some glories of Lord Ramachandra

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees

Please accept my humble obaisences

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 

The  holy name of Lord Ramachandra is superior to the names of Lord Visnu :

• Lord Shiva addressed his wife, Parvati:

sri rama rama rameti rame rame manorame

sahasranama tat tulyam rama nama varanane

"O Varanana (lovely-faced lady), I chant the holy name of Rama, Rama, Rama and thus constantly enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Sri Rama is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Vishnu." (Brhad Visnusahasranamastotra, Uttara-khanda, Padma Purana 72.335)

• Brahmānda Purana said:

sahasra-namnam punyanam, trir-avrttya tu yat phalam

ekavrttya tu krsnasya, namaikam tat prayacchati

"The pious results (punya) achieved by chanting the thousand holy names of Vishnu (Vishnusahasranama-Stotram) three times can be attained by only one utterance of the holy name of Krishna."

Some devotees believe that Hare Rama in the Mahamantra refers to Sita Rama but that is a mistake it refers to Radha Krsna only as explained for example by Srila Jiva Goswami .

In his Hari Bhakti Vilasa ,Srila Sanatana Goswami has expained the glories of Rama Nama in the first Vilasa:

 

Text 148

 

vaishnaveshv api mantreshu

     rama-mantrah phaladhikah

ganapatyadi-mantreshu

     koöi-koöi-gunadhikah

 

     vaishnaveshu—among the mantras of Lord Vishnu; api—even; mantreshu—among the mantras; rama-mantrah—the Rama-mantra; phaladhikah—best at giving results; ganapatyadi-mantreshu—than the mantras glorifying Ganesha and the other demigods; koöi-koöi-gunadhikah—many millions and millions of times more.

 

     "Of all Vishnu-mantras the Rama-mantra gives the best results. It gives results many millions of millions of times better than the mantras of Ganesha and the other demigods.

 

 

Text 149

 

vinaiva diksham viprendra

     purashcaryam vinaiva hi

vinaiva nyasa-vidhina

     japa-matrena siddhi-dah

 

     vina—without; eva—indeed; diksham—initiation; viprendra—O king of brahmanas; purashcaryam—parscarana; vina—without; eva—indeed; hi—indeed; vina—without; eva—indeed; nyasa-vidhina—nyasa; japa-matrena—simply by chanting; siddhi-dah—giving perfection.

 

     "O king of brahmanas, without initiation, without purashcarana, and without nyasa, simply by chanting the Rama-mantra one attains perfection.

 

 

Text 150

 

mantreshv ashu svanayasa-

     phala-do 'yam shad-aksharah

shad-aksharo 'yam mantras tu

     mahaghaugha-nivaranah

 

     mantreshu—in mantras; ashu—quickly; svanayasa-phala-dah—giving results; ayam—this; shad—six; aksharah—syllables; shad-aksharah—six syllables; ayam—this; mantrah—mantra; tu—indeed; maha—great; agha—of sins; augha—flood; nivaranah—stopping.

 

     "The six-syllable Rama-mantra quickly fulfills all desires. The six-syllable Rama-mantra destroys a flood of sins.

 

 

Texts 151 and 152

 

mantra-raja iti proktah

     sarvesham uttamottamah

dainam dinam tu duritam

     paksha-masartu-varsha-jam

 

sarvam dahati nihshesham

     tulacalam ivanalah

brahma-hatya-sahasrani

     jnanajnana-kritani ca

 

     mantra—of mantras; raja—the king; iti—thus; proktah—said; sarvesham—of all; uttamottamah—the best of the best; dainam—wretched condition; dinam—day; tu—indeed; duritam—sins; paksha—fortnight; masa—month; ritu—season; varsha—year; jam—born; sarvam—all; dahati—burns; nihshesham—completely; tulacalam—a mountain of cotton; iva—like; analah—a fire; brahma-hatya-sahasrani—the thousand murders of brahmanas; jnana—with knowledge; ajnana—without knowledge; kritani—done; ca—and.

 

     "The Rama-mantra is the king of mantras. It is the best of all. As a flame quickly burns up a mountain of cotton swabs, so does the Rama-mantra burn away the sins committed in all one's days, fortnights, months, seasons, and years. It burns away a thousand murders of brahmanas and a host of sins committed consciously or unconsciously.

 

 

Text 153

 

svarna-steya-sura-pana-

     guru-talpa-yutani ca

koöi-koöi-sahasrani

     hy upapapani yany api

sarvany api pranashyanti

     rama-mantranukirtanat

 

     svarna—of gold; steya—theft; sura—wine; pana—drinking; guru—of ther spiritual master; talpa—the bed; yutani—endowed; ca——and; koöi-koöi—millions and millions; sahasrani—thousands; hy—also; upapapani—sins; yany—which; api—also; sarvany—all; api—also; pranashyanti—destroys; rama-mantranukirtanat—by chanting the Rama-mantra.

 

     "By chanting the Rama-mantra the sins of stealing gold, drinking liquor, committing adultery with the spiritual master's wife, and many thousands of millions of millions of other sins are all destroyed."

 

 

Text 154

 

tapaniya-shrutishu ca

 

     ya etat tarakam brahmano nityam adhite, sa papmanam tarati, sa mrityum tarati, sa bhruna-hatyam tarati, sa sarva-hatyam tarati, sa samsaram tarati, sa sarvam tarati, sa vimuktashrito bhavati, so 'mritatvam ca gacchati.

 

     tapaniya-shrutishu—in the Rama-tapani Upanishad; ca—and; ya—what; etat—thus; tarakam—delivering; brahmanah—a brahmana; nityam—regularly; adhite,—chants; sa—he; papmanam—sin; tarati,—crossess beyond; sa—he; mrityum—death; tarati,—crossess beyond; sa—he; bhruna-hatyam—the sin of abortion; tarati,—crossess beyond; sa—he; sarva-hatyam—mass-murders; tarati,—crossess beyond; sa—he; samsaram—birth and death; tarati,—crossess beyonbd; sa—and; sarvam—all; tarati,—crossess beyond; sa—he; vimuktashritah—liberated; bhavati,—becomes; sah—he; amritatvam—immortality; ca—and; gacchati—attains.

 

     In the Rama-tapani Upanishad it is said:

 

     "A brahmana who regularly chants the Rama-mantra crosses beyond sin. He crosses beyond death. He crosses beyond the sin of performing an abortion. He crosses beyond the sins of mass-murder and genocide. He crosses beyond the world of repeated birth and death. He crosses beyond all that is inauspicious. He becomes liberated."

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura obtained the mercy of Sri Sri  Sita Rama and Laxmana in Modruma Dvipa however has faith in these pastimes are truely blessed this is from his Navadvipa Bhava Taranga :

 

10 This island of Modadruma is non different from the forest of Sri Bhandiravan in Braja. All the animals and birds are fully spiritual entities having the nature of pure goodness. In the branches of the trees sit cuckoos who incessantly sing the glories of Lord Gauranga, Sita and Rama.

111 Countless banyan trees spread out their shade-giving branches splendrously here in Bhandiravan and block out the rays of the sun. When will this wonderfully shady place, where Balarama and Krsna displayed their pastimes to the world, ever be visible to my eyes?

112 Wandering and wandering about, observing the glory of the forest, I will suddenly behold the cottage of Lord Sri Rama. Then will I see Rama Himself, the colour of fresh durva grass, dressed like a brahmacari and sitting in one place along with Laksmana and Sita.

113 Seeing Lord Ramachandra's beautiful form within that forest, I will swoon on the spot. My entire body overwhelmed with ecstatic love, I will remain stunned and speechless as I fill both my eyes that are heartily drinking the beauty of His form.

114 Being merciful, Laksmana will come forward slowly, set down some fruit and place his feet upon my hear. He will say, "My dear child, please eat this fruit. Since we are living here in the forest, this is all we have to offer our guests.

115 Just as he says this, the vision of this pastime will dissolve. Weeping and weeping, I will eat at the fruit. Oh, will I ever again see the figure of Rama, green as fresh durva grass? In my heart, I will meditate on that inconceivably beautiful form.

I want to share 2 other pastimes : In his Padyavali Srila Rupa Goswami has told the following pastime:

Mother Yasosa telling Krsna a bed time story :

ramo nama babhuva hum tad-abala siteti hum tam pitur

vaca pancavati-vane nivasatas tasyaharad ravanah

krishnayeti puratanim nija-katham akarnya matreritam

saumitre kva dhanur dhanur dhanur iti vyagra girah pantu-vah

 

    ramah—Rama; nama—named; babhuva—was; hum—yes; tat—His; abala—wife; sita—was Sita; iti—thus; hum—yes; tam—her; pituh—of the father; vaca—by the words; pancavati-vane—in Pancavati forest; nivasatah—residing; tasya—of Him; aharat—kidnapped; ravanah—Ravana; krishnasya—of Krishna; iti—thus; puratanim—ancient; nija—of Himself; katham—the narrative; akarnya—hearing; matra—by His mother; iritam—spoken; saumitre—O Lakshmana, son of Sumitra; kva—where; dhanuh—My bow; dhanuh—bow; dhanuh—bow; iti-thus; vyagra—alarmed; girah—words; pantu—may protect; vah—you all.

 

“There once was a king named Rama.”

“Yes.”

“His wife was Sita.”

“Yes.”

“On the order of His father, Rama lived in the Pancavati forest. There Ravana kidnapped Sita.”

As Lord Krishna heard His mother narrate His own activities performed in ancient times, He suddenly called out: “Lakshmana! Where is My bow? Where is My bow? Where is my bow?” I pray these alarmed words of Lord Krishna may protect you all.

          —author unknown

this is not from Padyavali but from my knowledge of Vraja: 

At Vimala Kunda in Kamyavana Sri Radha asked Krsna to see His pastimes of Lord Ramachandra and Krsna  and Balarama and the sakhas enacted the pastimes of building a bridge over this sacred lake ,this pastime is most confidential , but the rasika bhaktas  enjoyes this sweet lila of Krsna Balarama in the mood of Rama and Laxmana and the sakhas as varanas .

May Krsna and Balarama bless anyone that remembers this sacred lila ,and how it gave great transcendental happiness to Sri Radha .

your servant

Paramananda das