Peace before prosperity

Class notes | December 16, 2018

Taapa or hardships come from four sources: kaala (time or context we live in); karma (destiny — our actions & reactions), swabhaava (personality through habits) and guna (maya or vasana - our propensities). Through our course, we are learning to hold Bhagavan Rama’s hand which takes away the taapa from our lives. Holding Bhagavan’s hand is tapa, burning up the sense of separation and the virtue that goes away from our life is forgiveness. We never have to forgive because we never take offense.

Why do developed nations have so many problems like stress, anxiety and depression? It is because the focus is on prosperity and not peace. Rama Rajya is about peace first. Where there is peace, naturally, prosperity follows.

In a peaceful nation, everyone is focused on understanding each other and even punishment and separation are uplifted. Everyone is living a life of dharma. The walls are adorned with rangoli depicting Bhagavan Rama’s life. Parents learn to chant Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram from their children. Everyone, including Brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas and even shudras share the same ghat for bathing. This is only possible when there is peace. The less peaceful a kingdom is, the more the focus is on bedha. When one is peaceful, there is oneness — advaita. During Rama Rajya, in the marketplace, one can take anything without paying. What is the use of money when Lakshmi Devi Herself is residing in the kingdom? There is complete fulfilment.

Bhagavan Rama is Satchidananda, but He is acting as a nara. He is large hearted and is living in a simple way, fulfilling His responsibilities. He begins His day with satsanga before engaging in seva.

Sri Bharata asks Bhagavan Rama to help him understand the characteristics of santa (noble people) and asanta (ignoble). Sri Bharata is seeking this knowledge because he does not want to have any asanta thoughts. He is so sensitive to self development that there is no room for arrogance.

Just like Vibhishana Gita and Lakshmana Gita, the santa- asanta lakshanas is another framework that we can use for our own growth.

Chandan tree: Bhagavan Rama explains to Sri Bharata that a santa — a noble personality — is like a chandan tree and an asanta is like an axe, trying to cut down the chandan tree or one who is noble. However, a chandan tree still covers the axe with fragrance. There is no rejection of the axe. The noble will always be rewarded for being noble and the ignoble will always be beaten for being ignoble, just like the axe gets beaten by the end of the day.

Ajatashatru: An ajatashatru is one who has no enemies. Bhagavan Rama is known as an ajatashatru. Only when one has no inner enemies, will one not have any outer enemies. A santa is ajatashatru, one who has no inner enemies or outer enemies.

Bhagavan Rama’s final message — Advaita: Duality or dvaita makes us see everything in terms of labels such as good/ bad, santa/ asanta. If we always look at a person’s strengths or weaknesses, we will never develop a relationship with that person. People who are too ritualistic become obsessed and can never rise above dvaita. Bhagavan Rama teaches us to rise above dvaita, towards oneness. Where there is bhakti, there is Rama Rajya. We get to decide if we are living in Rama Rajya or not. So let us make the right choices, and not resort to blame or excuses.

Purajana Gita: This is another Gita within Ramayana and in this Gita, Bhagavan Rama addresses the people of Ayodhya, with the focus not on prosperity, but on peace.

Using the example of Raja Prithu, a great leader of Bharat, Bhagavan shows us that the three main responsibilities of a king or any leader are to provide:

• Security
• Education (not just secular but sacred education as well, like in a gurukula)
• Employment (not just professional, but opportunities to serve the community)

Bhagavan Rama shares some further insights in the Purajana Gita, but leaves it to the people to decide whether they want to follow it or not.

• There is no dictatorship in Rama Rajya. In fact, Bhagavan Rama seeks feedback and asks the people how He is doing as their king.
• Another name for a king is sadhanadhama. Only humans can engage in sadhana to get to the sadhya. When we do not follow mumkshutvam, the menas to freedom, we can never be happy in this lifetime (today) or the next lifetime (tomorrow). Someone who is not using this opportunity is exchanging nectar for poison (trying to find peace in pleasure). Bhagavan Rama reminds us that we are created with more than sense organs and therefore, pleasure cannot be our focus. We have a mind and intellect so that we can inquire more and become inward looking.
• Bhagavan Rama describes the body as a boat. The Guru is the captain and Bhagavan’s grace is the wind. When we are stuck in the middle of the ocean of samsara, we need the Guru’s guidance and Bhagavan’s grace to help us be free. We all have more grace than we deserve because Bhagavan is so large hearted. If we have one right action or thought, Bhagavan will focus on that. All we need to do is have bhakti because then we will feel God’s help.

Following bhakti (Rama Rajya) is easier than following jnana because in jnana we do not use our sense organs, but in bhakti, we are using our sense organs to know Bhagavan. Then it is His responsibility to help. Living a life of bhakti is so lovely because we keep feeling the help from God, but as bhaktas, when we depend on articles, beings, and circumstances for peace, and as a result, we have stress and worry, that is an overt sign of lack of faith in Bhagavan.

The Purajana Gita is completed with the 46th Doha:

Mama Guna Grama Nama Rata Gata

As we come to the end of Ramayana, for the first time, Bhagavan Rama who is acting in His naraleela, reveals to us that He is not a nara, but Bhagavan!

The last chopais of Ramayana beautifully describes that the lord is now tired. That God who has been helping us with our first breath, is now tired. He goes to a shaded area. Sri Bharata spreads a cloth and Bhagavan sits on it, to rest with His brothers. This is known as Leela Samvarana- the wrapping up of the leela. There is no death, no fight and in this subtle way, Ramayana ends.

Shortly afterwards, Narada Muni starts to glorify Bhagavan Rama as Bhagavan Vishnu. This is where the katha of Ramayana ends.

Meanwhile, what happens to Mother Sita? Vivek-ji shares some insights from Valmiki-ji’s Ramayana :

Bhagavan Rama is the best ruler. He has spies or messengers to let Him know how things are working in the kingdom. One of his messengers, Bhadra, hears many people gossiping about Mother Sita having lived with Ravana. Even though these are mere lies, as the rani, Mother Sita also has a responsibility to the kingdom and if people are doubting the rani, then they are doubting the raja as well. Doubt is anti-discipline and a kingdom cannot function where there is doubt.

Mother Sita loves living in the forest. She and Bhagavan Rama would often reminisce about the jungle. Mother Sita is pregnant and Bhagavan Rama knows that a child should be born in an ashram according to our samskaras. He asks Sri Lakshmana to escort Mother Sita to near Sri Valmiki-ji’s ashram. Sri Lakshmana willingly follows Bhagavan Rama’s instructions. Luv and Kush are born in the forest and learn everything about their father and God. Mother Sita tells Sri Lakshmana to go back and tell Bhagavan Rama not to think about Her, but of the people. Bhagavan Rama thus set a precedent for all generations to follow. He shows that a king is above an ordinary person. We are too attached to our families. We should live for the community, society and humanity, and finally divinity.

In Uttarakanda, the last chapter of Ramayana, we learn about Raja dharma- what it means to be a leader. When we lead a public life, our family life is included in it. Sometimes, our family may hold us back from doing seva. We should not lash out at our family, but gain strength from what we have learned in the Lakshmana Gita and Vibheeshana Gita so that we can endure any opposition we may face.

Rama Katha began with Mother Parvati (who is no longer Devi Sati) asking Bhagavan Shiva 3 questions:

• Is this Bhagavan Rama Brahman?
• Is this Saguna Brahman who is a manifestation of Nirguna Brahman?
• What is the purpose of Brahman coming as Bhagavan?

After hearing Bhagavan Shiva’s narration of the Ramayana, Mother Parvati says She is no longer ignorant. There is so much closure in our shastras. Goswami-ji writes this sacred story enabling us to reach the abode of Sri Hari. Whoever hears it, is blessed with devotion.

Karma cannot end karma. Using articles, beings, circumstances to find that which is beyond articles, beings, circumstances is not possible. It is like trying to remove dirt with dirt. Tapa, japa, pranayama, asana are all soaps. Even though soap is used to remove dirt, soap can only fully remove dirt when we use water.

Vedanta in Ramayana is the water that is needed to clean the dirt in us, our ignorance.