“Srimad Ramayana Sudha”

(Part 2)  

July 6th, 2008

OM…OM…OM… 

Sai Ram

With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan

Rama Katha rasa vahini - poetic and mystical

It is so nice to be back at our satsang this morning. Last week we started studying the inner significance of certain episodes contained in Ramayana as explained by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This time we shall take a few more episodes and try to understand them in depth.

As was made clear last week, Swami’s narration of Ramayana—that is, Swami’s composition Rama Katha Rasa Vahini—is a combination of the poetic excellence of Sage Valmiki, with the underlying spiritual significance, as interpreted by Sage Vyasa. In other words, Rama Katha Rasa Vahini is a combination of Valmiki and Vyasa. For that reason it is most interesting.

As a narration, as far as the descriptive part is concerned, Swami is the topmost exponent. I am yet to come across another storyteller who is more powerful, and can tell the story in a more interesting way than Bhagavan Baba Himself. He is the best storyteller, and at the same time He is explaining Valmiki’s composition and its inner significance.

Union with God is bliss . . . separation is agony

We left off at one point last week. What was it? So long as Sita wanted Rama, they were together and they were happy. She was very happy and blissful. The moment she wanted the golden deer, she had to be separated from Him and spend agonising moments. So what was responsible for her happiness and for her agony?

Her association, her willingness, her preference to be with Rama was the cause for the bliss at one time. On the other hand, it was the attraction of the deer that led to separation; so eventually, she had to spend the time in agony.

This is a lesson for all of us. So long as we want Rama, meaning God Himself, we will be very happy; but the moment we have kama or desire, we will be in agony. So it is only Rama and kama—one going after God, while another goes after the world—that makes the difference. That is what Swami said in His discourses.

Rama’s name dispels ignorance

It is also noted that when we say the name ‘Rama’ loudly, with ‘ra’ you open your mouth, while with ‘ma’ you close your mouth. You may belong to any country or language group, but this will happen. You can try it. What does this mean? It means that when you say ‘ra’, all the sins have to come out. When you say ‘ma’, they don’t get in again. That is why people say we have to sing His glory loudly as ‘Rama’.

This sacred name of Rama has three letters: ra, aa, ma. These three letters represent three aspects. Ra represents the sun, aa represents the moon and ma represents fire. What do we mean by that? The sunlight dispels darkness; there will be no darkness when there is sunlight. Similarly, when we sing Rama’s glory, when we read about His life, we will have all knowledge and wisdom by which ignorance or ajnana is dispelled. That is sunlight. Just as sunlight dispels darkness, the awareness of Rama and the story of Rama is the light which dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Lord’s name silences negative emotions

The second letter ‘aa’ represents the moon. The moonlight is cool, so comfortable, nice and romantic. So this moonlight pacifies, cools, soothes, and comforts all our emotions and the body. In moonlight, we feel very comfortable and all emotions are pacified and silenced. Similarly, the ‘aa’ or moon aspect of Rama will pacify all aspects of the emotions we have, or the negative feelings we have. They are all pacified, nullified and made powerless. That is the moon aspect.

Chanting his name burns all sins

The third one is ‘ma’, which represents fire. What is fire? Fire can burn anything. So the sins that one might have committed, or the blunders that one might have committed, even if they are the size of a mountain, do not matter. They are burnt by the fire. Fire can burn anything and has no conditions. It can burn anything to any extent. So Rama means that the fire will burn all the sins committed. So, ra + aa + ma is the sun, the moon and fire.

From numerology, ra stands for the number five. Ma stands for two and aa is zero. Five plus two is seven. What do we mean by seven? The seven represents seven seas–saptha samudra, saptha varna–seven colours, and seven notes—sa,ri,ga,ma,pa,da,ni. So saptha, the seven, is very important. That is the numerological interpretation of Rama.

Lord’s arrival is eagerly awaited by saints

Now Swami starts explaining more and more deeply. As Rama goes along with Sita and Lakshmana, He finds some sages standing in front of their hermitages, inviting them into their ashrams. All the sages were waiting with garlands, inviting Rama, Lakshmana and Sita into their hermitages. This is the history of part of it.

In the present day part, for those who have gone through Sathyam, Sivam Sundaram (Vol.1), you will come across a series of sages: Swami Varijananda, Swami Purushothamananda, and so many saints who were doing penance in the Himalayas. When Swami visited their area, they invited Him into their hermitages. It was as though they were waiting for His visit.

In fact, there was one sage by the name of Purushothamananda, who just kept the hand of Bhagavan on his chest, watching Him as he breathed his last, as if he were waiting for the auspicious moment to leave this world.

What I want to bring to your attention is this: There was a saint by the name of Sharabhanga in Ramayana times. When Rama was passing by, Sharabhanga said, “Oh Lord, we know that You will be visiting this place. We want to see You and withdraw from the world. We want to have Your darshan and then leave this world.” So that was what had happened in Ramayana. We also find this happening here in Sathyam Sivam Sundaram too.

accept THE Lord’s uncertainty

When Rama, Lakshmana and Sita left Ayodhya, they were about to go into exile. What happened? All the people of Ayodhya followed them. It will not happen to everybody. If some leave, others will be happy and celebrate! All don’t follow. But when Rama and Sita left, all of Ayodhya was empty! They were all running after Him! And, as Baba explains, they were all there.

Rama noticed, so He wanted the ladies and everybody to take rest in a temple located in the forest. Since it was night time, He gave instructions that they should take rest. Please note what Baba explained. When they had all gone into deep sleep, in the early hours of the morning, without telling anybody, smartly, gently, Rama left that place.

Swami says it is just like Him today. It is true that He acts like that. Suddenly, when He doesn’t want anybody to follow, He will pack up and go. (Laughter) Nobody knows. That’s what happened some time back during the recent Bangalore visit. He was there for four or five days, then suddenly . . . zoop! . . . He came back again! Then they thought He would be here in Parthi for more time; but again, without warning, He went back there. We cannot say. That is Baba’s nature. I am happy about it.

While speaking about Rama, He said, “He left the place without telling anybody, gently, so that nobody would follow Him—just like Me!” (Laughter) I recorded that statement. So He has not left His old habits!

Rama’s discussion with Bharatha – brotherly love

Then Swami narrates further. As Rama went from one ashram to another, at a certain time Bharatha came to meet his brother, requesting Him to take back the kingdom. Actually, the kingdom should have gone to Ramachandra, the eldest son. But it was the wish of Kaikeyi, the third wife of Dasaratha, that Rama leave the kingdom and Bharatha be crowned king. Bharatha came all the way to meet Ramachandra, and was begging and asking his elder brother, “Please take back Your kingdom!”

My friends, I want you to listen to this, because there are certain episodes that Baba alone can tell about. Yes, a beautiful discussion! What does He say?

Bharatha came and told his brother: “Please take back Your kingdom.”

Rama laughed and said: “No, no. It is your kingdom. How can I take your kingdom?”

Then Bharatha said: “No, no. You are the eldest son, so it belongs to You.” 

And then Rama said: “I am the eldest, but father Dasaratha made you the king. So it belongs to you. I am not the king.”

Bharatha said: “At one time, father Dasaratha said that You were the king. Next morning, he said that You should go to the forest, and I am the king. Which word of his should I follow?”

Then Rama said: “Look here, King Dasaratha wanted Me to go to the forest. He ordered Me, in his capacity as king, and so I am going. It was not in the capacity of father. Forget about it.”

Then Bharatha said, “Oh Brother, alright. It is my kingdom now. So I give it You.”

He said: “Who are you to give it to Me like that? You cannot give. Why? It was the second boon granted to Kaikeyi that I should be in the forest for fourteen years, so I can’t come. You must be there.”

Swami laughs and says that this was the feeling between the two brothers. The younger brother wants the elder brother to take over, and elder brother wants the younger brother to take over. See that . . . unlike brothers of modern times. Brothers today go to the Supreme Court for the properties! Baba says that the love of brothers like Rama, Lakshmana and Bharatha was Supreme Love—topmost. But today’s love is Supreme Court love! That is all. What a lovely discussion, as Swami explains argument after argument very nicely.

Rama’s discussion with Kausalya – DUTY OF A WIFE

I shall tell you another point also. When Rama was about to leave Ayodhya, Mother Kausalya came and said, “Oh son, I can’t leave You. We got You after a thousand years of waiting. You are the result of yajnas we conducted. How can we be away from You, my son? Let me follow you!” said Kausalya.

Then Rama said, “Look mother, father (Dasaratha) is here. If I go, he will be crying. He will be missing Me. Who will serve him? So it is better you be here. For sath—wife, pathi–husband is gathi—destination. For sathi, pathi is gathi. It is the duty of every wife to serve her husband. You be here.”

Rama’s discussion with Sita – SITA’S WIT

Sita, the intelligent one, was following Rama. Here come beautiful dialogues. Arre! When Ramayana seminar was going on, I was recalling all the things that Baba said in Kodai Kanal. Yes, I remember them well.

Sita said, “I will come and follow You.” 

Rama said, “Nothing doing! Better you are here.”

She said, “Why not?”

“Better you be here and take care of Kausalya, your mother-in-law. Take care of Dasaratha, your father-in-law. As I go into the forest, they will be missing Me. Better you stay with them.”

Sita, being highly intelligent said, “Rama, You cannot apply one rule to Your mother and another rule to me. To your mother, You said that the wife should follow the husband and take care of him. But to me, You give different rules.” 

Then Rama had to understand that Sita was equally intelligent, or even much more so. (Laughter) Then Rama said, “Look here Sita, you are the daughter of an emperor, King Janaka. You are used to life in palatial, golden palaces and beautiful beds. How can you live in the forest?”

Then Sita said, “When You can leave, why can’t I leave? When You could be living in a forest, why do You think I cannot adjust? Wherever You are, that is heaven for me. Wherever You are, that is Ayodhya to me. So why do You think that I cannot adjust?” Second argument is gone.

As for the third argument, Rama said, “Look here, there are wild animals all around, and so your life is at stake. Any animal might attack you.”

Now came the final argument from Sita. She said, “Ramachandra, till now I was thinking that my father was highly intelligent, getting me married to a man of chivalry. Now I have to revise my opinion. My father got me married to a man of chivalry and courage; but now, when you are speaking like this, I have to revise my opinion.” By this, Rama lost all the arguments.

Then finally Sita said, “Ramachandra, you find the moonlight wherever there is the moon. Moon and moonlight exist together. You cannot expect moonlight at one place and the moon at another place. Your very name is Ramachandra—chandra, the moon. So when You are the moon and I am the moonlight, I have to follow You.” 

The argument that went on between Rama and Bharatha, and the argument between Sita and Rama are explained in the best way possible. Those of us who have heard a number of talks in temples from pundits will be naturally surprised to listen to Swami’s original interpretation, which we have not heard until now. Swami gives such a beautiful explanation!

THE LORD’S NAME TRANSFORMS EVEN THE STONE

And then the story goes further. It so happens that there was a woman who was cursed by her husband. She was in the form of a stone. Her name was Ahalya. Ahalya was disobedient to her husband, and as a result she was punished—cursed to be a stone.

Later the husband repented. He said, “Don’t worry. Rama will come along this way. When He steps on this stone, you will come back to normal life. You will become a woman again.” A woman was turned to stone because of a curse. With the touch of the Feet of Rama, the stone became Ahalya, the woman once again.

This is the story we know; but Swami doesn’t leave it like that. Particularly the modern generation will not accept that story. The women of today will rebel—why should a woman be cursed? Why not a man? (Laughter) Why should a woman be a stone? Why not a man? Women’s liberation movement . . . we know about that: equal rights. So such stories are of no relevance and application today.

Now Swami explains it in a different way. Stone means what? Stone is that which is hard, rough, and tough, indifferent, not at all sensitive, non-receptive and dull. That is the stone. Baba says most of us are like stones. All of us are stones.

“Arre! What! I am nicely dressed! How can you call me a stone?” You are and I am. Why? We don’t respond to the needs of poor people. We are not receptive to the cries and woes of poor people. We don’t react, we don’t respond; we are indifferent to sick people. This stone-heartedness, this dullness, this indifference is like the stone. See how nice His explanation is?

Now with the recitation of Rama’s name, by singing His glory, meditating on the Lord’s Feet, the stone again becomes a woman. Woman means what? Why not a man? The reason is that woman is noted for her sensitivity, love, sacrifice, and receptivity. If anyone is in difficulty, it is the woman whose heart melts first. If anyone is in agony, it is the woman who comes to the rescue, even in hunger. Woman serves food. So woman reacts, responds and is highly sensitive. That’s womanhood. Let’s not take it as a personal form, no. It is the feminine temperament. This feminine temperament, this responsive, receptive nature will come back with the recitation of Rama’s name. 

It means from indifference, dullness, stone-hearted roughness, with the recitation of the name Ramachandra, she becomes a woman. Feminine, receptive, sensitive, helpful, sacrificing, loving . . . that is what we call Ahalya Shapa Vimochana.

Ahalya is freed from the curse with the touch of Rama’s Feet. That is how Swami is. It is absolutely necessary today that we bring out such episodes from Swami’s explanations and discourses, and explain to our friends and relations so that all our doubts are dispelled, so that we develop a kind of reverence in the future.

RAMA’S DISCUSSION WITH VALI – SUBTLETIES OF DHARMA

And then the story goes further to another hot discussion. As I told you, there was one discussion between Sita and Rama; the second discussion was between Bharatha and Rama. Now we come to the third discussion. Swami explains arguments from that side and this side. No Supreme Court lawyer could ever speak like that . . . wonderful legal implications.

As the story goes, there were two brothers: Vali and Sugriva. Sugriva promised to help Ramachandra in finding out where Sita was. In so doing, Rama had to kill the brother of Sugriva, one by the name of Vali. So Rama developed friendship with Sugriva and killed Vali.

Vali, at the time of death, when almost leaving the body, asked some questions, and Rama started replying. When Swami explains, you will naturally like it. Rama came close to Vali, who was about to leave the body. Vali said, “Ramachandra, why did You kill me? What harm have I done to You? What is the enmity between You and me? I have no axe to grind with You. Why did You kill me?” That was the first question—a very genuine question.  

Here is Rama’s answer: “Your conduct or dharma was improper; your behaviour was unrighteous; your acts were unjustifiable. Therefore, you should be punished. Yes, you are adharmic, unrighteous. Therefore, I am punishing you.”  

Second question came: “Rama, am I unrighteous? Why do You say I am unrighteous?” 

Rama said, “You are living with the wife of your brother. That is not justifiable. That is an injustice. The brother’s wife must be treated as a daughter. You cannot have her as your wife. This is injustice. Therefore, I killed you.”

Then Vali put his third question: “The rules you say are applicable to human beings, not to monkeys. We are monkeys. Our rules are different from your rules. It is for man to observe some code or dharma. For monkeys, what is dharma and what is adharma? We can do whatever we like.”

Then Rama said, “Oh, you are monkeys. It is natural for the king to go hunting and kill. And as a king, I have gone hunting and killed you. So the king has every license to kill, and so I did it.” 

Vali asked yet another question: “Alright, You came for hunting and killed me, and I may die any moment now. You shot the arrow. My next question is, why did You kill me standing behind the tree? Why did You not stand face-to-face and kill me? Why from behind the tree?”

Then Rama had to explain that there were two reasons: “The first reason is that while hunting, we don’t have to stand in front and fight. We can shoot from any side because you are animals.” That is one justification.

The second justification is this: “Brahma gave you a mala, a kind of chain. You are wearing a chain round your neck. So long as that chain is there, no one can attack you by standing in front of you. Brahma is my colleague. When he granted you a boon, I cannot dishonour the boon granted by him to you. I cannot dishonour him. Therefore the promise he has given will continue, and I won’t stand in front of you, against the wishes of Brahma. We used another way, so you are finished.”

 Vali said, “Swami, another question.”

“What is it?”

“After all, my brother Sugriva is nobody in front of me. You do not know that. I am very, very powerful, very strong. You went to my brother Sugriva and sought his help. Why? You could have asked for my help to attack Ravana. I don’t know why You asked that fellow, who is very weak. (Laughter) What is he in front of me? Don’t you know, Ramachandra, I rolled Sugriva like a carpet, held him in my armpit and gave him a dip in the sea many times? In front of me, Sugriva is nobody. He is afraid of me. He ran away. You could have asked me. I don’t know why You went to my brother, who runs away at the very sight of my presence. Why do You support such a timid fellow?”

Then Rama explained. “I know your strength. I know all your qualifications. But you are living with the wife of your brother. Your brother is suffering from separation. Your brother left the kingdom because of the problems he had. I know your brother’s condition and what his life is. Since I am away from My wife, I am also away from the genuine kingdom that belongs to Me. Legally speaking, I am the king; but I left My kingdom and I am living away from My wife. These are also the two conditions in which your younger brother is now. So, both of us are comrades in distress. I know his suffering; therefore, I support him.”

Then he asked his final question: “Rama, my final question is this. You are here in the forest. Actually the king is Bharatha, while You are wearing the attire of a saint. Can a saint kill me, without any reason, with an arrow? Can You do that? You are not the king. You are here in exile, spending time in the forest. Why do You do that?”

Then Rama explained: “I am not the king; you are right. I am in the forest; you are right. But my brother, the king, is ruling the kingdom, keeping My sandals on the throne, reciting My name. So I am the legal king, whereas he is the functional one. (Laughter) One is the judiciary, the other is the executive. One is structural, while the other is functional—de facto. So he is not seated on the throne, no! My sandals are kept there. He is reciting My name while ruling the kingdom. Therefore, I should maintain dharma or righteousness.”

Then Vali said, “Swami, I am dropping this body. Finally, I will tell You: it is not dharma on Your part to attack me. It is not right to attack me.”

Then Rama replied, “I would have left you, but you know what is right and wrong. You know what is dharma and adharma.  Therefore, I had to kill you. Other animals do not know what is righteous and what is not. Since you know, you are punishable.”  

ADHARMIC PEOPLE ARE LIABLE FOR PUNISHMENT

Now Baba explains further. Man is punishable—why? It is because he has the sense of discretion, judgment and discrimination. Therefore, he has to be controlled. He has to be kept under constant check, as the law is applicable to him.

We don’t put a petition against a buffalo or a dog in the courts, do we? We don’t. This law is not applicable to animals because they do not know. But Vali was not like that. So having known, if you commit a mistake, you are liable for punishment. That’s what Rama’s argument was. It is really very thrilling, highly exciting, Swami explaining both sides . . . very, very interesting!

GRATITUDE IS A NOBLE VIRTUE

Then Swami, while speaking about the character of Ramachandra, said one important thing: he has the noblest virtue of gratitude. Gratitude is the noblest virtue. This gratitude implies two aspects. What are they?

If l I say I am grateful to you, then I have two characteristics. What are they? Number one is remembering the good done by you, remembering the help given by you. You should always remember the one who has helped you.

The second point of gratitude is to consider any little thing that you receive from others as very great. Whatever little others have done for you, consider it great, marvelous. This is the second aspect of gratitude.

This we find in respect to Swami. After all, some people may do little works, but He goes on praising them to the skies—praising, praising and highly praising. And then if anyone says, “Swami, it is You who have done this”, He replies: “Keep quiet! It is My duty.” He underestimates His help to you, and overestimates the little help you have given to Him. This is the quality that we find in Ramayana.

RAMA REPRESENTS THE IDEAL MAN

In fact, a question was put to Narada by Sage Valmiki in the Ramayana. Valmiki asked a question: “Oh Narada! Is there any person who lived on earth with these qualities?” He mentioned thirteen qualities . . .  dharmagnascha, krithagnascha, vairagyascha, samarthaha, vidwan, kalyanicha, charithrenako, yukthaha and samardhaha. These are the qualities of righteousness, of the knowledgeable man, the capable man  . . . sarva bhutha hithe ratha . . . the one who works for the welfare of everybody. “Is there any person who lived on earth with these qualities?”

Then Narada replied, “Yes, there lived a person by the name of Rama.” And he explained the whole Ramayana. So Rama represents the ideal man with all these noblest of qualities.

DO GOD’S WORK WITHOUT ANY HESITATION

And then, as the story goes further and further, what happens? How does he develop the story? Anjaneya had to cross the ocean to go to Lanka and find out where Sita was.

My friends, you know that I am not given to any publicity till now. I don’t have any trace of ego; I don’t think so. If you find any, please correct me. I will be very grateful to you. Here I will give you a personal note.

Once Swami asked me in Kodai Kanal to leave my job at Guntur and come to Bangalore to be the Principal of the college there. He said, “You resign there and come to My college.”

I am sharing a secret with you: I was not prepared to come. I was not at all prepared to come, because I knew how dangerous it was. I knew what it was. I know many who were successful failures. Some of them are related to me also. So I didn’t want to join them.

But He said, “You resign and come here.”

We had lunch, and Swami returned. I was lying on the bed. Please believe me, I could not sleep. I asked, “Swami, why should You ask me to come here? I am a misfit and unfit. I am an open man; but no one can be open here. I am a free man; but you find very few who are free here. I love freedom, and after that, I love to mingle with people, with everybody. I don’t want to live in a cage, as if I am a person in a zoo. That is not permissible to me. Then I love to travel a lot and speak about You and work for Your organisation. You cannot simply keep me here–amputated!” I was feeling so badly about it. “Moreover, the family is there and they are still studying, and they want my presence. I have an eighty-year-old mother and all that; so how am I to leave and come here? I was not at all prepared–hundred percent guaranteed!”  

And that evening Swami gave a discourse: “You get up and translate,” He said. I started translating. What did Swami say? He did not tell me directly. Please understand it was about the time when Rama sent Anjaneya to go to Lanka in search of Sita. 

Before that Rama was asking everybody, “Would you go to Lanka?”  

One man said, “I cannot Swami, because I have had no previous experience.”

“Oho! Would you go there?”

“Well, I might do it if it were three or four miles away . . . but a hundred? I cannot do it. I am sorry.”

“How about you?” 

Jambavan said, “I am a retired old fellow. I might have done it in my youth, but not now. I am sorry.” So everybody said, “We can’t, we can’t.”  

Finally Rama asked Hanuman, “Would you go there?”  

“Yes, I am ready to go.”

“Do you know where to go?” 

“You are asking me to go to Lanka; therefore I am going.”

“Have you gone there previously?” 

“No.” 

“Do you have any previous experience?” 

“No.”  

“Have you crossed the ocean? Do you know the difficulties while crossing?”  

“I have never crossed. I don’t know the difficulties.”

“Oho! You know where Lanka is?” 

“I don’t know.”

 “You know how Sita looks?” 

“I never met her. I never saw her.”

“So you are going to a place unknown, through a route unknown, to meet a person whom you have never met. What kind of a fellow are you? How can you go there? (Laughter) Unless you knew her previously, how can you identify Sita? How can you go? There will be so many women there. How can you identify Sita?

Then Hanuman said, “Swami, if You asked me to go, it means You will give all the strength, all the skills, all the energy and intelligence to go and identify Sita, and return successfully with Your blessings.”

Swami then looked at me sarcastically, (Laughter) with the most mischievous smile ever. I saw the meaning. (Laughter) “Keep quiet. When I want you to come, I want you to come here. That’s all. It is My duty to take care of the rest.” This is something special with Swami. He won’t tell the message directly; He will convey it in such a nice way.

Of course, if we are crude and rude, He will convey it in a tough way; but if you can catch the idea nicely, that will be fine. Then He looked at me, and I understood and got His message. (Laughter) Yes, we know that.

EVERYTHING GOD DOES HAS A REASON

I don’t know whether I said this before or not, but I also had such a tough experience earlier. Somehow He was upset with me and gave me the hottest, hot dose ever. Very hot! Abba! I was not used to that. This first experience, the first encounter was very hot in such a way that I wanted to pack up and leave that night itself!

In the earlier days, I was new. I came there by invitation and I felt, ‘You cannot give me that heavy dose. No!’ Next day you should have seen it. He was trying to avoid me and I was trying to avoid Him. But both of us were looking at each other with sideways glances. (Laughter) The romance started from the next morning! (Laughter)

And after two days, He called me, and wanted me to distribute books to girls from Anantapur campus. I knew it was a risky job: I could not look at them and give like that. Finished! So I had to give like this. (Anil Kumar lowers his head.) (Laughter) Highly risky job, I know.

Then He was watching how I was distributing the books. I was watching His reaction. (Laughter) And then what happened? He sent a message that I should give a talk. It was a ten-day summer course, and I was asked to give a talk four times. Why? It is not that I am the greatest scholar, or as if no one else was available. It was only a cementing affair. It was because I was feeling so badly because of the hot treatment that He had given.

And then one day He said, “I was not in the auditorium when you were speaking.”

“Yes, Swami, I noticed.”

“Shall I tell you what you said? I know I may not have been there, but I heard all the points.”

“Ah, thank You, Swami.”

Then He established everything as normal. One day after this, I was still feeling badly. There in the Mandir He wanted to give a discourse and He wanted me to translate. He made this statement: “When I am harsh, there is some reason behind it. When I scold people, there is some reason. When I am tough with you, there is a reason. I do it to correct you. Why? Those who are here should be corrected. They should be perfect. If you are good, I will not get any profit. If you are bad, I am not put to any loss. It is only for your good that I correct like that,” He said, and looked at me.

“Swami, why should You give a discourse? All this You could tell me plainly.” Forget that. He wanted to communicate like that.

And then He said, “If any friend comes to your house and tells you, ‘Look here my friend, my son failed in the examination’, what do you tell him? ‘Let him not worry, sir, failure is the stepping stone to success. He will pass next time.’ But if your son fails in the examination, you take him to task!” (Laughter) 

While taking coffee, if anyone drops the cup and it breaks, you say, “Don’t worry! I have got so many sets here.” But if your son drops the cup and it breaks, you will break his head! (Laughter) It is because you don’t want him to be careless.

Swami said, “Those who are with Me, I want to be perfect. So I correct them.” Then He looked at me again. Then I got the message and closed the file then and there. While speaking about Ramayana, He speaks like that, conveying each message.

GOD IS BEYOND EXPRESSION AND EXPERIENCED ONLY IN SILENCE

Along with Sita and Lakshmana, Ramachandra went to an ashram. See how Swami explains it. In ashrams during those days, men sat on one side while women sat on the other side, same as today. Women are women anywhere, and they noticed Sita, a strange lady, the most beautiful lady, whom they met for the first time. So naturally they wanted to know who she was.

Some women went and asked her name. She said, “I am Sita.”

“Oh, is your husband here?”

“Yes.”

And they went on pointing out, “Is he your husband?”

“No.”

“Is he your husband?”

“No, no, no.”  

They were pointing out several people, and she was saying “No, no, no.” Finally they pointed at Rama and said, “Is he your husband?” She bent her head silently and kept quiet. She did not say “yes”.  

Now, how does Swami explain this? What will happen in the modern age? Boys should learn this lesson also. If I ask any woman, “Is he your husband?” she will say, “Hey, get up! Say hi.” Sita was not like that. In those days, culture was like that. He wanted to convey this message: Sita remained silent. When it came to Rama, she kept quiet and remained silent.

What does it mean? It means that so long as you experience this, that, and anything . . . that is not spiritual; that is not Divine. Is this mike God? No. Is this glass God? No. You go on saying ‘no’. When God is pointed out, “Is He God?” you keep quiet. Why? He is beyond expression, beyond thought. It is only in silence that you experience the Divine.

So when Sita remained silent, it means she had the Divine experience. When she said ‘no’, she could know what is not Divine. When it came to the question of Divinity, she remained silent. That’s how Swami explained these things.

I am so glad to explain and repeat these stories and points to the extent that I remember them. Next week we will again speak on Ramayana and then finish with that topic. Thereafter, we will go to another topic.

Thank you for your time! Thank you for being here. I am very grateful to you.

         OM…

 Asato Maa Sad Gamaya

Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya

Mrtyormaa Amrtam Gamaya

Om Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti