© 2025 HKM Mumbai. All rights reserved.
© 2025 HKM Mumbai. All rights reserved.
The crescent moon softly revealed itself through the trees that stood like pillars around the palace of King Dasharatha. In the divine lap of Mother Kaushalya rested the Supreme Lord in His infant form. His tender, reddish lips blossomed into enchanting laughter, and His transcendental form was adorned with auspicious markings. King Dasharatha beheld this sacred vision with eyes filled with tears of profound joy, while the Lord’s lotus-like eyes carried a delicate reddish hue. By His very presence, He effortlessly filled the hearts of the residents of Ayodhya with boundless happiness. Thus, He was lovingly named “Rama.”
The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam beautifully encapsulates the divine pastimes of Lord Rama, distilling their profound essence in the following words:
gurv-arthe tyakta-rājyo vyacarad anuvanaṁ padma-padbhyāṁ priyāyāḥ
pāṇi-sparśākṣamābhyāṁ mṛjita-patha-rujo yo harīndrānujābhyām
vairūpyāc chūrpaṇakhyāḥ priya-viraha-ruṣāropita-bhrū-vijṛmbha-
trastābdhir baddha-setuḥ khala-dava-dahanaḥ kosalendro ’vatān naḥ
“To keep the promise of His father intact, Lord Rāmacandra immediately gave up the position of king and, accompanied by His wife, mother Sītā, wandered from one forest to another on His lotus feet, which were so delicate that they were unable to bear even the touch of Sītā’s palms. The Lord was also accompanied by Hanumān [or by another monkey, Sugrīva], king of the monkeys, and by His own younger brother Lord Lakṣmaṇa, both of whom gave Him relief from the fatigue of wandering in the forest. Having cut off the nose and ears of Śūrpaṇakhā, thus disfiguring her, the Lord was separated from mother Sītā. He therefore became angry, moving His eyebrows and thus frightening the ocean, who then allowed the Lord to construct a bridge to cross the ocean. Subsequently, the Lord entered the kingdom of Rāvaṇa to kill him, like a fire devouring a forest. May that Supreme Lord, Rāmacandra, give us all protection.” (SB 9.10.4)
rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan
nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu
kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṇa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.” (Brahma Samhita 5.39)
Just like how the waves of a river are innumerable, similarly, the count of Krishna’s incarnations is endless. Here, the Brahma Samhita states how Krishna personally appears in this world by assuming the forms of His principal incarnations, such as those of Lord Rama and Lord Narasimha (rāmādi). The Lord’s incarnations are not separate from Him, but are His direct manifestations. They are all non-different from each other, and they all exist to deliver the fallen souls of this world.
The Vishnu Purana highlights six traits that, to the extent that one possesses them, qualify one as God or bhagavan.
aisvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yasasah sriyah
Jnana-vairagyayos caiva
sannam bhagam itingana
These qualities are beauty, wealth, fame, knowledge, strength, and renunciation. One who is the proprietor of these riches to the highest degree is qualified as bhagavan, and that qualification is fulfilled only by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna.
Since Lord Rama and Lord Krishna are understood to be non-different, the same divine qualities are revealed in Lord Rama during His earthly pastimes. When Maharaja Dasharatha by force of circumstances, unwillingly instructed Him to leave Ayodhya and enter into exile, the Lord, in perfect obedience and humility, at once relinquished His rightful position as the heir to the throne. Without hesitation or protest, He accepted His father’s words as His sacred duty. His devoted brother Lakshmana and His eternal consort, Sita Devi, accompanied Him, and together they spent fourteen years in the forest, gracefully enduring the austerities of the wilderness.
Thus, Lord Rama, by His own example, showcased the level of His renunciation and detachment from mundane and materialistic pleasures, not just externally, but also internally. To renounce material life is not enough if the desire to enjoy it still prevails in one’s heart. One must detach oneself from the so-called joys of these mundane activities, which are not centred around the Lord. One should become accustomed to this and reject anything which is against the path of spiritual progress. Renunciation means renouncing one’s dependence on the conditions of material nature and thus becoming completely dependent on the mercy of the Lord. This can be done by dovetailing one’s activities and life in His service.
In the Ramayana, Lord Rama tells Sugriva:
sakṛd eva prapanno yas
tavāsmīti ca yācate
abhayaṁ sarvadā tasmai
dadāmy etad vrataṁ mama
“It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying “My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours,” and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on.” (CC Madhya 20.34, quoted from Yuddha kanda, 18:33)
He states how even if Ravana were to come here to surrender unto Him, He would give him all protection. Sri Rama proved Himself to be true by accepting Ravana’s demon brother Vibhishana into His shelter. Although he came from a family infamous for its demonic and nefarious nature, simply because Vibhishana surrendered unto the lotus feet of Lord Ramachandra, He took him under His shelter.
Lord Krishna asserts the very same in the Bhagavad Gita, while instructing Arjuna:
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (BG 18.66)
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami mentions how the Lord, along with His brother and wife, would travel through various forests, and how His lotus feet are so soft and delicate that even the touch of Sita Devi’s palms would be unbearable. Therefore, if even the hands of the goddess of fortune fail to caress the bewitching lotus feet of the Lord, then we must realise the amount of soft-hearted bhakti we must practice to become His dear devotees.
Hence, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the golden incarnation of Sri Ramachandra in Kali yuga, suggested the chanting of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. By sincerely chanting and singing the holy name, we can cleanse ourselves of our material impurities and make our lives successful. Our hearts will then radiate pure love and devotion for the Lord, and become suitable resting places for the gentle and elusive lotus feet of Lord Rama.
If you wish to delve deeper into the life and teachings of Mahaprabhu, you may read Srila Prabhupada’s books on the same, especially the Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrita. Hard copies are also available through the Hare Krishna Movement Mumbai's online store.
