(Extracts from Talks on Sri RamCharitManas by Poojya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji in January 2019. From bottom to top, the posts are organised in ascending order. If you want to read from the beginning please follow the Post numbers from bottom to top as Post 1, Post 2 etc.)
Post 7
Yajnavalkya said - Bharadvaj! You are blessed because you love Shiva Parvati katha so much. Those who do not have love for the feet of Lord Shiva, wont get the devotion to Lord Ram. Ram bhakt lakshan is one has devotion to Lord shiva. Shaivites and Vaishnavites keep fighting. Shiva and Vishnu don’t have any fight amongst them.
Without Shraddha and vishwas, how will one know the Self?
Shiva is Guru rup. If one does not have Guru-bhakti, how Ishwar Bhakti will get cultivated?
Yajnvalakya said we keep meeting often but this meeting is special. Now Yajnavalkya rishi speaks about Ram katha. Saraswati speaks through the speaker at such times.
Doha 107
Once Lord Shiva was seated below a Vata-vriksha. His description is given here. It was as if shant ras has taken a body. Parvati saw that this is the best occasion. She approached him. SHiva offered her a seat on the left side, as a wife. For a moment she remembered that i was made to sit in front. So she was very happy. This is Jnana Ghat at Kailash. Parvatiji asked Lord Shiva.
Doha 107 chaupais biswanath mama natha purari…..
You are the Lord of the Universe. O my master! Please be pleased with me. Im your true servant. Please remove my ignorance and tell me the story of Sri Ram/Raghunath. In whose house there is kalpavriksha and yet if that person feels poor, its not a nice thing. Shivji you are omniscient and being with you if i remain ignorant, its not good. Please remove my delusion.
Question is the same: The great munis say Ram is Anadi Brahman. Everyone sings HIS glory. You also sing HIS name with so much respect. Another is the Son of Dashrath who is going through so much as a human.
Doha 108 to 111 Chaupais
If he is Rajkumar Ram, how can he be Brahman? If he is Brahman, then how can he be such a miserable Rajkumar?
Please don’t be angry on me. You had explained earlier. But please consider me ignorant. I know the glory of Ram when i met him in the forest earlier and i told you lies also and i got the karmaphala of that also.
But there is a difference between then and now. Earlier i had many doubts etc. But now i have shraddha. Earlier i was Dakshakumari and was using logic and was skeptic. Now im Himavan’s daughter and mountain is strong and so im strengthened with Faith. I have ruchi for Ram-katha.
If anyone goes with full faith to Guru or Husband, then they don’t see the limitations and they give the knowledge.
Specifically i want to know about:
- Nirguna Brahman, how can he take Saguna Form? We feel Nirgun can’t be sagun and vice versa.
- Ram avataar how did it happen? What was the objective?
- Please tell me all the leelas from Bal leela till Ram Rajya
- Dharma, Jnana, Vijnana, Bhakti, Vairagya - i want to know the Tattva of these.
- If there are any secrets of Bhagavan’s leelas, please tell that also
- What i have not asked and its left out by me, please tell me about that also. Please don’t hide that from me.
Whole Ramcharitmanas is an answer to these questions.
The moment Parvatiji asked all this, Shivji went into dhyan for an hour or so. Then the entire Ram Charit Manas came back to him and he narrated it to Parvatiji. She is adhikari now because she has shraddha towards shastra, guru, katha, the Lord etc. She has bhakti, namrata, vinay etc.
Now the prasang that comes is also called Shiva-Geeta.
Doha 111
Bhagavan Shiva forcefully pushed his mind out of meditation and spoke to Parvati
Shivji prostrates to Ramji’s bal roop. Ram is one without knowing whom the untruth appears as Truth. Like Rope appears as snake. In the invocation verses we saw that Ram is Brahman because of whom the world appears real but when we know Ram, the whole world becomes asat. As long as we are in the dream, it appears real, but when we wake up it disappears.
Ram is the substratum of the universe. He is paramartha satyam. Jnate tattve kaha samsaarah says Adi Shankara.
Jnaneshwara Maharaj says - Till you don’t see Vitthal bhagawan, samsaar appears real and will give sorrow.
Ram is the one whose nam jap if one does, all siddhis one gets. All desires get fulfilled. He is mangal svarup and removes all amangal. He is born to Dashrath as a child and Shivji does Pranam to this Balroop.
Parvati you are blessed. You asked this question for your welfare as well as for the universal welfare. You dint ask anything personal. Like Gangaji purifies everyone everywhere. Same way Ram katha purifies everyone.
Shok, moha, sandeha, bhrama are not there in you. You are asking because of Prem in your heart for Ram Katha. You are a katha rasik.
Some of the verses here are there which are echoed in Bhagavatam also.
Those who have not heard the katha of Sri Ram, their ears are like pits where snakes can reside. Those who don’t have darshan of Sant and Bhagawan, their eyes are like eyes on peacock feather. It can’t see anything. The head which does not bend at the feet of Guru, is like a bitter pumpkin.
In whose heart, bhakti is not there, they are dead even while living. Whose speech doesn’t praise the Lord, his tongue is like Frog. In whose heart there is no anand after listening to Bhagavad katha, their heart is hard like a stone.
Now i will tell you about Ram janma and Ram Naam.
Shivji says i like that you asked the questions but i dint like one thing.
You asked Dashrath putra Ram and Brahman Ram are different. I dint like that you don’t consider Dashrath Putra Ram as Brahman.
Tulsidasji has rebuked them strongly who think Ram is not Brahman. He says they are possessed by a ghost called Moha. They don’t have devotion for the Lord. They don’t have sat-asat vivek. Lot more is said. Essence is we should not think Ram is not Brahman.
Even in Valmiki Ramayana, it is Vishnu alone who is taking the form of Ram, though he is depicted as a human.
Doha 115 is important. Discard all doubts and adore Sri Ram’s feet. O daughter of the mountain-king, hear my words, which are sun-beams as it were for the darkness of error.
Doha 116, 117 chaupais
Now Saguna & Nirguna topic:
Saguna and Nirguna are not two different from each other. The Nirguna tattva becomes saguna because of the love of the devotees. Ice which is solid, when it melts it becomes water that is liquid and when you heat it, it becomes vapour which is invisible and once you condense the vapours it becomes water again. Ghee that is unmelted and which is liquid or melted, are they both different?
Jnnaneshwar says - Should i call you Sagun or Nirgun? one Lord alone is both Saguna & Nirguna.
Some people say - Jagat Karta ishwar cannot take a form or avataar. Thats delusion. Director can’t take a role in his own movie?
One whose name when we take, it destroys our delusion, can that Lord actually get deluded? Think!
Ram is like the Sun, the night of ignorance cannot subsist in HIM even to the smallest degree.
Jeeva and Ishwar understand the difference. Jeeva goes through ignorance and knowledge, memory and forgetfulness, joy and grief etc. These don’t exist in Ishwara. Ram is all pervading Brahman.
Purusha suktam describes HIM. That Purusha is this Ram and my salutations to HIM. This is Jnana-ghat and so Jnana is expounded here.
People superimpose their own delusion on the Lord. People say - i have been praying and God has become deaf or blind. May be his power is reduced. Clouds cover the sun and people say Surya dint rise at all. Its their delusion.
Uma, there is no delusion to Ram at all. In space there is fog or dust etc. But space is untouched by it. There is no space pollution, only air pollution.
These sense objects are illumined by what? by our sense faculties. Vishayas are perceived by the senses. Eyes see the objects. Jnanendriyas got this capacity from the devata of the indriya. Chakshushah suryaha. When we propitiate them, then they function. Even if you don’t understand devatas, the indriyas are illumined by mind. what illumines the mind? It is Self-illumining consciousness.
Eg. Fire->Pot->Water->Rice. Ram is like the Fire - the Pure consciousness illumining the Mind, senses and objects. Ram is the illuminator.
He is the Lord of Maya and abode of all virtues. It is due to HIS Reality that even unconscious matter appears as real through ignorance and provides us sorrow. Like mother of pearl on a shell and a mirage. Only through God’s grace, this can be removed. Dont be deluded that Ram and Brahman are different.
Doha 118 Chaupais
He walks without feet, hears without ears, performs actions without hands, touches without hands, enjoys tastes without a mouth etc.
Upanishads say - pashyati achakshuh sa shrunomi akarnaha.
We feel our senses work on its own. But it is illumined by the Lord who in itself does not have senses and mind in it.
Nirupadhik rup is - without eyes He sees etc.
Sopadhik rup is illuminator of the eyes etc.
Electricity in its nirupadhik rup is without bulb, fan, heater etc. But the upadhis like bulb etc. work only in presence of electricity. This is sopadhika rupa.
Doha 119 chaupais
Shivji says he liberates the soul who dies in kashi, by giving Ram nam. If people repeat HIS name, they cross Bhavsagar like how a cow crosses a small puddle of water.
Parvatiji said my delusion about nirguna and sagunn, Ram is different from Brahman, Atmaram and Rajaram are different… that is gone. Now please tell me about how he took the form of a human and what leelas he does.
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Post 6
Daksha became Prajapati same time. Promotion was given to him by Brahmaji. He threw a party in form of a yagna in that he called everyone except Lord Shiva. Brahma and Vishnu also dint go though invited. Rest all devatas went.
All devatas were going by Ariel route and Sati wondered, where are all these people going? She was inquisitive. She asked Shivji. Shivji said Your father got promotion. He is doing a yagna and all these are invited and they are going.
Sati wondered - wow! She was pulled between father and husband. She asked Shivji - Can i go to my father’s house? Shivji said - nothing wrong in going there but he has not sent us any invitation. Satiji said - he must have sent but it has not reached us. delay in post etc. Shiva said - Wantedly its not sent because he doesn’t like me. why?
Shivji said - Once he had done a yagna and Brahmaji and i were there.
Brahmaji is the father and so he dint get up when Daksha entered the assembly. I was in meditation and i dint get up. He thought im insulting him. He doesn’t like me since then. So i came back quietly. This time he has not sent the invitation wantedly. So now, its not appropriate to go.
Again second time what happened to Satiji we don’t know. She dint like what Shivji said. Bhagavat also this katha comes and she gets angry and eyes are like glowing fire.
Shivji said - ok go if you want. I will not come. Shivji sent some rudraganas with her.
Doha 63 chaupais
Sati went to Daksha yagna. Daksha dint even welcome her. Only mother and sisters were happy. Sati felt awkward. She went to the yagna mandap. There was provision for all devatas but for Shivji there was no place reserved. Sati’s insult was not so unbearable to her but when she saw Shivji’s insult, she got very angry.
Doha 64 to 67 chaupais
She said whoever has insulted Shivji must be punished. It is said where a saint, shiva, vishnu are insulted, the assembled people must snatch/cut the person’s tongue or close eyes or walk out from there.
Shivji is the atma of the whole world. She could not bear the insult of the Lord. She felt im ashamed that im Dakshakumari. I dont even want to be called by that name. So what if he is my father? I dont want to be here anymore and dont even want this body anymore. She created fire by her yoga power and dropped the body.
Sati dint listen to Shiva and went to test Ram
Second time she was told don’t go and yet she went to Daksha yagna.
see the result of not listening to the Lord
She also wanted to drop the body when Shivji told her to sit in front. Now her desire got fulfilled.
Shiva ganas started destruction of Daksha-yagna. Shivji came to know and created Veerbhadra from his jata and told him to destroy daksha-yagna because Sati’s apman happened. Earlier when Shivji’s apmaan happened, he dint bother. But Sati’s apmaan he dint bear.
Bhagwan does not bear insult of the bhakta and bhakta does not bear insult of the Lord.
Sati when she dropped the body, her prayer was may i have such a body where i get Shiva alone as my husband again. Same Sati was born to Himvan - Deity of Himalayas. Maina is her mother. Since she is the daugher of parvat, she is called Parvati. She is also called Uma, ambika, bhawani, Shakti etc.
When she came in the form of Parvati, there was prosperity etc. in the kingdom of Himvan.
Once naradji came there. Wherever Naradji goes - he is respected. Devatas, rishis, asur, kings etc. all revere him. He is jagatmitra. Shivji loves Vishnnu and vishnu loves Narad. Himvan said O Naradji you are trikalajna and you go everywhere. Please see the hand of Parvati and tell us her guna and dosha and her gati. Naradji said your daughter is beautiful naturally without makeup, susheel, sarvaguna sampanna. She will be dear to everyone and will be saubhagyavati. She will follow pativrata vrat and inspire others to follow.
But one or two things are a bit of problem. Her husband will be agun, amaan, matu-pituhina, udaseen, free from doubts, yogi, digambar, vyaghrambar, amangalvesh & bhasma of deadbody he will apply.
My daughter is so delicate. She will get such a husband? they felt sad.
Uma felt happy because she understood it is Shiva.
Aguna - beyond three gunas. Amaan - One who has no abhimaan, no ego.
Akaam - free from desires. No mother & father because he is svayambhu
He is not anath. He is vishwanath. Udaseen - virakt. Samshayaheena - is Atmajnani. Has no doubts about self. Jatadhari - in his jata gangaji flows. Akam - nishkaam. Nagna - no clothes. Formless has no clothes. Clothes are for the form. Amangal vesh - vesh can be amangal but he is so mangal that anything amangal also becomes pure.
Naradji also dint understand actually. He only saw the lines on the hand and predicted.
Doha 68,69,70 chaupais
Parents asked Naradji - is there any upaay? please help us. Naradji said she will get a husband as described. But one thing is - Shivji has all these gunas. To get Shivji as husband is not easy.
All durguna or dosha becomes sagun when connected to Shiva. Eg. Vishnu sleeps on snake. not easy. not dosha. Agni purifies everything put into it.
Samarath kahu nahi dosha gosai - a samarth person dosha also becomes guna and dosha doesn’t affect him/her. In gangaji all rivers/nala also join but are called Gangaji only.
Shivji keeps sitting in samadhi. not easy to get him as husband. Naradji said she has to do tapas and then Shivji may be pleased. Tapa - penance.
Tapas - body penance.
Tapas - manascha indriyanaam aikaagryam paramam tapah. No other thought except Shiva in mind. SIngle pointedness is Tapas.
Doha 71 Chaupais
Naradji said the above and went to Brahmalok. Maina felt Naradji said all this. How will my daughter do all this? Himvan says - drop chinta and remember God as said in Doha 71. He who created Parvati will bring her happiness.
Doha 72 chaupais
Maina went to parvati and was filled with love and compassion for her daughter who was so delicate etc. Mother was worried again. Parvati said -
I saw a dream. A handsome and fair complexioned Brahmana came and said now you go and do tapas.
Tapas is what is used to create the world by Brahmaji, sustenance is done by Vishnu due to Tapas and Shiva dissolves also by Tapas.
Whatever we want, that sankalpa is fulfilled by Tapas only. Sustain and put effort in that direction. Don’t keep shifting the field and goal. Conserve energies by self-control. Use the energies conserved and direct towards the goal. Don’t be jack of all trades and master of none.
A rishi called Vedashira came there and he told Uma and Himvan that parvati is not an ordinary woman. So parents allowed her to go.
Uma’s tapas is described here. Its not for a few minutes or days. Its for years together. She left eating food and lived only on leaves. She left eating leaves also and she is called Aparna. All the time remembering Lord Shiva. Then Brahmaji’s vani was heard.
Doha 74
Listen o daugher of the mount-king; your desire is accomplished. Cease all your rigorous penance, the slayer of Tripurari will soon be yours.
Doha 75, 76,77 chaupais
Parvati became so happy. Brahmaji said when your father comes, go with him.
What was Shivji doing so far? Shivji loved sati and since she left the body, he became more virakt. he used to meditate or wander taking ram naam or give upadesh to rishis etc. He felt sorrow when Sati went.
One day Sri Ram appeared in front of Shivji. Shivji was very happy. Ramji said to Shivji that Sati is born as Parvati and she wants you as her husband. You please marry her. Drop the past. Ramji is asking Shivji. Shivji said O Lord! How will i marry her because Sati is Parvati? But you are saying and so I will follow what you have said and i will marry her.
Why did Ram want Shiva to get married to Parvati?
- Shiva Parvati have been and must be together
- Penance result must be given
- There was an asura called Tarakasura. Asuras have singlepointedness but no purity. Tarakasura pleased Brahmaji and said i should not die. Brahmaji said - not possible. Tarakasura said - only Shiva and Sati’s son should kill me. He thought Shivji is in meditation, Sati is dead and he will not die because no son can be born to them.
Sapt rishis came to Shivji. Shivji told them Go to Parvati and put her love to test.
Doha 78-80 Chaupais
Saptrishis asked Parvati - what are you doing? Parvati: Im doing tapas to get Shiva as husband. They started laughing. WHo told you to do Tapas? Naradji. You are following Naradji? Look at his past record. He creates fights in all people.
You want Shivji? He is digambara, puts ash, amangal jata dhari, with snakes etc. you want such a husband?
We will tell you. You still have time. Vishnu is glorious. He loves Alankar. He is in vaikunth.
Parvatiji dint get angry. She said what you said is fine but if you had told earlier, i would have considered. Now i have Fixed my mind in Shiva. Now it can’t change. Like Gopis mind is in Krishna. Only one mind i had and that went with Krishna. She dint criticise vishnu or saptarishis. She only asserted her love for Shiva. Saptarishis also did pranam to her and left. They told Shivji that her love is true and single-pointed.
If you get such a person to love you truly, then there is bliss alone. In the world also we want someone to love us so singlepointedly.
Doha 81 to 85
They went to Himvan and told him to go and bring Parvati back.
meanwhile Shivji was in samadhi again. How to get him out? Brahmaji and devatas met. They called Madankumar & party. Kaamdev was called urgently. Go and break the meditation of Shivji. Go with your whole party of dance, music etc. Kaamdev said if i try to disturb HIS Meditation, i will die. Devtas said - possible. Kaamdev said - Its for the good of everyone and so even if i have to die, its ok. Anyways im going to die, let me do some halchal.
Kamdev did such a thing that in entire creation everyone was filled with sexual desires. Rivers, creepers, animals etc. Even rishis started seeing the world as Narimaya. Only a few people whose mind was in the Lord, were saved by the Lord. Yogis, rishis were wondering what happened to us. Bhogis were very happy. After sometime, Kaamdev withdrew his power and there was peace in the world. Then Kaamdev went to Shiva.
When he saw Shivji, he was scared but he had to do his duty. So Kaamdev created all music, dance etc. and Shivji saw Kaam dev and with his third eye Kaamdev was burnt.
Kamdev was burnt to ashes and so many Rishis were happy that now our mind will remain in samadhi. Bhogis felt sad. It is said Rati is most beautiful woman and Kamdev - most handsome man. Rati is Kamdev’s wife. She came crying to Shivji. Lord Shiva said - I have burnt him and he doesn’t have a body but without body itself he will be in the mind of all beings. As a desire Kaam is there in the minds of all. One of the names of Kamdev is Anang. Madan, Manasija are other names of Kamdev. Shivji told Rati that - When Krishna avatar happens, his son will be Pradyumna who is kamdev only. Then you will be united with Kamdev again.(Bhagavatam describes this story).
Devatas said you did great Shivji that you punished and blessed him also. Please get married with Parvati.
Doha 89
Uma parvati had gone home after penance. Saptrishis went to her and said
Your vow to marry Shiva is broken now because Kamdev was burnt by Lord Shiva. Parvati smiled and said - Was Shiva, Kaami earlier? He was always Nishkami. You say Kamdev was burnt by Shivji. If anything is put in agni, it will be burnt. Shivji is tejasvi and agni rup and its not Shivji’s fault. Why did Kamdev go there?
Parvati dint get disturbed. So saptarishis were happy.
Now everyone started the marriage preparations.
Ganas of Shivji said - you have to get ready and do makeup for the marriage.
Doha 92,93
Where do rudraganas know make up? Whatever they knew, they did. Jata is his mukut. They put snake on his jata. Snakes are the kundal and kankan also. Tigerskin he wore and applied ash everywhere. On his head is moon, ganga in jata. janeu is also snake. Three eyes. Blue neck. He had skull-necklace. Whole vesh was not auspicious. But it is Shiva svarup. Hand had a damaru. He was sitting on Nandi, bull. All the ladies of Devalok were smiling.
Vishnu, Brahmaji and all devatas were going in their own Divine vehicles. They dint come in Shivji’s baraat. Shivji smiled.
Rudraganas are such that they dint have a head or someone had 5 heads, someone dint have legs, someone has 1 eye or someone had many eyes, some was so heavy, someone was so thin… all who are abandoned are accepted by Lord Shiva. Preta, pisacha, yogi… all were there in the baraat.
Vishu, Brahma, Indra, Shiva - each had groups with them.
Parvatiji’s place everything was decorated so beautifully.
Everyone was excited to see the Barat. Vishu, Brahma, Indra etc. people saw them coming and were so happy. Now when Dulha came, there was commotion and fear and everyone was hiding. Dulha was like yamraj. Aarti plates fell from the hands of the ladies who were ready to receive them. They went to Maina and started crying.
What has Naradji done? Maina said - i wont allow this wedding to happen. Even if it brings me bad name, its ok. Uma consoles her.
O Mother you are worrying unnecessarily. Its my fate and so i will get married to him. No one can stop this because its my fate. Even if i don’t marry him, whats the guarantee that i will be happy with someone else. So dont worry. My mind is in Shiva alone.
Someone said- Naradji is coming. Maina said - now what is left to destroy? Naradji came with saptrishis. Naradji said - Parvati and SHiva are not related in this birth only. She was Daksha kanya sati before and she was married with Shiva. WHole story Naradji tells them.
Doha 99,100
when she came to know this, Maina’s sorrow disappeared and there was bliss. She fell at the feet of Parvati.
Now the marriage has to happen. No poet can describe the glory and beauty of this.
Doha 101,102
Maina says to Shivji: Uma is my prana. She is your sevak. forgive all her faults if she does anything wrong. Be pleased to grant me this boon
Parvati met her parents, friends etc. and bidai was done.
Now shiva parvati went to Kailash. They lived happily there. Their marriage was done so that their Son Kartikeya can kill Tarakasura. He is called Shadanan, Muruga, Shanmukha, Subramaniam etc. He was born to them and he killed Tarakasura.
Doha 103,104
Tulsidasji says even Vedas cannot describe about Shiva parvati. im illiterate, how can i describe?
Significance of Shiva-Parvati Vivaha
Shiva parvati are subjectively Shraddha and Vishwas. Their marriage happened. In our heart both must be there. Shraddha & Vishwas when we have, then only Atma-jnana happens. Even secular knowledge comes only by Shraddha. Shradhha is limited to God,Vedas. But we do have shraddha on our buddhi, indriyas. There is no one who does not have shraddha. You have shraddha in some ideal, some leader. communist doesnt belive in religion but belives in Karlmarx. Scientist also depends on his equipments.
Shraddha if we have on the imperceptible Self, then life is fulfilled.
Shadanan was born through them. Jnana is product of Shraddha and vishwas and Jnana kills Tarakasura who is Ignorance and delusion.
Adhidaivik are Shiva and Parvati. Their marriage was explained in Adibhautik way though they are devatas. Adhyatmik meaning also we saw above.
Bharadwaj rishi’s question lead to Shiva Parvati katha because Parvati also asked a similar question in the past.
Bharadwaj rishi felt very happy hearing Shiva charitra.
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Post 5
Shiv parvati are dev-rup. So in devatas also Ramakatha is priya
Kakbhushundi and Garuda. birds also love Ramkatha
Yajnavalkya & bhardvaj - rishis also love it.
tulsidasji - saint - Saints also love it.
Jnana, bhakti, karma, deenabhakti - all types of sadhaks get something here as per their adhikaar.
Bharadvaj muni lives in Prayag. Yag is yagna. Where best yagna happens is Prayag. Where ego is sacrificed is prayag.
Doha 45 chaupais
Bharadvaj Muni asks Yagnavalkya Rishi:
One prince Ram is known as son of Dashrath who married Sita and killed Ravana etc. Another is Sarvajna paramatma Ram. Are both same?
Doha 47 Chaupais
If Ram is Brahman, how can he be so sad at loss of Sita? If he is Sad, how can he be Brahman?
Yagnavalkya said - You are ram bhakt. You ask question like this like an ignorant man because you want to listen to Ram-katha.
Ram katha destroys the demon of ignorance of Mahisasura. Ram Katha is like Kalika. Ram katha is like the moonbeams that are drunk in by chakora bird in the form of saints.
A similar doubt was expressed by no less than Parvati to Shiva. Now the story goes to another ghat at Kailash.
There are many people who say we believe only in Atmaram. We don’t believe in this Ram of Ramayana.
What is the Pramana Grantha about Sri Ram? Ramayana, Bhagavad, Mahabharat, Vedas also. None of them say that Ram was only a great person and later people made him God. Ram is God in all the Granthas.
If he is God, how can he be Viyogi ram? If he is Viyogi, how is he God?
Answer: Why can’t it be? Whats the problem? A rich person also acts as a beggar in a play. One may even die in the play. Same way the Lord also is playing a role. Its a leela. But why did the Lord take up this role? Why did he take Avataar?
Doha 48 chaupais
Once Shiva went to Sri Agastya Rishi(Kumbhaj rishi). Agastya Ramayana is also there. Lord Shiv who is creator of Ramayana, he also goes to listen to Katha of Ram with Dakshakumari Sati(Not Parvati). See the glory of Ram-Katha and humility of Lord Shiva.
Daksha was fully into karmakand. His mind was in the world. He din’t like sannyas and vairagya. He dint like Lord Shiva. Daksha was buddhivadi also. Shraddha, vishwas, prem was not there. Sati is Daksha-kanya. So some samskaars have come into her. SHe has married shivji and so she has bhakti, shraddha also.
Agastya Rishi did worship of Shivji and asked the boon of Hari bhakti.
Shivji heard the Ramayana of earlier Kalpa. After hearing the story, Shivji left with Sati. It seems Sati had not heard Ramayana properly. Shivji knew that Ram Avataar has happened in the present and some leela is going on. Shivji thinks, if i can have his darshan, it would be great. As per what is happening now in his life, Ram is in Dandaka Van. He was feeling - will i get His darshan? Shiva was a bit disturbed. Sati also noticed this.
Doha 49 chaupais
Katha was at the point where Ram was in viyog after Sitaji was captured by Ravana. This is the prasang. Shiva felt happy to see Ram. But he dint want to go there because Rasbhang will happen. So he just did Jai Sacchidananda from top and kept going. Sati saw, whom did Shiva do Namaskaar to? One who is so miserable, is he sacchidananda? Sati wondered.
Why will that Lord take avataar like this? But if shiva said it, there will be a reason. it wont be wrong.
Ram leela when we see, there will be delusion.
Ram katha when we hear, it removes the delusion.
Doha 51 chaupais
Sati was told by Shiva, that katha which we heard just now, that Ram only is this. THis Ram is my ishta devata also. He is Paramatma only. He took avatar for devotee’s benefit.
Sati could not understand even after so manny times Lord Shiva explained. What to talk of us?
Lord Shiva then said, if you have a shanka, then test him. Brahman cannot be tested. We can only have Jignasaa about Brahman. Not pariksha. With Jinasaa one does reflection. To take pariksha, someone greater has to be there. There is nothing greater than Brahman to take His pariksha.
But Sati went to take test. Shiva wondered. Shivji felt i did what best i could, whatever happens will be by Ram’s Grace only and he started doing Japa of Hari naam. (Hohihi soi jo ram rachi rakha…)
Doha 53 chaupais
Sati felt, that he is searching Sita, let me take the form of Sita and go and let us see if He is sarvajna. Sati went in front of Sri Ram. Sitaji usually walks behind Ram. When she came that way, even Lakshmanji found out that this is not Sita. Ram said - this maya of mine is very powerful. He started praising his own Maya.
Sri Ram asked Sati - “Where is Lord Shiva?. Why are you roaming in this forest alone? How did you leave your husband, the Lord and the Adi guru?”
Sati got a little scared. Sati saw Ram Sita Lakshman everywhere and all devi devatas are worshipping them. Sati got confused and returned.
Doha 54 to 58 Chaupais
Shiva asked her, all is well? Tell me, how did you test Brahman?
Mistake 1: She dint listen to the Katha properly.
Mistake 2: Then Shivji told her but she could not understand and wanted to test
Mistake 3: She went to test Brahman
Mistake 4: She replied to Shivji that i dint test Ram. He did pranam and i also did Pranam. She lied. Shivji found out this is not true.
Shivji said- Sati took the form of Sita who is the wife of my ishta-dev. now how can i be a husband to Sati? He sees Sita in Upasya form. Now how can he see Sati as wife when she had taken upasya form.
Shiva dint tell her anything but in mind he thought that now with this body i cannot relate with her as a husband. If he told her, she would be sad. At that time there was an akash-vani - Jai mahesh - you have set such high standards for Ram bhakti. You took an oath which no one else can take.
Sati heard the vani and asked - what oath did you take? Sati told lies to Shivji but tells shivji to tell her the Truth only. We may be dishonest but we want our accountant, watchman etc. to be honest.
Shivji dint say anything. Sati understood that something serious has happened. Sati felt that she did wrong.
Shivji and Sati reached Kailas by then. He went and sat in meditation for many years. Sati understood that Shivji does not want to have sambandh with her. He has given me the karmaphal of mine. Her love was in Shiva but due to Daksha sanskaar she did tarka-kutarka. She told Brahmaji that what will i do with this body? devise a plan for me to drop this body. This way Sati was very sad.
Doha 60,61,62 chaupais
87000 years went by and Shivji opened his eyes and remembered Ram.
Shivji told Sati to sit in front. Generally wife sits on the left side. Once Sati sat in front, he started telling her katha.
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Post 4
Doha 31
Ram katha’s glory
I was not understanding the katha Tulsidasji says. Guru was kind and compassionate and repeated it many times. What i studied and understood, now im going to express in language. Why?
more mana prabodh jehi hoi. Im writing to awaken my mind. Earlier he had said svantah sukhaya… For my happiness. Indicates both head and heart must be developed.
God is in my heart and whatever inspiration he provides, as per that i will write.
Ram katha removes doubts, delusions etc.
Ram katha is budh-vishram. Intellectual debates keep happening by scholars. They find relaxation in Katha.
Bhaktas find great joy in it. ordinary people also are delighted.
Seeing Ram leela can cause brahama or delusion.
Ram katha removes that bhram when you listen from a teacher.
For 10 years out of 14 years of exile, Lord Ram was in chitrakoot.
Chitrakoot is a purified mind and the mandakini river flowing there is Ram katha. Tulsidasji says the devotion rising in your heart is the garden there. Then Ram and Sita will do vihar there. Sitaji is shanti and Ram is Anand.
Doha 32 & 33
Ram avataar has not happened once. many times. ramayana, rama avatar keep happening. Why? Because Ravanas keep coming.
Different versions exist and all are right because it has happened in different Kalphas or cycles of Creation. Many people keep thinking which version is right and wrong. Some think - Valmiki Ramayana alone is historical and true. Rest is imagination only.
Shivji created Ramacharita and kept it in his mind. He kept this name - Ram Charit Manas. He narrated it to Uma Parvati at an appropriate time. Manasarovar is there near kailash. Ramcharitmanas is also like a Manasarovar.
Ram-raksha stotra says - rame chitta layah sada bhavatu me.
Manas is mind. May our mind be absorbed in Ram. How? by study, understanding and singing glory of Ram charit.
Katha was heard by Tulsidasji from his Guru but he says this Tulsi Ramayana he created because of Shivji’s grace. Only a person like Tulsidasji can get HIS Grace.
From Manasarovar there is a small river that flows, its called Sarayu. Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidasji is also like that he says.
Manasaraovar is a famous teerth in this world. Another is Bhakti-sahityamay Ramcharitmanas Sarovar.
Doha 36 chaupais Shambhu prasad sumati….
By the Grace of Shambhu(One who brings auspiciousness), good thoughts and sankalpa came to his mind and Tulsidasji became composer of Ramayana.
Sarovar can’t be in a flat ground. It has to be deep. Sumati is the bhoomi. Sundar, sukshma buddhi is the flat ground. Hridaya agadhu is the depth. Water is Veda purana udadhi. They are like ocean. But ocean water we can’t drink. But same water gets evaporated, goes up and rains and that is sweet. Sadhus are the clouds. Veda is not understood by all. They read it and share the knowledge with others. Rains are the yash of the Lord or glory of the Lord that showers on everyone. If we have sumati and hridaya agadhu etc. then our heart also will have such a sarovar.
This water that rains is madhur, mahohar and mangalkari.
Surface of this Sarovar is Sagun leela of the Lord. One who doesn’t want to go to the depth and just take bath on the surface, should listen to Saguna leela of the Lord. Prembhakti of sagun leela is madhur, sheetal. Such water is the water of Yash or glory of the Lord. This water is extremely important for punya karma(harvest crop). It is the life for devotees. The water is dropped on the soil of the intellect through our ears and collects in our heart. God’s glory enters our heart through the ears.
3 sarovars:
1. Mana sarovar in Kailash.
2. Manasarovar is Ramcharitmanas.
3. We can create a sarovar in our heart.
Doha 37 chaupais
In this Sarovar there are ghats made for people to take bath.
Ghats have steps. in some places they have chains also due to powerful flow. 4 ghats are made here and there are 7 steps on these ghats. Ramayana’s 7 kands are the steps. 4 ghats are there where the Lord’s glory is being sung.
Ghat 1 - Shivji is narrating to the Lord. Its in kailash. Its called Jnana Ghat.
Ghat 2 - At Meru parvat. Called Upasana Ghat. Kakbhushundiji is narrating to Garudji. Bhakti makes a crow also great that he can talk to king of birds - Garuda
Ghat 3 - Yagnavalkya to Bharadvaj rishi at Prayag. Karma Ghat
Ghat 4 - Benaras and Chitrakoot. Tulsidasji is the speaker. audience are people and saints. This is called Deena ghat. Deena means - Garib, besahara, dayaneeya. Jnana karma and upasana are difficult for me says a seeker. If the Lord does something then alone its possible for me to get Moksha. This is Deena-bhakti.
Youngster can do anything by himself to fulfil hunger. But a small child is helpless and he can only cry and mother comes running and feeds him milk.
Nirguna svarup is the Depth of the sarovar. Samarth Ramdas says - Saguna ka khandan karke nirgun ka dhyan mat karo and vice versa. Both are aspects of the Lord.
Sarovar has waves and creepers. birds will come there. flowers are there and bees are hovering on it.
Chanda, sortha, doha and chaupai are 4 styles. doha and sortha have same number of alphabets but their vishram sthan are different.
Saintly people who sing the glory of the Lord are the birds.
Vasant rtu brings newness. everything springs forth in spring. Shraddha is vasanta rtu. When faith comes into our heart, then bhakti increases.
sama jama niyama are flowers and fruit is Knowledge. Hari pad rati is the rasa of that fruit of knowledge. we want rasa, can it happen without fruits? can there be fruit without flower? No. sama, yama, niyama etc. alone is done by people. some only read but don’t do sadhana. we need to do all. we want fruit without rasa? no. some people say we are jnana margi and dont talk to us about Ras. these are like fruitsellers who sell fruits but dont enjoy rasa. some say we are bhakti margis dont talk to us about Upanishads. They want only rasa without fruit. how its possible? Everything is important. in one line so much Tulsidasji said.
Doha 38 chaupais jo gavahi…..
Those who carefully recite this poem, they alone are the vigilant guardians of the lake.
Who doesn’t like to go to this sarovar? those who are sensual, who are lazy and who dont want to take strain…
Even those who go there, some don’t take a dip in the sarovar and come back because they got fever etc. They come back and criticise the Manasarovar. Same way people dont study or study and then they criticise geeta, ramayana etc.
Doha 38
Those who don’t have faith(sambal - raste ka kharcha, kahana etc.) and don’t have saints with them(good company), for them this travel is very difficult and they don’t even have Love for Ram. In any yatra, these 3 are important - Devotion, Faith, good company.
Sarayu came out from such a Manasarovar.
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Post 3
Jnana, buddhi, vairagya etc. all are attained through satsang. Someone says i got it because of university. That buddhi with which i do good to others and position which is not snatched from us by anyone, that is attained only through satsang.
Without satsang Viveka cannot be done. Satsang comes by HIS Grace.
Satsang is like the fruit and all other sadhanas are like flowers. Getting satsang is the result of other sadhanas.
Satsang mahima Tulsidasji says he can’t describe. One who sells vegetables does not know the value of diamonds and pearls.
God can’t be described but we can sing His bhajan and glory to purify our mind. He is Garib niwaj. He has kept all basics like air, food, water…free and made the non-essentials - diamonds, pearls etc. costly. In the world people keep charging for basics also but its all free from God. Tulsidasji says this in Kavitavali
All the kavis who in the past composed, who are composing now and who are going to compose in future, all of them may they bless me because im not capable of writing. Such humility Tulsidasji has.
Namaskaar to Ayodhya Nagari. It gives moksha. There is Saryu nadi there. it destroys kali dosha. salutations to the praja here because Ram showered love on them so much. Otherwise they were so critical of Sitaji that they were worthy of going to Hell. Lord Sri Ram forgives their unforgivable sin of accusing Sita and he took them to Saket lok. When the Lord was going to forest, they all came behind him but they spoke ill of Sitaji when Sri Ram & Sita returned. People ask about why Ram sent Sita to forest but they don’t ask - why Praja criticised her and spoke ill.
Lord Rama was born to Kausalya and Dashratha, because they were so punyashali. I salute all of them.
Please shower your grace thinking of me as your sevak. Or think of me as your suta-sevak. Ram is your son and im his sevak. When you love your son and he is abroad, a friend who comes from there, becomes so dear to you. Putra’s mitra is dear.
Having created Sri Ram, Brahmaji also became fortunate. What fortune it is to be the Father and mother of the Lord who is the Infinite cause of the creation. Its the height of fortune and blessing.
Dashrath maharaj’s love for Ram was true. He was hopeful that Bhagavan may come back but after a few days he left his body like one drops a straw. I salute him says Tulsidasji.
Janak maharaj also i salute. He is yogi and also a king. In doing all this, he had hidden Ram-prem. As soon as he saw the Lord, it manifested.
While doing salutations, Tulsidasji presented their greatness.
By Sri Ram’s grace when will it happen that my svabhava will become like a saint? Shurta, virta, madhurta…all gets attracted automatically there.
I salute Bharat’s feet because the vrat and niyam that he followed, it can’t be followed. Its not easy. In the lotus feet of the Lord, Bharatji’s mind is like an intoxicated bee thirsting for honey. Lotus is symbol of sundarta, pavitrata, sugandh etc. Bharat is not always with Ram. Like lotus and bees are not togther always.
Salute Lakshmanji’s lotus feet. laxmanji is sheetal. What? It seems he is very angry. But by himself he is sheetal. Only when Ramji’s insult or harm he can’t bear. Lakshman hoists the flag of Ram-glory very high. He is like the flagpost. Flag and flagpost can’t be separated from each other.
Flag goes up by the support of the flagpost but people salute the flag and not the flagpost. Lakshmanji says you keep seeing Ram. Don’t look at me.
Lakshman and Ram are always together unlike Bharat & Ram. That’s why flagpost and flag analogy here because they are never separate.
Please shower your grace on me O Lakshmanji.
Shatrughna is shur, susheel and follows Bharatji. Ripusudana means shatrughna. Shatru means shaatanaat taapayati. One who troubles us is our enemy. Our mind and ego is our enemy. There are no enemies outside. Shatrughna had given up his ego. Bharatji is Ram’s sevak. Shatrughna is Bharat’s sevak. This calls for great humility because he is sevak’s sevak.
I salute Hanumanji. When devotees sing glory of the Lord, it is not unusual but if God sings the glory of devotees, it is great. Lord sings the glory of Hanuman. He is punisher of dushta like fire who burns them all but in His heart there is only the Lord.
Sugriva, jambavan, vibhishana…i salute all of them because by serving Sri Ram they reached great heights. They served selflessly. Others were related to Sri Ram. But they are not related.
Janaka suta is Jagadjanani. She is dear to Karunanidhan bhagavan.
I salute her by whose grace we get nirmal buddhi. Nirmal man jan so mohi paava says Sri Ram. How will we get this? by Sitaji’s Grace. Earn it with effort.
Glory of Bhagvan’s name. Dohas 19’s chaupais onwards
Nam-mahima the way it is here, is nowhere.
Bhagavan’s name has so much power that no one can do so many sins which cannot be destroyed by His name. All sins can be destroyed.
ra aa ma are 3 alphabets in Raam. God’s name is like fire destroys the sins. illumines knowledge like sun and provides peace like moon.
valmiki chanted mara mara and transformed.
Parvati is told by Shiva that if you dont get time to do sadhana because of taking are of Ganesh and Kartikeya, then just say Ram. It is equal to chanting Vishnu Sahasranama.
Doha 19
Ram naam is like rainy season’s 4 months. Crops grow due to it. Ram bhakti when it rains, great devotees are born. Jyeshtha, Ashad, Shravan, Bhadrapad are 4 months of Rainy seasons. Ra is like shravan maas. ma is bhaadrapad. If you want to become Ram bHakta, have bhakti. By remembering Ram there will be rain of Bhakti in your heart.
Doha 20
Ra and ma both go above the alphabets as rephadesh and as anusvara.
In Krishna, Kr- r as a vowel goes below ka but it also lifts Ka or not?
Nama & rupa priti is described. They are like prabhu & sevak. Naam is prabhu and rupa is sevak. Naam comes first and then rupa. Cow when we say, then the form comes in your mind. We say - child is born first and then we give the name. But the name you give has always been there. Raam naam was always there. Rupa came when birth happened.
If the thing is in front and you dont know the name, when asked do you know this, we say no. I may be in front of a rose flower and yet i don’t know the name and someone asks do you know rose flower, i say no. What a fool!
Diamond is not known till someone tell us.
Joy of meeting and enjoyment are also there only when known through name. With form, it is necessary to be close to enjoy. With name, just remembering it is enough and it brings joy. Name brings the form close to us. Form may be there but it is still far without name.
God is nirguna or sagun? Bhagvan is nirgun inside and sagun outside. Ram naam will illumine both nirgun and sagun.
Name of the Lord is Patitapavan.
Story: One person was taking name of the Lord Ram. Another asked i have done sins. how to purify myself? the person said - in a flowing river, say Ram Ram and take a dip. Mother of that person said - why you said twice? Just once if you say Ram it is enough.
People have more faith in their name than God’s name. Go and tell my name and your work will be done. The power of God’s name is great. Jo naam ka pratap hai. Even Ram cannot describe the glory of God’s name.
When we do jap, chant loudly. chanting mentally we delude ourselves sometimes because mind wanders.
japaat sidhihi japaat siddhih japaat siddhi na samshayaha.
Samarth Ramdas did 13 crore times japa of Sri Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram. That also standing in river. 12 years he took.
There are 4 types of devotees said in the Geeta. But their adhaar is Name alone.
God has Nirguna, Nirakar, Nirvishesh and Sagun, sakaar. Name of the Lord is greater than both the form and formless nature. This is not an exaggeration.
Like fire is unmanifest in wood. It manifests as flames. It gives warmth, heat and light. Nirgun Nirakar is like unmanifest Sachitananda. Sagun Sakar is like the flame - taking avatar and manifesting.
How is name greater? A thing is known only by name. Till i dont know the name and what it is meant for, the joy of having it and also its benefits wont be experienced by us. Eg. having a diamond and not knowing it.
God is in our heart as Anandsvarup. But did we experience anything? No. we are still miserable. Why? because we dint recognise HIM in our heart. Name of the Lord alone introduces us to both Nirguna and Saguna. Tatvamasi or sachhidananda etc. are names of that Supreme.
anta mein nikala yaha parinaam. prabhu se bada prabhu ka naam.
Dohas of Chaupais 24
Ram took avatar and went through so much for the sake of devotees and sadhus. Name one takes with devotion and without much effort it makes us happy. The Name of the Lord does not go through pain.
Ram gave one ahalya uddhar. Name liberated thousands
Ram killed Tadaka, Marich and Subahu. Name destroys Tadaka - Avidya & durasha. March & Subahu are dukha and dosha. Name destroys many many agitations within.
God’s main work is uddhar and not samhaar. Chronologically tadaka is killed first and then ahalya uddhar happens. But here, ahalya uddhar is first and then tadaka vadh. Thats the indicator that the purpose of the Avatar is Uddhar & not Samhaar.
Ram broke shiva dhanush. Name breaks the bhava-bandhana.,
Ram killed rakshasas army. Name purifies our mind, of agitations.
Ram gave liberation to Jayatu, sabari etc. Name liberates countless people.
Ram built a bridge. Name takes us across samsaar sagar.
Ram killed Ravana Kumbhakarna. Name kills raag and dvesh
Atmabodh has a shloka - tirtva moharnavam…..atmarajo virajate.
Dhruv, prahlad etc got liberated by name only
Kaliyug name alone is enough. Sat yug has dhyan. treta has yajna. dwapar has dana. kali kaal papas are too many and God alone can destory these. Name remembrance invokes HIS grace for this.
Doha 29
God was sitting below trees and monkeys perched on trees. But God made these monkeys also great by giving them equal status. God is very compassionate.
Story: one person had a rule. he would feed someone and then only eat. Once no one came and after sometime a baba came and he said - God’s grace you came. can i give you food. Baba said - which god what god? i don’t believe. This person took away the food and pattal etc. God said to him - I give food everyday to this person though he criticizes me. You can’t give for one day?
Doha 30
Yagnavalkya Rishi told the story to Sage bharadvaja.
Shiva composed 100 crore stanzas as Ramayana. He distributed it to everyone but dint distribute two alphabets - Ra ma.
Shivji first recited this to Parvatiji. Shiva - > Kakabhushundhi - > Yajnavalkya -> Bharadvaja.
Someone says - Tulsidasji from where did you get this Knowledge>?
From Rambola to Tulsidas he became due to Guru Narhari anand’s grace. He heard from his guru.
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Post 2
Anubandha Chatushtaya of Sri Ramcharitmanas
What is the Vishaya or Subject of Sri Ramcharitmanas?
Sri Ram’s life and character is the main subject of Sri Ramcharitmanas.
What is the Prayojan or Purpose of writing Sri Ramcharitmanas?
Sri Ram Prem & Bhakti. Bhakti is the essence of Life. People may have different purposes of life but according to Tulsidasji, it is - Our mind must be filled with Ram prem.
Who is the Adhikari or an Eligible Recipient?
Katha rasik. Ram premi, Ram Bhakta. There are many scholars researching on Ramayana. Vastra, alankar, shakun, apashakun, politics, war etc.and they will present all these in detail.
Some will argue Ram was Historical or not? They will prove He was not historical. Some will say - He was only a great person and later people made him Bhagavan. Don’t listen to all this. Have one thought in the mind - Ram is God.
Ram bhakta is the adhikari who will benefit maximum. Adhikari here does not mean an officer. It means one who is eligible. Whoever reads, will get something out of it. But an Adhikari will benefit maximum.
What is the Sambanda?
Study of Ramcharitmanas will lead to the fulfilment of the Prayojan - Rambhakti will develop in our heart.
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Baalkand Invocation verses
- Varnanam artha sanghaanaam…
beejakshara is va. so the invocation begins with va. Ramayana ends with manavaha. ends with va also. Va is indicative of amritatva. Poem is amar, katha is amar, nayak is amar, vakta shrota is amar and result is also amaratva. Vani(Saraswati Devi) & Vinayaka(Ganeshji) are invoked in this verse.
2. Bhavani shankarau vande….
3. Vande bodhamayam nityam….
We salute Bhavani and Shankara. Saguna sakar rup we know. But here they are described as shraddha and vishwas. Why salute them? Without them the great seekers also don’t recognise the Lord in the heart. Shraddhavaan labhate jnanam says Geeta.
Ishwar is a topic of dispute. God exists or not? Those who have shraddha, they don’t need any proofs. Those who don’t have faith - no logic will work even if you give enough proof.
4. Sitaraama gunagraama….
Kavishvara - Adi kavi valmikiji. Kapishwara - Hanumanji.
Salutations to both of them. why? Because both of them do vihar or ramanam in the forest of the virtues of Sri Ram & Sitaji.
kujantam rama rameti madhuram madhuraksharam
aruhya kavita shaakhaam vande valmiki kokilam..is said about Valmikiji.
Valmikiji is the Kokila bird that sings Ram Ram sweetly having climbed upon a poetic branch.
Salutations to Valmikiji and Hanumanji whose knowledge is pure.
5. Salutations to Sitaji.
She is the power of the Lord. Creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world. She removes the klesha of the mind. Dukha nivritti and ananda prapti we want. Sitaji gives us that. She is dearest to the Lord.
6. Sri Ram
In Whose control is Maya, which controls the world, devatas and asuras etc.
World appears real only because of Sri Ram. Those who want to cross the ocean of samsaar, they need a boat. Sri Ram’s feet alone are the boat to cross the ocean of samsaar. To that Ishwara who is the Ram, Hari, the ultimate God, i salute HIM.
Sitaji - Klesha harinim shreyaskarim
Ramji - Ashesha karana param
Ram is Brahman. Substratum of the whole universe. Ashesha kaarana param.
Ram is Ishwara because he is yanmayavashavartivishvam akhilam
Ram is Avataara - yat paadaplavamekameva hi bhavaambodhertitirshaavataam.
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In Ramayana, what is said is not imagination of one’s mind. In many Vedas(Nigama), Agam(Tantra shastra etc.) it is mentioned. Whatever is said in Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana and many other poets etc. is said here. Tulsidasji had studied many Ramayanas. Even Kamba Ramayana he had studies it seems.
*****
Why are you writing this? So many Ramayanas are already there.
Tulsidasji says: Svantah Sukhaya. Its for one’s own reflection and joy. Its not for proving anything. Some people can say this is not correct and it it happen this way etc. But thats not the purpose of this.
Sukha is only when the mind is pure(shuddha antahkarana)
So it is to purify the mind and experience bliss that i am writing this.
It is said Tulsidasji wrote in Sanskrit and whatever he used to write would disappear. So Shivji said change the language. Interesting is Tulsidasji wrote in Avadhi and another poet has translated this into sanskrit.
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4 types of chanda in Tulsi Ramayana
- Doha
- Sortha
- Chanda
- Shloka
Sortha 2:
muka hoi vachala pangu chadhai girivara gahana
Jaasu kripa so dayaala dravau skala kalimala-dahana
By HIS Grace a dumb person speaks and the lame person climbs mountains. IN sanskrit it is mukam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim… the lame crosses the mountains. It ends with paramananda madhavam. It is a stuti of Lord Madhava.
Here in this sortha, no deity is mentioned. Whose stuti it is? In our culture we have panchayatana pooja- Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti & Surya. Ganapati stuti done earlier. Vishnu comes later. Shiva & Shakti also done earlier. So here it is Surya stuti. How? When a child is born he is muka and pangu - Dumb and lame. By Surya’s grace and Sunlight only he grows and starts speaking and climb the mountain.
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Sortha 5:
Bandau guru pada kanja kripasindhu nararupa hari
Mahamoha tama punja jaasu vachana ravi kar nikara.
I salute the lotus feet of Gurudev who is kripa-sindhu, who is hari in human form. Like sun’s rays dispel darkness, same way the Guru’s words dispel ignorance
In some places it is also said nara rupa hara. With hara it matches well with nikara. Hara is Shiva. Shiva is guru. Earlier also it was said vande bodhamayam nityam gurum shankara rupinam. Also Shivji’s grace only Tulsidasji learnt Ramayana. Hara and hari are same only. Each resides in the heart of the other. Also the Guru of Sri Tulsidasji is Narahari. So his Guru is also mentioned indirectly.
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Guru’s stutis - chaupais and doha 1
Serve the Guru’s feet and let the dust of the lotus feet of the Guru be on your head. Guru’s toe-nails are DIvine and shining. They will remove the darkness of ignorance. One whose heart this divine light comes, that person is fortunate and blessed. One who is blessed receives it in his/her heart. Not everyone has this fortune.
Some types of anjana called Siddhanjan are there which when we apply, we can see hidden treasures and things. When one meditates on the Guru’s feet dust, toe-nail brilliance, then whatever is hidden wealth, one starts seeing it in hill tops, forest and bowels of earth. It also means that Ramji’s life one understands well because bhagavan lived on all these 3 places - on hills, forests and earth.
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Chaupais of doha 2
Then Tulsidasji prostrates sattvik people. Do satsang.
Sadhu here does not mean only formal sadhu. Sadhu means good. Good people are meant. Their life is like cotton- niras - no taste. Cotton becomes thread and then cloth is made from it. Clothes hide the limitations of our body. But from the seed to the cloth, the cotton goes through so much pain. Sajjan and sadhus will go through pain but they help others. They are niras. They have vairagya. no rasa for samsaara. piba re rama rasam. whoever stays with sadhus becomes famous with virtues.
Sadhus are called Prayagraj Thirthraj. Prayagraj has ganga, jamuna & Saraswati sangam, akshay vatvriksha etc. Seekers have to go there with their effort. Sant samaj are mobile teerthraj. They will come to you. They have triveni sangam. Ram bhakti - Ganga, Brahmavidya- Saraswati, Vidhi-nishedhatmak karma is Yamunaji. Some people said Saraswati is not visible there. Sadhus are the saraswati actually. Akshay vat symbolises the faith in one’s sadhana.
Our Poojya Gurudev was also mobile prayag. To every nook and corner of the world he reached this Self-knowledge by himself.
taranti anena samsaar sagar iti tirtham. whoever takes dip in this satsang-teerthraj gets moksha.
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Post 1
In one play a question was raised - why everyone wants to sing the glory of Sri Ram only? Poetry, music, theatre, dance, literature…why so much for Ram? The person answered: This is the fault of the Lord’s virtues. Its not the fault of the writers. Lord is such that he attracts everyone to HIM and they are compelled to write.
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What is attractive about Ram Katha?
- What we want to see in ourselves and elsewhere, it is found here. It provides us Role-models and higher ideals which bring out our potential.
- If we write about a great person, it is inspiring. Here Sri Ram - The Lord and Sitaji who is purity embodied, these are the nayak/nayika. Bhagavan/Bhagavati are the lead roles here. The supportive cast also are so exalted. Laxman, Bharat, Shatrughna, Hanuman….
- The authors Valmiki, Tulsidasji, Kamban etc. are also filled with devotion and dispassion. They want nothing except Ram-prem. They have became Bhagvat-svarup writing about Bhagavan.
- Ramayana is also about Prem, Seva, Tyag. We all want to relate with Love, Service & Sacrifice.
- It is not just a poem. Its a dharmashastra, vyavahar shastra, samaaj shastra, sadhana path pradarshak, adhyatma shashtra etc. and much more.
The more we read and study Ramayana, the attraction will keep increasing. It wont decrease. Pratikshanam vardhamaanam.
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We think our child is smart only because he uses gadgets. Smartness is in cultivating viveka and that happens through Satsang. We have smart phone and smart board but smart-viveka is not there. Send your children to Satsang and make them truly smart.
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Both saints and wicked people give sorrow. How? When we meet a wicked person we are miserable. When we depart from a saint we feel sorrow.
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In the lotus feet of the Lord, Bharatji mind is like an intoxicated bee thirsting for honey. Lotus is symbol of sundarta, pavitrata, sugandh etc. Bharat is not always with Ram. Like lotus and bees are not togther always.
Salute Lakshmanji’s lotus feet. Laxmanji is sheetal. Generally we think he is very angry. But by himself he is sheetal. Ramji’s insult or pain he can’t bear and gets angry. Lakshman hoists the flag of Ram-glory very high. He is like the flagpost. Flag and flagpost can’t be separated from each other. Flag goes up by the support of the flagpost but people salute the flag and not the flagpost. Lakshmanji says you keep seeing Ram. Don’t look at me.
Lakshman and Ram are always together unlike Bharat & Ram. That’s why flagpost and flag analogy here because they are never separate and Lotus and Bees Analogy for Bharat because they get separated.
Please shower your grace on me O Bharatji & Lakshmanji.
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Ram aur sita we say. Ram sita are not separate like a book and pen. They are like the word and meaning(Gira arath) WIthout word no meaning can be conveyed & vice versa. Water and waves are not different from each other.
Giraa - Sita
Arth - Ram
Jal - Ram
Vichi - Sita.
Both are one only. We think they are different and then ask- Why did Ram send Sita away? Sita was not abandoned by Sri Ram. How can one abandon one’s self?
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Bhagavan’s name has so much power that no one can do so many sins which cannot be destroyed by His name. All sins can be destroyed by HIS name.
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We want light in our heart and also we want the world to be illumined. Light a lamp of the name of the Lord on the Threshold of your tongue. It will illumine inside and outside. Ram naam is like a precious mani. A lamp gets extinguished by wind. A mani’s light remains always.
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People have more faith in their name than God’s name. Go and tell my name and your work will be done. The power of God’s name is great. Jo naam ka pratap hai. Even Ram cannot describe the glory of God’s name.
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Van(Forest) purified by Ram.
Man(Mind) purified by Naam.
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Sama jama niyama are flowers and fruit is Knowledge. Hari pad rati is the rasa of that fruit of knowledge. (Baalkand Cahupai 14 after Doha 36)
We want rasa, can it happen without fruits? Can there be fruit without flower? No. sama, yama, niyama etc. alone is done by some people.
Some only read but don’t do sadhana. We want fruit without rasa? no. Some people say we are jnana margi and dont talk to us about Ras. These are like fruitsellers who sell fruits but dont enjoy rasa.
Some say we are bhakti margis dont talk to us about Upanishads. They want only rasa without fruit. How its possible? Everything is important. In one line so much Tulsidasji has said.
