रामयण तत्वम्
Dr. Ram Kosuru
Mahatma Gandhi has remarked that the message of Bhagvad-Geeta (भगवद्गीता) could be interpreted as advice to overcome struggle between good and evil inside each individual. Similarly, Ramayana could be interpreted as a metaphor for struggle for spiritual advancement within each individual. The main characters of this story, Dasarath, Lord Ram, mother Seeta, Ravana and Lord Hanuman represent different aspects of this struggle in the individual.
Samkhya yoga as propounded by sage Kapila predates time of Bhagvad-Geeta. According to this yoga, Purusha and Prakriti are two orginal entities and the three attributes Sattva, Rajas, Tamas combine in different ways in Prakriti. All humans (for that matter rocks, trees, animals) are combinations of these three attributes along with the five great elements: space, water, fire, wind, earth. In Shanti Parva of Mahabharata, there is explanation on how a tree contains all these elements for example.
Eknath Eswaran calls these सत्व रजस् तमस् gunas (meta-attributes) in English as equilibrium (Sattva सत्व ), energy (Rajasic रजस् ), inertia (Tamas तमस्). These are rough transalations for the reader's understanding.
Story of Ramayana is well known and needs no repetition. The story could be seen as a metaphor for quest for spiritual progress: In this metaphor, King Dasaratha represents human embodiment (body), the rajasic guna (रजोगुण) is represented by Ravana (Ten-headed to indicate strength). Lord Ram represents the conditioned conciousness (जीवात्म) and mother Seeta represents the divine grace. The intellect and the mind combine is represented by Lord Hanuman and the Vanara army. The body (कोश) needs to undergo certain amount of purification for it to become aware of (जीवात्म). King Janaka represents the purified effect.
1. Dasarath is king of Kosala कोशल with capital city of Ayodhya
a. (दशरथ): Ten vehicles à Five ज्ञानेद्रिय (Organs of Knowledge) + Five कर्मेद्रिय (Organs of Action)
b. ज्ञानेद्रिय Eyes (Seeing), Ears (Hearing), Tongue (Tasting), Touch (Skin), Smell (Nose)
c. कर्मेद्रिय are Hands, Legs, Speech, Organ of Generation, Organ of Defecation
d. He is advised by ten ministers: Chief among them are Vasishta and Vamadeva. Other ministers are Akopa (negation of anger), Kasyapa; Sumantra (aide not a minister: one who gives advice after due consideration resulting in positive outcomes)
e. Kosa (कोश) One meaning is body (Vessel, Bucket, Dictionary). Five kosas as explained in Upanishads
f. अ +योद्य : योध् Struggle, Fight, War; अ (Negation of suffix); य: the one that moves Body constantly craves for some thing that does not move (change); that is seeking that is beyond change. Another interpretation is that should not be fought against (अ +योद्य)
g. In this analogy Dasarath -as proxy for human embodiment- is full of desires. He had at least three wives; possibly had more; A King could marry from the three Varnas: In Balakanda of Ramayana, there is indication that these wives attended the Yagnas (Chapter 14; Slokam 35). A Kshatriya wife is called Mahisi (महिषी); A Vysya wife is called वावाता; A Sudra wife is called परिवृत्ति: we can interpret this as follows: He wanted to rule over many lands and accumulate wealth and be recipient of all services that others could provide. King Dasarath is a proxy for all of us just like Arjuna is a proxy in the Geeta setting. The three principal wives could be interpreted as well as that of gunas:
- Kausalya (of Kosa: of body)
- Sumitra (friendly desire: that helps in spiritual progress)
Kaikeyi : Rajasic nature; From Adi Parva of Mahabharatha, we have the following attribution regarding kingdom of Kekeya: The five Asuras Ayahsiras, Ashvasira, Ayahshanku, Gaganmurdha and Vegavan are born in the dynasty of Kekaya.
h. After a long time of enjoyment, Dasarath in order to go to heaven (or to a higher state of Spiritual evolution from that of purely physical enjoyment) has a child through यज्ञ who is named राम.
2. Janaka (King of Videha kingdom with capital city of Mithila):
a. देहः दहति इव इति (the one that burns); Charvakaas held that the body is ultimate being: Sri Krishna mentions this in Bhagvad Geeta.
b. विदेह : beyond body (opposite of Body); in Sanskrit वि is added prefix to indicate negation sometimes (or to convey some other opposite sense, for example, कर्म and विकर्म)
c. Janaka is a Rajarsi राजर्षि, spiritually advanced Philosopher king.
d. वैदेहि: Janaka’s daughter found due to व्यवसायिक बुद्धि of Janaka indicated by word Seeta (Plough). The word Seeta also means camphor that swiftly lights under right conditions, most of the time it is cold or dormant: it is a propelling force that is only attained through grace. For our purposes, Videhi represents divine grace that is needed by one to realize truth. This is beyond physical body, mind and intellect.
e. व्यवसायिक बुद्धि: In Bhagvad-Geeta second chapter we see that Yoga is skillful action (योगः कर्म सुकौशलम्). King Janaka has no concept of attachment to acquisition of wealth and the enjoyment there of. The following is attributed to Janaka (chapter 276, Shanti Parva of Mahabharatha):
“I have kingdom, yet I have nothing. I live in great happiness. If all of Mithila be reduced to ashes, I would have lost nothing since it is not mine.”
मिथिलायां प्रदीत्पायां न मे दह्यति किंचन
3. राम: रा (To grant or give) म: Happiness; रम indicates rejoicing of truth that is beyond body and beyond physical desires this is indicated by marriage of Videhi with Lord Ram. Now mother Seeta chooses Lord Ram in this story (divine grace chooses a Sadhaka not other way around). Swami Vivekananda says that knowledge is always there hidden by Samskaras or Vasanas. The spiritual evolution then implies removal of these vasanas. When the jeevatma (जीवात्म) makes spiritual advancement , it is challenged by these existing propensities that are not extinguished. This challenge is assisted by Rajasic nature of the being. In the story, Lord Ram is sent on an exile for a long time. Thus individual is tested and to pass this test strong intellect is needed. As stated before, each individual is a combination of three gunas according to Samkhya Yoga: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamasic. The Sattva nature helps in the effort where as the other two propel one in other directions.
5. रावण: रणे रवीति सः (Ravana: The one who roars in battle characterizing rajas रजस् ). The root verb रु means cry. So does word राव. Rajasic nature is characterized by hunger and thirst. Uttarakandam (Chapter 4, Slokam 9) says:
प्रजापतिः पुरा सृष्ट्वा अपः सलिलसंभवः ।
तासां गोपायने सत्वानसृजत्पद्मसंभवः ॥
· Creator who sprang from water first created water. To protect this water he created beings.
· Those created beings then said
किं कुर्म इति भाषन्तः क्षुत्पिपासाभयार्दि
“What do we do? we are tired by hunger and thirst”
Creator then says
“यत्नेन रक्षध्वमिति मानवाः”
Men, protect this (water) by your effort.
· Some beings have said रक्षाम इति (shall protect this), some have said यक्षाम इति (shall worship this). Those who have said रक्षाम have become राक्षसा: and the rest have become यक्षा: “
Heti and Praheti are first among Rakshsas. Praheti is righteous being and goes for penances. Heti marries Bhaya (fear, who is sister of Kala, time) and populates Rakshsas. Hunger, Thirst, Fear thus characterizes these beings who are created to protect. Kekasi, Sumali’s daughter and mother of Ravana, comes from this lineage. She marries Visrava (who is Prajapati Pulastya’s son) and this union gives raise to Ravana. The union also gives raise to Vibhishana and Kumbhakarna. Vibhishina characterizes Sattva nature and Kumbhakarna characterizes Tamasic nature in us. Rajasic nature (Ravana) puts up a very strong fight seemingly impossible for जीवात्म to overcome. Thus Vibhishina joins with Lord Ram while other two brothers and step-brothers such as Khara do not. Sattva nature is helpful to spiritual path. The 16th, 17th and 18th chapters of Bhagvad-Geeta contian several indications on how a person with preponderance of Sattva (or Rajasic or a tamasic) nature behaves.
Maya is Diti’s son and Mandodari is his daughter. Meghanath is thus born to Mandodari and Ravana; the son roars like a thunder and is a great warrior helping his father Ravana. Thus rajasic nature is combined with propensities of Daityas. In Uttrakandam there is recognition that Meghanath is as powerful as Ravana (Sages ask Lord Ram in amazement about killing of Meghanath saying how is this possible?). It is difficult to control rajasic nature. From the 3rd chapter of Bhagvad-Geeta, we have Sri Krishna saying this thirst is like unquenchable fire (37, 38 slokams):
काम एव क्रोध एव रजोगुण समुद्भवः (part of 37 slokam)
कामरुपेण कौन्तेय दुष्पुरेण अनलेन च (part of 38 slokam)
6. Vanara Army: This army represents mind and intellect within us. Intellect is represented as a minister (Hanuman) to king of Monkeys, Sugriva. The army of monkeys represents the mind. Lord Hanuman served Sugriva. That is, most of the time intellect is under control of mind. Lord Hanuman could have defeated Vali and wrested the kingdom of Kishkinda from Vali. But he did not know his own valor due to forgetfulness. Intellect is supposed to be the owner (from Shanti Parva)
a. Now a slokam from Shanti Parva of Mahabharata chapter 254: This body is like a city and intellect is its owner. The mind helps by being its minister (thinks for intellect)
शरीरं पुरम् इति आहुः स्वामिनी बुद्धिरिष्यते ।
तत्वबुद्धेः शरीरस्थं मनो नामअथचिन्तकम् ॥
b. In the above 254th chapter, senses are compared to citizens of the city and the senses work under direction of the mind.
इन्र्दियाणि मनः पौराः तदर्थं तु पराकृतिः
The chapter further adds due to the two gunas (Rajas and Tamas), intellect (and senses) come under domination of the mind. Intellect becomes feeble. Under influence of mind, senses lose their firmness.
तत्र बुद्धिः हि दुर्धर्षा मनः सामन्यम् अश्नुते
पौराश्चापि मनः त्रास्ताः तेषामपि चला स्थितिः
c. Indra is internalized as controller of all senses (Indriyas). Indra is lord of Indriyas. Vali, the elder brother, was original king of monkeys; he was said to be a son of Indra and thus Vali could control his senses. It is said that no one can defeat Vali in direct battle. Now Ravana also controlled senses (he defeated Indra we are told in Ramayana). In Uttrakandam, we have a story that Vali defeated Ravana in a previous battle. Thus in theory Vali could have helped Lord Ram, but he is not on right path. There is no grace.
d. The conditioned consciousness (जीवात्म) falsely identifies with mind. When Sugriva meets with Lord Ram, both of them face common predicaments: both lost their kingdoms and are in exile; both lost their wives. When Lord Ram meets with Sugriva, this is what Sugriva says in Kishkinda Kanda, while Lord Hanuman (intellect) stays silent :
त्वं वयस्योऽसि हृद्यो मे ह्येकं दुःखं सुखं च नौ
“Our happiness and misery are common. You are in my heart.”
