Vishnu As A Human

“Those fourteen thousand Rakshasas of frightening deeds were eliminated by that one man, a foot-soldier, who was Rama.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 26.35)

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चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्
हतान्येकेन रामेण मानुषेण पदातिना

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām
hatānyekena rāmeṇa mānuṣeṇa padātinā

Late one night we happen to be flipping through the channels on the television in the living room. We stumble upon a program documenting life in a jungle in a certain part of the world. It is interesting to see how the rest of the species operate. According to the Vedic understanding, there are up to 8,400,000 different varieties. The species are like specifically configured suits or vessels for the jiva soul to enter. The jiva is unmanifest before, manifest during their time in that vessel, and unmanifest again.

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना

avyaktādīni bhūtāni
vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanāny eva
tatra kā paridevanā

“All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.28)

This dichotomy of vyakta and avyakta applies only to outside perception. I look outside the window right now and can see the sun. Dawn was a few hours ago. The sun is a welcome sight. We take its heat and light for granted, especially in this part of the world. In around twelve hours or so, the same sun will no longer be visible. It will be avyakta, according to my understanding. This does not mean that the sun disappears or ceases to exist. It is simply out of my vision.

The same applies to the jiva, but while they are in one of these animal species the laws are pretty strict. As Sita Devi references when speaking to the wicked Ravana, the dog inherently understands the formidable nature to the tiger. The dog simply gets a whiff of the tiger, from a considerable distance, and knows that trouble is on the horizon. Better to exit the area.

न हि गन्धमुपाघ्राय रामलक्ष्मणयोस्त्वया
शक्यं संदर्शने स्थातुं शुना शार्दूलयोरिव

na hi gandhamupāghrāya rāmalakṣmaṇayostvayā
śakyaṃ saṃdarśane sthātuṃ śunā śārdūlayoriva

“Smelling the fragrance of Rama and Lakshmana, like a dog smelling a tiger, certainly you will not be able to stand.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 21.31-32)

This particular television program depicts more of the same. The lion goes after a specific kind of animal. The lion knows what it is doing. The lion never loses. The other animal has no chance. The ghastly scene on the television screen depicts what we know to be the food chain. That scientific principle was documented thousands of years ago in the sacred text known as Bhagavata Purana.

अहस्तानि सहस्तानाम्
अपदानि चतुष्-पदाम्
फल्गूनि तत्र महतां
जीवो जीवस्य जीवनम्

ahastāni sahastānām
apadāni catuṣ-padām
phalgūni tatra mahatāṁ
jīvo jīvasya jīvanam

“Those who are devoid of hands are prey for those who have hands; those devoid of legs are prey for the four-legged. The weak are the subsistence of the strong, and the general rule holds that one living being is food for another.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.13.47)

This law of the jungle applies across a host of different combatants, in the sense of an adversarial relationship. The dominator against the dominated. The aggressor against the defender. The abuser against the victim. With respect to the human species, there is a tool to assist in defense against any kind of species. That tool is intelligence. The fearing component inherent to all animal beings can be aided by construction of an intelligent fortification system. A security alarm panel in the residential home is but one example. There is also the advancement of military-grade weapons.

But when there is a battle between a Rakshasa and a man, the law of the jungle still applies. The Rakshasa is a species described in Vedic literature. It is like an ogre. The Rakshasa is a man-eater. The man is thus the potential victim. If depicted on a television documentary, the man would lose about every single time.

What about four Rakshasas attacking one man? How about adding another ten ogres? Take those fourteen and multiply it by one thousand. Fourteen-thousand Rakshasas attacking a single man, in a single area, under the common rules of military conflict, applying to the time. Does the man stand a chance?

Only if that man is actually Vishnu. This is why there is worship of Shri Rama. The Supreme Lord decided to descend as an ordinary man. Except God always retains His amazing qualities, gunas. Those qualities are not binding. We are bound by gunas, but for Vishnu those gunas are transcendental in nature.

Vishnu as a man can easily defend against fourteen-thousand Rakshasas. While those ogres are expert in black magic, can change shapes at will, and can appear and disappear from sight, Rama is merely on foot. He does not take any extra help. All He has are His arrows loaded in His quiver.

Vishnu as a man is not ordinary. He appears as Rama to specifically highlight the omission in the boons requested by Ravana, the king of Lanka. Ravana thought that since the law of the jungle applied, there was no reason to fear any man. He therefore did not ask for immunity from the manushya race. He never considered that Vishnu could appear from anywhere, at any time, in any visual of His choosing. When Vishnu does make that decision to appear, He can overcome any so-called law of the jungle. In overcoming such laws, Vishnu is a beautiful sight to behold, and so saintly people worship Him to this day.

In Closing:

Worshiping to this day,
Remembering skill on display.

Fourteen thousand against,
Of Rakshasa army sent.

Standing fearlessly on the ground,
Despite many enemies to surround.

Rama with His arrows defended,
Force into each ogre extended.