Miscellaneous - Religion   

Subtle sense of values

CHENNAI : When it comes to establishing righteousness, it is not enough that one is aware of what is right and wrong, he should also be determined to practise what is right with great fortitude. Scriptures place a high value on the code of ethics for mankind and urge all to follow the tenets of Dharma while indicating the punishment that is attached to lapses thereof.

In a discourse, Sri Hariji pointed out that the divine incarnations of the Lord serve to illustrate the meticulous manner in which these rules of righteousness have to be observed and referred to the hesitancy of Lord Rama when Sage Viswamitra had asked him to brave the demoness Tataka, since according to Dharma, killing a woman is wrong.

Under Sage Viswamitra's tutelage, the Ayodhya princes received valuable instruction in various situations. One of the purposes of the Lord's incarnation as Rama was giving protection to sages living in the forest to enable them to perform their sacrifices and yagnas without interruption.

Sage Viswamitra explained the exigency that required Him to kill her, since no one else could do so. The sin of female killing did not apply in this case which is an exception, as she was vile and wicked, and persecuted the sages and seers in the forest while vandalising the place. It was due to sage Agastya's curse that she turned into a man-eater with a distorted and monstrous shape. The sage told Lord Rama that showing compassion towards this wicked man-eater was not warranted.

In an extraordinary manner Lord Rama redeemed Ahalya from the curse of her husband Sage Gautama. Legend has it that the sage who could envision the past, present and future, knew that Ahalya, who he willed to remain invisible to all the three worlds, would regain her form during the incarnation of the Lord as Rama. When Lord Rama entered Gautama's hermitage, Ahalya appeared in her original form to the princes and offered them hospitality. They too revered her as their mother and sought her blessings.

The highlight of this sojourn was their arrival in Mithila, when the sage introduced them to King Janaka as sons of Dasaratha and extolled the feats they had accomplished.

Lord Rama strung the great bow of Siva and won the hand of Sita.

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