Manas Ravan - A discourse listened from Morari Bapu and to the extent I understood..

day 7

These are all excuses to see oneself.

Gyan Drishti – Ravana has the vision of knowledge but he could not hold that with continuity as all of us don’t have vision of knowledge without breaks.

Dosh Drishti – Ravana has the vision focused on the shortcomings of others. He could locate fault in Rama who is faultless.

Bheda Drishti – The vision to deceive others. Ravana was good at deceiving others like he deceived Sita by his false appearance.

Those with Gyan Drishti should not see any Bheda. But Gyan Drishti can’t be maintained with continuity.

Gita and Upanishads say that God is there in all beings, He is there in the same form in all beings, He is there in all beings at all times.

Why there is darkness inspite of light? The reason is Maya – The Deluding Potency of God.

What is Raam Kaam, the work of Rama? Everything literally everything.
Do a job and do it as if it is a work of Rama.
If your father tells you to do something do that thing as if you are doing it for Rama.
Get married and think that you are doing work of Rama.
We do a faulty thinking. We think that whatever good is happening we are doing and whatever bad is happening others are responsible.
If we disregard the ultimate (param) we stop doing the work of Rama.
Every work is the work of Rama, when we work to serve our ego the meditation breaks.
If we take a loan from bank, it is Rama’s work, if we pay the installments it is Rama’s work. If we make a default in repaying loan and if we go to jail, it is our work.
As per the agreement between Rama and Sugreeva, search of Sita was Sugreeva’s work, he should have done some search on his own instead of asking his deputies to do all search.
Life is meditation.

When Buddha came to the house of his wife asking for alms, she asked him a question. She said whether it was not possible to discover the ultimate element at home and whether it is necessary to go to woods. Buddha said it is possible to discover the ultimate element at home but he came to know this after relinquishing home.

The central theme of Ramcharitmanas is Sab (All), Gita Sam (Equanimity), Upanishad Satya (Truth)

We have a mental disposition to see sorrow in joy.

We deserve happiness, We are children of Amrut, Our true form is happiness.
You can’t have any claim over intellect of others, you should live your own way of life.

There is no point in cutting oneself for sharpening the blade of intellect.

The biggest happiness is being a human.

Our soul is the touch stone (Paras mani), we are iron, there is a layer of Maya in between. If there is no layer we are gold.

There is pearl at the bottom of the pond. The pearl can be seen if there is no layer floating at the top, there are no ripples in the pond, there is no dirt in the pond.

See what happens due to the vision of greed (lobh drishti)-
Pratapbhanu is a greedy hunter. He has too high ambitions. He has forgotten God. He is having thirst. He was deluded by a bogus sage. He who is overcome by his greed will only meet a bogus sage. He who is full of lust and cravings loses his power of discrimination. A greedy person can never enjoy. He will accumulate. A lustful person at least enjoys. A greedy person will eat rotten mango, he will wait for more ripening. Similarly he will damage the seed while eating raw mango. He wants to eat more of the raw mango but renders the seed useless. A greedy person drops a bottle of tincture iodine on ground. The bottle breaks and the lotion spreads on ground. Now he cuts his fingers with a razor and applies the lotion on wounds.

Bhog Drishti – The vision restricted to sensual pleasures.

Kripa Drishti – Being firmly benign like that a mother.

Udar Drishti – Ravana imparted knowledge to Lakshamana (brother of his enemy) in his last moments.

Param Hit Drishti – He led to the salvation of all demons.

Day 8

There is a concept of Virat Kosh (a gigantic form) in scriptures.

The directions are considered as ears of the gigantic form.

The truth of the western culture and the eastern culture should be heard.

Truth coming from all directions should be heard.

Bhala Bura Sabka Sun Lije

Kar Gujran Garibi Me

Man Lago Phakiri Me

He is great who listens to all. He is a saint who keeps all that which is good for him in his heart.

The eldest person in home should listen to everybody. A good preceptor should listen to his favorite disciple and also to the disciple who has joined him recently. He should also listen to his admirers and to those who speak against him.

A person who has taken the path of self-realization should not listen to good words spoken to him but he should listen to all those who criticize him. If the criticism is valid he should mend his ways and if the criticism is not valid he should ignore.

There is no point in considering oneself great without understanding the things.  Ravana has many things that should make one proud. We are the Ravanas who feel proud without having anything to boast of.

When you are pitted against others, control your eyes, ears and mouth.

Listen to the story of Rama and also to the plight of others.

Please don’t stick to your own point, you should learn from others if they have better ways of doing things.

Don’t listen to something devoid of any meaning. Listen to something meaningful.

The truth is one but it manifests itself in different ways.

The three brothers Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibheeshana did the same penance at the same place and they were blessed by the same Gods.

Ravana has done penance for seeking blessings of God Shiva. God Shiva was pleased and he appeared. God Brahma also appeared. God Brahma is the God that presides over intellect, discretion and thoughts. Ravana asked for the boon of immortality and the only way he could die would be at the hands of human beings, monkeys and bears. Look at the irony, he sought immortality and confirmed the manner of his death. He should not have talked about death while asking for a boon. He should have talked about life rather.

However smart we try to be, we can’t evade death. Duryodhan felt ashamed to appear completely naked before his mother. But he had no shame in stripping Draupadi of her robes in the royal court. It is good to remove layers on one’s soul but it is a hideous thing to strip others. Gandhari on the dint of undivided loyalty to her husband, a great virtue indeed, acquired a great power in her eyes. She should not have misused this power. She should not have thought of fortifying wrong deeds of her son on the basis of her power. She did exactly opposite. She tried to impart vajra like strength to Duryodhana. She asked him to come fully naked so that when she opens her eyes she could see all his body and impart infallible strength to it. Duryodhana due to shame  covered his vital organ with a bark of tree. See the very power instead of making Duryodhana immortal confirmed the area which will lead to his death.

We should do penance for filling each and every moment with happiness.

Day 9

There are 14 sections of Ramayana. There are seven Kands and in each Kand we have two parts.

Bal Kanda has two parts. The first part deals with introduction of the book, about the heroes and counter heroes. The second part contains the wedding ceremony of Shiva and Parvati. It also contains the wedding ceremony of Rama and Sita. The union of Brahm and Shakti.

There is a possibility of misapplication if power is acquired continuously. Therefore devotion is also necessary and one should not lose sight of devotion.

One should not aim at Kingdom, one should aim at Ram. One should not aim at occupying a chair but one should aim at being at a feet of a competent person and occupy the chair only as a trustee. One should not aim at power but at truthfulness.

The first part of Ayodhya Kand is centred on petty selfishness – Kaikayi, Manthara.

Even great people experience a downfall when they get into a company of bad. Kaikayi was such a great lady that she gave birth to a noble person like Bharata. But see what happened to her due to  being accompanied by Manthara. She yielded to passions and lost her husband for enthroning her son.

The latter part of Ayodhya Kand is focused on broadening one’s consciousness (parmartha). Rama met people living in woods, sages performing penance in woods. He also met Bharata.

Love is the greatest method to broaden one’s consciousness. A person who loves gets love in return. A person who loves doesn’t aim at any other reward. Rama likes love and only love. Ram Hi Keval Prem Piyara.

The first part of Aranya Kand deals with the sports of Rama as a human being. The latter part deals with sweet discussions on the path of devotion.

The first part of Kishkindha Kand deals with the life sketches of Vali and Sugreeva. The second part deals with search of Sita. Sita symbolizes peace, devotion, the deluding potency of God.

The first part which comprises of 75% of Sundar Kand deals with the  life style of Hanuman and the remaining part with the life style of Vibheeshana.

The first part of Lanka Kand deals with construction of a bridge and efforts to arrive at a truce. In the war of Ramayana Rama and Ravana both won. In the war of Mahabharta both the sides lost. Kauravas lost seemingly but Pandavas couldn’t attain the higher levels of existence. In Ramayana Ravana was able to merge his identity with the face of Rama (which is the highest level of existence). So Rama bridged the gap with Ravana and granted him salvation.
The first part of Uttar Kand deals with the kingdom of Rama  and the latter part with the internal kingdom, the kingdom of soul.
The rule, the power and the kingdom these are physical subjects with which the former part deals. The latter part deals with spirituality.

Hari is infinite and so are his stories.

Ved say that your hands are your God. But his twenty hands didn’t do any good to Ravana. Eyes have a lot of significance but eyes did no good to him. Ravana didn’t have any nose as such because a person doing ignoble application of his wealth loses his nose. He didn’t use his tongue to chant Raam Naam he said everything rubbish.

Ravana did good to himself by listening. He listened to 10 persons.

In this world eyes are considered as best source of evidence. In the world of devotion listening is the most significant source. Ravana listened to….
Shurpanakha (sister). One should listen to someone who doesn’t have nose and ears.
Marich (subordinate and relative). One should listen to someone who has experience. Marich was injured by Rama’s arrow.
Janaki. One should listen to one’s mother.
Hanuman. One should listen to one’s preceptor.
Vibheeshana. One should listen to one’s brother.
Mandodari. One should listen to one’s wife.
Malwant. One should listen to one’s minister.
Prahasta. One should listen to one’s son.
Angada. One should listen to a person who comes to convey a message
Kumbhakarna. One should listen to a person who sleeps. He may be telling something that merits.

Reading is a tendency of mind, listening is devotion.
It is a good thing to love reading books.
But is also necessary to listen the song a flowing river sings.
The speaker speaks and takes the responsibility for his words. The listener listens and should take the responsibility for what he has listened.
One who has no time to look at the boundless sky, how he will cause his development.
One should also listen to the vibrations of internal sky.
One who sleeps in open becomes kind.

Ravana got back his head each time it was cut. Infatuation can't be removed at the tip, it comes back. It has to be removed at source. The infatuation can be cut only at the muladhar.

Buddha says that you should be your own source of light.

Manas Ravan - A Ram Katha by Morari Bapu to the extent understood by me.

Day 4

We can quench our thirst by approaching river of self realization at different places on it's banks.

If  we approach Ramcharitmanas through God Shankar we are following the path of knowledge.
Mahadev has three eyes. Knowledge, Detachment and Yoga.
He has a very detached and broad vision.

The highest impact occurs on listening. Reading is not a method of devotion, listening is.
The enlightened speaker removes illusion from the minds of people. People can't be free from illusion unless they awake.

Please don't indulge in calling names to the speakers, you won't gain anything.
A mind that gets into the habit of ill reasoning loses all it's creative powers.
If there is no ill reasoning there will arise love for the feet of the benefactor.
The worst improbable events won't take place if you are protected by the benefactor.

The other speaker Kakbhushundi has wings. It is not so that he doesn't have eyes. Rather he has an eye of advaita. Similarly it is not so that Mahadev doesn't have wings, you should see everything in the right perspective.

A speaker with wings means one who doesn't get imprisoned in the cage of prestige, appreciation, title and money.
You can't catch a crow, a crow is always on move, doesn't take any fixed path.

Rama has taken birth in the lineage of the Sun (dispels darkness), Ravana in the lineage of the Monsters (becomes active at night)
Rama is always providing comfort, Ravana always taking efforts full of labor.
Rama is always for cosmic harmony, Ravana for personal superiority.
Both Rama and Ravana are disciples of Mahadev. Rama's skin color in the color of Mahadev's throat while Ravana's skin color is the color of Mahadev's body.
Ravana is a brahmin by lineage and his aptitude to study the scriptures. He became a brahma rakshasa by his deeds. He was a warrior. He was not a trader but he weighed Mount Kailash by his hands.

Rama is for bridging the gaps Ravana distances away his own people and creates gaps.
Rama is a great donor and he gives away. Ravana is a poacher and robs away.

Both are devotees of Mahadev. There existence is to be seen in the context of relativity.

Manthara is the Ravan in Ayodhya.
Ravana knows all the arts of a politician. 1. saam : treating others with equality. 2. daam :  offering price for others' loyalty. 3. danda : levying penalty 4. bheda : divide and rule
Manthara can't treat others with equality as she is a hunched back person. She doesn't have any resources to buy loyalties. She doesn't have any power to levy penalty. She has a malicious mind and she can create cracks in the mindset of others.
Manthara can't remain in the company of Kaushalya (she symbolizes knowledge) and Sumitra (she symbolizes devotion / adoration). Manthara can only remain in the company of Kayikayi who symbolizes action (karma).

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore likes most the incarnation of Vishnu as Buddha. All other incarnations have descended from divinity to humanity. Buddha has ascended from humanity to divinity.

There can't be any donation of food. It is the duty of well fed people to see that the have-nots are provided with food. A mother is not donating any food when she breast feeds her baby.

A kerchief gets dirty after cleaning hands, Raam-Naam doesn't get dirty after wiping impurities, it is a pearl.

If we remember that we are human beings we can live happily. If we remember that we are abodes of Mahadev we can have supreme happiness.

Those who are confused are bound to perish.

We should act with dexterity and not with miserliness.

We should do good with good faith and not to compete with others.
We 'should do' good understanding it well that it will still be done if we won't do it.
We should not keep an eye on the fruits of action but we should enjoy performing the action.
We should do good to expand our scope of identity, to sacrifice our ego and never to humiliate others.
If we are not attentive we are bound to be hit by lust and anger.

Day 5

Ravana has many marks of God. But Ravana is not God.

Ravana is death, Rama is Life.

Valmiki says that wherever these 14 are Rama is.














Angad says that wherever these 14 are Ravana is.


Death is a mark of God.

Gorakhnath asks Yogi to die, he doesn’t ask a person engaged in sensual pleasures to die.

An orator was asked to speak to a gathering of audience. The orator said that he will speak if the audience undertakes to do what he says. The audience said that are ready. Then he asked the audience if they are really ready. The audience thought and said that they are ready to do anything but they should not be asked to give money. The orator said OK. He will not ask for money but are they ready to give what he will ask for. The audience thought again and said OK they will do what he asks but he should not ask for their time. He said OK. He will not ask for money or time but are they willing to do what he asks for. Again the audience thought for a while and said OK they should be asked to do the thing which they are capable of doing. He said OK he will ask for something which they are capable of doing. The audience said OK, tell us what we should do. The orator said die. There is no monetary cost involved in dying, there is no question of giving any time and everyone has the capability to die.

Death is the prerequisite to reach God.

Lord Krishna says, He is Death and He is Amrit.

A mirror is an excuse to see oneself.

Saki Sharab Laa Kyo Ki Tabiyat Udaas Hai
Muttarim Rabab Laa Kyo Ki Tabiyat Udaas Hai

If the existence would have been a miser, we would not have existed.

He who carries weapons is a coward.

Vyavasay doesn’t mean business in scriptures, it means determination.

Not  being an adamant but having strong determination, there is no need of any target.

Day 6

The truth is like an ice-cream. There will be some some transformation in the process of transfer.

Hanuman didn't do any worship by allocating a specific time for that activity. He was always doing Raam Kaam and chanting Raam Naam.

Bhagwan Shankaracharya says that we are at our best when we are at our ease. The states of dhyan and dharna are inferior to sahajawastha.

We are not doing any worship when we are making comparison with others, we should see how far we have progressed.

Your soul is Mahadev. Your intellect is Parvati. Your home is temple. Your walking and moving is performing parikrama. Your true and loving words are chanting of stotras. This is how Shankaracharya has defined the sahajawastha, the state of being at ease without breaks.

Those who do special worships are superior and those who are in the state of ease are inferior is not true.

Instead of focusing your mind at the tip of your nose you should look at the whole universe with kindness.

Raam Kaam means working for Rama. It means doing the following....
bridge the gaps in the society
search Sita
arrange for the medical treatment to some needy person

Kabir has also said 'Sadho Sahaj Samadhi Bhali'
The best state of meditation is to remain in the state of one's ease.

Two eyes means one vision, so twenty eyes means 10 visions.

Ravana has 10 visions.
The vision of knowledge - Gyan Drishti
The vision of fault finding - Dosh Drishti

The vision that divides - Bheda Drishti
The infinite vision - Apar Drishti
The vision of emotion - Bhaav Drishti
.......................

There can't be any good by kidnapping, there can be good by offering oneself to truth, compassion and love.

It is very obvious that Ravana has a vision that divides. He was born to Diti, diti means division.

Why there are temples of Rama? It is because he didn't have any jealousy towards his enemy. He asked Lakshamana to gain knowledge from Ravana when the latter was lying on his death bed. The world won't find any fault if Ravana is ended but the world will find fault if the knowledge that Ravana had also ends.

One should never go to preceptors with empty hands, one should have something to offer as sacrifice in the fire of knowledge. Hanuman gave some grass to Lakshamana when he approached Ravana for acquiring knowledge. This is an indication to the underlying principle.