The Hindu : Messages found in the Ramayana

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Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Messages found in the Ramayana

CHENNAI MARCH 12 . "Cruel men, who carry out wicked deeds and are hated by all, may enjoy a brief spell of prosperity but they are bound to perish ere long. Every creature should reap the consequences of sins at the due time. The bitter fruits of heinous acts will accrue soon enough. Those wicked persons, who cause fear and suffering will certainly face the punishments." This was the advice tendered by God Himself in His incarnation to a powerful member of a demon race who came to fight with Him but got vanquished and stood before Him, deprived of His chariot and weapons.

In a similar vein, a demon who was earlier thrashed by God-incarnate and was thus aware of His supreme power tendered a very useful advice to a warrior at whose name the world shivered on his plan to carry off a noble woman. "Who is that foe masquerading as a friend who prompted you to this evil design? He obviously wants to see your ruin." He strongly pleaded with him to drop this dastardly scheme.

The Ramayana has left for posterity several messages to enable a man to lead a life based on virtue. Rama, its hero, was a model for those who wish to cultivate good qualities and who desire to enjoy peace. Even to listen to the exposition of this epic as well as other scriptural texts will enlighten a person, devoted to God and prompt him to act according to the Law of Morality.

The outstanding merit of those who aspire to stand by "Dharma" is their eagerness to listen to the numerous benefactions conferred on humanity. They are privileged to offer worship to God and shower praise on Him for His lavish grace. Listening to lectures by scholars on scriptural works heads the list of nine modes of devotion contained in the Bhagavatam. It makes men to sit in one place attentively without being distracted for one or two hours by worldly pulls. It enables them to realise how devotion has brought mental peace and thirdly it gives them scope to meditate on God and enjoy His glorious forms. A devotional poem urges on the pious people to recite one or two verses from the Bhagavad Gita daily. The Ramayana gives a detailed account of how God, who had come to the world to re-establish moral order and protect the virtuous, strictly adhered to the code of conduct, said Sri S.B. Kalyanarama Bhattachariar in a discourse.

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