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A Practical
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193
Chaupaayi: Ura aanata tumha para kuttilaa-yee: jaa-yi
loka-paraloka-nasaa-yee:: Ak263 193. Shree
Raama said to Bharata, "Whoever even thinks of you as of a crooked
nature will ruin his life here and hereafter. Allow no demeaning
thought in your mind. None can hide one's love and animosity." There are
four lessons here. Unverified criticism is a sin with horrendous
consequences. (See 453)
Often the criticized person knows his intent is correct, its perception
in the critic is wrong. The criticized person should ordinarily forbear
response and try to rise above the critic. (See 295) Next,
one
should not try to fool all for all times. One is exposed sooner than
one thinks. Next, a man who relies on God is saved from sin. (See 177) Next,
one
should not blame oneself for being the indirect cause of any suffering
around one as Bharata did. A guilt complex as Bharata's is a festering
sore, which distorts the mind to cause failures and suffering. It even
causes suicide. Shree Raama wants us to know that none can in reality
hurt any other or be guilty of it under the law of karma. When we try
to hurt someone, we only hurt ourselves in the end. If unintended
calamity follows our action, we should pray in humility to God for
relief to its victim and be more alert to our six passions, which cause
all our errors. We shouldn't however harbour guilt. Bharata was wrong
when he called himself the cause of all misery around him and so a
sinner. Swami
Ramakrishna warns us, ‘He, who says day and night, "I am a sinner, I am
a sinner" verily becomes a sinner... one
must have such faith that he can say: "I have uttered the name of God;
I have repeated the name of Raama or Hari. How can I be a sinner?" ‘ (RK 138, 627) (See Geetaa 8:6) By our surrender
to God we avoid sin and also become free from consequences of sin,
guilt and fear complexes. (See 185[15,
16, 19,
24], 325)
and
Geetaa 9. 30) 194
Chaupaayi: Guru prasanna saahiba anukoolaa: mitti malina
mana kalpita soolaa:: 194.
Bharata said to Shree Raama, "All the dirt of doubt and ignorance
and consequential pain disappears when I find Vasishttha is kind and
pleased with me and you are supportive of me. O Shree Raama! You are
always even minded towards all as the wish-fulfilling tree. I now pray
to you to do as you think proper." A legendary
tree fulfils the good or bad wish of both the good or bad seeker for himself; but not a wish which hurts someone else.
Similarly, God treats all evenly. Forgetting the law of karma, a man
thinks that God is against him and makes him miserable. Instead, he
should know that God loves all and therefore he should seek relief from
Him. 195
Dohaa: Saanuja pattha-yi-ya mohi bana,
keeji-yay sabahi sanaatha: 195.
Bharata continued, "Please send Shatrughna and me to the forest.
You return to Ayodhyaa. Let everybody thereby regain his security with
the return of the Master. Alternatively, please return Lakshmana and
Shatrughna to Ayodhyaa and let me stay with you in the forest. Failing
that let the three brothers go in the forest and, along with
Seetaa, you return to Ayodhyaa. Please do as it pleases you. I suggest
everything out of my own selfishness because a man in distress does not
possess full awareness." After
saying what he wanted to say and to live up to his attitude of
dedication to Shree Raama, Bharata requested forgiveness and left the
decision to Shree Raama. (A Lesson in Good Conduct) 196
Chaupaayi: Bisha-yee saadhaka sid-dha sayaanay:
tribidha jeeva jaga bayda bakhaanay:: 196.
Vasishttha said, "The Vedas say there are three kinds of men; those
who enjoy worldly life; those who are aspirants and seekers of
God; and those who have attained Brahmajnaana. (See 27) Among
the
three, whoever is full of devotion to Shree Raama is highly respected
in the society of good persons. Even Knowledge has nothing to recommend
it if it is not imbued with the love for Shree Raama. That knowledge is
as a boat without its ferry-man, that is, just useless."
We all
bring our different mental and spiritual levels from our past lives.
Only God knows anyone’s spiritual level, which is one’s nearness to
God. (See Geetaa 6:40-45) When a seeker of harmless worldly pleasures
turns to Shree Raama, the seeker often starts commanding respect
gradually. God improves His devotee to perfection to make him in His
image. (See 205
and
Geetaa 9:30) A paramahansa
is one who attains Knowledge. Swami Ramakrishna, a paramahansa
himself, says that there are two kinds of paramahansas; the jnaanee,
or who knows reality as God, and the lover of God. The former is
satisfied with the bliss of his Knowledge for himself. The latter
enjoys the additional bliss of devotion to God as a person. He also
teaches others to share his bliss with them. The latter is called vijnaanee.
(RK 679) God keeps a little of the ‘I' of the devotee in a vijnaanee,
to keep his soul in his body for his role and for the
enjoyment in life of the bliss of attaining jnaana. If the ‘I'
is annihilated totally, as in a jnaanee, the soul becomes free
and leaves the body. The vijnaanee, who loves God, is respected
more than the jnaanee because the former serves society and the
latter remains confined to himself. A vijnaanee
removes ignorance, which causes unhappiness. He imparts Knowledge to
people that makes them happy. One who knows God cannot return to tell
us about Him. (See 148)
One, who sees or experiences God, by His grace, lives as a guru to
persuade others to realize their oneness with Him. Knowledge of God is
not possible. It is distinct from seeing Him or experiencing Him or
merging in Him. (See 148) The outward
expression of devotion is selfless benevolent service of all. (See 187, 360, 386)
Society
reverentially loves such devotees who offer relief through service.
(See 160) God too loves these devotees most because they do as God
does, namely, benevolent service. (See 294, 366, 415) Some
men of
Knowledge are unaware of their pride. (See 240[3], 438)
Coming in their
contact, a man senses it, removes himself from them and does not
respect them. Sympathy, which lightens others' burden, not dry
knowledge, evokes respect. It is said that, 'Bhakti should be
filled with Knowledge, otherwise it will be
light as a balloon which drifts along any current of air or gust of
wind. Mere Knowledge will make the heart dry; bhakti will make
it soft with sympathy' or service of society. (H 21) (See 288, 437, 438) 197
Chaupaayi: Kausalyaa kaha dosu na kaahoo:
karama-bibasa dukha sukha chhati laahoo:: 197.
Kaushalyaa said to Seetaa's mother Sunainaa, "No one is to be
blamed for anything. All the pain, pleasure, profit and loss borne by
man are the uncontrollable consequences of one’s own actions. Only God
Himself knows how karma works. He dispenses the good and bad
consequences of karma." Kaushalyaa
is shown to bring out two aspects of the law of karma. Our present with
all its good and bad we perceive for us is the best we have earned for
ourselves and so we should accept it as God’s grace for us. Second, the
relationship of karma and consequences is mercifully not given to us
because it would have paralyzed us into fear of action. Neither
Dasharatha's action to crown Shree Raama nor
Kaikayee's to crown Bharata succeeded. In human affairs it is not
possible with certainty to predict results of many actions with
precision. So, it is best to entrust results to the Maker of results to
make them the best for us. However, if we want to, we can know how the
law of karma works. (See 148) Kaushalyaa
gives us here the secret of her strength for her ideal conduct when the
worst suffering befalls her for no fault on her part. Her faith in the
law of karma demonstrates the strength this law bestows on us. This
strength is for our becoming exemplary in every situation if we live in
it, as Kaushalyaa did. We bear no malice but have love for all with
prayers to God for relief from our past. 198
Chaupaayi: Kasay kanaku mani paarikhi paa-yay: purusha
parikhi-yahi sama-ya subhaa-yay:: Ak283 198.
Kaushalyaa said to Sunainaa, "The quality of gold is tested on the
touchstone and that of precious stones by examining them. A man is
tested by a crisis." Kaushalyaa
told Sunainaa that Dasharatha used to say that Bharata was the light of
Raghu's royal dynasty. Bharata's nobility made his glory radiant,
exemplified the proverb in this couplet and justified Dasharatha's
praise. (A Proverb) 199
Chaupaayi: Prabhu apanai neechahu aadaraheen: agani
dhooma giri sira trina dharaheen:: Ak285 199. In
appreciation of Kaushalyaa's humility, Sunainaa said to her, "A good
master respects his servants. The fire keeps smoke and the hill keeps
straw on their head." Truly great
do not hurt the small but are courteous to them. The small, the needy
and the seeker of help are conscious of their inferiority when they
seek help. Even an unintended gesture hurts them. If the helper is
godly, he thanks God for his better fortune and for giving him a chance
to help. His sense of this gratitude makes him humble to give respect
to the needy and attracts God's grace for his own betterment. (See 259, 430) If
he is wise, he is careful and courteous lest he should get
proud and hurt the small. (See 45, 453)
Nature
teaches us that powerfully great but even inanimate objects are
magnanimous to the small. (See 199) In
our own
interest, we, who are
intelligent, should be magnanimous to the less fortunate than us. The
more magnanimous and charitable we are the more opportunities God gives
us for these benign activities and with it our increased capacity for
both. Faith in this belief ensures that we continuously increase our
prosperity and active healthy life to spread happiness around us by our
charity and magnanimity. 200
Chaupaayi: Aaagama nigama prasid-dha puraanaa:
sayvaa-dharama katthina jagu jaanaa:: 200.
Bharata addressed the assemblage, "The Vedas, the Puranas and the
Shastras proclaim and the world knows that it is very difficult to
observe the duty of loyal service. The duty to the master is opposed to
the interest of the servant. Animosity is blind and love is ignorant."
Nobody can
harbour a feeling towards another of love and animosity simultaneously.
Bharata's selfish interest was that Shree Raama should return to
Ayodhyaa and be king. Shree Raama, the master, had his duty not to
return. Bharata's duty was to act and serve according to the wishes of
his master, Shree Raama, and ignore his own selfish interest. It was
contrary to Bharata's duty as a servant to persuade Shree Raama to
return from the forest. This was the conflict of self-interest of the
servant with his duty towards his master. The opposition of
self-interest to duty is compared to that of love to animosity. It is
difficult to pursue both simultaneously. This is why the duty to serve
is difficult. Ignorant, selfish and egotistic people call all service
as the meanest among callings! Selfless and humble service is the
religion of the highest and the mark of greatness. Incidentally,
animosity is blind to our oneness with all in God and to the law of
karma. (See 72,
240[1-6,
9, 10,
21]) Love goes beyond reason and
ignorance. The simile in the couplet fits the incompatibility here of
the servant's self-interest and his duty to his master. 201
Chaupaayiau: Bidhi-Hari-Hara maayaa barhee bhaaree: so-u na
Bharata-mati saka-yi nihaaree:: 201.
Saraswatee said to the gods, "Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shiva each has his own powerful maya. None of them dares
look at Bharata's mind because Shree Raama resides in it. Where there
is the sun, that Shree Raama is, can darkness of
ignorance, which is maya, ever exist?" Earlier
Bharata said to Vasishttha and Janaka, ‘Please consider my dependence
upon Shree Raama, recognize everyone's love for him, consider his own
view, his dharma and his pledge, everyone's wishes and then
decide upon the best course.’ Frightened
by Bharata's suggestion, the gods requested Saraswatee to win over
Bharata's intellect by her maya. Saraswatee told them that her tiny
maya could do nothing when Shree Raama's powerful maya was scared of
Bharata’s devotion to Shree Raama. Even the combined maya of the Indian
trinity of gods could not dare Bharata. (See 439)
202
Chaupaayi: Prabhu pitu maatu suhrida guru
swaamee: poojya parama-hita antarajaamee:: 202.
Bharata said to Shree Raama, "O Lord! You are the father, mother,
friend, guru and master all in one. You deserve to be worshipped by me.
You know the inmost desire for wellbeing in, and are the good Lord of
all. You are straightforward, soft in nature, adept, omniscient,
omnipotent and a refuge and benefactor of all. You protect and nourish
one who does obeisance to you. You appreciate virtue and rid all of
faults and sins." (See 182)
Bharata
sees twenty virtues in Shree Raama to call Him unique. All virtues are
forms in which love, the greatest virtue, expresses itself. Later,
Bharata claimed to possess as many bad qualities and be unique in that
way. Bharata states a lesson for devotees of God. They can remember
Shree Raama by making Him the personification of any of His virtues,
for example kindness or love, to receive His response in that virtue.
Devotees can treat Him as their father, mother, and friend or in any
loving relationship of intimacy to invite corresponding response from
Him. (See 101,
246 and
Geetaa
9:17-18, 203
Chaupaayi: Prabhu pitu bachana moha-basa
paylee: aa-yaa-un ihaan samaaja sakaylee:: 203.
Bharata continued, "Contrary to the command of our father and your
wishes, I brought here the entire assemblage. I was possessed by my
love for you. The good, the bad, the high and the low, elixir and
poison, immortality and death, all means are available in the world
with the help of which a sharp man can achieve his objective. Yet
we never heard or saw anyone even thinking of upsetting your will. I
tried all kinds of obstinacy to change your will. You, my Lord, treated
it all as my loving service to you." Three
aspects of conduct are presented here. First, when love prevents the
performance of our duty towards our beloved, it becomes attachment.
Bharata's love for Shree Raama became attachment to make Bharata
obstinate. Second, we can do the lowest or the highest deed but we
cannot upset God's will. (See 44) Wisdom is
in
accepting that will as
always the best for us. This will comprises the totality of our
circumstances and living with it to do the best for us. (See 42) In
adversity, we pray for relief and live in love for all to prevent its
worsening or repetition. Third. For trying to go against God's will, as
Bharata tried, God is not offended to punish us. (See 184, 252) We do
not know enough about God's will to go against it. (See 147) Going
against God is simply acting contrary to our Satchidaananda
nature. We do this when maya makes us forget our divinity and we think
of our reality as our body. (See 66) God does
not
punish our slip into
this ignorance. (A Lesson in Conduct) 204
Chaupaayi: Koora kuttila khala kumati kalankee:
neecha niseela nireesa nisankee:: 204.
Bharata continued, "When the cruel, the crooked, the wicked, the
perverse, the notorious, the vile, the angry, the mean, the ruthless,
the godless and fearless of hell seek your refuge, you do not
allow their faults which you have seen, to enter your mind. On the
contrary, in the company of good people, you narrate their virtues,
which you might have heard. God does
not see our faults, errors and sins. (See 185 [18],
252 and
Geetaa
5:15)
We are born pure and divine. We develop faults under the influence of
maya. If we do not think of God, He does not exist for us to look at
our virtues or vices. We all come out of God and return to Him in an
evolutionary cycle. To ensure our return, God loves us to notice our
failings only to remove them and not discriminate against us on their
account, punish us or send us in perdition. God is not just a despot to
punish. As believers in His love, we seek His help. He frees us from
vices and fear of sin and fills us with
virtues, peace and happiness. This process may sometimes be painful for
us but temporarily. (See 442) By calling
a fallen man fallen, he becomes irredeemable. His natural desire to
raise himself makes him seek God's help. His soul inspires this desire
because of its upsurge to be free from bondage to a body. God's
merciful nature encourages our virtues for progress, be we fallen or
otherwise. His love redeems the fallen. This faith is universal for
living confidently in love for all, freedom from fear of sin and so
from today's strains and anxiety and for our happiness and redemption.
(See 96, 182 and
Geetaa
9:30-31) 205
Chaupaayi: Ko saahiba sayvakahi nayvaajee: aapu
samaana saaja saba saajee:: 205.
Bharata continued, "Who is such a master, O Lord, who in his
kindness makes his servant as his image? Even in your dreams, you never
think of all that you do for your servant. You are always anxious lest
the servant should feel any embarrassment." A devotee
would feel embarrassed when he somehow realized how much his Master did
for him, namely, forgave his faults, improved him, freed him from
suffering, gave him happiness and made him perfect. Yet the Master
never gave thought to all that He did for the devotee. Shree Raama kept
in his mind this embarrassment. He felt that he did not do enough for
the devotee. How can a man read God's mind? Two points need
notice. Bharata
imagined these thoughts as occurring in his brother Shree Raama's mind.
Second, this question arises in one who has never experienced or
recognized God's grace. Those who experience God's grace feel they did
not do any or enough service of God to deserve even a fraction of what
they receive as God's munificence in their life. For them to think of
these aspects of God's kindness is not improbable. Those who establish
a relationship with God as the father or mother experience that
relationship lovingly reciprocated. They express the reciprocation in
thoughts as here. Tulaseedaasa
states here the belief in Sanaatana Dharma in the perfectibility of
man. God has not
made any man wholly good or wholly bad. We are, however, all perfect in
our reality, which is one with Him. Our superimposed nature makes us
imperfect in our living. (See 242) God
really
transforms each one of us
in His image in one's own time because ultimately we all reach Him and
obviously can do so only when we become as He is. (See Geetaa 9:18) ‘Be
ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven, is perfect.’ (Matthew 5:48) We all desire
perfection. If we persist in this strife to rid us of our faults with
firm faith, perfection is thrust upon us by God's grace. This is
because we cannot have a comprehensive concept of perfection to know
that we reached it. This faith in God's will, to make us perfect, frees
us from fear of God and His wrath because of our past errors. This
faith eggs us on to make the effort to win God's grace. Nature
abhors imperfection. Seventy percent qualifying marks in an academic
examination assume thirty percent ignorance. The latter can possibly do
more damage than the good the former may do. We all aim at excellence
because we have an innate desire for perfection. In Sanaatana Dharma,
we need to get rid of our superimposed imperfect nature to revert to
the perfection of our divine nature. We do this through the
self-discipline of Brahmacharya for life and by steps such as
alignment of our intellect with our Self or God within us. (See 42, 240 [1-6,
9, 10, 21], 414)
Desire for
perfection does not place any
frightening responsibility on us. We do not know enough about God to be
godlike. All we need do is to live in the world in our divine nature,
which is summed up as love for all and hurt for none. This frees us
from worrying about right and wrong and anxiety about specific result
of our actions. This attitude invites God's grace for helping us
achieve perfection. It is obvious that when the aim of our strife is
God, it is He who makes us perfect to reach Him. 206
Chaupaayi: Duchita katahun paritosha na lahaheen: ayka ayka
sana maramu na kahaheen:: Ak302 206. Those
who are double-minded with doubts can
never get peace or happiness. They hide their thoughts. A doubt is
the first step in acquiring knowledge. Persistence of doubt is the role
of maya through our passions because they sometimes resist our
introspective effort to check or control them. Hence arise unhappiness, some mental conditions and
even suicide. Doubts arise in our day-to-day dealings in life as also
in the spiritual path. Under maya, doubts arise as our perception of a
precept, person or predicament. The perception can be corrected if we
communicate with a person whom we can trust, for example our spouse,
one interested in us or one whom we respect because for him our
perception does not exist. One who corrects our perception becomes a
guru for us for the moment. Doubt also arises when we search for
tangible proof for matters of the heart, spirit and religion through
science or through pure logic bereft of experience through compassion.
Resolution of doubts in spiritual matters led to the vast sacred
literature in 207
Chaupaayi: Maatu-pitaa-guru-swaami-nidaysoo:
sakala-dharama dharanee-dhara Saysoo:: 207. Shree
Raama finally said to Bharata, "To obey the wishes of the mother,
father, guru and the master is equal to a man following his entire dharma
as Shayshanaaga does by supporting the earth. O brother! Now perform
your duty and help me perform mine. In this way alone you become the
saviour of Raghu's dynasty of kings." Bharata said, "Please give
your command for me to carry it out reverentially." The
legendary serpent god Shayshanaaga is believed to support the earth on
its hoods. This one duty is equivalent to all duties one has to perform
in life on the earth. This simile shows that in Shree Raama's age also
it was something of a burden to fulfil the wishes of the parents, guru
and the master. Second, one who was obedient to them was worthy of
worship as Shayshanaaga was. Last, Shayshanaaga's single duty serves
the earth. Similarly, our duties, including filial duties and prayers,
when motivated by love for all can encompass humanity. Filial obedience
should be unquestioned for children. For grown ups, there is one
exception. It is not a sin to disobey the parent who obstructs the
son's path to God, which does not cause any pain to his parent.
Prahlaada disobeyed his father, Bharata disobeyed his mother and
Vibheeshana disobeyed his brother and king. But one must be careful.
Shankaraachaarya and Chaitanya Mahaaprabhu could not enter an order of
monks till they obtained the permission of their reluctant mothers.
Naarada could not do it in the lifetime of his mother. We should
question any spiritual discipline, which causes suffering to parents.
Such a discipline is fruitless. (RK 573, 654) Obedience
to parents becomes a little easier if grown up children have faith that
a well-intentioned command from parents can never end in loss to
children. That is why there is a scriptural statement that there can be
a bad son but not a bad mother. Kaikayee's well-intentioned action for
her son can be viewed to result in Bharata's fame for his renunciation
of a throne for the love of a brother, which he might not have gained
without her good intentioned act for him. Bharata's disobedience of her
command to ascend the throne was because it interfered with his path to
Shree Raama whom Bharata knew to be God but Kaikayee did not know
earlier. Shree Raama's love for Bharata was that of God for His
devotee. (See 181)
According
to scriptures, wise parents treat grown up children as their friends
and the only defeat a man should accept is from his son. When the son
excels, that is, defeats, the father in noble achievements, it is
progress. Obedience by grown up children becomes enlightened by a
discussion based upon firm faith in the law of karma. Obedience ends
when discussion becomes an argument if we are not alert to our six
passions. (See 174, 235) Even
today, parents of obedient children feel
twice blessed, in having them and in seeing their obedience, and thank
God for it. (A Lesson) 208
Dohaa: Mukhiyaa mukha so chaahiyay, khaana
paana kanha ayka: 208. Shree
Raama said, "A king should be as a mouth in the human body. It eats
and drinks by itself. But it nourishes all parts of the body with
discrimination. The essence of a king's duties remains hidden in his
heart as a man's desires for his own good." On bidding
farewell to Bharata to go and rule over Ayodhyaa, Shree Raama imparted
to him the essence of a king's duties. Examples of the duty of a king
given in the Book are: 208A
Chaupaayi: Jaasu raaja priya-prajaa dukhaaree: so
nripu avasi naraka adhikaaree:: Ak71 The
ruler, whose people deserving love are unhappy, will reach hell. Ordinarily, only the good
deserve love. To treat all as deserving the king's love and to act for
their wellbeing is the duty of a king. It is the King's duty to punish,
as also transform the bad into good by education and correction. For
its fair discharge, this duty should be free from malice and be filled
with love towards and pity for the wicked for being a victim of his
nature. (See 414
and
Geetaa 3:33, 9:8) 208B
Chaupaayi: Muni taapasa jinha tayn dukha lahaheen: tay
naraysa binu paavaka dahaheen:: Ak126 The king
in whose reign sages and those observing austerities suffer pain will
burn without fire. This is the fire of the
king's heinous sin of neglecting to protect those who live in dharma.
208C
Chaupaayi: Sochi-ya nripati jo neeti na jaanaa:
jayhi na prajaa priya praana-samaanaa:: Ak171 One
should pity the king who does not know the code of conduct and does not
love his people as his life. In short,
in a monarchy, the king's dharma, and in a democracy, that of
the elected representatives, is the service
of the people. For both, dharma is humility in conduct,
non-attachment to power and to worldly pleasures and attachment to God
for increasing their capacity for improving the lot of the people,
which is a trust God places in their hands. The Sanaatana wisdom is,
‘as the ruler so the ruled.' Worthwhile example can be set by only the
few for the many to follow and not ordinarily vice versa. It is not the
Sanaatana wisdom that the people get the government they deserve
because this wisdom frees from responsibility parents, gurus, teachers,
preachers and leaders whose duty it is to set the example of ideal
conduct for society. It is wisdom to see and then enforce
responsibility where it lies. (See Geetaa 3:21) 209
Chaupaayi: Bandhu-probodhu keenha bahu bhaantee: binu
adhaara mana tosha na saantee:: 209. Shree
Raama tried to put Bharata's heart in ruling over Ayodhyaa. Bharata
was, however, restless without some support. In His kindness, Shree
Raama gave his wooden sandals to Bharata who reverentially touched them
with his forehead. Bharata was
reluctant to become King of Ayodhyaa in spite of his father's and Shree
Raama's wishes, support and encouragement. Vasishttha, Kaushalyaa,
ministers and councillors failed to persuade him earlier. At one stage
Shree Raama offered to carry out Bharata's wishes. (See 191, 193)
Bharata knew his duty to obey his father's and his Master Shree Raama's
wishes. His heart however was not in occupying the throne. (See 45)
Bharata did not want his purity of love for and devotion to Shree Raama
to be sullied by even a speck of his attachment to the throne. (See 175) That
was possible by his renunciation of the kingship of Ayodhyaa.
How to reconcile his duty to rule over Ayodhyaa with his renunciation
of kingship as his service of his Master? Shree Raama
divined the cause of Bharata's restlessness for a solution. He freed
him by offering His sandals with his blessings as a symbol to Bharata.
Bharata was overjoyed with this solution. He placed sandals on the
throne at Ayodhyaa, performed the duties of service, welfare and
security of the state as his service to Shree Raama but lived the life
of an ascetic in the neighbouring forest. He remained a king yet
non-attached to kingship and attached to Shree Raama. 210
Dohaa: Saanuja Siyaa-samayta Prabhu, raajata
parana-kutteera: 210.
Tulaseedaasa says, "With Seetaa and Lakshmana, Shree Raama lives in
the hut made of straw and leaves, as if devotion or Bhakti, renunciation
of the world but attachment to God or Vairaagya and Knowledge
or Jnaana, respectively, assumed human bodies in their full
splendour." Tulaseedaasa
has beautifully depicted in this couplet, the lonely scene in the
forest after the departure of the assemblage for Ayodhyaa and
Janakapuree. The austere vesture of the three royal scions in the
simile symbolizes non-attachment to worldly comforts and attractions.
All paths of devotion, work, meditation or rational inquiry require and
also develop non-attachment. Shree Raama is God Almighty or the
embodied form of jnaana. Seetaa's single-minded devotion to her
husband makes her personify bhakti. To attach himself to Shree
Raama, Lakshmana left his parents and family at Ayodhyaa to detach
himself from the world and personified Vairaagya. (See 39, 134)
‘Vairaagya isolated from bhakti
and jnaana, jnaana isolated from bhakti and
vairaagya and bhakti isolated from jnaana and vairaagya,
each is ineffective. The best that each isolated path is capable of is
to give some training in purity. Saadhakas (seekers) must dip
in the Trivaynee (confluence of three sacred rivers at
Prayaaga) of bhakti, jnaana and vairaagya. There is no
other way for salvation.’ (JV 39) (Parentheses Author's) Without
jnaana and vairaagya, bhakti is not sometimes secure and
wavers. (See 9,
17)
Vairaagya is mental detachment
from worldly attractions but attachment to God through bhakti.
It is brought out here that the two are inseparable from jnaana.
(See 232)
If
we develop one we secure the
other two. Devotion and detachment are not omnipresent. They need
development by us. Therefore, God searches for the heart with those
qualities demonstrated in daily conduct of benevolence. (See 267 [7])
A
householder mentally dedicates his family, duties, possessions and
himself to God. He remains diligent in his duties but without burden of
anxiety for their results. This dedication secures him vairaagya
and bhakti both, which purify his heart for the stay of God or
jnaana in it. We can all emulate such a householder. It is said that
bhakti is the mother of jnaana and vairaagya. In
other words, devotion gradually develops both. It is also said that
devotion and detachment are the stages of adolescence before the
maturity and wisdom of jnaana. All views emphasize the
inseparability of the three attainments or paths. (See 421)
We begin bhakti
by having faith that God is a reality, our succour and refuge in a
crisis. For this we live in help all and hurt none, including those
averse to us or hurtful to us. To do this, we have to have faith in the
law of karma that no one can touch even a hair on our body unless we
earned it by our past. So, none is our offender but only God’s
instrument to give us our deserts. We begin vivayka by sifting
all desires for their true worth to us and by being alert to the intent
behind every act. We begin vairaagya by saying no to as many
desires which we can afford as we can and always remembering that all
including ourselves belong to God. (For Shree Raama's Devotees) |
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Dedication
Reviews
An Appeal
Author's
Note
Arrangement
of Book
Hindi
Spellings
Table of
Contents
Tribute to
Gandhi
Introduction
The Raama
Story
Philosophy
Baalakaandda
Ayodhyakaandda
Aranyakaandda
Kishkindhaakaandda
Sundarakaandda
Lankaakaandda
Uttarakaandda
Index
Glossary
Proper
Names
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Appendices
Ghazal