Sri Rama
Lord Sri Rama who is the centre of Ramayana - the great epic of Hindu tradition - is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Millions of years ago, in the Treta Yuga, all the gods and sages prayed to Lord Maha Vishnu who was in Yoga Nidra to save them from the load of negativity prevailing on planet Earth. Only when the God takes the human form as an Avatar, does the collective negativity get destroyed. Lord Vishnu who is the embodiment of compassion as an answer to their prayer, incarnates as Lord Sri Rama. Sri Rama is the son of Dasaratha & Kausalya – the Royal couple of the city of Ayodhya.
Etymology
“Rama” in Sanskrit means “causing Ultimate rest”.
The power of Japa of Sri Rama’s Name
An Avatar’s name is a very powerful mantra that can move even mountains. Sri Rama’s name is called the “Taraka Mantra” – the mantra that liberates a man from all sins. Sri Rama’s name is such a powerful mantra that it helps human beings cross the ocean of Samsara – the vicious cycle of birth & death – which is the Ultimate rest.
Sage Valmiki’s Enlightenment
The Avatar - Sage Valmiki who wrote the Ramayana – the epic about Sri Rama’s life – was a burglar in his previous life. Sage Narada initiated him into the Rama nama mantra and Valmiki, by chanting the name of Rama continuously got rid of all the karmas and sins and became Enlightened and later wrote the Ramayana – the life story of Sri Rama. Such is the power of Sri Rama’s name.
Power of Lord Sri Rama’s Name in the Ramayana
Hanuman – the incarnation of Shiva and Vayu – is the monkey devotee-servant of Sri Rama. He was able to cross the ocean with a single leap just by chanting Sri Rama’s name. When the name “Rama” was written on the rocks, they started floating on the ocean and served as a bridge (the Adam’s bridge) between India and Sri Lanka. Wherever Sri Rama’s name is chanted or written Lord Hanuman, who is Shiva Himself makes Himself present melting in devotion towards Sri Rama.
Lord Shiva’s words about the Power of Lord Sri Rama’s name
“Sri Rama Rama Rameti Rame Rame Manorama; Sahasranama Tattulyam Rama Nama Varanane.”
This shloka is recited at the end of the Vishnu Sahasranama, and is said to have been told to Parvati by Shiva.
Lord Shiva said: Chanting the name of Sri Rama just three times is equivalent to reciting the entire list of the Lord’s thousand names. So, chanting this one shloka is like reciting the entire Vishnu Sahasranama.
The role model of the Vedic life
Sri Rama is the epitome of Dharma and sacrifice. Sri Rama lived in such a way that His life is the ideal way of living to be followed by all in the world. He is the role model of the Vedic way of living. He has been the hero of India and the Vedic tradition for millions of years.
Right from the young age Sri Rama expressed extraordinary skill in archery and extraordinary courage & sacrifice. He destroyed so many demons and saved mankind. Sri Rama is worshipped by millions around the world. He liberated so many souls from haunting karmas. When He left the body, He took along with Him all the citizens of Ayodhya and liberated them from the Samsara - the vicious cycle of birth & death and made them live with Him Eternally. Sri Rama saves His devotees from all dangers. He bestows all the prosperity & auspiciousness.
Sri Rama’s qualities
Lord Sri Rama expressed the unique qualities of an Avatar. An Avatar is God, the Supreme consciousness taking a human form. God comes down in the human form in order to establish the science of Enlightenment, to save the noble and teach a lesson to the wicked. Lord Vishnu expressed Himself in the human form in His major ten Avatars. Rama is the seventh Avatar of Vishnu.
Below are the few qualities of an Avatar which Rama expressed during His lifetime:
The Ocean of Grace:
While wandering in search of His wife Sita, Rama happened to meet an very elderly devotee called Shabari. Shabari was waiting for Sri Rama for so many years. When she met Rama, Shabari offered fruits to Him. Her love for Rama such intense that she tasted every fruit and checked if that was fit to be given to Rama. Rama showered His grace on her by eating the fruits already tasted by Shabari and ultimately gave Her Enlightenment.
The Helping Hand for the grief-stricken
Sugriva, the king of the monkey clan was exiled by his brother Vali and Sugriva’s wife was kept captive by Vali. When he approached Rama for help, Rama immediately extended the hand of friendship and helped him get out all his worries and problems
The Iron Hand for the Evil
Ravana, the demon king not only tortured all the Gods but also kidnapped Sita and forced Her to live with him. Rama, the iron hand for evil doers, destroyed the demon and liberated Sita and all the Devas.
The establisher of Rama Rajya
Rama Rajya means the kingdom with high standards and principles established by Rama. Rama after becoming the King of Ayodhya, established Dharma on the planet Earth. He Himself is the embodiment of Dharma.
The epitome of sacrifice
Rama is the epitome of sacrifice. All the arrangements were made for Rama’s coronation. But just for the promise received by His step-mother that Rama should go on exile for 14 years and the kingdom be given to her son Bharatha, Rama went on exile bequeathing His kingdom. The zenith of His sacrifice and commitment to Dharma is His bequeathed His kingdom & wife Queen Sita – who was Goddess Lakshmi Herself.
The most handsome man
Sri Rama was so much handsome that even the sages who have won all the lust and fantasies wished to take one more birth so that they could live with Him. Those sages took birth as Gopikas in Rama’s next incarnation as Sri Krishna.
The Day of Incarnation of Lord Sri Rama Sri Rama was born to Kausalya – the queen of Ayodhya – exactly at noon on the Shukla Paksha Navami of the Chaitra month of the Vedic Lunar calendar. Every year this day is celebrated as Sri Rama Navami by all the Hindus in the world.
Significance of Banyan Tree in Bidadi, Ram Nagara, India
Under the sacred banyan tree at <Bengalaruru Aadheenam>, you can still live the PRANA of Sadāshiva. He is there.
Saptarishis lived in Ram Nagara, because Sadashiva and Devi and Nandi, lived here. Still all the Sapta Rishis are in the form of huge seven hillock, single stone in Ramnagara. They heard Agamas from Mahadeva, under this banyan tree. If you read the Kamika Agama description, where Sadāshiva was sitting, and teaching to whom all, everything hundred percent fits with our banyan tree.
… After Sadāshiva taught the Agamas, the Rishis were living in Ramanagara, and practicing. That is when Rama comes. When He heard, the Saptarishis are living. He comes and stays here, then Saptarishis bring him. He also came and heard, not only the Agamas, the Upanishads also, from Mahadeva directly. And then after the war, after Rama wins the war, after the Patta Abhishekam, he brings Hanuman, Sita and Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, the whole battalion, to show where all he lived. The Rama leela sthanas. That time, the same place, Rama sits, and describes to Hanuman, what he heard from Sadāshiva, because Hanuman is the incarnation of Nandi. Nandi himself came to support Rama, in his Avataric mission, as Rama is the great devotee of Sadāshiva. Rama taught whatever he heard from Sadāshiva to Hanuman. That is what is recorded in Muktikopanishad, as the 108 Upanishads.
Under this Banyan tree, you can breathe Sadāshiva. - Paramahamsa Nithyananda
References
http://www.nithyananda.org/events/sri-rama-navami#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/prana-life-energy#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/article/truth-stronger-fact#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/content/bhagavad-gita#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/article/renounce-without-suffering#gsc.tab=0 http://www.nithyananda.org/video/advaita-ultimate-crisis-management-principle#gsc.tab=0 http://nithyanandatimes.org/bharat-meets-sri-ram/ http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/the-speaking-tree/chanting-the-rama-nama/