Ramahi kevala premu piyara/ jani leu jo jana niharaRama:Transcendent & immanent

Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, stands for supreme truth, wisdom and bliss. He is both spirit and matter, with attributes and attribute-less. Existence is proof itself of his transcendent and immanent nature. He emerged from the bosom of the Absolute in Treta Yuga, as the son of King Dashratha of Ayodhya. From the impersonal he became the personal aspect of divinity to establish virtue, and came to be known as maryada puroshattma, the model of human excellence and embodiment of righteousness.

Ayodhya: Sacred city

Ayodhya is one of the seven sacred cities popular for being the birthplace of Rama, as also a metaphysical concept. The Atharva Veda (10.2.31) compares the human body to Ayodhya, which has eight chakra-s (subtle energy centres), nine gates (apertures in physical body), and an illuminating golden treasure of bliss. In the inner chambers of the heart, lives Rama.

Rama in Indian life

Lord Rama is the conscience of India, the fulcrum of its ideals, the embodiment of its virtues. He has inspired poets, philosophers, religious exegetes, painters, sculptors, dramatists and many more, to produce works of lasting value. Had he been an imaginary character, he would have vanished from the mind of people like the heroes of Iliad and Odyssey. The story of Rama is the theme of many Ramayana-s across cultures and countries. It has influenced Peruvian and Nepalese poetry, Cambodian sculpture, Indonesian architecture, Malaysian plays, Sinhalese novels and Laotian paintings. Millions exchange greetings with his name, relish his life-story (Rama-katha) and its enactment (Rama-lila) with utmost reverence, feed flour-balls to the fish, after inscribing his name on them, and fill reams of paper in his eternal remembrance. People adorn themselves with Rama-chadar (shawl), recite Rama-dhun and describe traditional medicines as Rama-ban, a panacea for all ills. In agonising moments they mutter, Haya Rama!’-‘Oh God!’. Mahatma Gandhi’s last words were: ‘Hey Rama’. While accompanying a funeral procession, people can be heard saying, ‘Rama-nama satya hai – ‘his name alone is true.’ Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of an ideal state was that of Rama-rajya. As he explained, its political implication is ‘a non-violent, democratic state’.

Rama-nama

There is a dynamic power hidden in the word, Rama. It comprises of two syllables which can be repeated fast. ‘Ra’ is the bija-mantra, seed-letter of Agni, fire-god; ‘a’ that of Surya, sun-god; and ‘ma’ that of Chandra, moon-god. When one utters ‘ra’ lips open to extricate evil which cannot return as lips close with ‘ma’. From numerological standpoint, ‘ra’is valued at 2 and “ma” at 5, and when one speaks out his name a few times, its value multiplies.

Its vibration has a spiritual value as it brings about harmony of mind and body. It works even when uttered in its opposite form (ulta nama), as ‘mara’. Constant remembrance of Rama’s name is said to be the easiest way to attain salvation in Kaliyuga.

Rama revels every particle of life, and can be perceived with the inner eye. Those who remain at the cerebral level fail to notice this fact. Goswami Tulsidasa says : Ramahi kevala premu piyara/ jani leu jo jana nihara – ‘Love alone attracts Rama: let those who are curious take note of it.’(Ayodhya Kanda).

(Dr Kapoor is a noted educationist, historian and spiritualist)