Spiritual Significance of the Ramayanam

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

[Shri P V N M Sharma asked:- Kindly tell me about the Ramayanam in view of its significance in the spiritual knowledge.]

Swami replied:- The Ramayanam shows guidance in worldly life (Pravrutti) and internally shows the path of Nivrutti (Spiritual life) also because the name of Rama is recognized as the path of total salvation (Taraka Mantra). There are three levels of souls, which are linked with the qualities of the souls and not linked with the form of physical body. These three levels are

1) Dushpravrutti:- This is the level of full injustice and is found in animals.

2) Pravrutti:- This is the level of full justice and is found in human beings.

3) Nivrutti:- This is beyond justice and injustice since it is full divine love only and is found in divine personalities, called as God-Men.

Hanuman and Nandi are animals, Garuda and Hamsa (Swan) are birds and Adishesha is a serpent, but, they are in the divine level. Duryodhana is in human body, but is in the first level of animals, called as dushpravrutti.

This is very important concept because every human being is thinking that he/she has already attained human level (seeing own human body) and is trying for the next higher level called as Nivrutti. This is fundamental mistake. Almost every human being is in the level of animals, but, thinks that it is already in the human level and all its efforts are only for attaining the third ultimate divine level of Nivrutti. The human being thinks that it is not in the lower level of animals, but, it is in the second higher level of human beings already by linking the level to the form of body, which is false because a human being is not in full justice but is only in full injustice. Thus, almost every human being is in the level of animals only and not in the next higher human level due to absence of the quality of justice, which alone decides that the soul is in which level.

The animals have no justice in earning the food and in sexual life. The basic expected nature of human level is to have justice in earning (artha) and in sex (kaama) as per scholars (Apyarthakaamau tasyaastaam dharmaayaiva). In earning, you shall not hurt other living beings. The animal kills other weak animals for food. The present human being does lot of corruption causing suffering to others even though he has sufficient food. Both animals and present human beings are involved in illegal sex. Hence, the present humanity is in the level of animals (Dushpravrutti) thinking that it is in the human level (Pravrutti) already misunderstanding the level to be linked with form of the body. Scholars say that such a human being with the qualities of animal is a two legged animal (dvipaada pashuh).

Bhagavaan Shri Satya Sai Baba tried His level best to bring the so called human beings from the third level of animals to the second level of real human beings. He questioned “How can you think of the third divine level when you have not come even to the second human level leaving your present first animal-level?” He interpreted the Ramaayanam in second Pravrutti level of following justice leaving the injustice. In fact, the main program of Rama was only to preach the human beings regarding the second human level and hence, Rama is called as ideal human incarnation to preach ideals of the ideal human being in practice (Aadarshamaanushaavataara). In Pravrutti level, legal family bonds are given importance compared to the illegal family bonds. Importance to legal bonds surpassing illegal bonds is Pravrutti. Disappearance of both legal and illegal bonds is Nivrutti. Importance to illegal bonds is Dushpravrutti. Rama proved Himself as ideal son, ideal brother, ideal husband, ideal friend etc., to establish an ideal human being, which is the goal of Pravrutti.

In the first level of animals, the worldly bonds are strong causing injustice since these animals don’t know the significance of destruction of worldly bonds in attaining the grace of God due to lack of intelligence. The human beings have intelligence, but, still are unable to attempt at least to weaken the worldly bonds so that at least justice is followed by leaving the injustice. In this second human level, the soul is expected not to earn or follow sex illegally. In this level, one can earn legally and enjoy legal sex. In this second level, worldly bonds are not destroyed, but, are weakened. When the worldly bonds are weakened, it is called as success in Pravrutti. When the bonds are naturally destroyed due to the strong bond to God, it is called as Nivrutti. For both weakening the worldly bonds (Pravrutti) and destruction of worldly bonds (Nivrutti) bond with God is essential. When bond with God has partial strength, worldly bond is weakened. When bond with God has full strength, worldly bond is destroyed. Hence, for success in both Pravrutti and Nivrutti, bond with God is the starting point. With this starting point, you can travel in a train straight to Nivrutti, but, you will cross the intermediate station called Pravrutti even if you sleep in the train! Alternatively, you can travel up to intermediate station (Pravrutti) and change to catch other train going up to Nivrutti. In any case, the train is only bond with God only. The strength of bond with God decides whether the train is passenger or express. However, your starting effort must be to get into the train, which is development of bond with God.

When the soul enters the third divine Nivrutti level, both justice and injustice disappear and one can find only the love with God and nothing else. In this level, since justice also disappears along with injustice, all the worldly bonds are destroyed. Hence, in this ultimate divine level, search for justice is meaningless (sarvadharmaan… Gita). Hence, the incarnation of God called as Krishna is related to this ultimate divine level in which one can find only love of Gopikaas to Krishna, which is beyond both Pravrutti or justice and Dushpravrutti or injustice. Therefore, Krishna is called as Liilaamaanushaavataara or the human incarnation of God presenting the stage of God. Nivrutti means destruction of all worldly bonds due to the formation of strongest bond with God. Gopikaas are the devotees, who reached the third divine level. After leaving Gopikaas, Krishna behaved like Rama only since such devotees, who reached the third divine level were absent elsewhere. They were either in the first level or devotees trying to reach second level or devotees in second level or devotees trying to reach third level. Similarly, Rama acted like Krishna to test the devotees present in the third divine level. Just like the Bhagavatam is famous for Nivrutti, the Ramayanam is famous for Pravrutti. In the Ramayanam, by going deep, we can find the Nivrutti also and hence, Ramayanam is called as the Veda, which contains both Pravrutti and Nivrutti (Vedah praachetasaat...).

The ultimate fruit of success in Pravrutti by following justice and leaving injustice is the third world called as heaven for some time only. Dharmaraja succeeded in Pravrutti and did not leave justice by voting justice against God. He did not tell a lie even though God Krishna forced him to say that lie. When Krishna asked Bhima to tell the same lie, Bhima announced it. Bhima is more spiritual having faith in Krishna and voted God against justice. Hanuman, Bhima and Madhva are considered as the divine spiritual personalities and hence, Bhima is greater than Dharmaraja. The fruit of success in Nivrutti is the seventh world called as Brahmaloka (abode of God) and Hanuman went up to Brahmaloka. Gopikaas surpassed every devotee in Nivrutti and were given the top most special world called as Goloka. Without succeeding in Pravrutti, a soul can’t enter Nivrutti just like without crossing the intermediate station, the ultimate station is not received. If you take the case of Ravana, we think that he was very good in Nivrutti, but, failed in Pravrutti. It is a mistake to say that Ravana is very good in Nivrutti because Ravana never entered Nivrutti because he worshipped God Shiva only for attaining powers from Him and not without aspiration of any fruit in return. He is such a worst soul that he aspired even for the divine mother Parvati from God Shiva! Hence, he didn’t cross the Pravrutti to reach Nivrutti, which is impossible.

You can find monism of Shankara in Rama, inseparable dualism of Ramanuja in Lakshmana and perfect dualism of Madhva in Hanuman.

1) Rama:- is the human incarnation of God with whom the first energetic incarnation (Datta or Eshvara or Narayana) is merged totally, who contains merged unimaginable God. The meaning of Rama is God, who not only entertains Himself (Ramate iti) and gets others also entertained (Ramayati paraan iti). The Veda uses this word to the original unimaginable God (Ekaakii na ramate). This indicates that unimaginable God exists in Rama introduced through Datta or Narayana. Turning a stone in to a female sage called as Ahalyaa is an unimaginable event indicating the unimaginable God. There is no difference between Rama and unimaginable God or Datta. This establishes clearly the concept of monism between God and human being acting as the medium in human incarnation.

2) Lakshmana:- is the incarnation of Adishesha and Ramanuja is also incarnation of Adishesha. The word Shesha means a part of some whole. Ramanuja proposed the Sheshaa-Sheshi (part-whole) relationship between God Rama and Lakshmana. Even when Rama went to forest, Lakshmana accompanied Him like a limb of His body. The inseparable dualism perfectly exists in Rama and Lakshmana, which is the theory of Ramanuja.

3) Hanuman:- is the incarnation of god Vaayu. Madhva also declared Himself as the incarnation of god Vaayu. In His philosophy, there are three sons of god Vaayu, who are Hanuman, Bhima and Madhva. Hanuman acted as the servant of God Rama. Rama is master and Hanuman is His servant and this relationship stands for perfect dualism. Madhva treated God as to be served (Sevya) and treated the soul as the servant (Sevaka). Hanuman is always represented as the ideal goal in the path of Madhva.

In this way, you can find the three philosophies of the three divine preachers in the Ramayana. All the two (Hanumaan and Lakshmana) were severely tested by God Rama. Rama was enjoying Sita in the hut whereas Lakshmana was constantly going around the hut in the night like a watchman without sleep. Lakshmana was also young man like Rama and was also married like Rama. Rama is watching the mind of Lakshmana to find any adverse idea about this. Lakshmana never had even a trace of such adverse idea to think that why should he be a watchman while Rama is enjoying His wife in hut and he is a watchman outside by leaving his wife in Ayodhya city! This test was for about 14 years! When Sita scolded Lakshmana in the forest that Lakshmana followed Rama since he has an evil eye on Sita, Lakshmana didn’t report this to Rama at anytime. Of course, from the words of Sita we should learn that nobody should aspire for the power (Sita) of God and Ravana aspired for the power of God for his destruction. But, the omniscient Rama punished her by speaking bad language against her after the war and also by leaving her based on the same type of allegation. When Rama gave death sentence to Lakshmana, he simply followed it by entering Sarayu river. Lakshmana excelled all in this aspect. Bharata also tried to commit suicide putting pressure on Rama compelling Him to return in the stipulated time, but not on the order of Rama. Hanuman also tried to commit suicide on not finding Sita while searching for Sita but He realized His mistake that if it were committed, the service to Rama is disturbed. Sita also committed suicide in the end, but, it was against the wish of Rama. Dasharatha also died in the love to Rama, but, he could have controlled his wife Kaikeyii keeping Rama in the highest place.

The case of Hanuman is still more severe, who did not marry at all while God Rama ordered Him to search for Sita, the wife of Rama! Let us assume that Hanuman was serving Rama for the welfare of the society so that Rama would kill Ravana due to stolen Sita. We have received a powerful heart attack on this point also when Rama told Ravana on the first day of the war that if Ravana returns Sita, Rama will withdraw from the war and go back to Ayodhya city leaving the world to the sinful clutches of Ravana. This means that Rama is so selfish that He would go back with His wife even if Ravana seduces others’ wives in future! Hanuman could have left the service of Rama by this statement. But, He gave top most importance to Rama only and not to the social service. Mere social service, which may give temporary heaven, is useless without devotion to God. Sugriivaa forgot the help done by Rama and was immersed in pleasures and this shows that often we forget God after getting help from Him. Vaali did lot of injustice by forcing his brother’s wife to become his wife even though his brother was alive. When Sugriiva returned thinking that his brother Vaali died, Taaraa (wife of Vaali) became the wife of Sugriiva without any force since in monkeys Devara Nyaaya (wife of a dead brother becoming wife of his alive brother) existed. Vaali had divine boon that half of the opponent’s strength comes to him in war and due to this he became very proud to do several sins. Rama shot him dead by hiding Himself behind a tree. This means that any human achievement will be handled by the omniscient God and hence, pride of achievement is forbidden. Rama ate the fruits bitten by Shabari (a women of scheduled caste) and gave salvation to her without giving the same to the sages. This shows that God has no consideration for caste, gender and also traditions. He sees only the real practical devotion, which is offering of fruits of hard work of search only (sacrifice of fruit of work). Rama did a miracle turning stone in to lady secretly in the forest only in the presence of Vishvaamitra and Lakshmana so that miracles are not for expose. Even though sages praised Him as God, He denied it by saying that He was just a normal human being (Aatmaanam maanusham manye). This shows that the human being-component of human incarnation must be always in its limits. Of course, Krishna declared Himself as God before Arjuna only (and never in the life) since the context of the program in that time demanded it. Here also, God spoke through the throat of son of Vasudeva and hence, the Gita is called as Bhagavat Gita (spoken by God) and not Krishna Gita (spoken by Krishna). In fact, when Arjuna asked Krishna to speak the Gita once again, Krishna told that in the war God only spoke the Gita through Him. However, He spoke Gita compelled by Arjuna and this latter Gita (Uttara Gita) did not become famous at all. What all was practised by Rama was spoken in the Gita by Krishna. Rama spoke the rules of Pravrutti through His practice. A deeper study of His practice reveals the concepts of Nivrutti also and hence, scholars say that the name of Rama is for salvation or Nivrutti.

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