RAMA'S SANDALS ENTHRONED
On the sixth day of their stay, Bharatha called together, after the morning rites, bath and devotional ceremonies like the worship of the Dawn, his brother Shatrughna and his own aides and followers. He watched for a favourable moment to accost Rama and when he found one, he rose suddenly from his seat and mustered sufficient courage to lay himself prostrate at his feet. Standing in front of him with his palms folded, Bharatha prayed thus:
Rama! Your subjects, their families, the people residing in the vast Empire, the Brahmins, the Pundits -- all are spiritually earnest; they are bound to you by feelings of reverential devotion. They are bearing the pangs of misery buoyed up by the love you bear unto them. I care not even for the attainment of self-realization if, to attain it, I am separated
from you. You are aware of the inner feelings of your servants; you know their deepest desires. You can guide me and lead me to the goal, here and hereafter. This conviction is the sustenance and strength on which I exist. On account of this conviction, I treat all this agony as just shriveled blades of grass. Till now I elaborated before you my sorrow as if they were burdening my head. That was a failing on my part; do not hesitate to reprimand me for this fault."
Hearing this, the gathering hailed his statements and expressed their appreciation. As the Hamsa, Celestial Swan, is able to separate the milk from the water which is mixed with it and drink just the milk, so, they said, Bharatha had separated the Truth from untruth and given expression to the Truth alone.
Rama, compassionate towards the distressed, listened to those words poured from the pure heart of his brother. Rama replied thus, in conformity with the place, the time and the circumstance: "Brother! For you who reside at home, and for us who reside in the forest, there is the One who fosters all, to foster and fend. You have in a worldly practical sense, the Perceptor Vasishta and the Emperor Janaka as guardians and guides. No trouble can bother either you or me, even in our dreams; no, it can never happen. The highest duty for us is to carry out strictly the commands of our father; that alone can confer on us all the good we long for; that alone can enable us to earn lasting renown. That path is the one approved by the Vedas. The Vedas declare that whoever reveres the commands of the preceptor, the father and the mother and walks on the right path, is the noble example for all.
"Be ever aware of this truth; throw away the shroud of grief; take up the burden of Empire; rule over it for 14 years with justice and rectitude as your ideals. The King is the face of the State. For, the face eats and drinks and thus strengthens and activates all the limbs of the body. The King feeds and sustains every section of his people. The mind encloses within itself all likes and dislikes; so too, the King is the repository of all moves and movements in the political field".
Bharatha extolled the 'sandals' and danced around them in sheer joy and thankfulness. All present fell at the feet of Rama and acknowledged the sublimity of Rama's Grace.
Bharatha prostrated before Rama and prayed that he might grant him permission to leave. Rama appreciated the spirit of contentment with which he welcomed the 'sandals'; he drew Bharatha near and embraced him fast and firm with great affection and delight. Satrughna also fell at Rama's feet;
Rama embraced him with great affection and he communicated to him also many a directive for ruling the kingdom and carrying out the duties devolving on him. Consider Bharatha as Rama himself, he told him. "Be his support and counsel and help him to establish peace and prosperity in the Empire".
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Dear All,
Swami, while writing on Bharatha's expression about Rama's Sandal, gives a great message for His devotees for decades to come.
"These are not the 'sandals' worn by the Ocean of Mercy! These are the guardians of the lives and prosperity of all mankind. These are the chests enclosing the precious treasure of Rama's brotherly love. They are the protecting doors of the fort which enshrines the royal fame of the Raghu clan. These are two hands that are ever engaged in good deeds. These are the veritable eyes of the Universe. These are the symbols of Sita and Rama who are coming with us as these two".
What we Sai devotees learn from the above???
Week after week, when we go to Sai centre for Bhajan / Study circle etc. how we have to treat / experience the throne kept there for Swami, the photographs that adorn the alter?
Swami is not to be reduced only to the throne / photograph, but the throne and the photographs have to enliven themselves with the divine presence of Swami.
Sai / any God is not to be arrested in a stone / in an alter but the alter / stone has to expand in our heart to give us the experience of the Lord within!!!!
Love.
