There is a lot of excitement in the nation about the Ram temple in Ayodhya. This is because it is a 500-year aspiration. There is a substantial and intricate history to the temple that most people who are just looking at news channels may not understand. The temple is important because, in many ways, for many people in the country, Ram is their spirit. So, this is not just another temple. Ram and Ramayana have been so much a part of the Indian ethos that it is almost like a resurrection of a damaged national spirit. But why Ram now?
In history, the people who are remembered are those who overcame disasters or those who inspired people to rise beyond their limitations. Even after nearly 7,000 years, Rama is remembered because he inspired people towards righteousness, truthfulness, and being compassionate to each other for thousands of generations.
How can a person inspire? If you look at the story of Rama’s life – everyone knows Ramayana, at least the main events, if not the whole story – Ram had to withstand a series of disasters. From losing his kingdom to losing his wife, sending his wife to the forest again, not seeing his children, then trying to kill them on the battlefield not knowing who they were – a terrible life. Then why so much enthusiasm about him? Because through all these disasters, he remained unfazed. He never allowed any situation to bring angst, anger or hatred into him, and he did what was needed. After he finished his battle in Lanka, he wanted to do penance for the sin of war and the number of lives that it took. Though he thought the war was worthwhile, there was still regret at having shed blood – particularly of Ravana, because he was a great devotee of Shiva.
This is a civilisation that considers mukti or liberation as the highest value. That means when you are alive, you are free from everything. You are not withdrawn; you are active but free. You are not in a cocoon of protection. He was out in the world, even fighting a battle, but without angst, anger, and hatred against the enemy he was fighting – this is what he displayed. This is the quality we are bowing down to. This is why we call him, Maryada Purushottam. We are not calling him a god. Purushottam literally means a very superior human being. Maryada Purushottam means one who deserves everyone’s respect. You may like him or not but his qualities are such that you must respect him. If you can be like this in your life, you also become a Maryada Purushottam.
This is a civilisation where no one descended from heaven. This is a civilisation where human beings can rise to become divine. We nurture gods among ourselves, within ourselves. This is the possibility of yoga and other spiritual processes. And this is important not just for Bharat but for the world.
So, the Ram temple is essentially a civilisational reclamation. It is a civilisational aspect of moving from simplistic belief systems of “there is a god somewhere who will take care of everything for us” or “He will take us to heaven” to that of individual human beings working for their liberation. It is about trying to transcend the limitations of our physiological and psychological processes so that even when we are alive here, we know how to be beyond that. If you do this in your life, you also become a Maryada Purushottam. The Ram temple and similar structures that represent this quality are important because people need iconic representations to aspire for it.
The writer is founder, Isha Foundation
The Ram temple is essentially a civilisational reclamation
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17
07.02.2024
There is a lot of excitement in the nation about the Ram temple in Ayodhya. This is because it is a 500-year aspiration. There is a substantial and intricate history to the temple that most people who are just looking at news channels may not understand. The temple is important because, in many ways, for many people in the country, Ram is their spirit. So, this is not just another temple. Ram and Ramayana have been so much a part of the Indian ethos that it is almost like a resurrection of a damaged national spirit. But why Ram now?
In history, the people who are remembered are those who overcame disasters or those who inspired people to rise beyond their limitations. Even after nearly 7,000 years, Rama is remembered because he inspired people towards righteousness, truthfulness, and being compassionate to each other for thousands of generations.
How can a person........
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