What is the reason for which Ramayana has continued to have profound impact on our minds?

 

So many spiritual texts we have in the land of bhārata (भारत), viz., the Vedas, brAhmanas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, etc., which were given to us by the sages.

1)         In Rig Veda, brAhmanas, Upanishads, etc, the importance of adherence to TRUTH and DHARMA was repeatedly mentioned, in a terse, esoteric, and crispy form, which can be understood only by spiritually elevated persons.

2)         Ramayana is about narration of journey of Shri Rama, from his birth to his ascension to throne as a King of Kosala Kingdom, in a story format.

In Ramayana, there are references to importance of adherence to truth and righteousness.

Sage Valmiki says Shri Rama is adherent of TRUTH and follower of DHARMA.

 धर्मज्ञः सत्यसन्धश्च शीलवाननसूयकः |

क्षान्तः सान्त्वयिता श्लक्ष्ह्णः कृतज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः || २-२-३१

3)         Mahabharata is about narration of birth, growth of cousins Pandavas and Kauravas, final war between them, ascension of Yudhisthira to throne as a King, and finally the journey of Pandavas to Himalayas, in a story format.

In Mahabharata also the importance of adherence to TRUTH and DHARMA was repeatedly mentioned.

4)         In Puranas the story revolves around an all-powerful DIVINITY, be it Shiva or VISHNU or SHAKTI, etc., While narrating the various acts/leelas of the all-powerful DIVINITY, as in the case of Vishnu in Bhagavata purana, the importance of adherence to TRUTH and DHARMA was repeatedly mentioned.

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In Ramayana, the story revolves around Sita and Shri Rama only, while in Mahabharata, the story revolves around several characters like Yudhisthira, Bheema, Arjuna, Duryodhana, Karna, Sri Krishna, Bhishma, Drona, etc.

Further, in Ramayana, Shri Rama was described as a Prince in exile, who struggles and toils in the Forest as an ordinary man, to get back his abducted wife, Sita. 

Though, the Mahabharata follows similar line, the central hero Yudhisthira’s greatness in adhering to truth and righteousness, was overshadowed by the astonishing physical prowess of Bhima or mesmerising capabilities of Arjuna in DIVINE weapons.

In Puranas the greatness of an all-powerful DIVINITY, be it Shiva or VISHNU or SHAKTI, etc, has been eulogised in respective texts.  So important message of adhering to truth and righteousness by humans is sidelined in the eulogization of the all-powerful DIVINITY.

Till the invasion of Islam and Christianity in bhārata, that is also called India, Ramayana and Mahabharata used to exercise great influence on the common people.

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Normally, any message conveyed in a story format, will have a lasting effect on human beings, as common people could relate themselves with the characters of the Story.  Hence, the common people could relate themselves more easily to Ramayana and Mahabharata, compared to the DIVINE knowledge of Rig Veda, brAhmanas, Upanishads, etc

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After the introduction the English language world-wide, people of the World are able to read spiritual, literary texts that were existing World over.

Now a days many novels, plays, movies, etc, with more creativity, are being composed/produced World-wide.   However, they are able exercise only a fleeting impact on human beings.

Despite all these being in the field, the religious and spiritual literature are still exercising great influence on the people world wise.  Among those, Ramayana continues to impress the human beings the most, throughout the world.

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The following question will arise

Other than about importance of adherence to truth and righteousness, what is the reason for which Ramayana has continued to have profound impact on our minds?

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I)          There must be something in human minds lingering unknown to them, ie., from earliest period of humans to present times, which the ancient Rig Vedic rishis to Sage Valmiki and Sage Vyasa to present days sages were aware of and which must be a subtle Universal phenomenon in existence in all human beings. The rishis of this land thought of reminding the human beings of this aspect in their own way. 

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If we minutely study the Ramayana, we can observe the following issues.

·         Shri Rama struggled, toiled to know whether Sita was still alive, if so, where had she been kept and to get back her

·         Shri Rama fought with the raakshasas/demons and finally got his wife Sita back

·         Lakshmana, Shri Hanuman, Sugriva and others assisted Shri Rama in the above task.

What did they get after Sita was restored to Shri Rama? – Happiness.  It is an ABSTRACT one.

·      Ravana was bewitched by the beauty and charms of Sita, abducted, and kept her in Lanka, which is inaccessible to ordinary humans and even to Devas, Gandharvas, etc.  He was longing for sexual union with Sita, but could not succeed.  He died while fighting with Shri Rama.

·      His son, Indrajit, a great warrior and knowledgeable of many DIVINE weapons fought against Shri Rama.  He was able to captivate Shri Rama and Lakshmana in a network of serpentine arrows, which was broken by DIVINE Garuda.  Indrajit was able to eliminate 66 crores of vanaras in a single day.  Still he died while fighting with Lakshmana.

·      Same is the case with other rakshasas or demons, who fought valiantly on behalf of Ravana.

What did they  get in their futile attempt to fight with Shri Rama and Vanaras?  They tried to get their EGO satisfied and achieve HAPPINESS, while trying to overpower Shri Rama, albeit failed in their attempt.

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Both Shri Rama or Ravana and others were searching for HAPPINESS, but, why?

It is because all humans are having an innate desire to achieve a never-ending HAPPINESS.
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Shri Ramana Maharshi said to his Western Devotee Dr. Paul Brunton as follows;

"Man's real nature is happiness. Happiness is inborn in the true self. His search for happiness is an unconscious search for his true self. The true self is imperishable; therefore, when a man finds it, he finds a happiness which does not come to an end."

The world is so unhappy because the world is ignorant of its true self. All men, without exception, are consciously or unconsciously seeking for it."

"Even wicked, the brutal and the criminal sin because they are trying to find the self's happiness in every sin which they commit. This striving is instinctive in man, but they do not know that they are really seeking their true selves, and so they try these wicked ways first as a means to happiness. Of course, they are wrong ways, for a man's acts are reflected back to him."

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II)         Humans will indulge in eating, drinking, earning riches, fame, indulge in sexual mating, beget children, etc, and try for gratification and HAPPINESS.  However, this HAPPINESS will be a transitory one and will not result in never-ending HAPPINESS and thus, they keep on indulging in variety of activities for achieving never-ending HAPPINESS.

This process of craving for HAPPINESS through material things will continue till all human beings at point or the other turn their attention towards INWARDS, which is known as SPIRITUALITY.

Sage Valmiki tried to convey the first part this innate desire in Humans through Ramayana, in a story format. 

The importance of adherence to truth and righteousness has been repeatedly mentioned in all spiritual texts, but Sage Valmiki never bothered the readers with highly confusing or often misleading statements like moksha/liberation/maaya

It appears to me that once a person purifies oneself by adhering to TRUTH and follows one's dharma, perhaps, the next level in spirituality will automatically opens up for him/her.

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III)        The clue to the next level/second part this innate desire in Humans will be available in Rig Veda.

Rig vedic rishis said in esoteric manner that there is DIVINITY in every HUMAN BEING, which lies hidden within and should be sought for.  When this DIVINITY is awakened, the Human being will get AMBROSIA or NECTAR or IMMORTALITY or NEVER-ENDING HAPPINESS.

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The Rig Vedic rishis left the clue in the form of a riddle of the birth of mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड, the eighth son of Aditi, the mother of Gods.

Rig Veda 10.72.8

अष्टौ पुत्रासो अदितेर्ये जातास्तन्वस्परि । देवाँ उप प्रैत्सप्तभिः परा मार्ताण्डमास्यत् ॥
English translation:

Eight are the sons of Aditi, which were born from her body. With seven she went forth to the gods. She cast away the one stemming from a dead egg.

 

Rig Veda 10.72.9

 सप्तभिः पुत्रैरदितिरुप प्रैत्पूर्व्यं युगम् । प्रजायै मृत्यवे त्वत्पुनर्मार्ताण्डमाभरत् ॥

 

English translation:

 

With seven sons Aditi went forth to the ancient generation.

For procreation but also for death, she brought here again the one stemming from a dead egg.

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The eighth son of Aditi was described as mārtāṇḍa - मार्ताण्ड (mrita anda – dead egg), which can be interpreted as a soul/DIVINITY in a suspended animation, but not really dead.

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The mother of mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड is none other than Aditi, the mother of Gods and who is described both as Nirguna/formless as well as Saguna/with form brahman.  And, thus, Aditi is the mother of every human being.

 

In other words, every Human being is a mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड, a soul/DIVINITY in a suspended animation, but not really dead.

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This DIVINITY will remain hidden in every Human being, till the attention is turned INWARDS.

Rig Veda says our ancestors found the hidden light, which is nothing but mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड, in every human being.

Rig Veda 7.76.4

त इद्देवानां सधमाद आसन्नृतावानः कवयः पूर्व्यासः । गूळ्हं ज्योतिः पितरो अन्वविन्दन्त्सत्यमन्त्रा अजनयन्नुषासम् ॥

“Those ancient sages, our ancestors, observant of truth, rejoicing together with the gods

found out the hidden light, by the truth in their thoughts they brought to birth the Dawn,”

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IV)       The knowledge of the DIVINITY, to be searched in the human being is called SUPREME TREASURE hidden in a secret cave.

Rig Veda 2.24.7

ऋतावानः प्रतिचक्ष्यानृता पुनरात आ तस्थुः कवयो महस्पथः ।

ते बाहुभ्यां धमितमग्निमश्मनि नकिः षो अस्त्यरणो जहुर्हि तम् ॥
English translation:

“They who travel towards the goal and attain that treasure of the Panis, the supreme treasure hidden in the secret cave, they, having the knowledge and perceiving the falsehoods, rise up again thither whence they came and enter into that world. Possessed of the truth, beholding the falsehoods they, seers, rise up again into the great path,”

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V)        We should remember that purifying one's mind, adherence to TRUTH , following one's dharma - non-shirking off one’s duties, parallel to sAdhana, are sine qua non in spiritual practice.

Ramayana says through Shri Rama to adhere to TRUTH and follow one’s DHARMA.

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Hence, Ramayana has continued to have profound impact on our minds because Sage Valmiki provided a subtle hint to every Human being to search for mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड within oneself.