Affirm

 

Faith column of the Hindu daily.

Internalising Rama, as shown by Saint Tyagaraja, by focusing one’s faculties upon Him and chanting his nama, is guaranteed to help realise the Lord and attain moksham, said Suchithra Balasubramanian in a discourse.

He lived his entire life exemplifying Rama bhakti. Born in Tiruvarur, not a day passed without his immersing himself in Rama’s stellar qualities. He had no other ambition but to serve the Lord, sing His praises and chant His name: he chanted Rama nama 96 crore times. For Tyagaraja, life on earth was not defined by material quest, but by the spiritual goal of total supplication to the highest power.

Throughout the ages, the average person is governed by basic wants, but Tyagaraja strongly believed that one’s mission should be to conduct oneself in such a manner as to receive Rama anugraham. His musical compositions were a free flowing river of devotion, appealing to Him for His grace. In the famous kirtanai, Patti viduva radhu, he makes a fervent appeal, Aputtina nade nija bhaktini meda katti guttu cederaka brociceyi. (Having constrained me, like a knot in the neck, with true devotion to You from the day I was born, and having protected my honour from being compromised, it is not proper to leave the hand of this Tyagaraja, Your servant, having held it).

One might wonder if devotion alone is enough to get by in this world, and Tyagaraja proved it to be so. He spurned an extremely lucrative offer to compose poems on royalty, considering it a sacrilege to apply his God-given skill on mere mortals. His life continues to teach ordinary people to walk the path of a virtuous life, despite trials and tribulations, by invoking the name of Rama. One need not be musically proficient or an expert in scriptures to reach God. Faith alone is enough.

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Sri Papanasam Sivan, in his composition, asks whether a child can live without the merciful care of its mother (‘Thai irangavidil seiyuir vazhumo?’). A child bereft of the mother’s help will display anguish and sadness.

The mother of the Universe, Goddess Mahalakshmi, emerged when celestials and asuras churned the ocean of milk using the Mandhara mountain as the churning staff; Vasuki, the king of serpents, as the cord; and Lord Narayana turning as a tortoise to support the churning. The Goddess made the auspicious bosom of Lord Vishnu her abode. Affluence personified, the Goddess illuminated with Her splendour. She is the Goddess of prosperity, wealth, tolerance, and patience.

Smt. Visaka Hari said in discourse that our backbone is the Mandara mountain, our veins and arteries (nadis) are the Vasuki-like cord, our heart is the ocean of milk, and our sitting posture for penance, the koorma (tortoise) asana, is to derive the nectar-like blessings of the Lord with His divine consort.

When Lord Vishnu descended on Earth as Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, the Goddess also descended as Sri Sita and Sri Rukmini. She is the divine energy of the Lord. He is called in the Sri Vishnushasranama ‘Sridha: Srisa: Srinivasa: Srinidhi, and Srivibhavana’ — prefixing the established name of Mahalakshmi as Sri. She is called Jaganmatha (the mother of the Universe). She will reside where righteousness is upheld

Smt. Visaka Hari said in discourse that our backbone is the Mandara mountain, our veins and arteries (nadis) are the Vasuki-like cord, our heart is the ocean of milk, and our sitting posture for penance, the koorma (tortoise) asana, is to derive the nectar-like blessings of the Lord with His divine consort.

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Sri Bhagavad Gita dins into us the need to perform our duties. Great men who could undertake ‘jnana yoga’ (realising God through the realisation of self) did not give up the performance of Karma Yoga. They thought that if they did not perform, ordinary people would take it as a lead and an example to not perform. Valayapettai Sri Ramachariar said in a discourse that Lord Krishna told Arjuna he was a great warrior with name and fame, and should not refuse to be in the war with the Kauravas.

Sage Viswamithra asked Dasaratha to send Rama with him to the forest. When Dasaratha hesitated, the sage said he knew better who Rama was (Aham Vedmi Mahatmaanam Ramam Sathya Parakramam — implying that Rama is the Lord). But the same sage asks Lord Rama to wake up in the forest to perform the daily rituals (Kousalya Supraja Rama). Rama stood as an example for others to follow their duties.

Similarly, the Lord performed all His duties as Sri Krishna (Krishnam Dharmam Sanatanam). The Lord told Arjuna that there is nothing in all three worlds that must be done or anything unacquired to be acquired. Still, I keep on working (Chapter III, Sloka 22). The Lord further said that if I did not continue to work unwearied, then people would follow my path (Chapter III, Sloka 23).

When Kaikeyi wanted Rama to go to forest, He was not perturbed. Sage Valmiki says His face had not turned red but was like a lotus just blossomed. Vadagudi Sri Sundararama Dikshithar said in a discourse that Rama asked Kaikeyi to instruct her son Bharatha to render service to King Dasaratha as a son has to take care of his parents, especially in old age. Rama said that is the dharma (Sahi Dharma: Sanatana:).

Lakshmana was burning with anger at Rama’s banishment. When he rebuked Dasaratha, Kaikeyi and Bharatha, Rama said, “I am only obeying my father’s command, and it is a great virtue”.

When Rama informed Kousalya about His going to the forest, she grieved and said she would have been better off with the ill luck of not having a child and being called a barren woman. She insisted on accompanying Rama to the forest, but Rama pacified her and told her that it was the bounden duty of a woman to render service to her husband. She can reach swargaloka through this and need not perform anything else. Kousalya blessed Rama that the dharma of upholding His father’s words (Pithru vakya paripalanam) will shower all good to Him. She told Rama that he would be protected by all the good deeds that she had done.