(This is not a political post)
Sadly the chant ‘Jai Shri Ram,’ is misconstrued as a political slogan when hurled by the supporters of the BJP. A hyper-reactive Mamata Banerjee concludes that the chant is an insult to her, and the chant has nothing to do with religion. Both hurling the chants and the reaction are grossly misplaced and must be avoided.
Long before Darwin’s theory on human evolution was known, Hindu religion described the ‘Dasavatara’ the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, one of Hinduism’s Trinity Gods. The ten avatars, Matsya, the fish, Koorma the tortoise, Varaha the boar, Narasimha, the man-lion, Vamana, the dwarf, Parasurama the warrior, Rama the enlightened, Balarama the tiller, Krishna the diplomat and Kalki the human riding on a horse.
Rama was the seventh of the avatars and is uniquely revered as the ‘Maryada Purushottam,’ meaning the ‘Righteous Human. Despite another avatar of God Vishnu, Rama never exploited or misused his divine powers, lived and suffered like any ordinary mortal. Rama’s ascetic life is a perfect adherence to human values. He was an ideal son who obeyed his father to forsake his throne and live in exile in the forest.
Rama was an ideal husband to Sita, regarded as the incarnation of Laxmi. He displayed equal love to all his brothers. Rama did not discriminate anyone by their caste or creed and embraced Kewat, the boatman as his brother. He ate the fruits tasted by Sabari at her Ashram to prove that true devotion need not follow social protocols.
He was a true friend, and killed Vali, rescuing and returning the abducted wife of Sugriva from Vali. He was a noble warrior, sparing an injured Ravana to return the next day in the highest spirit of Kshatriya dharma on warfare.
Rama’s banishment of Sita was due to a curse from his previous birth by Rishi Birghu whose wife was killed by Lord Vishnu for sheltering his enemies.
On the Agni pariksha of Sita, Lord Rama had never doubted her purity for a second, but, displayed a true democratic trait towards his citizen who doubted the long abducted Sita’s honour. He ordered the Agni Pariksha for Sita before the eyes of hundreds, well aware of Sita’s invulnerability by the fire god.
Despite born as a later Avatar than Rama, Krishna was known as Leela Avatar for his various sporty acts, romance, craftiness and compromise. It was only Lord Rama who could be called the righteous and noble, ‘Maryada Purushottam,’ for he never breached the virtuosity as a son, husband, brother, friend, king and also an enemy.
Therefore, calling Rama’s name an insult and a political move is inappropriate by people holding high positions. One must understand the inner meanings and the symbolisms of Ramayana. Halleluiah and La ilaha Illallah could have no conflict with Rama’s nobleness and inclusivity epitomised in the epic.
One needs to know about Rama to support or oppose the Maryada Purushottam, but please do not criminalize the holy chant “Rama.’
Jai Shri Ram.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
