Three Life Lessons from the Vedic Hindu Poem, the Ramayana by Outlaw Poet Valmiki
Psychological freedom is closer than you think. Here’s how.
I stood in front of 250 Indian people to nervously deliver a talk on The Ramayana. This was 25 years ago on my second trip to India.
The organizers had their doubts. And understandably so.
I had never given a public talk and they thought no one would understand my strong Aussie accent.
The Ramayana is the crescent jewel in the pantheon of Vedic Hindu epics.
Indian bandit poet, Valmiki narrates the inspiring life of Rama, the crown prince of Ayodhya. Rama’s behavior is a model on which people can live an ideal life.
The lessons are conveyed through Rama making a life-saving mission to Sri Lanka, to save Sita his wife from the 10-headed demon, Ravana.
Follow counsel from an expert
इह त्वं भव सन्नद्दो यन्त्रितो रक्ष मैथिलीम्।
O Lakshmana, the delight of the Raghu dynasty, be very alert and restrained and protect Sita. Whatever duty we have to perform depends on her protection.
Ramayana, Aranya Kanda 3.43.45
When Rama went after Maricha, as the Golden deer, he instructed Laxmana to stay at the hut and watch over Sita.
In the forest Maricha (as the golden deer) yelled in Rama’s voice “save me Lamana!”
Laxmana left the hut to find Rama. Going directly against the instruction from Rama.
I, like Laxmana, had to learn the hard way.
“You go to that other ashram for 3 months but then come back.”
I had received some very wise and thoughtful (and caring) counsel from Mahamandelshwar (this is a term for highly “ranked” Indian monk) Swami Nityananda.
I was staying at his ashram in Gujarat, India.
I went for 3 months to that other ashram. Plus an additional 2 years and 9 months.
I didn’t return to see Swami Nityananda for several years later.
In the process of getting caught in this cult. I was brainwashed into alienating my family (my mum told me she cried for a few weeks after visiting me at the ashram.) Suffered from malnutrition (spent a few days in the hospital on a drip.) Suffered (and still dealing with) psychological trauma from the guru that claimed to be more powerful than Jesus.
The external world is constantly giving you feedback in one form or another.
When you are ready listen to that compassionate and intelligent advice from those that know better your life will change for the better.
There is a saying when the student is ready the teacher will appear.
Teachers are all around. Are you ready to listen and apply that advice?
Discriminate when receiving sense pleasure — But not in the way you think
न चास्य सदृशो राजन्दृष्टपूर्वो मृगो मया। तेजसा क्षमया दीप्त्या यथाऽयं मृगसत्तमः नानावर्णविचित्राङ्गो रत्नबिन्दुसमाचितः। द्योतयन्वनमव्यग्रं शोभते शशिसन्निभः। अहो रूपमहो लक्ष्मीस्स्वरसम्पच्च शोभना। मृगोऽद्भुतो विचित्राङ्गो हृदयं हरतीव मे। यदि ग्रहणमभ्येति जीवन्नेव मृगस्तव।
O prince ! this kind of beautiful, tame, and glittering deer I have never seen before.
Its body glittering with different colors, speckled with gems of different kinds, is like the Moon shining and illuminating the forest.
Oh what a beauty, Oh what rich call! what delightful, wonderful, graceful limbs! This deer captivates my heart.
Ramayana, Aranya Kanda 3.43.12–3.43.15
Rama, Sita, and Laxmana (Rama’s brother) were in exile in a beautiful, lush forest. Living in a simple hut, all their basic needs were provided for by the bounties found in the forest.
Ravana, along with his wicked uncle, Marich lured Rama from their safe abode to isolate him from Sita. All part of a devious plot to abduct Sita.
The demon ascetic Marich took the form of a golden deer and grazed near their hut. Sita became bedazzled by the beautiful deer.
Sita then persuaded Rama to hunt the deer and capture it for her.
You maybe be seduced by seeing a delicious thigh-expanding pizza. Seeing the perfect dress with a ‘maxing out’ credit card price tag.
The stimuli itself isn’t the problem. It’s something so much more simple.
I wish they would bloody be quiet, I angrily thought to myself at 10.58 pm. It was the end of my 1st year in the 3-year course on Advaita Vedanta at a strict ashram in India.
Some other people, for some unknown and annoying reason, were staying up late and were making a lot of noise.
The longer it went on, the more judgemental I became of these students. Which caused me to feel more disturbed and agitated.
The day before I saw something that radically changed how I relate to sense stimuli and change my mental state forever.
I saw this Indian guy the day before having an afternoon sleep in his room. His room at the time was full of other students making a loud ruckus.
But he slept like a baby.
Lying there angry in bed I thought to myself how did he sleep with so much noise and I can’t?
In a split second, it came to me like a divine revelation.
It’s the judgment of what the students are doing that generated my anger (bordering on rage at this stage — 12.34 am). And it’s the anger experienced in my body that is keeping me awake.
In the next simultaneous second, I stopped judging these guys. The cold anger abruptly ceased.
Within 2 minutes, sleep washed over me.
You do not lose your ability to make an intelligent decision from the calorie-filled pizza or desiring the ideal dress.
Your disturbing feelings arise from the judgment of the stimuli. Stop the judgment and allow what is, to be as it is.
Value unity and relationships
स जगाम वनं वीर: प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्। पितुर्वचननिर्देशात्कैकेय्या: प्रियकारणात्
Mighty Sri Rama in order to please Kaikeyi and obey the word of command of his father, went to the forest and help the king to keep his promise to Kaikeyi.
Ramayana, Bala Kanda 1.1.24
Rama above all else valued relationships with his family.
Rama, to protect the name of his father, spent 14 years in exile in a forest.
I had (have) the nack of getting into relationships with women who experience a lot of problems.
I read that men marry their moms.
When I was 8 years old, I sat next to my mom on her bed as she cried uncontrollably. I didn’t understand what was going on. But I wasn’t happy that she was so upset and I felt I had to “fix and save” her.
I took a chance and spoke to my mum about this traumatic incident 2 days ago.
We had the most cathartic conversation. Years of therapy took place in less than an hour of this open and loving conversation.
After this pouring out of the heart with my mom, I have an understanding of the unconscious pattern that has been playing out with women for the last 27 years.
The key to your psychological freedom is through your parents.
Closing Thought
My talk on the Ramayana in India went surprisingly well. Punctuated by long dramatic pauses (that were nervously done as I kept forgetting what to say) I conveyed the powerful message of the Ramayana.
Advice is all around you. When you are willing to listen, people are willing to help.
The problem is not the problem. How you relate to the issue is the secret to a tranquil mind.
The painful past experiences related to your parents can be used for developing loving and fulfilling relationships, now and in the future.
I have a beautifully crafted Rama statue from India, where he is holding his bow (named Sharang.)
When confronted with a life-changing decision or those things that are not so life and death such as should I eat this mouth-watering vegan donut, I ask myself, what would Rama do?
