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Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

My sincere deepaavali nal vaazhththukkaL to all srivaishnava fraternity.

In the search of a reference for "the ball handling seethaa near the sivaa's 
bow and pushing the bow so easily" episode being discussed under the title the 
bow's story, I came across the write up titled "spot lights in Ramayana" by Sri 
Swamy Premananda in the Divine life society web site of Swamy Sivananda 
www.sivanandadlshq.org <http://www.sivanandadlshq.org> In that write up, which 
runs to some 30 pages with picture, foreword etc in all 39 pages, the chapter 
on esotericism in raamaayaNam attracted me very much - "padiththadhil 
pidiththadhu". 

In particular, the description of raama as wisdom, seetha as devotion, et al is 
really a new dimension for me. This I thought will be of interest to novices 
like me and hence I am sharing this in the list. If any of the points are not 
according to the tenets of srivaishnavam, those need not be taken for further 
discussion, and I may be pardoned for bringing in such references. Please 
consume only the good parts and leave the chaff if any. Thanks. 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.

Esotericism in Ramayana

There is a spiritual interpretation of the story of Rama, which would be found 
beneficial to the entire mankind. According to the esoteric explanation of the 
Ramayana, man himself is the battlefield where a constant war is going on 
between the good and evil propensities. Information about the external world is 
collected through the five sense organs. These perceptions are turned into 
impressions with the help of mental background, different in different 
individuals. On the basis of these impressions the individual acts through the 
five organs of action. It is by controlling the sense organs and disciplining 
the mind with the help of the intellect that man can take proper action and 
lead a happy life. After continuous disciplining of the mind and the senses, 
ignorance is dispelled and one is able to discriminate between good and evil.

A person who is able to command his ten senses is called Dasaratha. Among his 
wives, 
        *       Kausalya can be said to be an embodiment of Devotion, 
        *       Kaikeyi of Attachment and 
        *       Sumitra of Detachment. 

Similarly, 
        *       Rama represents Wisdom, 
        *       Bharata Discrimination, 
        *       Lakshmana Renunciation and 
        *       Shatrughna Thought. 

The knowledge contained in the Vedas is personified in sage Vashishtha who 
first teaches and trains the four princes-Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and 
Shatrughna. It is only when wisdom, discrimination, renunciation and asceticism 
are combined that universal brotherhood or Vishwamitra emerges who imparts 
further training and help to Rama and Lakshmana to conquer evil forces like 
        *       Tataka (Anger-lust combined), 
        *       Maricha and Subahu (deceit and temptation). 

After that sage Vishwamitra takes them to Mithila, the kingdom of Raja Janaka, 
to participate in Swayamvara, the, marriage function of his daughter Sita. On 
their way to Mithila, Rama revives Ahalya who had turned into stone i.e. 
without feeling and sensation, due to a curse, which fell on her, and is again 
brought back to her full sensibilities.

There the contest was that whosoever lifts the bow of Siva, Sita will be 
married to him. Many princes and kings competed for the hand of Sita but they 
were not able even to move the great bow and were therefore disappointed. This 
bow, according to our allegory stands for pride and Sita is an embodiment of 
Devotion. Now unless a man is able to rise above pride, he cannot attain 
devotion. 

Parasurama is a devotee of the Lord and stands for Ego. He was enraged not only 
as the great bow was lifted but broken into two. Whereas Rama tried to assuage 
the feelings of Parasurama with sweet words, Lakshmana, his brother almost 
challenged the great sage for unnecessarily interfering in the internal affairs 
of king Janaka.

As an embodiment of wisdom and being the eldest amongst the princes, Rama is 
rightly chosen by his father to be crowned as king, but on account of the 
intervention of Kaikeyi, he is compelled to banish Rama from the kingdom for 14 
years. Thus Rama, Sita and Lakshmana left for the forest and minister Sumanta 
(i.e. Sukarma-good actions) accompanied them but wisdom (Rama) compelled him to 
go back to Ayodhya.

The trio (Wisdom-devotion-renunciation) proceeded further. The meeting of 
wisdom (Rama) with skillful Nishada helped the trio to cross the Tamasa river 
(river of Brahma-Vidya) on the boat of pure sankalpa and then accompanied with 
Nishad, the trio reached 'Triveni' the conjunction of three rivers (Ganga, 
Yamuna, Saraswati), which symbolically represent Ida, Pingla and Sushumna. On 
the bank of Triveni they had the darshan of Pranav (i.e. Bharadwaja) and 
afterwards of Valmiki Rishi (Discipline) who advised them 
(wisdom-devotion-renunciation) to stay at Chitrakut, the place of reasoning and 
understanding, for sometime. 

[point by MGV - without renouncing some things bhakthi or devotion will not 
develop. Without bhakthi or devotion wisdom is not going to dawn. So one 
following the other is a very neat idea of presenting]

When Bharata returned to Ayodhya from his maternal uncle's place, he is able to 
discriminate and see the injustice of the whole episode. But he fails to 
dissuade Rama from following the orders of his father as well as of Kaikeyi. 
Rama does not leave the kingdom alone and is accompanied by Renunciation 
(Lakshmana) and Devotion (Sita). Then the trio left Chitrakut also. On the way 
they met the great sages Atri (Truth), and Anasuya, wife of Atri, an embodiment 
of loyalty and faithfulness.

The trio of Wisdom, Devotion and Renunciation occupy Panchavati-literally an 
abode standing for an embodiment of the 5 sense organs. There Surpanakha, the 
sister of Ravana and an embodiment of Desire, approaches Rama and Lakshmana for 
the satisfaction of her lust. But neither Wisdom nor Renunciation are attracted 
or lured by Desire who is not only turned away but also disfigured by 
Lakshmana. Surpanakha approached her brothers Khara and Dushana, who stand for 
Pride and Evil. But in a battle royal they are not able to measure swords with 
Wisdom and Renunciation. Whosoever makes use of wisdom before taking any action 
- and if that wisdom is tempered with renunciation - pride and evil cannot 
stand before the combination, and automatically disappears.

Then we reach the climax of the story where Ravana or Dasanana, literally a 
person with 10 heads, decides to avenge the dishonour done to his sister. 
Having analysed that the ascetic princes are no ordinary individuals and have 
withstood not only Pride and Evil but also Desire, Dasanana decides to organise 
an attack with the help of Deceit, in the form of Maricha. Maricha or Deceit 
could assume a variety of forms and hence Ravana used him as a ploy to appear 
before Sita as a golden deer so that she might be attracted towards him.

It is said that at this juncture, in order to save Sita - a Princess who had 
been brought up in luxury - She was concealed by Rama with the help of Fire and 
in her place an illusion of Sita was created by him. It was this illusory Sita 
who fell for the golden deer and asked her husband to bring it for her. Rama, 
through his wisdom saw the game but on account of Sita's persistence and to 
play his part in the cosmic drama gave the deer a chase.

The deer enticed him away from Panchavati and as he was dying, he cried 
Lakshmana as if it was Rama himself crying for his help. The illusory Sita 
heard the cry and asked Lakshmana to rush to Rama's help. Lakshmana tried to 
assure Sita that no calamity could befall the wise and brave Rama but she 
insisted and even insinuated motives to Lakshmana who had to leave to find out 
facts.

When Sita was alone, Ravana approached Panchavati as a hermit, begging for alms 
and took her away forcibly. Jatayu, an embodiment of peace, who lives for 
others, intercepted him but who was fatally wounded. Since Rama is depicted in 
the Ramayana as an ordinary but an ideal man, finding Sita missing, he begins 
to lament and cry for help as any husband would do. Finally he runs into Jatayu 
who tells him the truth. Several efforts are made to dissuade Ravana from evil 
path and to make him return Sita, but nothing avails of. Finally, Rama strikes 
friendship with Sugreeva, who is personified action, which has lost power and 
strength on account of the defeat inflicted upon him by his brother vali, 
literally a very brave man. 

Sugreeva introduces Rama to Hanuman who stands for absolute renunciation, who 
is sent to find out the exact whereabouts of Sita. On the way, the 
water-spirits-Surasa, Simhika and Lankini - standing for three attributes of 
Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, which pervade the universe - try to hinder the 
progress of Hanuman. He raises above all the 3 attributes and it is only after 
he masters all of them that he reaches Lanka and finds out Sita in the forest 
of Ashoka trees. After delivering the message of Rama to her, he creates havoc 
in the city and lets himself be caught by Meghanatha so that he is produced in 
the court of Ravana.

There he speaks of the valour and virtues of Rama and tries to dissuade Ravana 
from evil ways. Ravana's brother Vibhishana also tries to give good advice to 
the king and asks him to return Sita so that bloodshed may be avoided. But the 
king strikes at Vibhishana and turns him out of the court, who then joins the 
forces of Rama. Even the entreaties of Mandodari, his queen, do not prevail 
upon the king. Wisdom (Rama) also sends another emissary, Angada, to persuade 
Ravana to give up his evil ways. But Attachment and Desire, as personified in 
Ravana are determined to have their way and finally a battle royal ensues.

Ravana had all the evil forces like Greed, Deceit and others on his side but 
they were all destroyed by Rama, causing consternation in Ravana. But his 
Desire in the form of his son Meghanatha, consoled him and succeeded in 
striking at Renunciation (Lakshmana) sending him to sleep for a short while, 
but Good Actions in the form of the medicine-man Sushena came to the help of 
Renunciation and revived him with the help of the Sanjivini herb, i.e. 
determined good action.

Even Kumbhakarana standing for pride, could not stand before wisdom and was 
killed. Finally Desire and Attachment (Ravana) were completely annihilated by 
Wisdom and when illusory Sita came to Rama, Wisdom declared that he had no 
place for Maya and sent her back to fire. Bharata had been ruling Ayodhya with 
great discrimination and once the period of 14 years was over, Wisdom, 
Renunciation along with Devotion, Absolute Renunciation, Bravery and other 
attributes returned to Ayodhya, to establish the reign of 
righteousness-Ramaraj.  
****






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