ramayana

raamaayaaNa is one of the largest epics in the world, comparable to the Illiad and Odyssey. it originates form bhaarata (india) - the land of king bharata. raamaayaNa is one of the two itihaasa (historical account) scriptures of sanaatana dharma (Hindu-dharma), the other being the mahaabhaarata. It describes events that took place in ancient bhaarata around 7000 BC E. (before common era - also known as B.C.) It contains the story of Lord raama the 7th avataara (incarnation) of Lord vishNu in the tretaa yuga (the silver age among the four ages in a mahaayuga which corresponds to a complete cycle of the earth's percession). The puraaNas, raamaayaNa and the bhagavada geeta are considered (both-independently and together) by many as a fifth veda. Among the four most popular sets of Hindu scriptures - the vedas, puraaNas, itihaasas and tantras, the itihaasas (raamaayaNa & mahaabhaarata) are the most popular among Hindus all around the world today. Among the numerous translations of raamaayaNa are shrii raama charita maanasa in avadhii language by tulasidaasa and kamba raamaayaNa in Tamil.

The original raamaayaNa was authored by r^shi (Seer, Sage) vaalmiiki in sanskr^ta. The interesting thing about it is that raamayaNa unfolded AFTER it was written. The incidents that were to happen around the seventh avataara of vishNu were revealed to vaalmiiki before they even took place. Another way of looking at is that vishNu simply played out a role as raama as dictated in the raamaayaNa. The significant thing however is that the role itself was of an ideal human being. r^shi vaalmiiki was originally a robber who later turned into a r^shi of the highest stature. He is credited to be the first human to compose poetry and is given the title aadikavi. Valmiiki himself appears in the raamaayaNa. In the last part of raamaayaNa when siitaa is sent to the forest by raama, it is r^shi vaalmiiki's hermitage where siitaa takes refuge.

raamaayaNa stresses on bhakti yoga - the yoga of devotional love. raama represents the ideal man and siitaaraani the ideal woman. hanumaan is an epitome of a bhakta (devotee) with daasya bhaava (accepting God as the supreme master). Since raamaayaNa is about events in tretaa yuga, when the society was still mature, it represents the best of relationships among humans. Even the raakshasas (roughly translated as demons, but a better translation would be misguided or ignorant beings) of lankaa followed a strict code of conduct. Thus in the raamaayaNa we can find the ideal relationship between father and son in dasharatha & raama as well as in raavaNa and meghanaatha. The ideal couple is represented by raama & siitaa and raavaNa and mandodari. raama and lakshamaNa are the best of brothers and so are bharata and shatrughna. hanumaana and vibhiishaNa are the ideal devotees.

There are some interesting differences between raama and krishNa although both are avataars of vishNu. raama was born and died as a prince and king but lived as an ascetic, krishNa on the other hand was born in a prison and died due to a would caused by a hunters arrow, but He lived as a king all his life. raama exemplifies the ideal human and is most loving and gentle. krishNa on the other hand has the most fun and lovable personality. In the form of raama, vishNu simply plays a part or role already assigned to Him by vaalmiiki whereas as krishNa he reveals that he is God incarnate.

raamayaNa is a religious, spiritual and historical manual. The tulasii raamaayaNa is one of the most popular scriptures authored during the bhakti era in medieval India.

It is not myth. It is history, meaning, factual happening narrated.

The vaalmiiki raamaayaNa has the following kaanDas (chapters).

1. baala 2. ayodhyaa 3. araNya 4. kishkindhaa 5. sundara 6. yuddha 7. uttara

You can learn the Art of Using Humor

Humor is defined as "the mental faculty of discovering, expressing or appreciating the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous". Ludicrous is an adjective meaning amusing or laughable through obvious absurdity, incongruity, exaggeration or eccentricity. What is incongruous? It is something lacking congruity, inconsistent within itself.

The Art of Using Humor

Meaning National Anthem of India

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Thou are the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny.

The name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujurat and Maratha. Of the Dravid and Orissa and Bengal.



It Echoes in the hills of Vindhyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Yamuna and Ganga and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.



They pray for your blessing and sing thy praise. The salvation of all peaople is thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny. Victory, Victory, Victory to thee.

National Anthem

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Ghanta The Majestic Bell

The Ghanta, or the Bell is the only man made sound heard after ever one hour during the day. This is at Dhammagiri. Dhammagiri is atop a hill in India where Vipasana, "Seeing Clearly," is taught. People maintain silence; do not speak at all for ten days. The meditation program is available to people of all nationalities.

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The Guru of the Guru

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The following is a passage penned by His Holiness Swami Chinmayananda

Submitted by Atma Chaitanya, in reverence of his Guru Swami Chinmayananda

"The versatile genius of Vyasa has never left anything that he has touched without raising to the sublimest heights of sheer perfection. With unimaginable capacities for incomparable poetry, unapproachable prose diction, chaste descriptions, artistic literary designs' original innovations both in thought and form, a brilliant philosopher, a consummate man of wisdom, a genius in worldly knowledge -now in the palace -now
in the battlefields - now in Badrinath now among thesilent snowy peaks - strode the colossus, Sri Vyasa an embodiment of what is best in Hindu tradition and in the Aryan culture. Such an all round genius has not yet been reported ever to have been born, lived or achieved in the history of globe".

- By His Holiness Swami Chinmayananda

Saint Tukaram's - Indelible impression on TIME

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Saint Tukaram (contemporary of the dynamic Saint Ramdas) would be considered the most recent saints (about 400 years ago) when compared to Saint Namdeo (800 years ago).

Saint Tukaram left his mark on TIME itself and swayed masses with his mellifluous renderings in praise of Lord Vithal of Pandharpur (Maharashtra, India).

[Perhaps Moses had a similar impact on the masses.]

The bhajans, abhangs, kirtans

The bhajans, abhangs, kirtans are forms of devotional songs, through which stories of the Lord are sung, rendered with dance and music in enchanting rhythm that is endearing and is remembered even now. These folk tunes powerfully inspire human beings to tread on the path that leads to the Lord. The devotional songs praise the Lord whom the saint himself has actualized in the bosom and experienced first hand as being present everywhere in every being, in every thing as the timeless Universal Divinity.

The valiant miliatary tactician King Shivaji, the ruler then, humbly and reverently approached Saint Tukaram and offered valuables as Guru dakshina, an offering a disciple is obliged to give voluntarily in token of the learning he gets from Guru, the Spiritual Master. Despite being in dire poverty Saint Tukaram declined to take the riches from the King. When asked, he indicated to King Shivaji, that Saint Ramdas was the perfect Guru for him and not himself.

The story of Saint Ramdas and Shivaji is amongst the repertoire of inspiring historical facts that surpass any bestseller fiction written to date.

Come back at amrutvani.blogspot.com and remind us to give you a glimpse of that too.