Ramayana verses I like most…

I have identified a few verses in Valmiki Ramayana that give me supreme satisfaction in reciting every day.

These verses were mouthed by none other than Sita herself. In her conversation with Hanuman in Ashoka vana, she says that she has personally seen the valour of Rama and describes the greatness of Rama. Let Hanuman bring Him to her.

This is the plea that every jeeva must make. We may think that none can match us in our devotion to Him. We may think that we are highly eligible to reach Him. We may think that we know Him very well and therefore will attain Him, for; the Upanishads say that He who knows Him attains Him. But it is also said that This Atman is attained by one whom He chooses! His choice matters. Unless He thinks that we have indeed reached that state of attaining Him we cannot reach Him. So what is available to us is to keep improving our eligibility and wait for Him to come to us. He must come to us rather than the other way round.

The messenger is Hanuman and Sita asks him to bring Rama to her. These verses resonate too many meanings to me at once as I recite them every day. I have no goal other than Him coming to me. There are no personal ambitions, no wants that I want Him to fulfill for me. When I hear too much commotion around me, of people asking what to recite and will they be safe in the current threat from the pandemic, I feel nonchalant what if something happens now or later. When you know the goal, that is Him, and when you know that He decides what to do with you, why worry?

All that Sita conveys through those verses is that He must come to me and take me in His fold. And there is a messenger too. That messenger was Hanuman for Sita; for me it is Sita. Through Sita I hear about the valor of Rama, through Sita I understand how great He is. Let that Sita bring Him to me…...

I think that is the message Valmiki wanted to convey which he did convey in the verse that is part of Purananuru (358).

விட்டோரை விடாள் திருவே

விடாதோர் இவள் விடப்பட்டோரே

(..lovers (desirous of Eternal bliss or Moksham) would forego Worldly pleasures. Such people are never deserted by Sri (Lakshmi). But those who are after Worldly pleasures, would be deserted by Her)

From Sita’s mouth:

5-37-63:-

shrutaa hi dR^iShTaaH ca mayaa paraakramaa |

mahaatmanaH tasya raNa avamardinaH |

na deva gandharva bhujamga raakShasaa |

bhavanti raameNa samaa hi samyuge ||

("I have not only heard but seen myself about the strength of the high souled Rama destroying enemies in battle. Neither the celestials nor the divine musicians nor the serpent-gods nor the demons are equal to Rama in combat.")

5-37-64:-

samiikShya tam samyati citra kaarmukam |

mahaabalam vaasava tulya vikramam |

salakShmaNam ko viShaheta raaghavam |

huta ashanam diiptam iva anila iiritam ||

("Who can withstand seeing in battle that mighty Rama, dazzling like fire fanned by wind, wielding his conspicuous bow and having prowess equal to that of Indra the Lord of celestials, together with Lakshmana?")

5-37-65:-

salakShmaNam raaghavam aaji mardanam |

dishaa gajam mattam iva vyavasthitam |

saheta ko vaanara mukhya samyuge |

yuga anta suurya pratimam shara arciSham ||

("O the best of monkeys! In battle, who can endure Rama resembling the sun at noon-time, with his arrows resembling its rays, the destroyer in battle, stationed like a mythical elephant in rut, along with Lakshmana?)

5-37-66:-

sa me hari shreShTha salakShmaNam patim |

sayuuthapam kShipram iha upapaadaya |

ciraaya raamam prati shoka karshitaam |

kuruShva maam vaanara mukhya harShitaam ||

("O the excellent of monkeys! You, as such, soon bring my husband here along with Lakshmana, and the chiefs of army. O the best of monkeys! I am emaciated with grief about Rama since long. Make me now joyful.")