Abstracting from Reality

Abstracting from Reality

Hindu scriptures are famous for transmitting messages of good virtues of life through stories. Ramayana and Mahabharata are the two epics very famous for centuries. There are two Ramayanas. Ramayana of Lord Rama, the son of King Dashrath; and Ramayana the Philosophy of Life. The Ramayana of Rama is the most popular story of Asian continent for centuries. It has been played with different forms many times, people in general know the story as well, still the serials on Ramayana receive the highest Television Rating Points (TRP). But over the years of these plays, people have lost the second Ramayana, the of philosophy of life, the Ramayana of spiritual significance.

Our body (Ayodhya) is a playground of Ramayana. The King of Ayodhya is Dashrath (ten chariots:5 sense organs, 5 organs of action) and the queen is Kaushalya (skill). Rama is our soul, the divine light of life. Sita is our heart. Ravana our ego mind (ten bad qualities- dashanan) that steals our heart from our soul. Lakshman is our consciousness, always with us and active on our behalf. Hanuman is our intuition and courage that help retrieve our heart to re-animate our soul. Ayodhya (Lord Rama’s place of birth) is the world of existence of all, which should not be destroyed.

When did Valmiki write Ramayana? Do you remember his first sloka, "maa Nishada". He was passing by the river Tamasa. He followed the chirping of birds and saw a beautiful Kauncha couple (Sarus Crane - grus antigone) engaged in mating. But suddenly the male bird was killed by the fatal arrow of the nishada-hunter. He speaks out a poetic verse in anguish and anger at the death of a Krauncha bird, "Maa Nishada Pratistham Tvamagamahsāsvati Samaa

Yat Kraunchamithunaadekam Avadhi Kaamamohitam". 

मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।
यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकम् अवधीः काममोहितम्॥

(Oh hunter, may you repent for life and suffer, find no rest or fame, for you have killed one of the unsuspecting, devoted and loving krauñcha couple.)

As the story goes, the female lamented with a pitch and tonal quality so deep in emotion, that compassion welled up within Valmiki. And he then described his Ayodhya, Dasaratha, three queens, Rama-Lakshman-Bharat-Shatrugna, Sita,   Ravana, Hanumana, and the victory of Rama over Ravana at the end. He preached the path of righteous life to be lived by all through Ramayana. 

Similarly like Rama, Cow (gau) is a word used in Vedas, not for Cow Animal, but used for the divine nourishing power-forces of the nature. For that matter; the sky, the Sun, the rain/water, the air, the earth, the food, etc, the thousands of streams of nourishment are called Gau (Cow). Therefore, the animal whose products nourish our physical body is also named Gau. But we limit our Gau only into one animal-cow. All the food, drinks we eat/drink, all the air we inhale; all the forces of our nourishment are the Gau (cow). 

Similarly, the forces champion of fast speed - racing, are called Ashva/horse. The Sun, the rays, the fire, the God, the power, the light, etc, have been addressed as Ashva. Ashva is a vehicle of divine forces. Therefore, the animal which is known for it's power of racing-speed has been named Ashva.

Gau (Cow), Ashva (Horse), Aja (Goat), Avi (Sheep), etc, words used in Vedas as an 'Abstract Noun', to describe various power forces in the universe, not for the animals only. The animals with peculiar quality have been identified and named after it's quality. But some people without understanding the broader meaning, follow the abstracts to kill the humanity. 

Let us follow the true philosophy of life. Pray and live with our Rama, the divine life light within us.

Jai Shree Ram.

Punamchand

13 April 2017