Sri Rama Navami is the festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Sri Rama, the Avatar of the Treta age. It falls in the ‘Chaitra’ month in the Shukla Paksha Navami (ninth day of the bright fortnight) of the Hindu lunar calendar. Lord Rama is revered as being the very embodiment of Dharma (righteousness) and one whose life serves as an ideal for all mankind. The Ramayana, an epic poem composed by sage Valmiki on the life of Lord Rama, is one of the sacred scriptures of the Hindu religion.
Sita Rama Kalyanam – 17th April 2024
The Ramayana is a guidebook on ideal relations between mother and children, between husband and wife, between brothers, between ruler and the people, between master and servants and many other human relationships. Rama showed compassion to dying eagle Jatayu, which fought with Ravana when he was carrying Sita away to Lanka and Rama gave refuge to Vibhishana, even against fears expressed by Lakshmana. These are examples of Rama’s supreme benevolence and magnanimity towards anyone who revered Him or sought His protection. Rama declared to Lakshmana: “Anyone who comes to Me in a spirit of surrender, whoever he might be, is Mine and I am his. I shall give him asylum. This is My vow.” Rama was a man pledged to one word, to one wife and to a single arrow. Devotees should install Rama in their hearts and celebrate Ramanavami for achieving Atmic bliss. Going through the epic Ramayana, they should reach the state of “Atma-Rama” (oneness with Universal Spirit). In such a state there is no Ahamkara (ego-sense)!
– Divine Discourse, April 07, 1987
“The Ramayana, the story of Lord Rama, teaches two lessons: the value of detachment and the need to become aware of the Divine in every being. Faith in God and detachment from objective pursuits are the keys for human liberation. Give up attachment to sense objects, and you gain Rama. Sita gave up the luxuries of Ayodhya so she could be with Rama during His exile. When she cast longing eyes on the golden deer and craved for it, she lost Rama’s proximity. Renunciation leads to joy; attachment brings about grief.
Be in the world, but not of it.
Rama is the in-dweller in every body. He is the Source of Bliss (Atma-Rama) in every individual. His blessing, surging from that inner spring, confers peace and bliss. He is the very embodiment of Dharma, of all the codes of morality that hold mankind together in love and unity”.
– From ‘Ramakatha Rasavahini’ authored by Bhagawan Baba
On the occasion of Ramanavami a discourse delivered by Bhagawan on 11 April 2003 at Brindavan. In this profound clip, Bhagawan explains what is the essence of Ramayana and why we must not look up to Lord Rama merely as an Avatar and worship Him. It is important to understand that each individual is Lord Rama and live life drawing inspiration from the idealism portrayed in the Ramayana.
You can read the entire Discourse here:
http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume36/sss36-07.pdf
Om Sri Sathya Sai Ramaya Namah
Rama is the indweller in every body. He is the Atma-Rama, the Rama (Source of Bliss) in every individual. His blessings upsurging from that inner spring can confer peace and Bliss. He is the very embodiment of Dharma, of all the codes of morality that hold mankind together in Love and Unity. The Ramayana, the Rama story, teaches two lessons: the value of detachment and the need to become aware of the Divine in every being. Faith In God and detachment from objective pursuits are the keys for human liberation. Give up sense objects; you gain Rama. Sita gave up the luxuries of Ayodhya and so, she could be with Rama, in the period of ‘exile’. When she cast longing eyes on the golden deer and craved for it, she lost the presence of Rama. Renunciation leads to joy; attachment brings about grief. Be in the world, but, not of it. The brothers, comrades, companions and collaborators of Rama are each of them examples of persons saturated with Dharma. Dasaratha is the representative of the merely physical, with the ten senses. The three Gunas – Sathwa, Rajas and Thamas – are the three Queens. The four goals of life – the Purusharthas – are the four sons. Lakshmana is the Intellect; Sugriva is Viveka or discrimination. Vali is despair. Hanuman is the embodiment of courage. The bridge is built over the ocean of delusion. The three Rakshasa chiefs are personifications of the Rajasic (Ravana), Thamasic (Kumbhakarna) and the Sathwic qualities (Vibhishana). Sita is Brahmajnana or the awareness of the Universal Absolute, which the individual must acquire and regain undergoing travails in the crucible of life. Make your heart pure and strong, contemplating the grandeur of the Ramayana. Be established In the faith that Rama is the reality of your existence.
Rama Katha Rasavahini – The Sweet Story of Rama’s Glory
“The Ramayana teaches the principles of Dharma and the path of duty to every individual. Though ages and aeons have passed by, the Ramayana remains ever-fresh guiding humanity on the path of truth and righteousness. Even today we think of the characters of Ramayana with respect and reverence. You can very well understand its greatness. There is no morality higher than what is depicted in the Ramayana. The Ramayana should be the subject of our Parayana (worship). You should install the principle of Rama in your heart and experience bliss. Practise the teachings of Ramayana in your daily life. Obey the command of Lord Rama. It is to understand and assimilate the principle of Ramayana that we are celebrating the festival of Rama Navami today. It is not enough if the celebration is confined to merely partaking of sweet pudding and other delicious items.
– Divine Discourse: April 11th, 2003
Installation Ceremony of “Sri Rama, Sita,
Lakshmana & Hanuman Idols in Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam in 1999
This year 1999 was something special. Mr. Subramania Chettiar attained the Lotus’ Feet of Bhagavan Baba on 13th April, 99. But it was a cherished dream and desire of Late Chettiar to install a temple for Lord Rama Pattabhishekam. Swami had given his blessings for this project, and Sri. Chettiar was not to live that day and witness his great ambition coming true. His illustrious and loving son, Sri Srinivasa Chettiar, had taken over the mantle of the President ship of the Padhya Trust. He strived very hard to realise the dream of his demised father. It was proposed to install the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Rama’s idol was to be about 6 feet in height. But Swami felt that this will necessitate a temple with very tall Gopurams and hence advised to restrict the height of the idols to about 4 ½ feet only.
The installation itself was shared with Divine suspense till be end. “Know and enjoy my uncertainty” is the dictum of Bhagavan Baba. True to this, the suspense prolonged till about a week of installation.
Swami had promised that He Himself will select a suitable Site for construction of the temple for Lord Rama. The days and weeks passed on, and there was no message from Swami on the selection of Site. Bhagawan Baba directed Srinivasan Chettiar to go back to Madurai to look after other arrangements. Finally, though all arrangements had been completed, it was realised that it was practically impossible to build a temple within the available short time. A strong foundation, sturdy pillar, a concrete slab, and then a Gopuram are all to be erected. It was humanly impossible. Just about 10 days before the proposed event of installation, Swami told Srinivasan Chettiar that Swami had made a choise of place where the idols are to be installed. The choice of the site was a grand one, as is always with Divine Sankalpa.
The newly extended area of the beautiful Sai Kulwant hall had encompassed the place where the 108 crores of Sri Rama had been inferred. Swami directed that a large Mandap be built in this site, suitable enough for the installation of Rama, Sita , Lakshmana and Hanuman. During installation ceremony, Bhagavan Baba created a small “Lingam” and directed Srinivasan Chettiar to insert the same in the small pit wherein the idol of Rama is to be installed. Swami mentioned that it is ‘Rama Lingam” which will attract devotees and activate Vibration inside Prashanthi Nilayam complex. The old Hanuman vighraham had also found a place in the same Mandap.
http://www.saibaba.ws/articles/kshethragnanbaba.htm
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram
Excerpts of a Shree Ramataraka Maha Yagna performed on 25th March 2007
Victoria, Australia.