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"The love for a human being is limited. The Love for the
Divine is Unlimited; it never finishes.
"In every sinner there is a Saint and in every Saint there
is a sinner."
- Premavatar Swami Vishwananda
A Life-Story by Swamini
Vishwalakshmianandama:
The epic story of the life of the
Great Avatar Ram, the Ramayana,
was written by Valmiki. He was the first to write in the style of Indian
Slokas, or verses, in his great work, the Ramayana.
Later, among the many Hindu scriptures, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, and other works were composed in this
'verse' style.
Valmiki is a Hindu sage who lived
approximately at the beginning of the first millennium B.C. He was born into a
Brahmin family (Priests) of the family of the Great Sage, Bhrigu. His dharma,
or fate some might say, however, took him into a family of robbers who raised
him. This family stole and killed for their livelihood. His pre-birth dharma
eventually brought Valmiki into the presence of The Seven Sages and the Great Sage Narada. Through the repetition
of the name of Ram, Ramanama, Valmiki attained the supreme state of 'maharshi',
or Great Sage.
There is a saying: "In every
sinner there is a Saint, and in every Saint there is a sinner." So it is
with Valmiki. When I was about nine years old, the poem, "The
Highwayman" was my favorite poem. It is a
ill-fated love poem where a Highwayman and a beautiful young Inn-Keepers
daughter die, due to circumstances created by people who disapproved of
their love connection and the Highwayman's life style. Much later in life, it
was revealed that it was not the love poem aspect that attracted me the most,
but rather 'The Highwayman" hero that was attempting to awaken my atma or soul
memory of Valmiki who was a robber, or Highwayman, who became a Saint.
A few lines follow that sent shivers
over my whole body each time our fourth grade teacher allowed me to choose what
she would read after recess (time for play outside after lunch in the American
school system). At that time I did not know that these "shivers" were
Shakti energy or the Holy Spirit Christ told His disciples He would send after
His crucifixion and did send to them at Pentecost and to everyone born
thereafter. And, I did not know that what sent the Shakti at nine years old
while hearing this poem was that my atma, my soul then residing in a
nine-year-old body actually had lived in the liftetime of Rama and knew the
epic story Valmiki wrote as the Ramayana.
This poem, The
Highwayman, was a reminder from my higher frequency self, the big 'I' to my
little 'I' sitting in a school room listing to a poem of a robber which
connected me at a soul or atmic level, to Valmiki who was a robber turned
Saint, like the Highwayman who sacrificed his life for the love of
the Inn Keeper's daughter did a kind of 'saintly action' through his choice of
death. It was not to the human love aspect, which is limited, that my
atma, at nine years old, was bringing to my attention, but rather, to the
Divine Love within the Highwayman and inn-keeper's daughter that was
revealed when they, in essence, died for the love of the other.
The Highwayman
by Alfred Noyes
Verse I
The
wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees
The
moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The
road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor.
And
the Highwayman came riding --
Riding--riding--
The
Highwayman came riding up to the old inn-door. . . .
From Valmiki's Ramayana
Translated by Swami Rama
(These verses are from the
"Ayodhya Kanda")
Verse 24
Kaushalya's tears were
the libation (Ram's mother)
Offered
with great lamentation
She
did yearn to follow him (Ram)
And
in the forest live with them (Ram, Lakshman, Sita)
To
leave one's consort is a sin
So
Ram did counsel her within.
Resigned
that Ram would leave this place,
Kaushalya
did with blessings grace
Her
son, in hopes that she would see
Raghav [or Raghu] come back happily.
Verse 25
All
the blessings did she shower
At
Prince Raghav's [or Raghu''s] parting hour.
Through
the tears they said good-bye;
On
Providence they would rely.
Verse 26
Ram
turned his steps to meet his wife [Sita]
And
tell her of his altered life
The
grief within he could not hide,
Through
valiantly Prince Raghav tried.
He
told her of the boons received
And
how Kakutsha deeply grieved.
And counseled her in gentle ways
To virtuously pass the days
Impeccable
in her behavior,
She
would stay within their favor.
Practicing
austerity,
Her
life would then find charity.
Verse 27
Wounded
by his spoken word
Sita
wondered how she heard
Such
words unworthy of a prince
Adept
in sword and mace and lance
She
would never stay behind
And
leave her lord alone to find
His
way through unknown foreign land,
The
one who held her wedded hand.
Her
devotion was eternal
And
her love for Ram was vernal.
She
would dwell at Raghav's feet
Only
there would be her seat.
Verse 28
Ram
portrayed the forest danger,
Forest
life could her endanger
Stoic
would their life become,
To
treachery they could succumb.
He
told her of the forest bear
And how on fruits and roots they'd fare,
And
how they'd fast for many days,
And
they would live by austere ways.
She
should then remain at home
While
in the forest he would roam.
[Then,
as the story goes: Ram, Lakshmana and Sita wander the length and breadth of India
for 14 years of Ram's exile. Ram lives his entire life in perfect Dharma,
Love and Compassion. During
the 14 years of exile, He performs many miracles, healing many
people and liberating many who have been waiting Vishnu's incarnation on Earth as the Avatar Ram.
Ram
eventually kills the demon King of Lanka, Ravana, a part of his mission
to Earth in this incarnation. Then Ram returns to Ayodhya as the rightful King
and continues to rule for thousands of years.
THEN:
From the Uttara Kanda:
Verse 109
At
the dawn King Raghav rose,
His life on Earth he now would close.
The
rishis, devas, followed hm,
Women,
choldren all of them,
His
brothers and his brother's wives,
Chose
with him to end their lives
The
titans, banars, every beast
Did
go with him as did the least.
No
one in the town remained,
Raghav
had their lives sustained.
Silently
King Raghav strode
Barefoot
on that dusty road,
But
all were full of happiness,
With
Ram they felt delightful bliss.
Verse 110
The
sandy shores of Saryu came
And
Brahma, like a brilliant flame,
Addressed
Lord Vishnu there on Earth
Who
as a man had taken birth
Ram's
abode with Him did wait,
Eternally
at heaven's gate
All
the brothers then did go
To
heaven with their hearts aglow,
And
all the devas called their name,
Proclaiming
their eternal fame.
Every
banar, beast and man,
Titan,
to the river ran.
Instantly they were absolved,
Surya
had their sins dissolved.
All
of them to heaven went.
Even animals were sent.
Their
pristine forms they did regain.
These
devas that on Earth did reign.
Valmiki wrote
this epic tale,
And
Brahmadeva does it hail.
To
purify and sanctify,
So
it does one glorify
Longevity,
prosperity,
Attends
on one with verity.
For
he who does recite this tale
Adversity
cannot prevail
Glory
to that ageless One
Resplendent
like the peerless sun.
[This
is Ram / Vishnu, whose family name
Is
Raghu or Raghav of the Sun Dynasty. Ram previously had
left
his twin sons to rule India. Lava ruled North India
and Kush ruled South India].
Note: Swami Rama's Ramayana may be obtained at:
The Himalayan International Institute
of Yoga Science and Philosophy of
the U.S.A.
Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA
