Guiding Light: Sri Rama Avatara
On Chaitra Sukla Navami (the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra) India celebrates Sri Rama Navami. Devout Hindus believe that Sri Rama was born on this day in Treta Yuga; and that years later, on the same day, Sri Rama married Sita.
Rama was beloved of his father and indeed all the people of Ayodhya: he was the joy of his mother; he was a great scholar, a vachaspati (fluent and eloquent in speech); he always spoke softly and sweetly; he was never ever angry when harsh words were spoken to him; his greatest happiness lay in doing good to others; he loved conversing with elders, to whom he was always receptive a respectful; he always spoke the truth; he was ever compassionate; he was upright in conduct and was well aware of the right thing to be done in any situation; he had mastered the niyama of self-control; he was learned in the shastras; he also had innate wisdom; he had firm devotion and a steadfast mind; he never ever spoke idly; he was ever alert, never lazy; he had the discrimination to perceive right and wrong; he knew when to punish and when to protect; he believed firmly, that by following the path of dharma (righteousness), he could attain not only a good name and fame, but also the fruits of Heaven.
Sri Rama, the beloved eldest son of King Dasharata, is instructed in all the asthra-shasthra weaponry as behooves a prince, when he follows Sage Vishwamitra and rescues the rishis in his tapobana from incessant trouble at the hands of the demons, Thataka and Subahu. He breaks Shiva’s bow to win the hand of Princess Sita of Mithila, who is King Janaka’s daughter.
The name of Sri Rama is exalted by saints and sages alike. The sacred Guru Granth Sahib also venerates Sri Rama’s name and so does Kabir Granth. Such a one was Rama, unique among the avataras, the ideal human being who lived his life on earth subjecting himself to the myriad highs and lows that all of us, mere mortals, are subject to. It would be no exaggeration to say that Sri Rama’s name is inscribed in India’s soul!
Dada J P Vaswani is a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader
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