Rama was young and healthy. He knew what people
were like and the time and place for speech and action. He was a sage. The
people loved him as if he were their very breath, that was outside their
bodies. Better than his father at archery, he knew the Vedas and the allied sciences and had
graduated in all branches of learning. (सम्यग्विद्याव्रतस्नातो
यथावत्साङ्गवेदवित्).
He was high minded and knew the essence of Dharma, Artha and Kama. With
brilliance and excellent memory, he was skilled and worldly wise and acted in
accordance with the time (Samayachara).
He had good friends and secret
counsel. He never revealed his feelings publicly. He was not given to excessive
anger and joy. He knew his faults as well as the faults of others. He was firm
in devotion and of steady consciousness (Sthitha Pragnya). He was watch_f_u_l,
never lazy, and never accepted that which was not good (asat). He was
skilled in assessing people and knew who should be graced and who should be
ignored. He knew the right way of raising money and spending it (for the
welfare of the people). He sought pleasure only after duty and learning. He
knew a_b_o_ut sculpture and art forms for pleasure.
He could mount horses and elephants
and control them. He was an अतिरथ, atiratha (expert chariot warrior) and a master in archery.
He was an expert commander. (This is _f_u_rther detailed in his campaign
strategies against Lanka and Mathura.
Every minute detail was planned and executed perfectly).
This prince who was of excellent
qualities was equal to mother earth in forbearance, to Indra, the husband of
Saci, in valour and to Brhaspati in Buddhi (Intellect). The earth desired this
wonder_f_u_l, virtuous and power_f_u_l Rama as her husband. (A king is
called Bhupa_t_h_i_,_t_h_e lord/husband of the earth. This sentence means that
the earth (the people), wanted Rama to become the king.)''
#3
17 March 2011 06:45:40
''Rama was most handsome and brave.
In virtues, he excelled his father Dasaratha. There was no son like him on the
earth. Serene and gentle, he would respond even to harsh words in the softest
manner. He remembered even the smallest of favours and forgave hundreds of
errors.
(While I am using the past tense,
in writing _a_b_o_u_t Sri Rama, Valmiki always
described Rama in the present tense, because they were contemporaries.)
In the intervals between his weapons
practice he spoke to those good people who had grown in Character (शील), Knowledge (ज्ञान) and Age (वयो). Though power_f_u_l, he was
not proud, he was the first to address others with affectionate and sweet words
and was an intellectual (बुद्धिमान्). He never spoke an untruth (अनृत), was knowledgeable, and loved his people, as they loved
him.
He was never angry, having
controlled his anger. He was a Dharmagnya (one who knows Dharma, Ethics,
Righteousness, Duty..) and respected brahmins.
He was self-controlled and pure.
His thoughts were worth of his kula
(dynasty), he held his क्षात्रं धर्मं,
Kshatra Dharma (the code of the warriors and princes) in high regard. He
considered the fruits of valour – the rewards of heaven.
In debates, he was an orator like
Vachaspati (the husband/lord of speech - this can mean Brahma (husband
of Saraswati the goddess of speech) or Brhaspati (Jupiter). ) He was not interested in frivolous conversations or
activities. ''cont
#4
17 March 2011 06:23:22
rulers have to be with insight, foresight, hindsight, knowing of good bad
harm_f_u_l, with kind noble heart, --in short a ram
pl go thru the article reproduced as
below
''Sri Rama’s Virtues – the traits
of an ideal king (of the Treta Yuga)
Valmiki teaches us how an ideal
crown prince should be, even as he describes Sri Rama’s virtues and qualifications to be the crown prince. This style differes from Chanakya‘s style in the Arthasastra where he
merely lists the traits out. This is one of the qualities of the Ramayanam that
make it an itihasam
and not just a sastram or itivrutti.
Bharata
left for his maternal uncle’s house () taking with him the sinless and
power_f_u_l Satrughna.
He was treated with love by his grandfather Ashvapati and his uncle Yudhajit.
They thought of their father Dasaratha everyday. The illustrious (Mahateja)
Dasaratha also thought of Bharata and Satrughna who were comparable to Indra
and Varuna.
Since Valmiki lived in the Vedic
period, we observe here and everywhere else that Rama, his father and his
brothers are always compared to Indra, Varuna, Brhaspati and Vishnu. This
reiterates our observed view that Indra was a standard of comparision in
Valmiki’s time.
While Dasaratha loved all his sons,
he always liked Rama the best. Rama was like Swayambhu (the self-born). Vishnu
himself was born as Rama in order to kill Ravana. Rama of the limitless
brilliance (Amita – Tejas), with his mother Kausalya (the princess of Kosala
), looked like the best of the Devas,
Indra, the Vajrapani (who holds the Vajra in his hand) with his mother Aditi. (Vajra can mean, diamond,
lightening-bolt, or a hard weapon made of bone. Indra destroyed Vrittra with
the Vajrayudha).''cont
