7.

All The Characters In The Story Of

Ramayana Are Ideal Examples
There is no birth and there is no death for the
Atma. There is no beginning, there is no end, there is
no interval separating the beginning and the end for
this eternal spirit. Atma does not die, Atma is not born
nor is it killed by any one else. It will remain as a
witnessing consciousness, witnessing everything that
goes on in this world.
Divya Atma Swarupas:
Man must learn to face the ups and downs of life with
equanimity and equal-mindedness. Then, alone, life will have a
meaning for him. Forbearance and peace will become available
only in the ordinary run of life. In order to promote these
qualities of forbearance and peace in life, the adhyatmic way,
or the spiritual path, is very necessary. Because we have forgotten the ancient traditions and the ancient scriptures
outlining the spiritual path, life has become devoid of
character.
Truly, by claiming that we know everything, we are
bringing some blemish on our own life. We cannot find people
who know everything about life. Man, who now claims to
know how to fly in the sky, has no happiness in him. What is
the reason for this?
This is because he does not know himself and who he
really is. One may jump at the stars and fly in the sky, but if
that individual does not understand his own nature, he will
never be happy. If we really want to be blissful and happy, we

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must know the true nature and meaning of bondage. It is only

when we know what bondages are binding us, can we make an
attempt to find the way to break those bondages. The biggest
bondage for man is ignorance because of which he does not
know his own nature. So long as such ignorance remains with
him, he cannot get rid of sorrow. So long as he is steeped in
sorrow, he cannot have happiness in life. It is important to get
rid of the sorrow and be happy. This process is described as
sadhana.
Bharatha, in the Ramayana, for the sake of bliss, was
searching for the path of truth. He was in no way inferior to
Rama. For the protection of truth, or for the following of the
right kind of dharma, or for making sacrifices when they were
necessary, Bharatha was equal to Rama.
In the ordinary sequel, we regard Bharatha as the third
stage. We first take the part of Rama, then Lakshmana, then
Bharatha and then Satrughna. But if we look with care at the
type of faith each one had, we find that Bharatha comes second
in the series. In all these four brothers, we do find some
apparent changes at the time of birth. It is not possible for us to
determine and say, this one is greater and that one is smaller. It
is just for mans satisfaction that these minor differences are
created. We are not able to recognise the divinity that is
present in three brothers: Bharatha, Lakshmana and Satrughna.
When Bharatha was at his grandfathers place, Guru
Vasishta sent him a letter asking him to come back to
Ayodhya. As soon as Bharatha saw the letter, he felt very
happy that he was being asked to return for Ramas coronation.
But quickly he began wondering, because if Ramas coronation
were to take place, his grandfather would also have been
invited. He began worrying as to why he alone was called

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75

back. In this agitated frame of mind, he and Satrughna started

for Ayodhya. They reached the entrance of Ayodhya. Bharatha
was a very smart person, and he had a keen sense of
observation. He noticed that at the main gate there were no
fresh welcoming arches. The mango leaves were all dried up,
and this was symbolic of a dreary atmosphere instead of
proclaiming prosperity. He started seeing bad omens and began
wondering as to what the matter was. He found all the streets
littered with dirty pieces of matter and all the houses appeared
very unclean. This unusual situation made him think that
something was drastically wrong, and that some tragedy had
come over Ayodhya.
His chariot was taken straight to the mansion of
Kaikeyi. As soon as he saw Kaikeyi, he could not understand
the meaning of the perplexed look which Kaikeyi had. After a
few minutes, he realised that the death of his father had taken
place, and Rama had been banished to the forest. Without
being able to bear the sorrow as a result of the two events, he
ran to his Guru Vasishta. Vasishta described to him, in detail,
all that had happened.
As soon as he got the details of what had happened,
Bharatha became very upset. His eyes became very red. He
became so excited that he used very harsh words to his mother.
He could not stay there even for a moment. He went straight to
Kausalya. Unable to bear the death of her husband and the
separation from her own son, Kausalya was in deep sorrow.
Bharatha ran to Kausalya, fell at her feet and asked her to
pardon him, and said that he was innocent, and that he was not
responsible for what had happened. In many ways, he asked
for her pardon. Both Kausalya and Vasishta told Bharatha that
he should first perform the last rites of his dead father.

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It was already fourteen days after the death of his

father. The body was carefully preserved. The kind of
preservatives and methods by which the body was preserved in
those days were not such as we have in these days. Bharatha
came to the conclusion that he does not deserve to perform the
last rites of his father. The first son, Rama, alone should
perform the last rites. Bharatha said that in Ayodhya where
Rama does not live, he cannot stay for a single moment.
Here, we should see that Bharatha even forgot the grief
caused by the death of his father. Grief caused by the
separation from Rama was much more to him than the death of
his father. But somehow, he adjusted himself to the orders of
Kausalya and Vasishta and performed the last rites of his
father. The very next day, all the necessary ingredients were
collected in order to perform the coronation of Bharatha. But
Bharatha would not agree for his coronation. Bharatha said that
whatever arrangements had been made for the coronation
should be taken along with him to the forest. He proclaimed
that, in the Ikshvaku Dynasty, it is only the eldest son that had
the right to the throne. He being younger had no right at all.
He recognised that this was the dharmic way of doing
things, and he requested Vasishta and others to let him go to
the forest. He thought that Ramas coronation could be
performed even in the forest. He always looked to the ideas of
people and wanted to follow the ideas of people. So he took
some of the people of Ayodhya with him. In this manner, along
with the people of Ayodhya, he undertook the journey to the
forest.
From some distance, Bharatha saw that Rama was
having his hermitage on the Chitrakoota Mountain. His heart
melted at the sight. The sorrow that came from his heart was

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77

something which he could not bear. He noticed that

Ramachandra was having unkempt hair. He was shocked to see
that Rama-chandra, who was used to sleeping on a bed of silk,
was lying on a bed of leaves, bark and the ground. Rama,
looked at the sorrow of Bharatha and in many ways tried to
console him. But all the attempts made by Rama to console
Bharatha did not give him any satisfaction. Bharatha fell at the
feet of Rama and said that he would not leave his feet until
Rama agreed to return to Ayodhya and accept to become the
king.
Even in that sorrowful situation, Rama was asking
questions in a very peaceful manner. Is every-one well at
home? Is the kingdom going on well? Are the people of the
kingdom well? He was asking questions with an unparalleled
peace of mind.
During that conversation, Bharatha told Rama that their
father was dead. Although Rama was the in-carnation of
Narayana, because he was in human form and in order to
proclaim how one in human form should conduct himself in
that situation, Rama also appeared as if he suffered very much
at the news of the death of their father. Rama and Bharatha
consoled each other.
A potter cannot make a pot with hard clay. The clay
must be wet and used as soft paste. In the same manner, after
creating a body, God has to put life into it. For putting life into
the body, the parents are made responsible. For the birth of a
human being, the father and mother are responsible. God
functions only as a witness to that. To such parents, to such
father and mother, one should repay ones debt of gratitude.
This is the reason why we are taught that mother should be
regarded as God, father should be regarded as God, teacher

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should be regarded as God and the guest should be regarded as

God.
Immediately thereafter, Rama and Bharatha went to the
river and performed the traditional rites which they do at the
death of the father. They returned home and were talking about
various things. The very next day Bharatha arranged a big
congregation. All the people were requested to pray. The
prayers were that either Rama should return to Ayodhya and
take charge of the kingdom or, since all the sons were on the
same footing, Bharatha should also be permitted to stay in the
forest along with Rama. Preparing himself for such a task,
Bharatha was determined that by some means or the other, he
should take Rama back to Ayodhya. He was repeatedly saying
that for the sins committed by his mother, he was in no way
responsible.
Rama told Bharatha that even his mother Kaikeyi was
not responsible for this situation. In fact, they proposed to
install Rama on the throne the very next day. Overnight, due to
pressure, this decision had been changed. The change in such a
decision overnight must be because of divine will. It was not a
human decision. In this manner Rama was giving some explanation or other to Bharatha. In spite of all explanations,
Bharatha did not give up his determination. When Bharatha
left Ayodhya and went to the river Ganges, even Guha had
some doubt about the intentions of Bharatha. Guha asked
Bharatha if he was taking all the attendants with him to Rama
with a view to cause some harm to Rama. Bharatha was not in
a position to give any reply. Bharatha accused his mother and
said because he was born to this woman Kaikeyi, he was
submitting himself to all this humiliation.

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79

From there, he went to the ashram of Bharadwaja. He

also exhibited some suspicions about Bharathas motives. Here
it became very clear how much Bharatha was devoted to
Rama. Bharadwaja wanted to test Bharatha. He had a big
throne chair prepared and was arranging for a feast. The feast
that was arranged by Bharadwaja was not creating any interest
in Bharatha. When his brother Ramachandra was living on
roots in the forest, he would not participate in this feast. We
should recognise the close relationship and affection that
existed between the brothers of those days.
Recognising the connection between Rama and
Lakshmana, Bharatha felt very sorry that Lakshmana alone
deserved to be close to Rama and that he did not get that
opportunity of being close to Rama. In this way Bharathas
ideal was to serve Rama all the time and thereby derive the
grace of the Lord. We can describe in this manner Bharathas
devotion and faith, and we can come to the conclusion that
Bharathas devotion and faith were even more than those of
Lakshmana. Brothers, between whom such devotion, faith and
affection exist, are very rare in this world. These brothers were
serving Rama all the time, and in that service they were setting
an example to mankind. In each family, how should brothers
conduct themselves? How should they treat each other?
Answers to these questions were being furnished by these
brothers.
Students:
It is necessary for you to recognise the kind of close
affection that existed between the brothers in the family of
Rama. You should draw a lesson from this and put this ideal
into practice. We should understand the kind of ideals that
should bind a family together. We should make an attempt, to
some extent, to remove our selfishness and practice self-

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sacrifice. The main teaching of Ramayana is to ask you to

throw away your selfishness and promote selfless sacrifice and
good qualities in you. Every individual character in Ramayana
has been preaching this kind of ideal life. Such an ideal
example of life is very necessary today. In such an ideal
example of life, we should give some respect to disciplinary
measures. Without discipline, whatever ideal examples you
may give to your life, there is no value for them.
Bharatha was not in a position to overrule Ramas
orders. Bharatha did not like to become the king and rule the
kingdom. In this conflict, Rama tried to console Bharatha.
Vasishta then gave a small advice which would give
satisfaction to Bharatha. Vasistha said, You can take the
sandals of Rama, and regarding those sandals as symbolic of
Rama, perform the coronation for the sandals and carry on the
rule of Ayodhya. He could not throw away the orders and
suggestions given by the Guru. He could not also contradict
the orders of Rama. So, with a very heavy heart, he agreed to
receive the sandals.
The people of those days were also such that they will
obey good orders immediately. So, they recognised the sacred
heart of Bharatha and they accepted these suggestions. He took
Ramas sandals, put them on the throne, and with a heavy
heart, went to the village Nandigram. In that village, he
announced that he would stay without food and without rest till
Rama returns to Ayodhya. He decided and began to live a life
of austerity in the village Nandigram in the same manner in
which Rama was living in the forest. In this context, the rishis
and elders have been telling us that the attributes and aspects of
Rama and Bharatha became one and the same. This exemplary
conduct of Bharatha, by which he had accepted fully the orders

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81

of his brother, and was carrying on the rule of the country,

demonstrates his greatness.
If we carefully look at the main characters in the story
of Ramayana, we will come to the conclusion that God has put
all this together as a drama on the stage of the world. People
can learn from the numerous examples which God has given
through Ramayana. God will also bend Himself to help His
devotees. For the sake of happiness to devotees, God will be
prepared to undertake any kind of trouble. Even if we blame
God, He does not feel so unhappy as when His devotees are
blamed. God is above gunas. He is not affected by gunas. So
He does not attach importance to blemish. God is omnipresent.
Because He assumes some form, we believe that God is of a
particular form. That God is omnipresent is the Truth. How can
we demonstrate this Truth? Here is a small example for this.
We know that earth, water, fire, air and space are the
five elements. For these elements, there are attributes.
Amongst these five, the most important one is earth. Earth has
got all the five attributes, the qual-ities of sound, form, touch,
taste and smell. Because of these five qualities, the earth
becomes immobile, becomes stationary and heavy.
When we go to the second element, water, it gets some
mobility. In water, one of the qualities, namely smell, has
disappeared. Only four attributes remain. Because one of the
attributes has disappeared, it has acquired some mobility.
When we go to the third element of fire, it has got the
attributes of sound, touch and form only. Since two qualities
have disappeared, fire has become even lighter and fire is able
to move faster than earth or water.

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When we go to air, it has lost three of the attributes. It

has got only two of them, namely sound and touch. it has no
form. Since three of the attributes have disappeared, air has
become much lighter and moves faster and freely occupies the
whole space.
The last one, the fifth element is space, or akasa. This
space has lost all the qualities. Neither form nor touch, nor
smell nor taste are present in akasa. So it has become
omnipresent. It is so light that it is present everywhere.
God has no attributes or gunas at all, and therefore, is
able to be present everywhere. If space or akasa, which has
only one quality, namely sound, is present everywhere, then
God, who has no quality or no attribute at all, can be present
everywhere. One may at this point get a doubt that if God is
omni-present and is above gunas, how is it that the gunas are
not in Him but He is in the gunas?
The moment we say that He is everywhere, it follows
that He is present in the gunas also. He is in the gunas, but the
gunas are not in Him. How is this possible? For example the
mud is present in the pot, but the pot is not present in the mud.
The pot is created. The pot has a form. The form has been
given in an artificial way. However, if God is in His formless
aspect, it is not possible for people to easily recognise the
formless aspect. So, He takes a human form, and comes to the
world. In this way, He wants to demonstrate to the people the
ideal path they should follow.
Students:
I am hoping that you will take at least one or two of the
great ideals that are contained in the story of Ramayana and
imbibe them and put them into practice in your daily life.