SRI RAMA
I thought that this is a good opportunity to write something on Sri Rama, since Lord Sri Rama is revered as our “family God” and coincides with “Sri Rama Navami”.

Our Great Grand father Sri Late Digumarthi Venkata Ramayya Pantulu garu was a great devotee of Lord Rama. Recently the collection of God’s prayers (is pertinent to any God of your choice or the Supreme Power) composed by him was published and available to all of us due to the efforts of some of his grand children. I encourage every one to read it.

The Avatara of Sri Rama shows the struggles of a person in daily life and how we have to overcome it to achieve peace, happiness and tranquility. As some of our younger generation interpret Ramayana and question it whether we can have “Rama Rajyam” in this “Kali Yuga”, or whether we can be so idealistic in character or question how he can send his wife away on some person’s remarks, or how can we accept a person like Rama who killed from behind a tree to be our Hero! Etc.

“The great sage Valmiki, has, in his creation of this divine hero, symbolized in Him the ideal of uncompromising goodness. Nowhere else does one find such idealistic perfections in all walks of life, combined in a single individual. Thus Rama was at once a perfect son, ideal king, a true husband, a real friend, a devoted brother, a noble enemy and so on” ………………He(Valmiki) highlights one aspect of the personality at the expense of the others, so that Rama’s conduct and behavior in certain instances, appear to be inconsistent with His divine character. Such seeming inconsistencies have created misapprehensions among the students of Ramayana because their deeper inner significance has been lost sight of”. -----------------Swami Chinmayananda.

We have to consider all these traits not to the outer world, but find answers within ourselves by taking examples from Ramayana and how we can improve ourselves and our relationship with the world outside. Find the Ravana in you and destroy the “rakshasa” tendencies (the negative and impure thoughts in you) with the help of Rama
(The good thoughts) in you. Consider and apply the logic, how you can become an example to your siblings, show your respect to your parents, how to be a good friend and a good human being in this modern world at a given circumstance and how you can rule your inner personality and find happiness.

I guess, this is what appealed to our Great Grand father. He must have taken Ramayana in its true sense and applied the symbolism of Rama to his own life. That is why we still remember him with respect and his wife our great grand mother who is “Amma kanna” to all of us!
“Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrow keeps you Human, Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing, but only Faith & Attitude keeps you going…”
This is what Ramayana is all about and that is what we have to keep in mind and apply to our daily life.
sailaja
USA