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A Practical
Indian Philosophy |
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1
Shloka: Varnaanaamartha-sanghaanaam rasaanaam chhandasaamapi: 1.
Tulaseedaasa begins, "I do obeisance to Saraswatee and Ganaysha, who
bestow happiness in the world and originated all alphabets, words,
meanings, expressions, metre, literary and all forms of art." On
embarking upon the writing of his Book, the Shree Raamacharita Maanasa,
Tulaseedaasa offered prayers to the Almighty God, His Incarnation in
Shree Raama to gods and goddesses, spiritually advanced persons and
also to the good and the wicked. He could then have no fear of
impediment in completing his book. He completed the Book, a literary
masterpiece and a scripture, which remains popular among millions over
centuries till today. It shows that God grants a noble and sincere
prayer. Tulaseedaasa
begins by praying for help to Ganaysha and to Saraswatee. Ganaysha is
the god of intelligence, who also destroys all obstacles in our correct
path. So, we worship him first when we embark upon a virtuous
undertaking. Saraswatee is the goddess of word or the urge to express
and of learning and wisdom. (Please see 65 [5, 6,
10, 11, 13, 14] for gods and goddesses.) From all scriptures of
Sanaatana Dharma in classical Sanskrit, to condense in one volume their
message for daily practice in verse in a spoken language is more
difficult than merely understanding scriptures. So, it is believed that
Shiva helped Tulaseedaasa in his work. (Tulaseedaasa's Prayers
Begin) 2
Shloka: Bhawaanee-Shankarau vanday shrad-dhaa-vishvaasa-roopinau: 2.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I pay my homage to Bhawaanee
(Paarvatee) and Shankara (Shiva). They are the
personification of reverential faith (shrad-dhaa) and
trust (vishvaasa). Without their grace, persons
who realize their identity with their inmost Self, cannot see
Eeshwara within themselves."
Our inmost Self is the ultimate ever-unchanging reality or universal
consciousness or Brahman or imperceptible God Almighty. Eeshwara
is Its visible form in the person of Naaraayana or Vishnu. Their
Incarnation in Shree Raama, the Indian trinity of Brahmaa, Vishnu and
Shiva and in a deity of our choice are also forms of Brahman.
Tulaseedaasa is pointing out that realizing our identity with the
imperceptible Godhead Brahman is different from a vision of God in
person. (See 241,
234)
Both attainments, however, need enlightened and firm faith or
shrad-dhaa. Tulaseedaasa calls identity with our inmost Self as
jnaana and after that to experience its bliss in life through
devotion to God in person as vijnaana. (See 241[9-12,
36])
The strength to live in the beliefs of our religion, namely, Sanaatana
Dharma, and in any virtues, rest on our enlightened faith or shrad-dhaa
in them as means to avail of the
reality of God for our daily use. This is because reason cannot
tangibly prove any matters of faith or virtue such as good results from
being good. Faith in the law of karma under the supremacy of God proves
it. (See 185)
Continuing from their noble past lives, many of the illiterate but
sincere are born with a guileless and powerful faith. This faith
materializes their good thoughts into actualities by invoking God's
grace. According to Swami Ramakrishna some disciples have the rare and
difficult guilelessness of a child who believes whatever its mother
tells it. It has the pure mind fit to reach God. (See 318) This
guileless faith is not andhavishvaasa, which is conviction in
one thing without reason, for example, superstitions, and rejection of
another, for example, a perennial verity; both without any inquiry,
reason or experience.
We have to be clear about three words, vishvaasa or trust,
andhavishvaasa or blind trust or blind faith and shrad-dhaa
or enlightened and reverential faith or faith. We are born with trust
but we acquire reverential faith by testing and experiencing what we
trust. It is only when we experiment with and experience the knowledge
we receive from others that it becomes our knowledge but not before.
The initial trust in a book and in a teacher, which is not tested later
for its correctness, is andhavishvaasa or blind trust or blind
faith. When we test what we trust it becomes vishvaasa. When we
experiment with this trust to benefit from it, it becomes shrad-dhaa.
So andhavisvaasa causes bigotry, vishvaasa produces
arguments and shrad-dhaa is silent to secure
benefit from itself. Present day fundamentalism arises because people
mortgage their common sense to appraise and test what claimants of
knowledge of their religion tell them. To test humbly a precept or a
religion or a guru to gain from either is not disrespect to them. (See
Geetaa 4:34)
In spiritual matters, we first trust a belief. Our experiment with it
finds it correct. Our living in it benefits us to strengthen our faith
in that belief. This makes our initial trust into unshakable faith or shrad-dhaa
which builds our sankalpa shakti or the power of determination.
This power is for our success because this faith is linked to our
inmost Self, which is God within us. Our faith in Him can move
mountains or to do the virtually impossible but only for others' good.
Sometimes this power is more in the disciple than in the guru. A guru,
as also a sacred book, resolves doubts and secures us Knowledge. As a
doctor, he has not to prove the medicine on himself. In the absence of
a guru, we refer doubts to God of our concept. He gives us experience
that resolves our doubt. Without shrad-dhaa, we cannot be
humble or virtuous or spiritual in life to gain anything from any. One
who has neither faith nor self-confidence, is destroyed, that is, his
life becomes fruitless. (See Geetaa 4:39-40)
In spiritual matters, the intent, thought and feeling towards the
objective and the objective itself necessarily go together, for
example, faith in God and God Himself. One cannot exist without the
other. Tulaseedaasa emphasizes that in both worldly and spiritual
matters, we have to see if faith has any intrinsic value. Without faith
in the value of faith, it is difficult to develop faith. Then we have
to examine what is the objective in which we should have faith. We
should not become slaves of the printed word. We should not reject
anything heard or experienced in spiritual matters, merely because the
speaker was not credible. It is the worth of the message tested by
experience, not the messenger or his credibility, which is important.
Without development of enlightened faith or this preparation, a
questioning mind is without a purpose and cannot practise tips for
success in life, which the understanding of the Shree Raamacharita
Maanasa offers. (See 36, 462) In
short, we should firmly believe that if we follow the godly path of
love and benevolence for all as one with us in God, hurt none and do
diligently our day's work as duty dedicated to God, He will take care
of us. It is no use believing in God and yet thinking that if I do not
first provide for myself, God will not help me. Our effort is our duty
and necessary but to rely on it for results is ignorance. If this kind
of conditional faith were not belied by experience, neither God nor any
religion would have survived in the world. Sincere devotion, which
needs only diligence in our duty and enlightened faith, sustains
millions till today. It made
We acquire our beliefs about God and spiritual matters from our parents
first and later from others. Our faith becomes enlightened when we
resolve our doubts by discussion with men who experienced their
knowledge by living it. We become what our faith is. (See Geetaa 8:6,
:14) Shiva's reverential faith in Shree Raama and Paarvatee's in Shiva
is so great that Shiva and Paarvatee become personification of faith
and trust.
Tulaseedaasa invokes Shiva, the god of destruction in the Indian
trinity of gods, so that Shiva may destroy the veil, which hides God
and separates us from Him. That veil is maya. It acts on us through the
uncontrolled five senses and six passions. Passions are desire or lust,
anger, greed, attachment to the worldly objects, ego and envy. Egotism
or too much of 'I' is practically the whole of the veil. Shiva enables
our vision to reach beyond senses and passions to experience our
oneness with our divine Self, or God.
In his Book, Tulaseedaasa repeatedly calls Shree Raama an Incarnation
of Brahman and not as much of Vishnu that is also a name for Brahman in
Dvaita
All virtues rest on faith. Atheists and rationalists cannot prove
tangibly the value of any virtue, such as that good results from being
and doing good. Yet they hypocritically adopt virtues. All virtues are
proved by faith in the law of karma. We are warned…’The search for
"causes" ’ is another of the delusions that pester man. He is out to
seek the cause of everything. And, in that confusion he forgets to
derive the full benefit of the result, which is before him. (BS 5 108;
3 28; 5 15) Tulaseedaasa builds our bhakti or devotion to God
also on the rock of jnaana or knowledge to make our shrad-dhaa
in devotion unshakable by argument. So, Tulaseedaasa offers to the
faithful devotion based on love. He offers to the sceptics or those
whose faith is not guileless, devotion based on jnaana. (See 17, 360, 437)
Tulaseedaasa holds that unless we have shrad-dhaa in the value
of spirituality we have no time to know how easy it is to live in it in
society.
There is a German proverb, ‘If twenty-four hours are not enough, add
the night to it.’ Strong faith fits any worthwhile activity in a busy
schedule; weak faith is always short of time. (See 422)
In matters of faith, the wise asks humbly for knowledge for living in
it. The unwise asks irrelevant and purposeless questions to show off or
to demolish another's faith without any gain for him. (See 297, 389) The
wise leave the unwise to himself. If the unwise gives up purposeless
questions and lives in his own beliefs, nature makes him wise in his
time. (See Geetaa 4:39-40) This is how Sanaatana Dharma lives and lets
others live, believing that God develops every individual to use his
mind to reach God in his own way and time. (See 242)
None can prove that there is no God and that man's reality is not
divine without rejecting the experience of both by believers with shrad-dhaa
and vishvaasa. How can we prove the non-existence of a
non-existent thing? Far from proving anything about it, we cannot even
name it, except perhaps as the Upanishadic expression such as a 'hare's
horns' or the 'son of a barren woman.’ Both expressions however arise
from things, which exist. It is impossible to negate the experience by
the believer of the reality of his personal God and of the believer's
own reality in divinity as one with both the creation and the
impersonal God. No one can prove that God exists or that He does not
exist. Wisdom is in withdrawing from questioners of our beliefs and
associating with the humble and benevolent for creation or
strengthening of our own faith. It is axiomatic that there are no
atheists in foxholes. Life often presents foxhole like predicaments for
many of us. So, this Selection is intended first for the many
theists.
It is wisdom to experience the existence of something, which has a
million names and concepts about it. People experienced it as a reality
in the world with bliss throughout the ages. Experience is the domain
of the heart. Its reach is beyond the senses and intellect. If we are
engrossed in sensuous pleasures and in worldliness, the joy superior to
pleasures through the senses and the bliss of realizing our divinity is
unknown to us. This superior joy is as the joy of a woman in her
husband's company that is unknown to her unmarried girl friend or the
taste of a fruit to one who never tasted it, or as the joy of natural
parents' love to an orphan from its infancy. It is our persistence in
ignorance resting on pure reason not to enjoy the bliss that millions
enjoyed by reaching beyond their senses and reason. Our humble
endeavour with faith advances us towards an experience of this bliss
more rapidly than we think. Our strong faith in this or in any other
worthwhile activity fits into our busy schedule of the day as our hand
fits in its glove. It enriches our daily life and not detracts from it.
Pure reason is an obstacle in faith and hence the warning about the
destructive power of pure intellect in scriptures. Pure reason
justified all genocidal wars or social revolutions accompanied with
massacres of the twentieth century.
The benefit from an incantation, a place of pilgrimage, a guru and
spiritual education corresponds with the intensity of our faith in
them. All means for our benefit are by themselves inert. When we
worship God in an icon, what matters is our faith or shrad-dhaa
in Him and not the sculptural superiority of the icon. The intensity of
our yearning and the response of the one God, who pervades all, bring
us results. (See Geetaa 7:22) If not faith but the icon or the means
for devotion were powerful God would have been only for the laureates
in fine arts, crafts and literature. When faith in the objective, God,
is confused with faith in the means for our devotion to Him to become a
tradition, it creates a dichotomy between religion and the conduct of
its faithful. The confusion also creates doubt. Doubt and lack of faith
destroy us. (See Geetaa 4:40)
In matters of faith, spirituality and what the rishis left for us to
make use of our intimacy with and reliance upon God as a reality, we
can never know one's level including that of our own. Only God knows
it. So it is not correct to make comparisons. Yet from their speeches
and conduct, it seems that Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru
illustrate the value of Shrad-dhaa and Vishvaasa that
Tulaseedaasa is emphasizing on the first page of his Book. They
illustrate the weakness of a brilliant intellect in their absence. Both
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru had all the qualities of nobility
in selflessness, compassion, patriotism and non-violence. The former
had shrad-dha the latter did not have it to the extent needed
to understand and make use of the universal Sanaatana principles. This
was because Nehru's use of his mind was converted by the British
educational system to the alien culture of pure rationalism. This mind
had apparently no respect for the power of spiritual living resting it
on God as a reality for our intimate relationship. Nehru lived in
selflessness that is the essence of spiritual living but without
associating it with and resting it on God, as Mahatma Gandhi did. His
brilliant intellect was overwhelmed by tangible western achievements of
science to the exclusion of something equally, if not more worthwhile
in our Sanaatana heritage. So, in spite of his determined effort to
understand the secret of the strength of
Modern education of the age of pure reason with its glamour of
scientific achievements and without Shrad-dhaa and Vishvaasa,
makes many of us skeptics. So we live in our ancient Indian beliefs
half-heartedly. We neither gain from beliefs nor enjoy sensuous life
fully as an atheist. A wholly scientific mind probes into both inside
us into the depth of our mind, into our faith, reality and religion,
and outside us into physical phenomena. Even the illiterate with faith
can experiment with ancient Indian discoveries, experience them and
benefit from them. So these discoveries strengthen faith in the
illiterate. A semi-scientific mind is content with probing into things
outside man. Its objective discoveries are of little help in most
problems of living that each has to solve from within himself. (See 414[3,
12])
By observation spread over generations, sages discover-ed that the
nature of man and God as Satchidaananda. This discovery
provided the sages with a universal test for the correctness of any
thought, belief, speech, conduct, code or law. If any of these was not
motivated by bliss or aananda for all, it was incorrect. After
this logical test for the proof of correctness of our belief followed
the experience gained by living in that belief. In this manner, the
sages eliminated the need for logical or tangible proof in spiritual
matters by offering conclusions tested by immutable tests, by
observations and proved by experience of living in those conclusions or
eternal verities. The proof however needed our unshakable faith for
living in our Satchidananda tested beliefs. That is why
Tulaseedaasa emphasizes faith on the first page of his Book.
Incidentally, it is difficult to explain what gave Mahatma Gandhi
stupendous power except that he received it by living in Advaitic
Sanatana principles. He had in him that shrad-dha in those
principles that Tulsidas is trying to put across for our understanding.
The alien mind-set that the British created in over a century deprived
the educated of this shrad-dha. The universality of Advaitic
principles is one with the universality in the core of all the eight
religions in
Shiva narrated Shree Raama's story first to Satee and later to
Paarvatee. Paarvatee was Satee's reincarnation. That too may be a
reason why Tulaseedaasa paid his homage first to Shiva and
Paarvatee. 2A
Shloka: Naanaa-puraana-nigama-agama-sammatam
yad-Raamaa-ynay nigaditam kwac-chidanyato :pi:
Tulaseedaasa continues, "For his own understanding to gratify his
heart's desire, Tulaseedaasa has composed in these lays of Shree Raama
in the common language whatever is in accord with the Vedas, the
various Puranas and Shastras, what is said in the Raamaayana,
and what be could select from elsewhere."
Following tradition, Tulaseedaasa wrote the first six shlokas
in Sanskrit and went to sleep. An old Brahmin took away the manuscript.
Upset by this, Tulaseedaasa went on a fast to make the Brahmin return
the manuscript. Shiva appeared in Tulaseedaasa's dream as that very old
Brahmin. He told Tulaseedaasa to write Shree Raama's story in the
spoken language for all. Shiva would help him in writing it. So,
Tulaseedaasa brought for us from gods the story of God, in their
language, Sanskrit, to the earth in our language.
The instant shloka refers to Shree Raama's Story. Shiva
narrated it to Paarvatee. Tulaseedaasa heard this story from his guru.
In the Book, Tulaseedaasa also brings in the story as narrated by Shiva
to Kaakabhushunddi, Yaajnavalkya to Bharadwaaja and by Kaakabhushunddi
to Garurha. Thus, four narratives are woven into one in the Shree
Raamacharita Maanasa.
Tulaseedaasa clarifies that in his Book he will add to the practical
from the scriptures, what he heard from men of divine vision and what
he experienced. ‘He put in nothing on his own outside the precepts of
scriptures of Sana-atana Dharma.’ (TN) So, there is no Tulaseedaasee
sect or order of monks in
The original Shree Raama's story in Sanskrit is Vaalmee-ki's
Raamaayana. That and Vyaasa's Adhyaatmic Raama-ayana are
well known. The first recorded manuscript of either is not traceable.
Some versions were available for translation into Persian as late as
Akbar's reign in the sixteenth century.
When the portrayal of Shree Raama's life is studied for its symbolism
to attain Brahmajnaana, for example, Dasharatha symbolizes ten
organs for knowledge and action or jnaanayndriyas and karmaayndriyas,
Raavana's ten heads, the knowledge of the four Vedas and six Shastras
and so on, the Raamaayana becomes Adhyaatmic. To treat
all events and the entire story and even major events not as
occurrences but as mere symbolism is ignorance. (See 65[11]) The
practical essence of precepts of religion and useful traditions from
scriptures to the extent possible is in the Shree Raamacharita Maanasa.
Tulaseedaasa's spirituality and vision of God gave him the simplicity
of the language of a messenger of God. (See 155) The
Book becomes a scripture. The immature may find poetic licence in it.
The scholars enjoy its language, the wise, even if illiterate, learn
and practise its message and both share their joy with others. For
others, the Book is a luxurious fare.
We are advised that, ‘The Raamaayana, the Mahaabhaarata
and the Bhaagawata are 100 paisa and the Vedas are the rupee.
That is all the difference.’ (BS 3 186; 3 160) Both are equally
valuable. 3
Soratthaa: Jayhi sumirata sid-dhi hoyi, Gananaa-yaka
kari-bara-badana: 3.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I pray to Ganaysha, the home of wisdom and
virtues, to be kind to me. By invoking his blessings all noble tasks
are completed. Ganaysha, with the face as handsome as that of a baby
elephant, is the commandant of attendants on all gods."
After seven shlokas in Sanskrit, Tulaseedaasa continues his
prayers in a North Indian dialect. His first prayer is to Ganaysha who
is the Lord who destroys obstacles to any benevolent undertaking.
4
Soratthaa: Mooka hoyi vaachaala, pangu charrhayi
giribara gahana: 4.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "As a result of His grace, a dumb man
becomes eloquent and a lame man climbs precipitous mountains. He
destroys the impact on man of all the vices and sins man
commits in the present age, Kaliyuga. To Him I bow and pray
to be kind to me."
Tulaseedaasa prays to his personal deity Shree Raama though not
mentioned by name here. Tulaseedaasa illustrates the omnipotence of God
and his faith in it as his strength for his work. 5
Soratthaa: Neela Saroruha-syaama,
taruna-aruna-baarija-na-yana: 5.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I pray to Vishnu that he may always reside
in my heart. His body is as dark as the blue lotus. His eyes are as
beautiful as the budding red water lily. He rests on the milky ocean."
Tulaseedaasa prays here to Vishnu, the personal God Almighty. (See 241[36]) He
will destroy the impact upon Tulaseedaasa of the consequences of sins
or errors committed by him in Kaliyuga. That will purify his
mind. Only after that can he narrate the story of Vishnu's Incarnation
in Shree Raama.
Tulaseedaasa gives us his secret of the easiest path to God, namely,
somehow and as often as we can, we should remember Shree Raama to set
Him up in our heart and be always in his company or satyasanga.
6
Soratthaa: Kunda-indu-sama dayha, Umaaramana
karunaa-a-yana: 6.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I pray to the merciful Shiva to have pity
on me. His body is of a clear hue as of a jasmine or of the moon in
winter. He is Paarvatee's loving consort. He is the repository of
kindness and the refuge of the direly distressed. He destroys
Kaamadayva."
Looking at his own weaknesses, Tulaseedaasa considered himself in dire
distress. He considered lust and greed as his main enemies. (See 472) So,
he worships Shiva here. Shiva is easily pleased, saves those in
distress and is the destroyer of Kaamadayva, the god of earthly love
who sometimes creates lust.
The emphasis here is on the rescuing nature of God and on distress
regardless of its cause as unbelief, aversion to God, blasphemy,
apostasy, heresy or sin. In Sanaatana Dharma, God loves all whom He
creates. So, as a mother, He disregards faults. Distress attracts His
love and care more as a mother's does for an ailing child. (See 34, 261, 359)
7
Soratthaa: Banda-u guru-pada-kanja, kripaasindhu
nararoopa Hara; 7.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I do obeisance to my guru. He is Shiva
embodied in human form. My guru is the ocean of benevolence. As the
sunlight removes darkness, my guru's teachings removed my ignorance
caused by my attachment" to worldly objects.
Tulaseedaasa accepts these three as his gurus to whom he does
obeisance: Naraharadaasa, his guru; Shiva, the great guru; and Shiva's
discourses, which comprise the Raamaayana or Shree Raama's
story. Each guru could secure for Tulaseedaasa salvation. Tulaseedaasa
emphasizes unflinching faith in the guru, in Shiva and in the Raamaayana.
Treating his guru Naraharadaasa as an embodiment of Shiva, this couplet
indicates Tulaseedaasa heard the Raamaayana from Shiva.
The word Hara in the instant couplet means both Shiva and to
take away. It is found as Hari in one copy of the first five copies of
the original manuscript of the Shree Raamacharita Maanasa. Hari is a
name for the Almighty God. Then Tulaseedaasa is treating Shree Raama,
His Incarnation, as residing within himself as his guru. 8
Chaupaayi: Saadhu-charita subha sarisa kapaasoo:
nirasa bisada guna-ma-ya phala jaasoo:: 8.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "A sadhu's life is noble as that of cotton.
Its fruit is bland but is pure and full of virtues. It suffers great
hardships to hide others' faults. It commands respect on this account."
A sadhu is a recluse who is advanced on the path of self-realization.
The hardships of cotton wool are these. It is first carded, then spun,
then woven into a cloth. It is then cut and pierced with needles to be
sewn into garments. Similarly, a sadhu has to give up his home. He has
to undergo austere discipline under a spiritual preceptor. He has to
control his senses and passions. He hears rebukes in begging for alms,
which is obligatory for his sustenance. He gives up worldly desires and
has to overcome the difficulties of the path of Knowledge. These
hardships are not less arduous than those suffered by cotton wool.
(MP)
A sadhu and cotton wool are both benefactors. The former explains the
causes of a man's faults and helps to remove them to free him from
misery. The latter covers man’s nakedness and physical defect to make
his living in society acceptable. The two command respect from all for
their sacrifices. (A Lesson in Good Conduct) 9
Chaupaayi: Muda-mangala-ma-ya santa-samaajoo: jo jaga
jangama teeratha-raajoo:: 9.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "The company of men of divine vision gives
happiness to all. Being in this company is as if going to the highest
among places of pilgrimage. (Prayaaga) This company is,
however, a mobile place of pilgrimage. The devotion to Shree Raama is said
to be Gangaa. Saraswatee symbolizes the path of realization
of Brahman. Yamunaa, the daughter of the Sun god, symbolizes the injunctions
of all the paths to take away the sins of Kaliyuga to
enable us to reach God."
The confluence of the three sacred rivers -- Gangaa, Saraswatee and
Yamunaa, called Trivaynee, at Prayaaga,
A santa is one who has attained self-realization. (See 157 and
Geetaa 14:21-26) A sadhu is on the way to becoming a santa. The
company of santas or satyasanga creates or strengthens
in us faith in God and interest in the paths for bliss and for reaching
Him. (See 394)
10
Chaupaayi: Binu satasanga bibayka na hoyee:
Raamakripaa binu sulabha na soyee:: Bk3 10.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "One cannot attain discrimination between
reality and unreality and right and wrong without benefiting from
the company of holy persons. One does not get this company without
Shree Raama's grace."
"Vivayka
or discrimination is the reasoning by which one knows that God alone is
real and all else is unreal. Real means eternal, and unreal means
impermanent. He who has acquired discrimination knows that God is the
only substance and all else is nonexistent." (RK. 327) The two means
for a spiritual path are vivayka and vairaagya or
detachment from worldly attractions and attachment to God. (See 210)
In the Book, Satyasanga comprises a holy company, hearing the
story of Hari and discussion of its message, or a discourse on a
spiritual path or on the ultimate truth. (See 394) God
is where we talk about Him. It is believed, that where Raamaayana
is read aloud, Hanumaan is present to hear His master Shree Raama's
story.
It is through the grace of God that one thinks of, or is inclined
toward, or has faith in, satyasanga, its fruit and its power
for good. Our meritorious deeds invoke grace and attract holy persons
and prepare us to recognize them. Without virtue or developing it in us
from meritorious deeds, we are uninterested in or averse to holy
persons, which repels them. (See 261, 304)
A mother for a child, a teacher for a student and a man of wisdom for
an adult, are often holy company. From observing our surroundings,
others' teaching and examples, the company of holy persons and from a
guru, we learn the importance of a pure mind and we purify our mind.
Its discipline may strain us. Holy company frees us from strain and
recharges our strength. (See 394)
The lesson here is that we cannot secure holy company, a purified mind,
discrimination, detachment bliss and salvation, without the grace of
God. This awareness keeps us humbly in God's company for our success
and happiness. 11
Chaupaayi: Sattha sudharahin satasangati paa-yee:
paarasa parasa kudhaata sohaa-yee:: 11.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "A base metal becomes gold by contact with
the alchemist's stone. Similarly the company of holy persons transforms
wicked persons. If by a mischance a holy person falls into bad company,
he protects his goodness in the same way that the legendary jewel in
the snake's head saves it from poison."
As a diamond does not lose its value or lustre by the garbage in which
it may be put, spiritually advanced persons remain unsullied in wicked
company. Their past karmas put them in bad company. The simile here
points out a spiritually advanced person's capacity to save himself and
also transform a bad person into good. (See 394)
Others cannot protect themselves and should avoid bad company. (See 15) 12
Chaupaayi: Para-hita-haani laabha jinha kayray:
ujarayn harasha bishaada basayray:: Bk4 12.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "Wicked persons see their gain in others'
loss, rejoice in others' ruination and grieve over others' prosperity."
Those who help by a little sacrifice or by curbing their desires are
the best of men. Those who help without any sacrifice on their part
form the bulk of men. Those who do not help others are ill-omened.
Those who profit from causing loss to others are wicked. Worse are
those who enjoy harming others fruitlessly. The devilish among men
destroy others even if they destroy themselves in this effort. (See 452)
After praying to the holy, Tulaseedaasa prays to the wicked lest they
obstruct his work. He describes their qualities for us to know and
avoid. He draws a lesson. Holy company helps to cross the ocean of
suffering and rebirth. Wicked company drowns us in it by making us do
incorrect deeds. (See 389)
13
Chaupaayi: Banda-u santa asajjana charnaa: dukhaprada
ubha-ya beecha kachhu barnaa:: 13.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I do obeisance simultaneously to the good
and the wicked people. Both give pain but at a different time. The good
break one's heart when they depart and the bad give pain when they
arrive." (See 321) (A
Proverb) 14
Dohaa: Bhalo bhalaa-yihi pai laha-yi, laha-yi
nichaa-ihi neechu: 14.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "The good by their virtues and the wicked by
their vices earn fame or notoriety just as elixir of life for giving
immortality and poison for death do."
The ability to distinguish between vice and virtue and real and unreal
is discrimination or vivayka. 14A
Chaupaayi: Tayhi tayn kachhu guna dosha bakhaanay:
sangraha tyaaga na binu pahichaanay:: Bk6
Tulaseedaasa says," Good and bad qualities have been described
because without recognizing them we cannot acquire or give them up,
respectively." We should look for our faults, pray for their
removal and for forgiveness of our past errors from them, and for
alertness to avoid errors. Without this alertness, we may make
comparisons, find faults in others and become proud to our detriment.
(See 389)
The lesson here is that with God's grace we can change our faulty
observable nature and live in our innate divine nature. Animals however
cannot change their nature. (See 242) (A
Proverb) 15
Chaupaayi: Kaala subhaa-u karama bari-yaa-yee:
bhalay-u prakriti-basa chuka-yi bhalaa-yee:: 15.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "By the influence of time, which brings
about continuous change in everything as also in men, by their
temperament or as the consequence of past deeds, sometimes good people
slip from doing good. God's devotees remove the cause of the slip,
eliminate their defects and suffering, restore their goodness and
secure them fame."
The impressions from our past lives form our superimposed observable
nature. This suppresses our divine nature to make us slip into error.
If we are receptive to the prompting of our aatmaa through our
conscience, the incessant upsurge of our aatmaa inspires and
strengthens us to be virtuous. (See 242)
Those who are not devotees of God do not know how to rehabilitate those
who have slipped from goodness. A devotee always seeks refuge in God.
God improves the devotee and makes him capable of improving others.
(See 205,
248,
325-326)
The devotee avoids incorrect acts, acts selflessly, with compassion and
dedicates his effort to God. This selfless conduct secures the devotee
the grace of God for his success. (See 42[3, 6-13])
Without selflessness and a link to God, others often do not succeed.
This couplet shows the benefit of our link to God. He protects us as
His devotee from errors. (See 177, 275)
The word Harijana in this couplet is taken to mean God's
devotees. Harijana can also be two words, Hari or God and jana
or people. Then the second couplet will mean that God treats all people
as His loved ones. He Himself does what is attributed to His devotees
in the preceding paragraph. 16
Chaupaayi: Haani kusanga susangati laahoo: lokahu
bayda-bidita saba kaahoo:: 16.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "It is a loss to be in wicked company and a
gain in a virtuous company. The Vedas and the three worlds, namely,
the heaven, the earth, and the nether lands know it. The wind
uplifts the low-lying dust to the sky. Water brings it down to make it
muddy. In the same manner, virtuous company lifts us to heights
and wicked company brings us down. Similarly, as a result of
their company, pet parrots and mynah, both birds mimic
human voice, utter Shree Raama's name in the house of His seeker. In
the house of the wicked, they repeat abuses."
Bad company destroys virtue. To save our virtue and ourselves from
adversity we should seek holy company. (See 11, 321, 394) (A
Proverb) 17
Dohaa: Jarha chaytana jaga jeeva jata, sakala
Raama-ma-ya jaani: 17.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I know that all sentient and insentient
beings in the universe have Shree Raama in them. Humbly I do my
obeisance to Him in them all. I pray for the kindness of all gods,
celestial beings, demons, men, birds, serpents, ghosts and spirits of
ancestors. Shree Seetaaraama is present in everyone, in everything and
everywhere. So, I humbly offer my salutations to all creatures of the
worlds."
Tulaseedaasa prays to all the sentient and insentient creatures, and
the total physical phenomena. He brings out the Vedic concept of the
omnipresence of God in the oneness of all in reality in and with
Brahman. Tulaseedaasa pays his homage to all so that all may help in,
and not hinder, his work.
Sanaatana Dharma believes that as the highest manifestation of Brahman,
Shree Raama pervades all. (See Geetaa 8:22, 9:6) God manifests the
creation from within Himself. Its reality is one with His reality in
every bit of it. This is because God is the only Reality. If there is
anything in reality outside God, then there are two entities in
Reality. We need a super Reality or God as their controller.
The Sanaatana view has also been put in this way: 17A
Dohaa: Umaa jay Raama charana rata bigata kaama mada
krodha:
Shiva said to Paarvatee, "O Umaa! Those who are devoted to Shree Raama
are unaffected by desire and lust, pride and anger and see everyone in
the world imbued by Shree Raama. In that attitude how can they be
anyone's enemy?" (See Geetaa 6:30)
Tulaseedaasa bases devotion to God on this awareness of the oneness of
the reality of all beings. This devotion is jnaanabhakti.
Distancing ourselves from the wicked, but praying for his change to
goodness, is living in the jnaana of oneness of all. For
happiness in life, we motivate our acts by love for all. It means as a
minimum that we help all and hurt none and always think of others’ good
first. It becomes practical jnaana. (See 240[1-6,
9, 10, 21]) God is love and love attracts Him most. (See 360)
Aversion, anger, hate and animosity are not godly. The Book repeats
that to serve all with love is practical jnaana and is sincere
devotion to God. Devotion to God with love and service for some and not
for all is fruitless. (See 437) Love
for all produces nonviolence and peace, the highest social objective.
Love for some produces violence, a conduct worse than beastly. Beasts
kill a prey only for food and not for anger, hate and so on. (See 453)
For a follower of Sanaatana Dharma, a man of another religion is a
brother who happens to think of, believe in and to follow a different
path to our own destination, God. We should not hate or avoid him
because all come from God. (See Geetaa 7:6,
Jnaana that
God is the only Reality means that all forms are that of God for our
choice to worship Him in and through any. His worship in one form is
His worship in any other. Without this vision of truth, violence occurs
between believers in God of two religions and even between followers of
the same religion. Each contender limits God to his concept, name and
capacity. He holds God as unable to be or do anything beyond his
thinking, for example, taking any tangible form or accepting any rite
or service other than of the contender's choice. So, jnaana accepts
all concepts, forms of worship and service of God. To be devoted to and
worship God in that jnaana is jnaanabhakti. In his
Book, Tulaseedaasa particularly emphasizes jnaanabhakti for the
questioning and sceptics. (See 155, 437)
Against the above, the entry to parts of some Hindu temples in
The jnaana of oneness cannot be established by argument or
coercion. So, Indians never left their land for proselytizing by bribes
or the sword. When God in all can guide all to reach Him in their own
way and time, it is ignorance to tell any not his but our way is
correct. So, setting an example, the guru enables the disciple to reach
where he himself reached, God. Only an exemplary conduct of a follower
of Sanaatana Dharma can demonstrate the strength that it gives to each
to excite people's interest to adopt it. The dichotomy between some
Hindus' conduct and their religion they talk about repels others today.
(See 259)
Hence the emphasis Tulaseedaasa gives to jnaanabhakti for
practice.
In the couplets here, Tulaseedaasa puts across the view of a devotee
and not that of a jnaanee. A devotee sees God in the person of
Shree Raama and accepts that when Shree Raama is omnipresent he is
formless. For the jnaanee, however, God is only formless and
absolute. Hence the joy of the experience of God in both His aspects by
the devotee is greater than that by the jnaanee. (See 234)
Tulaseedaasa does not confine himself to jnaanabhakti. He also
gives great importance to praymabhakti, that is, bhakti
based on pure love. (See 360) The
latter is dear to the heart of believers. 18
Chaupaayi: Jay para-bhaniti sunata harashaaheen: tay
bara purusha bahuta jaga naaheen:: 18.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "Good men who are happy to hear
others' good words or poetic compositions are not many. On seeing
others' wealth and prosperity growing, only a few hearts brim over with
happiness as the ocean swells with happiness into a full tide
on seeing the beauty of the full moon."
A mother exults in her child's health and happiness. 'My' child gives
her happiness far exceeding that from 'another's.' The joy disappears
when we think that things giving us joy do not belong to us. The
passions 'I,' 'mine' and envy end our happiness. So, self-centred and
egotistical persons rate low in psychological tests of happiness.
When jnaana dawns that there are no others and all are one with
us, we give up envy and the feeling of mine and pay a well-deserved
compliment to all at every opportunity. (See 17) We also
give up comparisons and envy when we believe that God has given us the
best and He is powerful enough to change our present for our
betterment. To be happy on seeing others happy is a divine quality for
our continual happiness. We acquire this quality by our faith in the
law of karma that the other's happiness does not take away from our
fortune. Secondly, we can pray for others' happiness and by this good
deed receive for us from the grace of God manifold happiness in return.
(See 185[2-8,
10, 11-13, 23, 25])
Tulaseedaasa gives us here this unending source of joy. There is seldom
a moment in society that we do not find one happier than us. We can
forget ourselves in this pastime of seeing others happy and thereby be
free from envy, which destroys our happiness. (See 377) The
law of karma shows us that our envy cannot deprive others of the
prosperity they earned by their past deeds. (See 428) This
understanding rids us of jealousy and, instead, it focuses us on making
the most of and enjoying whatever little we have. When we praise the
good in others we intend to make them happy. If there is no similar
response from them, we should not feel even slightly hurt. Others are
not at fault. We are at fault in our expectation from them. In offering
due praise, we did right for our own good under the law of karma.
We can see the roles of envy and its opposite by which we get continual
misery or joy, respectively, sometimes in the attitudes of family
members where one advances far ahead of, or is left far behind the
others.
The depth of Tulaseedaasa's couplets such as these, offers tips for
continual happiness.
Besides,
this tip rids us of envy for our empowerment. (Tulaseedaasa's
Preliminary Prayers end) (A Lesson in Good Conduct) 19
Chaupaayi: Ayhi manha Raghupati naama udaaraa: ati
paavana puraana sruti-saaraa:: 19
Tulaseedaasa continues, "The merit in the Book is that of
Shree Raama's venerable name. Its repetition sanctifies men.
This name is extremely purifying and is the essence of the Vedas and
the Puranas. It removes unhappiness and is the fountain of bliss that
it bestows upon all. Shiva, along with Paarvatee, always utters this
name."
God knows our intent to purify our mind in remembering His name. He
fulfils all our noble intents instantly or later with results that He
thinks best for us. So just reciting his name becomes the sum of all
prayers. When we remember God before taking any action, the desire to
hurt or harm anyone generally stays away from us and thereby passions
weaken and our mind becomes more pure to secure us happiness. Without
persistent effort to control passions, we should not imagine that we
are human or are devotees of God and can secure happiness. Remembering
God off and on does not make us His devotee but remembering Him as
often as possible can by His grace.
It is not sacrilegious to repeat the name of God if we are impure in
mind or body or environment. A purified mind is already filled with
God. (See 318)
There are no pitfalls of other paths in the repetition of His name. So,
Tulaseedaasa calls Shree Raama's name as the only merit of his Book.
Further, he treats a verse without Shree Raama's name revered in it as
unattractive as a bejewelled beauty without a robe.
Tulaseedaasa claimed no literary or poetic merit for his Book. Later he
says, 19A
Chaupaayi: Kabi na ho-un nahin chatura kahaava-un:
mati-anuroopa Raama-guna gaava-un:: Bk12
Tulaseedaasa continues, "Neither am I a poet, nor am I called
intelligent and bright. I do not want to be known as such. I praise
Shree Raama's greatness as I understand it." Tulaseedaasa expresses
here the feelings of almost all devotees of God who think, speak, hear,
read or write about Him. (For Shree Raama's Devotee) 20
Dohaa: Saarada Saysa Mahaysha bidhi aagama
nigama puraana: 20.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "Describing Brahman as nai-iti,
nai-iti, that is, not this, not this, but endless, or more
appropriately, not only this but much more than this, Saraswatee,
Shaysha, Shiva, Brahmaa, the Vedas, the Puranas and scriptures
incessantly sing His praise in His embodiment in Shree
Raama."
We can say what Brahman is not but not what It is. Even gods, goddesses
and scriptures could not describe Brahman or Its Incarnation in Shree
Raama. The best said about either describes His glory inadequately.
What we express inadequately through our mind, He hears with His heart.
Or, He responds to our intent, feelings, desires and yearning, and not
their inadequate expression in our prayers. (See 34) The next chaupaayee
is: 20A
Chaupaayi: Saba jaanata Prabhu prabutaa so-yee:
tadapi kahay binu rahaa na ko-yee:: Bk13
Tulaseedaasa says, "Everyone knows Shree Raama's greatness, yet none
could desist from describing it." The talk about Shree Raama is the
stuff of which all hymns are made and on which devotion and the value
of satyasanga rest. Being a devotee, Tulaseedaasa is
irresistibly writing His story. "He who can clarify the truth of God
has never yet been born; nor will he ever be born. He who has touched
the base will not come again to this base world." (BS 2 73) (See Geetaa
8:16) 21
Chaupaayi: Ayka aneeha aroopa anaamaa: Aja
Sach-chidaananda para-dhaamaa:: 21.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "God, with all
His names such as Brahman, Parabrahmaparamaysh-wara,
Paramaparamayshwara, Eeshwara and Bhagawaana, and many
other names, is one. He desires nothing. He has no definable name or
form and has no beginning or birth. He is at least Satchida-ananda
and supreme. He pervades the universe, which is partly His immanent
form. He assumes a human form and performs diverse roles."
Satchidaananda nature of God comprises:
Sat-ta or reality, Chit-ta or consciousness, and Aananda
or bliss. The three are the nature or substance, not attributes or
qualities, of the Godhead Brahman, the Universal Consciousness, the
Great Soul or the Ultimate Reality or the Truth. This nature is as the
nature of fire is heat and of water is liquidity. One with the nature
of God, the three ingredients of human Satchidaananda nature
create our constant desire to live, to know and to be happy. For the
all pervasiveness and immanence of Brahman through Its forms, please
see 267
and 288.
One of the four minimum beliefs in Sanaatana Dharma is that the
Almighty God or Satchidaananda Brahman is imperceptible. The
second is that He incarnates in a physical body. The other two beliefs
are karma and rebirth. Tulaseedaasa clarifies his own belief in the
beginning of his Book. He combined the impersonal and personal aspects
of Brahman in Shree Raama to make Him the object for our devotion as
God in person. Tulaseedaasa freed us from the polemics of pundits. (See
241, 243, 443 and
Geetaa 6:47, 9:2, 22
Chaupaayi: Keerati bhaniti bhooti bhali so-yee:
surasari-sama saba kanha hita ho-yee:: Bk14 22.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "To earn fame, to write poetry, and to
acquire wealth are praiseworthy if they are of benefit to all. It is in
the same way as the sacred river Gangaa benefits everyone who takes a
bath in it."
Fame should be earned by doing public good. Poetic skill should produce
verse with a message or to give joy to the reader. Wealth and status
should result from the effort to eliminate public suffering and should
sustain that effort. All the three should contribute to the happiness
of all. The test of the worth of all activity is goodness for all. The
best use of wealth is help of the needy and not withholding it by
finding fault in him. This help can also start with relatives to expand
wider. (See 430)
Honest wealth, name and fame should never be our objective. They are
thrust upon us if we motivate all our activity with the desire to
secure joy for all and through that for ourselves. We increase our joy
by sharing it. If we are not dedicated selflessly to the good of all
throughout, but acquire wealth, name and fame first selfishly and then
try to share it, its joy is tainted with selfishness and is not
unalloyed continual bliss or peace.
Incidentally, stronger than the desire for fame and wealth is that for
a son. A son is worthy if he serves those he can reach as his service
of God without expectation of any recompense. (See 126)
23
Chaupaayi: Mahaabeera binava-un Hanumaanaa:
Raama jaasu jasa aapu bakhaanaa:: Bk17 23.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "I do my obeisance to Hanumaan whose
glory Shree Raama Himself narrated."
Hanumaan's greatness was in being by his choice, Shree Raama's slave
and expecting nothing in return. Shree Raama treated Hanumaan as his
greatest devotee whose debt he was unable to repay. (See 287, 310, 401) At
Shree Raama's coronation, he gave Hanumaan a ring as a token of
gratitude for Hanumaan's help in restoring Seetaa to Shree Raama.
Janaka had given Seetaa this ring. Hanumaan politely declined it after
checking that it did not have Shree Raama's likeness or the sound of
his name in it. Upon this Shree Raama himself settled in Hanumaan's
heart. So, Shree Raama is where Hanumaan is and vice versa. Hanumaan
became a god one with Shree Raama. (See 148) Shree
Raama blesses a devotee of Hanumaan. (See Geetaa
When Hanumaan gave Bharata news of Shree Raama's return from the exile
to Ayodhyaa, Bharata said that he could not repay Hanumaan's debt of
gratitude.
Shiva was Shree Raama’s dear devotee. (See 58) Not
merely Shree Raama but Shiva also praised Hanumaan's devotion to Shree
Raama. There is a belief that Shiva became incarnate as Hanumaan and
other gods became animals to serve Shree Raama in his battle with
Raavana. Gods thereby also enjoyed the bliss of service to God in
person. (See 390)
They remained animals for Raavana and demons. To think, talk and act
among themselves and relate to Shree Raama, they remained gods. (See 65[6]) 24
Chaupaayi: Sahasa-naama-sama suni Sivabaanee:
japi jayeen piya-sanga Bhawaanee:: Bk19 24.
Shiva told Paarvatee that the power of a
single utterance of Shree Raama's name was equal to that of uttering
Vishnu's thousand names. Learning this, Paarvatee, with her
loving consort Shiva, always uttered Shree Raama's name.
There is a story. Once Shiva asked Paarvatee to come over and share
breakfast with him. She replied that she had not completed her morning
prayer of uttering the thousand names of the God, Almighty Vishnu.
Shiva asked Paarvatee to recite once the following: 24A
Shloka: Raama Raamayti Raamayti,
ramay Raamay manoramay: Sahasranaama tat-tulyam, Raamanaama varaananay:: O
beautiful and charming one! I revel in Raama by uttering His name -
Raama, Raama. This name Raama is equal to one thousand names of Lord
Vishnu. Completing
her prayers quickly, Paarvatee joined Shiva for breakfast.
There are three lessons here for us. Paarvatee first prepared breakfast
for her husband. Only after that did she go to attend to her own
prayers and worship. The householder should first provide food, clothes
and shelter to his family and attend to the proper upbringing of
children and caring for parents. (See 126)
Only after these daily duties should he physically engage himself in
the worship of God. We can and should mentally pray to God as often as
we can even when we are otherwise busy. To dedicate our daily duties as
service to God we remember Him at the beginning, often during and at
the end of duties. The Sanaatana tradition requires the service
of the mother, the father, the guru, the guest and God in that order.
In the spirit of dedication of all to God, the service of the family
and of others makes a householder an incessant devotee. The tradition
of service in the family survives better when each member cares for the
other and not makes comparisons. Comparisons show ignorance of the law
of karma and lead to dereliction of duty by the individual member,
which brings misery in its wake for him
Second. As a householder, we should do simple prayers such as repeating
Gaayatri Mantra, ‘AUM' or Shree Raama's name as
often as we can. Sometimes people think that elaborate rituals,
materials, worship, prolonged meditation, and other methods are
unavoidable for daily prayers or for more rapid spiritual advancement.
They do not override our primary duty to our family. We serve God
simultaneously through the mind and through physical service of our
dependants, guests and society. We mentally dedicate all service in
advance to Him. This is known as living in the spirituality of religion
and enjoins a conduct motivated by love for all as one with us.
(See
327)
While jaapa or dhyaana for a few minutes as a daily
habit is commendable, to find occasions for remembering God as often as
we can in twenty-four hours is also jaapa and dhyaana. Any
way that keeps us in His company and aware that He is guiding us to do
diligently what He has given us to do as our daily vocation is jaapa
and dhyaana. This understanding can become our
second nature. (See 71) We
should never think that God keeps His diligent devotees needy, dull or
unsuccessful. (See 275)
All shastras consider the householder stage of life as the best of all
the four stages. First. It sustains all in all stages. Second. It is a
means to secure self-realization by mental renunciation, but active
selfless service of all as duty dedicated to a personal God. This way
of life is a mere understanding of our role and a matter of adopting a
correct attitude thereafter. This attitude is that we mentally detach
ourselves from all and attach ourselves to God and dedicate to Him the
diligent physical service of our family and society. It is the path of
a karmayogi for life prescribed in the Geetaa.
Third. Shiva instructed Paarvatee in Vaishnava mantra (worship
of Vishnu and his embodied form in Shree Raama) , in place of the
traditional practice. It shows that women can also approach God as men
do or by a path of their choice, be it bhaktiyoga, jnaanayoga, karmayoga
or dhyaanayoga. Women can recite Aum. They cannot
escape Aum, which is recited in every breath. (See 220) Women
are one with men in their reality in the human soul.
The ancient Indian tradition encouraged women to attain the highest
Knowledge. For example, Shiva taught Vedanta to Paarvatee through Raamaayana,
Kapilaachaarya, Saankhya to his mother Devabhooti and
Yaajnavalkya Vedanta to his wife Maitrayee. (JV 30) Gaargee and
Maitrayee, spiritually advanced ladies, attained Brahmajnaana. Shree
Krishna gave women equal rights on the spiritual path. For example, 25
Chaupaayi: Samujhata sarisa naama
aru naamee: preeti parasapara Prabhu-anugaamee:: 25.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "For our understanding, the name and
form of God are alike. The mutual attraction of the form and its name
is as between a slave and his master. The form follows the name." Shree
Raama responds by His presence where He is called. "Name and form
are both limitations on God Who is limitless in both. His names
are innumerable and His form is indescribable. It is beyond
understanding how He is without a beginning. Only a purified mind
can grasp the limitlessness of His names and forms. A form depends
upon its name because the form cannot be visualized without a name.
Even without the form in our mind if we remember the name, the form of
the named object by itself enters our mind."
Generally objective knowledge begins with the recognition of the form
of an object and its name. A name is necessary even for a formless
concept. A concept with a name and tangible form is easy to grasp. For
example, a zero is the form of nothingness. Hence the importance
Sanaatana Dharma gives to the form of the deity that we worship.
The name and form are inseparable. We cannot give one name sufficient
to define or describe an imperceptible and omnipresent Brahman. All Its
names are equally powerful because the Godhead is in all. We cannot
however worship, love or be devoted to an imperceptible Brahman. To
facilitate our experiencing Brahman underlying all forms in the
creation, as gold is in all forms of jewelry, Brahman submits Itself to
two limitations of name and form in Its Incarnation. A name and form
are also necessary for the master and servant or of any form of 'Thou'
and 'I' relationship with God. The Incarnation appears in our mind as
personifying the aspect we desire, such as kindness, succour, refuge
and so on. (See 101) It is
in the same way as our beloved appearing in the pose that we like. Any
object having a name and a form comes to an end, as does the body of
the Incarnation of God. (See Geetaa
These couplets form one of Tulaseedaasa’s basic messages in the Book.
When we remember God, we call Him and He comes like a mother when her
child calls her. He lives as far as our voice or our mind reaches to
hear us. When we call Him, He is there for us and we are in His company
or satyasanga. This company is nearest to touching His feet.
If we can fill our mind with the name and form of God, our mind becomes
what it dwells on. (See Geetaa 8:5-10) This habit purifies our mind and
creates our attachment to God. Repetition of name, or jaapa, is
mechanical and barren without an attractive picture of God in our mind.
The picture helps our concentration, makes repetition attractive and
sincere to sustain our remem-bering God to establish a vibrant link to
Him. God's response is in a multiple measure of our intent, service,
zeal and yearning for Him. (See 33, 90 and
Geetaa 8:7) 26
Dohaa: Raama-naama-mani-deepa dharu jeeha
dayharee dvaara: 26.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "The tongue is the entry to our mind.
Shree Raama's name is the inextinguish-able lamp. It is made of a
self-effulgent legendary jewel. For light, inside and around us, we
keep this lamp or His name continuously on our tongue, which is the
doorway to our Self." (See Geetaa 7:29, 10:8-11)
Tulaseedaasa first explains that Shree Raama's name develops love for
the manifested Brahman in Shree Raama outside us and makes our personal
God visible. Tulaseedaasa experienced this belief. Knowing our intent
behind the repetition of Shree Raama's name, He helps us to secure for
us control over our senses and six passions. Shree Raama secures us a purified
mind to make our body healthy. He corrects our path and intent behind
all our acts. He provides us the wherewithal for our progress. (See 27 and Geetaa
12:7) He helps us to overcome the difficulty of worshipping a formless
and qualityless Brahman within us as our inmost Self. (See Geetaa
12:5-12) Shree Raama gradually secures for us the experience of the
indiscernible Brahman.
Without faith based on our conviction in both aspects of Brahman inside
us as our Self and outside us as Shree Raama, His worship as an
Incarnation of or as manifested Brahman creates doubt. Satee and
Garurha had this doubt. (See 60 and (58) and (404) in the
Story) On the other hand, without dedication of deeds and devotion to
the personal God as in His Incarnation or in a deity as His form, it is
difficult to purify the mind. This purification is necessary for our
realizing our identity with Brahman. (See 437, 241[23])
The repetition of Shree Raama's name gradually gives us control over
our senses and lust, anger and avarice. It develops humility in us and
replaces the feeling of ‘I am the doer’ by that of ‘God is all and I am
His instrument.’ The name strengthens our link to God.
Tulaseedaasa repeats only one easiest saadhanaa or spiritual
discipline, in the Book, to remember God somehow and as often as we can
in any stage and calling. We can associate all our work with God at its
beginning, middle and its end. In this manner we become His devotee for
our waking hours. (See Geetaa 8:14)
Tulaseedaasa emphasizes here the audible repetition of the name of God.
Some psychologists find that audibility has great impact on the mind.
For example, mere thinking about a snake and a scorpion does not have
much impact upon us. The uttering of their names however makes them
sometimes appear in our dreams.
Often unconsciously, mental repetition of the name continues without
the desire for any recompense. This repetition is a prayer and is
believed to hasten salvation. Regardless of its manner, the value of an
incessant prayer or our link to God can never be over-emphasized. (See 258 and
Geetaa 8:7, :14)
Incidentally, the tongue keeps itself safe from being crushed by teeth.
It teaches us detachment from but not aversion to our surroundings. Its
detachment keeps nothing for itself, passes all good food to the
stomach and throws out all bad food. Its performance through speech
secures us a bad or a good name. Its control is, therefore, the first
discipline in the spiritual path. One of its best uses is given in the
instant couplet. Its misuse is uttering lies, carrying tales against or
criticizing and denigrating others and talking unnecessarily. All these
are obstacles to our progress. (See 235)
27
Chaupaayi: Japahin naama jana aarata bhaaree: mittahin
kusankatta hauhin sukhaaree:: 27.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "When men in great distress repeat
Shree Raama's name they secure happiness. There are four kinds of His
devotees. All are virtuous and noble."
Tulaseedaasa alludes to the Geetaa 7:16. It defines four kinds of
devotees to God. 1. Some remember God to escape disease, distress and
suffering. 2. Some wish to attain Knowledge. 3. Some are poor and
desire wealth. (See 451) 4.
Some attained Knowledge of the all-pervading reality and freedom from
dualities. They seek the bliss of devotion to Him. Distress, poverty,
search and destination are stages in man's upward journey. It is wisdom
to beg from God, and not from men. Before praying to God, a devotee
resolves to give up sin forever. (See Geetaa 9:30) If not, he tries to
cheat God.
It is a bit jarring to call the one desiring wealth also noble. (See 363) A
devotee avoids sin, does obligatory duty of maintaining his body for
selfless service of man, which he dedicates to God. (See 265) This
is itself a sign of nobility. Detached from the world, he needs less
food less clothes and is content in the minimum. He reduces his needs
to the means to sustain his devotion to God for his happiness. These
means are all his wealth he asks from God. For example, a well off
non-devotee often blames a poor man in trouble for his lot. God gives
the poor devotee the happiness of contentment. Without finding fault
the poor helps one poorer than himself. Such a poor devotee is noble.
(See 186,
275,
363,
430
and Geetaa 9:22)
Swami Ramakrishna points out, ‘All men are by no means on the same
level’ there are ‘the bound, the struggling, the liberated, and the
ever free. It is also not a fact that all men have to practise
spiritual discipline. Some realize God after much spiritual austerity,
and some are perfect from their very birth.’ (RK 249) We are all born
perfect but rare ones transform their observable nature near to
perfection in life. (See 242)
28
Chaupaayi: Chahun chatura kanhu naama adhaaraa:
jnaanee Prabhu-hi bisayshi piyaaraa:: 28.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "All the four kinds of devotees are
wise. They rely upon Shree Raama's name. Among these, the one who
possesses Knowledge can be very close to Shree Raama. In the four ages
and the four Vedas the importance of the repetition of the name of God
was recognized. In the present age, Kaliyuga, there is no other
means to secure happiness and reach God."
For the kinds of devotees see 27. The four
ages are, Satyayuga, Traytaayuga, Dwaaparayuga and Kaliyuga.
(See 79)
The four Vedas are, Rigveda, Yajurveda, Saamaveda and Atharvaveda.
Why does God especially love the devotee with Knowledge? Shree Raama is
shown to have said that in His creation, He loved man most. As a man
progresses in his effort to reach God, He responds by His love. (See 415) For
example, a man attains Brahmajnaana or Knowledge with
difficulty. He feels that God loves him more than other seekers. In
truth each seeker gets the response of God to the brim of his sincerity
in the grace of God. Grace is not restrained. Each feels he received
more than he deserved and, therefore, more than another. What each
receives is not wholly comparable with what others receive. (See 275)
29
Chaupaayi: Aguna saguna du-yi Brahma-saroopaa:
akatha agaadha anaadi anoopaa:: 29.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "Brahman has two aspects; the formless
without attributes, and Its embodied form, visible and with attributes.
Both cannot be described, nor their depth reached, nor have they a
beginning nor is anything comparable to them." Tulaseedaasa thinks
that, "Shree Raama's name is greater than both aspects. Its sway is
over both." The name can secure for us a vision of God and the
experience of our oneness with the formless Brahman or
Self-realization.
Tulaseedaasa treats both aspects of Brahman as one in Shree Raama.
Shiva could not make Satee understand by words how they were one in
Shree Raama. (See 41) She had
to learn it by personal experience. The Author does not know why Shiva,
the great guru, did not convince Satee by demonstration where words
failed. Shiva, however, succeeded in explaining it to Paarvatee. (See 60-61, 469)
Tulaseedaasa treats Shree Raama an Incarnation of Brahman and applies
the epithets to Him as are used for Brahman. (See 68-70) This
is because the Incarnation is the fully manifested Reality of Brahman
possible in human form and so, it cannot alienate His person from that
manifested Reality.
The formless Brahman underlies the creation. (See Geetaa 8:22, 9:6) So,
this creation itself can be called partly a visible and immanent form
of God. (See 288)
Brahman, however, is bigger than this form. All the invisible worlds,
universes, galaxies, power, energy, time, space, dimensions and thought
are in the imperceptible God. It is impossible to know and explain
fully this transcendental form of Brahman. (See 411)
The message of the Book is that helped by the grace of God, we can
attain in life continual happiness that is freedom from
need,disease and fear, and a vision of God and Self-realization both by
developing faith in and devotion to Shree Raama. This devotion is the
first and the last step. Swami Ramakrishna experienced Brahman in Its
two aspects by devotion to Its form in goddess Kaalee; Meeraa Baayee
and Sooradaasa through devotion to Shree Krishna and Tulaseedaasa
through Shree Raama.
From others' and his own experience, Tulaseedaasa emphasizes Raamanaama
as the reliable and easy discipline for all for their material
contentment for spiritual advancement. Thereby he also exposed the
fallacy of the orthodoxy of some rituals and ceremonials, which, over
time in a decaying society, were merely institutionalized by some
self-serving priests to form a tradition. Many priests, however,
neither understood nor explained their significance. 30
Chaupaayi: Ubha-ya agama juga sugama naama tayn: kahay-un naamu barha
Brahma Raama tayn:: 30
Tulaseedaasa continues, "It is difficult to grasp the
unmanifested aspect of Brahman, and Its manifestation in Shree Raama. His
name however resolves that difficulty. That is why Shree Raama's
name is greater than both his aspects. The unmanifested God, resides
unchanged in every human heart. Even then all beings in the world are
in suffering. The repetition of the name reveals God Himself as the
value of a jewel appears when it is assayed."
It is our nature to be blissful by virtue of being Satchida-ananda.
So, it is only when we are in sorrow that we surprise another who asks
us about its reason. No one asks us why we are not unhappy.
Tulaseedaasa laments that it is a pity that even when God is within us,
we suffer.
Our reality is not our physical body and brain. It is our aatmaa,
which is one with Brahman or Paramaatmaa and underlies our life
and ‘I’ consciousness. The aatmaa is our divine being and a
witness to all our activities in our waking and dream states. It
neither acts, nor suffers nor enjoys. We forget our divinity and its
power and capacity for our continual bliss. We ignore reminders of it.
Prompt-ed by pure reason and not caring to experience our divinity, we
go on thinking that in reality we are the physical body with brain.
(See 66)
Our faulty thinking makes us seek selfishly sensuous happiness. It
alternates with misery. Living in divinity means having faith in the
reality of God as our security. It means faith in that He knows the
intent behind our reciting His name to secure for us all that we need.
It also means that in this faith we sow and reap happiness around us by
righteousness, justice and compassion or by helping all and hurting
none. The forgetfulness of our divinity and not living in it to secure
continual bliss always available to us is the cause of our
misery.
Treating our reality as our physical body, we misuse the instruments
our body has. These instruments are senses, mind, intellect,
consciousness and ego or '
Introspection and faith in the law of karma show us that our suffering
is by our own doing, that is, by living contrary to our divine nature
of love for all. For living in our divinity, we repent, eschew error
and seek relief from God. The grace of God either wipes out or softens
the painful impact upon us of our incorrect past karma; or it increases
our capacity to bear, to make misery less painful for us. (See 261) Our
effort to live in our divinity, sincere devotion of selflessness and
surrender to God burdens Him to give us peace and bliss. (See 50, 72, 275 and
Geetaa 9:22)
Knowing that he has a jewel, a poor man may think he is not poor. To be
free from pangs of poverty he has to sell the jewel. The name of God
and His form are a jewel we have. We have to use it by constantly
remembering it. Not believing in it, we deny the availability of divine
succour in our distress. (See 42[3], 451)
31
Dohaa: Nirguna tayn ayhi bhaanti barha naama-prabhaa-u
apaara: 31.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "The constant
chanting of Shree Raama's name has limitless power. In my view, the
name is greater than the formless God and His embodiment in Shree
Raama."
Tulaseedaasa has called the name as greater than the named. This is
because the named may be absent or may cease as a being but the name
continues to evoke in our mind the form of the named. The name gives
immortality to the named. The power of the repetition of the name of
God is mentioned in scriptures and recognized by all religions.
Examples of the greatness of Shree Raama's name are these. Shree Raama
protected and made sages happy. His name makes many more so. He freed
Ahalyaa from bondage in a stone. His name frees many more: He destroyed
demons. His name destroys the impact upon us of all sins, which grow
incessantly. He built a bridge to cross the ocean to reach Lanka. His
name enables many more to cross the worldly ocean of rebirth without a
boat or a bridge. Hanumaan bound Shree Raama to himself by repeating
Shree Raama's name. The repetition of the name secures us the vision of
God in His form of our choice as also Self-realization.
Tulaseedaasa experienced the power of Shree Raama's name and so,
expressed it as his own view. He called Raamanaama or Shree
Raama's name, the great incantation or mahaamantra. Shiva also
repeats this name constantly. (See 24-33) 32
Chaupaayi: Chahun juga teeni kaala tihun lokaa:
bha-yay naama japi jeeva bisokaa:: 32.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "In all the four ages, in the three
times, the past, the present and the future and in the three
worlds, the earth, the heavens and the nether lands, man gets
rid of his suffering by repeating Raamanaama. In addition, men
pleased God in the first age, Satyayuga, by meditation upon
Him; in the second, Traytaayuga, by performing
sacrificial rites; and in the third age, Dwaaparayuga, by
worshipping Him. In the fourth or present age, Kaliyuga,
however, neither meritorious deeds, nor devotion nor discrimination
is forthcoming. Raamanaama is the only method for
securing relief from suffering and support for man."
It is said that in Satyayuga, Dharma was standing on four legs,
in Traytaayuga on three, in Dwaaparayuga on two and in
the present Kaliyuga on one leg. So, in the first yuga
all the four paths or yogas for securing relief from suffering were
available. In the next, the next three assumed pre-eminence, in the
next the next two and in the last yuga now only the repetition
of Raamanaama is the most effective and pre-eminent path
available for us – a redemption. The name of God as one leg today has
the strength and stability of the four legs of the old to support dharma.
(See 430)
Tulaseedaasa also refers here to the paths of meditation, work,
devotion and knowledge. The first requires severe discipline and the
second needs selfless deeds dedicated to God without expectation for
specific fruit and anxiety for failure. Both of these are difficult for
many. The third, devotion to God, needs our service of all as one with
us because our God resides in all. This is difficult for many. The
fourth, Knowledge, is acquired when we are able to control our senses
and passions, annihilate our 'I' consciousness or ego and become
totally non-attached to worldly attractions. This is not easy either.
All paths for many of us are difficult to follow strictly in the
present age, Kaliyuga. They can be treated as practically
non-existent for many of us.
Tulaseedaasa rules out for Kaliyuga the meticulous pursuit of
the paths of knowledge (Jnaanakaandda), of meritorious deeds and
rites (Karmakaandda) and of devotion and worship
(Upaasanaakaandda) as prescribed in the Vedas. (RK 617)
The effect of three modes or gunas, which pervade man's
observable nature in all the four ages, is shown here. In Satyayuga,
godly influence in man's observable nature satvaguna was
predominant. In the next Traytaayuga, this influence diminished
slightly. The second influence, which generates activity for fulfilment
of desires, rajoguna, increased. In the next, Dwaaparayuga,
the first influence was less. The second influence was more but the
third also raised its head. The third influence, tamoguna,
encouraged sloth and demoniacal tendencies. In the fourth present age
Kaliyuga, tamoguna is overwhelming. Man gradually became weaker and
his suffering increased with each age. (See 240[17,
18, 19]) Out of His compassion for man, to reduce his suffering, God
made man's path easier in each succeeding age.
Meditation in Satyayuga was the most difficult path. (See 71, 426)
Without the help of a guru with divine vision, disciplined meditation
is difficult. Such a guru is rare today. The path of sacrificial rites
in Traytaayuga was easier. For effectiveness, the rites need
pure material, honesty in the means of its procurement and the purity
of the aspirant's mind. This too is difficult today. Worship in Dwaaparayuga
was still easier. This path is hypocritical unless it rests upon
selfless service for the good of all as one with us, and dedicated to
God. This too is demanding. So, God gave to the weak man of Kaliyuga
today the easy path of repetition of Raamanaama with a noble
intent underlying it and nourishing of good thoughts for all. Noble
intent is easy to make our second nature by understand-ing the law of
karma correctly. (See 259, 428) This
path gradually purifies us to make us fit for any other path.
The demoniacal influence today is described in: 32A
Chaupaayi: Taamasa bahuta rajoguna thoraa:
Kali-prabhaa-u birodh chahun oraa:: Uk104
Kaakabhushunddi said to Garurha, "Demoniacal influence is
preponderant and the harmless activity generating influence is less.
Animosity everywhere is the nature of Kaliyuga." Absence of
care and love and increase in egotism create unconcern, aversion,
opposition and animosity, progressively. Our lack of alertness to this
acquired nature is common in the present age. 32B
Chaupaayi: Sumirata sulabha sukhada saba kaahoo:
loka-laahu para-loka-nibahoo::: Bk20
Tulaseedaasa says, "Shree Raama's name is easy to remember and
provides bliss to all equally in this world and thereafter." (See 148) God
provides this facility to the high, the low, the righteous, the sinner
and man and woman. None can complain that God is not fair and cares
only for those He loves or who love Him. (See 415) 33
Chaupaayi: Bhaa-ya kubhaa-ya anakha aalasahoon: naama
japata mangala disi dasahoon:: Bk28 33.
Tulaseedaasa continues, "The repetition of Shree Raama's name in any
manner – love, anger, lack of interest or aversion, brings us happiness
from all ten directions," namely, North, East, South, West, the
four corners, up and down.
In his homage to Shree Raama, Tulaseedaasa gave great importance to
remembering and repeating Shree Raama's name and keeping His form in
our mind. (See Geetaa 8:7) God did not give Himself a name. All names
of God are equally beneficial and powerful. We cannot limit the
limitless God to one name. God is in the name given to Him by His
seeker because God responds to our desire for Him and not its form in a
name or a prayer. He is present where He is howsoever remembered. (See 25) The
homage to Shree Raama through His name begins from
This is the last couplet of that homage wherein Tulaseedaasa states a
nature peculiar to Shree Raama's name. Regardless of the seeker's merit
or intent, whoever touches fire gets burnt and touches water gets wet.
This is the dharma or nature of fire and water. Similarly,
regardless of the seeker's intent, Shree Raama's name purifies him.
This is the nature of this name. (See 19, 95, 318)
Besides, remembering the name gives each seeker, happiness to the brim
of his capacity.
When the recitation of His name is filled with a yearning for Him, the
devotee binds himself to Shree Raama. It strengthens one's devotion if
one sticks to one name and form of God. (See 155) Our
attachments to our past deeds bring their consequences for us as our
present circumstances. We can get rid of our unfavourable circumstances
and better our destiny if we rely on the name of God. (See 183) We
cannot utter His name for twenty-four hours and we cannot escape from
action even for one moment. So, as often as we can, we should remember
God, offer all our daily duties diligently performed as our service to
Him, find occasions to thank Him and seek His grace. A lapse in duties
only delays but does not deny grace.
While for some, remembering God even once a day may be difficult, for
others their concentration on God can be persistent in any relationship
they establish with Him as a father or mother, as a friend, as a
beloved and even as an enemy. A man may fear God for some lapse on his
part. He may hate Him for not fulfilling his cherished desire or for
putting him in unceasing misery. It may be for any other reason. If his
feeling is so intense that he cannot cease to think of God when awake
or in his dreams, God gives him the same grace, which He gives to a
devotee. This nature of God's response to one who remembers Him is
brought out here. A little thought shows that this kind of unflinching
and persistent attitude of hate or animosity towards God is very
difficult to acquire. Our hatred of and animosity towards God arises
from our ignorance of the law of karma and of other eternal verities.
God is never angry with us because maya ensures our continual
ignorance. On the other hand, as a mother He gives us experience
through occurrences to give us knowledge. Knowledge dispels both our
ignorance and its result in our suffering, which caused our adverse
attitude towards God. Knowledge makes us His devotee. (See 347)
The repetition of Shree Raama's name has another quality. 33A
Chaupaayi: Sahita dosha-dukha daasa-duraasaa: dala-yi
naamu jimi rabi nisi naasaa:: Bk24
Tulaseedaasa says, "As the sun destroys darkness, Shree Raama's name
destroys our suffering, faults, their effects and our slavery to
passions." The name purifies us of all pollutants mentioned here.
(See 322)
The uncontrolled six passions in us cause all our vices and miseries.
The name keeps us in Shree Raama's company, which guards us against
passions and miseries. If the name were not a purifier and succour, it
would be difficult for the illiterate and the backward to reach or call
upon God. For their purpose, they rely on the tiniest way they all
know, namely, His name. (See 177)
The fruit of all deeds is tied to the intent behind them. The fruit of
the repetition of Shree Raama's name, however, is tied to the name
itself. Our continuously remembering Him binds us to Shree Raama. This
makes Him purify our mind to make our mind and body healthy, to correct
our intent and to provide the minimum wherewithal for following any
path to Him for our happiness from all directions. (See 27) The
variety of our past lives and our yearning in this life for Him vary
the speed of securing bliss and God. (See 360)
A devotee told Swami Ramakrishna that whenever the devotee tried to
repeat Divine mother goddess Kaalee's name in his bed he fell asleep.
The Swami replied, ‘That is enough. You remember Her. Don't you?’ (RK
696) The word laziness in the instant couplet implies this kind of
devotion. Such laziness at times flowers into deep involvement with
God's work later on. This is the experience of some devotees.
The repetition of Shree Raama's name needs no fixed time, age,
profession, regulation, books, teachings, self-purification and social
restraint. A sinner or a holy person, woman or man, none is
handicapped. Selfish and hurtful desires obstruct the benefit from the
name. (See 363)
Its effect appears to vary with our faith that God is in it, our
spiritual level and our capacity to recognize grace. The repetition of
the name forward or backward is immaterial because God knows our intent
and disregards the form of its expression. No wonder Tulaseedaasa has
prescribed the remembering of God's name as the only spiritual
discipline or practical means, if any, for our material contentment for
spiritual advancement in the Book. (See Geetaa 12:7) |
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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