He is the controller of all; How can He envy?

Envy is the last among the six enemies of humans that we have been seeing in the last few verses. Can Rama be envious of someone?

न मद्वशोऽसाविति चित्ततोदं मात्सर्यमार्याः समुदाहरन्ति |
विश्वं च यद्वश्यमवश्यमेतत् स मत्सरी चेत् तुरगोपि शृंगी || (सं। रा | २।१।२७)

The wise say ‘the agitation of the mind that – this person is not under my control, is known as envy/jealousy’. When the whole world is absolutely under His control, how can He be called envious? If He is jealous, then horses have horns!

अप्रीतिर्मद्वशो नायं इति मत्सर ईरितः (भागवत तात्पर्य)

As explained in the above definition from Bhagavata Tatparya, jealousy is that agony one feels when s/he sees that another person is not under his/her control. When everything in this world is under Rama’s control, how can He be envious of something? Just like horses can have no horns, Rama too cannot be jealous.

यो यो गुणो नाम स एव रामे यो यश्च दोषः स तु नैव तस्मिन् | (सं। रा | २।१।२९)

He is the Lord of all; How can He have ego?

Ego is the one of the six enemies that humans are troubled by. Does Rama have ego?

अविद्यमानात्म-गुणाभिमानं मोहादहंकारमुशन्ति संतः |
अविद्यमानो न गुणोऽस्ति रामे तस्मादहंकारलवोऽपि नास्य  || (सं। रा | २।१।२६)

The noble say that – due to delusion, assuming that a certain attribute exists in oneself, when it’s not there, is termed as Ahankara (Ego or pride). Sri Rama is the Lord of all. There is no attribute that He does not possess. So, how can He be termed as egoistic?

अस्वरूपे स्वरूपत्वमतिरेव हि अहंकृतिः (गीता तात्पर्य)

Assuming that we have a certain attribute (guNa), when, in reality, we don’t have it – is termed as ahankara. For example: If a person thinks that s/he is the world’s best player, when s/he hardly has played against others, then such a thing is termed as being egoistic. Similarly, assuming that one is very powerful, can control anything, etc,. – all these are delusions that make a person have a certain pride or ego.

In Lord Rama, there is no such attribute which He does not have. He is all powerful, He can control everything, He can defeat anybody, He can do what He wishes for, whenever and wherever. All these attributes are indeed present in Rama, and there are no false assumptions. So, Rama does not have an iota of ahamkara.

Let such Gunapoorna Rama, bless us to remove our ahamkara.

Rama removes delusion;  How can He have it?

In the previous verses we saw that Rama cannot be troubled by desire, anger, greed. But He can be in delusion, can’t He? No!

प्रयांति शांतिं किल यत्प्रसादात् मोहाद्यवद्यानि कुतोस्य मोहः |
यस्याहिमांशोरुदये व्यपैति महान्धकारोऽत्र कुतोऽन्धकारः  || (सं। रा | २।१।२५)

Just by the blessings of Rama, many defects like delusion (moha) are removed in His devotees. How can He have delusion? Can there be darkness in Sun, who removes all the darkness?

Rama removes all the defects in His devotees, including moha (delusion). He can never have moha, either in His mula rupa (Narayana) or when born on earth in the form on human (Rama) or in any avatara form, for that matter.

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.

Rama – Gunabhirama -17 – He gets nothing unpleasant; how can He have anger?

In the previous verse we saw that Rama cannot be troubled by desire/lust. What about anger, which most are troubled by?

प्रियस्य हानिर्न कदाचिदस्य प्रियेतरस्यापि न सम्भवः स्यात् |
क्रोधस्ततो लक्ष्मणपूर्वजस्य पराजितः पादरजांस्युपास्ते || (सं। रा | २।१।२३)

Lord Rama never loses anything that He wants; Nor does He get something He does not like. Therefore, ‘anger’ remains defeated and fallen, worshipping the dust off Rama’s feet.

One gets anger for two reasons.

1)    Losing something one wants, desires. Or not getting what one desires.

2)    Getting something one does not like – an unpleasant happening

Whereas, for Rama, the above two reasons are invalid. Neither does He lose what He desires, not does He get anything unpleasant. So, the defect ‘anger’ which all of us are troubled by, never ever troubles Rama.

Always remember that fully independent Rama can have no defects.

Rama – Gunabhirama -16 – He is Satyakama, how can kaama trouble Him?

In the previous verse we saw Valmiki Ramayana mention that Rama is not affected by any of the defects like anger, envy etc. In the next few verses, we will see why the six enemies, and other defects, do not have any effect on Rama. This is based on Sangraha Ramayana of Narayana Panditacharya. The six enemies – kaama (lust), krodha (anger), mada (pride/intoxication), lobha (greed), moha (illusion), maatsarya (envy).

सर्वत्र सर्वानपि सर्वदापि प्राप्नोति कामान् ननु सत्यकामः |

कामः कथं द्रुह्यति तेन जातु सीतापतिं विश्वपतिं सुतं‍ ते || (सं। रा | २।१।२२)

Lord Rama is ‘Satyakama’. He has all that He desires for, at all times, and at all places. How can such Lord of the world, Lord of Sita, be affected by desire (and lust)?

Rama’s wish never goes waste. He gets whatever He wishes for.  When His desires are fulfilled always how can He be troubled by  kaama (desire/lust)?

‘aapta kaamasya kaa spriha’ says Veda.

अनसूयो जितक्रोधो न दृप्तो न च मत्सरी |
न चावमन्ता भूतानां न च कालवशानुगः ||  (वा रा २-१-३०/३१)

Rama had no jealousy. He had conquered anger. Rama was devoid of arrogance and envy. Rama had not humiliated any living being. Also, Rama had not surrendered to time.

Humans have many defects and the major ones that are considered as enemies are: kaama (lust), krodha (anger), mada (pride/intoxication), lobha (greed), moha (illusion), maatsarya (envy). All our shastras ask us to get over these enemies. These are the gateways to hell. None of the above six can be seen in Rama. Lord Rama, of course is devoid of all defects. He had conquered anger. He was not arrogant despite being the best archer, foremost warrior. (Also refer ‘Learn from Rama-4’ for more). He also never envied anyone.

Arrogance also leads person to humiliate others. Lord Rama had never humiliated any being – at His palace or elsewhere. (Nor could anybody humiliate Rama)

Each of the above are the attributes that we, insignificant beings, should emulate from Rama. Arrogance for our atomic capabilities, envying others for them being better than us, humiliating others and showing them in low light are our common behaviours.

Rama shows us how to behave, what to shun, how to treat others. Let such Rama remove our defects and make us follow His path always.

श्रैष्ठ्यं शास्त्रसमूहेषु प्राप्तो व्यामिश्रकेषु च |
अर्थधर्मौ च संगृह्य सुखतन्त्रो न चालसः ||  (वा रा २-१-२७)

          Rama was proficient in Shastras as well as other works like dramas, poems (also shastras and their subsidiaries). He enjoyed the pleasures (comforts) only after understanding the principles of righteousness and only after checking the economy and its soundness. Rama never remained idle.

This is in continuation to the previous verse where we saw that Rama was careful about how the money is spent. This verse further explains Rama’s position. Lord Rama seems to be saying no to the binge shopping culture we see today. Spending money on essentials is important, but when anything is bought, one should validate whether its economical, whether it fits in line with one’s finances and whether it follows the principles of righteousness.

But it does not mean that one should not enjoy the pleasures. Rama enjoys all the pleasures, but without breaking the principles mentioned above. Shastras say: अनिषिद्ध सुखत्यागि पशुरेव न संशयः (Isn’t a person not enjoying unforbidden pleasure, similar to an animal?)

A person should enjoy the comforts without being a miser, but within the permissive limits of both righteousness and the economics.

The other attribute we see in Lord Rama is that He is never inactive. Idleness is seen everywhere as a rust attaching to good metals. A person must always be active. Rama, though a rich prince raised in the palace with all comforts, is never idle.

Let such Rama who activates every person in this world, to do everything, make us enjoy the pleasures following the path of righteousness.