Friday, October 01, 2010

Esoteric Ramayana

The Ram Janma Bhoomi verdict of Allahabad high court was declared yesterday (30-Sept-2010). There is wide spread media coverage of the event and analysis-paralysis of the situation on ground. All self-pronounced stakeholders have their versions of truth around it causing wide spread conflict and distrust.

This seems to be a good time to take a step back and see what Rama and Ramayana – the epic -inherently stand for and to introspect whether the whole conflict stands you in good stead.

I have gained this understanding from a very nice book ‘Kundalini’ written by Svoboda as a dialogue between him and his revered Guru Vimalananda who is an Aghora Master.

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Symbolically speaking, the story of Ramayana is a story of an individual soul’s spiritual journey and the interplay of various chakras and the expressions associated with each other. We all live some aspect of Ramayana in our daily lives.


Before we understand the symbolic esoteric meaning of Ramayana, it is vital to understand the symbolism associated to the main characters of Ramayana.

The characters

Rama - the indwelling spirit – the soul who is the king of the 72000 nadis. Nadis are to energy body what blood vessels are to physical body.
Lakshman – Rama’s brother represent the power of concentration which helps the soul regain it bride – Sita. He did focus his entire attention on his brother Rama – the individual soul.
Sita – Rama’s wife represents the Kundalini Shakti, the dormant energy located at the Muladhara Chakra. It is the dormancy of this energy that helps us identify with the body which we call the ego.
Dasharatha – ‘Ten Chariots’ meaning the ten senses. Five of these are cognitive incoming senses (Gnanendriya) of smell, taste, see, touch, hear and five are external expressions (Karmendriya) of eliminating, reproducing, moving, grasping, speaking.


Ravana – The devil King represents the limited ego personality that constantly contemplates its greatness.
Hanuman – He represents the prana which when properly harnessed clears the path for Kundalini (Sita) to meet her beloved soul (Rama).

The story

Sita was found when her father Janaka was ploughing a field. She was found from the earth which is an element associated to the Muladhara Chakra where Kundalini Shakti resides. Janaka is a symbolic representation of the creator who awakens the Kundalini (Sita) by removing her from the earth, nourishing her as she grows (rises upwards) before meeting her consort Rama (the soul) through the marriage. Soon after the marriage, Ram and Sita – accompanied by Lakshman - leave for the forest. When Kundalini unites with the soul, they are blissfully immersed (focused – Lakshman) within each other and immediately withdraw from the senses, which wither and die. That is why Dasharatha (the 10 senses) dies soon after Ram and Sita depart.

This was all fine until Sita chose to disobey Lakshman and strayed from her focus on Rama. As soon as this happens, Ravana – the devil – abducts Sita (the Kundalini Shakti) to Lanka which represents the earth element, the Muladhara Chakra. This means, that as soon as your concentration shifts away from the soul, you are bound to be dragged down to your limited self state.

Vimalananda says that Rama (soul) now lost Sita (shakti) to a strong adversary – the limited demonic human personality that uses her for his own gratification. Rama had to wander far and for long before He could reach Sita even as we all must search incessantly for the Kundalini once she has self identified with something other than the soul.

Rama (soul) needs the help of Lakshman (power of concentration) to search for Sita (Kundalini). Rama also needs the assistance of Hanuman (prana) to eliminate Ravana (the limited ego) and liberate Sita again from Lanka (the Muladhara chakra).

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This is the purpose of our soul - to awaken the Kundalini and experience its true universal consciousness. The day we realize that Rama dwells within all of us, the outward symbolism of Ram Janma Bhoomi or Babri Masjid will cease to matter. We will become the living embodiments of God.

Jai Shri Ram.

7 comments:

Nawaratan said...

Really great, I believe in this that God resides inside but explanation like this read first time.

Aarti said...

Dear Kamlesh,

This article is really oustanding... It rightly explains the real meaning of a religion and of our very own existence on this earth. You have explained it in very simple language though it is tough subject.

Good One...Really....

lalit said...

Kammo dear,
what an explanation! I always have been believing that Ramayan (or for that matter all great epics) is a symbolism what great sages wanted to associate with altimate spirutuality.

Yesterday, I was reading Ramayan story to my daughter and the first story itself was- how a looter Valya turnes to Sage Valmiki. And my wife questioning me- how the looter would have been advised to praise lord Ram in-advance, when he himself was destined to write an epic on Ram's ideal life in-future. As usual, I had no anwer ;) but today, I can go home with an answer...

Many of Hindus also do not know what their beloved Ganapati (elephant god?) and Hanuman (monkey god?) resemble. No wonder rest of the world see us Polyatheist and Idol-worshiping. When you get some time, do clear the air...

Anonymous said...

Interesting interpretation and very illuminating. After having read the Ramayana very recently again, I am more drawn to Ravana than Ram. Ravana was the ultimate power seeker and absolutely non-hypocritical about it. When we wanted something, he got it and usually got his hands dirty himself. Not one to delegate everything to others. In today's corporate world. do we not have to do things while not necessarily evil, are certainly not entirely moral or ethical or fair. Would I ask my team to do this for me or should I take charge myself and face the consequence for it? You may want to be Ram yourself, but would it not be nice to have Ravana as your boss? No offence to anybody's faith or beliefs - am simply presenting a counter-point.
Deepanjan

Bridge Soul said...

Wow!!! Excellent post!!!

Ashish Vyas said...

I've always got da feelings dat our rich mythological stories hv many different valuable meanings ...however, it partially depends on reader's mood whn shez readin 'em.

ur post explains da true purpose of life...

i just recalled 1 of my fav dohas of all time..

Jaise til(sesame) me tel(oil) hai aur chakmak(firestone) me aag,tera krishna tujhme hai tu jag sake to jag;

kudos to u, bhai!

Yogesh said...

Very thoughtful interpretation is what I would say.

A very different and unique way of looking at it.