SHATASHLOKI 20: THE EXTRA-ORDINARY VIRTUES IN SRIRAMA MAKE IT EVIDENT THAT HE IS THE SUPREME LORD

Viṣṇunā sadŗṣo vīrye somavat priyadarsanaḥ

Kālāgni sadŗṣaḥ krodhe kṣamayā pŗthivī samaḥ.

Dhanadena sama styāge satye dharma ivāparaḥ

Ta mevaṃ guṇasampannaṃ rāmam satya parākramam

Meaning- In valour Rama equals Vishnu. He is as charming and pleasant as the moon. In anger, He is as fierce as fire of destruction(kaalagni). In patience, He is like the Earth. He can be compared to Kubera for His charitable disposition. In truth, He is like The Lord of righteousness (Dharma devata).

The extraordinary deeds accomplished by Rama are parallel to the deeds accomplished by Lord Vishnu. Hence in valour Rama has been said to be equal to Vishnu.

In the story of Ambarisha we have heard that Durvasa Mahamuni was angry with Ambarisha and was about to curse him. Ambarisha, the ardent devotee, sought refuge at the feet of the Lord. At once, Vishnu sent forth His Sudarshana Chakra (discus). This discus chased Durvasa Mahamuni endlessly. The sage fell at the feet of the Lord who told him that He was helpless in this situation. The sage was asked to go back to Ambarisha and seek refuge in him. The sage pleaded with Ambarisha, who in turn prayed to the Sudarshana chakra. The discus set the sage free immediately. Thus the sage was saved. Such is the power of the Sudarshan chakra. If the discus of the Supreme Lord has in it so much power, then what will be the power of the Supreme Lord who owns it? Needless to say, it is unimaginable.

A similar incident took place in Rama’s life. The crow-demon Kākasura once attacked Sita. Angered at this, Rama empowered a blade of grass with the requisite mantras and directed it at Kākasura. To escape from this blade of grass, Kākasura ran through all the three lokas (worlds) but to no avail. He pleaded with everyone, but none could protect him. In the end, he sought protection from Rama himself. Rama then protected him.

Terrified of Rama’s valour, the ocean permitted him to build a bridge across the ocean. Rama was thus equal to Vishnu in valour.

Somavat priyadarsanah- Rama is eternally pleasant and charming like the moon. He showers happiness and bliss upon everyone who approaches him. More importantly, He drives away the grief of everyone.

The moon has a stigma by which it cyclically waxes and wanes every alternate fortnight. Rama has no such faults. In radiance and shine He surpasses the moon in showering bliss upon people.

If such a radiant and pleasant Lord gets angry then it is only against those who atrociously trouble those devotees of His, who have sought refuge in Him. His anger at such times is comparable to the fire at the time of destruction of the universe (pralaya kaalagni). Rama who is otherwise pleasant and calm, turns fierce and fearful at times of anger.

Ordinary people experience this anger at times of insult or defeat. Rama does not get angry when He is insulted or defeated. On the other hand, He gets intensely angry when someone troubles or attacks those persons who have placed implicit trust in Him.

Patience is a virtue. In patience, Rama has been compared to the earth. The earth patiently tolerates all the atrocities and the sins that are being committed by the people living on it. Rama likewise exhibits great patience against those who insult him.

Rama, the storehouse of virtues, has been compared to Kubera in matters pertaining to charity. Kubera is a large-hearted and great philanthropist. To be rich is not great. To be of a charitable nature is true greatness. It is a great virtue. Happily and willingly Rama was ever ready to give away in entirety every possession of His. This is a truly admirable trait. Due to this He has been compared to Kubera.

The one who has renounced everything does not have the necessity to tell lies. Rama was eternally truthful. He protected truth in all situations. For this He has been compared to the Dharma Devata (God of righteousness).

In this world, people like Harishchandra can only adhere to their vow of truthfulness (satya vrata) at all times but they cannot absolve others from the sins/ mistakes due to their falsehood (asatya dosha). Rama however protected zealously his vow of truthfulness (satya vrata) and at the same time he was able to protect the others from their sins/mistakes due to uttering falsehood (asatya dosha). In other words, Rama had in him the capacity to protect others from the sins that arose from their own mistakes of uttering lies. For this reason He protected the satya vrata (vow of truthfulness) of his father.

When all these traits are critically and deeply analyzed, then, in our eyes Rama ceases to appear as a mere king. He will appear to us as God. We will understand that He is the Supreme Lord. Sri Ramachandra Parabrahmane namaha.

With this we have completed the Bala Kanda part of the Shata shloki Ramayana. May Lord Rama shower his grace upon everyone so that they can go in depth into the analysis of His traits!

Om Seeta raamabhyaam namaha.