The Hindu : Messages in the Ramayana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 24, 2002

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Messages in the Ramayana

CHENNAI DEC. 24 . Of what purpose or of use or of relevance to us in the modern age are holy works in which happenings that took place thousands of years ago, may arise doubts in the minds of some? The Ramayana is not a mere story; the events portrayed had indeed taken place and were described by Poet Valmiki, who was a witness to them. There are several instructions in this sacred text, which can be followed by men, enabling them to develop an integrated personality. The hero, Rama, was God who came to re-establish the Law of Virtue and in so doing, demonstrated how anyone can achieve perfection and maintain purity and reveals how to conduct oneself towards his spiritual mentors, his parents, his spouse, brothers, and to move in the society.

In his commentary to "Vishnu Sahasranama" Parasara Bhattar deals with the Lord's qualities and mentions the most outstanding one of His "affability" (termed in Sanskrit as Sausheelyam and in Tamil as Naermai), which makes a man who is the noblest by birth, wealth, wisdom and status, move with natural grace and intimacy with those who utterly lack them.

Several messages are embedded in the Divine Poem — about fate's inexorability, by describing Sita's (the Divine Mother who accompanied the Lord to see to the success of His incarnation) agony when kept in custody by the demon emperor and how She shuddered like a plantain tree in a tempest, reminding us that we, mortals, are but mere specks as compared to Her; how anger will destroy a man's thinking capacity (as seen by Anjaneya's regret after he set fire to Lanka) and disturb his mental balance; how ambassadors should diligently perform their assignments; how when obstacles crop while carrying out our tasks we should pray for our spiritual guides and of gods as Anjaneya did when he faced insurmountable barriers and when he could not locate Sita; and how, according to Tulasidas, a particular situation seemed to tell Vibhishana that he should leave the ship that was sinking and proceed to offer his surrender to the Lord to save him.

In his discourse on "Sundara Kandam", the piece de resistance of the entire epic, Sri R. Aravamudachariar said it described Anjaneya's exploits, his assurance extended to the anguished Sita, saving Her life and his report of his successful mission (to Rama) dispelling His doubts and misgivings. Ramayana will continue to inspire all of us.

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dated December 24, 1952: Viswa Bharati Convocation

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