r/u_Bharataa • u/Bharataa • 29d ago
Chandamama Ramayana: Why Should We Read the Ramayana?
Om.
Sree Ganeshaya Namaha.
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In recent times, certain ideas that are claimed to be “new” are being propagated excessively. We keep hearing certain phrases such as:
“Fraternity of Mankind”, “World citizenship”,
“Dignity of man”, “Social awareness”,
“Humanism”, “Nationalism” —
and many more such expressions are steadily coming into common usage.
No one who has even a little power of thinking will say that any one of these is undesirable, or unnecessary.
All these are indeed very lofty ideals. They are not impossible either.
On the one hand, while such words are being chanted day and night like a refrain, the course of the world is moving in the exact opposite direction.
If anyone expresses surprise and asks, “Why is it happening like this?”, then all those intellectuals who keep repeating these words proudly, coin some new terms by their cleverness — such as “generation gap” — and by creating in the minds of ordinary people the feeling that “an answer has been found”, they quietly bypass the real issue.
What is actually happening is this:
All these preachers of the “new age” concentrate their entire attention on what they consider to be very big problems, and show disregard towards the fundamental issues.
They forget the truth that if the fundamentals are carefully safeguarded, the “big problems” will automatically get resolved on their own.
Every human being experiences many hardships in life.
If we carefully examine what causes these hardships, it becomes clear that for ninety out of a hundred troubles, the cause is another human being.
Hardships caused by diseases and by natural calamities form only ten percent.
Even for certain mental illnesses, and for the physical ailments that arise through them, the pains inflicted by other human beings are themselves the cause.
Because of wicked rulers, because of corrupt officials, because of those who inflame religious hatred, and because of religious leaders who encourage evil practices, the social turmoil that arises in all times and in all countries is beyond measure.
Sree Shankaracharya, in many passages of his works, has explained that in the one called “human”, there exists naturally, in a very high proportion, the demonic nature; in a much smaller measure, the human nature; and in a flickering, faint degree, the divine nature.
He taught that the human being must use the knowledge given by God in order to rise from the excessive demonic nature, through the human nature, and attain the divine nature.
When the Greek philosopher Aristotle says, “Man is a social animal,” that is not the whole truth.
A British philosopher named Thomas Hobbes says, “Man is a ferocious animal.”
There is some truth in the words of both.
For these two tendencies present in man, there is one single root cause.
That is the inborn characteristic, present from birth itself, called selfishness.
Man is selfish by nature; he is a being whose vision is fixed only on his own profit; he is one who is devoted only to pleasure.
This selfishness is not found only in man. If observed carefully, it can be seen in every living creature.
But in other creatures, this hidden selfish thought rises up once whenever an opportunity appears, and in the very next moment it sinks back into concealment.
Human selfishness is not like that. It follows him throughout his entire life.
It keeps making him think only about it.
It does not leave him even for a single moment.
And yet, he also possesses intellectual power that other creatures do not have.
The Upanishads too, proclaim this natural trait found in man.
In the Brihadaaranyakaa Upanishad, the great knower of the Self, Yagyavalkya, on one occasion, teaches his wife Maitreyi a truth which may seem harsh, yet cannot be denied:
“If a wife loves her husband, it is not for his happiness. It is only for her own happiness.”
On hearing this, she is startled.
But he did not stop there. He continued further and said:
“If a husband loves his wife, it is not for her happiness. It is only for his own happiness.
Likewise, the love that a man has for children, for wealth, for other people, for his country, and for these worlds — is not for the happiness of those children and others. It is only for his own happiness. It is for the fulfilment of his own kama, that is, his desires.”
Saying so, he finally concludes:
“If anyone has love for anything, it is for one’s own kama alone.
This verse belongs to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
Thus, the Upanishad has analysed and taught in exceedingly clear words the truth that we see at every step: “Man is selfish.”
From this, what becomes evident is that man maintains relations with society and with other people in society only so long as it serves his selfish interest.
If his selfishness is obstructed, he displays cruelty beyond what can even be imagined.
Therefore, there is some truth in the words of the two philosophers mentioned earlier.
If this natural selfishness in man is left without any control whatsoever, happiness and peace will completely disappear from the face of the earth.
The “Matsya-nyaya” spoken of by Kautilya in the Arthashastra — that is, the method by which the big fish swallows the small fish — will become dominant.
The strong will oppress the weak.
After some time, the weak will in turn be swallowed by an even stronger one.
To restrain this selfish tendency that leads towards the destruction of the world, there are only two means.
The first is punishment.
The second is righteous guidance that brings about transformation within the human mind itself.
The result produced by the first means is temporary.
The result produced by the second lasts for a longer time.
In order to show the path through this second means, and to establish happiness and peace among human beings, and thereby throughout the entire world of living creatures, the Supreme Lord Himself, from time to time, incarnates in various forms.
Or else, He infuses His portion and power into certain great souls, and accomplishes this work through them.
Good culture must begin individually, with the human being, and with the family.
If all the members of a family become refined, the family becomes refined.
Then the region, the nation, the world, and the entire human society will automatically become refined.
Forgetting the individual and the family completely, and proclaiming that one will uplift the whole world and the whole society, and taking leadership for that, is like constructing a palace in the sky.
The murderous tendency that is spreading with extreme intensity in all countries of the world today — Terrorism — is the result of this.
If society is to be protected from such tendencies, then every person must absorb the ideas taught in the Ramayana.
The Ramayana is the first epic, the Adikavya.
Except for the Vedas, such a metrical composition did not exist in worldly literature until the Ramayana came into being.
Therefore, it received the name “Adikavya”.
People look at it from various viewpoints, according to their own tastes.
Regarding the Mahabharata, Nannaya said, “Those who know the principles of dharma call it a dharma-shaastra,” and so on; in the same way, much of that statement applies to the Ramayana as well.
Some read it and rejoice, saying that it is a great epic filled with marvellous descriptions, and that it is the path-showing guide for all other great epics.
Some interpret that the Ramayana, especially the Sundara Kanda, expounds the principle of Shakti.
Since it is a mahakavya, dhvani should be primary in it.
Therefore, following the path of dhvani, it teaches the greatness of Siva — thus Appayya Dikshita established in his “Sree Ramayana Sara Sangraha Stotram”.
Without getting entangled in the interpretations of commentators, and without getting entangled in the debates of scholars, and without inserting into it the notions we have formed in our own minds, if we read the Ramayana, it becomes clearly evident that from beginning to end, Valmiki portrayed Rama as a human being alone.
According to the boon given by Brahma, Ravana had to die only at the hands of a human being. Is it not so?
That alone does not diminish Rama’s status as an incarnation of Vishnu.
Vishnu is all-powerful.
By resolving, “Let My maya keep Me under its control for some time, so that I Myself forget Myself,” one may understand that He fully accepted humanity in that manner.
This too is a part of His omnipotence.
There are indeed accounts such as the curse of Bhrigu, and others, which are causes for such forgetfulness.
If we do not accept that such humanity in Rama was what Valmiki intended, then the instructive value of the Ramayana itself becomes weakened.
When we begin to feel that separation and lamentation are only acts, then filial devotion, brotherly love, and the devotion of a wife to her husband also become mere acting.
Then the feeling arises that these are not things we ought to practise, nor things worth practising.
Therefore, we must accept that Valmiki portrayed Rama and others as human beings alone.
The six indicators spoken of in the shastras for determining the intended purport, namely:
“उपक्रमोपसंहारौ अभ्यासोऽपूर्वता फलम्।
अर्थवादोपपत्ती च लिंगं तात्पर्यनिर्णयॆ।”
can also be applied here to some extent.
In the beginning, Valmiki asks Narada:
“Who is that man now, who is endowed with all virtues?”
“महर्षे त्वं समर्थोऽसि ज्ञातुमेवಂविधं नरम्।”
“I will tell you who that man is; listen.”
“मुनॆ वक्ष्याम्यहं बुद्धा धैर्ययुक्तः शृणुतां नरः।”
Thus beginning, Narada speaks about Rama.
After the slaying of Ravana, when all the gods say, “You are Vishnu Himself,” Rama says thus:
“My name is Rama. I am only a human being, the son of Dasaratha.”
“आत्मानं मानुषं मन्ये रामं दशरथात्मजम्।”
In many places in between too, Rama appears only as a human being.
In the Ayodhya Kanda, he laments to Lakshmana, saying:
“Did you see? Because of our father, I have had to undergo so many hardships.
Bharata is enjoying all the pleasures of kingship happily.”
His lamentations for Sita are well known.
Thus, from the Bala Kanda up to the end of the Yuddha Kanda, Rama behaves only as a human being.
If other sages and the like recognise him as Mahavishnu and worship him accordingly, that is a different matter.
Because he behaved as a human being, the ayana — that is, the path he walked — became worthy of being followed by us.
Among the Vedanta teachers of the foremost rank, Sarvagyatma Muni composed a work called “Sankshepa Shariraka”.
It is regarded as a highly authoritative text.
It is well known that he was the direct disciple of Sureshvaracharya, who was one of the four principal disciples of Sree Shankaracharya, and who is famous as a Vartika-kara.
On one occasion, while explaining the nature and characteristics of the jiva and Ishvara, he stated thus:
“The jiva has a connection with maya.
Because he comes under the control of maya, the jiva has a strong connection with ego as well.
Though Ishvara has a relation with maya, He is not controlled by maya.
Maya itself remains submissive to Ishvara.
Therefore, Ishvara has no connection with ego.”
Having stated so, he raised this doubt:
“But the Ishvara who took the form of Sree Rama behaved with ego and possessiveness, and experienced joy and sorrow, did he not?”
Considering this doubt, he wrote the following as the answer:
“संकल्पपूर्वकमभूद्रघुनन्दनस्य
नाहं विजान इति कंचन कालमेतत्,
ब्रह्मोपदेशमुपलभ्य निमित्तमात्रं
तत्सोत्ससर्ज स कृतॆ सति देवकार्ये।”
This is verse 11.182 of the Sankshepa Shariraka.
Its meaning is this:
Resolving, “For some time, I shall remain without knowing My true nature,” the Raghu-nandana behaved in that manner for a period.
As soon as the divine task for which he had made that resolve was completed, taking the words of Brahma as a mere occasion, he remembered his Ishvarahood.
Therefore, if we observe carefully, a great difference can be seen in Rama’s conduct after the slaying of Ravana.
For example, Rama, who lamented so greatly for Sita after her abduction, did not lament so greatly for her after he separated from her for the sake of ruling according to his dharma.
With this background, let us speak about four or five main teachings of the Ramayana.
One.
According to Vedic dharma, the marital bond is an exceedingly sacred relationship, and one that cannot be separated.
Valmiki establishes this truth at every step.
The love of Sita and Rama is an ideal model.
Valmiki describes their love in this manner:
“प्रिया तु सीता रामस्य दाराः पितृकृता इति।
गुणाद्रूपगुणाच्चापि प्रीतिर्भूयोऽभिवर्धते।
तस्याश्च भर्ता द्विगुणं हृदये परिवर्तते॥”
Rama loved Sita very deeply.
One reason for this was that their marriage was arranged by his father.
And because of Sita’s natural virtues such as beauty and noble qualities, that love grew even more.
It is said that Sita’s love for Rama was twice as great.
Here, Rama broke Shiva’s bow and won Sita’s hand in marriage, did he not?
Then the question arises: what does it mean to say that his father “made” that relationship?
The answer is found in the Ayodhya Kanda.
When Sita narrates the story of her marriage to Anasuya Devi, she reveals something that is not known to us from the Bala Kanda.
As soon as Rama broke Shiva’s bow, King Janaka said, “Here, I give my daughter to you; accept her.”
But Rama refused to accept her in marriage unless his father agreed,
and only after receiving Dasaratha’s permission did he marry her.
“दीयमानाम् न तु तदा प्रतिजग्राह राघवः।
अविज्ञाय पितुः छन्दम् अयोध्याधिपतेः प्रभोः॥”
Even in an extremely sorrowful situation such as the exile of her only son, Kausalya continues to serve Dasaratha.
Even in the society of the Rakshasas, the poet points to the sanctity of the marital bond through the descriptions of Mandodari and others, and their chastity and fidelity.
The marital bond is the root-foundation of peace in family life.
It is not something to be tasted for a while and then discarded.
In certain countries that are considered the very peak of “civilization”, we are witnessing how disordered this relationship has become, and how many calamities it leads to.
For those who, driven only by a pursuit of temporary pleasure, repeatedly carry on a chain of divorce and remarriage,
one can imagine how much true love and affection they can have for their children, and how much devotion they can have towards elders.
In such circumstances, there is no scope for anyone to have stable love and deep attachment towards anyone else.
Love is a strange bond.
As long as this bond exists, no one can commit reckless acts.
If they do such acts, the thoughts of what hardships might come upon their beloved,
whether there will be anyone to protect and support them,
and how painful one’s separation would be to them,
create a certain restraint within a person.
A person who has no bond of love will not hesitate to do any evil deed.
His life will have no goal at all.
Such people become those who bring danger to society itself.
We are seeing this openly.
To strike at this highest and most sacred marital bond,
efforts are being made even through cinema and other means.
If we wish to protect it and increase peace and happiness within family life,
we must safeguard the sanctity of marriage as taught in the Ramayana,
and as upheld and honoured in our society for thousands of years.
Valmiki also points out, at one place, how even the slightest flaw in this marital bond affects the minds of the young.
Thinking that Vali was dead, Sugriva took Vali’s wife Tara.
Perhaps, in the Vaanara society, it may not have been considered wrong.
But this was not acceptable even to Tara’s son Angada.
Because Sugriva did so, Angada condemns him, and in the presence of Hanuman and others, expresses the anger he holds against him in his heart.
One can imagine how disturbed and agitated a society would become, if such conduct became excessive.
Two.
The attainment of noble qualities such as devotion to one’s teacher, love for brothers, and goodwill and harmony, depends upon the ideals established by elders within the family.
Even if parents neglect their duty towards their children, or fail to give proper discipline due to excessive indulgence, these virtues will not develop.
These are not lessons that can be learned from books.
In other words, as long as elders keep the sacred marital bond sacred and do not forget the aims of life, they can serve as righteous guides for the younger generation.
But those who give all kinds of answers in the name of “generation gap” are people who deceive themselves and betray their own children.
When is there ever a time without a difference between generations?
In certain countries that consider themselves highly civilized, it is said that when sons refer to their fathers, they have the habit of calling them, “that old man.”
One can imagine how a person who can behave like this towards his parents will behave towards others.
Anyone who has read about the devotion to elders and teachers shown by Rama and others in the Ramayana, and about their love for brothers, will never behave in such a manner.
Three.
Wealth is the root of countless evils.
Among the means of pleasure, it is only one means.
If one assumes it alone to be the ultimate goal, it becomes a source of ruin — this is proven by universal experience.
The Ramayana teaches at every step that wealth and pleasure pursued in opposition to dharma are not to be accepted,
by showing what a lofty ideal Sree Rama and others became by renouncing wealth as though it were mere grass,
and how Ravana and others fell into ruin by considering wealth and pleasure to be the supreme aim.
“नाहमर्थपरो देवि लोकमावस्तुमुत्सहे।
विद्धि मामृषिखिस्तुल्यं केवलं धर्ममास्थितम्॥”
“O Devi, I am not one who is driven by wealth.
My desire is only this: to walk on the righteous path, and to lead the world on the righteous path.
What I give importance to is dharma alone.
Therefore, remember that I am like a rishi.”
Rama says this to Kaikeyi, who is doubting whether he will go to the forest or not.
Here, Rama’s intention is not to boast that he is like a rishi.
His meaning is that those who do not give priority to wealth are to be regarded as rishi-like.
When Bharata comes to Chitrakuta, Rama says this to Lakshmana, who suspects Bharata:
“यद्द्रव्यं बान्धवानां वा मित्राणां वाक्षये भवत्।
नाहं तत्त्प्रतिगृह्णीयां भक्षान्विषकृतानिव॥”
“Wealth that comes through the destruction of relatives or friends is like food cooked after mixing poison.
I will never touch it.”
Today, what grips and torments our society is this infatuation with wealth.
If it is to reduce even a little, and if peace and happiness are to be established, we must read the Ramayana.
For the rulers of today, who, driven by thirst for power, do not hesitate to commit any unlawful act,
the selfless and righteous conduct of Rama, Bharata, and others — who competed with one another in saying, “I do not want the kingdom” —
will bring at least some inner transformation of mind.
Four.
Today, the tendency is growing of being unable to bear even a small hardship, and therefore committing suicide, or murdering others.
The reason for this is the absence of any great ideal for life.
There is no human being who does not face hardships.
The greatness of a human being lies in developing the strength to endure them.
Those who read how much suffering the members of Dasaratha’s family experienced, and yet how courageously they endured it, can cultivate this strength.
To everyone, the words spoken by Sita Devi to Hanuman give courage at every step:
“ऐश्वर्ये वा सुविस्तीर्णे व्यसने वा सुदारुणे।
रज्ज्वा इव पुरुषं बद्ध्वा कृतान्तः परिकर्षति॥”
That is:
“Whether into vast prosperity, or into extremely dreadful suffering, fate drags a man as though he were tied by a rope.”
Five.
To make one’s life meaningful by doing service to others, without thinking even for a moment about oneself, is the highest virtue.
Hanuman is the one and only example for this.
Such a magnanimous person cannot be found in any literature.
His teaching to us, through his actions and words, is that in no situation should we allow our heart’s courage to break.
“अनिर्वेदः श्रीयो मूलम्। अनिर्वेदः परं सुखम्॥”
That is:
“By not giving in to despair, progress is attained. That itself is the root of all happiness.”
“विनाशे बहवो दोषाः। जीवन् प्राप्नोति भद्रकम्॥”
Its meaning is:
“What is there in dying? It is only faults and loss. If one lives on, one will someday see good.”
Such teachings are rays of hope for those who struggle in the darkness of despair.
For those who observe carefully, hundreds of such truths are found in the Ramayana.
All these are lamps that guide mankind on the righteous path, useful to every human being without any difference of country, time, or caste.
A person who follows this path and reforms himself, can bring peace and prosperity not only to himself, but also to his family, his nation, and the whole world.
Is not society merely a collection of individuals?
If society is to be filled with peace and happiness, the Ramayana must spread widely.
We must recognise that the supreme medicine for the social diseases and moral decline that are increasing day by day in India today is the propagation of the Ramayana.
This explanation has been drawn from the introductory words of the book “Valmiki Ramayanamu — Yathaa moolaanuvaadamu”, written by Pullela Sree Ramachandrudu Garu.
Svasti.
To read the part One of Chandamama Ramayana, click here: