“Of what use are wealth, comforts and pleasures, home, wives, and sons if one is not able to see Shri Rama?” (Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 48.7)

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किं नु तेषां गृहैः कार्यं किं दारै: किं धनेन वा
पुत्रैर्वा किं सुखैर्वापि ये न पश्यन्ति राघवम्

kiṃ nu teṣāṃ gṛhaiḥ kāryaṃ kiṃ dārai: kiṃ dhanena vā
putrairvā kiṃ sukhairvāpi ye na paśyanti rāghavam

“If we were to describe the culture of bhakti-yoga, as it is practiced today, we might say that it is restrictive. There is discipline, after all. The person formally accepting a spiritual teacher, working under their guidance, taking vows at the time of initiation, is known as a disciple. If there is a disciple, there must be discipline. In the line of instruction descending from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we have the well-known four regulative principles. These are no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex.

“If you look at life in an ashrama, it is pretty modest. There is usually no television hanging from the wall. No one is waiting for the big game. No one is in a rush to watch the latest hit film. The food is also modest. Simple grains, some fruit, and some milk products. The residents wake up early. They chant in a systematic way, on their beads: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare .

“There is a period of formal prayer, in the temple room. There is reading from sacred texts. It appears that most of the teachings focus on some kind of restriction, guidance, or admonishment. In other words, we are doing something wrong at the moment. We have gravitated towards the wrong side for far too long. Shastra is there to help us. One of the meanings to shastra is ‘that which corrects.’ Therefore, the nature of the help we receive makes sense. The teachers are telling us what not to do.

“I am fine with all of that, but the books also describe historical events. These involve amazing people, who are of the highest character. The five-year-old prince named Prahlada. The cowherd girls of the village known as Vrindavana. The five Pandava brothers, who are warriors by occupation. The great Vanara minister known as Hanuman. I love all of these people. I love hearing about them. I can never get enough of the stories describing their exploits, their triumphs, and their heartfelt sentiments.

“My question is if there is a teaching or two that can describe all of these people. If we do something wrong in our life, we can point to a verse from Bhagavad-gita, for instance. Taking too much stock in the changing body. Treating innocent animals in a cruel way. Allowing anger to get the better of us. There is a Sanskrit shloka we can reference, to see that the speaker, Shri Krishna, already predicted our troubles. He knew the traps we might fall in, and so He gave instruction to correct the issue.

“What about for the devotees? The saintly people of the past, present, and future. Is there a verse or two from Bhagavad-gita that might describe them? They are not doing anything wrong. They no longer require correction. They are great souls, after all.”

There are several verses we can choose from, but one that stands out juxtaposes nicely with the conditions those devotees might experience. In the following analysis, we revisit the period of time in the Ramayana history when the central character, Shri Rama, has just left Ayodhya. He will not be returning for fourteen years. The people tried to cancel out the tragedy by following Him. They would accompany Rama into the forest. They would bring Ayodhya with them. There was no stipulation against such a measure. Rama would be upholding dharma, maintaining the truthfulness and honor of His father, King Dasharatha, all while being surrounded by well-wishers and supporters.

The problem was that Rama did not want the people to suffer. When they first followed Him, they ended up sleeping outside for the night. Underneath trees, with no cushions to provide comfort. How were they going to stay this way for fourteen years? They just left behind comfortable conditions. Everything enjoyable was there. Rama decided to employ a trick. This way, He could escape deeper into the forest, without being traced. The people were left with no choice but to return home.

It is difficult for us to relate to the situation for those people, since the love for Rama was so pure. We might say that those people felt lost. They knew exactly where they were. They knew where to go each day. They knew how to get to places. Still, they felt as though life no longer had meaning. The wives even admonished their husbands. It was the grief talking. The women wondered why the men weren’t as crestfallen. How could they go on with their life of enjoyment, if it meant no longer seeing the beloved Rama?

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र
सर्वं च मयि पश्यति
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि
स च मे न प्रणश्यति

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

Bhagavad-gita is spoken by Shri Krishna, who is the same Rama. The identity is one, though the appearances within this world are two. Krishna says that one who always sees Him is never lost to Him. This means that the people of Ayodhya thinking of Rama constantly were not lost. Though they felt helpless, wallowing in despair, Rama saw and heard them. Rama was actually always with them, despite the physical separation. This is the mood of the devotees, who have nothing to do with the material world.

In Closing:

Like worst tragedy to transpire,
Never fourteen years to expire.

Better Ayodhya with them to take,
And home wherever Rama to make.

Despite separation true,
Feeling hopeless too.

And into ocean of grief tossed,
Never to that prince was lost.

Categories: questions

Tags: dailyprompt, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, ramayana, yoga