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Message RAM NAVMI Hindu Scriptures declare: "Whenever there is sin and corruption on earth a saviour is born as a beaconlight to guide mankind along the path of truth and righteousness". The King Ravana of Lanka through prolonged penance and sacrifice was granted a unique blessing which made him very powerful and mighty. After obtaining the boon he asked for, he began persecuting all, including the saints-and the holy. His evil doings were extended even to pilgrimages and places of worship. Ravana's abuse of power and his tyrannical deeds made life miserable for almost everyone. Saints were forced to seek refuge in caves while others escaped at the sound of his very foot-steps. The might of his terror prevented peace in the world and evinced sufferings and miseries. Mother earth became overburdened. It was then that the Saints went into meditation and with a united voice prayed for the help of the Almighty. Amidst their sorrowful and sincere call, a voice came from the void saying. "Do not be afraid! For your sake I am about to descend on earth in human-form with every element-of my divinity". Their fears were thus appeased and all was set for an incarnation of God. IN WHOSE HOME CAME THE LORD. King Dasrath who was endowed with good fortune, devoted to truth, brave and famous, was without a son. During this very time, the king was engaged in a special form of worship called "Putra Kamaeshti Yagna" as advised by his family Priest Saint Vasishtha. This ceremony was performed so that he may be blessed with a son. King Dasratha's prayers were answered. Lord Vishnu embodied himself and chose King Dasratha's - the King of Ayodhya for his father. On the ninth lunar day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra, under the star Punarvasa, and lagna Karkata (the favourable and prosperous zodiacal sign of cancer) the five constellations in the ascendant, appeared on earth the great and prosperous Shri Ram with mighty arms and auspicious marks. His body was fair and His form effulgent like a thousand suns.
All the Saints and Sages were present. The Gandharvas (musicians) sang, while the Apsaras danced from above and the city of Ayodhya where Lord Rama was born became a place of tremendous happiness and an ocean of prosperity. The Lord was given the name Rama by the Saint Vashishtha because he gave joy and happiness to all and also because the Munis found in Him delight which they felt will help them to cross the ocean of ignorance. Lord Rama was an embodiment of every social and domestic virtue. His filial duty is unparalleled in the history of the world. His bending of the tremendous bow of Lord Shiva which won Him Sita as His consort is yet another marvellous display of His divine qualities. Many kings and Princes one after the other tried to raise the bow; but they could not even move it as it lay on the ground. When Shri Rama's turn came, He did not only lift it from the ground; but raised it quite above His head and drew the bow with such a force that it snapped in two. Sita Devi was not only Rama's consort but His supreme energy. (Param Shakti) Shri Ram as a Divine Incarnation has shown man the righteous path. Despite many vicissitudes, turmoil's, privations, miseries, unendurable sorrows and insurmountable difficulties; Shri Rama's teachings can be viewed broadly from two points of view. Incarnate as a man, he shows us the righteous way of life and in doing so expounded the secrets of Dharma both by precept and example. He also shoed the Divinity in Him and revealed the true nature of the Godhead. The life of Shri Rama whether looked at as a man or as a divine incarnation is full of lessons for us all. These lessons we get from the Ramayana because the teachings of the Ramayana is of perennial interest. It has swayed the hearts and minds of millions of Hindus for countless ages; it has inspired them to high thinking, noble effort, and right conduct. That even today men, women and children listen to the discourse of the Ramayana with rapt and rapturous attention. In the course of His life Shri Rama was called upon to solve many subtle complexities of the moral law. His approach to them is invariably marked by sincerity and reverence. He showed mankind that Dharma is an established moral order, resting on the very nature of things; for in Dharma is truth established. Af.ter Ravana is killed and the battle won, all the Devas, headed by Brahma, came on to the scene to pronounce their benediction on the conqueror. They expressly say that He is "Narayana", who has descended into this world to rid it of the atrocious Ravana. Throughout the Aranya Kanda during His visits to several sages; especially Atri and agastya, Valmiki makes it clear that Shri Rama was regarded as an incarnation and was thus worshipped by the sages . The incarnation hypothesis derives its support from the famous shlokas in the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita: "For the protection of the Good, For the destruction of evil doers, for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age." It is further reinforced by the verse which is usually recited every day as preliminary to the devotional study of the Ramayana, wherein it is stated that when God, who can be known and realised only by the study of the Vedas, was born as the son of Dasratha, the Vedas themselves took shape as the Ramayana of Valmiki. The teachings of Lord Rama reminds us that sorrow and joy, fear and anger, gain and loss, life and death, indeed everything that happens, is due to the action of fate. (Ayodhya kanda: 22) It was fate that brought the kingdom within the reach of Rama, and it was fate that deprived him of it. Whatever happens without being previously planned and interfering with what has already been begun, that certainly is the work of Fate. But the workings of Fate should not blind us to our duties and responsibilities. Another aspect of Shri Rama's teachings is to give protection to the weak and helpless. The Kshatriya bears arms so that the weak and innocent may not suffer. And when anyone seeks his protection he cannot withold it, It wasthis principle that made Shri Rama espouse the cause of the Rishis of the Dandaka forest against the rakshasas (demons). What, however, is most noteworthy is the attitude of God towards those who seek refuge in him. When Vibhishana approaches the army of Rama, there was a big council held. Everyone except Hanuman who knows something about Vibhishana, spoke against the acceptance of Vibhishana, Rama spoke last, and declared that it was His vow to protect all those who seek His help and resort to Him as their refuge. This is taken to be an authoritative assurance from the lips of God incarnate that He would protect all those who seek His refuge. There are many ways leading to salvation. Hindu tradition knows at least four such distinct paths---these are Jnana (wisdom) Karma (ritual or duty); Bhakti (devotion) and Prapatti (Self surrender). Of these Bhakti is regarded as the least difficult. However, to secure the Grace of God, we are asked to have absolute faith in Him and leave it to Him to dispose of us as He pleases. Shri Rama's acceptance of Vibhishana, though he hailed from the enemy's camp, is taken to be indicative of the abundance of God's Mercy. God will not deny anyone who comes to Him for refuge.
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