The Ram. As you may think it is grammatically incorrect as ‘The’ as such never used before a name. But really, is Ram just a name? (Of course, I don’t mean the memory one). Shall we explain someone who is alien to Ram as ‘who is Ram’ or ‘What is Ram’? Why I want to confuse a simple thing as the name of a person as an object? How can the name convert to an entity? Let’s find out.
The name of our country is ‘Bhaarat’ [Double ‘a’ just to ensure you read correctly]. It is an entity. But we have people named “Bhaarat.” So, we can convert an entity to a name. Why not a name to entity? As a matter of fact, our country is named “Bhaarat” after a tribe whose name was the same “Bhaarat”. The entity, which is the land mass from Himalaya to Hind sagar, was named after a clan. So, when exactly a name becomes an entity?? The “Bhaarat” tribe has achieved, accomplished such things that its greatness has transcended geographies, and their impact was so relevant and important that the whole area influenced by them is happened to be named as “Bhaarat”.
Getting confused?? Getting any clarity where I am heading? The point I want to make is the name converts to an entity when the greatness of it overcomes a threshold, where it no longer associates with a person, clan, area, class, or creed. Ram has ascended everything. It is at the top of everything. It transcends everything, even it transcends judgement, logic, belief everything. This was well understood by Indians since ages. If you look into 2 generation before us, almost 80% of names were named after Ram. They just don’t think of any fancy names, any logic, and astrology before giving their kid’s name as Ram. Whenever a name is decided, first there should be ‘Ram’ then you add whatever you want. You will find every name will certainly have something like these, “Ramasamy”, “Ramachandra”, “Ramarao”, “Raghuram”, “Ramnarayan”, “Ramlal”, “SitaRam”, “Shreeram” etc.
Why is so?? Why is Ram so great for us Indians? Here is the thing. Bhaarat has many great sons who have dedicated their life to unite the country from Mountains to the Ocean. It is often the Kings who are remembered in History as they have the most pivotal role to unite the country. Taking of some names, Raja Bharat of Kuru clan, Raja Raghu after which Raghukula is named, Raja Chandragupt who founded the Mauryan empire, Raja Vikramaditya who had the biggest empire ever of whom we read Vikram Betal stories. All these kings have united India by conquering the whole land mass and ruling them from one place and have instilled a sense of Bhaaratiyata, a sense of unity among all Indians by their benevolent rule.
All these kings have united the country while they have power. What makes Ram so unique is, he united the country as a king with no power. Although, he was the king of Ayodhya symbolically, but he was living the life of a hermit. He did not win the hearts of the people by his rule as a king. He won the hearts as simple human being. Be it traveling on the daily ferry of the boatman, be it eating the left-over fruit of the Sabri (tribe women), or taking along an army of people from the jungles (Vanvasis, the Vanaras (Va- other, Nara- Man, the other type of Man). Ram just could not be despised or hated. Only thing Ram got in his whole journey of life is Love. No one, no one can say a word against him, even his biggest nemesis Ravan did not utter a single word against the character of Ram. So great a person he was. What makes things more interesting is this guy lived 9000 years ago and till now not a single book, manuscript, booklet or even an article you can find which can put a finger on the Character of this one person. Piousness unmatched.
Just imagine the mind of the person. The man who always regarded as Maryada Purusottom, killed a King named “Vali” treacherously from behind the back. Just after he shot the arrow and Vali was about to die, Ram goes to him as a show of humanity and on his lap breathing his last, Vali asks “Hey Ram, you could have asked me for help to find your wife. That Ravan has fled away from my empire after I defeated him soundly. I could have brought him to your feet and returned your wife. Why did you take the side of Sugriv and killed me, that too from the behind??” Ram, who is still the king of Ayodhya replies, “Hey Vali. You are the strongest man on the earth. I could have never defeated you in a straight fight. But it was my dharma to kill you. You know why?? Every sin is pardonable, but you have taken the wife of your brother forcefully. A sin of attack on the dignity of women is unpardonable. Our King, the King of Jambu dweep (Indian Subcontinent), King Bharata (Brother of Ram) has given me orders as per Raghukul Neeti, that wherever you see any attack on the dignity of an women it is your responsibility to eradicate the cause. Hence according to his order, I am duty bound to kill you and Help Sugreeva.” This one incident made the entire Vanara Sena submitting itself to Rama and fight for him to bring Sitamata from the clutches of Ravana.
Hence, Rama unites classes, varnas, genders, ages, creatures everything. Yet he is not all about only compassion. He is an epitome of a person who categorically generates fear among the people who don’t side with Dharma. When even after doing Tapasya for 7 days and 7 nights, Samudradev did not help Rama in crossing the Ocean, Rama was about to shoot an arrow to the Ocean. People often describe these as Rama lost his cool. No, it isn’t. Rama just depicts here when you use the shastra(weapon) if someone is not helping in the cause of Dharma Raksha. As per Tulsidas “Bhay bin preet na koi”. No body loves you if they don’t fear you. Everybody loved Rama, everyone who is against the Dharma or more importantly everyone who does not contribute to upholding Dharma must fear him. And rightfully so.
The greatest trait of Rama was his response to the situation. His perseverance is a source of inspiration to everyone. Imagine, the person who is about to be crowned as the King of the greatest empire of the greatest civilization the next day, instead of getting the crown had to go to Jungle not for a day or two, but for 14 long years. Then, when he is about to finish his vanvas with just one year left, he loses his wife with absolutely no knowledge of where she is. Then again, when he was just some miles away from her, the ocean does not allow him to go her for 7 long days. When, everything else is finished, He won the war, he defeated the most powerful and knowledgeable person ever born on the earth, he must put his wife into the fire against his wish. The person was an embodiment of mental strength. No one can ever match his mental strength. As they say “Maryada” is not an easy thing.
Hence, Ram is
above a name, it is an idea, it is the symbol of the greatest virtues a human
can have. Ram may not be there for you to believe, Ram may be not your respect,
Ram may be not for your worship, but Ram is your responsibility. The entire
civilization of Bharat draws its inspiration from the name Ram. The definition
of moral and immoral is judged based on the deeds of Ram. He shaped our
ideology, he shaped our culture, more importantly he shaped our character. Ram
is Bharat, Bharat is Ram. Till there is the idea of Ram in our country, it
can’t be divided based upon region, language, belief, faith, worship, culture,
food, dress, or anything. Everyone builds a country; Ram built the nation. The
nation who stood everything, good, bad, worse only because it drew inspiration
from Ram. As wisely said, Bhaarat without Ram is a Body without Soul. Therefore,
the temple of Ram in that very place of Janmabhoomi is uncompromisable as it
represents the Idea of India. It represents the soul of Indians. It represents
the perseverance of our ancestors. It represents the tears of our foremothers.
It represents the lights of our hope. It represents the father of our nation.
The Ram.
Jai Shree Ram
