The Advaitic Meaning In The Ramayana (Lakshmana)

Lakshman represents Tapas (austerity). He had no reason to go to the jungle. But he left of his own accord and he lives in perfect Brahmacharya, even without sleep. It is perfect Tapas. But then, one cannot live in Tapas. The delusion of the other world will force you to give it up. The moment Sita hears the sound of Rama's voice, she forgets Rama's glory and might, and becomes anxious about his safety. She even urges Lakshmana to go to here husband's aid. And when Lakshmana assures her that the great Rama will never come to any harm, for there is none to match him in skill and valour, Sita severely rebuffs him.

In the original Ramayana, Sita's words leave much to be desired. Even an ordinary cheap woman would not employ such language. Valmiki was an honest poet. His idea was not to portray a spiritual ideal. He painted her in coal tar. The beautiful image of Sita has been deliberately tarnished by the poet. And why? Once you get intoxicated with a desire, the leprous ulcer of the mind will ooze out puss and blood. When the beautiful ideal woman, Sita utters such malignant words, Lakshmana is shocked into silence. He goes away, drawing a line of demarcation round the hut, urging her not to go beyond it.

Once desire enters your bosom, as an ordinary individual you cannot constantly live in Tapas. But you can at least draw a line, thus far and no further. But once Tapas has been given up, such lines are of no use. You readily step over them. And when you do this instead of Dasaratha, you are confronted by Dasamukha, the opposite character. The latter is an extrovert as the former is self-controlled. The sensuous materialistic power persuades Sita to cross over the line because, as long as you are within the moral boundary, secularism cannot affect you. You go beyond it, and permissiveness starts, and Dasamukha ensnares you.

To Be Continued

About the author

Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Chinmayananda's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally.