The Secret of Ramayana

by Swami Sivananda

The Secret of Ramayana – Spiritual Wisdom

The secret of Ramayana is the attainment of Jivanmukti through control of mind. Killing the ten-headed monster, Ravana of Lanka, is the annihilation of the ten evil Vrittis of mind, viz. , Raga (love), Dvesha (hatred), Kama (lust), Krodha (anger), Lobha (miserliness), Moha (infatuation, delusion), Mada (pride), Ahamkara (egoism), Matsarya (Jealousy) and Dambha (ostentation or vanity). Sita represents mind. Rama represents Brahman. Sita unites with her husband Rama. Mind merges in Brahman by concentration and incessant meditation on Rama. This is the esoteric teaching of the Ramayana. Constant repetition of the two-lettered Mantra RAMA (RA+MA) with Suddha Bhavana and perfect concentration leads to the control of mind and Samadhi. The thinker and the thought, the meditator and the meditated, the worshiper and the worshipped, the Upasaka and the Upasya become blended into one. Mind is filled with Rama. It becomes tadakara, tadrupa, tanmaya (oneness, sameness) and talleenata (as a man thinketh). As you think, so you become. The mind becomes identical with Rama. Jiva’s will will become merged with the Cosmic Will or the Will of Rama. Jivatma now vanishes.

The two-lettered Rama Mantra is the best of all the Mantras. Why? Because it is a combination of Panchakshara and Ashtakshara. RA is taken from OM NAMO NARAYANAYA and MA from OM NAMAH SIVAYA. It is therefore very powerful. The shorter the Mantra, the greater the concentration. So repetition of Rama Mantra brings about greater amount of concentration.

By worship and meditation or Japa of Rama Mantra, the mind is actually shaped into the form Rama. The object of worship is made pure through the purity of the object viz. , Ishtadevata, Rama. By continual practice (Abhyasa) the mind becomes full of the object (Rama) to the exclusion of everything else, steady in purity and does not stray into impurity. So long as mind exists it must have an object to lean upon and the object of Sadhana is to present to the mind with a pure object.

The sound repeatedly and harmoniously uttered in Japa of a Mantra must create or project into perception the corresponding thing (Devata). The Mantra gathers creative momentum by repetition through the force of Samskaras.

A Mantra is a mass of radiant Tejas or energy. It transforms the mental substance by producing a particular thought-movement. The rhythmical vibrations produced by its utterance regulate the unsteady vibrations of the five sheaths (Pancha Kosas). It checks the natural tendencies of the mind to run after objects. It helps the Sadhana-Sakti and reinforces it when it becomes imperfect and meets with obstacles. Sadhana-Sakti is strengthened by Mantra-Sakti. Mantra awakens super-human powers (Siddhis) when the sleeping consciousness in a Mantra (the Mantra Chaitanya) is awakened.

The famous Tulasi Das had Darshan of Rama by repeating this Rama Mantra. Samartha Rama Das performed his Tapas in Takli village on the banks of the Godavari and chanted Rama Mantra thirteen crores of times and eventually had Darshan of Rama. Ramadas of Bhadrachalam had Darshan of Rama by constantly repeating this Rama Taraka Mantra on the holy banks of the Godavari. Such is the power of Rama Mantra. It purifies the Chitta, gives Ashta Siddhis and eventually leads to Mukti. Have intense faith and Ananya, Avyabhicharini Bhakti towards Sri Rama. Do Antarika (from the bottom of the heart) prayer. Chant this Name constantly with Suddha Bhava. Sing Rama Nam daily for a couple of hours with closed eyes in a solitary room. Serve Bhaktas. You will doubtless be freed from this wheel of births and deaths. You will certainly have Darshan of Rama and through Para Bhakti or Abheda Bhakti will merge yourself in Rama. You will attain the Satchidananda state. There is no doubt of this.

-Devotional India