Lakshman Gita

The story of Lord Rama is widely known not just in Indian subcontinent but also in
nearby countries like Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia among others. Infact Laos is named after lava, son of Lord Rama. Ramacharitmanas written by Tulsidas, is widely known as devotional text for aide of Bhakti Yogis who seek God realization by devotional practices. While being replete with devotion, Ramcharitmanas also contains most abstruse wisdom in simplest of language.



 

 There are number of places in Ramcharitmanas, where mind stops on its own to marvel at skill of Tulsidas to make understand the highest truth of life in simple words. One such place is Lakshaman Gita of Ayodha kand (Ayodhya canto of Ramcharitmanas). After Lord Rama, prince of ayodhya goes to forest to fulfill the pledge of his father Dashratha. On seeing that Lord Rama the crown prince is sleeping on ground and has matted hairs like yogis , Nishadraaj (Tribal king) felt distressed. Sorrow soon turned into anger towards kaikeyi (who used an old promise to oust Lord Rama from kingdom to make his son as King). Lakshaman who was wise on watching sorrow ridden face of Nishadraja speaks in compassion.



1. Kau na kou sukh dukh kar data, Nij krit karm bhog sab brhata
(Ramcharitmanas, Ayodhyasopan) 

 No one is the source of delight or pain for other, Everyone bears the fruits of his past actions. Srimad Bhagvatam notes various previous events associated with Lord past incarnations and one can get a hint about the present leela of Lord Rama. The present reality as we see for us, is a result of our past actions and desires. Just as origin of dream can be traced to desires or actions of a man during waking state , one's present reality can be traced to the past lives.

 2. joga biyoga bhoga bhala mandå, hita anahita madhyama bhrama phandå. janamu maranu jaha° lagi jaga jålμu , sampati bipati karamu aru kåalu dharani dhåmu dhanu pura parivårμu, saragu naraku jaha° lagi byavahårμu. dekhia sunia gunia mana måhi ° , moha mμula paramårathu nåhi ° .. 

Lakshman further says Nishadraj ,Union and separation,pleasurable and painful experiences, friends, foes and neutrals - snares of delusion are these. Even so birth and death, prosperity and adversity, destiny and time and all the illusion of the world; lands, houses, wealth, town and family, heaven and hell, and all the phenomena of the world; nay, whatever is seen, heard or thought of with the mind has its root in ignorance: nothing exists in reality The highest knowledge which is present in advaitic texts like Yoga Vashistha can also be found above in ramcharitmanas which is primarily assumed to be devotional text. Life is compared to a long dream like the one we see at night. After one is awake, one realises that all what he felt was unreal and creation of his mind. Similarily when one awakes from this life dream, one realises that he whatever he saw is due to the mind. 

 

3. sapane hoi bhikhåri nripu ranku nåkapati hoi jåge° låbhu na håni kachu timi prapa≈ca jiya° joi Suppose in a dream a beggar is crowned king or the lord of paradise is reduced to the state of a pauper; on waking, the one does not gain nor does the other lose anything. So must you look upon this world 

 4. Asa Vichari nahin kijiye rosu , kahuh badi na deia dosu moha nisa sabu sovanihara , dekhia sapana anekaprakara ehi jaga jamini jagahi jogi,

 paramarathi prapancha viyogi, janiye tabhi jeeva tab jaaga, jab sab visaya vilasa viraga 

 Reasoning thus be not angry nor blame anyone in vain. Everyone is slumbering in the night of delusion, and while asleep one sees dreams of various kinds. In this night of mundane existence it is Yogis (mystics) alone who keep awake. Yogis who are in quest of the highest truth and remain aloof from the world. A soul should be deemed as having awoke from the night of the world only when he develops and aversion for the enjoyments of the world of sense.


One should therefore not blame anyone for his present misfortune as is perceived by him, Everyone is asleep and is propelled to perform various actions according to individual Gunas. One thinks of himself as a doer however its the Gunas which perform all activities while the individual is merely a witness. Like in presence of sun, all happenings happen in earth (Seasons, rains and movement of rivers). One should be considered as having awake from this dream if he loses all taste for enjoyment of objects of senses and thus his perception will be free of their impressions. He will thus perceive the reality as it is.

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