The Spiritual Meaning of Ramayana

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SRI RAMSri Ram is the embodiment of the Cosmic Self,

the Eternal Ruler of the Universe.

Sri Ram is within our consciousness, within our heart, within the cell and within the DNA of everyone

RAMAYANA PURPOSE

Sri Ramayana presents the formula for the spiritual path and enlightenment of every human being and for establishing WorldPeace for all generations to come

Sri Ramayana plays its drama on all levels of life: physical, mental, social and spiritual.

RAMAYANA STORYFirst, Birth and Education of Ram and his BrothersExile of Ram to the ForestVisit of Ram to hermitagesKilling of the golden deer Abduction of Sita Death of Jatayu

The Pact with Sugriva The slaying of Bali Devotion of Sri Hanuman,The crossing of the oceanBurning of Lanka and the killing of Ravana, And finally Ram’s Rulership of Ayodhya

RAMAYANAHISTORICAL VALUE

Ramayana in its full range transcends the milestones of history. It is theeternal play of human evolution, to restore DHARMA (righteousness) on earth.

PURUSHA - PRAKRITIKing Dasharatha with

Eight Ministers

EGO-INTELLECT-MINDSPACE-AIR-FIRE-WATER-EARTH

THREE QUEENSKausalya - Kaikeyi - Sumitra

RANGE OF RAMAYANA

Sri Ram and his brothers represent the four Veda’s which contain together all wisdom of the universe and on all levels of existence.

Also all principles of Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Ayurveda, Vaastu, Jyotish, etc. can be localised in the holy texts of Ramayana.

FOUR BROTHERSRam – Bharath – Lakshman - Sutrighna

SAMA VEDABHARATH

YAJUR VEDA

LAKHSMAN

RIG VEDARAM

ATHARVAVEDA

SUTRIGHNA

SITA - RAM

The marriage of Sri Ram and Ma Sita is the Re-Union of wisdom-intellect-devotion with the

Cosmic Self

RAM’S EXILE TO THE FOREST

Exile to the Forest symbolizes the life path we have to go according to our Dharma/Karma.

THE GOLDEN DEER

The golden deer symbolizes our desires for the material world ignoring our divine nature

MA SITA’S ABDUCTIONIn the forest Sita is kidnapped by Ravana the demon king

The abduction of Sita (wisdom-intellect-devotion) separates her from Ram, the cosmic Self.

Ravana kills Jatayu, King of BirdBy killing Jatayu the whole nature changed and all the worlds

became covered with darkness and the wind did not blow and the sun lost his lustre.

When wisdom is lost in the world, nature will degenerate too

RAM MEETING THE APESRama promised Sugriva that he would slay Bali and make Sugriva the king of 

the monkeys. Sugriva consecutively promised to help Rama in his mission. 

BALI: Intellect with ego (ahamkara) which has to be killed

SUGRIVA: Intellect that needs support to surrenderHANUMAN: Mind full of devotion (bhakti)

:

SRI HANUMAN-JISri Ram asked Hanuman to go with his army to the south to find Sita

Sri Hanuman is that humble mind, faithful and devotional who gives his life in unconditional love to the Lord.

THE ARMY OF THE APESThe monkey army went to the south and arrived at the seaside. They did not know

how to cross the ocean to reach Lanka where Sitadevi was prisoned by Ravana

The monkey army can be compared with our mind with thoughts running all over the place and jumping from branch to branch

HANUMAN FLIES OVER THE SEAHanuman flies over the ocean and reaches Lanka. There he

enters the beautiful city and meets first Ravan’s brother Vibhashan.

Sri Hanuman lost his supernatural powers when he was a young child but contemplating on his Lord all powers are spontaneously coming

back and can be used for the sake of the Self

THREE BROTHERS IN LANKARavana - Vibhashana - Kumbhakarna

THREEGUNAS

RAJASPASSION

SATTVAHARMONY

TAMASINERTIA

Hanuman finds Sitadevi

Sitadevi (wisdom) and Hanumanji (devotional mind) meet each other in an environment full of ego, revenge

and sensory pleasures

TEN-HEADED RAVANA

The Ten Heads of Ravana symbolize the five senses of perception (hearing, touching, seeing, smelling and tasting and the five senses of action (arms, legs, tongue, organs of secretion

and procreation.

HANUMAN AND LAKSHMANLakshman felt unconscious when attacked by Meghanada,

Ravana’s son, who was an expert in black magic

The medical flower Sanjivini from the Himalayas symbolizes the need and strenght of natural resources when a new age

is dawning

LORD RAMA KILLS RAVANAAfter a long battle Rama killed Ravana by shooting him in his navel area.

By remembering the Lord with a devotional heart all demons inside ourselves will be killed

RAMA-SITA’S RETURN TO AYODHYA

The crowning of Ram (cosmic Self) and Sita (wisdom-devotion) symbolizes the goal of every human being –

living a life in peace, joy and happines.

WHEN SRI RAM IS LIVELY

When Sri Ram is lively in our hearts, then His Light shines from our personality. Our disposition is kind and

generous, we are flexible, gentle, peaceful, patient, joyful and strong.

THE KINGDOM OF RAMRama-Raja dukha kahu na vyapa (Ramcharitmanas, Utt. Kanda 20.1)

In the whole kingdom of Sri Ram was peace and joy. There was no crime, fighting or suffering. Everyone

loved the other as himself.

THE END

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