The great epics Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavatam are vaishnava scriptures that depicts the incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu. The depiction of Shree Ram and Shree Krishna in these epics are to be taken as partly mystic and partly ancient history. Mythology is partly philosophy and partly spiritual. The common man is given instruction in morals, ethics and dharma through these epics. It was customary to read these epics, give talks and enact drama and even now it is practiced in Indonesia and other parts of Asia. It is of great educative value.
The author of the epics, Vyasadeva, is of great significance since Bhagavan Shree Krishna says that Vyasadeva is none other than Himself! (Gita, Ch. X Vibhuti Yoga). There are many commentaries on these epics and very rarely one comes across the spiritual text revealing the etymology and esoteric aspects of the scripts!
We are asked to chant the name of Ram, Ram naam japo. Normally, Ram is the name of the King of Ayodhya. But this name of 'Ram' or Ramachandra was given to the 'first born' (son?) of the King. As the epic Ramayana goes, the King of Ayodhya had no issues and he was blessed by a sage with a 'fruit with mantra' asking him to share with his wives. The children born, thus are mantrasya putrah. The firs one is Ramachandra, the name given to the child after the God Shree Ram, the king was worshiping! The sage had also warned that the first-born was not actually a human being, but an avatar purusha, divine being. Actually, Ram was not at the bedside of the King Dasharatha when he died and he was busy cremating the Bird Jatayu! These are highly symbolic and we cannot understand them easily. The idol of Shree Ramachandra now with the Uttaradi math or the Shree Raghavendra Math are also quite mysterious. one of these idols is Digvijaya Rama, one after the conquest of King of Sri Lanka, Ravana. The second is the Mula Ramadevaru supposed to be the one that was with the King of Kalinga. This King of Kalinga had a child whose tutor-cum-guardian Narahari, the disciple of Shree Madhwacharya of Udupi. Incidentally, the idol was given by an old man from Puri, Odisha. The old man gave this idol of mula Ramadevaru to the king since he was too old to conduct the daily rituals of puja and naivedya before taking his food. The King had kept this idol in the Treasury of the Temple of Puri Jagannatha. It is stated that the ardent disciple Narahari gave this as his guru dakshina to to Shree Madhwacharya at Udupi, that later came to Najangud (Mysore) and then to Mantralaya! Thus the Idols of Shree Ram in these Mathas are quite interesting.
The author of the epics, Vyasadeva, is of great significance since Bhagavan Shree Krishna says that Vyasadeva is none other than Himself! (Gita, Ch. X Vibhuti Yoga). There are many commentaries on these epics and very rarely one comes across the spiritual text revealing the etymology and esoteric aspects of the scripts!
We are asked to chant the name of Ram, Ram naam japo. Normally, Ram is the name of the King of Ayodhya. But this name of 'Ram' or Ramachandra was given to the 'first born' (son?) of the King. As the epic Ramayana goes, the King of Ayodhya had no issues and he was blessed by a sage with a 'fruit with mantra' asking him to share with his wives. The children born, thus are mantrasya putrah. The firs one is Ramachandra, the name given to the child after the God Shree Ram, the king was worshiping! The sage had also warned that the first-born was not actually a human being, but an avatar purusha, divine being. Actually, Ram was not at the bedside of the King Dasharatha when he died and he was busy cremating the Bird Jatayu! These are highly symbolic and we cannot understand them easily. The idol of Shree Ramachandra now with the Uttaradi math or the Shree Raghavendra Math are also quite mysterious. one of these idols is Digvijaya Rama, one after the conquest of King of Sri Lanka, Ravana. The second is the Mula Ramadevaru supposed to be the one that was with the King of Kalinga. This King of Kalinga had a child whose tutor-cum-guardian Narahari, the disciple of Shree Madhwacharya of Udupi. Incidentally, the idol was given by an old man from Puri, Odisha. The old man gave this idol of mula Ramadevaru to the king since he was too old to conduct the daily rituals of puja and naivedya before taking his food. The King had kept this idol in the Treasury of the Temple of Puri Jagannatha. It is stated that the ardent disciple Narahari gave this as his guru dakshina to to Shree Madhwacharya at Udupi, that later came to Najangud (Mysore) and then to Mantralaya! Thus the Idols of Shree Ram in these Mathas are quite interesting.
But, the question remains- "Who is Shree Ram?
Etymologically, the root words of Shree Ram are: 'Ra' and 'Ma'. These are significant in that 'Ra' stands for the Sun (Light) and 'Ma' for the Earth. As the epic Ramayana goes, the idol of Devi Ma Sita was found in a box in a field near Allahabad. Devi Ma Sita is the Mother of all the jivarashi. Incidentally, the jivarashi are supported by Anjaneya as Prana Deva. Anjaneya is said to be the son of of vayu and agni devas. In a way, this is nothing but the Oxygen we breath that is in the air. Now, Ram, Sita, and Anjaneya, also known as Hanumantha (the all-knowing!), are the central figures of epic Ramayana. Lakshmana, who constantly accompanies Ram and Sita, is symbolically the inseparable part of the story. It is nothing but the nerves and neurons of the jivarashi. Ra is the soul, Ma is the gross body supported by 'ya' food derived from soil (earth), Hanuma is the life-breath and Lakshman is the nervous system. Thus, the central theme of these epics is to reveal the knowledge of the Self, one's self!
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