HINDU FESTIVALS >> SHRI RAMNAVAMI

From the desk of Shri Prakash Gossai

The celebration of Shri Ramnavami marks the coming of Shri Rama; it was on this day the Avatar of Lord Rama appeared on earth in the age of Treta (2nd age). According to the Hindu calendar, Ramnavami falls on the ninth day of the bright fortnight in the holy month of Chaitra (March-April). It was on this day the Lord fulfilled a promise He made, He promised that whenever there is a decline in righteousness and when there is an ascend of unrighteousness He will come Himself to correct the situation and protect the world. In some parts of the world, Ramnavami is celebrated as a nine-day festival that coincides with Vasant Navratri, dedicated to the Divine mother Durga or Shakti, the feminine aspect of God. On Ramnavami devotees gather in mandirs all over the world to sing the praises of Shri Rama.

The Lord descends for man to ascend.

Ramnavami has a very philosophical interpretation as well and when we talk about a decline of Dharma, we must understand that it is a decline of the moral standards of man; we drift into a sea of negative thoughts and actions. Goswami Tulsidas wrote in the Ramcharitmanas:

Jab Jab ho-i dharam kai haanee, baardahi asur adham abhimaanee
Karhi aneeti jaa-i nahi barnee, seedahi bipr dhenu sur dharnee
Tab tab prabhu dhari bibidh sareeraa, harhi kripaa nidhi sajjan peeraa.

Whenever righteousness declines and the demons, the vile, the nefarious and the arrogant multiply,
When tyranny, inequity, illegality, and oppression increase,
When the Bramhins, cows, the devatas and the earth are in trouble,
The gracious Lord assumes various bodily forms and relieves the distress of the faithful.

Asur maari thaapahi suranh, raakhahi nij shruti setu
Jag bistaarhi bisad jas, raam janm kar hetu

He slays the demons and reinstates the Gods, protects the vedas and diffuse His spotless glory throughout the world.

In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said to Arjuna: Gita: Ch 4 v 7

Yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanir bhawati bhaarata
abhyuthaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srijaamya ham

Whenever O Arjuna, There is decline of Dharma, and rise of Adharma, then I body myself forth.

Paritraanaaya saadhunam vinaa shaaya ch dushkritaam
Dharm sam sthaapan aarthaaya sambhaw aami yuge yuge

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of Dharma, I come from age to age.

Dharma means consciousness of ones duty, our relationship with the Lord, our attempt to fulfill the purpose of this human birth, encouragement, we must embrace our brothers and sisters throughout the world with love. A decline of Dharma means that rather than embracing each other we are insulting each other, rather than traversing a righteous path we are selecting a path of destruction, rather than indulging in truth we are embodiments of falsehood, rather than creating unity among men, we are encouraging unpleasantness and ugliness.

Ramnavami is a day of remembrance; we pay homage to the Lord and thank him for coming on earth in the age of Treta. When we remember the Lord our thoughts and actions are pure. However when we talk about the manifestation of Shri Rama in our lives it cannot be a one-day affair. We must think of the Lord every moment of our lives. There are moments when we have to analyze our lives and examine carefully if we are promoting Dharma or are we contributing to the destruction of humanity and the decline of righteousness in society. If we can convert our hearts into a garden of love and devotion, we will always feel the presence of the Lord. Let the message of Ramnavami be to create a heart of preeti- love and bhakti-devotion for the Lord.

Shri Rama was Lord Vishnu Himself, incarnate on earth for the destruction of Ravana. “Actions speaks louder than words” was Shri Rama’s motto. He embodied all the virtuous qualities by practicing what he preached. More than his divine powers, his glorious heritage or his incredible prowess was his unblemished, untarnished and irreproachable character. His popularity, bravery, courage in face of all adversities, kindness, generosity, sense of justice, obedience, loyalty, intelligence, limitless patience, boundless compassion and steadfast following of Dharma, endeared him to countless generations of both Hindus and non-Hindus throughout the world.

Although Ravana was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, his intentions were to destroy all that is divine. There was no peace on earth; the Asuras (Demons) disrupted the performance of Havans and Yagnas by devotees. The saints and sages began to pray and petition the Lord for his help. The Lord responded to their prayers and told his devotees to have no fear, He will come Himself to rectify the situation. He told them he would appear as a child in the home of King Dasharath and Kaushalya Maata in the city of Ayodhya.

Ramnavami is a remembrance of the possibility of man enjoying the consciousness of the Lord. Devotion to Lord Rama is a great purifier of the heart. The noblest lesson of the Ramayan is the importance of righteousness in the life of every human being. Righteousness is the spiritual spark of life. We must strive to possess the good qualities that are extolled in the Ramayan and exemplified in the life of Lord Rama. The name of Shri Rama is the greatest purifier of the heart. It awakens the knowlwdge of God. It bathes the aspirant in the ocean of divine bliss. A true devotee of Lord Rama is His representative, with His powers and His knowledge.

On the day of Ramnavami, it was a perfect day for the birth of Shri Rama. The Sun, the Moon and the seven other planests were all in an auspicious position. It was the ninth day in the bright fortnight of the holy month of Chaitra (March-April), it was exactly mid-day, it was neither cold nor hot and the world enjoyed a moment of peace. A mild and fragrant breeze was blowing, the saints were brimful with enthusiasm and many people started to blow the conch shell, bells were ringing, the dolak (drums) were beating and there was dancing everywhere, the atmosphere was filled with the vibrations of these beautiful sounds and yet there was a feeling of tranquility and peace. It was at that moment Shri Rama appeared.

The Lord appeared before Kaushalya Maa as Bhagwan Vishnu, then of course the mother made a very pitiful petition to the Lord, she said “ abandon this form my son and come to me in the form that will bring joy to a mother’s heart”. Lord Vishnu transformed Himself into a baby and began to cry, a cry that brings joy to the ears of a mother at the time of the birth of a child. When Raja Dasharath heard about the birth of his son, his mind was satuarated with love and his body was trembling with delight. The entire city was elated with supreme joy and affectionate love for Shri Rama.

Shri Ramnavami is one of the most important celebrations of Hindus. Some observe a strict fast on the day. Temples are decorated and the image of Lord Rama is richly adorned. The holy Ramayan is read and devotees chant the Divine Name of Shri Rama.

May Lord Rama Shower His Blessings On You
Prem Say Bolo Shree Ramachandra Kee Jai