Śrī Rāma, the supreme essence of Veda-avatar Śrī Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa

Neverthless the narrators of Rāmāyaṇa, divine sage Nārada and sage Vālmīki describes the supreme glory of Bhagavan Shri Rama as the most superior one. There are many other personalities too in Shrimad Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa e.g. the devotees (the rural and the urban citizens) of Ayodhya, Bhakt-shiromani Shabari, the devotees born in demon-race like Māreecha, Vibhishana Mahārāja, Trijatā etc who revealed the true nature of Shri Rama as the supreme-being. Among all the female-characters of Ramayana, after Bhagavatī Sītā Devi Sumitrā knows the true nature of Shri Rama more perfectly than anyone else. Mātā Sumitrā very beautifully reveals the ultimate truth of Shri Rama being the most superior, the supreme one as well as his incomparable character and fame.

Sumitrā

Sumitrā is the mother of Lakshman and Shatrughna, and the step-mother of Lord Rama. Sumitra was the middle wife (madhyama) among the three queens of king Dasratha, the king of Ayodhya and the father of Bhagavan Shri Rama. She was the daughter of the King of Magadh. Sumitrā Devi was not like some oridnary queen, she was more like a great sagacious personality who knew the Brahm. In Ramayana, She exhibits a great understanding of the supreme-being and the Dharma. When She heard a great curse has befallen on the royal family in the form of the banishment of Shri Rama in the forest for 14 years, still she could restrain over her grief and became a support for Kausalya, the mother of Shri Rama. In that moment of grief, she consoles the wailing Kausalya by telling who is Shri Rama in reality. The name Su-mitrā means the good friend, she revealed the supreme secret to mother Kaushalya and preached the supreme dharma to Lakshamana as a true friend. The greatness of Sumitrā is so evident from the fact that she gave birth to two children - Lakṣmaṇa and Shatrughna, of which one son (Lakṣmaṇa ) engaged himself in the service of Lord Rama (Bhagavan) and another son Shatrughna engaged himself in the service of the best devotee of Shri Rama i.e. Bharat.

Before departure to the forest along with his elder brother Shri Rama, When Lakshman came to his mother Sumitrā to do Pranaam in her feet, then Sumitrā smelled his head, and spoke while weeping followings words to Lakṣhmaṇa, these words of Sumitrā clearly indicates that Sumitrā completely knows who are Rama and Lakṣmaṇa in reality.

“Oh my son (Lakṣmaṇa )! You are born to dwell in the forest [along with your brother Rama] as You are deeply attached to Your beloved ones (Rama and Sita). Never be inattentive towards your brother Rama who is on his way [to the forest].”

“Oh, sinless one! Whether in adversity or in riches, Rama alone is refuge to you. From you, It will become the code of conduct in the world, that younger brother should be subject to the control of his elder brother.”

Though all such instructions were not required to Lakṣmaṇa, the virtous one, who was a great lover of Rama. Yet Sumitrā advised him what ought to be advised.

“Know Rama to be Dasaratha, Your father. Look upon Sītā the daughter of Janaka as myself, your mother. Consider the forest as Ayodhya and depart happily, my son!”

These are the great words by Sumitrā to Lakṣmaṇa , Know Rama to be your father and Janaki to be your mother, know Ayodhya where Rama resides! Sumitrā was very much aware about that Shri Rama is the supreme father and Janaki Sita is the supreme mother of all, and wherever Shri Rama resides that alone is Ayodhya the supreme blissful abode desired by all.

Sumitrā being knower of Dharma

Sage Valmiki says: “Sumitrā who was established in Dharma (religiosity), spoke the following words, which were virtuous, to the celebrated Kausalya, the foremost among queens, who had been wailing (as her son, the faultless Rama was given exile for 14 years in forest without any crime.)”

Then, Sumitrā starts telling the supreme nature of Lord Rama to console Kaushalya that Rama being the most superior in all respect, there is nothing to be sad about that Shri Rama the most excellent one. Devi Sumitrā assuages the grief of Kaushalya by preaching the greatness of Rama.

Sumitrā proclaims "na hi rāmātparo loke vidyate satpathe 'sthitah " means there is no one above Rama in treading the path of righteousness in whole world. This is one of the best verse in Valmiki Ramayana describing Rama being unrivalled and incomparable in character. Rama is the best among men (Purushottama). No one in all the worlds can match Rama in any manner!

Rama being the mine of excellent virtues, being the foremost among men (Purushottama)

“Oh' the venerable one (Kaushalya), That son (Rama) of yours, is endowed with excellent virtues and is the foremost among men (Purushottama). What is the use in your lamenting in this way or in weeping piteously?”

The banner of the Rama's fame fluttering all over the world

“What has not been secured by your capable son, who is rich in virtue and is engrossed in the vow of truthfulness, and the banner of whose fame flutters through out the world?

Even the Sun-god and the Wind-god render their services to Rama.

Having known Shri Rāma's immaculate purity and the supreme greatness, the sun can not torment Shri Rama's body with his rays for sure. Wholesome comfortable and delightful breeze of moderate heat and cold, blowing from woods, will serve (fan) Rama at all times [in all seasons].

“O' Kaushalya, why do you lament?, even the sun-god and the wind god will render their services to Lord Rama, as the sun-god and wind-god are aware of Shri Rama's purity and supreme greatness.

the whole world is under the command (rule) of Lord Rama

“How can the earth cannot be under the command of Rama, to whose aim of arrows, all the enemies fall an easy prey?

If even sun-god, wind-god etc render their services to Lord Rama, then let alone thinking about anyone on earth can cause any discomfort to Shri Rama. If anyone still dares to oppose Shri Rama, they will certainly meet their end from the infallibe arrows of Shri Rama.

None else is above Rama on the path of dharma in the world

“Oh, devi (Kausalya) ! You must not grieve, my lady, you who have Rāghava for a son. As no one is above Rama in treading the path of virtue in the whole world."

This line of Sumitrā " न हि रामात्परो लोके विद्यते सत्पथे स्थितः " is in the line of "Ramo Vigrahavan Dharmah" means Rama is the embodiment of Dharma. The previous proclaimation by Sumitra is even greater than the later one as it not only tells Rama is the very form of Dharma but no one equals to Rama in Dharma in whole world.

Sumitrā tells there who is Rama in reality:

Rama is the sun of the sun, the fire of fire, and the god of gods (i.e. the god of even Vishnu - Maha-Vishnu).

“Oh, Kausalya! Rama is the sun of even sun (the illuminator of even sun), He is the fire of even fire, the Prabhu (ruler) of the Prabhu (rulers) (i.e supreme ruler of all the Niyamaka-gods who are ruler of the universe), the Śrī of Śrī i.e. the God of even Śrī-devi (Maha-Lakshmi), the foremost glory of glory, the forbearance of forbearance, the god of all gods, and the foremost being (i.e. the Supreme-being) among all the beings. Indeed, what misfortune could be ever there for such Rama whether he lives in the forest or city?

These words are the unparalleled revealation of the supreme greatness of Shri Rama, rare to be seen anywhere else in such flow.

۞ सूर्यस्यापि भवेत्सूर्यो sūryas-yā-pi bhavēt-sūryō : Shri Rama is the illuminator of the sun even who is the cause light and who illuminates whole everything. One should not say the fire is the illuminator (root cause) of the sun, for this Sumitra says next Shri Rama is the fire of even fire. Here Sumitra tells about Shri Rama's Sakshad Sarva-antaryatmitva and Sarva-karanatva, means Shri Rama is the supreme-soul inside all and whole everything (i.e. Sarva-antaryatmitva), and the ultimate root cause of whole everything (i.e. Sarva-karanatva).

Shruti says -

तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥ (मुण्डकोपनिषद् २.२.११, कठोपनिषद् २.२.१५)

tamēva bhāntamanubhāti sarvaṃ tasya bhāsā sarvamidaṃ vibhāti ॥ (muṇḍakōpaniṣad 2.2.11, kaṭhōpaniṣad 2.2.15)

“All that shines is shining because of him; this whole everything is effulgent with his light."

Sumitra says the same thing so beautifully that Shri Rama is the original root cause behind the whole everything, he is the Parabrahm of Vedas because of him whole everything comes into the light, all that shines because of Shri Rama.

Again, the sun of sun also means the antaryami inside the sun. Vedas say the Paratpar-Purusha, the most superior personality is there inside the sun. Therefore, the sun of the sun means that Paratpar-Purusha inside the sun is none else, but Shri Rama alone. This is the direct reference on the Paratpar-Purusha inside the sun.

۞ अग्नेरग्निः agnēr-agni: Shri Rama is the fire of fire. What does it mean by the fire of fire? In Veda-s, It is told that Brahman, the supreme-being is the fire or Agni. "agnir namasau" means 'Agni is called the brahman', Agni means the foremost of all, since he is the foremost of all, therefore Brahman is called by name Agni. The fire of fire refers to the supreme Karan-Brahman who is the cause of all causes.

۞ प्रभोः प्रभोः prabhōḥ prabhuḥ: Lord Rama is the Prabhoh Prabhu, the god of all the gods, the governor of those who govern all. In brief, Visnu only is the supreme controller of all. Shri Rama, however, is the god of Visnu and others. Thus, Shri Rama is the ruler of even those who rules over all others (prabhoh prabhuh), He is the supreme controller of all the Purusa forms of the Brahman.

۞ श्रियः श्री śriyaḥ śrī : Lord Rama is the Shrī of Shrī. The word 'Shrī' means Bhagavati Shri (Maha-Lakshmi); the charm, beauty and splendour of one's form; wealth etc. Shri Rama is Shrī of Shrī, it means he is the Lord of even Bhagavati Shrii-devi, the original female-divinity. He is the cause of Śrī; Śrī-Devi has no independence existence beyond ŚrīRama.

Śrī Rama is the beauty of the beauty or the splendor of splendor. It means whatever there is the splendour in any god, it is because of Śrī Rama. Thus, the references like "He is the splendor of the splendor", etc propagates him as the only supreme cause of all.

۞ भवेदग्र्या कीर्तिः कीर्त्याः bhavēd-agryā kīrtiḥ kīrtyāḥ: Lord Rama is the foremost glory of glory, it means no one can even come close to the glory of Parabrahm Śrī Rama.

۞ क्षमाक्षमा kṣamā-kṣamā : Lord Rama is the forbearance of forbearance, he is the most compassionate, all merciful. He is the only personality who, out of love, brought all the citizens of Ayodhya, the beast, the bird, and even the straws etc to his divine abode "Saket-Loka". No one can be equal to lord Rama in any manner. He is the most compassionate, the all merciful personality seen and experienced by the people in all the worlds.

۞ दैवतं दैवतानां daivataṃ daivatānāṃ : Lord Rama is the god of all the gods, he is foremost of all-beings, therefore he is worshipable for all. Daivtam or the divinity of devas are not independent, but completely dependent on Bhagavan Shri Rama, they are able because of Shri Rama.

Sumitrā further tells don't lament, Rama will come soon and will be installed on throne along with Sītā.

“Shri Rama the best among men will be crowned on the throne soon along with all these three — the goddess earth (the consort of Lord Vishnu), Sītā the princess of Videha kingdom, and the goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of fortune another consort of Vishnu).

श्रीश्च ते लक्ष्मीश्च पत्नयावहोरात्रे (शुक्ल यजुर्वेद, ३१।२२)

śrīśca tē lakṣmīśca patnayāvahōrātrē (śukla yajurvēda, 31।22)

Purusha Sukta of Shukla-Yajurveda says:

“O' Paratpar Purusa (Shri Rama), Śrī-Devi (Bhagavati Sita) and Lakshmi-Devi (manifestation of Sita) are Your wives.”

Here Sita Ji is named along with other goddesses to be installed on the throne along with their Lord Rama at the time of coronation, it is to say these other goddesses are also the wives of Śrī Rama. Among them, Sītā is the prime consort the original Śrī-Devi, whose manifestations are Lakshmi and Bhu-devi. Whenever Sita is named along with goddess Śrī, there one should understand, she is referred there in sense of being Śrī of Śrī (the original Śrī-devi); and from other goddess Śrī, Lakshmi-devi should be understood.

“Seeing whom departing [from Ayodhya for the forest], all the people in Ayodhya stricken by the sudden upsurge of grief shed tears born of the agony (arisen from the separation their Deva). And, The goddess of fortune as Sita followed that invincible deva [Shri Rama] even when he left wearing nothing, but the robes made of the sacred Kuṡa grass. Indeed, what can be difficult for him to obtain?”

Oh' Kausalya, see how much Shri Rama is loved that all the people in Ayodhya became full of grief and shed tears for his departure from Ayodhya, so wherever he goes he would be loved and well attended by all the people there, such is his charm. Do not grieve that Your prince went in just a robe of Kusa grass, in fact that invincible god Shri Rama is always followed by Sita-sadrishi Lakshmi. He is never seen bereft of fortune and luck (न रामे दृश्यतेऽशिवम्), even though it may appear otherwise externally.

“Oh' Kaushalya! Your son, Rama, is the bestower of boons, will soon return to Ayodhya and press your feet with his tender and plumpy hands.”

Thus, Devi Sumitrā revealed the supreme glory of Lord Rama to console wailing Kaushalya, why to lament for Rama who is himself the supreme one, the most superior? Is there anyone in whole world who can cause any harm to Shri Rama the god of gods in any manner? Hearing these words of Sumitrā, the mother of Lakṣmaṇa, the agony of Kausalya Rama's mother and the wife of Dasaratha quickly disappeared in the same way as an autumnal cloud with a little water in it disappears quickly.

Now next exemplary lady is Tārā in Ramayana who revealed the supreme nature of Lord Rama.

Tārā

Tārā's name is there among five Param-Sati, the great women. She is the granddaughter of Dev-guru Brihaspati, and wife of Vāli and she is one of the exemplary females in Ramayana. By the effect of her great Satitva-Dharma, She could also know the reality of Rama. When Vāli was invited second time for the combat by Sugreeva, she could easily forsee the calamity on Vāli and then she advises Vāli not to confront Sugreeva, as long as Shri Rama stands guard to him. As she is verily aware that Rama in not an ordinary mortal, but he the lord of all worlds, the supreme being. It was the ill-fate of Vāli that he was maddened in his intellect by his brawny might slights her far fetching advice.

Tārā tells Vāli following words:

“Rama and Lakṣmaṇa , born in Ikshvaku dynasty as sons of the king of Ayodhya, are valiant and unconquerable ones in war. They are presently in this country. These two unassailable ones have chanced there at Sugreeva's place to fulfil the longing desire of Sugreeva.”

That Rama is an acclaimed one for his warfare, and like the fire flaring up at the end of era he shatters the strength of enemies, and now that Rama is your brother's helpmate.

Shri Rama is like the sheltering tree for the polite, the ultimate (supreme) refuge for the woebegone, a hospice for the agonised, and for grace (fame) he is the only abode or he is the only one who deserves to be famous.

The above verse is in the glorification of the most superior, the supreme being, Rama. In the end of the verse "ca eka bhaajanaH" comes which means Rama is - eko-advitiya-aashrayah - He is only one abode for Yasha (fame), there is no one else like him, He is the the only one abode for wise people or he is the only personality in all the worlds, who is " nivāsa-vṛkṣaḥ" i.e. sheltering tree for all,
- He is "Para-Gatih" i.e. the ultimate (supreme) refuge for all Jiva-s,
- He is "Aartaanaam Sanshrayah" i.e. the protector of all destitutes,
- He is the personality who deserves to be famous i.e. "Yashasah" ,

Tārā says :

۞ निवासवृक्षः nivāsa-vṛkṣaḥ : Lord Rama is the sheltering tree. The word nivāsa-vṛkṣaḥ means a habitable tree; if it be asked why Rama is called a habitatble tree, then it is said that a tree has no reservation to allow some and deny others as with any other house or habitation, and it requires no formalities from they who come near it to seek its shade. A tree first gives its shade to the person who seeks it and then affords its fruits or flowers satisfying the needs of others. Therefore, Shri Rama is such a tree that protects and nourishes all without any discrimination, if someone seeks his refuge [by telling oh' Rama I am Yours].

۞ आपन्नानां परा गतिः āpannānāṃ parā gatiḥ : Lord Rama is the ultimate refuge for all the Jivas. If one needs protection from all beings and all kinds of fear, Shri Rama is the ultimate refuge.

۞ आर्तानां संश्रयः ārtānāṃ sanshrayaḥ : For earnest and anguished supplicants, Shri Rama is the ultimate shelter. This is what later said in Bhagavat Gita at 9.22, "yoga skhemam vahamyaham" by Lord Krishna. If Vāli had dismissed this idea saying that 'if Rama is the ultimate course for the polite supplicants, I have my recourse to other supreme Lords, i.e., none other than Indra, my father...or some other Lords' And for this Tārā is supplementing her thought in saying, yashasaH ca eka bhaajanaH the Rama is - eko-advitiya-aashrayah - the only one ultimate abode, where Indra and others gods are penultimate

۞ यशसः च एक भाजनम् yaśasaḥ ca eka bhājanam : Lord Rama is the most superior, hence in all the worlds only he deserves to be famous, he is only one abode for Yasha (glories and fame). His glory should be spread, sung and heard by all. If only Rama deserves to be famous, It means no one is equal or superior to Rama, no deity can come close to Rama in any manner. Be it character, disposition, compassion, heroism, mercy, beauty, valor and everything else.

Thus, there are four types of devotees who worship Rama — (1) sādhūnāṃ - Sadhus are pious and jijñāsu the seeker of knowledge, (2) āpannānāṃ - they who are fallen in peril and seek to come out of it, it includes arthārthī (material gain seeker) and mumukshu (liberation seeker), (3) ārtānāṃ - distressed ones, (4) yaśasaḥ - the gloriously enlightened ones, for them there is no one else, but Shri Rama alone as their abode. It is said again by Bhagavan Shri Krishna in Gita 7.16.

He is full of Jnana (knowledge of dharma) and Vigyana (the knowledge which is mystery, dharma's mystical application), and He always abides in the directives of his father. He is the mine of all virtues like the king of mountains which is the mine of minerals.

ज्ञानविज्ञानसंपन्नो jñānavijñānasampannaḥ - If Karmadharya samasa (compound of words) is considered between the words jñāna and vijñānasampannaḥ, then it means Shri Rama is the personification of jñāna (means he is jñāna i.e. the omniscient Brahm himself, the knower of everything. Satyam-jñānam-anantam Brahm) and vijñāna-sampannaḥ means he is the full of spiritual mystery.

Thus, Tārā warns Vāli that Rama is knower of mundane and ultra-mundane Dharma, and How Rama will apply the subtle Dharma on you only he knows.

गुणानामाकरो महान् guṇānām-ākarō mahān - he is the great repository of qualities and virtues, mahān ākarō (great treasure) and pulural of Gunas are for telling infinite virtues and qualities, means he is Sarva-guna-sampanna Sakal-Kalyan-guna-nidhi (the ocean of all auspicious qualities and vitures).

That great-souled honourable Rama is unconquerable in war, immeasureable is his strength. Enmity with him is not proper for you.

धातूनामिव dhātūnāmiva - like the minerals of different qualities, Shri Rama is also possessor of immeasureable Jnana-Virya-bala-aishvarya etc. He has immeasureable strength, no one can stand in front of Rama in war, be it anyone. Thus, Tārā advised her husband Vāli and gave the idea of who is Rama in reality.

Mandodari

Mandodari is another exemplary women in Ramayana who was very much aware about the reality of Rama being the supreme one. Yet, her husband Rāvaṇa was also maddened in his might and abducted Sita the wife of Rama, as like a dog steals the food stuffs in the absence of house-owner.

Mandodari says:

“(Oh my dead husband Ravana!) This Rama is certainly the Mahāyōgī (महायोगी the one whose leelas [yoga] are always great [mahan]), the supreme-soul (परमात्मा Paramātmā), the eternal person (सनातनः Sanatana), having no beginning middle or end (अनादिमध्यनिधनो anādi-madhya-nidhanō), greater than all great ones and distinguished gods (महतः परमो महान् mahataḥ paramō mahān), the one supremely luminous and present [lives] beyond the material world (तमसः परमो tamasaḥ paramō), the nourisher of all living-beings (धाता dhātā), to whom the Lord who wields a conch a disc and a mace is subordinate (adhara) (शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः śaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ), having the 'Srivatsa' mark on his chest (श्रीवत्सवक्षा śrīvatsavakṣā), eternally associated with Bhagavati Śrī (Sita) or the one who has eternal beautiful appearance in his form (नित्यश्रीः nitya-śrīḥ), incapable of being conquered (अजय्यः ajayyaḥ), a perpetual one (शाश्वतो śāśvatō), being the constant unchanging soul of the universe (ध्रुवः dhruvaḥ), truly mighty (सत्यपराक्रमः satyaparākramaḥ), the lord of all the worlds (सर्वलोकेश्वरः sarvalōkēśvaraḥ), the possessor of Śrī (श्रीमान् śrīmān), the all pervading cosmic-soul (विष्णुः Vishnu means the all pervading one), with a wish to benefit all the worlds, assuming the human form surrounded by all the gods in the form of monkeys, Rama killed you along with your family and demons.”

Mandodari further tells there -

“Oh dead Rāvaṇa! the moment your brothers Khara-Dushana were killed by Rama in Dandakaranya (Janasthana), though surrounded by a multitude of demons, it became evident that Rama was really not a human-being (ordinary mortal).”

“We felt perturbed, the moment Hanuman penetrated, by dint of his prowess, deeply into the City of Lanka, which was difficult to be entered even for gods. O the foremost of demons! For the annihilation of your power, your body and your own people, you conceived a desire for Sītā suddenly, you abducted Sītā and thus you entered in enmity with Rama.”

She tells who is Sītā in reality:

“O the foolish one (Rāvaṇa)! An unworthy act was indeed done by you, in offending Sītā, who was more distinguished and more respectable than Arundhati (wife of sage Vasishta) and Rohini (the principal spouse of moon-god).”

“O Rāvaṇa, who annihilated self and his people! Sītā is actually the earth of earth (वसुधाया हि वसुधां) , and she is Shrii of Shrii - Shrii of the goddess Lakshmi (means even Shrii-devi or Bhagavti lakshmi is part of Sītā, Sītā is the source of innumerable Lakshmi-s). She is extremely fond of her husband Rama. She is faultless in every limb as she was while living in forest.”

Thus Sītā, the consort of Rama is not some simple incarnation of Lakshmi, but she is even the goddess of Lakshmi and earth. She is source of counless number of Lakshmi-s, Saraswati-s and UmA-s. And Rama is the absolute and ultimate reality of universe, the supreme cause of all the causes. There is no truth or essence in existence beyond Lord Rama.

Śrī Sītā Ji

Bhagavati Sītā is selfsame Rama, She is even 'Shrī of Shrī-Devī' (the original divinity, the source of all Devis who can be called Shrī), She is the Swarupa Shakti of Bhagavan Shri Rama, therefore How Sita Ji reveals the glory of Bhagavan Shri Rama will be discussed in a separate page here. As like no deity or god can come close to the greatness of Lord Rama in any manner, be it character, beauty, valour, heroism, compassion, disposition, mercy and everything else; similarly no goddess can touch even the shadow of the greatness of Sītā Ji. If Bhagavan Rama is the best among gods, then Sita is the best among all the goddesses. If Rama is the best among the men, then Sita is the best among women. That's why one of the prime name of Ramayana is the Sītā-Charitam i.e. the Sublime legend of Sītā. What to say more, even the supreme personality of godhead Shri Rama himself relishes to listen the sublime legend of Sita. Rama is the one who delights all the worlds; and Sita, however, is the one who delights the heart of Rama. And that Sita can't bear her life for a single moment without Rama, even the shadow of Sita loves only that Nārāyaṇa who is Purushottama i.e. Lord Rama alone. There are many personalities who can be called Nārāyaṇa e.g. Lord Vishnu, Lord Nārāyaṇa who sleeps on causal ocean, Lord Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuntha, or any Purusa incarnation of Vishnu, etc; but the desirable personality even for the shadow of Sita is that Nārāyaṇa who is Purushottama i.e. none other than Lord Rama himself. Hence the supremacy of Rama among all Nārāyaṇa-Swarupas has been even revealed by even the shadow of Sita Ji !

Therefore Rama is Rama, the most superior, the supreme essence; none is equal or greater to him in any manner!

 

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