Is Being A Devotee Sufficient?

By H H Maa Purnananda

“RaamaayaRaambhadraayaRaamchandraayaVedhasey;
RaghunaathaayaNaathaayaSeetayahPatayeNamah.” – (Sree Ram RakshaStotram - 27)

Let us worship Bhagwaan Shiv with Bhagawati Paarvati and Bhagwaan Sree Ram with Devi Seeta Mata, on the auspicious occasion of Navraatri and Dushehra.

Bhagwaan Ram is the Isht (Lord of the Heart) of Bhagwaan Shankar and Bhagwaan Shiv is the Isht of Bhagwaan Ram. In fact, Bhagwaan Vishnu Who sustains and Bhagwaan Shankar Who destroys, complement each other, as sustenance of noble and virtuous is not possible without destruction of ignoble and vicious. Hence they are each-other’s Isht.

In the given Stotra, Bhagwaan Shiv, while worshiping Bhagwaan Ram, tells Bhagawati Paarvati – “O Devi Paarvati! Prostrations to Sree Ram, The Noble, also addressed as Ramchandra, the Form-representative of Parabrahm, the Lord of Raghuvansh, the annihilator of ego, the Divine Consort of Devi Seeta.

During the nine Sacred Nights of Chaitra Navraatri, Sree Ram incarnates Himself on the ninth day and on the tenth day of the nine Sacred Nights ofShardeeya Navraatri, also celebrated as Dushehra,SreeRam defeats Raavan, the great demon-king of wealthy Lanka. Raavan is not only a highly knowledgeable king, but is also a great devotee of Bhagwaan Shiv. The character of Raavan indicates certain very important aspects that are to be observed while pursuing the Sacred Path.

To begin with, the birth of Raavan has a past that needs to be noted. After Jay and Vijay, the two gatekeepers (Dwarpal-s)of Vaikunth (Bhagwaan Vishnu’s Abode) are cursed by the four Sanatkumaar-s (the young great devotees of Bhagwaan Vishnu) to fall thrice into lower species (Asur Yoni), they had to take birth as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksh in Krityug, as Raavan and Kumbhkarn in Tretayug; and lastly as Shishupal and Dantavakra in Dwaaparyug. Since they both are the great devotees of Bhagwaan Vishnu, in every such birth they were emancipated by Bhagwaan Vishnu Himself. The consequences of misdeeds of even a great devotee would have to be borne by the devotee himself!

Though Raavan is a born Brahmin (father sage Vishrava), he has demoniac tendencies (Vritti) (mother Raakshasi Kaikasi), which indicate his fallen state. So in spite of originally being a great devotee and being highly knowledgeable due to having been born as a son to a sage, Raavan’s own inherent demoniac tendencies led him to undertake wrongdoings due to his being a king, very proud of his strength, victories andwealth.

The seeker must not be negligent towards his inherent tendencies that could lead him to heinous thoughts, words and deeds, in spite of being knowledgeable, wealthy and a devotee! He has to save himself from becoming a Raavan-like tormentor. Else, not only that he himself would always be restless, but he would be an extremely harmful fellow-being.

To refrain from being such a torment to the world, the scriptures advise the seekers to not only worship as per the chosen faith, but his worship has to be well-supported to surely nourish his tendencies with proper and careful comprehension of scriptural advice so that he could sincerely inculcate purity of intension and have a harmonious approach while interacting with the world.

Worshiping Sree Ram as His devotee therefore is not sufficient; the worship has to be well-nourished with the noble characteristics represented by the exemplary Incarnation of Bhagwaan Vishnu as Sree Ram. Sree Ram is a born-prince and eventually becomes the great, humble, wise, pious, just, chivalrous, loving, kind and victorious King of Ayodhya. Given are a few of Sree Ram’s endless virtues.

The seeker needs to pick-up from, contemplate sincerely upon and cultivate diligently, such virtues to prove himself to be worthy of being a devotee of his beloved Isht, the Lord of his Heart, Sree Ram. That truly would be the humble prostrations (Naman) to Sree Ram as a devotee of Bhagwaan Sree Ramchandra and Bhagawati Devi Seeta.