Wednesday 2 January 2013

35. The qualities of our Hero, Rama explained in detail.

Book Two - Ayodhya Kända

      Bharatha, along with his brother Satrughna (meaninghe who has no sins and who annihilates his enemies) went to his maternal uncle's place.  Treated with good hospitality and paternal love by his maternal uncle, Yudhaajit, who was a lord of cavalry, Bharatha stayed there with his brother.  Though their stay there did not lack any comfort, they were not quite at ease, as they were constantly reminded of their age old dear father.
       Dasharatha was also very often remembering them.  He loved all his four sons equally as though they were his four hands.
       Rama, like Brahma among all the living beings, the most virtuous and mightiest among those highly virtuous and  mighty brothers, was a great source of joy for his father.
      Like Adithi, who was being shone by Indra, the best among the celestials, Kausalya shone by her son Rama, the mighty, virtuous etc.  Rama was extremely handsome in form, a hero of valour and without envy.  By virtues, he was like Dasharatha.  In this way, he was an incomparable son on earth.  Rama was always peaceful in mind and spoke softly.  He did not react adversely to the hard words spoken by others.  Because of his good bent of mind, he always felt glad when a good thing was done to him irrespective of the manner it was done.  He was immediately forgetting any bad thing done or said to him.  Whenever he found time, even while practising archery, Rama used to converse with elderly people, elder by way of conduct or wisdom or age or with good-nature.
      Rama was a very wise man.  He always spoke sweetly. He was the first to initiate a conversation.  His speech was always compassionate.  He was valorous.  But he was NOT arrogant of his mighty valour.  He did not speak untruth.  He was all knowing.  He used to be receptive and worshipful to the elders.  All the subjects of the kingdom just loved him and he reciprocated.  He had compassion.  He conquered anger.  He used to be receptive and worshipful to the wise.  He showed mercy towards the meek.  He knew what exactly was to be done, always.  He was absolutely self-controlled all the time.  He was clean (in conduct).
      Having an attitude suitable for his social rank, giving due respect to righteousness of warrior-class, he(Rama) believed that by following the righteousness  he would attain great fame and through it the fruit of heaven.  Rama was not interested in vain actions which were not beneficial.  He was a scholar.  He had no taste in tales opposing righteousness.  Like Vächaspathi, his eloquent speech contained a series of strategies for action.  Rama was a young man without any disease, mental or physical.  He was a good speaker.  He had a good body.  He knew both time and place.  He could grasp the essence of men.  He was the one perfect gentleman born on earth.
      People loved the virtuous prince Rama and treated him as their spirit moving outside.  After completing his education properly, Rama, after knowing the science of archery as prescribed, was better than his father in the use of bow and arrows.  Rama, having born in a good clan, was gentle minded.  He was not feeble.  He spoke truth, always.  He was straightforward.  He was properly trained by elderly wise men who knew righteousness.  Rama knew the real form of desire, wealth and righteousness.  He had a good memory power.  He had a spontaneous wisdom.  He had skills in arranging customs useful to the society prevalent at that time. 
      Rama was humble.  He did not let his feelings appear outwardly.  He kept his thoughts to himself.  He helped others whenever necessary.  His anger and pleasure were not wasteful.  He knew when to give and when not to give.  Rama had a firm devotion and steadfast mind.  He was not stubborn nor did he speak evil words.  He was free from idleness and was ever alert.  He recognized his own errors and those of others.
      Rama knew the theory and practice of sciences.  He understood the differences among men.  He could judiciously discriminate whom to protect and whom to punish.  He identified good men and protected them.  He knew the people who deserved reprimand.  He knew the ways and means of getting income as well as the system of spending, as perceived by economic sciences.  Rama could obtain great skill in the groups of sciences along with their subsidiaries.  He was interested in enjoying comforts, only after understanding the economic realities.  He never remained inactive.
      Rama was acquainted with the fine arts useful for entertainment.  He knew how to distribute the wealth.  He was efficient in riding and taming of elephants and horses.  Rama was considered by his people as the best archer in the world; and he was well appreciated by the champions of archery.  He attained high skills in marshalling the army.  He faced and killed nonchalantly the enemies in battle.
      Even enraged celestials and demons could not defeat Rama in battle.  He had no jealousy.  He conquered anger.  He had no arrogance or envy.  He had not humiliated any living being.  He had not surrendered to time.  That Prince Rama, with these good virtues, was fair to the people.  He was agreeable to the three worlds.  By patience and the related virtues, he was equal to the earth, by wisdom to Brihaspathi and by valour to Devendra.
      Rama, by his virtues, was a source of happiness to all the people and a spring of joy to his father.  As the sun shines with his rays, Rama was shining, thus, with his virtues.  The earth wished Rama to be her Lord as he was adorned with self-control and norms of behavior bearing undefeatable valour equal to that of the universal lord Indra.
      Seeing the way his eldest son was shaping, King Dasharatha was wondering whether he would live to see him ruling the entire earth.      
      Rama had many more virtues beyond hitherto stated, virtues not to be seen in other princes and kings.  His virtues cannot be counted and they are said to be better than the best in the world.  Dasharatha wanted to make Rama the prince as Rama the King, at an early date.
       With that thought in view Dasharatha assembled all his ministers and told them that there was a sign of a great alarm being forecast because of comet like things found in earth, heaven and the sky.  He further told the ministers that his body was getting aged.  He thought that if Rama was crowned as king, he would not have any worries, as Rama was a great wise man with many capabilities; and was liked by the people.
       Dasharatha wanted to hurry up the coronation of Rama as it was for his own benefit and for the benefit of the people.  Because it was as per his liking and also the appropriate time had come.  Dasharatha called the other kings and officers staying in various cities and villages in his kingdom separately to Ayodhya.
      The harried Dasaratha did not sent word to the king Kekaya, the maternal uncle of Bharatha or the King Janaka, as he thought they both could hear the good news even afterwards.  The king Dasharatha hosted the invitees suitably with houses and jewelry.  Duly adorned suitably himself, he looked after them in the manner Lord Brahma looks after his children.  All the invited kings, duly liked by their subjects, entered the assembly after the king Dasharatha  occupied his seat.
      The kings thus entered, occupied their various seats allotted to them, as per the prescribed rules.  Surrounded by the respected and humble kings as well as the important heads of cities and villages, sitting closely to him, king Dasharatha shone like lord Devendra surrounded by celestials.
=======================================================================

No comments:

Post a Comment