This is Rama Katha... It is the story told over the ages of King Rama, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda synthesizes the originality and authenticity of several versions of this ancient story. With his unique style, he integrates the Ramayana from three inspirational sources: first, the original poetic Ramayana by Adikavi Valmiki, a contemporary of Lord Rama; second, Adhyatma Ramayana with the wisdom of the great Sage Vedavyasa; and third, Ramacharitamanasa by the inspired devotional Saint Tulasidas.
In his interpretation of these three narratives, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda recreates the age-old epic characters of Ramayana, infusing them with multiple levels of meaning, each with immediate relevance to our daily lives.
Beautiful stories of Lord Rama are interspersed with Paramahamsa Prajnanananda's precious teachings, bringing out the poetic beauty of the ancient epic, while simultaneously presenting its relevance to people of modern times and their practical life. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda's love of Lord Rama, his vast knowledge and mastery of the philosophical meaning of these scriptures, combined with his own yogic interpretation, shine through his teachings. Sometimes amusing, sometimes heart warming, at times challenging, but always inspiring, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda's words are transformational, helping people evolve spiritually.
In one of the episodes in the Valmiki Ramayana, Lord Rama faced a critical situation. A Brahmin, carrying the body of a dead child, came lamenting to Rama's court, "O Venerable King, I have never done anything wrong in my life, I have never uttered a lie. I have been God conscious and have done the best, not just for myself, but for others as well. In your kingdom, we are told, the good always triumph. Then, why did my child die an untimely death?" Lord Rama, whose life was dedicated to serving his subjects, became very sad. How could a Brahmin child die prematurely in his kingdom? Lord Rama ordered that the child's body to be preserved in oil, and he set out in search of the cause of the child's death. After a thorough search he discovered that in a remote corner of his kingdom, a man of shudra (lowly) tendencies was performing tapasya (penance- intense meditation and ritual) to gain worldly power. In the process he had caused the child's death. As the story goes, Lord Rama killed the man and the Brahmin's child came back to life.
Let us look into the meaning of this apparently strange story. Within each person are two children. One is a Brahmin child of virtuous leanings, another a shudra, a person of lower tendencies. Although the term shudra may connote caste classification, in this context it signifies a materialistic tendency of the mind that is given to pleasure, comfort, sensuality, selfishness, and such. Inclinations of this kind make people forget their divine, spiritual nature. People of either tendency can engage in tapasya. Tapasya involves intense effort that can be directed to any goal: spiritual, compassionate, and benevolent, or, material, self-centered, and destructive. The first is called dvija tapasya (done for attaining God consciousness), the second, shudra tapasya (done for pleasure and enjoyment). The predominance of sense gratification caused the death of the Brahmin child in the story. It symbolizes that spirituality dies within. Lord Rama being persistent and omniscient found the destructive source of the child's death, approached it, and annihilated it. He thus revived the Brahmin within. He took care to ensure that such evil thoughts do not arise in people's minds.
Human life is a journey with its own beauty to manifest. It is a gift of God. The ultimate aim of life is to regain our divinity and perfection. What are we doing with our life? What do we want to be? Do we want to gain strength and energy through the practice of spiritual techniques? Do we want to gain powers through sadhana (spiritual practice)? Do we really want our life to be dedicated to God?
Many people are not even awakened sufficiently to ask these questions. They just float on the surface, without going deeper into life or without trying to understand it. They do not understand reality, forgetting the truth and living in deception or delusion. Despite the superficial success of material gains, when the dvija shishu (spirituality and knowledge within) - the Brahmin child within us dies prematurely, our life is wasted and this is the cause of human suffering. In order to manifest divinity, we must cultivate the true spirit of devotion, true love for God within us. The message of the holy Ramayana teaches us how to achieve this.
Many people think of the Ramayana merely as a story of Rama's life. However, it is much more than a biography of a divine hero, or Lord Rama. A proper understanding of its meaning can guide one on the true path. Humankind is fortunate to have the Ramayana, as it contains directives for proper behavior and morality. It serves as a practical book to lead a life based on ethics, morality, and virtue.
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