Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day
We take advantage of these days when the incarnation of God appears or disappears, and try to associate with Him for our purification.
ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Brahma-samhitd.5.39]
This is a verse from Brahma-samhita in which the incarnation of Lord Ramacandra is described. Ramadi means Rama and also innumerable other incarnations. They are compared with the waves of a river. As the waves of the river cannot be counted, similarly, how many incarnations are there of the Supreme Lord it is not possible to count. But out of them, the principal names are mentioned in the sastras. Therefore it is said ramadi. And they are existing eternally, not that one incarnation appeared and it is finished.
Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet millions of years before in the Treta-yuga. We have passed only five thousand years of this age, Kali-yuga. Before that, there was Dvaparayuga. Dvapara-yuga means eight hundred thousand years. And before that, there was Treta-yuga, which continued for twelve hundred thousands of years. That means at Lord Ramacandra appeared on this planet at least two million years before.
RAMAYANA
Lord Ramacandra appeared in Ayodhya which is situated about five hundred miles northeast of New Delhi. Lord Ramacandra appeared on the ninth day of the moon so it is called as Sri Rama Navami His father was the king of Ayodhya, and had three wives and four sons. Ramacandra was the eldest son. The life and activities of Lord Ramacandra is in a book called Ramayana, Like the Puranas, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the Mahabharata, Ramayana is also counted amongst the history.
The story of Ramacandra is that His father, Maharaja Dasaratha decided to enthrone Lord Ramacandra and retire. Everything was settled, but just one day before, his youngest wife turned the whole thing into different way. Sometime back Maharaja Dasaratha was suffering from whitlow and this queen served him very nicely, and he was pleased. And he said, "My dear Kaikeyi, if you want some benediction from me,I can give you." She replied that "I shall ask you for the benediction when I require it. Not now." Just one day before Lord Ramacandra's coronation, she approached Maharaja Dasaratha and reminded him, "My dear husband, you promised to give ask you when I require it." Maharaja Dasaratha said, "Yes, I remember. You want some benediction just now?" She Said, "yes." "And what is that." She Saidd that "My son, Bharata, should be the king, not Ramacandra." Ramacandra happened to be the son of Kausalya, the elder queen.
Kaikeyi was very diplomatic. The idea was political, that "The king may agree to install my son just now. But after a few days, Ramacandra may come with His army, and there may be some difficulty to continue the kingdom." She wanted that Ramacandra should go to the forest and He should not come back till the end of fourteen years from this day. Maharaja Dasaratha agreed, because he was ksatriya. Just see the promise. A ksatriya never goes back from a promise, never refuses any challenge. If a ksatriya is challenged by somebody, that "I want to fight with you," he cannot refuse. If he has no sword or weapon, he should be supplied weapon for fighting. This is ksatriya spirit. They were highly charitable and chivalrous. They kept their promises and had a great tendency for ruling over. Their business was administration.
REAL VARNASRAMA
There are different prescriptions for different classes of men for earning their livelihood. The brahmanas can pull on their livelihood by six ways: pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. (knowing and teaching the Vedic scriptures; worshiping deities; performing Vedic rituals; giving charity; accepting contributions') And they must be qualified with twelve high qualities. Out of these qualities, truthfulness is the first item for a brahmana. A ksatriya may speak lies, because he has to be a diplomat, a politician. But a brahmana is not allowed to speak a lie. This is the varnasrama system. Everyone was trained.
For proper upkeep of society, four classes of men are required one class of men must be very intelligent, highly qualified, with all good qualities. They must be trained in that way, to possess ideal character so that people can see and follow them. The brahmanas are so much respected because they have ideal character, learning, godly nature, and they know the spiritual science. Therefore they're held in high estimation and are regarded as the topmost of the society.
The next was the administrator class, the ksatriyas. They are trained how to kill. The ksatriyas were allowed to hunt in the forest to learn the art of killing because that was necessary for the ksatriyas. If the king finds somebody is doing wrong, he can immediately chop off his head if he likes. And if there was some war, it is not that the president or the king shall sit down comfortably at home and ordinary soldiers will go and lay down their lives. No. Formerly, the king or the head of the state, would be the first of all to go in the fight. You see in the picture, the chief men on both sides were arrayed at Kuruksetra, with their chariots. Not that the chief man, or the commander is taking shelter back side, protecting himself, and poor soldiers are thrown into the fighting. No. It is necessary that a class of men should be trained up in that way, ksatriya, fighting men.
In India, because this training was there since a very long time, so there is no difficulty in recruiting soldiers. There is a class of men, they are very much forward in fighting still. Just like the Gurkhas, the Nepalese, the Sikhs, the Jatas, etc. And you'll be surprised to know that the British Empire was voluntarily liquidated because they lost India. The whole British Empire was being administered or managed by Indian soldiers. After conquering India, they extended British Empire in the Middle East and Far East to Burma etc. simply by these Sikhs and Gurkha soldiers.
There is necessity of a class of fighting men. You are finding in your country difficulty in recruiting because the recruiting process is wrong. You are training persons just like sudras, and you want them to fight. How they can fight? It is not possible. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that catur-varnyam maya srstam Guna karma vibhagasah … [Bg. 4.13]. Lord Krsna says, "The four classes or orders of the society, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, are planned by Me according to work and quality." So this ksatriya quality men is also required, the brahmana quality of men is also required, the mercantile community vaisya, they are also required, and the labourer class, they are also required.
NEED FOR TRAINING
Of course, the labourer class does not require any training. Labourer class means one who cannot do anything, neither become brahmana, nor become ksatriya, nor become vaisya. That means the last balance of the population, they are called labourer class, sudra. Sudra means one who has no training. Sudra has no samskara. Samskara means training. Everyone is accepted as sudra by birth. Janmana jayate sudrah.Janmana means by birth. By birth, everyone is born a sudra, a fourth-class man. Just like a child, innocent child, what does he know? He has to be trained. Either you train him as a brahmana or train him as a ksatriya or train him as a vaisya. Otherwise, he is already a sudra, born sudra. Now, if you train him as a brahmana, then he becomes a brahmana. If you train him as a ksatriya, then he becomes a ksatriya. If you train him as a vaisya, he becomes a vaisya.
This system is very scientific. If you want help of a really intelligent man or God realized man, it is ready, the brahmana class. Just like if you require the help of a lawyer, we have got so many lawyers. If you require the help of medical man, you have them. Similarly, the society requires to train a certain class of men to become brahmanas.list like we are training people to become Krsna conscious. Krsna consciousness is meant for the brahmanas. They are not meant for fighting because they are not being trained for fighting. They have been trained for becoming brahmanas. Who is a brahmana? Brahma janati iti brahmana. (Brahmana means one who knows the Supreme Absolute Truth).
Janmana jayate sildrah everyone is born sudra. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. Everyone has to be trained. Just like boys are sent to school for being trained. He goes to the guru-grha.Guru-grha means the teacher's house.
VEDIC SCHOOLING
Formerly, for being trained, there were no such organised schools and colleges. Even fifty years before in India, in every village, there was a small school conducted by the brahmana, and the village children would be trained up there. And there was no school fee. The boys would go door to door as a brahmacari, on behalf of the teacher or spiritual master, and beg and bring forth alms, rice, dahl, grains, and everything. That was the system. There was no problem about how to pay for the boy's school. After he would be trained up, the teacher sees the psychology of the boy, in which way he should be trained. Either he should be trained as a vaisya or he should be trained as a ksatriya.
So everyone was trained like that, but generally, the son of a ksatriya would become a ksatriya. Just like Maharaja Ramacandra or Arjuna, who from the very beginning were trained as ksatriya. Naturally, if somebody is the son of a medical man his father trains him to become a medical man in future. That is the natural tendency. If the boy is different altogether that is another question, but naturally, that is the tendency. So a ksatriya's son was trained as kstriya. A brahmana's son was trained as a brahmana and a vaisya's son was trained as a vaisya, and sudra had no training. So gradually this became a caste system. Brahmana's son became brahmana. Because formerly, the training was there. But today, when it is vitiated' although a person is born in the family of a brahmana, he is doing the work of a sudra.
According to Vedic scripture, one is classified according to his work and quality, not by birth. That is the classification of sastra. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Guna means quality and karma means work. One must be qualified for the work and then he must actually work in that way. Then he is counted or classified into that, category. Just like if you are simply trained or educated as a lawyer, and if you are not practicing in the court, nobody comes to you to consult as a lawyer. Nobody cares for you. You must be practicing tieing also. Similarly, to become a brahmana means first of all, he must know what is Brahman and you must be actually situated in the activities of Brahman. So devotional service is activities of Brahman. Activities in krsna consciousness means activities in Brahman. Brahme carati iti brahmacari. Carati means acts. Actually, when he acts in life, applies the principles of brahmamana in his life, he is called brahmacari.
HOW TO IDENTIFY GOD?
The training was in such a way, that a ksatriya cannot refuse his promise. So Maharaja Dasaratha, he fulfilled the promise of his youngest wife and asked his son, eldest son Ramacandra, "My dear boy, You'll have to go to forest for fourteen years. That is the desire of Your mother. So please accept." Ramacandra said, "Yes father, I am ready." Just see. This is the quality. Out of the six opulences of God, this is one quality.
aisvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yasasah sriyah
Jnana-vairagyayos caiva
sannam bhagam itingana
(Visnu Purana 6.5.47)
How one becomes God? God is not manufactured by vote. There is a definition of God. God must be the proprietor of all the riches. Aisvaryasya samagrasya. Samagra means all. Nobody can compete with Him. Nobody can say that "I am richer than God." Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 17J. Krsna said, "My dear Arjuna, there is nobody greater than Me." So if anyone claims that he is God, he must prove by practical example that nobody is richer than him. That is the first test. But unfortunately, we are accepting so many Gods. Even a rascal in the street also claims that "I am God."
THE OPULENCE OF RENUNCIATION
Similarly, there are other qualifications nobody can be stronger than God, nobody can be wiser than God, nobody can be more beautiful than God, and nobody can be more renounced than God. So here Lord Ramacandra exhibited the quality how He renounced the whole kingdom simply on the order of His father. He could have argued with His father, "My dear father, simply for keeping your promise and actuated by the dictation of a woman, you are doing this. Let us stop it. Everyone is expecting that tomorrow My coronation will be there, and they love Me so much." Just like Krsna was so much loved, similarly, Lord Ramacandra was the life of the people. They were very much expecting that Ramacandra was going to be enthroned the next day. How they were celebrating, how they were decorating the whole city! But, He never argued. He accepted immediately: "Yes, father. 1 am ready."
Then one of the brothers, Laksmana, requested Ramacandra, "My dear brother, You also take Me. I am Your constant companion. I must go with You." Lord Ramacandra said, "That's Your wish. Voluntarily, if You want to come, You can come with Me." Then Sita, His young wife also said, ''I'll go with You." Ramacandra requested His wife, "Oh, you cannot go with Me. It is very difficult . You are a king's daughter, and you are brought up in such a nice way, and you are so beautiful. You cannot go. You cannot take the trouble of living in the forest." So she said, "I am Your wife. So I must go even if You go to hell" This is ideal wife. She could have refused: "Oh, Your father has ordered you to go to the forest. You can go. I shall go to my father's house or I shall remain here." No. This is ideal wife. She must be prepared to accept any circumstances of the husband. Not that when the husband is rich the wife is very faithful, and when he has come down to be poor or he's going to forest the wife gives up his company. No. Wife means better half. She must abide. Just like, a shadow follows the reality, similarly, the wife is the shadow of the husband. Wherever the husband goes, she must go. Whatever the husband wants, she must carry out. Of course, in this country this interpretation is taken differently, that wife is made a slave. But actually, it is not so.
After the departure of Lord Ramacandra, Maharaja Dasaratha died out of the shock as He was a very dear son. He was going to be the king, and by Maharaja Dasaratha's order He was sent to the forest. The father could not tolerate the shock and died. Ramacandra then requested Bharat, "Your mother wants that You should be king, and I also wish that in My absence You should be king." Bharata was such a faithful brother, He replied, "No. You are the king. So long You are living, nobody can be king. So I cannot be king." Then the Lord requested, "At least You administer."
So these were the dealings of Ramacandra. Then He, His younger brother Laksmana and His wife went to the forest, and His wife was kidnapped by the demon Ravana, and there was fight between Rama and Ravana. Ravana was very strong materialistically. But for fighting with Ravana, Ramacandra did not come back to His kingdom and take His army No. He did not come back because He was ordered to live in the forest. He organized an army with the jungle animals, the monkeys. He fought with Ravana, an organized materialist, with the monkeys. And He constructed a bridge between India's last point to the other side. Ceylon is considered to be the kingdom of Ravana. So there was a bridge, and the stones were floating.
For Sita, Lord Ramacandra massacred the whole family of Ravana. Only for Sita. So as the husband, so the wife. The wife was so faithful that She could not remain alone. She must accompany the husband even in the forest. And the husband was so faithful that, "Oh, My wife has been kidnapped." So He massacred the whole family of Ravana.
Lord Ramacandra killed Ravana and installed his brother Vibhisana, who was a devotee, as the king. Lord Ramacandra did not go to conquer Ceylon, to become an emperor, but He went to punish the culprit Ravana. He returned to Ayodhya with Sita, and was installed after fourteen years.
RAMA-RAJYA
This is an ideal history how Lord Ramacandra appeared in this world to educate or to place an ideal example of how a king should be. Therefore when there is good government, the example is given of Rama-rajya. It is the kingdom of Lord Rama. Because everyone was happy. There are so many instances in the life of Ramacandra. Once, somebooy came to Ramacandra. Because at that time there was no court like this, that you have to go to a court and apply with stamp fee. Then your judgment will be delivered after six years. It was not like that. Anyone who had some complaint, he could approach the king. The king used to sit in the open audience, and the citizens were allowed to approach the king and place their complaints. Because there was no complaint practically. Everyone was happy or had very minor complaints. So somebody came to Ramacandra, and he charged Ramacandra, "My dear king, my son has died. How is that, in the presence of his father, son can die? There must be something wrong in Your government." Just see. The charge is "Why my son has died before my death? This is unnatural." So there was nothing unnatural in the kingdom. The king was responsible even for severe cold, severe heat. We get this information from Srlmad-Bhagavatam. The kings were so much responsible. They were always thinking of the happiness of the citizens, and the citizens were also so nice. One citizen approached Lord Ramacandra and His brother, Lak~maI,la, informed Him that "This person is a brahmaI,la. When You were absent for a fortnight or a month, this brahmaI,la did not eat or drink even a drop of water during Your absence." Why? "Because he comes here to have Your darS-ana." Just like we come here in the temple to see the Deity. This brahmaI,la used to come and after seeing Ramacandra, he would offer his obeisances' then he would go home and take something for breakfast. That was his vow. And because he could not see Lord Ramacandra for a fortnight or a month because He was out on political tour, he did not even eat. The citizens were simi- 1ar to the king.
At that time, there was a statue of Ramacandra which was being worshiped in the family from the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira. Maharaja Ik~vaku, the son of Manu, happens to be the forefather of the family in which Ramacandra appeared. He was devotee of Lord Rama, and worshipped a statue of Lord Rama. The worship continued in the family one after another. But when Ramacandra was actually present He kept that statue in the closet of the room. When this brahmana approached and Ramacandra was informed by Laksmana that he was so steady and strong in his vow, Ramacandra ordered that he may be delivered that statue so that in His absence the Brahmana can offer respect to the statue. That form or area of Ramacandra is still existing in South India. It is being worshiped from that time.
There were many kings like Ramacandra. Maharaja Yudhisthira was also as good as Ramacandra, and Maharaja Pariksit was as good. We are not concerned because Lord Ramacandra was a king. He is the King of all kings, paramdvara. Because He is God, therefore we are observing His appearance day today. Ramadi-murtisu kalaniyamena tisthan[Bs. 5.39]. However, He is not the original form of God. The original form of God is Krsna, and Krsna expands Himself in various other forms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [5.33]. Ananta-rupam means millions and millions. The Manu is also incarnation ofKrsna. In one day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus. Brahma lives for one hundred years. There are many incarnation of Manus even for one Brahma, and there are innumerable Brahmas. As stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam nobody can count how many incarnations are there, but some of the chief incarnations are mentioned, and Lord Ramacandra is one of them.
If we hear Ramacandra's life, activities, pastimes that means we are associating with Him. There is no difference between His form, His name, His pastimes, and Himself. He's absolute. Therefore either you chant the holy name of Rama or you see the statue of Rama or you talk of His transcendental pastimes, everything, means you are associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we take advantage of these days when the incarnation of God appears or disappears, and we try to associate with Him. By His association we become purified. Our process is purification. Krsna consciousness means simply we are purifying our consciousness.
From birth, as I have explained, everyone is sudra. Sudra means one who laments. For a slight loss or slight inconvenience, one who laments, he is called sudra. And brahmana means one who tolerates. A sudra has no tolerance. kalau sudra sambhava. In this age of kali the whole population is sudra. Formerly also, by birth, everyone was considered sudra, but there was training, samskara. At the present moment, there is no samskara, there is no training. The training is only for earning livelihood. No other training. How one can earn money and enjoy senses-that is the training at the present moment. But actually, to make the human life successful, the Vedic culture is very nice. And by spreading Krsna consciousness, by adopting the process of Krsna consciousness' you can revive that cultural life, sublime life. If not wholesale, even if there are a few people trained up in this line, and they become ideal examples to the society, immense benefit can be derived from their examples of life.
Thank you very much.