Miscellaneous - Religion   

Path of dharma

CHENNAI: Sastras function as signposts to guide humankind to transcend birth and attain salvation. But mere knowledge of Sastras is tantamount to having the ability to read the signboard while what matters is the actual journey in the path to be undertaken. In addition to the fact that Sastras are difficult to comprehend, to follow the tenets ordained in them is easier said than done. Just as reading the recipes in a cookery book cannot satisfy one’s hunger, dharma or karma as mere names have to be realised as meaningful and valuable assets in one’s way of life if one is to strive for liberation.

Such being the case, what better way to get acquainted with the knowledge of righteousness and ethical values and of the tips for upholding these in one’s life than from the epic Ramayana, said Sengalipuram Sri B. Kesava Dikshitar in a lecture. This epic has encapsulated the essence of the Vedas into its very fabric and is the most authoritative testament on dharma. The Supreme Being as Lord Rama lived the life of a human being as the very embodiment of dharma.

It becomes clear that human life rests on the bedrock of dharma alone. Lord Rama’s life highlights the nature of human life that is governed by the powerful sway of destiny.

Every event and every trait of characterisation in this epic amplifies the intricate and subtle features of human nature in all its comprehensiveness. Compassion, love, fidelity, parental love, and other noble traits come alive as the story unfolds. The Lord gave vent to pangs of separation in the forest while He also maintained perfect equanimity though affected by the dramatic swing in fortune from affluence to hermitage. The detached manner in which the Lord accepted the turn of fortune is a valuable lesson to all of us to be wary of the attachment to the material world which is similar to the firefly seeking the flame only to get destroyed.

The purpose of every birth is to live out one’s karma, that is, experience the consequences of one’s past deeds, both good and bad and this is the cause of both joy and sorrow. One has to learn what is beneficial to our lives and submit to His divine will while abiding by the law of dharma. Seers who follow the path of dharma are blessed.

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