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The Sunday Talk Given by
“Sri Rama Navami”
OM…OM…OM…
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
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