Most people are forgotten within a few years after they pass away. Friends might forget us, and within a generation, even our families might not remember much about us. But some legends last forever. Lord Rama is one of those legends. He's been remembered and honored for over 8000 years.
I've been reading parts of the Ramayana for quite some time, and it's full of lessons that are valuable even today. I have never felt more strongly about being anywhere ever than in Ayodhya today. On the special occasion of Lord Ram's ascension to his temple. It's a huge event, I don't know about when Bharat became free from the Brits, but never have I seen more unity than today. It's like we're rediscovering what it means to be Hindu.
For those who don't know, in Bharat, a deity is treated like a living person. They have rights, and deities's rights are even legally recognized by our courts. This shows how deeply we respect our gods and our culture that it is part of our legal system. A few might argue that we don't need Temples to be spiritually connected, but sorry to say, that's just not true. Spiritual practices go hand in hand with religious traditions, Without all these temples Bharat will be completely lose its identity, and within a few generations, we will be left in a confused state having no respect or a deep connection with anything and anyone. Bharat is not alone, even parts of Europe are trying to regain their old culture before Christianity took over.
The Concept of Identity
I have personally asked a lot of people in the West about their identity and they often have very weak identities with their countries. Once I asked a French girl, what it means to be French, and she said, 'fashion' and talked for the next few minutes associating France with all the different fashion brands. To be honest, this is not a very strong base to build our identities upon. Every country has some identity, like USA is the land of free, and Bharat is the land of spirituality. There must be some common thread that we call Bharat, it's not just a physical boundary, there must be some common theme with which we associate ourselves and call a certain group of people Bhartiya. We connect with them on a level that it feels that we belong to the same group.
I've been living with Dutch people for 3 years, and I have never ever felt a slight bit of Dutch in me. Having a strong sense of identity is a must, to make sense of our surroundings. Everyone needs these identities to survive because they are the base on which we lay the foundations of our principles, some of you might form that identity with your school/college group, or your job. But what is it that connects the entire nation, one story that everyone knows and can relate to? It's the story of Lord Rama, he is in every sense of the word, 'Bharat'. His influence is not just limited to Bharat, even to countries like Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and many other countries in Southern Asia.
Some people might suggest that instead of building a temple, we should construct hospitals or schools. While these are undoubtedly important, such a viewpoint might overlook the profound impact and necessity of cultural identity and heritage in our lives. Cultural landmarks like temples often hold a much deeper meaning than their physical structure. They are embodiments of our history, our beliefs, and the very essence of our cultural identity.
Consider this: when you travel outside your country, what is it that you miss the most? Sure, other countries have buildings, nature, and people, just like back home. But there's always that intangible feeling of 'not being home.' This feeling, often hard to articulate, is what I like to call 'Bhartiyata.' It's an intricate tapestry woven from our traditions, customs, values, and shared history. It's in the way we celebrate our festivals, the stories we've grown up listening to, the food, the languages, and the philosophies that have shaped our worldview.
When you step back into your country, there's an immediate sense of belonging, a familiarity that extends beyond the physical surroundings. This 'Bhartiyata' is not just about the land or the people; it's about the collective memory and shared experiences of being Bharitya. It's about a connection to a past that has shaped the present and will continue to influence the future.
The construction of a temple, especially one as significant as Lord Ram's in Ayodhya, is not merely about adding another religious structure to the landscape. It's a reaffirmation of our roots and a celebration of our rich heritage. It's a bridge that connects us to the generations that came before us and a legacy we pass on to those who come after us. Such cultural monuments serve as physical manifestations of our collective identity, standing as testaments to our journey as a people and a civilization.
Building hospitals and schools is crucial for societal development, but nurturing our cultural heritage is equally essential for the soul of a nation. It's about preserving the unique essence that makes us who we are. This is why a temple, a monument, or any cultural landmark holds such significance. It's not just a structure; it's a living, breathing part of our identity, a reminder of where we come from and what we stand for.
In essence, the sense of 'Bhartiyata' that you miss when you're away, and that you instantly recognize upon your return, is the culmination of our cultural heritage, our shared values, and the deep-seated traditions that define us. It's a feeling that, though hard to pinpoint, is unmistakably present and incredibly valuable. For people who don't believe in gods, Lord Ram might seem like just a story. But to me, and to many others, he's more than that. We might be forgotten in a hundred years, but Lord Ram has been important for thousands of years. His story has shaped our civilization. It's like he's our ancestor in every way. Our family traditions, and how we connect with each other, a lot of that comes from stories like the Ramayana.
Rama's importance is not nothing, people are traveling thousands of kilometers, some even barefoot, just to be part of this event. They're fasting, running thousands of miles, and putting all they have into this. This level of devotion is something special. It shows us how deep our love and respect for our culture and gods can go. Most will not walk 5 miles for their friends, and yet people are walking over 20 states to be part of this event and this act makes Ram as real as any of our relationship, even more so than what most of us have.
Great men don't die, they survive the tides of time through ideas. For me personally, Swami Vivekananda and Bhagat Singh are as alive as any of my friends. Both of them have guided me more than any living person, both of their words and actions motivate me to be a better person, when I feel down in my life, I look up to them to give me hope. In the end, every relationship is just an idea, I share a very strong relationship with these two great sons of Bharat, similarly, millions of Bahrtiya share this bond with lord Rama.
Lord Ram's story teaches us about an ideal society, even if it's something we can't fully achieve. And his temple in Ayodhya isn't just about a building. It's a symbol of our faith, our culture, and the values that have been passed down through generations. It's a celebration of being part of something bigger than ourselves.
Questioning Rama's character!!!
Over the years, I have met several individuals who consider Rama to be sexist because he sent his pregnant wife to the forest based on a washerman's complaint. I feel sorry that none of them have read the actual text; they have just watched a TV serial or heard the story. They have never picked up the book themselves. With their limited knowledge, they are so quick to judge Rama's character.
There are a few things to unpack here. So, let's get ready to understand what actually happened.
1. The story you saw on TV is based on the Ramcharitamanas, the poetry written by Tulsidas. Like all poetry, it uses hyperbole to make its point; it's not a literal translation of everything that might have happened.
Let me give you an example: there is a poem about Maharana Pratap's horse Chetak that goes something like this:
"Randbeer chaukdi bhar bhar ke
chetak ban gaya niraala tha
Rana pratap ke ghode se
pad gaya hawa ka paala tha
Rana ki putli mudi nhi
tab tak chetak mud jaata tha ..."
Do you really think Chetak was controlled by Rana's mind? No, right? So, why not give the same leeway to Ramcharitamanas?
2. I'm confident that most haven’t read the Ramayana. There are a few things I hope you know. Do you know the story of "Shabri ke jhoote ber" or "Sita crossing Laxman Rekha" or "Vibhishan telling Rama to dry up the Amrit in Ravana's navel"? If you have heard any of these, let me tell you, none of these are part of the original Ramayana. Now do you get my point that Ramcharitamanas is poetry?
3. Religious texts need to be read with Meta-Analysis; all the characters represent our internal battles and identities. A good story carries the message forward for a really long time. Writing these meta-truths in the form of poetry was the best way to transmit knowledge over millennia. Writing meta-truths directly would have been lost long ago.
I will come back to the Meta-Analysis of religious stories in another blog, once I've read enough scriptures. I have many examples to give.
4. As I've already shown, most of you have no idea about the Ramayana beyond little recollection from TV serials and stories you heard. Thus, your judgment of Rama's character is completely wrong.
Let me tell you the other details, but before we go there, we must consider a few more things. We are not kings, so we don't understand the moral responsibility of being a king. Secondly, whether something was wrong should be judged by the people who faced those decisions. Therefore, don't judge Rama's character based on your way of life or how you form relationships.
To understand Rama, we must understand what kind of man he was. His father died in grief of him; his brother left his wife for 14 years for him; another brother gave up the throne for him; he won a kingdom and gave it as a gift to Vibhishan. None of them complained about him or his character. He never forced or demanded anything from anyone. He was not just considered a man by the people around him; he was considered a god, the purest of beings. Can you ever reach a place where people love you so much that they will sacrifice everything for you? If he meant so much to all those people, who are we to judge him?
Now, coming to the part about Sita: it was not just the washerman; it was the entire Ayodhya that was questioning him. And when he was questioned by his people, it was not the husband Rama they questioned, but King Rama. The duty of the king supersedes personal pleasure and pain. Kings back then were expected to be infallible, and yet he chose to listen to his kingdom's people. There is nothing greater than this. He loved his wife dearly and fought a war for her. He could have easily remarried other women.
There is an excerpt in which he says, "I've never imagined other women even in my dreams, let alone marrying anyone else." That was the kind of man he was.
Before all of this unfolded, Sita once expressed her desire to live with sages and hermits. She said there would be nothing more hurtful to her if people questioned her husband's character. She never harbored any hatred towards Rama. If she didn't complain, who are we to judge their relationship? She willingly sacrificed her comfort for her husband's reputation, to fulfill her desire to live with sages and let her children grow under the tutelage of the Maharishi Valmiki. That was their love.
I know that in the modern world, we can only think about our own egoistic selves, and thus we don't understand the concept of sacrifice in love. Modern love is so flawed in many ways, filled with pretense and all about the individual's ego. People loved Rama to death, as their son, husband, or brother, but King Rama had different duties, superseding all his relationships or desires.
There's more to the story. As a king, Rama had many Yagnas to perform. To perform the Yagna, he needed a wife, so the solution could have been to marry another woman. But instead, he gets a gold statue of Sita and performs the Yagna with that statue. Seeing all this, his people realized they made a grave mistake by questioning Sita's character.
That man, born to be king, gave up everything to keep his word and never got angry in his life. Do any of us have even a single bit of character like him? The answer is a big, resounding NO. There is nothing more poisonous and corrupting than power, but that man was never tempted by any of that. He was, in the truest sense, a god – a god who overcame suffering, who, despite all the power in the world, chose to live a life of honesty, courage, and sacrifice.
Rama the God and historical authenticity
I understand that many of you might not believe in the Ramayana or even in the existence of a historical figure named Rama. At first, these stories might seem like mere myths. But think about it: were all the people who believed in Rama over thousands of years just foolish? And consider how the story of Rama reached every corner of Bharat without any modern technology. Most legends, including the Ramayana, likely have some truth to them.
I'm not saying that every event in the Ramayana can be explained or believed literally. However, I do believe there was a king named Rama who fought a significant war. The existence of temples at locations mentioned in the Ramayana supports this belief.
For those who need more evidence, let’s talk about how Rama's birth is described in the texts. The positions of stars at the time of his birth and 25 years later are mentioned. Some might argue that these could have been made up. But here's the interesting part: modern astronomical calculations, using sophisticated software, have shown that these star positions are accurate and indeed 25 years apart.
This accuracy leaves us with two possibilities. Either the authors of the Ramayana were incredibly advanced in astronomy, able to predict star positions without technology, or they were actually present at the time and simply recorded what they saw in the sky. Using Occam's Razor, which suggests that the simplest explanation is often the correct one, the latter seems more plausible.
Now, about the concept of God. In many TV shows and movies, gods are shown with magical powers, which might lead to misunderstandings. In Hinduism, the idea of God is different. God is described as the essence of the universe - knowledge, truth, and infinity. God isn’t separate from the universe but is the universe itself.
Deities like Rama are considered avatars or manifestations of this divine essence. They live and sacrifice as humans do, but through their actions, they transcend the illusion of Maya (the physical world) and realize their true divine nature. This realization is the essence of the phrase "tat tvam asi" - you are that, suggesting that the divine essence is within everyone.
I feel blessed to be alive in a time where I get to witness the historical day of Lord Rama returning to his temple. I've so much to learn and analyze in the story of Ramayana, my reading continues, and as I learn more about him, I reach one step closer to the truth.
Jai Shree Ram!!!
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