Dear Editor,
RAMNAVAMI, the ‘birthday’ of Rama, is being observed today by Hindus the world over. Rama was Lord incarnate. He took ‘birth’ by His own free will in order to destroy wickedness, protect His devotees and re-establish Righteousness.

God was born as man and acts as man so that man, being human, may grow even unto God. He is human in His Divinity, and Divine in His humanity. The Supreme descends to overthrow the forces of ignorance and selfishness and establish a new and rejuvenated Dharma. By His teachings and exemplary conduct, He shows how a human being can raise himself to a higher and more upright way of life. God works on the side of Right. Love and mercy are more powerful than hate and cruelty. Dharma (Righteousness) will conquer A-Dharma (unrighteousness); Truth will triumph over falsehood.
Rama, the Man
Rama was well accomplished, His glory and prowess unlimited. He was peerless, free from malice, and protector of all. Brave and valiant, He was yet gentle and modest. He was a sage in counsel, kind and sweet in speech, and most courteous. Ever devoted to the good and prosperity of His subjects, He was a defender of the weak and a protector of the righteous.
Deep and unfathomable like the ocean, firm and steadfast like the Himalaya, valiant like Lord Vishnu, He was the joy of His people. Though fierce like fire on the battlefield, He was calm as the cool breeze, patient like Mother Earth, bounteous like the god of wealth and righteous like the Lord of justice himself. In the pains and griefs of His people, His heart swiftly sympathised with the sufferers.

In their festive moments, He, like a father, shared in their joys. By His honour and heroism, as well as by His gentleness and love, He greatly endeared Himself to the hearts of His people. Such a great Personality was Lord Rama! He says: “I will not abandon anyone who comes to me for protection; My Dharma is, “Give protection to all those who seek Me.”
Religion is a mere word if it is not applied in life. Applied religion is when Truth and Righteousness become habitual conduct in the life of a person. Of this, Rama is the Supreme Exemplar, so much so that every movement or action of Rama amounts to Satya Prakasha – revelation of Truth, and Dharma Pratishtha – establishment of Righteousness, to the extent that what Rama does, that is Dharma, and what Rama does not do, that is A-Dharma.
He is Rama in fullness even in one hour’s action as through His life. Rama does His work of Dharma samsthaapana – establishment of Righteousness, more through spontaneous conduct than through didactic discourse. Rama shows by doing, and not doing for showing. What the Hindu and Indian civilisation owe to Sri Rama cannot really be estimated. It is really amazing how one person’s life and teachings can have such a powerful living inspiration for millions of people down the ages. In the Valmiki Ramayana, we read of the prophesy of Brahma: “As long as the hills stand and rivers flow upon earth, so long will the story of Rama be current in all parts of the world.”
As time rolls on, Rama’s story continues to be narrated in a large number of languages. The age of technology and technocracy has not dimmed Rama’s popularity. Millions of people read or hear some literature on him; millions more constantly take His name while rising and going to bed, in sorrow or despair, wonder or joy, on birth and death, on meeting and parting. “Ram Ram”: this is Hinduism’s most understood language, philosophy, inspiration and medicine for the sufferings of life. What is the secret of Rama’s such unquestioned abiding hold on people’s hearts, his power over changing passions and fashions of time?
One of the secrets of Rama’s unquestioned and abiding hold on our hearts is that He fulfils everyone’s dream of perfection – the best we want to be – in a most pleasing and satisfactory manner. We see in the one person of Rama the ideal son, ideal brother, ideal husband, ideal friend, ideal hero, ideal teacher, ideal soldier and ideal king. We look for someone to be the role model and Rama fulfils all these in an exemplary way.
Of himself, Rama says: “Character reveals a man. Truth and kindness form the eternal principles of kingly conduct; the state embodies Truth. Prosperity goes only with Truth. Not out of avarice, delusion or ignorance will I break the bounds of Truth. That policy which the low, the cruel, avaricious and the criminal resort to, in the cloak of virtue, I shun. With my five senses contented, I lead my life in this world, without deceit, with faith in values, and with competence to distinguish right from wrong.”
Today, our system of values has reached to such a low level that many of us cannot just anymore tell the right from the wrong, truth from untruth. Nothing disturbs our moral sense, for that sense is dead altogether. If we do not have a moral sense, we cannot have a civic sense. And if we are going to have a democracy without civic sense, we will have the government of a type under which a people tends to disintegrate. Rama teaches us to have all the power and strength, and also all the wisdom and self-control to use that power for the good of humanity. We must recapture the virtue of chastity, to be truthful in thought, word and deed. Devotees of Rama are very many, but many are satisfied with the ceremonial piety of only singing the name and glories of Rama. To the extent we do this is good, no doubt. But infinitely more will we gain—and there is the greatest need for this gain as we are called upon to live through this most demanding times of history—if we would practise the five principles of applied religion which Rama taught by living:
1. Purity of personal life,
2. Strength and fearlessness,
3. Ethical conduct through all situations of life,
4. Sacrificial and sacramental living,
5. Truthfulness.
Our devotion to Rama must be combined with the practice of spiritual principles exemplified by Rama. And this world will not then be big enough to contain our beneficent power.

Pt. R. Balbadar
President, Sanatan Vaidic Dharma Pandits’ Sabha, Region 3