Thread by @AdiShloka

Ayodhyā-Kāṇḍa~Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa:

There is something special about devotion that makes devotees seek it to the exclusion of all else.

What is it?

It is said,
चतुर्विधपुरुषार्थानुपेक्ष्य भगवच्चरणारविन्दरतिरूपा॥

(1/20)

#ŚrīRāmacaritamānasa
#ŚrīRāmaJāyāṃ

"Being indifferent to the fourfold goals of life it is of the nature of revelling in the (service to the) lotus feet of Paramātmā."

Đ fourfold human goals of life are; Dhārma (virtuous acts that lead to heaven),
Arthā (sources of security including wealth),
Kāma (pleasures),

&
Mokṣa (Liberation).
The devotee rejects these & considers Nothing greater than Devotion.

Arthā :
What do we want in Life?
The first thing we seek is to feel secure.
That is meant by Arthā.
The basic need is for physical security, in terms of
Food,
Clothing &
Shelter.

As soon as you arrive at the āśrama for a camp,
The first thing you enquire is, “Which is my room?”
As soon as we board a train we secure ‘our seat’,
& then look around for some thing to eat.
Money is required to satisfy these fundamental needs, hence it is called Arthā.

Since a sense of security is a mental state,
a person could feel Insecure despite plenty of Wealth.
We also want to be Financially secure,
& therefore, make retirement plans in order to have enough wealth in our old age.
Unfortunately,
people Never plan what to do with the time

available in old Age!
Arthā is used in a broad sense of security,
But primarily it implies physical security attained through Wealth.

Kāma:
When to an extent we feel secure, in other words,
having enough wealth to satisfy our basic needs,
We think of Pleasures.
We wish to make

our life more comfortable by having more conveniences.
It normally means having more men & machines to do everything for us so that we can avoid physical work.

Are there not ‘roti’ machines which knead the dough, flatten d rotis & roast them?
Mixers,
Grinders,
Washing machines,

Dishwashers,
Vacuum cleaners…
The list is Endless.

Voice mails/messages eliminate the need to type our letters.
Then what do we do with the extra time & energy available?
Most people indulge in more pleasures or idle away their time.

Since our limbs get little or no exercise,

We develop aches & pains
& visit doctors who pump us with pills.
We then buy treadmills, or join health clubs to work out!

All this could be avoided if we did our own work ourselves.
We get used to conveniences & feel lost without them.

Dhārma:
Once a person feels secure & has

certain level of Comforts & Luxuries,
He thinks of doing good for himself and for Others.
Most people do Not appreciate the deeper meaning of Dhārma;

They just want to collect maximum possible merit so that their lives here & hereafter Improves.
Just as they make money for

Security (Arthā) & Pleasures (Kāma),
Here too they earn Merit (Puṇya) to pay their way to an enjoyable ‘Hereafter’.

Mokṣa:
Amongst the 4 goals of human life, Liberation is considered the highest (Parama Puruṣārtha).
It is understood as release from d cycle of Birth & Death.

All my troubles started with my birth.
If I were Not born,
There would have been no trouble to myself or to others because of me.
Also it is Not necessary that each time I am Reborn I will be a human being.
I could be born as a dog or a frog.

The possibilities are Infinite.

Imagine the suffering that I would have to undergo then.
I do not want that.
So I pray,

पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं पुनरपि जननीजठरे शयनम्।
इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे॥
(भज गोविन्दम्-२१)
“I am caught up in this difficult to cross cycle of transmigration.

O Bhagavān, please do protect me; do release me from it."
A True devotee is Not concerned with any of the above goals,
as he feels secure (Arthā) in his love for Paramātmā
& in Paramātmā’s love for him.

Loving Him is all the pleasure (Kāma) he seeks.

That alone is for him the Highest virtue & good (Dhārma).
He does Not mind being Born again & again as long as his love for Paramātmā keeps Growing.

Bharata was the loving brother of Śrī Rāma.
Tulasīdāsa says that there
was not,
is not
& Never
will be a brother like him.

He had the highest regard for Bharata & said that were it not for Bharata,
who would have taken him to Śrī Rāma?
The whole world remembers Śrī Rāma,
But He remembered Bharata all the time.
Such was the Glory of Bharata.

In the Ayodhyā-Kāṇḍa,
It is described that Bharata was on his way to meet Śrī Rāma at Chitrakoot.
He reaches the tīrtha-rāja Prayag (the king amongst holy places).

There at the holy confluence of the 3 great rivers Ganga, Yamuna & Saraswati (Triveṇi Sangam)

He Prays,
अरथ न धरम न काम रुचि गति न चहउँ निरबान।
जनम जनम रति राम पद यह बरदानु न आन॥
(श्रीरामचरितमानस-२·२०४)
"I do Not desire Wealth or Power (Arthā) which gives a false feeling of security,
Nor
Pleasures & Comforts (Kāma),
Nor
Merits that would take me to Swarg (Dhārma),

Nor
Liberation (Mokṣa).
I want only one Varadaan (Blessing).
May my Heart be filled with Love for the Lotus feet of Śrī Rāma."

Such devotion is Extraordinary.

The devotee expects Nothing in return for his Love.

True love is Not something to be encashed upon in terms of Material gains or heavenly Pleasures.
That becomes a Business Transaction.

Love should be for the Sake of love Alone.
That is Devotion.

llहरी ॐ तत् सत्ll

।।श्री रामा जयम।।
।।Śrī Rāma Jāyāṃ।।🙏