vibheeshana pleaded with Him very plaintively, saying that only a few days remained out of the 14 years, but Raama sent Lakshmana instead. He did not waver or overstep. That was the strictness with which He kept the vow.

top

Make Raama your Aathma Raama

Raama is Dharmaswaruupam (embodiment of virtue); Krishna is Premaswaruupam (embodiment of love). Raama was ever aware of the obligations of Dharma. When Dhasharatha, running after His chariot in mortal anguish, cried out, "Stop, stop" and called on Sumanthra to stop, Raama told him not to. He said, "If he chides you, tell him you did not hear him." Sumanthra was in a fix. How could He say something not true? But, Raama explained, "This order to stop the chariot comes from a grief-stricken father, whereas the order to take Me to the forest came from the king, whose minister you are. You should not hear the ravings of a man who has lost his reason through sorrow; you must listen only to the commands of the king."

Even before the advent of the Avathaar, the stage is set to the minutest detail; Kaikeyi is ready with her two indefinite boons. Dhasharatha is ready with the curse of the ascetic on his head, entailing upon him a death due to anguish at the separation of his son, the Vaanaras are ready to help the divine purpose. Seetha is ready risen from the earth, to provide the cause for the downfall of Evil. Just as a garland is made of flowers gathered from many plants, flowers of many hues and fragrances, so too the Garland of the divine story is made up of a variety of incidents, a boon, a blessing, a curse to provide the wonderful plot of His story.

There are some who say that Raama shows man how to suffer! Well, if a king arranges a play in the palace and takes delight in enacting the role of a beggar, and acts it very realistically, do you therefore declare that he is suffering the miseries of beggary? Raama is Aanandha (bliss). Aanandha is Raama. If it is not sweet, how can it be sugar? If Raama is suffering, He cannot be Raama. A ball of iron cannot burn the skin; but, make it red-hot; it does. That is but an assumed role. When the heat subsides it is as cool as ever.

Raama Naama (name) will save you, if you have at least the Pithru Bhakthi and Maathru Bhakthi (devotion to father and to mother) that Raama had. If not, Raama Naama is merely a movement of the lips. Meditate on the Raama swaruupa (form of Raama) and the Raama swabhaava (the true nature of Raama), when you recite or write Raama Naama. That will give exercise to the mind and it will be made healthy and strong, in the spiritual sense. Make this Dharmaswaruupa your Aathmaa Raama, on this Janmadhina (birthday) of Raama. That is My advice and My blessing.
Discourse of Sathya Sai Baba, Rajahmundhry, 1 April 1963

top


The Ramayana is the very form of the Vedas that have come down to us from the heavens to the earth. The Vedas are divided into four parts, viz., Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharvana Veda. Lord Rama is the embodiment of Rig Veda, Lakshmana, the Yajur Veda, Bharata, the Sama Veda and Satrughna, the Atharvana Veda. The four Vedas became the four sons of Dasaratha and played at his palace. The Rig Veda and the Yajur Veda consist of Mantras which are related to Yajnas and Yagas. That is the reason why Sage Viswamitra took Rama and Lakshmana along with him to safeguard his Yajna. While Rama was in exile, Bharata left Ayodhya and stayed in a village called Nandigrama, all the time singing the Divine Name of Rama for 14 long years. It is for this reason that Bharata is described as the personification of Sama Veda. It was Satrughna who safeguarded the places of sacred rituals like Yajnas and Yagas from the invasion of evil spirits and demons. Do not think that the Ramayana is different from the Vedas. In fact, it is the very essence of the Vedas.

top

Rama exemplified three kinds of righteous behaviour (Dharma), namely, the Dharmas relating to 1) the individual 2) the family and 3) society. To uphold these three-fold Dharma, Divinity manifested in a triangular flow, in the form of the Trimurtis (the Triune form). The Ramayana manifested to elaborate the human values. The period of the Mahabharata was well over 5000 years ago and the Ramayana was enacted aeons earlier. Even after the passage of countless ages, if it is still occupying the hearts of the people at large, you can well imagine its importance. There are two kinds of messages dominating Ramayana: One pertains to Rama and the other to Ravana.
Sathya (Truth) is the very form of man. Dharma (righteousness) is the innate propensity. Sathya and Dharma are the two eyes of man. These eyes are the very forms of all the scriptures. Rama's message to humanity is to uphold Dharma and Sathya, to stay in the path of these and fulfil one's life. On the other hand, the two principles of Sathya and Dharma are the very opposites of Ravana's propensities. At the point of death, Ravana sent the following message to his people, "Oh my people, do not follow my example. I am the personification of all evil qualities. Falling into excessive desires, I have lost my progeny. Instead of establishing a good name for myself, I have destroyed my entire kingdom. Ultimately, I have ruined myself. Rama achieved universal fame and I have ended up accumulating ill-fame."
top
Rama Navami Discourse 02 April 2002



Rama is the in-dweller in every body. He is the Source of Bliss (Aathma-Rama), the Rama in every individual. His blessings, upsurging from that inner spring, can confer peace and bliss. He is the very embodiment of dharma, of all the codes of morality that hold mankind together in love and unity.

The Ramaayana, the Rama story, teaches two lessons: the value of detachment and the need to become aware of the Divine in every being. Faith in God and detachment from objective pursuits are the keys for human liberation. Give up sense objects, and you gain Rama. Seethaa gave up the luxuries of Ayodhya so she could be with Rama during His exile. When she cast longing eyes on the golden deer and craved it, she lost Rama's presence. Renunciation leads to joy; attachment brings about grief. Be in the world, but not of it.

Rama's brothers, comrades, companions, and collaborators are all examples of people saturated with dharma. Dasaratha is the representative of the merely physical, with the ten senses. The three qualities (gunas) --serenity, passion, sloth (sathva, rajas, thamas)-- are the three Queens. The four goals of life (purusharthas) are the four sons. Lakshmana is the intellect; Sugriva is discrimination (viveka). Vali is despair. Hanuman is the embodiment of courage. The bridge is built over the ocean of delusion. The three demon (rakshasa) chiefs Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Vibhishana are personifications of the passionate, slothful, and serene (raajasic,thaamasic, and sathvic) qualities. Seethaa is the awareness of the Universal Absolute (Brahmajnaana), which the individual must acquire and regain while undergoing travails in the crucible of life.

Make your heart pure and strong, contemplating the grandeur of the Ramaayana. Be established in the faith that Rama is the reality of your existence.

Baba
Ramakatha Rasavahini (The Sweet Story of Rama's Glory)


top


The entire Ramaayana is like a game of chess. The scene, in the Ramaayana, is a kind of battlefield, where the forces of right and wrong are waging war. Rama represents righteousness and Ravana represents unrighteousness. The battle between the two is the war fought on the battlefield.

Ravana taught a great lesson to the world. He exclaimed: "Oh men! Do not live as I have lived and ruin your lives." What is the root cause of Ravana's ruin? Unable to conquer his desires, unwilling to get rid of his impulses, he ruined his entire clan. His sons were killed, his brother and other kinsmen were killed, and ultimately his country itself was reduced to ashes. Ravana confessed, "In the end I ruined myself." This was Ravana's message to his countrymen in his last moments.

Only by suppressing desires does a man manifest his humanness. A man who is unable to put an end to his desires puts an end to himself.

By his good conduct, a good man achieves greatness. Ravana sought to achieve greatness but did not strive to lead a good life.

Divine Discourse: 16 April 1997



This day, the birth of Sri Rama is celebrated in all lands. Rama had deed, word and thought, body, speech and mind, ever pure and totally free from blemish. Really speaking, one ought to revere the story of Rama as a profound allegory. Every act and actor in that story attracts attention and gets imprinted on the memory because the allegory is personal to each of us.

It is often said that Rama followed dharma at all times. This is not the correct way of describing him. He did not follow dharma, he was dharma. What he thought, spoke, and did was dharma and is dharma forever.

Divine Discourse: 18 April 1986




Hanuman, whose heart was filled with love of Rama and Seethaa
Devotees should install Rama in their hearts and celebrate Ramanavami in order to achieve Aathmic bliss. Going through the Ramaayana epic, they should reach the state of oneness with the universal spirit (Aathma Rama). In such a state, there is no ego sense (ahamkara).
Divine Discourse: 7 April 1987



From time immemorial, every individual in Bharat (India) has regarded Sri Rama's life as an ideal and has sought to sanctify every moment of his life by living up to it. Sri Rama incarnated as a human being to promote peace and happiness in the world. "Rama is the very embodiment of righteousness (Ramo Vigrahavaan Dharmah)." It was as if righteousness itself had incarnated on earth. Dharma and Rama are inseparable.


The word Rama has the triple power of destroying sins, conferring peace, and dispelling ignorance. When you utter the word "Ram", you first open the mouth with the sound "Ra". All your sins go out when your mouth is open. When you utter "M" by closing the mouth, the entry is barred against the sins that have gone out. Everyone should recognize the sweetness, sacredness, and divinity enshrined in the name Rama. It is good to utter the name Rama with full understanding of all that it signifies. But even without that understanding the chanting of the name has the power to destroy all sins.

We must learn to chant the sweet name of Rama with a pure, unsullied heart, in a spirit of selfless devotion. Men should learn to speak sweetly and pleasingly. Sweet speech confers peace. It is the means to self-realization. Sri Rama loves to dwell in the heart of the man who speaks sweetly. Wholehearted chanting of the name of Rama even once can destroy mountains of sins. But the chanting should not be done mechanically, like a gramophone record. It should emanate from the depths of the heart. You must seek to redeem your lives, by living up to Rama's ideals and proclaiming them to the world. Remember the name of Rama with love. God can be realized only through love and by no other means.

Divine Discourse: 14 April 1989