Who You Represent

“Like an ocean of purity are the mother and father of these children, who are like a heavenly desire tree, who have a spotless beauty that gives the eyes so much happiness that is without end.” (Janaki Mangala, 43)

punya payodhi mātu pitu e sisu suratarū |
rūpa sudhā sukha deta nayana amarani barū ||

Like it or not, your behavior is a reflection on your upbringing. The people who raise you are responsible for making sure that when you’re an adult you follow the proper standards of conduct, that you obey the law and don’t cause a nuisance to society. A parent especially understands how difficult it is to raise a child and make sure that they grow up to be properly educated and well-behaved, so when they see good traits in another child they immediately think of the role of the parents. This was the case with a famous king who cast his glance upon the transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Rama.

What is a transcendental form? Can God have any other kind of form? God is everything, a fact which isn’t too earthshattering. In mathematics there is the concept of sets and what different values they can contain. The most inclusive set is that which has the most values, the largest amount of numbers that represent the possible aggregations one can find. If we looked at the entire creation from a mathematical perspective, we’d see that there is a sum collection of space and its component objects. Obviously the measurement of that collection is unfathomable, but there is nevertheless a total amount. If we see a jar full of jellybeans, we can’t be exactly sure to the number how many jellybeans there are, but there is still a specific total.

If we calculated a total for the universe, it’d be a representation of God. His universal form, or virat-rupa, is one way to think of Him, but at the same time this only represents a partial view. “How is this possible? If we include everything, is that not the limit to existence? The Absolute Truth is the entire collection of gross matter, or a form that is considered invisible to the mind. We can’t see the universal form but we know that it exists. Therefore God is not a perceived reality. He must be accepted as an impersonal force that is always present in some way.”

But the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, reveal that the Supreme Lord is both formless and with form. The distinction itself is a necessary product of illusion, pointing to a limitation in understanding. Just as we say that the sun is not out on a particular day because of the influence of the clouds, since we can’t understand what a spiritual form is, we say that the macrocosmic vision of the Lord is His only feature. But to show what it means to have a transcendental form, that Absolute Truth kindly appears before our eyes every now and then. The foolish still don’t understand His true nature even when looking directly at Him, but for those who are humble enough to know their limitations and accept the statements of the bona fide acharyas on faith in the beginning, the fruit of existence is revealed.

Shri Rama, the young boy who accompanied Vishvamitra Muni through the forests many thousands of years ago, showed the pious exactly what God looks like. The Lord has many spiritual forms and the fact that they appear within this material world is not extraordinary. A person who is superior and in charge of a particular energy can never be beholden to that energy’s influence. The material nature, which spreads illusion that results in an identification with dull matter, has no existence on its own. Rather, it is consciousness that brings the presence of life, and the source of that consciousness is God.

In every vibrant life form, including our own body, the consciousness derived from the Supreme Lord’s superconsciousness is present. We can think, feel and will because we are similar in quality to God but vastly inferior to Him in quantitative powers. We can be illusioned, but He cannot. With proper training in the system of spirituality descending from Shri Rama, illusion can dissipate, paving the way towards basking in the sweetness of God’s transcendental form.

Even the exalted figures are sometimes bewildered by this apparent duality, the fact that God is everything and still capable of appearing within a smaller section. Mother Parvati once asked her dear husband Lord Shiva to describe the glories of Shri Rama and explain how Rama is actually God and not an ordinary man. Lord Shiva began his discourse by remarking that there is no difference between the personal and the impersonal features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is only a perceived difference, and due to that one tends to think that Rama accepts a material form and then rejects it. The Supreme Lord is never subject to illusion nor is He ever away from us. He pervades all of space and at the same time He is not personally present within everything. His divine vision is granted to the kind souls who know how to properly utilize His energies.

When King Janaka saw Rama and Lakshmana entering his kingdom, he was enamored by their beauty. Vishvamitra brought the brothers to Janakpur to witness the bow-lifting contest that was taking place. Up to this point, Janaka was intimately familiar with Brahman, which is a theoretical understanding of spirit but one that is still not complete. To know Brahman is to know that spirit is the essence of identity and that it is transcendental to matter. Knowing Bhagavan, however, is knowing that Brahman has an origin.

Rama is Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appearing before the eyes of the earth’s creatures in the guise of a warrior prince. In Bhagavan’s original feature, He is Shri Krishna, the charming youth with a blackish complexion holding a flute in His hands and enchanting the residents of the spiritual planet of Goloka Vrindavana. The personal expansions of Krishna are identical to Him in potency. The only difference is in the transcendental mood of devotion that they instill in their followers. Rama was especially attractive to Janaka upon first sight. The king couldn’t believe what he was feeling, a sort of ecstasy that he did not think was possible. By understanding Brahman one learns to keep their emotions in check, to not be distracted by temporary highs and lows. Indeed, Janaka was holding this contest only to follow dharma. Personally he did not wish to part with his beloved daughter Sita, but dharma called for the king to marry off his daughter when she reached an appropriate age.

When Janaka, a good parent in his own right, saw Rama and Lakshmana, he immediately thought of their parents. He thought that the parents must be an ocean of purity, for the boys were like a wish-fulfilling tree whose beautiful forms granted so much unending happiness to the eyes. The children are produced by the parents, and in the Vedic culture one follows so many rules and regulations to ensure that their offspring are beautiful and virtuous. Rama was the most beautiful and Lakshmana was like His twin, so whoever produced them must have had the largest store of virtue.

Rama would uphold the good name and fame of His parents by His outward beauty and by His actions. As God, Rama does not have any parents, but to give pleasure in the mood of bhakti known as vatsalya-rasa He appears from the womb of mother Kausalya during every Treta Yuga, or second time period of creation. He accepts King Dasharatha as a father to give the pious leader an heir to the throne of Ayodhya. Dasharatha also develops a firm attachment to Rama, who becomes the king’s life and soul.

Rama would give so much fame to His family line by winning the contest, being the only man capable of lifting Shiva’s bow. It was almost as if Lord Shiva had coordinated the events, for he delights in hearing about Rama and discussing His pastimes with others. Goswami Tulsidas, the author of the Janaki Mangala, follows Mahadeva’s example by giving the world delightful poetry to be used in remembering Sita, Rama, Lakshmana and the Lord’s most faithful servant Hanuman.

King Janaka was very sweet in his observations on Rama and Lakshmana and their family, and the same sentiments could be applied to him. How pious the parents of Janaka must have been to get a son who would take care of the goddess of fortune, Sita Devi, and then invite Shri Rama Himself to the kingdom. Tulsidas sparks the same question in the reader. Where did Rama find someone so kind to describe His pastimes? Where does Rama find a dedicated brother like Lakshmana and a heroic servant like Hanuman? These questions are difficult to answer even for the Lord, for He is so pleased by the service of the devotees.

From this incident with Janaka we get a good idea on how to serve our parents, who do so much to protect us in life. The parents have a difficult job because they cannot slip in their behavior. The impressionable young child will follow the behavior of the parents more than their words. If we do acquire any good qualities, if we are fortunate enough to chant the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, it should be understood that our parents did a good job in raising us, even if it may seem otherwise. Somehow or other we were put into the position to connect with the holy name, which fully represents the Supreme Lord and His personal self.

To repay the service offered by the parents, one should follow the highest system of piety, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or devotional service. Rama upheld the virtue of His parents and ancestors by following the prescribed duties of His order, the kshatriya. The kshatriyas are royal administrators, so they must exhibit bravery in combat and impartiality in the distribution of justice. In the current age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the lines have been blurred to the point that one can’t figure out what their occupational duties are. Thus there is only one dharma that need be followed: devotion to God. From regularly chanting God’s names, hearing about His pastimes and worshiping and honoring His servants, we give the highest service to our parents. We represent them in our behavior, so if we can show that life’s mission of understanding God is reached, we prove that they are full of purity as well, for they gave the world a sincere servant of the Lord, whose association is a terrific boon.

In Closing:

Know that responsibility with everything you do,

Represent your character and your parents’ too.

 

Thus if you point your behavior in right direction,

On the merits of mother and father a good reflection.

 

Seeing Rama and Lakshmana, of their origin Janaka unsure,

But could guess that their parents were like an ocean pure.

 

Endless happiness to eyes that their forms see,

Thus boys appeared as if they were heavenly desire tree.

 

When your consciousness to divine realm you send,

The pious credits to your good parents will extend.

Endless Happiness

“Like an ocean of purity are the mother and father of these children, who are like a heavenly desire tree, who have a spotless beauty that gives the eyes so much happiness that is without end.” (Janaki Mangala, 43)

punya payodhi mātu pitu e sisu suratarū |

rūpa sudhā sukha deta nayana amarani barū ||

The vision of Shri Ramachandra and His younger brother Lakshmana is so sweet that there is really no way to properly describe it. It is one thing to look at something beautiful and be awestruck, but it is another to try to put what you are feeling into words. Goswami Tulsidas, in singing of the famous initial meeting of Lord Rama and His beloved consort Sita Devi, touches on some of the emotions felt by the different parties, describing what they felt when they first laid their eyes upon Rama and His brother. Indeed, the eyes exist for this very purpose. The eyes can move very quickly, and depending on what is in front of them, they may inadvertently glance upon something that is unpleasant. But the act of seeing should not be shunned, for under the right circumstances the reason for existence can be revealed through a quick glance.

How does this work exactly? So one day we’ll be lucky enough to see something that is out of this world, something which will force us to ask the right questions? If you look into the sky on a clear night, you’ll notice the many stars in the solar system. You can’t see everything that’s out there, but the infinite beyond reveals a portion of itself to the person viewing it from thousands of miles away. In a second you can go from feeling important to knowing how insignificant you really are. The universe is so vast and complex, and this fact is reinforced just by looking into the night sky.

If you are fortunate enough to gaze upon the spiritual form of the Personality of Godhead, a higher realization will come to you, provided you have the proper mood. You’ll wonder how anything could be so beautiful and how you lived so long without having seen it. With King Janaka, the astonishment went further. He immediately thought of the parents of the vision in question. Where did they live and what did they do to get such beautiful sons? Surely they must be full of virtue, like an ocean of purity. To be pure in thought, word and deed is very rare, for it requires a long time of practice and dedication in saintly life, administered by bona fide spiritual leaders who are themselves pure.

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.6)

As is so nicely revealed in the Bhagavad-gita, whatever we think of at the time of death is the state that we will attain in the next life. This occurs without fail. There is no flaw to the system; what we think is what we get. Obviously the moment of death is the time of greatest panic in one’s life, so there is little control over the faculties of the brain at that moment. What you will remember is what you thought about most during your time on earth. For the pious individual, a pure consciousness will be the reservoir of thought at the precise moment of exiting the body.

In the next life, the reward for that piety is birth in circumstances that are favorable for spiritual elevation. The quickest pathway towards the ultimate destination of the imperishable spiritual sky is the association of that land’s leader. When that association exists through a bond of love, which involves service flowing in both directions, there is no requirement to even wait for the afterlife. The present circumstances turn into a spiritual land, a place where there is no concern over past, present, or future. There is no worry over change because the association you have is with the changeless. The only concern is over whether or not the love will be offered properly, and because of this sincerity, the object in question ensures that the conditions are always auspicious.

King Dasharatha of Ayodhya in his previous life accumulated pious merits by regularly observing the Satyanarayana-vrata. The vow relates specifically to a form of the Supreme Lord that accepts a certain kind of worship offered at regular intervals by householders and those looking to gain pious credits. The vow isn’t directly related to bhakti, which is the pinnacle of religious practice. Nevertheless, pious behavior followed under authorized guidelines never fails to provide spiritual benefit. In his subsequent birth, Dasharatha would taste the fruit of his existence.

That would come through obtaining Shri Rama as a son. Rama is God Himself, who appears on earth in every Treta Yuga, or second time period of creation, as a warrior prince to annihilate the miscreants and protect the pious. No one was a better defender of religious principles than Dasharatha, who followed the example set by the ancestral line he belonged to known as the Ikshvakus. Thus Rama blessed the family further by appearing in it and granting Dasharatha a way to offer love without motivation and without interruption. Dasharatha’s three wives also had gained many spiritual merits from previous lives. Queen Kausalya got Rama as a son. The bond the mother has with her son is unique. The good mother cares for her son so much that she is not concerned with what he asks for or what he wants. Mother knows best, so the son can never stop her from offering love.

Dasharatha had three other sons through his queens. They were all sweethearts in behavior and reservoirs of pleasure. Shri Rama is a direct incarnation of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, and His three younger brothers are partial incarnations of Vishnu. Thus they were really one and the same, though Rama was the leader. Every day the parents got to enjoy the company of their divine children, who were seemingly sent from heaven to delight everyone in Ayodhya.

On the particular day referenced in the quote above, King Janaka was attune to noticing qualities of parents. He was holding a bow-lifting contest to determine who would marry his daughter Sita. In the spiritual world Sita Devi is Rama’s eternal consort. She is the goddess of fortune, Lakshmi, who is also an incarnation of Krishna’s pleasure potency Shrimati Radharani. Janaka, while welcoming the many guests that came to his kingdom to witness the ceremony, paid attention to the attributes of the participants. In the arranged marriage system, the parents are just as important as the children. The wife is marrying into the groom’s family after all, so the support system must be in place for the girl to be protected for the rest of her life.

The more pious the parents are the more likely the children will be to grow up pious. Seeing how beautiful Rama and Lakshmana were, Janaka immediately noted that the children’s parents must be an ocean of purity. The boys are compared to a surataru, or heavenly desire tree. If one is still on the material platform at the time of death, if they have acted piously enough they get to enjoy many years of life on the heavenly planets. In that place, which is still part of the perishable material world, there are trees that can grant any desire immediately.

Shri Rama, or God, is often compared to a desire tree because whatever you want from Him you can get. This seems strange because don’t many people not pray to God at all and still get benedictions? Ah, but what is it exactly that they receive? The absence of a desire to approach God is simultaneously a desire as well. While there is not an explicit desire to turn away from God, the implicit is just as good in this scenario. If someone doesn’t want to love God, they are granted every ability to exercise that mistaken choice in an arena where the personal influence of the supreme master is absent. Hence even the spiritually disinclined get benedictions from God.

But the desire tree is best used to receive specific rewards. In the case of Rama, the reward He granted was supreme happiness, which was facilitated through His spotless form, which was as sweet as nectar. Nectar gives happiness to the person who consumes it. If it is in liquid form, it is enjoyed through drinking. With Rama and Lakshmana, the nectar came through their vision, the spiritual forms that stood before whoever was fortunate enough to see them. The eyes which drank that nectar received so much happiness that was amarani, or immortal or unending.

How can one vision give so much? Well, think about this specific occasion. Rama was in the kingdom of Janakpur, with He and His younger brother Lakshmana escorting the exalted sage Vishvamitra through the forests. The son of Gadhi had brought the two sons to Janaka’s kingdom to have Rama try to lift the bow. Janaka had sent invitations out to every kingdom across the world to come to his town to participate in the contest, but Rama was not home at the time. He was the eldest son in the family, so only He could attempt to win Sita’s hand. In the traditional Vedic system, it is considered a sin for a younger brother to get married before an elder one does.

Rama was away from home, but were the parents back home bereft of their beloved children’s company? Were King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya unable to see Rama when He wasn’t at home? Dasharatha certainly felt the pain of separation when Rama left with Vishvamitra. The sage kindly asked for protection in the forest, and the king was ready to send his most capable fighters, his whole army if he had to. Ah, but Vishvamitra knew what he was doing. He only asked for protection as a pretense to have Rama’s company. The saintly class are selfish in this regard, as they want to spend as much time with God as possible. Thankfully there is plenty of Him to go around, as any person can hold on to the Lord as their best friend by chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

A brahmana’s request should not be denied, especially by a king. Therefore Dasharatha had to agree to allow Rama to go, who in turn took Lakshmana with Him. It should be noted that Lakshmana was as beautiful as Rama, a spitting image of the jewel of the Raghu dynasty except that he had a fair complexion while Rama was dark. Sumitra, Lakshmana’s mother, was not happy to see Lakshmana go either, but she knew that he couldn’t live without Rama. The faithful younger brother would never leave Rama’s side, for he would only eat after Rama had eaten and sleep after Rama had fallen asleep.

While Rama and Lakshmana were with Vishvamitra, their visions remained within the consciousnesses of the parents. In this way we see that God’s personal form grants a nectar to the eyes that never dies. Seeing God is only the beginning, for that sight ideally results in a dedication to service that continues forever. Janaka was amazed at the purity of the children’s parents, but little did he know that he was equally as qualified to see God. He already had Sita as a daughter, so there was no questioning his spiritual merits. Through his contest, the divine couple would be reunited, and that divine vision would remain in Janaka’s mind eternally.

In Closing:

From contest where Shiva’s bow to lift,

Vision of Sita and Rama in Janaka’s mind to sit.

 

First all the royal families from around the world were called,

To Janaka’s capital city their royal entourages were hauled.

 

But two boys accompanying Vishvamitra were different,

Sparked full attraction in king who to world was indifferent.

 

Parents of the boys must be of purity an ocean,

Get to see children and their daily playful motion.

 

Piety brings God’s company, from Janaka’s thoughts believe,

Endless happiness from desire trees Rama and Lakshmana receive.

Gems On Earth

“Now happy in the heart, the king compliments the good qualities of the ocean of material existence: ‘The creator is very smart, for such gems like this grow here’.” (Janaki Mangala, 42)

pramudita hṛdayan sarāhata bhala bhavasāgara|
jahan upajahiṃ asa mānika bidhi baḍa nāgara ||

While superbly informative, this verse from the Janaki Mangala is also quite humorous. Through a pronounced shift in emotion that happens suddenly the audience can’t help but question the reason for the change. If it occurs abruptly due to an unexpected reversal of fortune the new sentiment from the actor evokes laughter from the audience members. In this particular instance, the king had gone from staying strictly detached from a world deemed false and full of ignorance to all of a sudden praising it. A gem is something beautiful and worth having. Without connection to the Supreme Lord, the many objects floating in the ocean of material existence are temporary, a cause of misery and pain, and detrimental towards one’s spiritual advancement. Once that connection is made, however, that same ocean becomes pleasurable, where the person who originally placed everything into it is praised for their cleverness.

As a pious king well versed in the philosophy of Vedanta, Janaka knew that the material creation operates off of an energy known as maya. At the root meaning of the word, maya is “that which is not”. Just like the magician performing his tricks which rely on illusion, the material nature has an influence that causes us to take things to be one thing when they are really something else. The magician’s assistant on the stage isn’t really sawed in half and neither can a rabbit emerge from a hat from out of nowhere. In the same way, the material bodies that we take to be our identities are actually just temporary coverings that will vanish at some point in the future; they are guaranteed to vanish like a bubble coming off the water that eventually bursts.

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

The illusion is so strong that even after we see others lose their temporary forms, we still think that the same fate doesn’t await us. In the off chance that we are aware of the reality of impending death, we will take every step possible to forget about it. The audience member doesn’t view the television show or movie as a scripted performance, for that would take the fun out of viewing. In the same way, why should I worry about the inevitable end to my life if my desire is to enjoy right now?

Ah, but there is a purpose to knowing what maya is and why her influence exists. Taking things for what they aren’t may help children to enjoy their make-believe play in the sandbox, but adults can’t follow the same behavior. If they did, they couldn’t care for anyone else, let alone themselves. The spirit soul is the identifying agent within every form of body, and since it has the potential for action it has a say in where it will end up in the future.

Does this mean that we chose the womb that we emerged from in the present life? The choice is made between association in the material ocean and life in the spiritual planets. Once that “yes” or “no” vote is tallied at the time of death, a suitable home is prepared for the next life. At the same time, there are millions of other creatures who are making the same choice; they also have results due to arrive based on their past actions. Thus living entities are placed into just the right circumstances to fulfill so many other rightfully planned occurrences.

King Janaka knew that maya is the cause of bondage, for it ensures that rebirth occurs at the end of life. Rebirth is guaranteed for every living entity that is not God conscious at the time of death. As only the human being has the opportunity to know what death is and how consciousness influences the future, they have the most auspicious form of body. The aim of the human form is thus quite obvious: tailor your activities in such a way that you’ll always remember God. Remembering God today will help you remember Him at the end of life, which will in turn grant you an auspicious residence.

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 8.6)

If my objective is to think about God all the time, anything that I see in front of me that will put that goal in jeopardy will be rejected. Hence it is quite common for a serious spiritualist to renounce much of material existence, choosing a life of austerity and penance instead of the fast-paced world of fruitive activity centered on sense gratification. King Janaka had larger responsibilities, so he couldn’t just give up the throne and move to the forest. Nevertheless, his mental attitude was such that he might as well have been living in a thatched hut with no connections to the outside world.

The pious king showed the way, how to find transcendental enlightenment while not abruptly giving up occupational duties. Yet there is more to life than just rejecting everything in the ocean of material existence. The land where maya rules is likened to an ocean because it is very difficult to cross over. The length of the ocean is quite large, and the current flows in the direction opposite of where you want to go. If you don’t believe this, ask yourself why it is so difficult to wake up in the morning? Why is it easier to quit than continue trying? Why is procrastination easier than perseverance and why are negative thoughts more commonplace than positive ones?

The conditions in maya’s land are such that just endeavoring for spiritual emancipation is difficult. It is thus rarer to find someone out of that group who succeeds. With the odds stacked in maya’s favor, the more you can renounce things and the more detached you can become, the better off you’ll be. Ah, but there is a catch, which is so nicely pointed out in this pleasant verse from the Janaki Mangala. Maya has a boss, someone from whom she receives orders. Her influence only applies to the living entities desirous of residence in the material existence. When the Supreme Lord descends to earth or when He sends a representative who acts above the influence of maya, there is no question of suffering or receiving harmful effects on the consciousness on the part of the affected parties.

In this instance, King Janaka viewed the transcendental form of the Supreme Lord in His manifestation as the warrior prince of Ayodhya named Rama. It must be said that this wasn’t the first time that Janaka broke away from his position of videha, or bodiless. When he found a baby girl in the ground many years prior while ploughing a field, he felt attachment to her right away. He wanted to take her home and raise her as his daughter, but he was a little hesitant. For starters, a transcendentalist shouldn’t be overly attached to any living entity. At the same time, what if this girl belonged to someone else? A king lives off of piety, which includes respecting the property rights of others.

“Then a voice, sounding like a human being, was heard from the sky which said, ‘O king, this child is rightfully your daughter.’” (Sita Devi speaking to Anasuya, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 118.31)

A voice from the sky appeared on the scene and told Janaka that the girl was his daughter in all righteousness. This hinted at the fact that the girl, to be named Sita, was not part of this world. Her form was transcendental as well. This meant that Sita’s body and spirit were identical. The same held true for Shri Rama, who arrived in Janakpur with His younger brother Lakshmana and the sage Vishvamitra. Janaka at the time was holding a bow-lifting contest to determine who would marry Sita.

Janaka’s reaction upon seeing Rama and Lakshmana, who was basically identical to Rama in appearance except for a lighter skin color, is quite interesting. In a material existence, a person constantly swings on the pendulum of acceptance and rejection. One day we like someone and the next day we hate them. One day we love a certain ice cream flavor and later on we think it is disgusting. If there is a slow period for sense gratification, we’ll binge on a certain activity. Then when we suffer the aftereffects, we’ll swear off that behavior and assure ourselves of renunciation in the future.

For the spiritualist trying to realize Brahman, or God’s impersonal effulgence, the material existence is viewed as being a place of only misery. Thus Janaka, as a full renunciate in mind, did not like anything in the world. He was not attracted by anything, with the notable exception of his daughter Sita. When he saw Rama and Lakshmana, however, their beauty was so out of this world that Janaka changed his tune. The ocean of material existence that was previously miserable and hard to cross over was now warm and inviting. It deserved to be praised, for in it were found gems like Rama and Lakshmana.

Since the divine brothers were gems to the eyes, Janaka praised the creator for his handiwork. In one sense maya was still acting on Janaka, but it was of a different nature. The Supreme Lord’s personal energy sometimes clouds the intelligence of the sincere souls in order to enhance the pleasure they feel through interaction. Janaka here is thinking that Rama and His brother are part of the material world, even though they aren’t. The king is presuming that the creator, Lord Brahma, was responsible for crafting their bodies, even though he wasn’t. The material bodies consist of combinations of the three modes of nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has a body which is completely in pure goodness, and His form never leaves Him. Hence He is always spiritual. The same goes for Lakshmana, as he is practically identical to the Supreme Lord, a part of Bhagavan.

This verse shows us that the transcendental touch can turn anything previously considered material into an object of spiritual value. Just by seeing Rama, Janaka changed his outlook on life, on how he viewed the objects of the world. In a similar manner, if we take ordinary things which were previously detrimental to our spiritual evolution and dovetail them with service to the same Shri Rama, the place we live in can be considered a storehouse of gems. The eyes that previously sunk into despair upon seeing another’s good fortune can delight in the wondrous beauty of Rama’s creation. The ears that used to get annoyed at the miserable sounds produced all around can hear the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, and feel God’s presence. The tongue that previously tasted unpalatable foods that led to ignorance and laziness can now relish food first offered to Bhagavan. The prasadam, the Lord’s mercy, spiritualizes the eating process, which then positively influences other activity.

Renunciation in the true sense of the term means to have attachment to God. From that disposition, the illusory effect of maya vanishes, leading to a condition where nothing needs to be rejected outright. Rather, the same material ocean can be used for finding delights in the form of endless opportunities to serve God. Ordinary poems and books can lead the consciousness astray and thus be considered maya, but sacred works like the Janaki Mangala and Ramayana remind us that there are gems to be found in literature which can change our outlook on life for the better.

In Closing:

The objects of material world king did not like,

Knew that illusion only grew from their sight.

 

From attachment to maya the king to stay away,

This way avoid influence of ignorance’s sway.

 

Yet this all to change in just one instant,

Upon seeing beautiful forms for eyes so pleasant.

 

Now the creator had to be praised,

For these two lovely youths he had made.

 

Of course no one created Rama and Lakshmana,

But sublime lesson to take from incident’s fun.

Renouncing Renunciation

“Seeing Shri Rama’s enchanting form, in mind the king felt ecstatic love and affection. Bound up in love, the King of Videha renounced his renunciation.” (Janaki Mangala, 41)

dekhi manohara mūrati mana anurāgeu |

bandheu saneha bideha birāga birāgeu ||

The good poet uses license every now and then to get their point across. Perhaps they throw in an extra word or two for emphasis or they insert superlatives and adjectives to emphasize a specific trait or feature. In the above referenced verse from the Janaki Mangala, Goswami Tulsidas carefully uses just the right words to bring home the point that renunciation is only meant for fulfilling a higher purpose. It is not the end by itself. You give up sweets to improve your health. You give up fatty foods to lower your cholesterol, and you give up drinking to stay sober. Once that healthy condition is reached, however, your activity doesn’t stop. King Janaka, who was known as Videha, renounced his world famous renunciation when the jewel of the Raghu dynasty appeared in front of him.

Why was Janaka known as Videha? “Deha” refers to the body, and the prefix “vi” says that King Janaka was without a body. What was he then, a ghost? If he’s a ghost how is he going to do anything? Ghosts can haunt us and maybe serve as enchanting figures to star in motion pictures, but in reality they are not capable of much. Did a ghost rule over the kingdom of Janakpur many thousands of years ago?

A body is defined by what it can do, and also what it can inhibit. For instance, a glass container prevents the liquid inside from pouring onto the surface that the glass is resting on. In this way the container inhibits the motion of the entity within. At the same time, it provides the function of allowing liquids to be consumed easily. It has both a restrictive element and a functional purpose.

With the form of body granted the living entity residing in the material world, the inhibiting aspects may not be so easily discernible. The fact that we have to sleep every night is a notable example of an inhibition. Why can’t we just stay awake perpetually? We know that everyone sleeps, but why? Also, why do we sometimes get indigestion from eating foods that we like? Shouldn’t we all be allowed to eat whatever we want, whenever we want? Children can eat fatty foods and sugar-rich delights such as laddus and not feel the aftereffects. Why do the harmful consequences have to accompany maturation of the body?

The inhibitions are automatically imposed from the time of birth, but the functional purpose of the body is not easily known. For instance, with the body we can make the choice to place our hand into a fire. Picture a raging fire that has large flames that don’t seem to lessen in intensity. As an adult, you wouldn’t dare think of placing your hand into that intense heat, for you know what the consequences will be. But what if you are intoxicated and not thinking straight? What if you’re an ignorant child and just don’t know any better?

The individual residing within, the spirit soul, has a choice in how they use their body. In an arena sporting a full range of possible actions and corresponding outcomes, there is the option to choose activities which are harmful. Hence someone could easily decide to place their hand into the fire. The result will be pain. The burn can be so severe that it takes a long time to heal. The wise person will not repeat the same activity, but the ignorant, who don’t know any better, might require more evidence before reaching an assertive conclusion. “Will my hand burn every time I place it into the fire? Will I get hurt from this again? I know I was in severe pain the last time, but maybe that was a fluke. Perhaps all fires don’t have the same properties.”

Hence the repeated action can take place, and the wise can guess what the reaction will be. Over and over again, you follow behavior that you know is not good for you, but you somehow think you’ll see a different outcome. The hand in the fire is just one example out of countless others where a negative reaction comes as the result of ignorance. At the same time, the activities themselves show the range of motion of the body, how it can be a very powerful instrument. That the same body which places the hand into the fire can do complex mathematics equations and run marathons is quite amazing.

If all we see are the negative aspects of having a body, we might be tempted to renounce activity. In one sense this is not a bad option, for if we avoid something harmful we will obviously prevent the negative outcome from occurring. In the spiritual tradition of the Vedas, renunciation is referred to as vairagya, and it is an important tool that is coupled with jnana, or knowledge. Use the knowledge of the spirit soul to your advantage. Follow action that will keep you in knowledge, not wasting your time in areas where there are pain and misery awaiting you.

But where to get knowledge? Though we could figure out that the fire will burn us if we place our hand into it, it is better to learn to prevent that behavior by taking instruction from someone else. If the instructor is presenting perfect information to us, they are an authority source on that particular subject matter. We know that the teachers in school are authority figures based on the fact that we learn to read and write from their guidance. If we learn to become doctors by listening to our instructors in medical school, we know that their teachings are valid.

Similarly, the acharyas of the Vedic tradition prove their high standing and the validity of their knowledge by the effects resulting from the application of their recommended principles. Learn from the spiritual master that you are spirit soul, aham brahmasmi. You are Brahman and not maya. Brahman is spirit; it is truth. Maya is material nature; it is illusory. Only through the influence of maya can you possibly think that a fire will not burn your hand upon contact. Through maya’s influence you can mistake a rope for a snake and your body for your identity. You are Brahman; learn what this means and act off of that knowledge.

The jnana acquired by learning about Brahman and the workings of reincarnation can reinforce the dedication to vairagya. If I know that I am spirit, why am I going to follow a path that will make that realization harder to keep? For instance, if I know that drinking is bad for me and that I shouldn’t be intoxicated, am I going to want to hang around a bar all the time, where people are constantly consuming adult beverages? I will instead want to follow behavior that is conducive to experiencing the knowledge that I am taking in.

Renunciation helps to keep the Brahman realization, the awareness that you are spirit. Renunciation from attachment to maya is the key. If I identify only with my body, I will feel negative effects, either immediately or in the future. The person who remains attached to maya all the way up until the time of death is guaranteed of rebirth in the ocean of material suffering. On the other hand, knowledge of Brahman at the time of death indicates a desire to retain a spiritual existence in the next birth.

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5)

If renunciation is helpful, should I just cease all activity? To experience bliss, should I give up even moving my body? The key is to remain detached from the external energy, or maya. You are compelled to work in order to both set a good example and maintain the life force within the body. However, you should not work in such a way that you will become attached to the fruits of your labor or the body that performs the work.

King Janaka was exemplary in this area. He earned the title of Videha because of his realization of Brahman. Nothing could phase him because he was not under the influence of maya. Maya could not touch him. He was equal in both happiness and distress. He ruled over a kingdom, so it would be expected that the mode of passion would run through him. In the material world there are three modes governing activity. In goodness one acts in a way that they retain knowledge of Brahman, understanding the differences between spirit and matter. In ignorance one follows a path where they are only hurt in the end, not reaching a tangible goal or enjoying a cherished fruit.

In the mode of passion, hard work is applied to enjoy a fruit that is temporary in its manifestation. Thus the mode of passion leads to a neutral state, sort of like pushing a rock up the hill only to have it fall back down after you’re done. During Janaka’s time, the kings were expected to live in the mode of passion, for they had to provide protection to the innocent, using violence when the time and circumstance called for it. But Janaka was a pious king who followed the advice and consent of the priestly class, the brahmanas. Thus through proper instruction, he performed his work without attachment and thus remained Brahman realized.

Janaka had a body, but he was considered bodiless because it had no inhibiting influence. It did not lead him towards disaster or misery. Rather, the body was there as a formality, but the spirit inside was what guided all actions in the proper direction. Because he was famous for his renunciation, Janaka was known as Videha.

With his exalted position in renunciation established, the above referenced verse from the Janaki Mangala becomes all the more puzzling. It is said that when Janaka saw the form of Lord Rama, which was enchanting to the mind, loving attachment, or anuraga, immediately formed. The king became bound up in love, and because of that his vairagya ran away.

From this verse so carefully crafted by Tulsidas we see that jnana and vairagya are not the end. Renunciation can be renounced when there are feelings of love directed at the Supreme Lord. Shri Rama was God Himself appearing on earth in the most enchanting form of a warrior prince. Janaka was above excitement and attachment, and this position was not broken when looking at Rama. Attachment to God has no relation to attachment to anything material. Matter is inhibiting and damaging to one’s future fortunes when taken to be one’s identity or source of pleasure. When that same matter is seen on the form of the Personality of Godhead, it becomes spiritual in nature.

How could Janaka love Rama instantly? The question should be how could someone who was Brahman realized and pious in every way not have spontaneous attraction to the beautiful form of the Supreme Lord? Jnana and vairagya are tools to help learn how to use the body properly. The individual soul within the body is very powerful. Through the vehicle of the temporary form the spirit soul can do amazing things which don’t have to be harmful. It was Janaka’s body which decided to hold the grand sacrifice in Janakpur, which would determine the husband for his daughter Sita.

In the spiritual world, Sita and Rama are always together. They are the combination of God and His pleasure potency. Janaka played a hand in reuniting them during their play in the phenomenal world. His formal renunciation went away as soon as it was no longer needed. Attachment to Shri Rama’s form and name never proves detrimental, and King Janaka is the authority figure in this regard. No one is more renounced than he is, and no one was quicker to abandon that renunciation when seeing the Supreme Lord. From that spontaneous affection he would soon gain Rama as a son-in-law and the world would be better off for it.

In Closing:

With knowledge wise decision you make,

No longer identity from body you’ll take.

 

From material attachment you’ll stay renounced,

Absorbing knowledge of Brahman, attain stature pronounced.

 

From this King Janaka attained worldwide fame,

Through detachment lived up to his Videha name.

 

But as soon as King Dasharatha’s son eyes to gaze upon,

His hard acquired level of renunciation was gone.

 

Be not puzzled, for this is how it’s supposed to be,

Feel unbreakable love when Supreme Lord’s vision you see.

More Than Brahma-Sukha

“The king went and received blessings and then paid so much honor and respect after that. When he saw Rama, he experienced a happiness one hundred times that of Brahman realization.” (Janaki Mangala, Chand 5.2)

nṛpa gahe pāya asīsa pāī māna ādara ati kiem̐ |
avaloki rāmahi anubhavata manu brahmasukha sauguna kiem̐ ||

There is happiness when one realizes Brahman, or the all-pervading spirit. With maya, which is not Brahman, there is perpetual misery. The resulting happiness felt only arrives in short bursts and then vanishes very quickly thereafter. The next time the same experience will not bring as much happiness, for the living being gets accustomed to sense satisfaction, in effect raising the threshold for sense pleasure. The concept of a “proper perspective” can only apply in a realm where ignorance reigns supreme. Though the happiness of association with Brahman is everlasting and different from temporary sense pleasure, the source of Brahman is the real reservoir of pleasure. For a famous king a long time ago, the thrill felt from seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave him a happiness he never experienced before.

How do we know that the senses spoil us into requiring more for gratification? Think about why athletes and celebrities involve themselves in children’s charities and other philanthropic ventures. If you’re worried about performing well in the big game, the mental toil will have an impact on your psyche, on your overall happiness. At the same time, when you see a young child suffering from cancer, your problems don’t seem to be as big. One side is worried about how to succeed in a life where living is taken for granted, while the other side is struggling for existence at a young age. Because of the influence of the senses it is easy to lose sight of the proper perspective.

In the larger scheme, even death itself isn’t that big a deal. Sure we don’t know what lays ahead in the future, but the uncertainty of upcoming time doesn’t mean that our existence will cease. The present moment is the culmination of much past thought and struggle. Ten years ago we likely worried about the immediate future, and yet somehow we managed to make it through. Prior to our birth we had no say in the circumstances of our upcoming life, but everything worked itself out anyway.

“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.20)

The Vedas reveal that everything in life that we know about is temporary in its manifestation. Those who are illusioned by the temporary easily lose perspective, both in the short and long term. That which is permanent, knowledgeable and blissful is the opposite of the material nature. The Vedas refer to this force as Brahman, and its realization is the main objective of the living entity gifted with a human birth. Within a human body the dichotomy between Brahman and maya can be studied. The most mature living entity can follow instruction and guidance to train the senses to cope with hardship. The marathon runner can run for long distances without any discomfort, while the person new to running finds one mile difficult to complete. The difference between the two individuals is in the training of the body.

In the larger picture, if the body is trained to rely only on limited sense interaction, the realization of Brahman can be attained. The entire breadth and scope of religion is meant for this connection with Brahman, the understanding that I am a spirit soul, part and parcel of God. Though the ultimate realization may not be disclosed immediately to the sincere spiritualist, the purpose of austerity, sacrifice, and religious practice is the knowledge of the Absolute Truth.

From that knowledge comes happiness. And why shouldn’t there be happiness? If I know that I am an eternal spiritual force, will I get distracted with temporary ups and downs? The greatest fear for the mature human being is death, similar to how the ripened fruit on the tree has nothing left to do but fall. With a fear of death gone, so many other fears are eliminated. Absorbing the authorized information of the Vedas, which reveal the process of transmigration of the soul, which is better known as reincarnation, the living being understands that there is no reason to lament the loss of the temporary body. Neither is a temporary gain a cause for excessive celebration.

“He who is without attachment, who does not rejoice when he obtains good, nor lament when he obtains evil, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 2.57)

Brahman realization is meant to continue uninterrupted. You can know theoretically that you are spirit soul and not body, but practically every activity you are inclined towards from birth follows the realization of maya, which requires no effort. Thus to attain and stay on the Brahman platform is quite difficult. King Janaka a long time ago mastered the art of real yoga to keep the Brahman vision within his mind at all times. He still followed work. He did not become a robot or give up his obligations without cause. Brahman realization can occur through any type of activity, provided it is authorized and the worker keeps the proper vision within the mind.

King Janaka had a kingdom to rule over, but he carried out his responsibilities with detachment. He did the work because that was his duty, but he had no concern for the result, success or failure. Through his equipoised condition he realized Brahman. He knew what brahma-sukha, or the happiness of realizing Brahman, felt like. Nevertheless, when he saw one young man in particular, the immediate happiness he felt was like no other.

By the very nature of the reaction we can understand that the object viewed was not maya. Thus in the above referenced verse Goswami Tulsidas has affirmed Lord Rama’s position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. King Janaka saw the eldest son of King Dasharatha enter his kingdom alongside Vishvamitra and Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana. As a good king, Janaka kindly welcomed the arriving party. Their entrance wasn’t as pronounced as the others, but Janaka nevertheless followed protocol.

Who were the others that arrived? At the time, Janaka was holding a bow-lifting contest to determine the husband for his daughter Sita Devi. Interestingly enough, when Janaka found Sita as a baby girl one day on the field, he immediately felt tremendous affection for her. He loved her so much that he took her in as his daughter. Again, this happiness was not related to maya, for it did not distract from his religious duties. If anything, having Sita as a daughter only made Janaka more committed to the righteous path.

Seeing Rama now Janaka felt a happiness that was one hundred times that of brahma-sukha. The Personality of Godhead has this effect on the pure souls who cherish His company. Janaka didn’t know that Rama was God appearing on earth in the guise of a human being to do the work of the demigods in eliminating the nefarious character Ravana, but he didn’t have to. The purity of the Brahman realization made Janaka eligible for appreciating the transcendental form of the Lord.

That form is meant to provide happiness to the observer. The eyes have a purpose. Through fulfilling that purpose they provide a fruit that can be enjoyed. More than anything the eyes exist to gaze upon the sweet, charming, lovely, and beautiful vision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who so innocently goes about His business, caring for the welfare of His devotees at every step. It should be noted that seeing Rama is not dependent on Brahman realization. The reference to brahma-sukha made by Tulsidas is only for comparison purposes. One seeking the happiness of merging into the spiritual light of Brahman does not get the same happiness that the devotees do.

Why did Janaka ever bother with Brahman then? Why didn’t he just go straight for God realization at the start? It is said in the scriptures that one who sincerely follows the devotional path, bhakti-yoga, has already performed so many religious sacrifices and penances. In this way we see that the other methods of yoga do have a purpose. The target aim of the human form of life, the fruit of the eyes, is not reached when personal interaction with Shri Rama is absent, but there are still benefits to be gained with disciplines such as jnana-yoga, karma-yoga and hatha-yoga.

If one has the good fortune to hear about bhakti, they should take to it right away, bypassing Brahman realization altogether. Know it for certain that if you have the rare chance to bask in the sweet vision of Shri Rama entering Janakpur to lift Lord Shiva’s bow, you have certainly performed all the necessary rituals and regulations in a previous time. The soul’s reward for pious behavior is the company of the person whom Janaka so delighted in welcoming as a guest. In a short amount of time, that same guest would formally join the king’s family.

In Closing:

Maya, with her illusory visions deceives,

Allows not the eyes the fruit of existence to receive.

 

Brahman is truth, with maya nothing to do,

Above karma, victory and defeat too.

 

To feel brahma-sukha is surely a great chore,

But know that happiness can have even more.

 

The supreme pleasure of seeing God Janaka felt,

Knew brahma-sukha, but this time his heart did melt.

 

Supreme Lord is wherefrom Brahman has come,

Follow bhakti and know your ascension done.

A Welcoming King

“Taking Rama with him, the son of Gadhi became happy in the heart when he saw the city. Hearing the news of their arrival, the king, bringing his advisers, guru and priests, comes to welcome them.” (Janaki Mangala, Chand 5.1)

lai gayau rāmahi gādhi suvana biloki pura haraṣe hiem̐ |
suni rāu āge lena āyau saciva gura bhūsura liem̐ ||

The pattern of behavior exhibited by the noble characters stays consistent throughout these meetings from an ancient time. First there was the dilemma faced by King Janaka. Having found his most beautiful daughter while she was in the earth as a baby, the king had to arrange for her marriage to a suitable husband when she reached the appropriate age. The astrological charts could not be made because of the circumstances of her birth, thus the king couldn’t settle upon the right way to ensure that she got the husband that she deserved. So he decided to ask his chief counselors, the brahmanas, to devise a plan to settle the situation. As this was going on, in another place King Dasharatha greeted the brahmana Vishvamitra very nicely when he came to Ayodhya to borrow Lord Rama as an escort. The king hesitatingly agreed to allow his eldest son Rama to leave, who took the younger brother Lakshmana with Him. Now the story returns to Janakpur, with the same deference to the priestly class again shown by Janaka.

Why so much attention to members of society who practice religion? Don’t we see so many stories in the news today detailing the faults of priests and how they are cheating the system to get what they want? The key in determining the genuineness of a man of the cloth is to see how their recommendations affect your life. The kings of ancient times earned their high standing through sometimes exercising violence. Through force, or at least the threat of it, peace, law and order could be maintained. But there is more to life than just having food to eat and a roof over the head. The animals find the creature comforts without requiring education or university degrees. They eat without a problem, sleep when necessary, and get ample sex life whenever they desire it.

“As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even one of the senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.67)

The human being needs more, especially due to the influence of the mind and the senses. The mind focused on just one of the senses will carry away the intelligence of even the most sober thinking individual. Therefore, in order to control the mind, to keep it in a good place, pure activities should be adopted. If I want to stay happy all the time and someone recommends that I watch the television news channels throughout the day, obviously my pleasant mental disposition will not last very long. If I want to take a long drive somewhere, carrying passengers and important cargo, drinking heavily will not be a wise preparatory step.

In a similar manner, if the human being wants to make the most out of the human form of life, seeking out basic sense gratification is not the proper path to follow. The brahmanas remove the doubt in this area through their good counsel. The king has so many responsibilities, so without advisers they wouldn’t know what to do. By acting properly, by following guiding principles that lead to better conditions, righteous behavior becomes almost automatic.

Because of their value, the brahmanas were treated very nicely during the Treta Yuga by the kings. When Janaka saw that Vishvamitra, Rama and Lakshmana had arrived, he happily greeted them, taking the brahmanas of the court with him. Janaka wasn’t sitting at home bored either. The compromise previously reached relating to his daughter’s wedding was that a contest would be held. All the famous princes from around the world would bring their families to Janakpur to witness the contest of Lord Shiva’s bow.

Whoever could lift that bow would win the daughter Sita’s hand in marriage. Previously in the Janaki Mangala, which is a wonderful poem authored by Goswami Tulsidas that describes these events, it was said that the line of kings entering Janakpur for the contest was tremendous. Lord Shiva’s bow was extremely heavy, so no one was getting anywhere in the contest. One after another, the princes were coming and then sitting back down as failures. While this was going on, King Janaka was welcoming so many people that other kings were jealous of how popular he was.

As would be expected, Janaka took the time to properly greet the sons of Dasharatha and their spiritual guide Vishvamitra. It is said in the above referenced verse that Vishvamitra was also very happy in the heart upon seeing Janaka’s capital city. Just as everything about God is wonderful, so is everything related to His dearmost servants and companions. Sita is together with Rama always. During the performance of the real-life play known as the Ramayana, the two spend some time apart physically, but mentally and emotionally they are always together.

The Supreme Lord’s energy pervades through space. He is absolute, so with Him close personal proximity and physical separation are the same. To the affected conditioned individual there is a distinction, but this is due to a poor fund of knowledge, illusion strengthened by attachment to a form that is temporary. Since God is capable of granting His association even when not personally present, chanting the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, can bring to mind the sweetheart son of King Dasharatha who was set to marry Sita.

Sita Devi is just as glorious as Rama. The daughter of King Janaka deserved the grand ceremony and the contest to determine her nuptials. With that event so many people of the time got to witness history and receive the fruit of their eyes. The eyes are meant to look at beautiful things and derive pleasure from those visions. No woman on earth has ever been more beautiful than Sita, and no one was more qualified for marrying her than Rama. Thus the meeting of the two was a feast for the eyes. That joyousness also extended to the moments prior to the actual lifting of Shiva’s bow by Rama.

The dichotomy in arrival fanfares made the above referenced situation unique. The many princes that had come to lift the bow arrived in style, for they were royal families. They packed up the caravans with royal paraphernalia and brought along so many members of their family. In King Dasharatha’s case, his eldest son, the one first eligible for marriage, was away from home defending the forest-dwelling sages from attacking night-rangers. These vile creatures had harassed the brahmanas for too long, and with Rama and Lakshmana by his side, Vishvamitra and the other sadhus were safe. The sadhus could once again peacefully carry out their prescribed duties once Rama arrived on the scene. Seeing Him enter the ashrama of the great muni brought so much delight to the residents of the forest.

Vishvamitra was already in a renounced garb, and Rama and Lakshmana didn’t have much with them except their weapons. Yet Janaka greeted them so nicely anyway, for Vishvamitra was famous throughout the world for his austerities and spiritual strength. Seeing Rama and Lakshmana, Janaka would be mesmerized. He was dedicated to his occupational duties, but he was not attached to the outcome of actions. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that one has a right to carry out their prescribed duties, but they are not entitled to enjoy the fruits that result.

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 2.47)

An extension of this truth is that one should not be attached to the outcome of events, for the higher forces are responsible for distributing results in a fair and timely manner. All that you can control is the effort you put in and the attention you give to righteousness. Even if you do everything the right way, the outcome will not always be what is expected. From the proper attitude, one learns how to stay above attraction and aversion. Janaka was in this exalted position, and he was famous throughout the world for being an expert yogi. Yet seeing Rama and Lakshmana broke his neutral stance, as had also previously happened when Sita as a baby was found in the ground.

This shows that the spiritual qualities are not void. They are full of variety and can elicit positive emotional responses within the target recipients. At the same time, the beneficiaries must be worthy of that association. We can look at the same flower every day and not appreciate it if our mind is elsewhere, if we are distracted by obligations that don’t really mean much. But with a sober mind, with a proper understanding of the beauty of nature and how wonderful this creation is, the flower can all of a sudden be appreciated and used to please the eyes.

Janaka’s neutral disposition and high moral standing made him eligible for enjoying the transcendental sweetness of the visions of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. Though this entering party did not have the fanfare of the other royal families, Janaka knew they were something special. At the request of the son of Gadhi, Rama would be allowed to attempt to lift the bow and thereby change the course of history. That divine couple, Sita and Rama, married in the company of Janaka, Vishvamitra, Lakshmana and so many other worshipable personalities, resides in the hearts of the sincere devotees who never want to forget them for even a second. Sita and Rama also stay in the heart of the poet Tulsidas, who sings their glories and helps to make sure others know of them too.

In Closing:

Historic union of Sita and Rama not to miss,

Fortunate who could see start of their wedded bliss.

 

To take place, so many events had to unfold,

Vishvamitra to Ayodhya, Janaka a contest to hold.

 

Regardless of place, behavior followed same pattern,

Respect shown to brahmanas, who fire of yajna burn.

 

With Rama and Lakshmana to Janakpur came Gadhi’s son,

With his priests and advisers, Janaka gave them a welcome.

 

Soon eldest son of Dasharatha Shiva’s bow to lift,

His marriage to Sita to eyes of attendees priceless gift.

Deliverance of Ahalya

“After the wife of Gautama Rishi was liberated and sent to the abode of her saintly husband, Vishvamitra continued on towards Janaka’s city, taking Rama with him.” (Janaki Mangala, 40)

gautama nāri udhāri paṭhai pati dhāmahi |
janaka nagara lai gayau mahāmuni rāmahiṃ ||

Goswami Tulsidas herein briefly touches on a famous incident from the life of Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who roamed the earth in the guise of a warrior prince many thousands of years ago. The Janaki Mangala poem focuses on Rama’s marriage to Sita Devi, the daughter of King Janaka, so many of the events that led up to that occasion are only touched on in one or two verses. The accounts of the incident with Ahalya vary, but the general story is the same. The Ramayana of Valmiki likely provides the most details, and it gives so much insight into the glory of Rama and how Vishvamitra played an integral role in saving others and bringing Sita and Rama together.

From the variation in accounts a misconception arises that the event never really happened. You see, we’re supposed to take Rama’s life and pastimes for their symbolic meaning. Ahalya was a woman who was absolved of her sins by the touch of God, so from the story we are to learn that God is great and that contact with Him leads to our benefit. While this kind of lesson can be taken away from so many past incidents, the story of Ahalya is not fabricated nor is it a mythological tradition. The authors of the Vedic literature sometimes used metaphors and stories with personification, but when they did there was full disclosure. The incidents of the Ramayana are real history, and since the creation goes through cycles of manifestation and annihilation, sometimes the events don’t follow the exact same sequence. Rama, as the Supreme Lord, appears in other universes as well, thus allowing for many more versions of His acts to be distributed between the members of the numerous creations.

The accounts from the original Ramayana say that the incident took place as the trio of Vishvamitra, Rama and Lakshmana entered the outskirts of the city of Mithila. Vishvamitra was a renounced brahmana, which is a sort of priest who lives in austerity. Why would someone want to live in the forest away from everyone else? Why do we need to shut people off to practice religion? The purpose to all the rules and regulations of the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, is to foster God consciousness at the individual level. Once that exists at full maturity, the same benefit can be gifted to others. The brahmanas are the class that has the best opportunity to reach this purified consciousness, so whatever they can do to make the goal a reality is considered worthwhile. Sort of like the message the flight attendant tells you about securing your oxygen mask first before assisting a child, when the brahmanas are true to their vows and always thinking about God, they can do tremendous good for the rest of society.

The brahmanas in the forest at the time were being harassed by night-rangers. By harassed we mean getting attacked during the times of sacrifice and then fearing for their lives. The brahmanas accumulate tremendous spiritual merits through their work, so they can cast curses in response to threats of violence. The problem with this practice is that the spiritual merits diminish with each curse thrown. It’s similar to accepting a diet and exercise routine to become fitter, and then going on an eating binge that erases some of your accumulated fitness gains. The more effort you put into reaching the fit condition, the less likely you will be to overeat and erase some of your progress.

Vishvamitra did the right thing by approaching the King of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dasharatha, for help. While the brahmanas are generally nonviolent and focused on religious duties, the kshatriyas, the warriors/administrators, are charged with protecting the innocent. If violence is required in this endeavor the warriors must not be hesitant to use it. Dasharatha had no problem protecting the brahmanas. He was ready to send the entire royal army into the forest to protect the exalted muni. Ah, but Vishvamitra was doing the work of the sadhus and the celestials, who needed Dasharatha’s eldest son Rama to be at certain places at certain times.

Through asking nicely, Vishvamitra was able to gain Rama’s protection in the forest. If you get Rama, you get Lakshmana too. The Lord’s younger brother will never leave Him alone. While it may seem like Lakshmana is the equivalent of the annoying younger brother, such a glorious personality who is full of fraternal affection and the eagerness to serve and accompany Rama only enhances the Lord’s stature as the best friend of every living entity and the one person whose attributes cannot be properly measured. Thus the trio roamed the forests, with the brothers providing protection from the attacking night-rangers.

At one point during their travels, the group made its way into Mithila. At this time Rama noticed a beautiful asylum, which appeared to be vacated. Like a kind disciple, Rama nicely put the question before the knowledgeable Vishvamitra to explain what this beautiful place was. Vishvamitra, pleased to hear the inquiry, took the opportunity to narrate the story of Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Muni. A long time back Gautama was engaged in penance and austerity, living with his beautiful wife in this asylum. One day, he happened to leave the hermitage for a little bit. Whenever a brahmana starts to advance in asceticism, the celestials in the heavens can get jealous over their progress. Through austerities and penance one can attain great powers, even surpassing those of the demigods.

To knock Gautama down a peg, the celestials petitioned Indra to descend to earth and enter the hermitage. The lord of celestials took on the guise of Gautama and petitioned the sage’s wife for conjugal relations. The wife hesitatingly agreed, and on the way out Indra ran into Gautama. The sage could tell what had happened, so he immediately cursed Indra to become castrated. Ahalya, for her part, was cursed to remain in that asylum alone, unseen for many, many years. Gautama then retreated to the Himalayas to continue his penance. He told his wife that she would be reunited with him when she would see the eldest son of King Dasharatha and treat Him hospitably.

When Vishvamitra finished his narration, Rama and Lakshmana followed him into the hermitage. There they saw the most beautiful woman, who could not be seen by anyone else up until that time. The brothers went to pay their respects to her feet, and she in response gave water for washing their feet. She treated the brothers hospitably and got their blessings in return. She was then able to reunite with her husband.

In other places in Vedic literature, the story is very similar, except Ahalya is instead cursed to be a stone. She gets her form revived when Rama places His foot upon the stone. After honoring Him, she gets to return to the abode of her husband. In either case, the general outline is the same, for the most beneficial end is to see Rama’s lotus feet. Contact with the Supreme Lord in a mood of devotion fulfills all desires for the pious souls. Ahalya desired to keep her husband happy and to remain in his company, and thanks to Gautama’s curse the wife was able to meet the Supreme Lord.

There is a famous incident relating to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu which similarly reveals the benefit of contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One of Mahaprabhu’s associates had once offended Him. Because of that transgression, that person was not able to see the Lord anymore. Begging and begging, the person finally was able to get someone else to ask Mahaprabhu when that anger would subside. Lord Chaitanya replied that only after a million births would that person again get to see Him. Instead of being dejected over the long duration, the person was excited at the heart to hear that they would again get to see Lord Chaitanya, even if it should take many years.

In a similar manner, though Ahalya was cursed for a long time, she was guaranteed of seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His most charming form as Lord Rama. Therefore the acts of Indra and the instigation of the celestials, and even the curse offered by Gautama, were all purified through the simple contact with Rama. Just as Rama’s foot liberated Ahalya, the sound vibrations of the Vedic literature describing His forms, names, qualities and pastimes liberate the conditioned soul mired in a cycle of birth and death. Through contact with wonderful works like the Janaki Mangala, Ramayana and Puranas, the ears get the much needed nectar to restart spiritual life. And when those narrations aren’t readily available, just chant the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, to mentally clasp the beautiful lotus feet of the delight of the Raghu dynasty.

In Closing:

The group stopped when Mithila within reach,

Vishvamitra of Ahalya’s history did speak.

 

Gautama Muni had the most beautiful wife,

She served him well in his spiritual life.

 

Lord Indra came and her chastity did break,

Gautama cursed him and wife unseen form to take.

 

Only when hospitably Rama and Lakshmana received,

Would from the curse beautiful woman be relieved.

 

Following sage, two brothers in her asylum they went,

Liberated Ahalya, to husband’s side she was sent.

The Integral Player

“Keeping in mind the work that needed to be done for the demigods, sadhus and vipras, bringing Rama with him the mahamuni proceeded ahead towards the bow sacrifice.” (Janaki Mangala, 39)

bipra sādhu sura kāju mahāmuni mana dhari |
rāmahiṃ cale livāi dhanuṣa makha misu kari ||

The saintly class, which includes both the celestials in the heavenly realm and the devoted souls living on earth, a long time back needed a specific job to be completed. They were being harassed by a miscreant class that was tremendously powerful, capable and willing to assert their dominance. With strength comes responsibility. Just because one entity is superior in both wisdom and physical dexterity doesn’t mean that their influence should be negatively exercised. Parents are the best example in this regard. They can do whatever they want to the innocent child, especially to the newborn that just emerged from the womb. Yet with a proper mindset the good parent uses all of their mature abilities to protect the child, granting guidance and imparting wisdom. This particular miscreant class that roamed the earth many thousands of years ago lacked sobriety of mind. They thought their powers were products of their own work, so they decided to wreak havoc around the world and try to eliminate the pious class altogether. Not surprisingly, they were wrong in thinking that they could continue in this path without opposition.

"Day after day countless living entities in this world go to the kingdom of death. Still, those who remain aspire for a permanent situation here. What could be more amazing than this?" (Maharaja Yudhishthira speaking to Yamaraja, Mahabharata, Vana-parva, 313.116)

Why would someone think they can dominate everyone and never have to suffer the consequences? Well, why does someone mistake a rope for a snake? Why does someone think that they will live forever? Maharaja Yudhishthira, a famous king, when once asked by Yamaraja, the god of justice, what he thought the most amazing thing in the world was, responded that nothing could be more amazing than the fact that people think they are not going to die when they have seen everyone they know from previous times pass away. This is quite a relevant and accurate assessment by the famous Pandava king. We know that our ancestors have died. Sometimes the deaths didn’t occur in old age. The news shows us that people can die at any time, but somehow we still don’t apply that knowledge to our own lives. Either that or we just try to forget it as a way of avoiding despair.

It is fine to not dwell at every second on the reality of imminent death, but to act as if we are completely ignorant of it is not wise in the least. If you’re working at a company that is about to shut down its doors in a week, what is the use in taking on a new project? Perhaps you can keep your mind engaged throughout that time, but in the end your hard work will go for naught. The living being similarly creates so many temporary structures during their particular stint within a body, but at the time of death the relationship to those objects vanishes. With the passage of time, everything will eventually dissipate, with the exception of the spirit soul within.

The wise take the knowledge of impending death as a wakeup call for finding the real purpose to life. Is there something beyond the temporary ups and downs? What happens to the soul after death? Where does it go? Where was the soul prior to birth? These questions and more are answered in the Vedic literatures, whose most concise and complete work is the Bhagavad-gita. Not surprisingly, the author of the Gita’s verses is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. Not a mere sectarian work calling for blind worship of a particular personality, the Gita covers all aspects of philosophy and thought. In the beginning, Krishna addresses the issues of life and death and the temporary nature of the body. Only through understanding the many concepts and applying the principles in everyday practice does the final step of surrender unto God really mean something to the sincere soul.

The saintly class follows the Bhagavad-gita’s principles, which are immortal. Though the specific discussion held between Krishna and Arjuna took place on a battlefield some five thousand years ago, the core concepts of Vedic culture have been around since the beginning of time. Even in the Treta Yuga, an era prior to the time of the Gita’s most famous delivery, there were men on earth dedicated to worshiping God, to fulfilling the true purpose of life. They had a problem, however, with the miscreant class. The night-rangers concentrated on the island of Lanka had no clue about the meaning of life. If they ever gave a thought to impending death, they would use it as impetus for finding more sense gratification, at any cost. If the city you live in is burning down, being destroyed, will you go into store after store and loot or will you try to make sure that everyone safely evacuates? The night-rangers during this particular time were of the looter variety, trying to get whatever they could through any means possible.

They particularly enjoyed eating human flesh; hence the sages living in the forests were ripe targets. The powerful celestials residing in the heavenly planets also couldn’t do much. Ravana, the leader of the night-rangers in Lanka, was so strong that the demigods were afraid of him. Impotent against Ravana’s clan, the demigods decided to petition the Supreme Lord directly, to have Him appear on the scene to protect the innocent. Krishna states in the Gita that He comes to earth to protect the sadhus, or pious men, and reinstitute the principles of religion.

“In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.8)

The dramatic real-life play that is the Ramayana chronicles the life of Lord Rama and His pastimes, which included His eventual killing of Ravana. There were many pivotal actors in the play, with Vishvamitra Muni being one of them. He was one of the sadhus being harassed in his daily religious practices. The Supreme Lord had appeared as the eldest son of the King of Ayodhya. When Rama was still under the protection of His parents, Vishvamitra petitioned the king to have the Lord accompany him in the forest, which Rama kindly did, taking His younger brother Lakshmana with Him.

To prove that He was worthy of Vishvamitra’s trust, Rama slew a powerful female Rakshasa name Tataka, who had been harassing many of the saints. After this incident, both Rama and Lakshmana were given special mantras by Vishvamitra to be used in fighting against enemies. The sages and onlookers were quite pleased with Rama when he stayed with Vishvamitra at the muni’s hermitage. They could once again live peacefully and follow their prescribed duties without a problem.

It would have been great for Vishvamitra to keep Rama and Lakshmana with him in his ashrama indefinitely, but there was a higher purpose to fulfill. Ravana needed to be slain, and for that to happen Rama needed an excuse to take him on in a fair fight. The Supreme Lord never has to justify His actions, but He sets a good example by the work He follows. Ravana deserved to be attacked simply off his previous acts, but Rama had not had any direct hostilities with him yet. Therefore, to attack Lanka would not have been appropriate under the circumstances.

The matrimonial bond between Sita and Rama gave birth to the trap that would do Ravana in. Sita Devi was the precious daughter of King Janaka of Mithila. To find the appropriate husband for his daughter, the king decided to hold a contest, where the person who could lift Lord Shiva’s heavy bow would be the winner. Vishvamitra needed to get Rama to this contest in order for the work of the demigods and the sadhus to be complete. Keeping this in mind, the muni left his ashrama and took Rama and Lakshmana with him.

In this way Vishvamitra played an integral role in both bringing Sita and Rama together and ending Ravana’s reign of terror. The surrendered souls only look to the Supreme Lord for sustenance, for they know there is nothing wrong with asking God to help them in their sincere worship. That devotion to Rama continues for life after life for the spirit soul who is not entangled in the web of karma. The impending death that was previously feared or ignored becomes a welcomed end that will signal the return to the spiritual sky, where the Supreme Lord’s company is enjoyed without cessation.

Question: Why didn’t the sadhus and demigods just ask Rama to go and kill Ravana directly? Why did they have to arrange His marriage to Sita first?

The Supreme Lord’s acts are enjoyed by the surrendered souls. In fact, it is seen that in every person there is a desire to hear about the activities of others. The daily news websites are visited for this very reason, as are the latest news feeds posted on the now-popular social media websites. With topics relating to Krishna, the process of hearing gets purified. If I remain in contact with purity, naturally my thoughts will start to become pure as well. If I only think good thoughts, naturally my disposition will be better and I will be a more pleasant person to be around.

With Rama’s many activities documented in the Ramayana, the soul desirous of hearing about others gets a trusted supply of audible nectar that can be tasted over and over again without the reservoir ever depleting. If Rama had gone directly to Lanka, we would have missed out on the wonderful protection He offered to Vishvamitra. We’d also be denied the chance to hear about how He delivered Ahalya from a curse and how He defended the innocent sages from the wicked night-rangers. Getting to know Vishvamitra too is a benefit, for the Lord is never alone. His trusted entourage is always with Him, and contact with any of the component members is just as beneficial as contact with Rama. It is for this reason that Rama is worshiped alongside Sita, Lakshmana and Shri Hanuman. Vishvamitra too, a key player in bringing Sita and Rama together in Mithila, is always with Rama in thought, word and deed.

In Closing:

Rama, with His arrows demons chased away,

Would be great if with munis He’d always stay.

 

But Vishvamitra knew that higher work there was to do,

Took Rama to sacrifice in Tirahuta, brought Lakshmana too.

 

Demigods by the night-rangers always harassed,

Needed someone who in strength them surpassed.

 

Rama came for this reason, and also to delight,

By on Rakshasas imposing His will and might.

 

Vishvamitra thus in Ramayana had integral role,

Brought Rama to Sita, demons’ demise to unfold.

Worship In Peace

“After Rama killed so many night-rangers, the yajnas were performed. Without fear the munis of the world sing of the fame and glories of the Lord.” (Janaki Mangala, 38)

māri nisācara nikara jagya karavāyau |
abhaya kie munibṛnda jagata jasu gāyau ||

The kind Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who descended to earth to protect the innocent, does good with all of His activities, including His fighting. Normally violence is not welcomed, for why would one man want to kill another? Why should there ever be fighting between rational adults, people who should know better? Life is short after all, so there shouldn’t be a reason to raise hostilities. But from the above referenced verse from the Janaki Mangala, we get an idea of when violence is necessary and how when it is invoked properly it can bring the greatest benefit to man.

It is said that Lord Rama killed so many night-rangers. A nishachara is a sort of ghoulish creature that can change their shape at will. This species was especially prevalent on earth during the Treta Yuga, the second time period of creation. We know of their existence from the documented historical evidence of Vedic literature, which includes the original Vedas, Mahabharata, Puranas and Ramayana. The original Vedas are generally not read today because their content is very short and difficult to understand. The original hymns could long ago be understood by the highest class of men, whose intellect was so sharp that just by hearing information once it could be remembered fully. Reading a translation of the original Vedas today doesn’t really do much for us, as there is no underlying culture to complement the songs. If a particular hymn glorifies the Supreme Lord as being exquisitely beautiful and kind to His devotees, how is someone who never worships God and who is constantly worried over temporary ups and downs going to understand the meaning?

The more detailed scriptures are thus targeted for the less intelligent. As the current age is the Kali Yuga, the dark period of quarrel and hypocrisy, every person is deemed unintelligent. The smartest people of the world today are still less fortunate than the people who lived in previous times. There is nothing wrong with connecting with the more detailed scriptures, for the same benefit of association with God is present within them. Along with the stories of the Supreme Lord’s exploits, you get information of what kinds of creatures were present on earth in ages past and what their behaviors were.

The night-rangers chose to attack at night because their victims would have less chance to spot them. Think of the prowler who waits until there is no light outside to commit crimes. What were the crimes committed by the night-rangers? They weren’t innocent by any means. They would attack human beings, kill them, and then eat their flesh. What was the motive for these attacks? After all, with every crime there is some type of motive. Perhaps the victims deserved what they were getting?

One would be surprised to learn that the victims were the most innocent members of society, as far as adults go anyway. Children don’t know any better, so they are not taken to be serious threats by anyone. The ascetics, who were adults, living in the forests had no ties to anyone. They were renounced from worldly life so they could concentrate on their spiritual duties. They didn’t have large plots of land or stockpiles of wealth in the bank. Rather, they lived in thatched huts, ate whatever berries were on the trees, and spent the rest of the time chanting the holy names of the Lord and performing formal rituals known as yajnas.

“In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Vishnu, and blessed them by saying, ‘Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things.’”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.10)

It was these yajnas, or sacrifices, that the night-rangers specifically didn’t like. In a formal sacrifice there is a beneficiary, and if that beneficiary is pleased, they grant rewards to the performers making the offerings. The brahmanas, the priestly class, dedicated to yajna wanted to please the Supreme Lord. They could have remained in the cities, but the forests provided limited distractions. In this sense, who were they really bothering? Yet the night-rangers were the embodiments of sin. They not only violated the laws of propriety, they thought that anyone who was pious was a threat to their way of life.

Lord Rama killed many of these night-rangers. They deserved that end because of what they were doing. Rama outwardly appeared in a family of princes that traced its ancestry back to one of the first kings on earth, Maharaja Ikshvaku. Therefore, as a matter of formality it was the Lord’s obligation to provide protection to the innocent. That one man could protect against the attacks of such fierce fighters was rather amazing. At the same time, the dedication shown by Rama revealed the purpose to His personal advents and His purpose for acting.

One should only have to live in fear if they are ignorant. Fear is rooted in the loss of life, which is not a valid thing to fear because the soul lives on after the current form is destroyed. Nevertheless, it is stated by Rama Himself that for the mature adult there is no greater fear than death. You mature through youth and make it into adulthood and take care of all your responsibilities. What else do you have to do after that except die? This process is likened to the mature fruit that hangs off a tree just waiting to fall.

“Just as the ripened fruit has no other fear than falling, the man who has taken birth has no other fear than death.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 105.17)

In spiritual life, however, there should not be any fear. Real religion maintains a connection with God that persists into the afterlife. The present life is just the afterlife from a previous existence, so in this sense the future life isn’t that big a deal, except for the fact that we’re not exactly sure where it will be and when it will start. The brahmanas in the forests were living in fear while worshiping God because of the attacks of the night-rangers. Therefore Rama came on the scene and eliminated that fear. Hence the Lord is known as Hari, or the remover of the fears of His devotees.

In the above referenced verse it is also said that the munis of the world sang of the glories and fame of the Lord. Worship of God shouldn’t be an abstract concept. To use software development terms, it must have a class definition and an object instance. Without instantiation, the idea of dedicating your life to the origin of both matter and spirit will never manifest. For that worship to bear fruit, to really take hold in one’s life, knowledge of the Supreme Lord’s features and activities is helpful. To this end, just looking at Rama is enough to get plenty of material to work off of. Just think of His smiling face, His lotus-like hands holding His bow and arrow, the pitambara tied around His waist, and His dedicated brother Lakshmana following Him wherever He goes. The delight of the Raghu dynasty, Raghunandana, is so sweet and charming to look at that the mind wonders why it would ever choose to contemplate upon anything else.

As if Rama’s spiritual form isn’t enough, there are His numerous activities. Picture Him effortlessly raising His bow and aiming His arrows at the night-rangers that are ready to pounce on the innocent sages. Picture Him kindly looking about to make sure that His devotees are no longer in fear. Picture Him never tiring of standing on guard to defend those who protect dharma, or religiosity. Hence it is no wonder that the world still sings the glories of that kind son of Dasharatha, whose name directly represents Him. Thus the most potent form of worship for the fallen souls of this age is the recitation of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, which brings the association of that dedicated bow-warrior, who will do anything to please His devotees.

Follow divine love, bhakti-yoga, without fear. Should impediments arise, know that not a single moment is wasted when connecting with the Supreme Lord. He promises to offer conditions for that worship to bear fruit, either in this life or in a future one. Singing of Rama’s glories never gets tiring, and so poets like Goswami Tulsidas compose wonderful songs like the Janaki Mangala to please the soul and give countless future generations a chance to keep the mind fixed on the lotus feet of the controller of the universe.

Question: Why didn’t other people take care of the night-rangers?

Others were certainly around at the time who could have dealt with the nishacharas attacking the sages. Even today there are many evil elements in society and we don’t see the Supreme Lord descending from His spiritual abode to deal with them. The purpose of Rama’s advent was special, and His personal intervention is more notable because of the many lessons it provides. Just from the one verse above we get so much knowledge about when violence is necessary and the purpose to sacrifice. Not for self-aggrandizement, the procurement of material rewards, or even the removal of distress, the real purpose of a yajna is to please the lord of sacrifice, Yajneshvara, which is another name for Rama.

Know also that from Rama’s personal protection the conditions conducive for the glorification of the Supreme Lord, which is man’s ideal occupation, are created. For the child, the most desired condition is placement in a playroom with many toys. For the adult male it might be the living room with the video game system and for the adult female the shopping mall. Yet if you took every living creature at their core, analyzed the properties of their souls, you’d see that the most ideal condition is one where the glories of the Supreme Lord are sung without fear and without interruption. From His dealings in the forest many thousands of years ago, we see that Rama personally offers the protection to keep that ideal situation a reality, and therefore His kindness knows no bounds.

In Closing:

Ghoulish creatures are the rangers of the night,

To innocent sages they present terrifying sight.

 

With Vishvamitra, to forest Shri Rama went,

With help of Lakshmana, demons to their death sent.

 

Now the attacks of the night-rangers to cease,

So forest sages could do their yajnas in peace.

 

Turned pleasurable a condition first horrifying,

So no wonder that sages to this day God glorifying.

 

Know that purpose of yajna is Shri Hari to please,

With that desire in mind your troubles He’ll ease.

All Things To All People

“The people observing received auspicious fruits for their eyes and mind. Rama accompanied Vishvamitra to his ashrama, with the fears of the sages removed.” (Janaki Mangala, 37)

mana loganha ke karata suphala mana locana |
gae kausika āśramanihaṃ bipra bhaya mocana ||

There is the saying that you can’t be all things to all people. This means that whatever behavior you adopt, you’re not going to give everyone a favorable result. For instance, if you should decide to dedicate more time to your job, you may make the coworkers and boss happy, but at the same time you’ll spend less time with your family. Perhaps the wife and kids will be upset with your decision, so you’re essentially caught in the middle of competing interests. With one person, however, whatever He does satisfies the desires of all the people He affects, even if those people belong to separate communities and keep different goals in mind.

Is the person we speak of God? Isn’t that too broad a generalization? God is everything, sure, but what does that really mean? Ah, the Vedas and their many branches of literature exist precisely to expand upon this concept, to give it some meaning. The above referenced verse from the Janaki Mangala, fulfilling many purposes, also sheds light on this issue. The scene at hand is the forests of India many thousands of years ago. At the time, there was no such thing as India, but we refer to the modern day country for geographical purposes. The entire land was known as Bharatavarsha, or the area ruled by King Bharata and his descendants. There were different states and provinces but everyone lived under the recognized authority of one king, though the rogue states sometimes tried to usurp control.

At the time, the island city of Lanka, which was ruled by a fiendish character by the name of Ravana, had become a state where sinful life thrived. On the complete opposite end, there were the forests that were inhabited by the animals and the ascetics given to piety. The forests were under the jurisdiction of the pious kings, and since the rogues in Lanka were against dharma as it was meant to be practiced, there were clashes. Rather than fight the kings outright, Ravana and his band of Rakshasas would head straight for the lifeblood of society, the vipras.

A vipra is a kind of high-thinker, someone who avoids material association. Think of playing video games as a child and then giving them up in favor of more important obligations when you grow older. With increased maturity comes a reassignment of priorities, realigning which things are more important in life and which things can be relegated to the category of entertainment. For the enlightened vipra, the true purpose in life is to find the Supreme Absolute Truth, that one energy which is beyond duality, and then stay immersed in thoughts of Him.

What is duality? Think of a pendulum that swings back and forth. On one side is acceptance and on the other is rejection. The living being constantly swings on this pendulum, all the way through to the time of death. One activity is accepted with anticipation and eagerness only to be rejected later on in favor of something else. The cycle of birth and death represents the largest swing of acceptance and rejection. Take on a form, have it develop, leave some byproducts, and then exit that same form.

There has to be a higher purpose to fulfill. At least this is what the vipras think. In order to even ponder this issue one must be very sober. So many other outlets are tried first, before the final approach towards learning the truth in earnest is made. “Perhaps if I try my hand at increased sense gratification, I will be happier. My current lifestyle isn’t cutting it, so maybe I should get a more expensive car or take up a new hobby. Or maybe renunciation is the answer. Live a minimalist life and try to stay peaceful in mind.”

The vipras of the Vedic tradition take the route of austerity and penance, but with a purpose. The Absolute Truth is known as Brahman, which is formless. It does not have a visible manifestation, but we can sort of see it through the autonomous functions of the living beings. You can’t really see the wind, but you know it’s there if flags are blowing or trees are shaking. Similarly, you can tell that the life force of Brahman is present when living creatures are moving around and operating on their own.

The formless Brahman is not tainted by duality, so one who can realize it is highly enlightened. The flawless properties of Brahman stay with the living being even while they are encased within a material covering. For Brahman realization to take place, association with Brahman’s covering, known as maya, must be limited. Therefore traditionally the vipras would take to austerity and penance in the forest, to realize Brahman and make the most of their human birth.

The Rakshasas concentrated in Lanka not only didn’t care about Brahman, but they didn’t like anyone who went against the life dedicated to service to maya. To make sure that the influence of the brahmanas, the vipras who know Brahman, was limited, the Rakshasas would attack the sages in the forest. If your life is dedicated to spiritual pursuits, you’re obviously not much interested in violence. You don’t have a group of secret service agents around to protect you nor are you quick to pull the trigger when dealing with attacking enemies.

Vishvamitra, one of the more exalted vipras of the time, approached King Dasharatha of Ayodhya for protection from the Rakshasas. The vipras could have cast curses back on the demons, but this would have caused their accrued spiritual merits to decrease. Why have so much effort go to waste when it was already the duty of the king and his class to protect the innocent? Vishvamitra specifically asked for Dasharatha’s eldest son Rama to protect him. Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana then left home and escorted the vipra for some time.

While Brahman is formless, it has a source that is full of spiritual form. Rama is that source. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the manifestation of a warrior prince. His association provides the delights of choice, cherished fruits, to every single person. For the vipras in the forest, the predominant desire was to be protected from the Rakshasas. They were living in fear, so there was no peace of mind. And without peace, how can there be happiness?

“One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a controlled mind nor steady intelligence, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.66)

As an initial test of His strength, Rama had to defeat a powerful female Rakshasa named Tataka. He did not want to slay a female, and even though Vishvamitra advised Him to do so, the Lord was still resolved upon only hurting Tataka instead of killing her. Finally, when she started using her illusory tricks, appearing on the scene and then quickly vanishing, Vishvamitra pleaded more emphatically with Rama to give up His unnecessary kindness. The Lord obliged and slayed the wicked creature who had been harassing the sages.

As a result, Rama removed the fears of the vipras, including Vishvamitra. He made good on His promise that is found in many sections of the Vedas to protect the innocent, to make sure that the demon class cannot vanquish them. At the same time, the observers in the forest received the fruit of their eyes and mind. All of the onlookers, which included vipras, forest dwellers, and householders living innocently, watched the most beautiful form of Shri Rama, who was accompanied by His equally as beautiful younger brother Lakshmana.

God’s vision is more delightful when He is actively working on something for the good of the devotees. Rama was very young at the time, as was Lakshmana. When the two were fighting a very formidable enemy, the vision was something wonderful to behold. Imagine seeing two young boys able to pick up a car or run a marathon. While those feats are amazing, the sight of the two sons of Dasharatha ridding the forest of a wicked creature with just their bows and arrows was so splendid that the mind didn’t want to forget it.

The fruit of the eyes is the sight of the Supreme Lord. The same goes for the mind, as the external vision creates the image that can then be remembered over and over again within the mind. The young Rama and Lakshmana walked with Vishvamitra back to his hermitage, where they would continue to protect the vipras. Eventually, the trio would make its way to Tirahuta, where a marriage contest was taking place. The winner would win Sita Devi as a wife. There too, the residents had the desire to see Sita marry the beautiful Rama, and the Lord would oblige their request.

The slain enemies of Rama got the pleasure of liberation, which is achieved by seeing the Supreme Lord at the time of death. The atheists also take temporary pleasure in Rama’s external energy of maya, proving again that the Supreme Lord gives every person what they want.  When the innermost desires are shifted towards the transcendental realm, the true fruit of existence is tasted and relished.

In Closing:

To sages in forest Tataka was a pain,

Therefore they rejoiced when she was slain.

 

With her illusory powers, she came and went,

But finally killed by arrows from Rama’s bow sent.

 

The attacks on sages innocent to cease,

Because of Rama, they could now live in peace.

 

Eyes and mind to taste existence’s fruit,

By seeing Rama, whole creation’s root.

 

Dasharatha’s son, to all people He is all things,

Meaning to life His divine vision brings.