79. The Naming of Shri Rama
The following post is one from the Ramacharitmanas series. Every week, we move forward in our journey through the Ramayana of Love, as spoken by the great Saint Tulasidas. The Ramacharitmanas has been described as being similar to a cross between the Bible and Shakespeare. The Ramacharitmanas is like an ocean of love and bliss and […]
78. Shri Rama Is Born
In the city of Ayodhya, there lived a great king called Dasaratha, a name now famous in the Vedic texts. He always tried his best to rule virtuously, had many good attributes, a man of wisdom, and a devotee of Shri Hari. He lived with his two eyes on the Kingdom but his spiritual eye […]
77. Lanka, Our Own Kingdom of Desires
Mandodari, the daughter of Maya, married Ravana. As part of this marriage Maya constructed for them a majestic fortress on the island of Lanka. It was greater than anything that existed on Earth. Decked with gold, silver, and precious jewels, even the fortress walls shone resplendently. The oceans surrounding the island kissed the Kingdom’s golden […]
76. The Nature of Ravana’s Desire
By means of a Brahmana’s curse, the once virtuous King Pratabhandu was reborn as the terrible demon King Ravana. Ravana had two brothers, Kumbhakarana, who was a powerful giant, and Vibhishana, who was Ravana’s minister. All though each of them performed exactly the same yogic austerities and various kinds of penances, due to their individual natures, they […]
75. Rama’s Voice
To Brahmas beautiful prayer, Rama responded by saying: ‘Do not be fearful. For all of the good and saintly people of the world, for all of the Yogis, for all of the Gods and for righteousnesses, I shall come. I shall be born as a human on Earth. In the glorious solar dynasty, I shall […]
74. Brahma’s Prayer
73. God Is Revealed By Love
The world was plunging into chaos. Villains, thieves and gamblers were everywhere to be seen. Men coveted that which belonged to others rather than being content with what they had or working hard for themselves. People no longer honored their parents like forms of God, but instead ridiculed them. No longer were the great teachers […]
72. Ramacharitmanas: The Karma of A Good King
The story that follows describes a man who was to become, in a future life, the demon King Ravana. In ancient times, there lived a great and honourable King named Satyaketu. Satyaketu had two sons, Pratapabhandu and Armiadarana, both were embodiments of kindness and wisdom. When the time came, Satyaketu passed the throne to his […]
71. Ramacharitmanas: A Story of Yoga and Devotion
The first born man, Swayambhuva Manu was married to Satarupa and together they had three children. Their firstborn son Uttanapada became a great king, whose son Shri Dhruva was a renowned devotee of the Lord. Their second child Priyavrata, again a son, was praised in the Vedas. Finally they were blessed with a daughter named […]
70. Ramacharitmanas: A Story Of Pride
Deep in the mountains of the Himalayas, there lived the Sage Narada in his ashram located on the banks of the river Ganga. Such was the power of his meditation, all of his past impurities were washed away. The King of the heavens, Indra became jealous, and he felt great distress due to Narada achieving such a blissful
