Vijayadashami: The Divine Leela of Bhagwan Ram

A Speech by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on Vijayadashami

The Significance of Vijayadashami

Today, we celebrate Vijayadashami, the Day of Victory. When Bhagwan Ram achieved victory over Ravana, those who were on Ram’s side celebrated His triumph. But let us consider why the war between Ram and Ravana took place. It was because Ravana abducted Sita, Ram’s wife, His other half and His consort.

And why did Ravana abduct Sita? Because Ram had his sister, Shurpanakha’s, nose and ears cut off. Ravana abducted Sita to avenge the humiliation of his sister. Yet Ravana did not cut off Sita’s nose and ears, nor did he touch her with impure intentions. He kept her in Ashok Vatika, under the watch of the women guards. 

But why did Ram have Shurpanakha’s nose and ears cut off? This is where we must look at the divine Leela of Bhagwan Ram.

You may say that Ram had her nose and ears cut off because she had become infatuated with Him. But why? Is it a crime to become infatuated with Ram? Where is it written, from the Vedas to the Ramayana, that becoming enamoured of God is wrong? And even if someone has become infatuated with Him, what crime has that person committed?

Listen carefully. I am going to raise two questions. My words may sound strange or unconventional, but I am a eccentric man, and the whole world knows it!

Who Can Become Enchanted by God?

My first question is this: Who can become truly enchanted upon seeing God?

Only a Mahapurush, a great realised soul, can see God’s divine form and become completely captivated by Him. We, too, have seen Ram and Krishna countless times. Did we become enchanted by Them? No. Why not?

The Ramayana says, “Jaaki rahi bhavana jaisi, Prabhu murati dekhi tin taisi.” As is one’s inner disposition, so is the form in which one perceives the Lord.

We have also seen Ram, but what did we perceive? We saw Him as an ordinary human being. The divine consciousness and bliss that He embodies cannot be perceived through ordinary material vision. God’s divine form can be realised only when He bestows divine vision upon a soul. Even Arjuna could not see God’s divine form until God granted him that vision.

Our eyes are made of the five material elements and are meant to perceive the material world. God’s divine form is beyond the reach of these material eyes. Even the highest beings, such as Saraswati, Brihaspati and Brahma, cannot perceive God’s divine form through material vision alone.

When God bestows divine vision at the time of God-realisation, the devotee can perceive Him as He truly is. And once that divine form is seen, how could anyone remain unaffected by it?

Consider Kamadeva, by whose power the entire world becomes enchanted. Even he became overwhelmed upon seeing Shri Krishna. He fell down and could not continue looking at Him, so overcome was he by divine bliss.

Remember this principle: God can be seen only through God’s eyes. And how does one obtain God’s eyes? Through His grace. Upon whom does God bestow His grace? Upon the soul that completely surrenders to Him.

Why Did Shurpanakha Become Enchanted by Ram?

Now let us return to Shurpanakha. Countless demons had also seen Ram at King Janak’s court, but they did not become enchanted by Him. Instead, they perceived a terrifying cosmic form, with numerous faces and fire emanating from His mouth. He appeared frightening, with four heads, ten heads or even a thousand heads, to different people.

But Shurpanakha became enchanted by Ram. Why? Because Ram bestowed His grace upon her and gave her divine vision. That is why she became so deeply attracted to Him.

A soul who becomes enchanted by Ram is so precious that countless billions of universes could be sacrificed for that soul. And you call this a crime? What kind of crime is it?

Uma, Rama, and Brahmani, the consorts of the deities who govern the universe, abandoned their respective duties and became completely captivated by the sight of Shri Krishna. So what to speak of Surphanka!

The very purpose of our spiritual practice is to become completely absorbed in God. The Vedas call upon the soul to become devoted to Him, to love Him and to attain His divine abode through His grace. To become infatuated with the world is a form of bondage. But to become infatuated with God, what greater fortune could there be?

You may say that Shurpanakha was punished because she had become attached to Ram with the sentiment of a beloved. But what about the sages and Paramahansas who had also seen Ram and become completely enchanted by Him? They were men, too.

Why were their noses and ears not cut off? Lakshman was there with a knife, wasn’t he? Why did he spare them?

There were thousands of Paramahansas, and Ram granted them a boon. He told them that they would come as gopis in His next incarnation. When He incarnated as Krishna, He would become their beloved, and they would become His beloved.

Ram could have said something similar to Shurpanakha: “In this incarnation, I will remain faithful to one wife. This is My vow. If you wish to have Me as your husband, come as a gopi in the incarnation of Krishna.”

A similar incident occurred in the incarnation of Vaman Bhagwan. Raja Bali’s daughter became infatuated with Vaman Bhagwan, and He granted her a boon. She later appeared as Putana in Krishna’s incarnation. Although she came with the intention of killing God, she was ultimately granted Golok.

So, what crime had Shurpanakha committed? She had simply become infatuated with Ram. This is the question. This is the complaint.

The Divine Plan Behind Ram Leela

After her nose and ears were cut off, Shurpanakha went to Ravana in her wounded condition and showed him what had happened. She could have said, “Look, brother, see what that boy has done to your sister! Look at my condition!”

Ravana did not say, “Why did you go and fall in love with Him? It serves you right!” He could have told her that they would arrange her marriage somewhere else. But her heart had been irresistibly drawn to Ram.

Who in this entire world could see Ram and not become enchanted by Him? Ram Himself becomes enchanted upon seeing Himself!

This is all Ram Leela. But what is the deeper significance of this Leela?

Who was Ravana? He was not an ordinary soul. He was a great soul from God’s divine abode, associated with Jaya and Vijaya. God had a desire: to bring about the welfare of souls.

How could He accomplish this? By descending into the world, taking human form and having one of His own associates appear in the role of a demon. This gave Him a reason to act against that associate and reveal His divine pastimes to the world.

Otherwise, people might ask, “Why have You come here? Stay in Your own divine abode. This is our world.”

In this way, the Lord’s divine will brought about the circumstances through which Jaya and Vijaya assumed the roles assigned to them in His divine plan. When Sanak and the other great sages came to see the Lord, Jaya and Vijaya stopped them. Why did this happen? It was all part of the Lord’s divine plan. Jaya and Vijaya were to take birth as demons and serve Him by playing the role of His adversaries.

Whatever part God assigns to a soul must be performed completely and faithfully, just as He wishes. Cooperating in His divine Leela is itself an act of devotion. It is not necessarily an act of opposition to God.

Otherwise, who would agree to play such a role? A great soul would have to accept it, even knowing that his name would be disgraced throughout history.

Ravana’s effigy is burned year after year. Poor fellow! He was a great soul, an associate from Golok, who accepted the role assigned to him. Through that role, such a magnificent Ram Leela unfolded.

What Have We Received Through Ram Leela?

What benefit have we received from all this?

We have received the divine form of Bhagwan Ram, His name, His qualities, His Leela and His divine abode. We have received support for our spiritual practice. Through devotion, countless souls have attained God-realisation, and countless others continue to do so.

The events unfolded as a divine drama. The great gift to us is that God descended to earth and made His name, form, qualities, Leela and divine abode available to us. We should take advantage of this. That is all.

But let us return to the question of Shurpanakha. Was it right to cut off her nose and ears because she had become infatuated with Ram?

If that was right, then should the noses and ears of all those souls who attain God-realisation also be cut off? We should all begin to love God, behold His divine form and become completely enchanted by Him. Should we then have our noses and ears cut off before entering the divine abode?

Why should we make any effort, then? Countless souls love God, behold His divine form, fall deeply in love with Him and ultimately attain Golok. Should their noses and ears be cut off, too?

Tell me, how outrageous is the idea that if you fall in love with God, your nose and ears must be cut off?

This is God’s divine Leela!

The Different Purposes of the Ram and Krishna Incarnations

God says, “I am not God. I am an ordinary man, and I am a married man.”

A young woman approaches Him and says, “I want to love You.”God replies, “I have taken a vow to be devoted to one wife. I will not accept this.” And then He punishes her.

According to the standards of the world, this may seem right. But from the perspective of divine love, it raises a different question. If Ram is God, then Shurpanakha has committed no offence simply by becoming enchanted by Him. In that case, a lawsuit would have to be filed against God Himself!

But if Ram presents Himself as a human being, the son of Dasharath and a married man, then He has come to teach the world that a married man should not accept the advances of another woman or compromise his conduct. If she still does not listen, then her nose and ears are cut off.

This action must be understood from that particular perspective.

Bhagwan Ram came to promote grihastha ashram, the householder stage of life. Shri Krishna came with a different purpose. The Krishna incarnation was the Premavatar, the incarnation of divine love.

Shri Krishna openly declared, “I am God!” That is why, from the very beginning of His incarnation, He performed acts that revealed His divine nature. He escaped from prison with His father! Have you ever seen a movie in which a bandit does this? Usually, fathers flee with their sons. But here, the son escaped with His father as soon as He was born!

In other words, He was openly declaring, “I am God!”

In the Krishna incarnation, the principle was revealed that all souls are His beloveds and that He is the one divine Beloved of all. This is the principle He propagated.

Thus, in Ram’s incarnation, He presented Himself as a human being and upheld the ideals of the householder life. In Krishna’s incarnation, He openly revealed the principle of divine love.

Ravana Knew Who Ram Was

Even Ravana knew that Ram was no ordinary human being. He, too, was playing his assigned part.

Ravana knew that Khara and Dushana were as powerful as he was. No one but God could have killed them. He understood that God had come.

He decided to oppose Him and abduct Sita so that Ram would come to Lanka and kill him. In this way, Ravana could return to God’s abode, the very place from which he had come. All this was part of the planned arrangement between Ram and Ravana within the divine Leela.

Consider the exchange between Ram and Hanuman Ji. Ram asks Hanuman, “Who are you?” And Hanuman asks Ram, “Who are You? Are You Brahma, Vishnu or Shankar?”

Imagine! Hanuman Ji, who tears open his chest to reveal that Sita and Ram are eternally present in his heart, asks Ram, “Who are You?”

Ram, too, asks Hanuman, “Who are you?” Both are playing their parts, pretending not to know.

Hanuman Ji then says, “Oh, I see! You are trying to fool me by asking who I am. Why are You asking me who You are? You are God!”

Ram winks at him, indicating, “I am not God. I am only a human being who has come in an incarnation. That is why I am asking you.”

This is the divine drama played by great souls.

Great souls understand these things, but ordinary people are fooled by the outward appearance of events. We read or hear these accounts and simply accept them, saying, “Yes, that is how it is. He is a demon, etc” We do not understand the deeper significance of the divine Leela.

Enjoy the Sweetness of Divine Leela

One must never harbour ill feelings towards anyone. It is God’s divine Leela (pastimes).

Enjoy the sweetness of these pastimes. Do not rack your brains over them. Do not apply your limited intellect unnecessarily to the divine Leela of Bhagwan Rami.

Siyavar Ramchandra ki Jai

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like Prem Ras Madira, Prem Ras Siddhant, and Radha Govind Geet to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharaj Ji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education. To stay updated with all the news and events of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, visit www.jkp.org.in/jkpwhatsapp.