Anil Kumar's Sunday Satsang at
Prasanthi Nilayam
March 28, 2004
The Sunday Talk Given by Anil Kumar
“Sri Rama Navami”
March 28th, 2004
OM…OM…OM…
Sai Ram
With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Vasanta
navarathri
We are gathering here on a very auspicious moment. Right from
the New Year Day celebration up to Sri Rama Navami, which falls
on the 30th of this month, is a nine-day period celebration that
we call Vasanta Navarathri. Vasanta is the spring season. Nava
is nine. Vasanta Navarathri is a nine-day celebration. This
spring festival starts from New Year’s Day and ends on the 30th.
We will celebrate Sri Rama Navami on Tuesday.
We have had enough homework concerning the New Dear Day
celebration and what it stands for. By God’s grace, I explained
all these things.
Now, as we are getting ready for the Sri Rama Navami
celebration, I think it is worthwhile to spend time discussing
the meaning behind this happy occasion and celebration. Once we
understand the different aspects of Sri Ram Navami, its depth,
its profundity and its significance, the celebration will be
meaningful and fruitful.
rama IS AN Incarnation OF SRI maha vishnu
The
first point: Sri Rama Navami is the birthday of Lord Rama. Rama
is one of the ten Incarnations of Sri Maha Vishnu, the Divine.
Divinity manifesting in a human form is what we call an
Incarnation. The Incarnation of Sri Rama is among the ten
important Incarnations.
The second point: Sri Rama’s Incarnation had a purpose. Every
Incarnation has a Divine program. God comes down in human form,
quite relevant to the times, pertinent to the situation, to
correct humanity and to direct humanity along the right channel.
When sinful deeds are on the rise, when meritorious people are
discouraged, when pious people are leading a risky life, to save
the pious and to remove the wicked, God comes down in human
form.
The third
point: Rama was a role model. Rama’s Incarnation is one such
Divine Incarnation, a role model to emulate: how to be an ideal
son, how to be an ideal father, how to be an ideal husband, how
to be an ideal ruler! Is there anyone who is an ideal brother?
Is there anyone who we look up to? If we are to look up to some
ideal person, He is no other than Sri Rama.
Rama is multi-dimensional. He was an ideal son, ideal brother,
ideal father, ideal husband and ideal ruler. All ideals are in
Him. In other words, God wanted to demonstrate to the whole
world how to be ideal.
Therefore, the celebration of Rama Navami implies that Rama
wants us to emulate His example, to follow His example. The
celebration of Rama Navami does not end with ritualistic deeds.
You may worship Rama from dawn to dusk, eat sumptuous food on
that day, delicious items, but to call ourselves Rama’s devotees
for doing that is a mistake. It is a wrong way to celebrate.
We are really Rama’s devotees if we follow His ideals. We can
call ourselves Rama’s devotees if we follow His examples. That
is the indication behind the celebration of Sri Rama’s birthday,
which we call Sri Rama Navami.
AtMa Rama
Bhagavan Baba has spoken about Rama’s Incarnation at length.
Long back at the 70’s; there He spoke on this particular theme
to students from all over India during a summer course on Indian
culture and spirituality. All discourses were published in a
book under the title Atma Rama. Swami Himself has
instilled the interpretation of the Ramayana under the
title Rama Katha Rasavahini. Again in the 90’s, He
gave a number of discourses on Rama, addressing students who had
assembled for a course on Indian culture and spirituality. So,
I have a fund of information from Baba’s Divine lips.
Here, Bhagavan mentioned certain things, which are not there in
the original text. Sage Valmiki composed Ramayana, the
original text. Valmiki composed this great epic, Ramayana.
Some people ask, “How is it that Bhagavan mentions that which is
not in the Valmiki text?”
The answer is straight and simple. The composer wrote what he
knew, but those things that are beyond his stretch of
imagination, beyond his knowledge, are best known to Baba
because He is Rama. He knows His story much better than the
author did. He knows His personal details more authentically
than the author did.
We have biographers, but Rama Katha Rasavahini is an
autobiography: It is His own story. Therefore, the authenticity
and credibility are not to be doubted.
There are lots of details. I seem to be over-ambitious. I don’t
think I will be able to deal with them all here. Let me try to
do justice to the extent possible
rama’s name
Rama’s name is holy and matchless. Certainly most of you must
have joined in chorus, particularly when Swami sings:
(Sings):
Rama Rama Ram,
Rama Rama Ram,
Rama Rama Ram,
Sri
Rama Rama Ram…
The name of Rama is blissful. The meaning of Rama is bliss. If
you sing His glory with a sorrowful face, with a melancholic
mood, it is not worthwhile, because Rama means bliss. You should
be joyful. You should rejoice. You should smile.
I
want to explain all the details from the Sai’s scripture about
the meaning of this word Rama.
I want to draw your attention
to the meaning of Rama. Why should we recite His name? What are
the depth and the profundity behind it?
Rama - there are three letters here: R + a + ma.
Ra
stands for fire, God.
All elements are
treated as Divine. You can say fire; if you don’t want to say
fire, then God.
Ra
means fire.
What is the quality of fire? The quality of fire is to burn. So,
when we say Rama, there is burning. What burns? Not you and me!
It burns all sins! All sins are burnt to ashes when we say ‘Rama’.
‘A’
means the sun. Sun stands for light. When the sun rises,
darkness is dispelled. The darkness is gone. So, the darkness of
ignorance is gone through the utterance of ‘Rama’. Once I repeat
His Name, the darkness of ignorance is totally gone.
The third is ‘ma.’
Ma means moon. Fire is Agni, sun is Surya and
moon is Chandra. Ma stands for the moon god, Chandra.
Everyone enjoys moonlight. The moonlight is so calm and cool; it
soothes, softens, smoothens, tranquillises and makes us forget.
It pacifies and calms the agitations of the mind. The mind is
turbulent; the mind is disturbed. Such a disturbed mind is
pacified and calmed down by the coolness of the moon. That is ‘ma.’
By repeating
‘Rama’, we gain three advantages -- a triple benefit scheme: The
first benefit is that sins are burned. The second benefit is
that darkness is dispelled. The third is that emotions,
disturbances and agitations are calmed down. They are pacified.
These are the first aspects of the meaning of the name ‘Rama’.
Rama also has a second meaning. There are two schools of
philosophy in Sanathana Dharma. Those who worship Vishnu
are called Vaishnavites. Those who worship Shiva are called
Shaivites. It is just as you have Catholics and Protestants.
Here we have Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Vaishnavites always say
Narayana Namo Narayana Narayana. Shaivites say Namah
Shivaya Namah Shivaya. At one time, they did not see
eye-to-eye with each other. Later in history, they reconciled.
According to Bhagavan, non-dualism is true wisdom. If you
consider Vishnu and Shiva as separate, you are ignorant #1! It
is irreligious, idiotic and totally stupid. (Laughter) In
other words, Vishnu and Shiva are identical; they are one and
the same.
See how Swami plays with words. Vaishnavites, those who worship
Vishnu, say Narayanaya. Ra is taken from there.
Shaivites say Namah Shivaya. Ma is taken out of
there. They are two-in-one in ‘Rama’. In other words, you have
the benefit of worshiping Vishnu and also the advantage of
worshiping Lord Shiva when you repeat ‘Rama’.
A
third meaning of Rama is from Hara (Shiva) and Uma (His consort,
Parvathi). It is Ra of Shiva and Ma from Parvathi.
When you say ‘Rama,’ you are worshipping both of them. You do
not need to worship God separately. If you say ‘Rama,’ she will
be satisfied, and He will bless you at the same time.
We have to understand Rama. If you
say
kama
(lust, desire),
the meaning is gone totally.
(Laughter)
You should be very careful with this.
(Laughter)
It is clearly said, “Oh man, you should not be considering
yourself as a separate entity.” You think that you are a
separate individual. A whale thinks it is different from the
ocean. No! The ocean and the whale are one and same.
The light and the sun are one and the same. Sweetness and sugar
are one and the same. The fragrance and the flower are one and
the same. The glitter, the glamour, the shining and the gold are
one and the same. Am I not right?
Likewise, “Oh man, you are God.” Divinity and you (humanity) are
one and the same.
Rama also means Ra: That – tat, you – twam, Tat
Twam Asi - That thou art. You are essentially Divine. You
are the spark of the Divine. You are the embodiment of the
Divine.
Number seven is important
Numerologically, ra stands for number five and ma
stands for number two. Five plus two equals seven. Number seven
is important. There are seven seas, there are seven colours and
there are seven notes: Sa re ga ma pa da ni.
Numerologically, Rama represents seven.
rama PHonetics
Next is
phonetics: Phonetics and pronunciation are very important. Every
language must be spoken in the way it has to be spoken.
Unfortunately, we regionalise the language. When we regionalise
the language, it appears different from its original form.
That’s why
people ask, “What language is he speaking?” (Laughter)
Although for all purposes, it is English. (Laughter) This
reaction happens because it is not spoken the way it should be.
Phonetics, pronunciation, diction and accent are all important.
Rama: Ra - once you open the mouth and say, ‘Ra’,
all the sins are sent out. (Laughter) Am I clear? Ma
- once you close the lips, the sins that have gone out
cannot get back in. Then it is ‘Ma’ - closed
(Laughter) Right! Open the door, push it out, and then close
the door. It is like a swinging door! Am I clear? So, Ra,
sin is gone, Ma, door is closed (Laughter). That
is ‘Rama phonetics’. When you open the mouth, things go out -
Ra. When it is closed - Ma, things cannot get in.
The next
meaning is Ra, the cognate soul, the whole, the Divine,
the universal soul and Ma the individual soul, are one
and the same. The river and the ocean, the drop and the ocean,
the spark and the fire, are all one and the same. That’s Rama.
Next, Rama and
Aum are one and the same. R plus A plus
Ma is the same as Aum - A-u-m. Rama and
Aum are one and the same.
Now we come to
the significance. You are really enjoying Bhagavan’s discourses
of Rama much more than anybody. I am not a fanatic; I am not
dogmatic; I am not a fundamentalist either. I am just telling
you the facts.
When you
listen to Bhagavan’s discourse on Ramayana, they are
unique. Why? The story and philosophical significance go
together, something like the railway tracks running along
parallel. So, the story narration and the philosophy behind it
run parallel. One supports the other.
Those that
like a story, all right! Those that want Vedanta, fine! Those
that want both, take the two-wheeler. Sometimes, He makes it a
three-wheeler, applying Ramayana to modern life.
Swami’s
discourses on the Ramayana are very significant. They are
different from the rest in three aspects: First, He speaks of
the story. Second, the spiritual aspects are discussed. Third,
there is an application to modern society.
Every Individual is Dasaratha
The name of
Rama’s father is Dasaratha. But, when Baba says ‘Dasaratha’, it
takes a different meaning. What does He mean? Dasaratha is not
simply the father of Rama. Dasaratha is not merely the king of
ancient days. Dasaratha is not merely a reference to past
history. Everyone is Dasaratha!
“Oh I see.” We
feel great. We are the father of Rama and a king. (Laughter)
Everyone is Dasaratha? Why and how? We have ten senses: five
senses of action and five sense of perception = ten senses.
“Sir, I have
only nine.”
“You’re
handicapped.”
“Sir, I have
only five.”
“You’re
crippled.”
“Sir, I have
none; I am without senses.”
“Then you are
senseless!”
the human body is a chariot with ten senses
My friends,
everyone all over the world, it does not matter where they are
from - Argentina or America - all of us have ten senses. Dasa
means ten, ratha means chariot. The human body is a
chariot with ten senses. Therefore, everyone is Dasaratha.
The capital
city ruled by Dasaratha is Ayodhya. Ayodhya is the capital city
of the kingdom ruled by Dasaratha. The meaning of Ayodhya is a
place where no enemy can ever enter.
Ayodhya is my
body. Who can enter into me without my permission? Can you get
into my mind? No! Though you are right in front of me, if I do
not think of you, you are not there in my mind. I may be sitting
in an auditorium hearing Swami’s lecture, but if I think of my
visa, Swami is not there in my mind. Nobody can get into your
mind. Nobody can get into your body. Nobody can be anywhere near
you without your consent. Am I clear? Similarly, Ayodhya is a
place wherein no enemy can ever enter.
Three Gunas or Attributes
Next,
Dasaratha, the king and father of Ramachandra, had three wives,
three queens. So, I see three queens. Yes, why not? When
everyone is Dasaratha, when you and I are Dasaratha, we too must
have three queens. Why not?
Who are the
three queens here? The three are Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi.
These are their names. These three names are not merely names.
They represent the three gunas or attributes.
Three gunas
or attributes govern us all. Those who are terrorists, those who
are inhuman, and those who indulge in violence are thamasic.
Those who make use of intoxicants are thamasic. Those who
are emotional, passionate, full of desire and ambition are
rajasic. Those who are balanced, equanimous and endorsed
with poise are satwic.
These are the
three qualities we have. Sometimes we are satwic,
sometimes we are rajasic, and many times, we are
thamasic. (Laughter) Yes! All of a sudden when Swami
comes, we are satwic: “Shh, shh, shh.”
(Laughter)
As soon as
someone sits in my place, I become rajasic. “You know
this is my place!” (Laughter) When Swami comes to call
you for an interview, do you belong to my group? No! Rajasic!
We are
thamasic when we are in a hurry to go to the canteen
immediately after darshan. Too much sleep, too much
drinking and too much eating, that’s all thamasic, our
animal tendencies.
All the three
are buried in every one of us. If anyone says, “I have no
thamasic qualities,” do not believe him; beware of him.
If anyone
says, “I’m never rajasic,” don’t believe him.
If anyone
says, “I’m totally satwic,” understand he is hypocrite
#1! (Laughter)
All the three
are there in everybody. Therefore, Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi
represent the fundamental three attributes of every person -
rajasic, satwic and thamasic.
The Four Vedas
Next, King
Dasaratha had four sons. All right, if I am Dasaratha, I have
three queens; then I must also have four sons. Who are they? As
per the story, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna are the
names of the four sons.
Who are these
four sons? They represent the four Vedas. The voice of
God is called Veda. The breath of God is called Veda.
The first Veda
is called Yajur Veda. The first son stands for Yajur
Veda, Rama. The second son, Lakshmana, represents Rig
Veda. The third son, Bharata, represents Sama Veda. The
fourth son, Satrughna, represents Atharva Veda.
Where is Veda
in me? There is only vedana. Vedana is worry. There is no
Veda in me; there is only vedana, avedana, and
rodhana! (Laughter) Rodhana means crying.
Avedana means worry. Where is Veda?
The breath is
sohum. The life principal itself is Veda. Veda need
not necessarily be in the form of a written text. The breath is
Veda. The breath of the Divine is Veda.
The Four Objectives
The four sons
also represent the four objectives of every person, no matter
which country he or she belongs to. The four objectives in life
are dharma, artha, kama, moksha. What do they mean?
Dharma is righteousness. Artha is wealth. Kama
is desire. Moksha is liberation. These are the four
objectives in life.
Someone may
say, “Sir, I have only two.”
“Then you have
no idea of objectives at all.”
“Sir, I have
only one - moksha.”
“Well, please
go away from me. All four are necessary.” Why do I say that?
With dharma,
righteously you earn artha, money. With dharma,
righteously you have your kama, desires fulfilled. When
you righteously earn and when you righteously get your desires
fulfilled, naturally you will have the fourth one, moksha.
Liberation will be attained automatically.
These are the
four objectives that are represented by Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata
and Satrughna.
SIta represents spiritual wisdom
Now we come to
Sita, the wife of Rama. She represents Brahma Jnana or
spiritual wisdom.
Does anyone
say, ”I don’t have wisdom?” Everyone wants to be wise. Although
he is often otherwise, he wants to be wise. (Laughter)
So wisdom is
Sita. Each one has this Sita element inside, this
spiritual awareness, Brahma Jnana or spiritual
wisdom.
You know, Sita
followed Ramachandra to the forest unconditionally. She was not
asked to follow. She need not have gone, but she simply followed
her husband. She was very happy.
Sita and Desire
While she was
there, she suddenly had a fascination for a golden deer. That
led to the separation. Here Swami says, “So long as there is
Rama in her mind, meaning her husband, meaning God, she always
enjoyed Brahma Jnana, spiritual wisdom. Once she
developed a kind of fascination and liking for the golden deer,
she had to be separated from Rama.” So when kama,
fascination or desire, enters, one goes away from Rama, God. God
and mammon cannot go together
Sita is
Brahma Jnana, the consort of Sri Ramachandra.
When Sita was
abducted, (I’m not going to explain the whole story; it is not
necessary) Rama went in search of Sita. While He was in search
of Sita, He came across a mountain by the name of Rushiyamuka.
The name of the mountain stands for detachment. There in the
Rushiyamuka, Rama meets Sugriva. Sugriva and Hanuman
were two important monkeys, VIP’s. (Laughter)
Sugriva comes
and seeks refuge at the Feet of Rama. Hanuman was ready to help
Rama. Hanuman was the Chief of the Sugriva’s Army. He was ready
to follow Rama’s command.
Now please
understand, Rama, the individual soul, seeks the friendship of
Sugriva, meaning discrimination. He also seeks the help of
Hanuman, who represents courage. This means that a spiritual
aspirant should have discrimination, viveka, and courage,
dheeratva.
Dheeratva is the courage
symbolised by Hanuman. Viveka is the discrimination
symbolised by Surgriva. These two are close to Ramachandra.
Next, Rama
kills Vali, the brother of Sugriva. Vali represents wickedness
and cruelty. Who wants to encourage cruelty? Who wants to
encourage wickedness? Wickedness must be totally gone. Cruelty
must be immediately sent out. Cruelty and wickedness are
represented by Vali.
Vali was a
very cruel fellow. He dethroned his father, sent him to the
forest and then was the cause of the separation of the wife of
his own brother Sugriva. Sugriva was the brother of Vali. Vali
kidnapped the wife of his own brother. Sugriva was at a loss. He
was sent out of his kingdom and separated from his wife. Vali
had to be punished for his wickedness and cruelty.
baba’s interpretation of ahaliya’s
story
There is
another character in the Ramayana whom we call Ahaliya. Ahaliya
represents disobedience. The story may say several things, but
Baba’s interpretation is most importance.
My dear
friends, after coming to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, our
spiritual texts have a different connotation altogether. They
are to be explained with reference to the present context, the
present situation. We cannot go by the traditional meaning or
the traditional story. Bhagavan explains in terms of modern
life, through daily situations.
I draw your
attention to Ahaliya. Ahaliya was a lady who disobeyed her
husband, Gautama. Gautama cursed Ahilya and she became a stone.
When Rama put His foot on this stone, she comes back to her
human form. She comes back to her original form as a woman. A
woman who was cursed to become a stone, and with Rama’s name,
becomes a human form again. That is the story!
See how
Bhagavan interprets this story: Woman is not merely a gender.
No! Woman represents sensitivity. Woman represents tenderness.
Woman represents receptivity. Woman represents softness. Woman
represents sweetness. Softness, sweetness, tenderness,
sensitivity, receptivity...
Now, what is a
stone? A stone is rock, tough and harsh. Because of
disobedience, you become rough, tough and hard, like a stone. By
repeating God’s Name, the stone can become a woman, meaning you
can become sensitive, receptive, soft, smooth and tender.
Therefore,
when Rama’s Name is repeated, one becomes soft. The stonyhearted
fellow, a fellow who’s heart is hard like a stone, who does not
react to the misery of other people, and who does not respond to
the needs of other people, is worse than a stone.
But when this
stonyhearted fellow sings the glory of Rama, he becomes a
tender-hearted person. He has a heart softer than butter, like
that of a woman. That is ahaliyasatha murchana. You
understand me?
Hanuman crossed the ocean
It is also
said in the Ramayana that Rama crossed the ocean. Oh, I see!
When He could cross, why not I? Why should you not cross the
seas? Of course, special aircrafts will take you to the other
side. The Cathay Pacific will take you across the Pacific, why
not? There are airlines that will take you across seas, all the
seven seas.
My dear
friends, that is not the sea that Bhagavan refers to in the
Ramayana. That sea is nothing but delusion. That sea is
nothing but confusion. That sea is nothing but illusion. That
sea is nothing but family life. That sea is nothing but worldly
life. That sea is nothing but momentary, temporal life. Fleeting
pleasure is the ocean. We are all in the ocean, totally drowned.
We are totally drowned, sunk deep, and we want somebody to pick
us up.
The problem is
to cross the ocean of delusion, the ocean of confusion. Who
crossed the ocean? Hanuman crossed this ocean. Who is Hanuman?
He represents courage. A courageous man is the only one who can
cross this ocean, not a timid fellow and not a coward.
How could
Hanuman cross? By repeating God’s Name, he could cross. Hanuman
did not cross, did not jump over the ocean, just like that. He
was repeating God’s Name. He kept repeating God’s Name. That
facilitated his process of reaching the other shore easily.
Therefore,
when we repeat God’s Name, we can cross this ocean of family
life, we can cross this ocean of delusion and we can cross this
ocean of illusion. We can cross this ocean of physical
pleasures, comforts and conveniences.
Everyone must
be Hanuman, ready to cross this ocean with courage. We can do it
by repeating Rama’s matchless Name.
sRI RAMA NAVAMI: hOLY WEDDING DAY
Sri Rama
Navami is the birthday of Rama. It also happens to be the holy
wedding day. Rama married Sita on the same day.
What does
Sita Kalyanam mean? Holy wedding! Rama symbolises dharma.
Sita symbolises wisdom. One should have wisdom, backed by
dharma. One should have dharma, coupled with
wisdom. That is the meaning of the holy wedding or Sita
Kalyanam.
What do we
mean by Sita yoga? This means separation from Sita. Why
was Rama separated from Sita? Sita had to be away from him
because of her desire for the golden deer. The point is that
desire, kama dominated Sita. When desire, kama,
the golden deer dominated Sita, separation happened. Viyoga
is separation. Samyoga is union.
When
dharma, righteousness, and wisdom are together, Rama and
Sita are together. It is samyoga or union. But when
kama, desire, dominates that leads to viyoga or
separation.
In the forest,
Rama spent a long time alone with Lakshmana. That’s what we call
vanavasa, exile life. Dharma accompanied by
Lakshmana, the mind. The mind and dharma together, that’s
what vanavasa means.
rama is not separate from you
Another aspect
of the talk this morning, in connection with Sri Rama Navami is
this: Rama is not separate from you. Rama is not one of a
historical nature.
Rama
is Atmarama! (Sings):
Atmarama
anandaramana.
Achutakeshava Hari Narayana
Atmarama anandaramana.
Bhavabayaharana vanditha charana
Ragukulabhushana rajivalochana
Adinarayana anuntajayana
Achutakeshava Hari Narayana
Atmarama
anandaramana
Atmarama
means that Rama is the Indweller in you. He is not separate.
Your true Self is Rama. The Atma is Rama. That is bliss.
Ra is Self; Ma is the mind. Ma, meaning the
mind, has to subside. Mind has to merge into the Self.
This is what
you call withdrawal of the mind. That is what you call
annihilation of the mind. Once the mind is withdrawn, the Self
remains. That is Rama.
RAMA WAS AN IDEAL SON
Rama was an ideal son. He followed
the command of his father.
Pithruvaaku paripalaka. Paripalaka means the
one who observes – prithu, father, vakya, the
command. Rama followed the command of the father.
Bhagavan
always tells the students, “Remember boys, you must please your
parents. You must obey their commands. Your parents have given
you the gift of your blood, your head, your money and so on. So
you should follow them.” Swami wants everyone to follow what
Rama did. Rama was an ideal son.
Not only that,
Rama also followed the principal of truth, satyaparipalaka.
Pithruvaaku Paripalaka.
Satyaparipalaka is the observance of truth.
Nahamanishiyo,
I am not the man. Nachedeva YakshahaI, I am not an angel.
I’m not yaksha. Na Brahman, rudhra veshakaI. I
don’t belong to these castes. I’m not a brahmachari. I’m
not a recluse. I’m not a renunciate. I’m not a bachelor. Aham
sathya bhodhaka.
rama is an ideal brother
Sri
Ramachandra was an ideal brother. How He loved his brother! One
time, Lakshmana fell on the ground and fainted. Rama said, “It
may be easy for me to get a wife like Sita. But it would be
impossible to get a brother like Lakshmana.” That is the kind of
love that Rama had toward his brother. So, He was an ideal
brother.
Rama is an ideal
husband
Once He was
away from His wife, He was crying for her, like an ordinary
mortal. He always thought about His wife and He wanted to bring
her back to Him. This shows the kind of love of an ideal
husband.
Rama is an ideal friend
He was an
ideal friend. He supported Sugriva, though his elder brother,
Vali, was mightier, more powerful and stronger. Yet, He
supported only Sugriva, so he is an ideal friend. He supported
Vibhishana, who surrendered to His Lotus Feet. He was an ideal
friend.
Rama is an ideal enemy
He was also an
ideal enemy. How can I say He was an ideal enemy? At the time of
the war between He and Ravana, one day He noticed that Ravana
was totally exhausted and tired.
Rama told
Ravana, “Ravana, you are tired. You look exhausted. Please go
home for today. Take enough rest. Let’s meet on the battlefield
tomorrow. Goodnight!” (Laughter)
“Let’s meet
tomorrow!” Can you imagine that? He did not take advantage of
Ravana’s weakness, He did not take advantage of his tiredness,
and He did not take advantage of his helplessness. No! He said,
“Go home. Take rest. We’ll meet tomorrow.” That is Sri
Ramachandra.
Not only that,
when Ravana, the worst enemy, was dying, a couple of moments
before death, Rama asked Lakshmana to go to Ravana and learn
certain principles of political administration.
“Look here,
Lakshmana, Ravana is not an ordinary man. He is a great
worshipper of Lord Shiva, he is a great scholar, and he is a
great king. Go and learn political administration from him.” One
can be generous towards an enemy.
My friends,
unfortunately today the animosity and enmities are mounting, so
we do not see the merits of people. When we agree, I find plus
points in you. When there is some difference of opinion, I see
everything negative in you. This is not the right thing. Rama
sees everything positive in everybody. Rama is an ideal enemy.
The message of the
Ramayana
I should also
bring to your attention another important point. Rama gave
salvation to the monkeys, salvation to the demons, salvation to
the birds and salvation to the squirrels. In His sight, all
living things were one.
Even today,
Sri Rama Navami has great relevance to present times. The very
nucleus of the family is disturbed. The parents and children no
longer live in good faith; husband and wife seek separation;
children are happy in the absence of the parents; the parents
are not sure about the behaviour of their children. When the
very nucleus of the family is at risk, when the very scent of
the family is gone, Ramayana comes to our rescue.
The timely
reminder of the Ramayana speaks of the need for harmony,
unity and total understanding among brothers, husband and wife,
and family prestige. Dignity and decorum have to be maintained.
We cannot lead a disharmonious life. We can no longer lead a
disunited life. That is the message of the Ramayana,
which today is more important than ever.
The message of
Ramayana is more important today in the sense that one
has to follow the twin principles of dharma,
righteousness and sathya, truth. In fact, the two words
are totally forgotten. One has to refer to the dictionary for
the meaning of these two words.
Today there is
no sathya. There is no dharma. Dharma and
sathya will sustain the world; they will be the strength
of the world. Therefore, observance of Rama Navami is needed
more today than ever before.
Rama was an
ideal ruler. People speak of Ramarajya. The father of
this nation, Mahatma Gandhi, always referred to Ramarajya.
What is Ramarajya? It is the kingdom of Rama. What were
the features of Ramarajya? Bhagavan explained these
things.
Friends, I may
look overambitious. I’m just highlighting important events of
the holy epic Ramayana, that’s all. If one or two points
impress you, I think my task is fulfilled, my objective is
realised.
Ramarajya,
the kingdom of Rama, was ideal. How can I say that? People were
happy. There was peace in the country, security in the country
and safety everywhere. People lived in unity, amity and
friendship. The family was quite happy. Society was happy.
People were happy with the king and the king was happy with the
people. Rama never considered Himself superior to the people. He
mixed among the public. He gave value to public opinion.
Because one
washerman questioned the chastity of His wife, Rama dropped his
wife altogether. Sita was sent to the forest to honour the word
of a washerman. Can you believe it? Rama simply sent her out. In
public life, a ruler, an emperor has to value public opinion.
Today, who cares about public opinion?
So,
Ramayana is more important today. Public opinion,
prajavakiya, is important, praja - public, vakiya
- opinion. Rama got His own knowledge of the people and their
problems from the people, and He solved their problems. All of
His brothers assisted Him. Nobody ever tried to usurp the other
man. Rama always followed the advice of wise men, like Vashista
and Vamadeva, the holy sages.
So, we need
the advice of the elders. We need the advice of spiritual
leaders. We need the guidance of sages, saints, learned people
and elderly people. We need to remind ourselves of the lost
human values. Let society be peaceful, let society be
prosperous, let society be safe, let society be ideal. Let human
beings be worthy. Let society be worthy of its sustenance.
May Sri Rama
Chandra bless everyone who has assembled here and your families
as well.
Bhagavan baba is a
reincarnation
of
Ramachandra
Bhagavan Baba
is the reincarnation of Ramachandra. You find the life of Rama
is repeated in the life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The
action is replayed. Just rewind the cassette. He is leading an
exemplary life.
Baba is an
ideal son. Whenever He thinks of His mother, whenever anybody
speaks of His mother, Easwaramma, those who sit closely can find
Bhagavan Baba’s eyes becoming wet. Whenever anybody speaks of
Kondama Raju, Baba’s grandfather, Bhagavan Baba’s voice chokes.
Though He is Divine, Bhagavan Baba is an ideal son.
Bhagavan Baba
is an ideal administrator. Just as Rama was an ideal ruler, Baba
is an ideal ruler in the sense that He recognises, helps and
encourages a true worker. At the time of the construction of the
Poornachandra Auditorium,
Bhagavan went there to supervise. It so happened that His red
robes got paint on them.
People felt so
badly. “Swami, now Your red robe is full of paint. It is
spoiled.”
Swami said,
“Paint! No! They are gems. They are pearls.”
When He moves
amongst workers, He is a worker. When He moves amongst students,
He is a student. When He is amongst administrators, He is an
administrator.
Likewise, we
find Rama’s features in Bhagavan Baba. He is so soft in
forgiving, like Sri Ramachandra. Yet, He is tougher than a
diamond when it is a question of truth, like Ramachandra
Himself. I could go on like this. The parallels between Rama and
Bhagavan are many.
Invoking
Bhagavan’s blessing on this special day to come, Sri Rama
Navami, I take leave from you. Thank you! God bless you!
OM…OM…OM…
Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya
Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka
Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Source:
http://www.internety.com/anilk2004/28.03.04(E)central.htm
© Anil Kumar Kamaraju 2004 - Here
reproduced for personal use of the devotees for the purpose of
seva.
Anil Kumar website:
http://www.internety.com/anilkhome/ -
http://www.internety.com/saipearls/
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