As we
are closing to another celebration of “Vijaya Dashmi” the day of victory of
Raam the absolute custodian and a true representative of all positive values in
life over Ravan the leader of all negative values in the universe.
As a man Raam personifies the characteristics of an ideal person (Purushottam) who is to be emulated. He has all the desirable virtues within himself that any individual would seek to aspire and he fulfils all his moral obligations. Purity and piety in his intentions and actions inspires affection and devotion for Raam. To keep the words of his father he gave up his rightful claim to the throne and accepted to go into exile for fourteen years. This is in spite of the fact that Kaikeyi's son, Bharat, begged him to return back to Ayodhya and said that he did not want to rule in place of Raam. But Raam considered his dharma as a son above all. For such supreme sacrifices and many other qualities, Raam is considered as Maryada purushottam or the best of upholders of Dharma, a basically human but exemplary figure.
At
the time when it was normal for a king to have more than one wife, Raam gave
ideal of having a single wife. After Seeta was banished, he did penance with a
gold statue of Seeta.
Raam
always kept his promises at any cost; he went to forest to make his father's
promise to Kaikeyi true. He had promised the Spirit of Time that during their
conversation, if anyone was to intrude, Raam would have pronounced an instant
death sentence upon the individual. They were intruded upon by his beloved
younger brother Lakshaman, and to keep his promise he pronounced the death
sentence for Lakshaman. There are so many examples of Raam’s promises which he
kept. Most important are the promises to sages to save their lives from Rakshasas, getting back
Sugreeva’s kingdom, making Vibhishana the king of
Lanka.
Raam had very touching relations with his
friends irrespective of their status. Some of his friends are Nishada-raja
Guha, Sugreeva the monkey king and Vibhishan
a Rakshas.
Even
towards his enemies, Raam showed great nobility and virtue. To gather
information about the enemy army's strengths and weaknesses, Ravana sent two of
his spies, Suka and Sarana, to the camps of Vanara sena the monkey Army.
Disguised as monkeys they blended into the enemy camp, but Vibhishana recognize
them and presented the two spies to Raam. Raam then asked them what their
mission was and whether they fulfilled it. After listening to them, he sent a
Vanara with them to give a proper tour of all the Vanara camps and give them all
the information they desired about the major soldiers and their strengths. He
then told the spies to give this message to Ravana. "Tomorrow morning, I
will destroy all of Lanka. Keep all sides of your palace well defended and be
ready with all of your men by sunrise." The spies were greatly astonished
with Raam's charisma, courage, and adherence to the codes of war. After Raam
gave them leave, they knew that their king was bound to lose against this
virtuous and courageous man. When Ravana first fought with Raam, Raam defeated
him to such an extent that Ravana lost his charioteer, horses, chariot, flag,
weapons and armor. Though the situation was at his advantage, Raam instead
praised Ravana for a great fight that day, and asked him to retire and take rest,
as he must be quite tired. Ravana was greatly embarrassed at this, but he was
also gratified that Raam saved his life, and this led him to consider for a
moment whether to retreat and give Seeta back.
Thus
as a son, as a brother, as husband, as a friend as an opponent as a citizen and
as ruler Raam sets the highest benchmark within the limit of a human being and
revered as Maryada Purushottam. He has inspired the mankind since ever regardless
of time periods, geographical limits, race, class, faith and civilizations.
The
historical record of the rule of Raam through out the world is evidenced in the
thousands of names of Raam attributed to kings, kingdom, countries, cities,
rivers and mountain etc. The tradition of rulers of the world throughout the
ages held the authority of rulership in the Sun. this tradition shows the
intimate connection that they had with natural law. The word that embodies this
ideal rulership is Raam. In many cases of ancient North America, in the
emperors of Japan, in the pharaohs of Egypt- it is found that Kings aligned
themselves with the solar dynasty of the Ruler Raam. The ancient civilization
of Phoenicians (Lebanon) called their ruler AhiRaam or HiRaam. It is during the
rule of these kings that that Phoenicia flourished as the major power of
Mediterranean. Rome the great western empire, took its name from its legendry
first king Rom-ulus, whose name was also derived from the name Raam.
The
ancient grandsire of Israel, Abraham was first Ab-Raam and also a letter king
of the Israelites was called Jehoram. The pharaohs of Egypt derived their
divine authority from the God Raa, the Sun God who established the Sun Dynasty
which was also the dynasty of lord Raam. One of the most famous dynasties of
the ancient Egypt was that of Raam-eses, twelve great kings of Egypt named
after Raam. In more modern times the kings of Thailand, in an unbroken line
from 1782, have the name Raam- nine generations of them. In Turkey, in Spain,
in Germany, in France, in Great Britain, in Indonesia, in Iraq, in India, in
Honduras, in Kenya, in Japan, in Italy, in the Philippines, in ancient and
modern Greece, in Chile, in Cuba, in former Czechoslovakia, in Afghanistan, in
the ancient kingdom of Antiarc in the middle east, in ancient Arabia, in
Argentina, in ancient Babylonia, in Canada, in Tanzania and many other
countries there were rulers, presidents and heads of state whose names
contained the name Raam.
Raam a Sanskrit word of two syllables
accommodates the whole universe in between it. Raam the embodiment of all the
laws of nature and the supreme ruler of this universe has a life giving
quality. The family of rulers in the world maintained the name of Raam so that
the life giving quality of Raam would always remain lively in their physiology,
their intelligence and in the people of their country.
“Raam Raam”
