Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – March 1, 2012 – Ayodya
Jaya Guru Datta
“Harihi Om Tatsat. Sri Ganeshaya Namaha. Sri Saraswatyai Namaha. Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha.
Q & A’s
When Ravana approached Mareecha for help, what did Mareecha say to him? What advice did Mareecha give to Ravana?
Vamshi: “Everyone wants something. When you like something, you want to have it. If you cannot get it yourself, then you seek the help of others. If the other person agrees to help, he becomes a friend. If he declines help, he becomes an enemy. Here the one who is asking for help is in a higher position, in status, power, and knowledge. But Mareecha had personal experience of the power of Rama’s arrows. When Rama was a child he fought against Mareecha and his brother Subahu and killed Subahu. Mareecha himself was thrown far away. Hence he cautioned Ravana about the power of Rama’s arrows.
Many people like to say ‘yes’ all the time just to please others. But some people like to say what is right only. It is like ‘pathyam’, which means showing the right way. But such words, the listeners many times will not appreciate. They do not like to be told that what they desire is not good for them. The Vedas state bluntly, ‘Satyam vada, dharmam chara’ meaning, ‘speak the truth, act righteously’. But in a kavyam, a literary work, lessons are taught more gently, in the manner in which a wife persuades a husband. Ramayana is the Adi Kavyam, the first ever literary piece. Hence it conveys its teachings in a diplomatic manner. Sri Swamiji always tells us what is good for us, even though we may not like to hear it.”
Swami Manasa Datta: “The kidnapping of Sita was the crucial act around which the entire Ramayana story revolved. Speaking the right words at the right time is what Mareecha did. “
Sri Swamiji: “Ravana said to Mareecha, ‘Listen to me. Rama got my sister disfigured. So you must deceive Rama disguised as a deer, to help me in kidnapping Sita.’ Mareecha told Ravana, ‘Rama is Dharma personified. I used to think like you because I am also a demon. But now, having had the satsang (noble interaction) with Rama, I have changed. How can I deceive Rama? I do not like your words. You are going against Dharma. Yet you are the king. It is my duty to obey you. It is my dharma.’ Ravana said, ‘I will kill you if you do not help me.’ Mareecha said, ‘I would rather be killed by Rama than by you. I do meditation, yoga, and worship. I have become satvic (noble and peace loving). I cannot harm Rama. But I know that you will kill me. I know that you will be defeated. Dharma always wins. A person like you who is of Tamo guna will not follow the path of Dharma.’ “
Sri Bala Swamiji: “Today we are with Pujya Sri Swamiji. We are very fortunate. Ravana told Mareecha that he should go as an illusory deer to deceive Sita. We are all listening to the Shatashloki Ramayana. We know the line, ‘na virodho balavata kshamo Ravana tena te’. One who is virtuous is strong. He is a balavan. He is ever victorious. Hence Mareecha told Ravana, ‘You are not on the right path. You will get killed. Where there is Rama, there is Dharma. Where there is Dharma, there is victory.’ Ravana told Mareecha, ‘I will kill you first’. Mareecha said, ‘You are the king; a demon king. I will have to obey you. I would rather get killed by Rama than by you.’ Why has Swamiji begun this evening’s program with the mention of this dialog between the demons? Mareecha’s advice is very valuable. He was the first one among the demons to praise Rama’s valor, greatness, and power.”
Sri Swamiji: “How is it possible to describe the battle between Rama and Ravana? Once Brahma asked Narada, ‘Oh, you have witnessed the battle. Describe it to me.’ Narada said, ‘It is impossible to describe that battle. Nothing can be compared with it. The Rama-Ravana battle is like the Rama-Ravana battle.’
One is a rakshasa, a demon filled with tamo guna. Ravana once possessed satva guna. Then it degenerated into rajo guna, and finally dropped to tamo guna. Even one small blemish will flaw a clear crystal. Satyam=Truth. It transcends comparison.
When all other celestials had witnessed the Rama-Ravana battle, why did not Brahma witness the battle? Ravana is referred to as Ravana Brahma; Rama is referred to as Rama Brahma. But the original Brahma was not a witness to this battle because he was busy giving mukti (salvation) to all the deserving souls who had died in the battle fighting on Ravana’s side. Ravana out of arrogance wanted to hide the fact as to how many had perished in the battle on his account. So he had all the dead bodies of the warriors from his army to be flung into the ocean for the sharks and whales to consume eagerly, without leaving a trace. Hence Yama (Lord of Death)’s assistant Chitragupta did not receive the count of the number of the dead.
The warriors who fought on Rama’s side were all revived by the mere fragrance of the Sanjeevani herb. The monkeys that died in the war never went to Brahma Loka. They all had punarjanma. They were all born again. But what happened to the souls whose bodies got destroyed in the ocean? Brahma stayed back from witnessing the battle and got busy saving them and giving them salvation. That is why he had to ask Narada for a description of the battle. So many duplicate Brahmas are there, but only one formless, eternal Brahma. He is the one who asked Narada. There was not one satvic soul amongst the dead demons. They were all tamasic souls. Ravana had failed to even perform Shava Samskara (the last rites for the dead) to the bodies. Every instant he engaged in adharma. That is why he was punished. Some crores of demonic souls had to be saved and given salvation. That is the chamatkaram (interesting point) in Ramayana.
It is very difficult to understand the Ramayana and it is very easy to understand the Ramayana. As a story it is very nice. But to go to the inner meaning, to understand the real truth hidden in it, the satya guna, the satva guna, is very difficult. It is not a mere story. So many devotees have tried to explain the Ramayana and rendered it in their own method, in their own poetic style. But the ideas were not their own. They are all Rama’s ideas. Even this conversation of today is Rama’s idea. It is very serious and very funny to explain what happened at the battlefield. Even Narada could not explain. Valmiki, Tulsidas, and many others have written the Ramayana. Ours is also a Ramayana. Appaji’s Ramayana.
What is Ramayana?”
Vamshi: “Rama+Ayana=Ramayana; Ayana is going, how life is led; How Rama lived his life is described as Ramayana. There is a saying that says, ‘Lead your life as Rama did his, but follow the words of Krishna. Don’t follow the actions of Krishna. Krishna’s words are called the Bhagavadgita, not Krishnayana. The Litmus test for sincerity is this: What one does in solitude, when nobody is watching and how one behaves when faced with acute adversity. In both instances, Rama proved his integrity. Soorpanakha was very lustful. She desired Rama. Rama has one word, one wife, one arrow. When Bharata offered his kingdom to Rama after Dasaratha had died, Rama did not accept it, although he was at that time living in abject poverty. Ramayana is the Journey of Rama.”
Sri Swamiji: “What is Ayodhya?”
Vamshi: “Ayodhya means ‘impossible to fight against’. One has no enmity and no strength to fight against Ayodhya. There is no facility to fight. It holds the white umbrella; the one and only flag of peace; there is no other flag.”
Sri Swamiji: “Rama was getting ready for the fight. He was getting ready to cross the ocean. This huge roar was heard in the sky. One who flies in the sky is a Rakshasa, a demon. Superman is a Rakshasa. Akasayana (flying in the sky) is not the same as traveling with the speed of the mind. Hanuman flies invisibly with the speed of the mind. An airplane follows the wind. But Hanuman transcends the wind and flies like the Mind.
The big sound was heard. Vibheeshana was visible in the sky. He had no permission to land. He was the brother of the demon king Ravana. He was a devotee of Vishnu. He was satvic in nature. Hence he waited for permission to land. He begged for permission from the sky. If he were denied permission he would have left. He remained in the sky waiting; the sound and the light were there; it was frightening and loud like a thunder bolt; Rama heard and he saw; yet he waited to respond. He was an emperor; a jnani (an enlightened one); he was Paramatma (the Supreme Soul). Yet he consulted with each and every one of the leaders, Jambavan, Sugreeva, and others. Everyone advised against giving permission to the demon to land. They said, ‘no, not possible’. ‘He is too powerful. He is a demon. We are getting ready to build the bridge. He will disturb our efforts’, said Sugreeva, the leader of the monkey army. Hanuman sat in a corner chanting the name of Rama. Finally he was asked for an opinion. Hanuman told Rama, “Do as you feel like. I know how you respond towards those who surrender to you. How can I advise you one way or another? You hear him chanting’ Rama Rama’ from the sky.’ Hanuman’s words were very diplomatic. No one could follow his words except Rama. Rama understood. The others were direct in their words. They spoke words of abuse about the demon. Hanuman spoke more than the rest of them, but his words were very ambiguous. Rama gave permission to Vibheeshana to land. He offered him amnesty. Each syllable that was uttered was significant.
Everyone has listened to the Shatashloki Ramayana. With 300 participants we will chant it tomorrow. We will conclude our austerity here in Ayodhya with parayana, Srichakra Puja, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam, Avabridha Snana (ritual bath) in the Sarayu River, and Nama Sankeertana. In Ayodhya we have acquired 3 sets of Rama Parivara idols. Anyone may sponsor them.”
Sri Guru Datta