Five Sacrifices For Winning Someone Over

“For the purpose of confusing the citizens, Rama spoke to the charioteer as follows: ‘Mounting the chariot alone, O Charioteer, beginning by facing north, go quickly for a while and then turn the chariot back again. Remaining careful, proceed in such a way that the citizens cannot find Me.’” (Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 46.30-31)

Download as podcast episode (right click and save)

मोहनार्थं तु पौराणां सूतं रामोऽब्रवीद्वचः
उदङ्मुखः प्रयाहि त्वं रथमास्थाय सारथे
मुहूर्तं त्वरितं गत्वा निवर्तय रथं पुनः
यथा न विद्युः पौरा मां तथा कुरु समाहितः

mohanārthaṃ tu paurāṇāṃ sūtaṃ rāmoʼbravīdvacaḥ
udaṅmukhaḥ prayāhi tvaṃ rathamāsthāya sārathe
muhūrtaṃ tvaritaṃ gatvā nivartaya rathaṃ punaḥ
yathā na vidyuḥ paurā māṃ tathā kuru samāhitaḥ

1. Hunger strike

“Did you hear? They are no longer eating. They are prepared to take this until the end. That is how dedicated they are to the cause. Can you imagine ever doing the same? I don’t think I could last one day. You put one pizza pie down on the table and it’s over. I will throw my self-control out the window. You take one look behind you and the pie is gone. It will be devoured. That quickly, by one person, who is me. No joke.

“But this person is making a dent. The corrupt leaders are already talking about turning down the temperature. They are prepared to negotiate. They are willing to compromise. Just see the effectiveness. Someone went without food so that we could benefit. I don’t know how we could ever repay them.”

2. Standing on one leg

“Just what are you doing? How long do you think you can continue that way? Are you trying to imitate that infamous Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu? You think you could ever beat his record? I think he went for one thousand years. That was how long it took before Lord Brahma, the creator, appeared before him. I have a feeling you will not make it that far. I don’t understand the purpose, either. What is standing on one leg going to prove? You are only torturing yourself.”

स तेपे मन्दरद्रोण्यां तप: परमदारुणम्
ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्नभोद‍ृष्टि: पादाङ्गुष्ठाश्रितावनि:

sa tepe mandara-droṇyāṁ
tapaḥ parama-dāruṇam
ūrdhva-bāhur nabho-dṛṣṭiḥ
pādāṅguṣṭhāśritāvaniḥ

“In the valley of Mandara Hill, Hiranyakashipu began performing his austerities by standing with his toes on the ground, keeping his arms upward and looking toward the sky. This position was extremely difficult, but he accepted it as a means to attain perfection.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.3.2)

3. Sacrificing your body

“Don’t do it! Please. I am begging you. It will not work. You think that this person is suddenly going to stop you in your tracks. You think this one final sacrifice will win them over. You think that they will finally realize that you are serious in your vow, that you really want that thing you are asking for. But I am here to tell you that it is too risky. You are attempting to imitate that Vrikasura person described in sacred texts. He was about to sacrifice his own head into the fire, in order to please Mahadeva. That ended up working for him, but in the long run his own demoniac nature did him in. Please do not imitate the demons.”

“The demon was saved from committing suicide by the touch of Lord Shiva; his bodily injuries immediately healed, and his body became as it was before. Then Lord Shiva told the demon, ‘My dear Vrikasura, you do not need to cut off your head. You can ask from me any benediction you like, and I shall fulfill your desire. I do not know why you wanted to cut off your head to satisfy me. I become satisfied even by an offering of a little water.’” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 2, Chapter 33)

4. Writing a song

“Oh my goodness, what are you thinking? This will never work. There is a reason you only find those scenes depicted in movies. That is because real life is different. This person is not going to be overcome with emotion because you are singing a song outside their window. Love does not work that way. You can put yourself out there all you want, but they will only think lesser of you. If you really want to win them over, ignore them. Show up with someone else by your side. Make them jealous. Then they will think you have value. They will chase after you. That is a much better option, certainly superior to embarrassing yourself with this song that you wrote.”

5. Following to the ends of the earth

This was the path followed by the innocent residents of Ayodhya. The distinction is that there was nothing sought after. The sacrifice was not like an investment into a commodity, with a high expected rate of return. It is not like the people were rejected with words and then thought of ways around the dismissal. If anything, their tendency resembled what the wise teachers describe as raganuga. It was bhakti, or devotion, followed with attachment. That attachment was so strong that the beneficiary could not do anything to stop the flow.

The citizens of Ayodhya were going to follow the eldest son of the king. They were going to follow Rama, who was headed to the forest. Rather than consider an item to give up for a period of time, such as palatable food or an embarrassing addiction, the people decided on everything. The very center of enjoyment itself, the home, would be abandoned. There was little time to prepare. There was not much to bring along. There was no long-term planning for comfort, safety, and stability. Rather, the presence of Rama was sufficient. He would be their sun, as He was already considered the sun of the solar race, whose lineage is briefly described in Bhagavad-gita.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
इमं विवस्वते योगं
प्रोक्तवान् अहम् अव्ययम्
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह
मनुर् इक्ष्वाकवे ’ब्रवीत्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt

“The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshvaku.” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.1)

Just what was the reward for this sacrifice? Just what did the beneficiary of the service do, in response? Just what was the visible indication of satisfaction? How could the people tell that Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, was happy with them? Well, their immediate reward was deception. In what might be viewed as a cruel maneuver, Rama had His charioteer intentionally create a diversion. A false set of tracks, imprinted in the early hours of the morning, to lead the people back to Ayodhya. They would think that Rama was returning home, when in reality He was headed deeper into the forest, to serve the fourteen year exile punishment handed down by His father, in conjunction with the wishes of Queen Kaikeyi.

This deception did not dissuade the people. It did not change their outlook. That is the meaning to pure devotion, after all. The object of worship can respond in any way He chooses. He will never be abandoned. In truth, Rama did not abandon the people. He continued on to spare them. He could not bear to see their suffering. As long as they were thinking of Him, they were with Him. Rama is Absolute in this way.

In Closing:

Presence just from a thought,
So deceptively to Ayodhya brought.

Those people who to follow inclined,
Even a roof in forest declined.

After heartbreaking vision receiving,
Rama with those false tracks deceiving.

Such that the people to suffer no more,
Fate of exile not intended for.