Runas and Yajnas - a common sense insight

Dedicated fondly with the greatest reverence to Bhishma on Bhishmashtami. To this superlative legendary personality we are indebted with all the five runas – as a human being, as an elemental, as our pitr, as a Deva as he is a Vasu and as a Rishi, who gave the highest wisdom in the simplest language in the Shanti and Anushasana Parvas of the Mahabharata.

 

    Every living being is interconnected with each other. At the human being level, the interconnections are numerous and complex. Yet the ahamkara imagines that “I” alone reigns supreme, towering above others. While it is very obvious to observe this inter connectedness and dependence at play for the normal day today transactions and assess the socio -politico-economic weightage, to observe the subtler connections takes a little bit of inner cleansing. In reality, we seem to owe a lopsided benefit in our favor. We seem to get more benefit than our contributions. This debt one understands that is accrued against these entities is called “runa”. The process of repaying this runa necessitates a special effort, which involves sacrifice, is referred as “yajna”. In other words, they are two sides of the same coin. This entire process of realizing the debt, its repayment and consequent internal growth is a vital part of spiritual growth.

    The question arises why should one even bother about Runas, let alone perform Yajnas. Do other lower life forms even bother about them? At a common sense level, the dependence must give a proper perspective of our actions and position in the Universe. While the Ahamkara, I-ness, puts us smack in the center with puffed up hubris, the reality is we will be nobody, non-entity, without all the interactions and interconnections. This heavy one-sided equation helps us understand and appreciate these contributions. Mere awareness of this debt urges one into action.

Pancharunas: It is common sense that we are so interdependent as human beings. Apart from the social value, our entire life revolves with such connections. Our job, schools, shops, services and society all seem to have a tremendous value add to our lives. While we may be the smartest in the school, the entire school ecosystem of facilities and teachers are there as a part of a larger equation. In the same way, even if we are the founder CEO of a company, the cogs of the wheel are many, though it appears we are at the center. Thus through simple common sense, we can infer, we owe a lot of debt to the human society from the doctor who took care of my prenatal care and delivery to people who will be carrying my dead body to cremate. This human debt is referred as Manushyaruna.

    While it is very easy to acknowledge human connections and runa, as we focus on the next, it becomes increasingly subtler to grasp. As humans we are all dependent on the ecosystem. The plants and animals are not here for our exploitation, as the arrogant, myopic Abrahamic faith has made us to believe. They existed long before humans and will outlive us as a species. The food, the oxygen and our entire existence is a runa we owe to the other living beings. This debt we owe to the entire ecosystem is referred as Bhutaruna.

    The next three Runas are much subtler and are usually clustered together and referred as Runatreya as referred even in the Vedas - the three debts. We owe our entire life and knowledge to our ancestors. If in our lineage one small variation had happened, we would not even be alive today. Besides, all our ancestors lived under harsher conditions from famine to war, from abusive invaders to other challenges. Especially in Indian context, our ancestors definitely evolved a much more sophisticated culture and civilization, filled it with so much wisdom traditions, unlike any other nationality. This runa we owe to our ancestors is referred as Pitruruna.

    Unlike other civilizations, our Sanatana Dharma finds much of our knowledge, not only in spirituality but in other spheres as well, has come down from Rishis. Unlike other nationalities, we have Itihasapuranas like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam; Upanishads, Vedas and a huge corpus of literature. They range from metallurgy to medicine and astronomy to fine arts. We have wonderful contributions through Siddhas and Yogis. Numerous Sampradayas of Bhakti, Jnana, Yoga, Sankhya and others inspire us to evolve at our pace. This huge runa humanity owes to the rishis is referred to as Rishiruna.

    As our gaze becomes refined, we can sense the even more subtle contributions of the Devas. These are divine beings filled with power and strength. They seem to regulate the elemental forces like sunlight, air, water etc. Whether they exist as personified beings or not, one cannot shy away from their contributions to our existence as a living being. This recognition is possible only with a Sattvic mind. This tremendous runa we owe is referred as Devaruna.

    In a strict sense, many of the Runas were typically ascribed for the spiritual seeker. The ones enslaved to the sense objects will find it extremely difficult to even acknowledge the runas, let alone their repayment. As we realize that even the understanding of Runas, let alone the attempted repayment is a sign of inward growth.

Panchayajna: As we understand from the above Runas, our existence is possible to a heavily one sided debt. Any sensible person will want to raise their hand and claim that they want to contribute something back, how much ever it may be a token notion. The very mention of the word Yajna conjures fire rituals of the yore, where Rishis and Ritviks make an offering into the agni with chants of mantras.

WHY: It appears for each runa there is a corresponding Yajna. Yaj means to worship, adore, invoke, revere and it is usually imagined as performing some rituals. To grasp a simple explanation of Yajna, the following quote from Swami Krishnananda goes a long way -

Yajna – sacrifice – whatever be the form it may take, is a summoning of the higher power into one's own self, and a consequent surrender of the lower self for the higher dimension of one's own being, known as the superior Self.

    The attempt and the zeal to repay this debt is purifactory, declares Krishna. He further declares it is mandatory for human beings. (यज्ञदानतप:कर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् |
यज्ञो दानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् || yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat
yajño dānaṁ tapaśh chaiva pāvanāni manīṣhiṇām - Acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed; Sacrifice(worship), charity and austerity are purifiers even for the wise BG 18-5)

    The very act of aligning the Yajna to repay our runas is a strong evolutionary ladder, as highlighted by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. This concept is ancient and is found even in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (2.10) portion of the Vedas.

पञ्च वा एते महायज्ञाः सततप्रतायन्ते सततसंतिष्ठन्ते | देवयज्ञः पितृयज्ञो भूतयज्ञो मनुष्ययज्ञो ब्रह्मयज्ञ इति ||

यद्देवेभ्यो जुहोति स देवयज्ञः | यत्पितृभ्यः स्वधाकरोति स पितृयज्ञः | यद्भूतेभ्यो बलिं हरति स भूतयज्ञः | यन्मनुष्येभ्योऽन्नं ददाति स मनुष्ययज्ञः | यत्स्वाध्यायमधीते स ब्रह्मयज्ञ इति ||

pañca vā ete mahāyajñāḥ satatapratāyante satatasaṃtiṣṭhante | devayajñaḥ pitṛyajño bhūtayajño manuṣyayajño brahmayajña iti ||

    This verse is proof to connect the idea of five Runas and Yajnas found in the Vedas is a very ancient concept and one that mirrors nature.

WHAT: The five debts, runas, have a corresponding Yajna to balance out. They include:

a) Manushya Yajna: Being hospitable and in service to other human beings, treating uninvited sudden guests like devatas, taking care of the needy and underprivileged and being zealous to repay the society. Doing Anna Dana is considered as exemplary as it is life giving to others.

 

b) Bhuta Yajna: Sharing one’s food with other living beings, being concerned about their welfare, planting more trees or digging/cleaning water bodies.

c) Pitr Yajna: Remembering and honoring ancestors through Tarpana, even offering few drops of water in their memory is considered as fulfilling this duty. - Shatapatha Brahmana - 11.5.6.3

d) Deva Yajna: Daily worship and remembrance with gratitude to Devas through rituals, prayer, japa or even merely invoking it in thoughts.

e) Brahma/Rishi Yajna: Studying, reciting, listening and sharing of the scriptures, dwelling upon the purport of the wisdom shared by the rishis. The Shatapatha Brahmana recommends Svadhyaya. This would include studying Itihasapuranas, Upanishads, Gita etc and using it to do an inner transformation.

    While these prescriptions may look like a lot of external ones, they actually work on the inside of the individual and are meant for their rapid spiritual evolution.

HOW: While we realize what our responsibilities are, what needs to happen and why, there is a lingering question of how to do it, what must be the attitude behind our actions? Krishna comes to our rescue in the BG – 3-9 - The world is bound by their own actions when not performed in the spirit of Yajna. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform the actions only for that sake (Yajna) alone, free from all attachments.

यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः । तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ॥

yajñārthātkarmaṇo’nyatra loko’yaṃ karmabandhanaḥ । tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara ॥

Pramana: There is a lot of nitpicking even amongst the trads, let alone the atheists, if these core ideas of Santana Dharma has any shastra sanctity. Hence this small incomplete compilation.

1. Tarpana Mantra: At the end of invoking specific ancestors either on Amavasya or their annual tithi, the following universal prayer is offered.

आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तं देवर्षिपितृमानवाः। तृप्यन्तु पितरः सर्वे मातृमातामहादयः॥

ā-brahma-stamba-paryantaṃ devarṣi-pitṛ-mānavāḥ | tṛpyantu pitaraḥ sarve mātṛ-mātāmahādayaḥ ||

From Brahma, the creator, down to a blade of grass (stamba). It encompasses the entire spectrum of existence - the Devas, rishis, pitrus and manavas- May all of them be satiated, satisfied, or pleased, starting with the mother, the maternal grandfather, and so on.

2. Manusmriti takes a unique practical angle. Fearing that people may not get the subtle reasoning of the Shatapatha Brahmana, it puts the focus on Panchasoona (MS 3-69) - For the sake of expiating (cleansing) the offenses (Panchasoona) committed in all these five, the Great Sages prescribed for householders the daily performance of the Five Great Sacrifices.

तासां क्रमेण सर्वासां निष्कृत्यर्थं महर्षिभिः । पञ्च क्लृप्ता महायज्ञाः प्रत्यहं गृहमेधिनाम् ॥

tāsāṃ krameṇa sarvāsāṃ niṣkṛtyarthaṃ maharṣibhiḥ | pañca klṛptā mahāyajñāḥ pratyahaṃ gṛhamedhinām ||

    It gives the following prescription (MS 3-70) – Teaching is offering BrahmaYajna, Tarpana is PitruYajna, Homa is DevaYajna, offering food to living beings is BhutaYajna and gracious hospitality of athiti is ManushyaYajna.

अध्यापनं ब्रह्मयज्ञः पितृयज्ञस्तु तर्पणम् । होमो देवो बलिर्भौतो नृयज्ञोऽतिथिपूजनम् ॥

adhyāpanaṃ brahmayajñaḥ pitṛyajñastu tarpaṇam | homo devo balirbhauto nṛyajño'tithipūjanam ||

    Manusmriti (MS 4-21) – As a prescription for all householders, Manu strongly advises that one should never omit/neglect the Rishi-yajna, Deva-yajna, Bhuta-yajna, Nri-yajna and Pitri-yajna according to one's ability.

ऋषियज्ञं देवयज्ञं भूतयज्ञं च सर्वदा । नृयज्ञं पितृयज्ञं च यथाशक्ति न हापयेत् ॥

ṛṣiyajñaṃ devayajñaṃ bhūtayajñaṃ ca sarvadā | nṛyajñaṃ pitṛyajñaṃ ca yathāśakti na hāpayet ||

3. Apart from the Taittriya Samhita, there is extensive insight coming from the Shatapatha Brahmana. It will suffice to merely quote them.

Verily, there are five great sacrifices. They are indeed great sacrificial sessions (Mahasattrani): Deva-yajna, Pitri-yajna, Bhuta-yajna, Manushya-yajna and Brahma-yajna. (SB 11.5.6.1)

पञ्च वा एते महायज्ञाः । तान्येव महासत्राणि देवयज्ञः पितृयज्ञो भूतयज्ञो मनुष्ययज्ञो ब्रह्मयज्ञ इति ॥

pañca vā ete mahāyajñāḥ | tānyeva mahāsattrāṇi devayajñaḥ pitṛyajño bhūtayajño manuṣyayajño brahmayajña iti ||

 

Day by day he offers to the Devas (even a stick of wood); thereby he completes the Deva-yajna. Day by day he offers to the Pitrus, even if only with a vessel of water; thereby he completes the Pitri-yajna. Day by day he offers food to Beings; thereby he completes the Bhuta-yajna. Day by day he gives food to Men, even down to a cup of water; thereby he completes the Manushya-yajna. Day by day he studies, Svadhyaya; thereby he completes the Brahma-yajna. (SB 11.5.6.2)

अहरहर्देवेभ्यो जुहोति । तेन देवयज्ञं समाप्नोत्यहरहः पितृभ्यः स्वधाकरोत्यपोदकेन वा तेन पितृयज्ञं समाप्नोत्यहरहर्भूतेभ्यो बलिं हरति तेन भूतयज्ञं समाप्नोत्यहरहर्मनुष्येभ्योऽन्नं ददात्याकाष्ठादुदपात्रात्तेन मनुष्ययज्ञं समाप्नोत्यहरहः स्वाध्यायमधीते तेन ब्रह्मयज्ञं समाप्नोति ॥

aharahardevebhyo juhoti | tena devayajñaṃ samāpnotyaharahaḥ pitṛbhyaḥ svadhākarotyapodakena vā tena pitṛyajñaṃ samāpnotyaharaharbhūtebhyo baliṃ harati tena bhūtayajñaṃ samāpnotyaharaharmanuṣyebhyo'nnaṃ dadātyākāṣṭhādudapātrāttena manuṣyayajñaṃ samāpnotyaharahaḥ svādhyāyamadhīte tena brahmayajñaṃ samāpnoti ||

Of this Brahma-yajna, the sound (of recitation) is the fuel. When he calls out (the text), he offers the oblation. Whatever he studies, that is the Vasat call (the final sacrificial command). Therefore, he who daily studies his lesson utters the Vasat call (completes a perfect sacrifice) (SB 11.5.6.3)

तस्य वा एतस्य ब्रह्मयज्ञस्य । घोष एव समिदाह्वयेन जुहोति तद्यत्किञ्चाधीते तदेव वषट्कारस्तस्मादहरहः स्वाध्यायमधीयानो वषट्करोति ॥

tasya vā etasya brahmayajñasya | ghoṣa eva samidāhvayena juhoti tadyatkiñcādhīte tadeva vaṣaṭkārastasmādahahahaḥ svādhyāyamadhīyāno vaṣaṭkaroti ||

4. Runatreya confusion – Some folks believe Runatreya is only for Brahmanas, quoting Taittiriya Samhita – 6-3-10-5 mantra - Every individual (Brahmana) is born with three inherent spiritual debts: to the Rishis for knowledge, to the Devas for life-sustaining forces, and to the Pitrus for one's lineage. One becomes truly free only by repaying these through lifelong study, performing sacrifices, and raising the next generation.

जायमानो वै ब्राह्मणस्त्रिभिर्ऋणवा जायते ब्रह्मचर्येण ऋषिभ्यो यज्ञेन देवेभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्य एष वा अनृणो यः पुत्री यज्वा ब्रह्मचारी वासयन् ॥

jāyamāno vai brāhmaṇas tribhir ṛṇavā jāyate brahmacaryeṇa ṛṣibhyo yajñena devebhyaḥ prajayā pitṛbhya eṣa vā anṛṇo yaḥ putrī yajvā brahmacārī vāsayan

    The Shatapatha Brahmana 1.7.2.1 recognizes four Runas - Verily, whoever exists, he is born as a debt. At his very birth, he is born as a debt to the Devas, to the Rishis, to the Pitrus, and to mankind.

ऋणं ह वै जायते योऽस्ति । स जायमान एव देवेभ्य ऋषिभ्यः पितृभ्ये मनुष्येभ्यः ॥

ṛṇaṃ ha vai jāyate yo'sti | sa jāyamāna eva devebhya ṛṣibhyaḥ pitṛbhye manuṣyebhyaḥ ||

    How to reconcile? First of, the Runatreya is a combination of subtle ideas and a person cannot be considered a Brahmana if (s)he doesn’t recognize this debt and is proactively engaged in repaying it. If we add the grosser and more obvious runas to human beings and other elements, it adds up to the five discussed elsewhere. Secondly, any and every spiritual progress runs through the path of identifying the runas and repaying it. Thirdly, while the Vedas prescribe PanchaMahayajnas for every human being’s progress, it stands to map against the corresponding runas.

Spiritual path of Runa and Yajna:

    Runas give a perspective of our roots. The human tendency is to remain glued on the fruits, be it to Kama, vasanas or ahamkara. Runa understanding and repayment align life with dharma. Krishna repeatedly reiterates that Runa understanding and repayment is not optional, in the path of realizing the highest. Yet some used the BG – 18-66 as a case to do nothing and merely rely on Krishna. This is such a gross misunderstanding.

Abandoning all DHARMAS, (of the body, mind, and intellect), take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज । अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥

sarvadharmān parityajya māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja । ahaṃ tvā sarvapāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ॥

    There is a corresponding sloka in Srimad Bhagavatam – 11-5-41 - O King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not indebted to the Devas, rishis, human beings, relatives, friends, mankind or even one’s Pitrus who have passed away. Since all such classes of living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Parabrahman, one who has surrendered to the Parabrahman’s service has no need to serve such persons separately.

देवर्षिभूताप्तनृणां पितृणां न किङ्करो नायमृणी च राजन् । सर्वात्मना य: शरणं शरण्यं
गतो मुकुन्दं परिहृत्य कर्तम् ॥

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan । sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam ॥

    The above two slokas definitely indicate the state of the highest who has passed through every spiritual state Krishna has advised the sadaka to observe, which includes setting a very evolved example by following his words of instruction in BG 3-21 - Whatever a great man does, that other men also do (imitate); whatever he sets up as the standard, that the world (people) follows.

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥

yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate

    Runas and Yajnas comprise of a daily evolutionary ladder, with progress being made at every step, as noted by Krishna in the Gita. May we take these core teachings and understanding to our heart and apply it in our daily lives and we will all attain the highest state as highlighted in the Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam in this very Janma.

ॐ तत् सत

Practical spiritual insights from deceptions in Ramayana

    Itihasapuranas provide a deep and vast insight into not just the human dimensions of life, but also to subtle, esoteric aspects of our spiritual dimension. While most of the information we can grasp easily is simple and ready for our consumption, there are layers which require interpretation and guidance. Some of them come from piecing them like pieces of a super giant jigsaw puzzle.

    One such concept is the idea of deception. It is a very simple playbook if one were to look at the Mahabharata. We find two types of deceptions – adharmic and dharmic. Examples of adharmic deception will include how Duryodhana poisoned Bhima, tried to kill the Pandavas using the Lakshagraha or switched Shakuni as the dice roller instead of himself. Dharmic deception would include how the Pandavas had to spend the one year of agyatavasa as incognito. The motives and actions would determine the nature of deception.

    Deception would be the idea of painting a falsity as real. It may be usually with others, whereas unknowingly we may be deceiving ourselves. It may be easier to recognize one person deceiving another, but self deception is deep rooted in our ignorance at many levels. Unless there is a deep GunaKarma transformation, even accidental exposure to truth brings no change. As there are many layers to this idea of deception, we will resort to select cases from the Valmiki Ramayana to translate them into lessons for our personal growth and inner re-engineering. A key aspect to understanding Ramayana is, it is not only multi-layered and esoteric, but also hides a lot of allegorical insights. We will look past the literal incident to gather this sapience, as our primary intent is to apply this in our personal lives and profit from this perceptiveness. This is not a mysterious unraveling of the Ramayana, but aligning it to a spiritual dimension, so we can advance one more step in that direction.

Kaikeyi’s betrayal: A spouse is closest one’s self. Despite ranking high on Dasaratha’s fondness, right after Rama, driven by Tamas and selfishness, Kaikeyi sought two self-serving boons.

Practical spiritual insights for us: This is a huge lesson in Tamas. When one is in its grip, which can happen to anyone, the actions are driven by pure selfishness and the idea of self is highly limited to “I”, “Me” and “Myself”. The same was true for Dasaratha as his idea was centered around Rama, HIS son and HIS affections for HIM. This ultimately cost his life. Is it wrong to look for selfish interests, one may ponder?

    This is where Shastras and Upanishads shed their wisdom. The real deception is in our understanding that we are the body, the wealth, the relationships, the status, our dreams, aspirations and/or ideas. What is the wisdom through the eyes of the realized? We are Atman and this nature of the Atman gets deceptively misplaced and misunderstood. The best and simplest words that demystify these false notions is the discussion between Yajnavalkya and his wife Maitreyi in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

न वा अरे पत्युः कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति, आत्मनस्तु कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति । न वा अरे जायायै कामाय जाया प्रिया भवति, आत्मनस्तु कामाय जाया प्रिया भवति । na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati, ātmanastu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati | na vā are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati, ātmanastu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati | (Br. Up. 2-4-5)

    It is not for the sake of the husband, my dear, that he is loved, but for one’s own sake that he is loved. It is not for the sake of the wife, my dear, that she is loved, but for one’s own sake that she is loved.

Clear message – Know thy real self.

Asuras hiding in nearby jungles: Asuras like Tataka, Mareecha, Subahu lurking always nearby. The dark forces are always infested by various powerful creatures, ready for a fatal strike. The jungle itself is the deception.

Practical spiritual insights for us: The jungle represents the world of sense and object interactions. These interactions spark the rising of primordial desires which take over the ordinary person by sheer force and numbers. The story of deception runs more along the lines of Ilvala and Vatapi, who were terminated by Agastya Maharishi. As we ingest these objects with reckless abandon, they in turn wreck us from within. For the sages who try to tame the asuras like Vishwamitra, there is a lot of deceptive attack. Bringing Viveka and Vairagya as Rama-Lakshmana is the only way to frontally take down the attack on our senses and the attraction of the sense objects. Just like Tataka kicked up a dust storm after her limbs were chopped, these forces are more powerful than what meets the eye. These temptations are much closer to us, hidden in the jungle of sense objects, waiting to pounce on us, though they are far away from Ravana.

Shurpanaka: Even though a chance encounter, this asuric woman unleashed her evil attack on Sita to trying to eliminate them using Khara-Dhushana and eventually Ravana, only to satisfy her revenge of not getting to enjoy either Rama or Lakshmana.

Practical spiritual insights for us: She represents the activated Tamasic Vasanas. When there was no encounter, there is still the lurking danger, but once activated these tamasic vasanas turn into a very deadly one. The driver is always extreme selfishness that powers extremes of anger, greed, jealousy and delusion. The initial plot is filled with juicy false attractions. If resisted, the fangs come out. These do not die without a trace, as they activate deeper reserves. Every sadaka knows that there is the danger of this lurking residual vasana.

    This tamas doesn’t rest with a defeat. It stirs up powerful Khara and Dhushana. It knows exactly how to animate a reckless mind, intoxicated by sense addiction, as in Ravana. Tamas tries to enjoy the entire Parabrahman for itself, as ahamkari, “I”. It is akin to Ramakrishna’s parable of a salt doll wanting to fathom the ocean to measure its depth. Tamas cannot stand the reflection of Brahman. So it turns to destroy it. Just like the logical Sanatana Dharma reveals the limitations of egotistical people. So they convert it to HINDUPHOBIA or convert themselves to another cult to spew even more bigotry. Shurpanka wanted to destroy what she couldn’t achieve.

 

Mareecha, the deceptive deer: The most classic deception of Mareecha luring Rama away and eventually Lakshmana.

Practical spiritual insights for us: When the Jiva (Sita) gets attached to a false idea in the world, even if is a well established deception, it promotes the desertion of Viveka and Vairagya, to wander aimlessly chasing the phantasm. The defenses of the Jiva (Viveka-Vairagya) get weaker due to the shifting of the weight of the Jiva in favor of the illusory deception. This Kama vasana, want of some sensory object, when misplaced, will always lead the Jiva into misery, sooner or later.

    Interestingly, with Viveka gone, the same sense objects that caused trepidation in the Jiva as samsaric bondage, suddenly starts appealing back. In normal life, we see even sannyasis getting back to grihastha life or ending with huge ashrams for pomp and glory. The call of the sense objects is intense and irresistible to any Jiva without Rama, the Viveka.

    There is an interesting aspect on Mareecha, who never finishes his evolution, unlike Sugriva. The distraction of sense objects for Vishwamitra yagna was merely banished, it came to attack indirectly the defenseless rishis. It tried to evolve under the threat of Rama baana, but a powerful distracted mind, running in ancient channels of vasana redeploys these ancient patterns. Moved by the Jiva’s quest for this sense object, a reluctant Viveka goes chasing a phantom ideal. Before perishing these vasanas merely appeal to the Jiva with illusory distractions to throw it off the track.

Sita trick to send away Lakshmana: There is a tense moment when Sita deliberately sends Lakshmana away with caustic words.

Practical spiritual insights for us: Sita is a divine incarnate moving the story plot for a definite purpose of the destruction of Ravana and his cohorts. But for us, losing Viveka and Vairagya, the Jiva is extremely vulnerable.

    A Jiva that has got distracted with the sense object is destined for this end result. If it happened to a disciplined Jiva, Sita, due to singular object, one can’t shudder enough to think about us, launching in endless quests in the pursuit of sensory objects coupled with very strong emotions, leaving behind strong Vasanas.

Deceptive Sannyasi, Ravana: In the absence of Viveka-Vairagya, the Jiva is very vulnerable to the raw forces of the mind. The Jiva is literally carried away by this unruly mind, that is a strong fortress for the evil, not easy to figure out or uproot.

Practical spiritual insights for us: Exposing ourselves to the raw forces of the senses and sense objects, their expressions are amplified through a mind ravaged by vasanas and kama modifications become very hard to confront. This deception is like the calm before a hurricane that spawns so many twisters. The Jiva with even a singular mental leak towards the externalized world is highly vulnerable, let alone normal people like us, who are voluntarily burying ourselves with so many desires.

    Ravana demonstrated the trickery. Tamas simulates a state that trascends the three gunas, just like ashes simulate ashes covering the hidden dangerous embers of Vasanas. The undefended Jiva cannot discern these two states. Every spiritual sadhaka has to face this conundrum, which is why a Guru is crucial, someone who has already had that experience and kind enough to share it with us, so we can be spared of the danger.

Hanuman meets Rama: Hanuman is determined to know everything about Rama Lakshmana without revealing much. His culture and education shines brightly, but as the case of any Bhakta in front of Bhagawan, there are no secrets.

Practical spiritual insights for us: Just like Hanuman spilled all his secrets in front of Rama, any connection with Brahman is going to straighten us and put us deep rooted in Satya and in the path of Dharma. That is why we study Jnanis and great Bhaktas, who may not even be formally educated in shastras, like Sabhari, but due to this wondrous connection with Parabrahman, their actions are aligned with the Supreme and Dharma of the highest order exudes through every step.

Dead Rama: Ravana uses his trump card, Indrajit, as soon as war erupts. Indrajit uses illusion to pin down Rama Lakshmana using Naaga arrows. It appears as certain death, as there is no human way to unlock this fate. Ravana uses this pause as certain victory. He sends Sita along with Trijata and other rakshasis to witness Rama’s certain death, so she might changer her attitude towards him. A shocked Sita is consoled by Trijata who gives definite logical reasons why Rama Lakshmana are alive. Garuda appears mysteriously to liberate from the naaga bondage.

Practical spiritual insights for us: In a spiritual journey, which is everyone’s life, however adharmic it may be, we all come to this cross road. All our human efforts are exhausted at some point and there seems no hope for the Jiva. Some sanity in the form of having faith in Guru’s words, Shastras console us like Trijata. It is impossible to exist without this consolation as certain destruction and deception exists all around.

    Indrajit was able to pin Rama Lakshmana but cannot defeat them. In the same way our spiritual practices, our own real nature of SatChitAnanada gets shrouded in extreme darkness. It appears we have lost our way and our mission. It appears the dark forces are invincible. Just like Garuda’s sudden appearance revealed a subtle divine connection that exists at all times, we can always count on this unexpected spiritual help as divine forces are constantly looking for deserving (all of us) places to contribute their energy. The only question is, are we ready like Rama Lakshmana to receive this surge? The bondage of Rama Lakshmana was actually weak and impotent in front of their energies, but as Garuda provided the divine boost, so shall we too. The imperishability of Atman and extreme kindness of Paramatman to assist us in every possible way in this upward journey are the real secrets hidden in this episode of deception.

Dead Sita: After many leaders on Ravana’s side perished, Indrajit wanted to buy some time by executing a decoy Sita in front of Hanuman, the lone warrior who could identify her positively, thus completing the psychological assault on Rama Lakshmana. Indrajit’s plan was to complete his spiritual project at Nikumbhila, so he can unleash his invincibility. Vibhishana spills the secret and seeks Lakshmana be sent out immediately to destroy Indrajit.

Practical spiritual insights for us: When we lose sight of the very purpose of our existence, we crumble down and there is no recourse. It happens when we lose our beloved or all our wealth or anything we love intensely. But as we can open our mind to listen to the voice of rationale, like Vibhishana established in Dharma, we realize that all we got caught was an elaborate net of darkness and deception.

    No Jiva can ever run out of the ultimate motive, know its real self, despite losing all its apparent aspirations or possessions. If we flip the script and see Rama as the aspiring Jiva and Sita as the Moksha Devi, the Jiva is befuddled and frustrated as Moksha eludes it completely. There is still lots of Purushartha to be exerted. Remembering that Moksha is of the imperishable state and not that of a temporary aspiration, is the key.

    The adage says the darkest period is just before the dawn is true even in our spiritual journey. Without periodic inputs from Dharma like we see from Trijata, Vibhishana, we cannot cross over this immense forest of darkness filled with deception at every turn. Every Jiva must be sensitive to not only receive, but also apply these subtle inputs. Deceptions in Ramayana are truly a window into the depths of wisdom in it. It has practical applications to every Jiva and nothing is more detrimental than us rejecting the wisdom and thinking it as a fictitious story. Ramayana gives us not just Dharmic insights for every person live, but very powerful subtle awareness to the traps in our spiritual path and how to overcome them.

 

ॐ तत् सत