Rama Navami is the day on which Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, incarnated in human form in the land of Ayodhya. He is the ardha ansh of Vishnu or has half the divinitive qualities of Lord Vishnu. The word “Rama” literally means one who is divinely blissful and who gives joy to others, and one in whom the sages rejoice.
Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of the bright fortnight in the
month of Chaitra (April/May) and coincides with Vasant Navratri or Chait (Chaitra)
Durga Puja.
Therefore in some regions, the festival is spread over nine days.
This day, marking the birthday of Lord Rama, is also observed as the
marriage day of Rama and Sita and thus also referred to as
Kalyanotsavam.
Significance of Ram Navami
Ram Navami is a festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, the
son of King Dasharath. It was a joyous occasion in Ayodhya all those
centuries ago when King Dasharath's heir was finally born. It was like a
dream come true for the king as the lack of an heir had troubled him
sorely for many years.
Lord Rama is an Avatar of Lord Vishnu
who came down to earth to battle the invincible Ravana in human form.
Lord Brahma had been receiving complaints from all the gods about the
havoc that Ravana was wreaking on earth, but because Lord Brahma had
granted Ravana so many boons, he could not be killed by a god. But
Ravana had become so overconfident that he would never expect an attack
from a human being. So Lord Vishnu agreed to go to earth in the guise of
Prince Ram, the son of King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya.
The story of Lord Rama as told in the great epic Ramayana
is one that most Indians know irrespective of caste, creed and
religion. Lord Rama is a legendary figure, the epitome of all that is
good and true, the man who vanquished the demon king, Ravana. Lord Rama
is not just a hero, but has been given the status of a god by the
Hindus. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that his birth is celebrated
year after year with great pomp and enjoyment on the ninth day after the
new moon in Sukul Paksh (the waxing moon), which falls sometime in the
month of April.
The story of the Ramayan is a classic, eternal, universal message of Dharma versus adharma, of deva versus demon, of good versus evil, as represented in the battle between Rama and Ravana.
Ravana was a brahmin; he was a great scholar who wrote numerous
works on scriptural philosophy. He was powerful, dynamic, and beautiful
in appearance. As the brilliant, handsome king of Lanka, he had
everything one would need to be happy and peaceful. Yet, he was
arrogant, egoistic, greedy and lustful. His insatiable desires led him
to crave more and more power, more and more money, and more and more
ladies to fulfill his every whim.
There is one main difference: Bhagwan Rama’s heart overflowed
with divinity, love, generosity, humility, and a sense of duty. Ravana’s
heart, in contrast, was filled with avarice, hatred, and egoism. Under
Bhagwan Rama’s divine touch, the animals became his devotees and his
divine helpers. Under Ravana’s touch, even humans became animals.
Through his noble and divine choices, he teaches the world to choose dharma over Artha (when he leaves for the forest rather than be coronated as King) and to choose Moksha over Kama (when he chooses his kingdom over his marriage).
Bhagwan Rama teaches that :
As a son
Respectfully and lovingly obey your father’s orders. Sacrifice your own comfort for your father’s dignity.
As a step-son
Even when your step mother (or
mother-in-law) is not kind to you, even when she clearly dis- criminates
against you in favor of her own birth child, do not resent her, do not
fight against her. Respect her and her wishes.
As a brother
Remain loyal to your brother. Care for him.
As a husband
Protect your wife. Fight for her
protection and her purity. But there are times when one’s divine path
must even take precedence over the path of householder. Do not keep the
role of householder as the ultimate role.
As a King
Sacrifice everything for your people. Do
not worry about your own comfort, your own convenience or your own
pleasure. Be willing to put the kingdom ahead of your own needs.
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