A hurdle on the pathway to God's kingdom

In the ancient scheme devised by saints vision for a man 's peaceful journey through life, special emphasis was laid on efforts to derive spiritual enlightenment. Tradition did not bar men either from supporting his family or from acquiring material benefits but they were always cautioned to remain detached. Those fired with religious zeal were advised to discard worldly activities after a specified period and resort to exercises which will enable them to reach God's kingdom.

Excessive attachment towards kith and kin will only make them frustrated. The tendency among children is to turn

Ungrateful and tell the parents, who might have undergone several privations and sacrifices to bring them up, that their success was only due to their own endeavour. Even the wife may detest her husband if he is in the sick-bed of a long time or if he is stripped of his status or wealth. The man too, if he finds his wife a burden, may get disgusted with her.

The catastrophic consequences of excessive attachment towards family members and worldly possessions have been discussed by Neelakanta Dikshitar, a profound scholar, Pandyan Minister and devotee of Divine Mother, in one of his famous poems. So too are the sentiments in Yagnavalkya's works. Swami Ramakrishna narrates this inherent nature of a person by relating the story of a man who discarded his children and his wife when all of them were crossing a stream but were caught in sudden freshes. After a stage, a person is asked to get rid of his earthly links and meditate on God. The concept of retirement for a man who has been toiling for a number of years for his family arises from this principle.

In his Ramayana discourse, Sri S. Venkatesa  Sastrigal referred to emperor Dasaratha's sudden plans to crown Sri Rama. A Reminder o his old age made him decide to step down and he was confident of his son's ability. The public welcomed the proposal with tumultuous approbation and the stage was set for His coronation when Fate intervened and thwarted the plans. Circumstances led to the Divine prince's banishment.
                                                                                   May 7, 1986

Dissertation on polity

Those who do not recognize God and refuse to acknowledge His superiority and supreme powers will always try to justify their stand by putting forth irrelevant examples. They have the capacity to `hypnotise' people by their arguments and through indoctrination, will attempt to bring them to their fold. Does God paint every crow with black hue? Does He pin the plumes behind the peacock? They deride.

These are but samples of their `wisdom'. By listening to some of their `stories', people may also be `drawn towards them. It is necessary to keep atheists at a distance and should not be given prominence to their denigration. Do you adopt this procedure? Asks Lord Rama, as one in the series of questions put to Bharata, while discussing the administrative traits of a ruler. Will it be possible for them to know who keeps the feed ready for the child that is just delivered?

People should be kept contented, the Lord continues in His dissertation on polity. (Part of the Ayodhya Kanda in the Ramayana called `Kachit Sarga'). A well settled man should feel happy by comparing himself with one who is poorer, instead of meaninglessly multiplying his desires. Likewise, an administrator should not slight the poor or treat the have-nots with contempt because they too may offer sane advice in times of expediency.

The Lord gives a list of persons who hold key positions and who should be kept under surveillance because they may be tempted by enemies. Included in these categories are the guards, sentries, jailors, military commanders who may pass on information about troop movements, those in charge of the Exchequer, public works authorities lest they should cause damage to tanks and irrigation sources and temple trustees, Sri V. Srivatsankachariar explained in his discourse.

An instance is recorded about a king who granted ten measures of paddy to a needy man but the revenue official in charge, corrupt by nature, mixed a small quantity with clay, stones and added water to make the total of ten. After some days, the poor man told the king indirectly and discreetly through a Sanskrit verse, that he got just one measure, after removing the extraneous ingredients, the chaff and the moisture. The ruler should, however, never punish the prince, his principal adviser or the royal priest because when they chance to come to power, people may not show them the due respect, because of the earlier charges against them. Quiet diplomacy can be adopted by replacing them, without assigning reaons.
                                                                                   January 31, 1987

The Ramayana has lessons for all times

The Ramayana pervades our cultural life; every character has been presented to the reader in such a way that he or she can mould his or her future in a proper manner. The lessons learnt from them are applicable to all times and to all conditions of life. The hero is the embodiment of virtue, knows His obligations, is firm in executing the vows of protection and combines in Him very many rare qualities. Likewise, the Divine Mother who had manifested as His partner, enabled Him to establish Moral Law.

In portraying Ravana and Soorpanaka, the author of the epic has conveyed the disastrous consequences of falling victims to infatuation. Sister of the former, she was struck by Sri Rama's  dazzle and wanted to marry Him. Sri Rama felt that a time had come to cry a halt to her overtures. She did not mind even the presence of Sri Sita by His side. She was duly punished. Likewise, Ravana committed the sin of separating the Divine couple. Tradition holds that the two should never be worshipped separately. Bharata stands as a symbol of supreme sacrifice and of extreme dispassion. He discarded the kingdom that belonged to Sri Rama but was forced on him and decided to bring Him back. Later, when he ruled it as Sri Rama's representative, he led an austere life never enjoying power. Anjaneya tested his sincerity and was bewildered by his deep devotion.

In his discourse, Sri Sathyapramoda Thirtha of Uttaradi Math dwelt on the invocatory verse and raised the question how the pronouncement of a curse on the hunter who brought down the male bird when it was sporting with its mate, could be held as a “celebrated” one. But he said, its apparent meaning as embodying a curse was not satisfactory. The Swami split the words in such a manner as to convey the entire narrative in al the chapters.

On the Sundara Kanda, he said, the poet has termed it as “beautiful”. The details relating to the sad days spent by the Divine Mother in captivity and the manner in which Anjaneya, as the messenger of the Lord, infused hopes in Her, are marvelloulsy depicted in this chapter.