Saturday, February 17, 2018

Ram Setu - The Bridge of Love and Faith

              The Inner Inevitable Battle between Self and Soul
"Thy who have courage to stand between you and fears
Remember ‘aks’ thy would be remained in hearts for unending times !
One day they all would look upon you, not as question,
But as the answer of answers and find bliss in knowing you !!”

 – Arun ‘RISE’ Sharma

To empathy is a bliss and this is what god does with us.  He teaches us by putting in such complications and situation where either we would be completely liberated or wandering in the life cycle for never ending time. It is like getting a Perfection certification or again put in mould for another time, removing the previous defects. We all go through this but most of the time we do not remember it for long time and fixed our priorities on day today small gains. The choice which we made have a long time impact on our life. We do not choose things ie. Habits. Education, religion path, parents, spouse, job, career, life style, articles comforting life but we choose life which is designed by making such choices and that is why we shall choose wisely. Some times the mistakes committed even after knowing becomes habits or shameful that despite knowing it we still remain adamant on going on the path as to avoid temporary embarrassment. This ultimate lead to permamnat destruction of soul and endless rottening of innerself. Ravana who forcefully abducted Sita- Rama’s wife knew it that he had done a grave mistake by doing so but the slf destructing conciousnes despite faith and surrender before almighty did not allow him to amend what he did wrong and ultimately led to complete destruction of not only him but people who stood beside him in the battle. But was it so easy, was is so destined then why did Ravana who had knowledge of astrological concepts and known as one of most wisest person led himself and his followers to commit self genocide and made them to stand as the symbol of evil forever in the time.  
As it is narrated in Veda that 'विनाश काले विपरीत बुद्धि'(Vinaash kaale vipareet buddhi)-Destruction time empties wise mind. Ravana was going through the same time. His sharp mind started deceiving and trapping him in the web of time cycle but the circumstances for Rama were not favorable too. It was acid-test of survival for him too and like everyone he was also in dilemma. 
Recently I have listened and read “ Shambhu Stuti ” – ‘Shambhu Stuti’ a sacred hymn created by Rama himself. This hymn is dedicated to ‘Bhagwan Shiv’ . During the rescue expedition when Rama along with army of Kishkindha Pradesh led by King Sugreev, consisting of Lord Hanumana, Nal, Neel, Jambvant and Angad and many more warriors reached at the southern most point of Bharat and discovered that there was a cruel vast sea between Lanka-the capital of Ravana’s kingdom and where he was standing. Ravana was always assured that either Rama would not able to locate Sita and Lanka where she was confined in Ashok Vana or if he would then reaching for her, would be next to impossible task for him. As he had no naval force of soldiers and lack of finance too so If he would come through a small boat, he would be eliminated by trained warriors deployed for warfare while just reaching near island. The battle was to be fought at Ravana’s land therefore his army was well acquainted with the physiological and topography of the area. Another reason that counted as positive for Ravana, was that the army led by King Sugreev, being a clan small group, never been to such a huge scale battle and naive in warfare as their way of fighting was old traditional as they were using old aged technology of throwing stones, trees,  hitting with fists, stone age weapons, basic style bow-arrows and  small daggers, knives etc. The army of Ravana was well equipped with modern warfare measures including of high end technological weapons, logistics and wealth resources. Therefore the battle if fought was on totally decided on unequal strength among them. Lanka was secured not only naturally but by man-made efforts too. It is also taken to be the point that Lanka was originally habited by ‘Kuber’- as a finance capital to world therefore the location was always remained important to world and protected its kings from any invasion. Furthermore Ravana was the worst warrior in his time and had been backed by cruelest army. However there was a strong point which favored Rama that his army was despite of all above short coming, highly motivated and had full faith in the abilities of Rama without second thought. They knew that Rama’s self-respect had been gravely wounded but not dead. They knew that Rama was never been interested in getting the kingdom as if he had wished, he could become their king, not appointing Sugreev as king. He was there to fight for honor and respect of his family traditions. Rama knew that after completing the exile period, he would have to go back and going without Sita is like committing suicide and shaming his fore-fathers therefore his focus was to bring back Sita from Ravana’s capitivity or to destroy Ravana in ashes. The wounded soul had prepared him to stand before the worst enemy of era.  In further Hanumana has no comparison and unbeatable and the most courageous warrior in Sugreev’s army. He had fully devotion and dedication for Rama and accepted him as his mentor. He was the key person who got Sugreev to trust him in his lean period and became instrumental in getting him throne. Sugreev knew that if Rama would able to win Lanka kingdom, lot of good fortune would shower for his kingdom too and Kishkindha would no more be a clan but a full state hood, strong economy govern state. These reasons caused Sugreev to join Rama.

OK, let’s take a time travel to understand what is going on near ocean where Rama had reached with Kishkindha's army.

Now the situation is something else, totally different from all calculations. A huge stormy sea is obstructing between the reality and dream and it seems that their dream is being washed away by the hitting of harsh waves of salty water. The whole army is looking at their hero-Rama and believes that he would come up again as their problem buster. They have surrendered before him therefore they are not even thinking with their mind and that is the worst and best consequent. It is worst because no one is trying to get any idea to cross sea to reach Lanka and it is best because they have full faith that Rama knows the solution of this problem too hence they are standing as one behind him and waiting to invade ocean without any second thought. Rama is standing a little away from his men and lost in deep thoughts. Lakshmana is quite and knows that his brother is going through a dark zone of thinking and looking for impossible answer. No one including of Hanumana and Sugreev are disturbing him and silently waiting for orders. It is a test of ‘to be or not to be’. There is a deep silence waiting for a war cry or weeping. No one has answer and no one knows.

On the other side Ravana who has got this intelligence input, seems happy and celebrating the dilemma phase facing by Rama.

Rama is sad and anxious in pain. He has tears in his eyes. He is not able to show them to his men. He knows they could not handle them and would go into depression if they would read his mind. He knows that the battle which has not taken place yet, would be lost in this hour only. There is no help, no support, no solution and no one to answer the question he is facing.

It is the same situation when we go through such complicated situation or already going through difficult phase of life and suddenly we come into face to face with another grave problem. Everything seems to be on stake and defeat is certain.

Rama is going through the same phase. Whatever would happen today would be remembered throughout yugas and yuga. In this moment of standing over the pedestal, he starts remembering ‘Bhagwan Shiv’- the ultimate truth. He creates a ‘Jyoti Linga’ by the sea-sand and starts praying before the ‘Shiv’ without knowing whether he would respond or he would not.

When you are alone, you are broken, you are in pain, you doubt everything even God and think whether he would help you, whether he would stand for you. In that moment of uncertainty you have all questions but not even a little answer.

The unplanned cries from the heart of Rama have become a communication medium. His helpless words have become his mantra spell to call ‘Shiv’ and asked for unconditional support and guidance to show him the highest path of reverence. Thereafter whatever happened witnessed by thousands of generation, millions of millions people. It has never happened again, it has never repeated. The stones have started floating. The ocean is bounded by a man-made bridge made with tree woods, stone sand, and floating stones. The bridge is not built on land, river, lake or desert but on fierce ocean. It has happened beyond principles and concepts of engineering. It is miracle of ‘Bhagwan Shiv’- beyond logics, thinking, planning and reasoning. It is “GREAT RAM SETU” still situated in the Indian Ocean- III rd largest ocean on Earth.

This had helped Kishkindha’s army to know that the god was with them and when he was there who could stop them from victory. On hearing this Ravana and his men thought it to be a fluke and their rational, logical, practical thinking shut the predestined intuited defeat as rubbish thought. It was anything for them but not a miracle but for Rama it was a reverence and blessing of ‘Shiv’.

While in my school days and even in books, I have read that ‘ Taj Mahal’ is the greatest wonder and memorial of love. Now I don’t buy this. I have refused to accept it because now I know that the greatest memorial of love is not Taj mahal but the immortal ‘ RAM SETU’. It has stood for thousands of year and never been built again by any living or dead. Bhagwan Rama has built this not with money or wealth but with sheer love made trees, sea-sands, rocks to stand with the blessing of ‘Bhagwan Shiv’ so that he would invade Ravana and brought back love of his life- ‘Maa Sita’.

With this fact I would like to dedicate this article to all those who are going through rough and difficult phase of life and not even dare to show their tears to anyone and look for a deserted corner to get back to their senses. They shall and they must know there is a remedy to it- “To pray and fight back”. Never stop praying, never look down, God himself is a miracle and miracle is always beyond logics, reasoning and scientific concepts.

Ok again to the ‘Rama’s army’, the rest has become history. A small clan army had become the greatest army of all times. The warrior knew that now onwards they would no more be known as a clan but had been given an identity ie. “Super-warriors of Rama”. There was a fierce battle between Rama and Ravana and Rama killed Ravana and took back Sita to Ayodhaya and established ‘Ram Rajya‘ – a utopian administrative system. Rama has faced difficulties and accepted impossible challenge is remained as incarnation of ‘Lord Vishnu’ in our heart.

The prayer cries from Rama’s mouth have known as “Shambhu Stuti” created and sung by Bhagwan Ram at “ Rameshwaram near “RAM SETU” are still recited while worshipping ‘Bhagwan Shiv’ on all occasions. It is one of excellent hymn for remembering God. Whosoever face difficult situation, if recite it with true heart would immediately find peace of mind.

Namami Shambho !!

*ps. This photo is created through google search photos available on public domain*

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