Lessons from Ramayana – Part 5

How our desires bring so many misfortunes to us; can be evident from one episode of Ramayana.

Contentment as Bliss

When Maareech in the form of a stag went near Seeta and caught her attention, Seeta called Raama and Lakshamana and showed the stag to them. Lakshamana saw the wonderful mesmerising stag and said, “This is no ordinary animal. This is a trick of the Raakshasas.”

But Seeta said: “Do catch this deer for me. We shall bring it up as a pet in the aashrama. This is the most beautiful creature I have so far seen in the forest. Look! Do look at it: What colour! What playfulness!”

She begged Raama, “Soon we shall have to return to the city. Should we not take some thing from the forest to Ayodhya? How beautiful it will be, this exquisite creature moving in the inner apartments of our palace? Bharata would be so pleased. I should love to give it to him. Do, my beloved, catch it for me. Somehow catch it for me.”

Seeta saw that Lakshamana did not seem to like her importunity. This only made her more determined to persuade Raama to get it for her. If a strong desire creeps into our heart and some one stands in the way of it, we are angry with him no matter how dear he may be to us.

This unfortunate truth about the way that desire works in the human mind is explained clearly by the Lord in Gita. It was demonstrated by what happened in Seeta’s heart now.

(C. Rajgopalachari; Ramayana; The Golden Stag; P226)

What more remains to be said here, than witnessing the role played by ‘desire’?

Raama thinks about her asking and thought that if the stag was really a Rakshasa trying deceit, then that would be a better reason to kill it. So he goes after the golden stag; to bring it living or dead.

Here, Seeta represents our heart which desires for beautiful things. Lakshamana stands for our mind which understands rightfulness. Raama here represents our reasoning which decides with ego playing a role in it. Doesn’t this incident repeat itself in our present-day life, even now? Don’t we face situations where even though knowing something might turn out to be wrong; we give in to demands by our kids or spouses or friends; and get ourselves into trouble? This is why, it is said, “Santosham paramam sukham” (Contentment is the highest bliss)

- Rahul