Glorification of Lord Sri - Part 17

Date: 2010-06-10 Author: Anuradha dasi

Hare Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

This is the transcription of the wonderful class given by HG Vaijayantimala Mathaji on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 5.19.3.

oṁ namo bhagavate uttamaślokāya nama ārya-lakṣaṇa-śīla-vratāya nama upaśikṣitātmana upāsita-lokāya namaḥ sādhu-vāda-nikaṣaṇāya namo brahmaṇya-devāya mahā-puruṣāya mahā-rājāya nama iti

Let me please Your Lordship by chanting the bija-mantra Omkara. I wish to offer my respectful obeisances unto the personality of Godhead, who is the best among the most highly elevated personalities. Your Lordship is the reservoir of all the good qualities of Aryans, people who are advanced. Your character and behavior are always consistent, and You exhibit exemplary character to teach others how to behave. There is a touchstone that can be used to examine the gold, but you are like a touchstone that can verify all good qualities. You are worshipped by brahmanas who are the foremost of all devotees. You, the Supreme Person, are the King of Kings, and therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.

In this verse Lord Rama is glorified in 8 ways by the devotees. We have seen the first 5 ways of glorification of Rama in the previous mails. In the 6th glorification brahmanya devaya, we saw who is a brahmana. Today we will see first, how Ramaworshipped the brahmana.

Before Rama was leaving to the forest, Rama gave lot of charity to the brahmanas because He considered that brahmanas are His worshippable deities. He invited so many brahmanas and matha gave away all the jewellery which she was wearing. Ramagave 80 cart loads of jewels, 1000 bullocks carrying loads of rice and 200 bullocks for cultivation of land to the brahmanaswho learn . There was brahmana called Trijata, who was living in poverty. His wife asked him to go to Rama and asksomething from Him. Trijata went to Rama and asked for charity. Rama replied jestingly "By me, even one thousand cows werenot given away so far. You will get as many cows to such an extent as you will throw this staff." He was so happy and took the staff and with all his strength he threw that staff. It almost crossed the Sarayu river and went to the place where so many flock of cows were there. Rama was pleased and He embraced Trijata and gave him cows as he promised. Rama also asked the brahmana whether he wants something more! In Valmiki Ramayan 2.32.41 Rama says, "I am telling the truth here. There is no limitation for you. Whatever riches belonging to me, are indeed for the brahmanas. If the wealth earned by me is givenabundantly to you, it will bring in joy and fame." To that extent Rama gave the charity to the brahmanas.

In Dandakaranya forest, the rshis of Sarabhanga ashrama approached Rama seeking for their protection. That time, Sita matha tried to convince Rama not to fight with the demons. Then Rama said that there may be a possibility for him, to give up even Sita Devi and Lakshmana also, but He can never go back from his Kshatriya dharma of protecting his citizens and particularly he cannot break his promise given to a brahmana. He felt very shameful that He allowed the situation for them to come and request Him. We have already seen this part earlier.

We will see some of the incidents from Ramayan where Brahmanas worshipped Lord Rama. a.Sage Bharadvaja - He welcomed Rama nicely. He asked Rama to stay there. But Rama said that He cannot stay there. So he chants number of verses for the safe journey of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. b.Sage Sarabhanga - When Rama was reaching Sarabhanga ashrama, King was there. He came to take Sarabhanga toBrahmaloka. But Sarabhanga saw Rama coming to his ashram, so he told to Indra that he will come later because before leavingthis world, he wanted to see Rama. So Indra went. Sage Sarabhanga received Rama very nicely and welcomed Him. He offered nicefruits. He told that Indra came to take him to Brahmaloka. But he felt what is the use of going to Brahmaloka without havingthe darshan of Rama. c.Sage Sutikshana - He was also about to leave to Brahmaloka planet. That time, Indra came and told Rama's arrival. So he was waiting to take darshan of Lord Rama. When Rama came, he welcomed very nicely and said Rama to take all the three worlds which he got from Indra for his austerity. But Rama asked Sage Sutikshana to show them a place to live in the forest. d. Sage Agastya - Rama went to Sage Agastya's ashram. That time Agastya was performing some yajna inside. Rama asked some of the disciples who are standing outside to inform about their arrival to the sage. Then the disciple went and said this to the sage. Sage immediately told the disciples why to wait for his permission. He himself went and received them. He was so worried to see sweat on the forehead of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Agastya presented Rama with the bow of that had been constructed by , along with two inexhaustible quivers from Lord Indra, an infallible arrow, and a gold inlaid sword from Lord .

In this way all the sages and brahmanas in the forest were nicely worshipping Lord Rama.

I shall try to post the remaining 7th and 8th way of glorification of Lord Sri Rama in the subsequent mails, Krishna willing.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Anuradha devi dasi Abu Dhabi.