Continuing our journey through the Manas, we see through the eyes of Lord Shiva, who speaks of Shri Rama. Of course, in reality there is no difference between the too, but the Ramcharitmanas is the tale for expression of Love for Rama, it is a devotional text intoxicated upon on Rama, and therefore even Lord Shiva sees only Rama in all places.
57. Agastya Muni, the great sage sat glancing at the lord of the Universe, Shiva himself and his dear wife Sati. He listened to the Lord explaining the virtuous attributes of Shri Rama, who is none other than love personified. It was as if time disappeared as he sat at the feet of the dark lord. After gracing Agastya Muni, the lord and his consort departed for their Himalyan abode, Mount Kailash.
It was during this same time, that the embodiment of dharma, Shri Rama himself had taken form upon the earth for the benefit of all beings. He was roaming the the forests as an ascetic and Lord Shiva longed to set his eyes upon him. The separation between them was great, and only the heart knows how deep. But the dark Lord knew that if he was seen, the world would recognize who Shri Rama really was and hence hid to protect his true identity.
Also at the same time, the wicked King of Lanka, Ravana had hatched a plan to capture the mother of all beings, Sita. He executed this heinous crime by great deception. Pretending to be a sagacious forest dweller, he tricked Sita into leaving her home and kidnapped her.
When Shri Rama returned from the forest to see his love gone, his eyes filled with tears. How can the Lord of the Universe, Shri Rama, the God of all beings cry in this way? It is well known that God is beyond all duality, beyond the worldliness of hot and cold, night and day, pleasure and pain, union or separation. So what is causing this grief and longing? The grief expressed by the Lord for Sita is beyond our comprehension. The mind does not speak the language of the heart and therefore the simple minded have no chance in understanding.
In the depths of love itself is love understood, love is beyond understanding and the lover and the beloved both meet in the ocean of love. Lord Shiva, secretly witnessing the events unfold declared to Sati that Shri Rama is Satchitananda, which means Truth (Sat), Consciousness (Chit), and Bliss (Ananda).
Jai Shri Rama
