Rama Charita and Sadhana Tattwa

Ramaya Ramavadraya Ramachandraya Bedhase Raghunathya Nathya Sitayah Pataye Namah

Devi Vuljah Swarnabarnaram Rama Lokan Tatparam Sri Ramasya vanitam Sitam Pranamami Punah Punah.

 Vagaban Shankar still remain immersed in meditation, and this was the 32^nd day. Vagabati Durga looked at his face. Shankar has lost himself in Brahmananda. A smile stuck to his lips. The whole face was flowing a continuous stream of bliss. Having marked that, Vagabati asked – Well, my lord – What’s that keeps you enchanted so that you forget your Samsara, your own body, but remain in constant pleasure? Having heard her Shankar open his eyes dream – and replies to his beloved “Paravati” – I was having a rare vision. This is not normally to be expressed to the public for, this is such a thing that it ought to remain confined to my mental eye alone.’ Having heard Vagabati Shankar’s reply Paravati said. “My dear Lord kindly dilate your feeling Brahmananda such that I can share your joys directly.

Thereupon Lord Siva described the wonderful epic of Sri Ramacharita to his beloved consort. He began thus- I have seen the Ram Avatar of Tretaya Yuga to come in my mind’s eye during my meditation. Many ages ahead of today, after 22 Manus in the time of the Sun, Sri Ramachandra will descend to mother earth as an Avatar. Rishis Janak at that time will beget a lady, Sita, who is the eternal consort of the Lord. He will establish an era of peace and repose in Oudh. This Purna Brahma Lord Sri Rama’s Character & Characteristics are so vast that I just touched a bit of it. You better center your thoughts on what all I have just hinted, having thus said this much, he again closed his eyes to remain immerged in Ramayana.

The epic Swan always moves in Manas Sarobar – the lake of a mind means that every expression of a man is the newer expressions of thoughts of Sri Ramachandra to realize which is remaining immersed in Brahmananda.

Mostly we see three types of Ramayana.

One is written by Sri Balmiki in 7 parts. One is written by Vasista and goes by the name Jogabasista and the third is written by Vakta Prabar Sri Tulasi Das. Though Tulasi Das was not highly educated, he was always meditating on Sri Ramachandra and could write such beautiful things due to the grace of Hanuman, the greatest devote of Sri Ramachandra on record.

The mode of birth of Sita Devi, the eternal consort of the Lord, is as peculiar as it is stupendous. Rajarshi Janak just discovered a pot full of Brahma Yoti at the time of ploughing a scrub forest with the plough share. This Brahma Yoti appeared in the form of a child to Janak. That means there in the backbone of every human being. Rajarshi Janak ploughed this forest through Susumna Nerve by Kriya Yoga. As a result, he could meet Brahma Yoti in Kutastha Cave. That was nothing but Sita.

Every human body is a Ramayana. Sri Ramchandra himself is its main hero, Sri Rama dwells in every atom of their physical constituents of this body like blood, bone, skin, etc. But at the same time, he dwells in his attribute less form of Brahma above the Kutastha Chakra covering atom by atom all such Akashas like Dharakash, Chidarakash, Parakash and Atmakash. Every body contains three attributes in Satwa, Rajah and Tamah. These three attributes should have Atmaram as the face to be able to function. Rajah and Tamah though are lower propensities. Still Nirguna Brahma must be there to hold and support them so as to enable them to function. The devilish Tamah Vab is Kumbhakarna. He sleeps for every six months after which he gets up for a day alone. Idleness is the relic of Kumbhakarna in every human being. Raja vriti in every being is Ravana vriti. The 5 sense of knowledge and 5 senses of Karma are the 10 heads of Ravana, Ravana was the devotee of Lord Siva, to satisfy whom he cut one by one all his heads and sacrificed them in Homa fire. As a result, Siva got too much pleased and offered Ravana boons. Ravana asked for two boons. He considered human beings and monkeys worthless and was not afraid of them. Hence, he asked, “Make me that strong so that the Devas and Gandharbas can never win me. “In the next boon he prayed that let no arrow, however sharp, pierce my mountainous physical body and Lord Siva granted his both wishes. Having heard Siva, Paravati got so much afraid that she complained, “Oh my Lord, you have completely thereby destroyed creation.” There upon Lord Siva consented him saying “Never fear my dear, Sri Ramachandra will descend in the form of human being, and I have told you earlier about it. The very Banaras with the hold of boulders, trees, their teeth and anils will destroy Ravana not alone, but with his entire line of heritage. The essence of all this is that the peculiar type of Raja Guna that’s in man, reappears even after however much you cut it off. There is no end to Nature. God has created three instruments with which this Raja Guna can be destroyed. The Sadhakas sit silently in caves and destroy this Guna by meditation. Truth dawns in each Sadhaka proportionate to his depth of Sadhana. The more they feel God, the more they neglect their physical body. So hairs grow long on their heads to form nets and next grows their beard and then their nails. The more they meditate, the more they lose themselves in the sea of pleasure just like Bivishana.

Those thoughts in human beings which veer around God are the Sattwa Guna or Vriti. Though Bivishana was born in the Rakhyasa line – he had Sattwa in very great measure. The tendency in man to show oneself as well off and learned represents Bibhisana. When Ravana kicks Sattwa Vriti, it stirs, and Vairagya is born for this Samsara and Vairagya opens vistas to measure on the line of Sattwa i.e. for God Realization. The three Gunas play in every second and in fact Sattwa, Rajah and Tamah stand for Bibhisana, Ravana, and Kumbhakarna respectively. Propensities and doing prohibition acts of Surpanakha. Hoping against hope stands for Tadaka. The feeling in man that non-equalizes me is Indrajit. Too much self-confidence on man is Meghananda.

If a Sadhak gets into Ashokabana – i.e. the forest having no Soka or sorrow and sits in the care of Sahasrara i.e. Brahmaguna and meditation on Rama, the Vritis of Raja and Tama are destroyed and Sattwa increases. The Sadhaka knows no sorrow when he remains there. There is a significance in the face that though Ravana had immense strength and wealth, he had to steal Sita away from Rama Chandra and putting her into Ashoka Bana. Ravana stands for Rajah Guna is full of outward activities. The place stretches from the feet of the toe to the end of the two physical eyes. Sita Devi stands for Sattwa Guna which is full of indomitability for so much so that she represents the representative parts of the unmanifested Brahma i.e. Sri Rama Chandra. The place of Sita in the human body starts from the border line above the eyes and stretches to the Sahasrara in human body. Ravana knew fully well Sita is procreator of this whole universe, that means Ravana very well know, that if he mixes with Sita, he is sure to lose his identity, as Sattwa is always more powerful than Rajah.

As to repeat, every body is the dwelling house of Ravana and Kumbhakarna Vritis which are manifested in each of his actions and thoughts. To counter all that Lord Sri Rama Chandra surrounded by innumerable Sadhana Shakti Sampanna soldiers stand as Banaras. Sri Rama destroyed Raja Guna Ravana with the help of Bibhisana, Hanuman, Jambaban etc. all his devotes.  The role of Hanuman in the Ramayana is noteworthy.  The Ravana Vritti cannot be overcome without Pranayam and Sadhana. Hanuman stands for the power generated by Pranayam and its manifestations. After the destruction of Ravana, Sri Ram with his devotes like Hanuman, Bibhishan and the others got into the Ashok Vana gladly. Rama met Sita and the devotees sang their joys so loud that the sound pierced the attribute less sky above. Evidently Ashoka Vana is a sacred Sattwic spot, there the Lord and the devotees meet in general.  The evil propensities can’t enter into the spot and that is Ravana did not allow anyone to enter into Ashoka Bana so Bibhisan with a view to behold Sita Devi once had gone secretly there led by Hanuman.

When Sitadevi was released from the captivity of Ravana after his demise, Sita thought to herself that the devotees might find fault with her character as she stayed amongst the Rakhyasas for some time in Ceylone.  The moment the thought struck her, she started burning the Brahma fire that was within her. As there is oil in any oilseed, as there is ghee in every drop of milk, Viswa – agni was likewise within Sitadevi. As one fire cannot destroy another fire, similarly Viswarupa Maha - agni   Sitadevi moved freely in the outward agni manifested by this outside Viswa, marking which the devotees and other right suns were stupefied. After that Sri Rama Chandra returned to Oudh in Puspak Yana. The all beloved of Ramachandra then started for the throne with the view to grow dearer one by one every day.

Every human body is a Ramayan. The dwell of Sri Rama is Ayodhya nothing to fight. The various viritis which manifest in a man every second constitute the pupils of Sri Rama. Deep meditation is Ayodhya. For, God dwells in every human being in full. If a Sadhaka controls his actions and thoughts as per the dictates of own conscience, he would mount higher and higher till the golden cover of Swarnamayee Lanka loses all its charms and he will be face to face with Sattwa Swarupa Sita Devi at the center of which Sri Ramachandra dwells with full splendor as if not.  Therefore, I say that man is born just to be realized.

Hari Om Tat Sat.

* Source: “The Secrets & Significance of Idol Worships of the Hindus”  by Swami Hariharananda Giri ~ First Edition 1984  

Translated from the original Oriya Book ~ “Hindu Puja Rahasya”