A treatise on life! This is one of the most profound descriptions of the scriptural text, Shri Raamcharitramaanas. Most lucidly borne out by Goswami Tulsidasji, this text traces the footsteps of Shri Raam, journeying through the forest of the world process from Ayodhya, then into exile, to Lanka and back to Ayodhya. In doing so, the ‘Adi-kavi’( foremost among poets) telegraphs humans’ own sojourn on earth as we wend our way through the six modifications of life, through the four aashramas, through a dual perception of this world and finally towards the state of perfection.
The Lord’s manifestation on earth came as a result of the decline in righteousness and the ascent of evil and as a response to His devotees’ call to champion their cause. Having manifested in the city of Ayodhya, Shri Raam recognized that the process of restoration to a state of truth, of ethical values, well-being and righteousness must begin with the transformation of the psychological state, wherein dwells the limited human personality. The reign of this personality is characterized by the dominance of ignorance, materialism, passion and anger. Under these conditions, it is difficult to acquire stability in the physical and ethical states. Once transformation has taken place, however, then all will be well in the ethical being as the reign of true spirituality and perfection becomes the domain of all.
To this end, Tulsidasji scripted the ‘charitra’ (characteristics) of Shri Raam, so as to create a blueprint for spiritual perfection. The leelas of the Lord unfolded with a series of events that led to His exile, the kidnapping of His consort, Sita Devi, the battle in Lanka, defeat of Raavan and the return and reign of Ayodhya.
Metaphysically expressed, the Lord’s exile from Ayodhya was indicative of the banishment of spirituality from the ethical being, while Raavan’s kidnapping of Sita signifies the capture of the intellect by arrogance, passion and anger and held captive in the city of Lanka, which represents the psychological state in man. Shri Raam, in the company of Hanumanji, representative of the disciplined mind, accompanied by thousands of monkeys and bears, defeated Raavan, personification of ‘rajas’ (materialism, power and greed). The end of Raavan meant the end of the reign of ‘rajas’ and the coronation and rule of ‘sattva’ as symbolized by Vibheeshan, the new king of Lanka. Indeed, the transformation of the psychological state from that of ‘rajas’ to ‘sattva’ – truth, peace, brightness and virtue! Having completed this transformation, the Lord then returned to Ayodhya where he carried out a rule of perfection in the utopian state for 11,000 years.
The example of the Lord Himself is most instructive as He calls on every one to first set the psychological in order, by defeating the limited human personality. Only after this battle has ended can the supremacy of truth and ethical values be established in our ethical being and the state of ‘Raam Raajya’ – the state of perfection – can be experienced .
As the Hindu world celebrates the auspicious occasion of Shri Raam Navami, the manifestation of the Lord as Shri Raam, it is incumbent upon all to defeat the negativities of the Lanka within and return to Ayodhya, where ethical values, devotion and unbounded bliss become the adornments of the inhabitants there. Most certainly, ‘Raam-raajya’ or the rule of perfection awaits him who is willing to return to Ayodhya.
