It’s said that A monarchy conducted with infinite wisdom and infinite benevolence is the most perfect of all possible governments. Planet earth witnessed the dawn of many rudimentary kingdoms with muddled rulers who were reneged in the path of Truth. Their modus operandi always missed the focussed part of keeping their subjects happy. Self-centred attitude became substratum of their decision making. Their anomalous policy making often landed them in peril and turned their kingdom into chaotic situations. If we underwrite the regime of these rulers, we would come to conclusion that it was despotic and tragic. Planet earth always missed the utopian reforms to keep their subjects in pinnacle state.
So, in this furore of negative rein, was there any towering personality who stood apart from the rest? Was there any King who had the power to effect the change? Was there anyone who could drive this difference? Was there any ruler who rejected the element of luxury and who projected the Golden Circle Thinking?
We have the answer!!
Saint Valmiki, Epic poet of India mentioned in Ramayana
आत्मवान् को जित क्रोधो द्युतिमान् कः अनसूयकः
कस्य बिभ्यति देवाः च जात रोषस्य संयुगे
“Who is that courageous one, who controlled his ire, who is brilliant, non-jealous and even whom do the Gods fear, when provoked to war…”
It is Sri Ramachandra of Ayodhya, India. Ramachandra is a very special and unique monarch. He was the figure of valour and vigour. For Rama means: He who is bliss, he who confers bliss – ‘Ramathe Ramayathe ithi Rama’. King Rama belonged to the hallowed Ikshavaku dynasty. It is believed to be the lineage of Surya or the Sun God.
Rama displayed great royal qualities even as a child. He always displayed great idealism among his brothers. His brothers Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrugna were loyal to the word of Rama. Rama was the cynosure of Ayodhya. Humility was synonymous and Rama was antonymous to ego.
Rama obeyed his father King Dasharatha with utmost humility, when he was ordered to go in to the forest for 14 years along with his wife Sita. He always held His father in high esteem and regarded all three queens of Dasharatha: – Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra in equal status. Rama and His wife Sita, along with his brother Lakshmana proceeded to the unpredictable forest leaving behind the cushy luxuries of Ayodhya. This is idealism at its best in the Modern-day world wherein, there is competition to overthrow one’s own parents for possessions.
Rama was Pollyannaish, who with his magic brought back peaceful order in the forest and strived hard to wipe off the tiffs between various learned seers, scholars and philosophers.
A demon king named Ravana had abducted Rama’s beloved wife Sita. Rama and Lakshmana in search of Sita came in association with Sugriva, the Monkey King and his Monkey troop.
Rama was a leader of the masses. He inspired this very monkey troop to forge an elongated bridge from the Southern tip of India to the mighty kingdom of Ravana in Sri Lanka.
With this feeble army of monkeys, Rama overpowered Ravana and his brutal forces and established Righteousness in Lanka and rescued his wife, Sita. He was the symbol of Righteous Anger. Rama coronated Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana as the new king of Lanka. Here is an interesting episode which depicted the patriotism of Rama, when his dear brother Lakshmana requested him to become the New King of Lanka. Rama illuminated Lakshmana with a prophetic statement “Janani Janma-bhoomi-scha Swargadapi Gariyasi”. This verse in Sanskrit means “Mother and motherland are superior to Heaven.”
Rama, the Inspiration of Masses
The inspiration of Rama was so impactful that it even changed a stone to a human being.
An ordinary monkey became God through the power of Rama. It could fly across the vast oceans with this inspiration of Rama. That ordinary monkey became the extraordinary Hanuman who is worshipped by entire India today, as a symbol of impeccable courage and strong devotion towards Rama.
Rama’s name itself was so powerful that it turned a notorious dacoit called Ratnakara to the scholarly Valmiki. Valmiki is the author of the Epic – Ramayana. Valmiki was the first person in the world to compose Shlokas or verses in the Sanskrit language.
The energy of King Rama could turn Narayan Suryaji Thosar, an introvert to an Impersonal Philosopher who was later called as Samartha Ramadas. Samartha Ramadas was the mentor of the invincible Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha ruler.
The ecstatic Rama’s name could turn Kakarla Tyagabrahmam into Saint Thygaraja, a greatest composer of Carnatic Music.
The mellifluous Rama’s name could turn Kancharla Gopanna, a village folk into Bhaktha Ramadas, who built the famous Bhadrachalam Temple. It could turn Mohandas Karmachand Gandhi, a confused and coward school boy into Mahatma Gandhi, The Father of India.
Ramayana
Many limit Ramayana and the power of Rama only to India and its neighbouring countries but, the inspiration of Rama is beyond any physical boundaries. It’s Transcendental. In Indonesia, the world’s largest Islamic nation, both Ramayana and Mahabharata are compulsory subjects in most of their universities. The Indonesian version of Ramayana is called as the Kakawin Ramayana in the old Javanese (Kawi) language.
At the famous 10th Century Prambanan temple in central Java, which is dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Ramayana is depicted in bas-relief in several parts. The sultan of Jogjakarta supports the daily performance of a leather puppet show of either Ramayana or Mahabharata in his Palace annexure.
“Islam is our religion. Ramayana is our culture.”
He also subsidizes the world’s only daily performance of a dance ballet based on Ramayana, performed with the Prambanan towers as its backdrop. The highlight of this extraordinary show is that all the two hundred artistes are Muslims.
In mainland South East Asia in time machine. The Laotian version of Ramayana, called “Palak Palang,” is the most favourite theme of the dancers of Laos. The National School for Music and Dance, in this communist country, teaches the Ramayana ballet in the Laotian style. Several Buddhist monasteries and stupas of Laos have sculptures depicting Ramayana in stone as well as in wood panels.
Ramayana is immensely popular in Thailand. Huge statues of Sugriva and other characters from Ramayana decorate the courtyard of the Royal palace, surrounded by huge corridors depicting the whole story of Ramayana in large paintings from floor to ceiling.
Ramayana sculptures adorn the walls and balustrades of several other Buddhist temples in Thailand. In the Thai version of Ramayana called Ramakian, rediscovered and re-composed by the Thai King, Rama in the 18th Century,
Hanuman is a powerful figure. Several kings of the royal family of Thailand (including the present king) adopted the name ‘Rama’, over the last three centuries. Before the capital was shifted to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand (then Siam) was called Ayuthya (Ayodhya) as a mark of respect to Rama.
Ramarajya with Athma Rama
The Father of India, Mahatma Gandhi had always dreamt that the governance of an Independent India should always reflect to the modus operandi which was followed in the reign of King Rama. One might wonder with the absence of this impeccable King of Ancient India, can that glorious golden regime be replicated in the present world? Can those lofty principles of Rama be implemented in the modern bizarre world?
Rama was never a gross confined personality. The principle of Rama was Subtle. The lofty ideology of Rama has no physical bonnets. It can be practiced by anyone in any nook and corner of the universe. Monarch Rama is the symbol of Eternal Optimism. HE shall continue to inspire humanity from the energetic centre of India.
Written By,
Bhupal Chidambar (Sanathana Vani Volunteer)
