Rama – Gunabhirama -18


Rama is extremely generous; how can He have greed?

In the previous verse we saw that Rama cannot be troubled by desire, anger. How about greed?

संत्यज्य साम्राज्यमिदं प्रभुः स्याद्वनं प्रयातुं सहसा प्रसन्नः |
आत्मानमप्येष ददाति सद्भ्यो रामे न लोभो लभतेऽवकाशम्  || (सं। रा | २।१।२४)

Lord Rama can leave this whole Kingdom, in a minute and happily go to forest. He is so compassionate that He can give Himself to suitable people. How can greed reside in such a person?

This is said by an elderly person in a large assembly of people, where King Dasharatha had invited the representatives of his country to get their opinion on Rama’s coronation. This person says, Rama has no greed, one of the six enemies of a human being and that He is fit to become Yuvaraja.

Greed is defined as ‘the condition where one does not give, despite being capable of giving, and despite being with the person who is fit to receive’. Rama has no greed. He can give up the whole Kingdom, with the blink of the eye and can do it happily. If He was greedy, would He have done that?
Similarly, Rama is extremely compassionate. He can give Himself up for the sake of others – the eligible devotees. How can greed reside in Him?

One may notice that both the points mentioned above came true later. Rama leaves the Kingdom without feeling sad. He also gives Himself to Hanuman.

स्वात्मप्रदानमधिकं पवनात्मजस्य कुर्वन् समाश्लिषदमुं परमाभितुष्टः (म।ता।नि। ७।५०)
(“Rama greatly pleased, finding nothing else appropriate to be given to Hanuman, and thinking gift of self to Hanuman as greater than all else, embraced him”. Mukhyaprana is also known as ‘sath’)

Let such compassionate Rama, remove the greed residing in us.

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