Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

01 February  2020

IF RANJAN IS HANUMAN WHO IS RAMA?

Today is my mother’s birth anniversary. I dedicate this to my mother from whom I first learnt about Ramayanam & Mahabharatham. My mother was groomed in Burma. Hence I thank all Burmese Hindus who were the source of my mother’s wisdom. In my mother’s Burma – Muslims and Hindus were ‘free’ to express and practice their respective beliefs.

Ramayanam is myth to one without belief. It is legend to one with belief. Narrating what happened is mere reporting. Using what happened to express one’s own belief empowers that issue, the place and time.

If we complete a relationship by recognizing the Truth at the end of our pathway – we become One through that truth. Otherwise the working in progress is left open and when neglected becomes negative Energy. Those who avoid pain tend to use their imagination to complete the picture and that is when what happened becomes myth.

In his Daily FT article ‘Rama, Ravana and Ranjan’ author Ravi Perera quotes Shakespeare at the beginning:

“Out, out brief candle, life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” – Macbeth, Shakespeare

As per my reading  the above seems to be  in reference to Ranjan Ramanayake . The same author switches to a difference audience through Ramayanam – drawing parallels with Lord Hanuman:

[The Ramayana tells us of a time when ‘men’ were big, events dramatic and air travel frequent. In this era lived Ravana, the super powerful king of Lanka, with an evil reputation. There is much toing and froing between the massive land of ‘Bharat’ and the little kingdom of Lanka. Flying to Bharat, Ravana sees the beautiful Sita, the wife of the good Rama. Like, all people notable in the Indian legend, they are high-bred, of Royal lineage. Ravana, besotted, ‘abducts’ Sita, flies back to his island redoubt where he proceeds to hide her.

Devastated, Rama searches the length and breadth of the Sub-Continent for Sita, his true love. Learning eventually that Sita is in the clutches of Ravana the evil king, he sends his trusty Hanuman to distant Lanka to locate her. Hanuman finds Sita, and conveys the love of Rama to her. Enraged by the intrusion of Hanuman, Ravana the mighty king of the island, orders a cruel punishment. He tells his men to set fire to Hanuman’s tail, relishing the long lingering pain to be caused to the impudent monkey.

In many ways the Ravana story embodies the Sri Lankan paradox; global in yearnings, insular in outlook. He covets the foreign princess, yet, knows not the price he will pay. For a man of his formidable reputation, Ravana lacked the foresight to anticipate the consequences of his hasty punishment of Hanuman. Panic stricken, Hanuman runs hither and thither, leaping from building to building, his blazing tail setting fire to them all. Ravana’s cruel punishment to the primate, destroys his own kingdom!]

First of all Lord Hanuman had Rama in his heart. To experience Ramayanam – we need to have in our heart – Rama the Divine Power or Ravana the Human Power that had to ask and receive.  Ravana was clever and hence the Air travel from Lanka to India and back. In my yesterday’s article I quoted Times of India as follows:

[‘President Rajapaksa expressed happiness over the proposal of a cultural exchange programme based on folk culture programme based on folk culture between Sri Lanka and India. The President of Sri Lanka also agreed to the proposal of starting Bhopal-Colombo direct air service," said Sharma in a statement here.]

The above is happening as part of the program to construct Temple for Sita who was brought to Lanka in Ravana’s Pushpaka Vimanam / Flying Chariot. If the proposed services are controlled by a Ravana force – then it would be of negative value to Sri Lanka.

Ravana like the Rajapaksas and Prabakaran was a great king. But he was also born an Asuran – one driven by the physical.  It’s like I say about the disenfranchised communities in Sri Lanka’s North and East. Within themselves they have their own order of hierarchy. We have to become part of them to earn the moral authority to discipline them internally so they would merge naturally at equal level through their own completed experiences. That is the way of an Avatar.

Rama went through the pain of separation from His beloved Sita. But it was a necessary pain to become part of the world under the control of Ravana. The pain was as deep as Rama’s love for Sita. THAT was the level of pain needed to resurrect Lanka from the negative Energy of clever Ravana. Those who feel Rama’s pain as theirs become Divine in their relationship with their spouse. Kings / Presidents who feel Rama’s pain as theirs eliminate from their minds the desire to steel another’s relative including citizens. Unlike the Rajapaksa’s who have their armed forces in North, Rama did not become the king of Lanka after defeating Ravana; Rama handed over the power to Ravana’s younger brother Vibishana. THAT is Dharma.

Each culture is Sovereign. Those who are strongly  Buddhists need to become facilitators of Non-Buddhists. There is no moral authority to usurp the outcomes of the war. In the legend of the Churning of Ocean of Milk – the Asuras steal the nectar. This happens when they come together. In Thailand, where like in Sri Lanka – the king is required by law to be Theravada Buddhist, the above legend is depicted through at Suvarnabhumi (Golden Land) airport in Bangkok. Tourism as the major economic contributor to Thai Economy confirms the value of the prominence given to the above Hindu legend. The parallel of that would be to have Murugan on Peacock with Valli and Theivanai / representing dual cultures united by One Love – at the Bandaranaike International Airport. To my mind, the peacock logo of the National carrier was no coincidence.  It was an indicator of what was needed to be done. When Buddhist government took over – control it collapsed. Buddha renounced Royalty. Lord Muruga renounced His parent’s wealth and established His own Kingdom to confirm His global reign.

I believe I completed my experience at Air Lanka and hence my insight. Anytime I go there I share that Energy with the needy and those who respect me. In most Buddhist temples Lord Vishnu is a deity. In Thirupathi Lord Vishnu is the One in the Altar. As a Buddhism foremost nation – Sri Lanka would not be a money-rich nation. Lankans to whom Ramayana is a legend – would be rich kings/queens of Lanka.