In my last article, I discussed about the seeds of Democracy sown in the Ramayana. Let us explore the tragic tale of the Hero to learn and enhance our knowledge as we near the 492 year wait for Lord Ram to come back to his birthplace. I say a tragic tale because at no point in the tale does Lord Ram enjoy a moment of calm around him.
He was born the eldest son of Lord Dasratha and Queen Kausalya. He was annointed the crown Prince and right from a young age he was thrust with the responsibility of living upto the great name of the Suryavanshi clan. He didnt flinch or waiver from his responsibility and inspite of just being a kid, he always displayed remarkable sense of calm, discipline, loyalty and adherence to law. He always displayed a sense of obedience to his elders and stood by his Dharma.
When you think of a person like that, you can only recall the famous line from the movie Batman, where Joker asks, What happens when an unstoppable force collides with an immovable object? The only person who could match the prowess of Lord Rama was Lord Raavana, the King of Golden Lanka and as such, was their fate sealed. The beauty of epics like the Ramayana or the Mahabharata, is that it does not establish the main villain as some barbaric uncouth hooligan but a sophisticated well educated and intelligent person. Thus telling us how human mind can seek to destroy or create based on the choices they make.
The part of the history that I want to tap into today involves the story of Lord Ram and his brother Lakshman accompanying Sage Vishwamitra to aid him in his yagna after being ordered by his father. The fact that Lord Rama does not even for a moment stray from following his father’s words speaks volumes about him. Here is a young man, a crown prince asked to accompany a sage into the forests by his father and he follows as ordered. One can only be amazed at his sense of clarity and Dharma.
Many of us not aware of our true history and influenced by the western culture, forget that we have a history that teaches us to be obedient. It does not mean lack of Independence, it means sense of purpose. Only a person with a sense of purpose and clarity of thought will be willing to obey and follow the command of his parents. Because one important thing to understand is parents will do anything in their power to protect their children. But the influence of Western philosophy and the slow hatred that has been filled into the veins of Indians over everything Hindu, has infested our society with the virus of corruption, self aggrandisement and nepotism.
It is indeed time to explore that part of our culture, which teaches us values and sets us on a path of self discovery rather than limiting us to self centred thought process that we have been subjected to over a thousand years of invasions and occupations. Democracy is a concept which allows for freedom of thought. Now is the time to dust the cobwebs of that part of our history and culture, that have been lying unopened due to sheer negligence and carefully planned and orchestrated apathy created after our Independence by Left liberals towards everything Hindu and its culture.
It is indeed time to understand the rich heritage that we are all proud heirs of, to finally realise the potential that we are all capable of. If Lord Rama is taken as a yardstick, it is not because he is a God, it is because he showed the extent of human capability and perseverance that can achieve miracles and wonders. He was born human but is worshiped as God because of his serenity and calm right from his childhood.
Even for some of those, who want to say that Lord Rama was a figment of imagination and he doesn’t exist, I have a sincere request. Look at it as a figment of imagination but you can still learn a lot. Isn’t that what a good story is supposed to do? Teach you a lesson. So let us learn a lesson of being calm and tranquil even in the most distressing times because we sure are in one. Let us not fall into negativity and use this time to learn the true nature of our history. Even if it’s a figment of imagination, for some, it’s still a figment passed down from generations after generations of our ancestors, so let us treat it with reverence and respect, one should give one’s culture instead of being sucked into the allurement of a philosophy, which preaches self-entitlement and creates a divide amongst communities.
Finally, Lord Rama after the battle in which, he kills Raavanabrahma, does not hate him. He still seeks him out to learn from him. That shows how one can overcome self entitlement and grandeur and still be a student to one who has been beaten by you. Actions speak louder than words and Lord Rama, is worshipped for these actions, which, when followed leads one down the path of enlightenment and that is the true heritage of our culture. So my dear brethren of Bharat, it is indeed time to dig deep into the vaults of our history and learn. The humble nature of our Hero allows him to traverse the difficult path his destiny has chosen for him with utmost grace and humility.
We easily get offended by the slightest of provocation, we turn into animals against those slightly inferior to us and become the lambs for those superior to us. We let negativity rule our minds at the slightest disturbance in our life. We have as a country crawled towards an uncertain future from a diluted past. Now more than ever is the time to understand the true essence of the Maryada Purushottam Bhagwan Sri Rama Chandra Murthy. When state acts against citizens questioning it, most times in a brazen and cavalier attempt to muzzle those questioning it, it certainly becomes imperative on the part of this generation to truly understand what a welfare state should be like.
Wake up my dear brethren of this Punyabhumi, Maa Bharat and look at our history and culture with an open mind. The blue print for a welfare state has long been laid down. Now is the time to explore the idea of that Bharat. A Bharat, where each and every individual respects one another. A Bharat, where Dharma is the cornerstone and humility the bulwark. A Bharat, where law reigns supreme and State is but a humble servant of that law. That is how Rama saw himself and that is what we can learn. Jai Shri Ram.
