Sri Rama Charita Manasa - Shri Sita Ram Foundation, USA

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›R∫ RÅMACARITAMÅNASA *
seed-letters* representing the fire-god, the sun-god and the moon-god (viz., Ra, Å and
Ma respectively). It is the same as Brahmå (the creative aspect of God), Viƒu (His
preservative aspect) and ›iva (His disintegrating aspect), and the vital breath of the Vedas;
It is attributeless, peerless and a mine of virtues. It is the great spell which Lord Mahe‹vara
mutters and which, when imparted by Him at Kå‹∂ (the modern Våråƒas∂) leads to
emancipation†. Its glory is known to Lord Gaƒe‹a, who is worshipped before all others
as a concession to the Name‡. The oldest poet (Vålm∂ki) is acquainted with the glory of
the Name, inasmuch as he attained to purity by repeating It in the reverse order§. Hearing
the verdict of Lord ›iva that the name is as good as a thousand other names of God,
Goddess Bhavån∂ (Pårvat∂) dined with Her consort after uttering It only once#. Noticing
such partiality of Her heart for the Name, Hara (Lord ›iva) made that lady, who was the
ornament of Her sex, the ornament of His own person (i.e., made Her a part of His own
being by assigning to Her the left half of His body). ›iva knows full well the power of the
Name, due to which deadly poison served the purpose of nectar to Him. (1ó4)
ŒÊapple0ó’⁄U·Ê Á⁄UÃÈ ⁄UÉÊȬÁà ÷ªÁà ÃÈ‹‚Ë ‚ÊÁ‹ ‚Ȍʂ–
⁄UÊ◊ ŸÊ◊ ’⁄U ’⁄UŸ ¡Èª ‚ÊflŸ ÷ÊŒfl ◊Ê‚H 19H
Do.: baraå ritu raghupati bhagati tulas∂ såli sudåsa,
råma nåma bara barana juga såvana bhådava måsa.19.
Devotion to the Lord of Raghus is, as it were, the rainy season and the noble
devotees, says Tulas∂dåsa, represent the paddy crop; while the two charming syllables
of the name ëRåm aí stand for the two months of ›råvaƒa and Bhådrapada (corresponding
roughly to July and August). (19)
* Each letter-sound of the Sa≈skæta Alphabet represents one or more gods of the Hindu pantheon and
the Tantras claim that these letters (which are technically known by the name of B∂ja-Mantras or seed-letters),
if joined with other spells sacred to that particular deity and repeated with due ceremony a fixed number of
times possess the efficacy of revealing the deity in person before the worshipper and propitiating him or her.
† The scriptures maintain that Lord ›iva, the deity presiding over the holy city of Kå‹∂, whispers into the
right ear of every creature, dying within its boundaries, the name ëRåmaí and thereby brings emancipation to
the dying soul.
‡ We read in the Puråƒas how there was a scramble for precedence among the gods, each of whom
claimed the first position for himself. They approached Brahmå for a ruling. He told them that they should race
round the world and that whoever finished the round quickest of all would be accounted the highest. Gaƒe‹a,
who rode on no better animal than a rat, naturally lagged behind. He met on the way the celestial sage
Nårada, who advised him to scratch the word ëRåmaí on the ground and pace round It, as the word comprised
in Itself the entire creation. Gaƒe‹a did accordingly and was naturally the first to finish the round of the
universe. Brahmå appreciated this act of Gaƒe‹a and conceded his title to precedence over all the other gods.
Since then Gaƒe‹a has uninterruptedly enjoyed the right of being worshipped first of all.
§ Vålm∂ki was a highway robber in his earlier life and was known by the name of Ratnåkara.Seven
seers, who once fell a victim to his depredation, awakened him to the reprehensible nature of his conduct and
instructed him in the holy name of Råma. Completely immersed in sin he was, however, unable to utter the
word. The seers, therefore, asked him to repeat the name in the reverse order. In this way he was eventually
able to utter the name correctly and in course of time became so fond of repeating It that he ultimately turned
out to be a pious sage and seer and related the story of ›r∂ Råma in fine verse even before His advent.
# We are told in the Padmapuråƒa how Bhagavån ›a∆kara once invited His consort to join Him in His
dinner. Goddess Pårvat∂, however, declind on the ground that She had not yet recited the Viƒu-Sahasranåma,
which She must before Her breakfast. Bhagavån ›a∆kara asked Her to repeat the name of Råma instead, as
a single utterance of the Name was as good as reciting a thousand other names of the Lord. Pårvat∂ did
accordingly and forthwith joined Her lord in dinner.