PARABLE OF JESUS CHRIST

CONTENTS:
1. THE PARABLE OF TEN VIRGINS:
2. THE PARABLE OF PRODIGAL SON


The Parable of the Ten Virgins [ Or the Wise and Foolish Virgins] is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament. In it, the five virgins who are prepared for the bridegroom's arrival are rewarded and the five who are not prepared are excluded. The  theme of the parable is: “Be prepared for the day of reckoning

1.TEN VIRGINS:

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lampsWhile the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.  [KJV Matthew 25:1-13]

Courtesy: www.web-ministry.com


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2. PRODIGAL SON:

The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.

But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."‘ "He arose, and came to his father.

But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ "But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.[picture Courtesy:wpclipart.com]

Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate.

"Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ "He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.

COURTESY: jesuschristsavior.net

HINDU RELIGIOUS SYMBOL:

OM is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism. It is called pranava Mantra in Sanskrit and sound form of God. It

'OM' Symbol

stands for Brahman, both as personal and impersonal God.  In all mantra’s of Hindu God and Goddesses Om is the vital part of it. The syllable is taken to consist of three phonemes, a, u and m, variously symbolizing the three Vedas or the Hindu Trimurti- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the three stages of life ( birth, life and death ).

 In Mandukya Upanishad the mystic syllable 'AUM' is expounded. There are three letters in the word aum : ‘a’, ‘u’ and ‘m’. The ‘a’ stands for the state of wakefulness, where we experience externally through our mind and sense organs. The ‘u’ stands for the dream state, in which inward experiences are available. In the state of deep sleep, represented by the sound ‘m’, there is no desire and consciousness is gathered in upon itself.

Sri Ramakrishna explains Om: The sound OM is Brahman. The rishis and sages practiced austerity to realize that Sound-Brahman. After attaining perfection one hears the sound of this eternal Word rising spontaneously from the navel. "'What will you gain', some sages ask, 'by merely hearing this sound?' You hear the roar of the ocean from a distance. By following the roar you can reach the ocean. As long as there is the roar, there must also be the ocean. By following the trail of OM you attain Brahman, of which the Word is the symbol. That Brahman has been described by the Vedas as the ultimate goal. 

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LIFE OF SRI KRISHNA



Hari Om. Sri Krishna, the son of Vasudeva and Devaki was born in the clan of Vrishnis or Yadavas. Devaki was the sister of King Hamsa who was cruelty personified. While driving the chariot in which were seated his newly married sister and her husband, he heard a voice saying, ‘O fool, the eight child of this couple will be your slayer’. At once he was on the point of killing his sister, but desisted from doing so, after Vasudeva, who was famous for his truthfulness, assured him that he would hand over all his children to Kamsa as soon as they were born. [Picture: Courtesy:salagram.net]

Devaki and Sri Krishna

Just before the birth of Krishna, Vasudeva and Devaki were imprisoned and were heavily shackled. The Lord, who is the deliverer and savior of the people, was born in a prison in Madhura[Picture:Courtesy:devotionalonly.com] The guards fell asleep, Vasudeva was unshackled, and the doors were opened through His divine maya, and the child was carried to Gokula on the other side of the river Yamuna to the house of Nanda and was exchanged with his new born daughter.

The tyrant Kamsa, as soon as he came to know of the birth of Devaki’s child, rushed to the prison to kill his would- be- slayer with his own hands. But to his utter astonishment he saw the child to be a girl. Yet remembering the prophecy, he caught hold of the babe and was going to kill her when she miraculously slipped from his hands and went up into the sky saying,’ He who will slay you, is growing at Gokula.’ This made Kamsa furious and he ordered all the babies in Mathura and its neighborhood to be killed. But He who was born to re-establish Dharma remained unscathed and subsequently baffled all Kamsa’s attempts to put an end to his life. Ultimately, Kamsa was killed by Krishna. Kamsa’s father Ugrasena was installed on the throne.



Sri Krishna with Gopis

 Krishna’s childhood was full of miracles. He moved to Brindavan a few miles from Mathura where his playmates were the cowherd boys and girls, known as gopis.[picture-courtesy:yamuna.blog.yamuna.biz]

After some years, Krishna felt the call of a new mission and came to Dwaraka. He entrusted the government to his kinsmen, the Vishnu’s. Though Himself a famous warrior, a wise statesman, an intelligent diplomat, he never occupied a throne. He conquered many kingdoms, but gave them over to others. He was often seen in the midst of intense activity, but he remained calm and unattached.

Sri Krishna in Kurushetra

Krishna’s greatest message is the immortal Gita, which he recounted to Arjuna when, in Kurukshetra, the Kauravas and Pandavas were ranged in battle. Becoming desperate with grief, Arjuna wanted to leave the field rather than killing his kinsmen and elders. Krishna’s Gita removed Arjuna’s illusions[picture: courtesy: agori.it]

After installing Yudhishthra the throne, Krishna went back to Dwaraka, where after a tie a civil war broke out among the members of the Vrishini clan. They fell upon one another and perished. Krishna looked on all these as a detached witness seeing the fulfillment of destiny in all.

After realizing that the time of his departure was near at hand, he restrained his mind and senses in yoga and lay down on the bare earth under a tree. Seeing his rosy feet from a distance, a hunter mistook them for a crouching deer and aimed as arrow which pierced his feet. Coming near, the hunter realized his grievous mistake and was sorely grief stricken, but Krishna blessed him with a smile and soon gave up his body.

“The glory of Krishna is that He has been the best preacher of our eternal religion and the best commentator on the Vedanta that ever lived in India.” says Swami Vivekananda.

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SRI RAMAKRISHNA’S VISION OF JESUS CHRIST

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SRI RAMAKRISHNA



MADONNA AND JESUS

‘One day Sri Ramakrishna was sitting in Jadu Mallick’s parlour. On the wall of the parlour hang a painting of Madonna and Child. He was looking intently at this picture and thinking about the extraordinary life of Jesus when he suddenly felt that the picture became living. Rays of light coming from the Mother and Child entered his heart and began to change radically the ideas stored there, Hindu conceptions were being chased into hiding and new thoughts were displacing them, In vain he struggled within himself, and prayed, ‘Mother, what strange changes are you bringing in me?’ His devotion to the gods and goddesses was eclipsed for the time being, and replaced by a great love for the Christ, while pictures of Christian priests and devotees performing worship filled his mind. Although Sri Ramakrishna returned to his room at Dhakshineswar, he remained absorbed in the new mood which had swept over him. He did not visit the Kali Temple on the morrow, or the next, or the next: the Divine Mother was forgotten.



JESUS CHRIST

 Near the end of the third day, as he was walking in the Panchavati he saw- evidently with his open eyes – a god man of fair complexion coming toward him with a steadfast look. Recognizing him as a foreigner, he saw that his eyes and face were beautiful; his nose was a little flat, but this appeared to be no blemish in that divine countenance. Sri Ramakrishna wondered who this was. The answer came from his heart, but in words loud enough that he described them as ‘ringing’: ‘Lord Jesus the Christ, the Master-Yogi, eternally one with God, who shed his heart’s blood for the deliverance of men! It is He!’ The figure embraced the Master and disappeared into his body, leaving the latter in ‘bhavasamadhi,’ at one with Saguna Brahman[Attribute Brahman] for some time.’ [Courtesy: Sri Ramakrishna, the Great Master; Picture: jesuschristsaviour.net]

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SYMBOL OF JAINISM

The Jain emblem[see above picture] which was adopted in 1975 during the 2500^th death anniversary of Lord Mahavir, consists of a digit of the moon, three dots, the Svastika, the palm of a hand with a cakra inset and a mantra at the bottom.

The outline of the symbol is defined as the universe and consists of three realms (Loks/worlds).

i)                   The upper portion indicates URDHAVA LOK (heaven). It contains the heavenly abodes (Devloka) of all the celestial beings and abode of the Siddhas (Siddhashila).

ii)                 The middle portion indicates MADHYALOK (material world). It contains the Earth and other planets (Manushyalok).

iii)               The lower portion indicates ADHOLOK (hell). It contains the seven hells (Naraka).

The overall symbol depicts the belief that living beings of all the three worlds (heaven, hell, and earth) suffer from the miseries of transmigratory existence. They can follow the path of true religion, which is Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct as expounded by the Tirthankars. This will bring auspiciousness to themselves, minimize suffering to others, and help them to obtain perfection, after which they will live forever as perfected beings. In short, the Jain emblem represents many important concepts to show the path to enlightenment by following the basic principles of AHIMSA (non-violence), TRIRATNA (right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct) and helping others.

Swastik:

Swastik is a symbol of the seventh Jina (Saint), the Tirthankara Suparsva. It consists of two parts. One part includes the Red and Blue part of the image. All other religions believe in this part only. But swastik in jainism includes 3 dots and a crescent moon with a dot also.

Four arms of SWASTIKA symbolizes the four GATI (destiny) of worldly souls (non-liberated): NARAKVASI (hellish beings), TRIYANCH (animals, birds, plants), MANUSHYA (humans) and DEV (heavenly beings). It represents the perpetual nature of the universe in the MADHYALOK (material world), where a creature is destined to one of those states based on their Karmas (deeds). It reminds us that worldly souls undergo a continuous cycle of birth, suffering, and death in these four forms. Hence one should follow the true religion and be liberated from suffering. It also represents the four columns of the Jain Sangh (community): Sadhus, Sadhvis, Shravaks and Shravikas - monks, nuns, female and male laymen. It also represents the four characteristics of the soul: infinite knowledge (Anant Gyan), infinite perception (Anant Darshan), infinite happiness (Anant Sukh), and infinite energy (Anant Virya).

green dots:

The green dots represent the Triratna (Jain Trinity: three jewels of jainism): Samyak Darshan (Right Faith), Samyak Gyan (Right Knowledge) and Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct) which together lead to liberation. This gives the message that it is necessary to have TRIRATNA in order to attain MOKSHA. The Crescent moon and the dot i.e. the yellow part of the image represents the abode of the liberated souls (Siddha - Loka or Siddhashila or Moksha) which is a zone beyond the three realms (loks). All of the Siddhas (liberated bodyless souls) reside on this forever, liberated from the cycle of life and death.

In the Svetambar Jain tradition, it is also one of the symbols of the ashta-mangalas. It is considered to be one of the 24 auspicious marks and the emblem of the seventh arhat of the present age

Jain Hand:

The palm of the hand signifies the assurance; 'do not be afraid', indicating that human beings suffering due to karmic bondage do not need to be disheartened. Another meaning is “stop and think before you act to assure that all possible violence is avoided.” This gives us a chance to scrutinize our activities to be sure that they will not hurt anyone by our words, thoughts, or actions. We are also not supposed to ask or encourage others to take part in any harmful activity.

The wheel in the hand symbolizes SAMASARA (reincarnation cycle). It shows that if we are not careful and ignore these warnings and carry on violent activities, then just as the wheel goes round and round, we will go round and round through the cycles of birth and death. The 24 spokes represents the preaching from the 24 Tirthankars (enlightened souls), which can be used to liberate a soul from the cycle or reincarnation.

The word in the center of the wheel is "Ahimsa" (non-violence). Ahimsa means avoidance of Himsa (violence). It has been treated as the first of the five Mahavratas (great vows), prescribed by Jain religion and this Ahimsa Mahavrata has been defined in `Ratnakaranda-sravakachara' as "abstaining from the commission of five sins, himsa and the rest in their three forms, krita, karita and anumodana, with the mind, speech and the body constitutes the Maha-vrata of great ascetics".

The meaning of the mantra at the bottom (PARSPAROGRAHO JIVANAM) is "Live and Let Live". All creatures should help one another.

Courtesy: http://gr8jainisam.blogspot.com



SYMBOL OF BUDDHISM

SYMBOL OF BUDDHISM

DHARMACAKRA SYMBOL:


FOR HINDUISM SYMBOL:  [click here]


The Dharmacakra symbol is represented as a chariot wheel with eight or more spokes. It is one of the oldest known Buddhist symbols found in Indian art. In its simplest form, the Dharmacakra is recognized globally as a symbol for Buddhism.

In Buddhism—according to the number of spokes of the Dharmacakra represent various meanings:

• 8 spokes representing the Noble Eightfold Path
• 12 spokes representing the Twelve Laws of Dependent Origination
• 24 spokes representing the Twelve Laws of Dependent Origination and the Twelve Laws of Dependent Termination.
• 31 spokes representing 31 (11 realms of desire, 16 realms of form and 4 realms of formlessness).

In Buddhism, Parts of the Dharmacakra also representing:

• Its overall shape is that of a circle (cakra), representing the perfection of the dharma teaching
• The hub stands for discipline, which is the essential core of meditation practice.
• The rim, which holds the spokes, refers to mindfulness or samadhi which holds everything together.

The corresponding mudrā, or symbolic hand gesture, is known as the Dharmacakra Mudrā.

The Dharmacakra is one of the eight auspicious symbols* of Tibetan Buddhism.

The dharma wheel can refer to the dissemination of the dharma teaching from country to country. In this sense the dharma wheel began rolling in India, carried on to Central Asia, and then arrived in South East Asia and East Asia.

Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma

Mahayana schools classify Buddhist teachings in turns of a sequential scheme of development. These phases are called "turnings" of the Dharmacakra (Sanskrit:dharmacakra-pravartana).

All Buddhists agree that the original turning of the wheel occurred when the Buddha taught the five ascetics who became his first disciples at the Deer Park in Sarnath. In memory of this, the Dharmacakra is sometimes represented with a deer on each side.

In Theravāda Buddhism, this was the only "turning of the wheel", and later developments of the Buddhist doctrine which do not appear in the Pali Canon or the Agamas are not accepted as teachings of the historical Buddha.

Other schools of Buddhism, such as the Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna distinguish later "turnings".

Specific accounts of them vary:-

In one, the first turning of the Dharmacakra is Gautama Buddha's original teaching, in particular the Four Noble Truths which describes the mechanics of attachment, desire, suffering, and liberation via the Eightfold Path; the second turning is the teaching of the Perfection of Wisdom sutra, a foundational text of Mahayana Buddhism; and the third is the teaching of the Mahavairocana Sutra, a foundational text of Tantric Buddhism.

In another scheme, the second turning of the Dharmacakra is the Abhidharma, the third is the Mahāyāna Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, and the fourth includes both the Yogacara sutras and Tathāgatagarbha sutras.

*The Eight Auspicious Symbols

The Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, or the Ashtamangala, are related to the physical form of the Buddha. 


They include:

• A Conch Shell
• A Lotus
• A Wheel
• A Parasol (Umbrella)
• An Endless Knot
• A Pair of Golden Fishes
• A Banner Proclaiming Victory
• A Treasure Vase

courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_symbolism

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PARABLES OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

CONTENTS: [FOR OLD POSTS(CLICK)]

8. CHILDLIKE FAITH [POSTED ON 13.11.10]:

9. FIRM FAITH [POSTED ON 13.11.10]

10. POWER OF FAITH [POSTED ON 13.11.10]:

11. DON’T HARM BUT HISS [POSTED ON 13.11.10]:

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11. DON’T HARM BUT HISS [POSTED ON 13.11.10]:

Some cowherd boys used to tend their cows in a meadow where a terrible poisonous snake lived. Everyone was on the alert for fear of it.

One day a brahmachari was going along the meadow. The boys ran to him and said: 'Revered sir, please don't go that way. A venomous snake lives over there.' 'What of it, my good children?' said the brahmachari. 'I am not afraid of the snake. I know some mantras.' So saying, he continued on his way along the meadow. But the cowherd boys, being afraid, did not accompany him.

In the mean time the snake moved swiftly toward him with upraised hood. As soon as it came near, he recited a mantra, and the snake lay at his feet like an earthworm. The brahmachari said: 'Look here. Why do you go about doing harm? Come, I will give you a holy word. By repeating it you will learn to love God. Ultimately you will realize Him and so get rid of your violent nature.' Saying this, he taught the snake a holy word and initiated him into spiritual life. The snake bowed before the teacher and said, 'Revered sir, how shall I practise spiritual discipline?' 'Repeat that sacred word', said the teacher, 'and do no harm to anybody'. As he was about to depart, the brahmachari said, 'I shall see you again.'

Some days passed and the cowherd boys noticed that the snake would not bite. They threw stones at it. Still it showed no anger; it behaved as if it were an earthworm. One day one of the boys came close to it, caught it by the tail, and, whirling it round and round, dashed it again and again on the ground and threw it away. The snake vomited blood and became unconscious. It was stunned. It could not move. So, thinking it dead, the boys went their way.

Late at night the snake regained consciousness. Slowly and with great difficulty it dragged itself into its hole; its bones were broken and it could scarcely move. Many days passed. The snake became a mere skeleton covered with a skin. Now and then, at night, it would come out in search of food. For fear of the boys it would not leave its hole during the day-time. Since receiving the sacred word from the teacher, it had given up doing harm to others. It maintained its life on dirt, leaves, or the fruit that dropped from the trees.

About a year later the brahmachari came that way again and asked after the snake. The cowherd boys told him that it was dead. But he couldn't believe them. He knew that the snake would not die before attaining the fruit of the holy word with which it had been initiated. He found his way to the place and, searching here and there, called it by the name he had given it. Hearing the teacher's voice, it came out of its hole and bowed before him with great reverence. 'How are you?' asked the brahmachari. 'I am well, sir', replied the snake. 'But', the teacher asked, 'why are you so thin?' The snake replied: 'Revered sir, you ordered me not to harm any body. So I have been living only on leaves and fruit. Perhaps that has made me thinner.' The snake had developed the quality of sattva; it could not be angry with anyone. It had totally forgotten that the cowherd boys had almost killed it.

"The brahmachari said: 'It can't be mere want of food that has reduced you to this state. There must be some other reason. Think a little.' Then the snake remembered that the boys had dashed it against the ground. It said: 'Yes, revered sir, now I remember. The boys one day dashed me violently against the ground. They are ignorant, after all. They didn't realize what a great change had come over my mind. How could they know I wouldn't bite or harm anyone?' The brahmachari exclaimed: 'What a shame! You are such a fool! You don't know how to protect yourself. I asked you not to bite, but I didn't forbid you to hiss. Why didn't you scare them by hissing?'

So you must hiss at wicked people. You must frighten them lest they should do you harm. But never inject your venom into them. One must not injure others.

SOURCE: ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’

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10. POWER OF FAITH [posted on 13.11.10]

A man was about to cross the sea from Ceylon to India. Bibhishana said to him: ‘Tie this thing in a corner of your wearing – cloth, and you will cross the sea safely. You will be able to walk on the water. But be sure not to examine it, or you will sink.’ The man was walking easily on the water of the sea – such is the strength of faith – when, having gone part of the way, he thought, ‘What is this wonderful thing Bibhishana has given me, that I can walk even on the water?’ he untied the knot and found only a leaf with the name of Rama on it. ‘Oh, just this!’ he thought, and instantly he sank.

SOURCE: ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’

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9. FIRM FAITH [POSTED ON 13.11.10]

A Brahmin used to worship his family Deity with food offerings. One day he had to go away on business. As he was about to leave the house, he said to his young son: ‘Give the offering to the Deity today. See that God is fed.’

The boy offered food in the shrine, but the image remained silent on the altar. It would neither talk nor eat. The boy waited a long time, but still the image did not move. But the boy firmly believed that God would come down from the His throne, sit on the floor, and partake of the food. Again and again he prayed to the Deity, saying: ‘O Lord, come down and eat the food. It is already late. I cannot sit here any longer.’ But the image did not utter a word. The boy burst into tears and cried: ‘O Lord, my father asked me to feed You. Why won’t You come down? Why won’t You eat from my hands?’ The boy wept for some with a longing soul. At last the Deity, smiling, came down from the altar and sat before the meal and ate it.

After feeding the Deity, the boy came out of the shrine room. His relatives said: ‘The boy replied innocently, ‘Why, God has eaten the food.’ They entered the shrine and were speechless with wonder to see that the Deity had really eaten every bit of the offering.”

SOURCE: ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’

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8. CHILDLIKE FAITH [Posted on 13.11.10]

A boy named Jatila lived with his mother near a forest. He used to walk to school through the woods, and the journey frightened him. One day he told his mother of his fear. She replied: ‘Why should you be afraid? Call Madhusudana (a name of Sri Krishna).’ ‘Mother,’ asked the boy, who is Madhusudana?’ The mother said, ‘He is your Elder Brother.’

One day after this, when the boy again felt afraid in the woods, he cried out, ‘O Brother Madhusudana!’ But there was no response. He began to weep aloud: ‘Where are You, Brother Madhusudana? Come to me. I am afraid.’ Then God could no longer stay away. He appeared before the boy and said: ‘Here I am. Why are you frightened?’ and so saying He took the boy out of the woods and showed him the way to school. When He took leave of the boy, God said: I will come whenever you call Me. Do not afraid.’

One must have childlike faith and intense yearning to attain God.

SOURCE:’ The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’

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LIFE OF LORD SRI RAMA:

1. A BRIEF LIFE OF SRI RAMA:
2. NAMA RAMAYANA (VIDEO) BY M.S. SUBBHULAKSHMI [SEE BELOW] 

Sri Krishna  declares in Bhagavat Gita: “I come into being in every Age for the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of Dharma (Righteousness).” It is also a common belief of Hindus that Lord Vishnu, the All-Pervading Supreme Being incarnates in every Age.[Picture: Source: Net]

Sri Rama, son of a glorious King Dasaratha of Ayodhya is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Treta Yuga. His task then was to rid of Bharath from the onslaught and oppression of the Rakshasas who ruled in Sri Lanka at that time, to protect the saints and sages and show an ideal and perfect life to the Society.




CHILD SRI RAMA AND HIS BROTHERS

The King Dasaratha had three wives – Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra but was not blessed with a son to succeed him to the throne. So he performed a horse- sacrifice under the guidance of sage Rishya–Sringa. In sacrificial fire a majestic figure came out holding a pot of Payasam. It was distributed to all three queens. In course of time Sri Rama was born of Queen Kausalya, Bharata of Queen Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Satrughana of Queen Sumitra[Picture Courtesy:netglimse.com]. The sons are considered to be the parts of Lord Vishnu. The eldest son Sri Rama was the repository of all divine qualities, the object of love and reverence of all. They received all the training prescribed for princes. Lakhsmana was specially devoted to Sri Rama.




Sri Sita garlanding Sri Rama

 When Sri Rama was only sixteen – years age, sage Viswamitra came oneday to Ayodhya. He asked Dasaratha to send Sri Rama and Lakshmana with him to slay the demons who were creating disturbances and were not allowing the sages to do their sacrificial rites. By the blessing of the sage Viswamitra and by his own powers and skill in archery, Sri Rama killed all the demons. Receiving the blessing of the sages, the brothers were brought to Mithila, the capital of the renowned king Janaka. Here Sri Rama exhibited his wonderful strength and skill by lifting and stringing the wondrous bow of Lord Shiva, which many mighty princes had failed to do. He drew back the bow-string with such a force that the weapon snapped asunder with terrific noise. King Janaka, true to his promise, gave his dearest and lustrous daughter Sita in marriage to Sri Rama.[picture courtesy; hindudevotional.blog.com]

In course of time Dasaratha became old, and he wanted to install Sri Rama as the crown prince. All arrangements were complete, when all of a sudden the cruel queen Kaikeyi who was ill-advised by her very crooked maid servant Manthara, asked Dasratha for two boons, which he had once promised. By one boon, Sri Rama should be banished for fourteen years and by the second boon, her son Bharatha should be installed as the crown-prince. Being deeply devoted to father, Sri Rama at once retired to the forest, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana. Unable to bear the rude shock of his separation from Sri Rama, Dasaratha died. Bharatha who had great reverence and love for Sri Rama tried in vain to bring back Sri Rama. Then he ultimately installed Sri Rama’s sandals on the throne and started ruling the kingdom in the name of Sri Rama.

Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana went to Panchavati. During the absence of Sri Rama and Lakshmana, who had been drawn away by the deception of Rakshasa Maricha, Sita was abducted by Ravana, the Rakshasa King of Lanka.

Ravana tried his best to persuade Sita to become his queen. But Sita rejected his evil proposal with all contempt. Ravana imprisoned her in a grove called Ashokavanam. She was always absorbed in the thought of Sri Rama.



Sri Rama set out with Lakshmana in search for Sita. He got some clue from the dying Jatayu and the Vanara King Sugriva. He also met his great devotee Hanuman[picture:courtesy:devotionalonly.com] who was the most faithful to him. He helped Sri Rama to find Sita. He helped Sugriva to destroy his usurping brother Vali and made him king. With help of the army that was provided by king Suriva he reached Lanka for the rescue of Sita.

A great battle took place between Sri Rama and Ravana. In the end Sri Rama killed Ravana, his brother Kumbakarana, sons and all warriors, and rescued Sita. At first Sri Rama refused to accept Sita, as she had been confined so long by Ravana. To prove her innocence Sita entered fire [See picture: Courtesy: flickr.com]. Agni, the god of Fire, came out with Sita declaring her to be of unsullied purity. She bade Sri Rama to take her back as his wife. Sri Rama’s joy knew no bounds.

SRI RAMA AFTER CROWNING

Sri Rama installed Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, on the throne of Lanka. He returned to Ayodhya with Sita, Lakshmana, Vibhisana, Sugriva and Hanuman. At the return of Sri Rama after fourteen years people of Ayodhya rejoiced and celebrated the great occasion. Sri Rama along with Sita was crowned as the King of Ayodhya by the sage Vasistha. Thus began the long and prosperous rule of Sri Rama. Every where there was health and happiness It was the ‘Golden Age’ of Ayodhya.

The immortal sage Valmiki has depicted this wonderful and divine life of Sri Rama in his famous epic Ramayana. Even today it is an eternal companion of Hindu households and will remain for ever.

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NAMA RAMAYANA BY DR. M.S. SUBBHULAKSHMI
[PART-I].

PART-II

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