sivananda-ashram
SRI SANKARA JAYENDRA BALAVIHAR
MORAL EDUCATION FOR KIDS FOUNDED BY KANCHEE MUTT
VALMIKI
Valmiki was an example of beings who enjoyed God’s Grace through their devotion and not because of their birth, wealth, scholarship or any other accomplishment. It was by forgetting his body completely while chanting the Name of lord Rama, Ratnakara, the dacoit become Valmiki, the supreme poet. He was so completely absorbed in chanting the name, he was oblivious to the ant hill that had grown over him.
Sage Valmiki composed the Ramayana in hundred crores of stanzas. He prayed to the Lord that the stanzas should be divided equally among the denizens of the three worlds. When the stanzas were thus divided one stanza of 32 syllables alone remained 30 syllables were equally divided and only two syllables remained undistributed. These two syllables have become the name of the Divine such as Rama, Hara, Hari and Sai and were distributed as a common property to all.
The Lord is Kavi and Valmiki is also a kavi, both create. One creates the Loka (World) and the other, the sloka (Verse)
Valmiki established the fact that there is nothing greater than this one single name Rama. He has also given us a way by which ordinary people can understand and get the benefit out of the Lord’s name. Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana is called Praachethas. How did he acquire this name?. Praachethas is the name of the rain God Varuna. Ratnaakara was the original name of the poet. After he was initiated, he began meditating on the Lord’s name and completely lost all body consciousness. An anthill grew all over his body. His body was not visible from outside. At this stage Varuna caused a heavy downpour. That heavy rain washed away the ant hill, revealing the sage. Because Praachethas (Varuna) was responsible for bringing rain for the sage, he got the name Praachethas (the offspring of Praachethas)He also got the appellation "Valmiki" because he had come out of "Valmika", an anthill.
How did a highway man like Ratnakara become the immortal author of the great Ramayana? By continuous chanting of the name of the Lord, as taught to him, by the seven great sages (Saptharishis),his face acquired a new effulgence and he could become the Sage Valmiki, who is immortalised as the author of the great Ramayana. He composed his work to please the Lord. He did everything in a spirit of dedication to the Lord.
Ratnakara who was a highwayman then became the sage Valmiki by reciting the name of Rama, on the advice of the sages. While chanting the name of Rama, he was also meditating on the form of Rama. Ratnakara experienced the feeling of oneness with Rama and acquired the effulgence of Rama.
Valmiki prostrated before Rama and confessed,
"I have done no penance or spiritual exercise of any kind. By the constant chanting of your name, I have been blessed with this beautiful experience. In my youth, I had committed many atrocities and incurred many sins out of selfish motives. But, ultimately chanting Your name, I forgot my body altogether. An anthill grew over me. But the name Rama came out of it.
That is what everyone should aim at outgrowing the body consciousness and merge in the Rama principle.
Thanks to saivani
THANKS TO SAIVANI FOR THERE LESSONS TO THIS PAGE FOR CHILDREN
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