There have been many such incidents in our history that have left an indelible mark on human civilization. One of them is the story of the life of Lord Shri Ram which has stood the test of time and has shaped the faith of millions of people for centuries.
Some went to the extent of saying Ram was just a figment of one’s imagination. However, recent historical excavations dispelled this confusion once and for all, confirming the reality of the existence of Lord Ram. Many historians have supported the authenticity of the events of the Ramayana, including dates marking the presence of Sri Rama on Earth 7,000 years ago. His journey from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka, uniting people along the way, is an important part of this historical narrative.
The influence of Ramayana is not limited to India only. The Ramayana is heard and celebrated in Bali, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. Even in the Far East, especially Japan, the influence of the ancient story of Ramayana is seen. The echo of his holy name has spread globally; places like 'Rambakh' in Germany are a living example of this.
‘Ram’ is the light of the soul. The one who is illuminated in our hearts is Ram. Ram is always shining in our hearts. Shri Ram was born to his mother Kaushalya and his father King Dasharatha. In Sanskrit, 'Dasaratha' means 'one with ten chariots'. Here the ten chariots symbolize our five senses of knowledge and five senses of action. ‘Kaushalya’ means the skilled one.
Ram can be born only where there is skill and balance in the operation of the five senses of knowledge and the five senses of action. Rama was born in Ayodhya, which means 'the place where no war can take place'. When the mind is free from all dualities, only then can the light of knowledge emerge within us.
Ram is our 'soul', Lakshman is 'consciousness', Sita is the 'mind', and Ravana is the symbol of 'ego' and 'negativity'. Just as the nature of water is to flow, the nature of the mind is to waver. Our mind gets fascinated by things and gets attracted to them. Sita got fascinated by the golden deer. Ravana abducted Sita and took her away. What does this symbolize? The mind was taken away from the soul (Ram) by the ego represented by Ravana. Then 'Pavanputra' Hanuman helped Shri Ram unite with Sita. Here Hanuman represents our breath. So when the mind moves away from its source, with the help of the breath, we can unite it with the light of the soul. And so, the Ramayana occurs every day in our lives. It is not just some story that occurred in history thousands of years ago.
Lord Rama presented an ideal example of the qualities of a good son, disciple, and king, that led him to be addressed as Maryada Purushottam. As a revered ruler, his kingdom had qualities that made it special and idealistic. For Lord Ram, the welfare of his people was of paramount importance and he always made decisions keeping that in mind. Mahatma Gandhi also envisioned an ideal society similar to Ramrajya, where the needs of every individual are fulfilled; where is justice for all, where there is no corruption, and crime is not tolerated. Ramrajya represents a crime-free society.