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.

Meet your commitments to your body

From the “I Love Myself” Workbook

Do the following exercise

• What should you eat and what you should not eat.  Make a list and follow that to the core.

Sometimes body does not accept certain types of food. Yet, we try to eat the same food again and again.

Instead you have to prepare a list of items which you can eat and list out all those which your body does not accept.

When you prepare the list you are giving a commitment to your body and you need to follow that.

• Another thing is that whatever ways you behave outside we behave in the same manner with the body too. “I should not say this because the other person will be wounded”. Thinking like this, to please him, we tell a lie.

When you can’t meet a commitment, don’t make one

Suppose someone invites us for wedding. To please him we say that we will come definitely. But, we do not go to the wedding at all. I have also committed such mistakes.

Later on I found out that when I say something it is not a commitment to that person but it is a commitment to the God. I questioned myself, “Am I cheating the universe”?

Then I decided to tell the truth. If I am able to go I will say yes. Otherwise, I will say that I will not be able to make it.

Like that if you tell me that you are meeting me next week then it means that you are not making a commitment to me but you are committing to the Universe.

Commitment to our body

If one food is not being accepted by the body, we tell that I should not eat this food again. This is a commitment that you are giving to the Universe.

Next time when we eat that food again then we are breaking our own commitment.

The Universe is always watching all of us because it is the web of life. If I have to get my food at 1 p.m., it is already decided that it will come from a particular person.

By restraining yourself by not eating certain food, you are honoring your own body.

My child is attached to my mother-in-law

In this world there are four rules:

• You don’t get what you desire or what you want.
• You get what you don’t desire or what you don’t want.

In between these two rules, how to create what we want?

• To get what you want, accept what you get. When you accept what you get, you like what you get.
• When you like what you get, you get what you want.

A case history

Radha

My in-laws came here last Sunday. From the day they came here, my three-year old daughter Hema wants all her work to be done by my mother in-law. That actually doesn’t bother me.

However, I like to sleep with Hema. It so happened today that she wants to sleep with my MIL, instead of sleeping with me. I felt really bad that Hema does not understand my feelings and is avoiding me. I felt, ‘Am I not giving enough love to her?”

My MIL feels really happy when Hema ignores me and says that she wants to be with my in-laws.

Now I’m hurt that Hema is totally ignoring me and doesn’t want to sleep with me!

Naran

There is no motive for any child to behave rudely. It is natural that all the children want to be with their grand parents. Go to my blog and read the story of Mangala on Bach Flower CD:  http://healbymeditation.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/meditation-on-bach-flowers/

Allow the child to be as she is. The more and more you want your child to be with you, at the same time have a grudge against your mother in law the child will be drawn to her only.

• Chant the switch words, “Together Divine”
• Also, take the Bach Flower Remedies Holly and Chicory. Give it to your MIL also. Put Walnut and Willow in the common water.
• Tap on yourself (all the points) continuously whenever you find time and affirm, “I accept totally what is happening to me. Love Thanks Divine.”

Suffering mentally is optional. Whenever we accept what is happening, we get a new meaning to our life and at the same time, whatever we wish will happen automatically.

Radha

When my MIL laughs and speaks that my kid is very much attached to her rather than me, then I get the grudge on her. She has once told our family members, in front of me, that she wants my kid to be attached to her rather than me. I was hurt with her words. You may think that I’m blaming her. This is the fact and this is how she spoke.

Anyhow let me try chanting the affirmations and let you know.

Naran

What we do normally when we are wounded or hurt. We may grudge, blame, curse dislike and become furious. All these emotions get outside our auric field, get clogged in the atmosphere and influence or affect us because we draw the same energy from the atmosphere.

Moreover constant and consistent undesirable emotions of this type may travel and join similar emotions in the world, paving way for violence, murder etc. Thus, we contribute indirectly to the violent world outside. Do you want to hold on to these emotions?

Another way is just to accept and ignore wherever possible, the comments made by your MIL.

Affirm to yourself, “Hurting others is her (MIL) nature. Loving and becoming lovable (whatever may be the provocation) is my nature”. If you practise this (very difficult), she will also change.

Changing yourself should be your goal. Take it as a challenge.

Do a lot of forgiving exercise. This will give you more power.

Take the remedies. You will understand.