Ram Navami

On the occasion of Ram Navami, let us resolve
to imbibe virtues like Shriram and live an ideal life

Children, don’t you feel that your life should be blissful and ideal? Definitely, you must be feeling like that. For that, we will have to destroy the bad qualities in us, which are akin to Ravan. In addition, we must try to imbibe good qualities with determination. Friends, presently there is a false notion that only getting good marks in examinations is enough to lead a happy and blissful life. But think, do we really get happiness in the real sense just by being successful in exams? Remember, there is no other way of developing ourselves than eradicating our bad qualities and imbibing good ones to live an ideal and Blissful life like Shriram. Children, good qualities (Sadgunas) are the foundation of life. Will any building survive without a strong foundation?

Today, instead of Bliss, our life is gripped with tension and grief. While studying, students cannot enjoy the Bliss in studying due to tension of securing good marks. Due to constant tension, some children are turning to vices and fall prey to various addictions; whereas others commit suicide due to failure in exams. Friends, is this the aim of our life? Securing good marks might get us good and promising jobs, but there is no guarantee that we will have bliss thereby. Let us resolve to imbibe the qualities of Shriram, who despite living in a forest, lived a blissful life.

Sadgunas and Durgunas

Sadgunas (Good qualities) : Blissful and ideal life

Durguna (Bad qualities) : Unhappy and tensed life

When there is dominance of durgunas in individuals and society, the individuals, society and the Nation live an unhappy and tensed life. At present, we all are facing the same situation. Therefore, let us try to understand the difference between Shriram’s ideal life and our life.

Shriram – An Ideal son

Shriram used to obey all the orders given by His parents. He used to follow the order immediately. That is why, even today, we call Him an ‘Ideal son’.

Presently it is often observed that children speak rudely to their parents. They give them back answers and have ego which is evident from their attitude, ‘I know too much’. They do not even say, ‘Namaskar’ to their parents leave aside the elders in the family or outside. Is this ideal life, friends ? That is the reason why we are living an unhappy life. On the birth anniversary of Shriram, let us try to be ideal children like Him.

Children, bear in mind that, it is our culture to respect parents and elders; and it is uncouth to disrespect parents and elders.

Click here to solve the quiz on Ramayana !

Shriram – An Ideal brother

My friends, Shriram-Lakshman is an ideal pair of siblings and is an excellent example showing brotherhood. Shriram loved His brother Lakshman. He would help and guide Lakshman in every situation. They could not live without each other.

However, in today’s world, brothers do not understand each other. They keep on fighting among themselves on petty issues. They behave arrogantly with each other. They do not share their personal things with one another. Children, can we call them ideal siblings? We achieve so many degrees; then why don’t we perceive any change in us. The reason for this is that there is no arrangement for improving the behaviour of children in the current education system. Friends, let us resolve to increase our understanding by increasing devotion and eradicating our durgunas from today. That will be celebrating ‘Shriram Navami’ in the real sense.

Shriram – An Ideal friend

Students, Shriram was an ideal friend. He helped Sugriv and Bibhishan in their adverse period. He never expected anything in return from them after helping them.

Are present friends like this ? No. The attitude of children today is ‘I will help you only if you give me something in return’. That means friendship is only for satisfying expectations and for selfish interests. Friends, where there is selfishness, there can never be a real friendship. Today everywhere in society we experience selfishness. Hence every person is unhappy. Therefore friends, let us resolve on the occasion of ShriRam Navami to keep selfless friendship and thus live a Blissful life. Will you do it?

Please bear in mind, where there is no expectation there is Bliss and where there is expectation there is unhappiness.

Shriram – Always Truthful

Shriram always used to speak the truth. Once a promise was given by Him he would always keep it. Truth means God ! God never lies. At present, we see that children tell lies very casually. They feel elated when they succeed in convincing someone by telling a lie. Some children tell lies to their mother, some to their teachers. Children, God is within our heart. He keeps the record of the number of times we speak lies. Children, if you have a desire that, God should love you and you should be happy, then pledge that you will always speak the truth.

A liar is always under tension and is always unhappy; whereas the one who speaks the truth, is always in bliss and is loved by others.

Today, on Shriram’s birth anniversary, let us pray to Him, ‘O Shriram, give me the strength to always speak the truth like You.’

Shriram – An Ideal King

Shriram was an ideal king. He used to care for His subjects like a mother cares for her children. As a mother always tries for her children’s development and to make their life blissful, Shriram also used to think about the well being of His subjects. That is why people were always happy and blissful in Ramrajya.

Children, don’t you also wish to have a king like this? But we will have to be ideal for that. Remember, citizens in Ramrajya also were ideal. Let us, the future citizens of Ramrajya, try to imbibe all the virtues of Shriram and let us pray at His Holy feet for Ramajya to come at the earliest.

We are aware that some of the present rulers are corrupt, liars, goons and having a very bad behaviour. Will the public be ever happy when our Nation is in the hands of such rulers ? Instead of taking care of the public, they are busy looting public wealth. Shriram will like if these rulers are driven away. Friends, the food that is required to eat is used for making liquor by these rulers. How can such rulers ever take care of their people ? Friends, this will not change. ShriRam killed Ravan and then established Ramrajya. Let us pray to Shriram to to oust such unrighteous rulers and grant us Ramrajya at the earliest.

Ideal king : Such a king is always working for the welfare of his subjects.

Present rulers (Politicians): They are robbers, looting public wealth and thus, making them unhappy.

Righteous Shriram

Shriram himself was abiding by Dharma (Righteousness). His every action was as prescribed by Dharma and he was asking His subjects too to abide by Dharma. ‘Dharma is God’. To do each and every action which will be appreciated by God, means Dharmapalan (Abiding by Dharma). The one who practices Dharma is constantly aware that only God is getting each of his actions done from him.

Present rulers do not abide by Dharma. They reject Dharmapalan. They feel, ‘We are everything. We are the doers of everything.’ There is no God for them. People cannot live happily in the Nation where the rulers reject God’s existence itself; that is why we see people all over suffering and living in constant tension. Let us pray to Shriram, on the occasion of ShriRam Navami, ‘O Shriram, let us have rulers abiding by Dharma like You and let Ramrajya come as soon as possible.’

‘O Shriram, give us strength and intellect to become ideal citizens of our Nation. Let we have rulers like You, who do Dharmapalan and take care of their subjects like a mother. Let such Ramrajya come very soon. This is our prayer at Your Holy feet.’

– Shri. Rajendra Pavaskar (Guruji), Panvel.