Story of Rama

Rama to be crowned

Dasaratha, the King of Ayodhya, decided to install his son Sri Rama as the Crown Prince. All the people whole-heartedly accepted it. The whole of Ayodhya went into rapturous joy. Singing and dancing, all were discussing about Rama becoming the King.

While the whole world was happy and celebrating, there was darkness in one chamber. It was Kaikeyi’s. She is the second wife of Dasaratha.

Kaikeyi Passes the Evil Message to Rama

Rama got the message that Dasaratha wanted to meet him. So he hurried to Kaikeyi’s Apartment. He sensed the tension in the silent chamber. Rama saw his father. Beside him Kaikeyi stood like an evil spirit.

Rama prostrated at the feet of Dasaratha. Then he moved towards Kaikeyi, who moved away from him like an insane person. The king did not speak a word. His eyes were shedding tears and remaining shut. He just said “Rama” in a broken voice and tears escaped from his eyes.

Rama was confused. He said to Kaikeyi, “Have I done anything to annoy my father? Or is he unwell? I should not ask this – did you both quarreled?”

Kaikeyi said, “There is nothing wrong with you. He wanted to tell you something but he dare not. Therefore, I will tell you. Long before, your father gave me two boons. Last night when I asked him to honour it, he was not ready.”

Rama wondered at the harshness of Kaikeyi. There was so much malice in her tone. She said “Rama, if you can fulfill your father’s promises. I will tell you what I asked him for”.

“Why do you ask me? I will do anything to keep my father’s word. I will honour it – whatever it may be”.

Kaikeyi said “I want Bharatha to be crowned, instead of you. You should spend fourteen years in the forest, dressed like a rishi”.

Rama Agrees to Honour His Father’s Words

Without a moment of hesitation, Rama said,” Yes definitely I will go to the forest. Why is there such a conflict over this? Please send messengers at once to bring Bharatha. I am happy to see Bharatha crowned.”

Kaikeyi said in a cold voice, “Leave that to me. When Bharatha comes, you need not be here. As long as you are here, your father will not crown Bharatha. The sooner you leave, the better it is.”

Dasaratha swooned. Rama sprang to him. Now Rama’s eyes were full and he said quietly, “Father, you have not understood me. You could have asked me yourself. I would have gone happily then. It pains me that you have doubted my love for you. I will go at once. I will not come back for 14 years. I just want to see my mother Kaushalya and convince her that this is not a tragedy but a divine order. For me, the god’s grace has unfolded in this manner.”

Then he touched Kaikeyi’s feet and quickly walked out of the room. Behind him, he heard his father break down calling “Rama” several times and sobbing like a child.

Lakshmana Gets Angry

Lakshmana who accompanied Rama became angry and hot tears came out of him like a river. Rama just put his hand around his shoulders and consoled him.

His face became more radiant. There was no sorrow and no disappointment on his face now. Determination and the will to do anything vibrated through him. He became more handsome.

Rama Consoles His Mother

Rama explained everything to his mother Kaushalya, who spent the whole night in prayer. Kaushalya broke down and said, “Rama when you were born, I thought Gods have blessed me.  I never enjoyed the love of your father.  I was neglected by him. Since then you are the light of my days.  I cannot live without seeing your face, Rama.”

Her frail figure shook with sobbing.  Her lip was uttering “Rama, Rama”.

Rama’s Mother Bless Him

Finally, she accepted for Rama’s departure and blessed him. “In all the fourteen years of your life in the forest, be sure that Dharma (the divine order) and Satyam (truth) will always be with you. You will always be surrounded and protected by them and the Divinity”.

Rama prostrated to her and left her. Lakshmana then shouted, “I will not allow this.  A king should think of what is good for the kingdom and not what suits his favorite wife.  I will just kill him as well as Kaikeyi.”

Rama remained silent. He let him vent his grief, knowing it was sorrow that was expressed as anger and threat.

Rama Explains Speaks About Total Acceptance

You know about Vairagya (determination). We sat at Guru’s feet and learnt. We should implement in life, what we learnt.  Love for me should not resort to violence.  Violence is never Dharma.

You have to help me by letting me go in peace. Anger and grief will make us stagnate.  When we just accept the Divine order, our life is taken care of by the divine. Divine order is the one, which makes our destiny.

It is not that Mother Kaikeyi is evil or that she hates me.  Only that Divine order uses her, even against Kaikeyi’s own nature.  Do you know she is the most wounded of all!

Calm yourself. When disappointment strikes you, think with your intellect and not with your burning emotional part.  What is next?

Accept everything that comes to you. When you accept, you will find innumerable ways to live and do things.  While resisting, all the life doors are closed.

Acceptance is nothing but surrendering.  Surrender! Surrendering alone can allow divine to work for you.  When divinity takes care of your life, you are the most fortunate.

How to attain Peace and Harmony

Whether you agree or disagree with me, just observe what happens around you. Whatever is happening right now is what you need at this moment, because every scene in the drama of life is preparation for the next scene.

Only person without an ego

This is a continuation of the post, “Ego is not tiny”: http://wp.me/p3dhkD-2k

Naran

How one can be without an ego? Unless you shed your identity, you cannot shed your ego. There is only one person who was without an ego. He was Lord Krishna.

He accepted to be the driver of the chariot (in the battle field of Kurukshetra war). We don’t know the difficulties of a driver of a chariot.

In the midst of the war, while fight is going on, you cannot give instructions to the driver, ‘Hey turn left here’ and so on. In the war, Arjuna was sitting above him. How Arjuna did convey the messages to Krishna?

He will place his leg on the left shoulder of Krishna, if the chariot has to be turned left and on the right shoulder, if the chariot has to be turned right.

If you become a chariot driver, will you accept it? However, Krishna accepted it. That is the nature of Divine beings.  He did his work as a charioteer with full devotion.

Running the chariot is Karma Yoga for him. Running it with devotion is Bhakti yoga for him. Because he rode it with so much of dedication, he attained the supreme knowledge (Gnana) in driving the chariot.

That’s why His Gita is Bhagavad Gita.

When the war was over how did Arjuna behave?

That’s the difference between the lord and human beings.

After the war, he told Krishna, ‘I am the warrior. Will you please get down first?”

That’s the protocol in the war.  Krishna replied to him, “War is over. You get down first”.

Arjuna got down first and then Krishna did. The moment Krishna got down from the chariot, it burst into flames. Had Krishna followed the protocol, what would have happened? Arjuna would have been killed in the flames.

TINY is the switch word which fully describes Krishna.

Related Blogs

Switch Word from Lord Krishna: http://wp.me/ptUKY-3J

Meditation on Lord Krishna’s relationship with Khusela:  http://wp.me/p12byb-4N

Harmony is wanted: http://wp.me/p3FS2t-3V

I will save you at any cost

A great man of prayer was once surrounded by floods.

On the previous day, god appeared in his dream and said “When the floods arrive, I will come and save you.”

Now his house was about to be submerged in the water.

Soon after a boat man appeared and offered his services. Though, the great man refused the offer, expecting god to come and save him.

The floods were rising further and except for him all his neighbors were saved.

After some time, another boatman came and offered his services.

Once again the great man refused it. He did the same for the third boatman too.

Eventually, he was drowned.

He met the God after his death and asked him why he was not saved from the floods, as he was promised in the dream.

God replied “I sent the boats thrice, but on all the three occasions you refused.”

Learn how the Lord works!!!

Don’t forget to read till the last line please!!!

Once there was a sweeper in the Well Known temple and he was very sincere and devoted. Every time he saw thousands of devotees coming to take darshan of the Lord, he thought that the Lord is standing all the time and giving darshan and He must be feeling very tired. So one day very innocently he asked the Lord whether he can take the place of the Lord for a day so that the Lord can have some relief and rest. The Deity of Temple replied, “I do not mind taking a break. I will transform you like myself, but you must do one thing. You must just stand here like me, smile at everyone and just give benedictions. Do not interfere with anything and do not say anything. Remember you are the deity and you just have faith that I have a master plan for everything.” The sweeper agreed to this.

The next day the sweeper took the position of the deity and a rich man came and prayed to the Lord. He offered a nice donation and prayed that his business should be prosperous. While going, the rich man inadvertently left his wallet full of money right there. Now the sweeper in the form of deity could not call him and so he decided to control himself and keep quiet.

 Just then a poor man came and he put one coin in the Hundi and said that it was all he could afford and he prayed to the Lord that he should continue to be engaged in the Lord’s service. He also said that his family was in dire need of some basic needs but he left it to the good hands of the Lord to give some solution. When he opened his eyes, he saw the wallet left by the rich man. The poor man thanked the Lord for His kindness and took the wallet very innocently. The sweeper in the form of the Deity could not say anything and he had to just keep smiling.

 At that point a sailor walked in. He prayed for his safe journey as he was going on a long trip. Just then the rich man came with the police and said that somebody has stolen his wallet and seeing the sailor there, he asked the police to arrest him thinking that he might have taken it. Now the sweeper in the form of Deity wanted to say that the sailor is not the thief and he could not say and he was greatly frustrated. The sailor looked at the Lord and asked why he an innocent person is being punished. The rich man looked at the Lord and thanked Him for finding the thief. The sweeper in the deity form could no more tolerate and he thought that even if the real Lord had been here, he would have definitely interfered and hence he started speaking and said that the sailor is not the thief but it was the poor man who took away the wallet. The rich man was very thankful as also the sailor.

 In the night, the real Lord came and He asked the sweeper how the day was. The sweeper said, “I thought it would be easy, but now I know that your days are not easy, but I did one good thing.” Then he explained the whole episode to the Lord. The Lord became very upset on hearing this whereas the sweeper thought the Lord would appreciate him for the good deed done.

 The Lord asked, “Why did you not just stick to the plan? You had no faith in me. Do you think that I do not understand the hearts of all those who come here? All the donation which the rich man gave was all stolen money and it is only a fraction of what he really has and he wants me to reciprocate unlimitedly. The single coin offered by the poor man was the last coin he was having and he gave it to me out of faith. The sailor might not have done anything wrong, but if the sailor were to go in the ship that night he was about to die because of bad weather and instead if he is arrested he would be in the jail and he would have been saved form a greater calamity. The wallet should go to the poor man because he will use it in my service. I was going to reduce the rich man’s karma also by doing this and save the sailor also. But you cancelled everything because you thought you know my plan and you made your own plans.”

 God has plans and justice for everyone….we just have to have patience…………

 – From an email sent by MM Elango

We always do everything partially. We believe in God. We have trust in God. We have bakthi.  But nothing is total. We say we are surrendering. Only one part of the mind surrenders. The other parts will doubt and prevent our total surrender.

When we have total surrender we accept what is happening and when we accept instead of resisting, God’s plan is revealed. When you totally surrender, you will not question anything but witness anything that is happening.

Is it possible to reach that stage? I don’t know. But we have to try and keep on trying.

Daily Pray, “Let all parts of my mind surrender”. With this intention, chant the mantra, “Om Hum Namaha”. Hum is the bija mantra which will make one to surrender to god. All the inflexible resisting doubting parts will join the surrendering part. 

When you wake up in the morning say, “This is the God-given day. Whatever I do, I do it for him.”

Naran

Story of Valmiki

Valmiki chanted Mara, but ended up as a greatest writer in India of all times.

He started his life as a thief — looting and feeding his family. He felt that he was protecting them and doing his duty. He was about to steal from Narada too, who questioned him on his stealing ways.

Narada: Why do you steal?

Valmiki: It’s my duty to protect my family. I know only to steal.

Narada: By killing others you are acquiring lot of bad karma. Go and ask your family members whether they can take part any of your karma.

(Valmiki goes to his family)

Valmiki: Can any of you take part of my karma that I have incurred due to my stealing habits.

Valmiki’s Mother: I didn’t know anything about the bad things you were involved in. Therefore, in no way I can be part of it.

(The other members of his family replied in similar lines)

Valmiki (to Narada): Nobody is willing to take part of it. What’s the salvation for me then?

Narada: Chant Rama Nama, 24 hrs a day.

Valmiki chanted Mara as he heard Rama as Mara. He chanted for many years to come. A pit formed over him. People heard only the sound. When he came out of his meditation, he wrote the famous epic Ramayana.

The need for forgiveness and the Story of Drona

Anger breeds anger. We can understand that with the help of the story of Drona – the greatest teacher in archery and who lived in ancient India.

Drona and prince Droupada studied together in the same gurukulam (school). They learnt from the same guru. While Drona was poor, Droupada was the son of a king. But, they were very good friends.

After their gurukulam was over, Droupada went to rule his kingdom. Drona got married and had a son by name Asuvatama. They were so poor, that they didn’t have money to buy milk for their son. They would mix flour in water and give it to him.

Drona’s wife asked him to approach king Droupada. Drona approached the king, who insulted him saying, “You are a poor Brahmin. Those days are gone. I am the king of entire Panchala Desam now. Don’t expect any favours from me”.

Drona became so angry that he wanted to wreak vengeance. He searched for a job. He got a job to teach archery to Pandavas. After the training was over, it was time for offerings to guru Drona. He asked Arjuna to defeat Droupada, tie him to the wheel of his chariot and bring him to Drona.

Arjuna Defeats Droupada

Arjuna defeated the king and brought him to Drona. He told Droupada, “You insulted me. See what happened to you now”.

Drona took the southern part of Panchala.

Was the incident over after this?

Droupada challenged that he will beget a son, through whom he will kill Drona. He did a penance to beget a son by name Drishtithyumna.

So many years elapsed. Just before the great Gurushetra war began, Dharmar (the head of Pandavas) – the eldest brother of Arjuna, prostrated to Drona – who was in the side of Gouravas – enemies of Pandavas, and sought his blessings.

Drona informed him, “Had you not come, you would have lost the battle. I will tell you the secret of killing me. If I receive any sad news, I will give up the battle. Ask somebody to kill me then”. Dharmar passed this info to Krishna.

During the battle, elephant Asuvatama was killed. Krishna spread the news saying that Asuvatama was killed in the battle. When Drona heard this, he asked Dharmar – who always spoke the truth. Krishna blew the conch at that time, making sure Drona did not hear anything except “Asuvatama killed”. Immediately Drona, threw his weapons away, and sat on the ground. Drishtithyumna reached him and cut his head.

Asuvatama Takes Revenge

Asuvatama came to know about this, and decided to take revenge against Pandavas. Pandavas were sleeping in the night then. He killed all the children of Pandavas.

Arjuna made a vow that he would kill Asuvatama. Eventually Asuvatama was defeated in the battle and was brought in front of Krishna. Krishna said, “Don’t kill Asuvatama, but forgive him instead”. His crop of his hair was removed by Arjuna and he was pardoned as Krishna requested for.

Asuvatama got angry and charged Pandavas with Brhmastram (it’s like an atom bomb). Abhimanyu’s wife was pregnant then. Krishna saved the child with his Sudarsana Chakra. His name was Parikshit.

Krishna got angry with Asuvatama and cursed him by saying, “You have so much revenge in your mind that you should live in this world without a company,  with no body to talk to, have no food or water, for next three thousand years”.

Lessons Learned

The revenge acts mentioned above are nothing but the acts of the mind. Isn’t it? It’s the nature of the mind to get angry and take revenge. The nature of Soul is to forgive, love and be in divine nature.

The Forgiveness Exercise

We might say there is some bad energy residing in the house. Hearing this, the house will get hurt. So affirm, “I Tom forgive you Golden Gates Apartments. Please forgive me and release me”.

We would have commented about somebody behind their back. That’s also a form of anger. So affirm, “I Tom forgive you Vivek. You forgive me and release me”.

“Release me” statement is important, as we are habitual in nature and we have to release that pattern. This forgiveness is nothing breaking the pattern – both our thinking patterns and thus our behaviour patterns.

Whenever you are angry about somebody, do this exercise. We have to chant like a mad person until relationship becomes good. In the last Janma we would have fought with them or others and so we repeat the same pattern. The persons are different and the events are different, but the emotions remain the same.

You can do this for good relationships too. The relationships will be strengthened in the process.

Dare 2 Do IT! (The forgiveness exercise)

The Besant Nagar Laughter Club followed this technique. They found it very helpful to them.

Never Its Late To Teach Moral Stories

A Modern Day Mother’s Story to Her Child

Chitra

My son is studying in VII standard.

I am always worried about him. He does not listen to us – parents. Even at this age, his anger is terrible. Suppose we scold him, he shouts back saying, “You are not my mother. I will go and stay in my friend’s house”. He does not read his lessons, getting bad remarks from the school. He is lying and he tries to dupe me.

Naran

Have you ever told Puranic stories and Moral Stories to your child in the age between five and seven?

Chitra

No. At that age, he only saw Superman and Spiderman in T.V.

Naran

This is the problem of the modern day parents. We never tell our children any moral stories when they grow up. The children are always fond of stories. There is no grandmother or grandfather around to tell them the stories.

Children, if they listen to stories, they will grow better – morally and mentally.

Chitra

Now what I can do? Is there any way I rectify the situation?

Naran

Yes definitely, instead of brooding or worrying you take the tapping picture, write your son’s name and tap on the points while reading moral story of your choice. Do one story for 21 days and see how he improves.

By tapping like this both the healer (mother) and healed (son) are benefited.

Stories for Life Part 3: Rama and Zen Tea

Zen Tea

There is a story about a Zen Master.

The master was making tea.

A person known to him visited him. The Zen Master offered him tea.

Then a stranger visited him. The master offered him tea too.

Watching this, his neighbour asked, why he offered tea to them – for both known and unknown persons.

As a reply to him, the Zen master offered tea to this neighbour too.

A Depressed Patient

June approached Naran S. Balakumar as she was having bouts of depression.

She tapped while she listening to the story of the Zen Master. Within four rounds of tapping, her laughter shook the hall.

Benefits of Listening to Story of Rama’s Pilgrimage to the Forest

1. To handle any disappointments and failures in life.
2. When you are not able to accept something because of anger, or in general when you are seething with anger/rage/fury, listen to the story and do tapping (EFT).
3. When you are worrying too much
4. Basically it is a story to accept what is happening to your life. This will bring in mental healing in you, which is very essential to life. Please read the explanation below.

When we suffer we feel why we have to go through it. After going through the bad experiences, we realise what  happened was right. Thus behind unhappiness we can find divine order as well as happiness.

Seeking pleasure and avoiding pain is the nature of mind. What is painful today may turn out to be pleasure tomorrow.

Therefore, accept totally whatever happens in your life. The  mere acceptance will bring in a state of calm – which is essential   to plan the next course of action.

Nobody can escape from doing something. Do whatever after  accepting it.

A mental state of unhappiness will only bring in more  unhappiness. To be happy, accept and be in a happy state, so as to find happiness in the events that occurs outside us.

This story was discussed in the Monthly Meet, April 2009. It is available in CD.

 

Stories for Life Part 2: Jada Bharatha

A Marriage Not a Bother Anymore

A couple approached Naran S. Balakumar for their problems seems to be never ending.  They were fighting like dogs and cats.

Balakumar narrated the following story from Panchatantra and asked them to tap while listening to the story:

There lived a dog and cat in a village. They fought like hell.

One day, it was raining heavily. They took a shelter in a Mandapam (a common place for discussing and resting for travellers).

The weather was too cold for the cat. There was one blanket available. Therefore, they have no choice but to use the same blanket. They covered themselves with the blanket.

They realized that they have to be together to solve any problem in life.

The couple did the tapping for few days and they could resolve the problems between them to a greater extent.

Benefits of Listening to Story of Jada Bharatha

1. When a person is hurt or wounded emotionally, the story is a great soother
2. This will bring some body out of love pangs, when they have failed in love.
3. If somebody has a suicidal tendency, it will give them hope and enthusiasm.

This story was discussed in the Monthly Meet, April 2009. It is available in CD.

Next Post: Stories for Life Part 3

“Rama’s Pilgrimage to the Forest” and “Zen Tea”

 

Stories for Life Part 1 – Gajendra Moksham

A Well That Never Dried

There is a story about a King Bhagirathan. He is an ancestor of Rama. He was supposed to have brought water to India, the River Ganges from heaven.

Shantha wanted to dig a bore well at her residence. Before digging the well, she tapped (EFT) on herself while reading the story.

After a few days, she dug the well. This happened four years back. Until now the water hasn’t dried up in the well.

Benefits of Listening to Story of Gajendra Moksham

The story was narrated in the April Monthly Meet. Its available in CD. 

• Pay back debts
• Never ending issues – you want to resolve them.
• The court case seems to go nowhere. You want to put a stop to it.
• Hearing the narration will burn all your previous Karma.
• Remembering and reminding oneself of this Gajendra episode will give you Peace, Joy and Love.

Next Post:

Stories for Life Part 2 – Jada Bharatha