Om aisvaryadaya namaha, Salutations to the Sun who is the giver of sovereignty.
glossary
aishwarya Hin. m. aishwaryam San. n. supremacy; divine majesty; grandeur; the kingly state, supreme dominion; superhuman quality; prosperity, wealth.
aisvaram-divine
aisvaram-opulences.
aisvaram-transcendental
aisvaram-of great personalities like Lord Siva and the great sage Saubhari.
aisvaram-supremacy
aisvarya-opulence
aisvarya-opulences
aisvarya-of opulence
aisvarya-material opulence
aisvarya-wealth and power
aisvarya-mystic opulences
aisvarya-miracle
aisvarya-divine power
aisvarya-the opulence
aisvarya-whose unlimited opulence
avyahata-aisvarya – without minimizing any potencies of absolute opulence (aisvaryasya samagrasya)
Ravanna, the trickster
Meanwhile, Ravanna made great efforts to inflict more pain on Sita. He commanded Vidhyut Jihva, an expert in magic, to make an artificial head like that of Rama, so that he could subject Sita to great anguish and sorrow. He also ordered him to make arrows, which were of the exact make as those of Rama. Vidhyut Jihva did as he was told. The head and arrows were placed in front of Sita. Ravanna then went to Sita and said: “Sita, see the fate of Rama. You have always set your hopes high on Rama. He is dead now.” Sita could not endure all this. She was filled with deep agony. She joined her hands and said: “Oh Ravanna! Do me the favour of chopping off my head and burning my body along with the head of Rama. I cannot survive without Rama. This is my last wish.” Sita started weeping. At that time Ravanna received the news from Indrajit that he should see him immediately to discuss an urgent matter, and Ravanna left the spot at once. Sarama, the wife of Vibhishana, said to Sita: “Mother, there is none in the world who can slay Sri Rama. Ravanna has many magicians who resort to trickery and deceit. The head of Rama is not the real head.
Ramachandra is safe and happy. This is simply an artificial head and you should not worry.” She then placed her hand on the artificial face of Rama; the head vanished instantly. On the second day, Ravanna came to Sita and said: “Sita! Rama is going to die in a few hours. You will be my Queen and my palace will be yours. No one can satisfactorily describe my wealth, my glory and my valour. I am omnipotent and omniscient. Make up your mind to marry me.” Sita plucked a blade of grass under her foot and said, “Ravanna, your wealth in comparison with Rama’s opulence is as small as this blade of grass. Rama is Immortal, Effulgent, Wise and Eternal. There is a world of difference between you and Rama. You are as low as this lowly blade of grass.” At these words of Sita, Ravanna became furious and screamed: “Sita, I am giving you only two months’ time; if you do not yield to me, my cook will come here, cut you up into pieces and serve you as a flavoured dish to me. I will eat your flesh. This is my last warning to you.” So saying, Ravanna withdrew.
The Kaivalyopanishad declares:
‘Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaike amritatvamanashuh’
Not by means of works, not by means of man-power or by means of wealth, by renunciation alone immortality can be attained. The works referred to are rituals like sacrifices, sacred fire rites, vows, charities, donations to holy projects, pilgrimages, ceremonial baths in rivers and the sea. Through such activities, one cannot achieve Moksha or Liberation – that is to say, getting rid of the veil of ignorance. Na prajayaa, (not by means of man-power) means: the acquisition of positions of authority and power, of skill and intelligence, which can manipulate men and things, of fame and supremacy, of personal charm, of full health and happiness, of a large family with many children cannot confer on man Moksha or Liberation.
“Na dhanena” (not by means of wealth) means: The works and activities mentioned above and the acquisition referred to can succeed only when man has wealth at his disposal. If one is not rich, he cannot venture into Karmas or acquire authority, power, etc. But the Upanishad announces that Jnana is not related to riches or dhana. And Jnana alone can lead to liberation. So, liberation cannot be earned by means of wealth. Wealth is not a means to attain Moksha.
Then, what exactly is the means? The answer is, Thyagena ekena amrthathwam aanasuh. Renunciation alone can confer Moksha or Immortality. The Jagath (the objective world) is unreal, non-existent; the misunderstanding that it is real has to be renounced. The understanding that the idea of jagath (the world, the galaxy, the Universe) is a superimposition by our mind on the Reality is the Jnana. Though the jagath appears real, one must be aware that it is deluding us so. And as a result, one has to give up the yearning for deriving pleasure from the objects that appear and attract, both here and hereafter. That is to say, one is liberated as soon as one renounces all attachment and all desires. Sarvam Thyaagam. The Ajnana or false knowledge can be destroyed only when one knows the Atma Principle. When the false knowledge disappears, the sorrow produced by one’s involvement in the ups and downs of Samsara or the World of Change, also gets destroyed.
Download 108 Names of Surya, the Sun
