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"Ramayanam” to me is not simply Rama’s Ayanam alone; it is a thirst for “Ra Mayanam” also. ‘Ra’ is night, which stands for darkness and ‘darkness’ is symbolic of Ignorance, Maya. Hence ‘Ramayanam’ means, ‘Ignorance should end’. When night ends, the day dawns, and when day dawns, there is light. Light is knowledge – ‘jnana’ and the ultimate ‘jnana’ is knowledge about oneself – “Self-realisation”. Jnana opens the inner gate to the Eternal truth – “Aham Brahmasmi”, and then unfolds the next petal ‘Brahmaivahamasmi’. This Self-realisation kindles “Vinaya”, the blissful humility, in the ‘Being of a man’. And ‘Vinaya’ elevates Man to “Semi-God” – the Ideal Man – or ‘The Man’. Valmiki was describing this “Man” when he wrote Ramayana. Through the whole Saga of Sreerama, the great poet raises before our mind’s eye, the glorious image of this Ideal Man, the long story of his pangs, his sufferings, through which Rama achieves self-realisation, at the end. Ramayanam to me is this search through the darkness of night to the light of dawn.
Dr. P. K. Warrier,
Arya Vaidya Shala,
Kottakal
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