Ram Vijaya-Introduction And Chapter 1.

Dear readers
Sai Blessed Ram Navami to all .
It gives me immense joy in sharing ,for the first time ,one of the most divine and revered book of our Hindu Religion “Ram Vijaya” through this blessed site of Baba.The glory and divinity of the book is well known. This book is read by devotees of Lord Rama from time to time and especially during Vijaya Dashmi, popularly known as Dushara.

Baba’s children are not only active in practicing the teaching of Baba in their day to day life ,they are also desirous and ready to undertake all the rituals Baba mentioned in the holy book ‘Shri Sai Satcharitra’.Besides His instruction and teaching Sai Baba advised His devotee to read the Holy books and explained the benefits of these books .These books were Vishnu Sahastra Nama, Shri Eknath Maharaj, viz., Bhagwat and Bhawartha Ramayana, Jnaneshwari,Ram Vijaya etc

On this auspicious occasion Baba blessed me to come in contact with another ardent Sai bhakt Shri Sankar Kumar Ji through N.R.Jayaraman ji. We all know that N.R.Jayaraman uncle alias Shantipriya is a devoted soul who is untiringly translating all the article from Shirdisaibabakripa and publishing it in Tamil website for benefit of Tamil readers past so many years. Sankar Kumar ji has joined our team in serving Baba by translating Baba’s stories and article in Tamil and in turn helping Jayaram Uncle in his work .

During his interaction with Sankar kumar ji ,Jayaram uncle learnt the desire of Sankar kumar ji to share Ram Vijaya and made me aware about the same. I was speechless and in high bliss ,as I too was highly desirous of reading this pious book for a very long and considered this as direct blessing of Baba . What could be more appropriate occasion than the RamNavami to publish this revered book. This is the blessing of Baba which made this happen. The book will satiate the thrust of the devotees.
I would like to let the reader know that this book will be published chapter by chapter each day .The same book 'Ram Vijaya' is also translated in Tamil and is simultaneously getting published today in Tamil sister website .Readers desirous of reading in Tamil can click Here.

Below are few excerpts from Shri Sai Satcharitra and various resources on the importance of Ram Vijaya and its reference as said by Sai Baba.


Reference Of Ram Vijaya:

• Baba recommended sapthas, repeating God’s name day and night and also reading religious books completely in one-week intervals. (Chapter 31) (Baba had recommended Vijayanand Swami to do 3 sapthas of Bhagwat. He had also asked him to read “Rama-Vijaya”. Baba had several devotees read different religious books in his presence as well as in the wada. Radhakrishna Ayi used to organize namasapthas at Rama Navami time.)
• Before death mind should be withdrawn from worldly things, fixed on matters spiritual so that future progress is easy and natural.Baba made devotees read Rama-Vijaya as their end of life approached. So to set an example for us, Baba had Mr. Vaze read “Rama Vijayam” 3 times. The 1st reading was done in 1 week, 2nd in 3 days. Then again 3rd reading was done in 3 days. (Chapter 43/44)
• So how can we become free of fear and prepare for our certain demise? The technique is given to us by Sai Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji. Just before Sai Baba breathed his last, 'Rama Vijaya' was read during 9th, 10th and 11th day of Dashara within Baba's hearing. He also sent word to another Muslim saint in these terms: "The light that Allah lit, he is taking away".

Dear readers the detail of the work would remain incomplete if I fail to introduce the blessed devotee of Baba Shri Sankar Kumar ji who has witnessed Baba’s love and blessing in his life and has come forward to share this divine book'Ram Vijaya' with all of us .Sankar Kumar ji has given details of how this work was blessed by Sai Baba to him followed by the introduction and detail of the author of the book 'Ram Vijaya'- Shri Shridhur Swami ji and than "First chapter" of the book “ Ram Vijaya’.

Laying my head at the holy feet of our father Sai I thank Him for blessing us with this divine book and enriching us with various resources which devotees are sharing through this website.I would also like thank N.R.Jayaraman uncle and Shri Sankar Kumar ji for their relentless efforts and their services to Baba.Baba bless each and everyone .Jai Sai Ram
Manisha.

Introduction By Sankar Kumar Ji:

Dear Manisha’ji,
Sairam. Let me just introduce myself as a simple Sai devotee. I used to visit ‘Ask SaiBaba’ site to clear my occasional doubts. At one such instance, I got this reply: ‘Read Ramavijaya . Your problem will be solved in 14 days.

Now, I have heard about Rama Vijaya already. In the 31st chapter of ‘Sai Sathcharitra’ there is an instance where Baba instructed a Madaras based saint Vijayanand to read Rama Vijaya during his last days and there are such references in other chapters too. In fact, in Ch: 43, before His passing away, Baaba Himself “asked one of His devotees, Mr.Vaze to read Rama vijaya to Him., Mr.Vaze read the book once in the week. Then, Baba asked him to read the same again day and night, and he finished the second reading in three days. Thus eleven days passed. Then, again he read for three days and was exhausted. So Baba let him go and kept Himself quiet’ .

So, I searched for this sacred book in the internet. After an arduous search, I was able to get an English translation of this book and completed the reading in 14 days. It was very satisfying. Although I have read Valmiki, kambar and Tulsi Ramayan already, I felt that the various incidents, which were mentioned here and there in those books, were all clearly explained in detail in simple terms.

In January 2012 after visiting Shirdi, I went to Pandharpur and observed the simpleton Marathis reading a book reverentially. On enquiry, I was astonished to learn that it was Rama Vijaya! As there is no direct translation of this text in Tamil, I decided to do the translation and asked Baba for His permission, which I readily got! The result is this humble translation.

I am also inclosing a small report on the original author of this Shri.Shridhur Swami ji.

Introduction Of Author Shridhur Swami Ji:

Ramdas died in 1681 at the age of 73. Two years before his death was born at Nazre, near the holy city of Pandharpur, one who may claim to be the most universally popular of all Maratha poets, viz., Shridhur, the son of a pious Deshaste, Brahman.

There is no Maratha poet who equals Shridhur in the acceptance he obtains from all classes.
The Brahman may prefer Moropant, the Kunbi may prefer Tukaram, but both will put Shridhur next to them, and each will prefer Shridhur to the poet most acceptable to the other.

Go to any town or village in the Deccan or in the Konkan, especially during the rainy season, and you will everywhere find the pious Maratha enjoying with his family and friends, the recitation of the Pothi of Shridhur—and enjoying it indeed.Except an occasional gentle laugh, a sigh, or a tear not a sound disturbs the rapt silence of the audience, unless when some one or other of those passages of supreme pathos are reached which affect the whole of the listeners simultaneously with an outburst of emotion, which drowns the voice of the reader.

Such is the current testimony which may be now obtained every day to the power of this great poet, and before such evidence as this the voice of criticism must die away.

Shridhur tells us that he wrote his poems for the benefit of the weaker sex, "that Sex sensitive," as the king who has been indifferently called the British Solomon and the wisest fool in Christendom described them, who were uneducated and ignorant of Sanskrit.

Up to the time of Shridhur the Pandits were the sole repositories of learning and knowledge so called, and the privileged expounders of the Puranic legends.

But when Shridhur gave to the people to their intense delight, in the popular Marathi, the stories of the great Ramayana and the Mahabharat, the monopoly of the Pandit disappeared. The epoch is worth noticing, but Shridhur cannot be mentioned as an original writer with Tukaram and Ramdas.

At the end of the first chapter or canto of his most popular poem, "Rama Vijaya," Shridhur makes a few useful observations on the value of the Marathi tongue.

:—" The Pandits should not neglect this poem because it is written in Prakrit (people's) language. Where the subject treated of is the same whether written in Marathi or Sanskrit, the meaning must be the same, as a river which is on one bank called the Krishna, and on the other the Vena has, nevertheless, the same water flowing against both banks.

"And women do not understand Sanskrit, and in this respect their helplessness may be likened to that of a weak person distressed with thirst, standing at the mouth of a deep well. Now if that person has not a rope and pot, how will he draw water to quench his thirst? Whereas, if he comes to a tank he can quench his thirst at once. In the same way to quench the thirst of the weaker sex and lead them into the path of salvation the Almighty has ordained that works should be composed in the Prakrit tongue.

It is true that the original story of Rama being in Sanskrit, it is better to pursue it in Sanskrit. But the weaker sex cannot roaster that language any more than an elephant can be restrained by a rope made out of the fibers of a lotus. The old language is revered by all, but it is so difficult that those only who are fortunate enough to be specially gifted can thoroughly understand it; and if the weaker sex cannot understand it, how will they be saved?

The rich dress in costly raiment. The poor cover their bodies with blankets and thus protect themselves from heat and cold. Such is the case of Sanskrit and Prakrit. Sanskrit may be compared to the wondrous orb of the moon, and Prakrit to its light; for though the Pandits praise the Sanskrit to the skies they are obliged to expound it in the popular vernacular to the people."

Shridhur has composed the "Triumph of Rama" and the Triumph of the Pandavs,in 1712 and the wonders of Shiv in 171 P. He died in 1728 at the age of 60.

An adaptation of the Ramayana story composed in 9147 ovi stanzas. The poet drew his material from 19 previous Ramayana texts and occasionally added episodes from other sources as well.

With this introduction, let me submit the translations in English and Tamil for the benefit of our Sai devotees. The original is one long poem but I have divided them into small chapters for the convenience of reading pleasure.

RAMAVIJAYA.

THE MYTHOLOGICAL HISTORY OF RAMA. 

[Originally composed by Sri Sridhara Swami]

Powlasti, a son of Bramhadev* was married to Deva- varni, and he had a son called Vaishrava. A daughter of Bharadwaja, a rishi, was given away in marriage to Vaishrava; and she had a son called Kuber. Bramhadev had created Lanka and given it to Kuber.

While Kuber was ruling there, a demon came from Pathal in the form of a Brahman and became very jealous of him. The demon said to himself, " Lanka is my country and this man has no right to rule here. " So saying to himself he gave away his daughter, Kakesi, in marriage to Vishrava with a view to drive out Kuber of his country, Lanka, with the help of the sons who would be born to her by him.

Vaishrava had got by Kakesi three demons, Ravana, Kumbha-karna, and Vibhishana and two demonesses, Tataka and Surpanakha. Ravana and his brothers went to Gokarna, where they performed severe penances. Siva was propitiated by Ravana, Bramhadev by Kumbhakarna, and Vishnu by Vibhishana. Bramhadev was pleased with them and called upon them to ask him for blessings.

Ravana was blessed with a power to imprison all gods and also with wealth and learning. Kumbhakarna wanted such a blessing from Bramhadev as would enable him to devour heaven and earth. All the gods were, therefore, alarmed and prayed to the goddess, Saraswati, who induced the demon to ask the god for sleep. Bramhadev blessed him with sleep, saying that the demon would rise every six months to eat his meals and indulge in all other luxuries. Vibhishana,was blessed with a power to pray always to Vishnu.

Ravana and Kumbhakarana then collected all demons including Kharadushana and Trishira and march ed against Kuber to conquer Lanka. They fought with Kuber with bravery, but the latter repulsed them with heavy loss.

Ravana then went to Vaishrava and brought his letter to Kuber asking him to give Lanka to the demon without any resistance. On reading the letter from his father he gave the country to Ravana and proceeded to heaven by a Viman*.[* A conveynance or a chariot serving as a throne through the skies, self -directed and self -moving.]

Mayasur, a demon, gave away his daughter, Mandodari, in marriage to Ravana. Pirghajwala, a grand-daughter of Bali, was married to Kumbhakarna, and Sharma, a daughter of a Gandharva[A demi-god.] to Vibhishana.

Ravana conquered all countries and devoured a large number of Brahmans and cows. He robbed Kuber of his treasure and oppressed all other people. He had eight thousand wives, one lac of sons and one lac and twenty thousand grand-sons. He had eighteen kshoyanis^ [One kshoyani consists of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 1^09,350 foot, and 65,610 horses.] of musicians, who entertained him with music.

All kings were his slaves, and eight thousand torches lighted his sabha [A court.] every night.
All mountains for fear of Indra^[The king of the gods.]prayed to Ravana for protection, who told them to become elephants. They accordingly became elephants whom he engaged as his servants. He then marched against Indra with his eldest son, Meghanand. A severe battle took place between the gods and the demons, but the former were defeated by the latter. In that battle Meghanand flung down Indra with his hairawati[Indra’s elephant] and hence he was called India jit, the conquerer of Indra.

All the gods were seized by Ravana and released on the condition that they should serve him in his household in different capacities. All the gods became his slaves ; Indra served him as his butler, Chandra held a chatra*[* A large and lofty parasol,]over him, Kuber and Anil cleaned and washed all the things in his house. Agni served him as his washerman, and Gabhasti as his page. Brahaspati was his pleader, Bramhadev his priest, and Narada always entertained him with singing.

Ravana became a great favourite of Siva ; and by his blessing he had got ten faces and twenty hands. One day he, proud of his prosperity, went by his viman to Kailasa, the place of Siva, when Nandi^[The bull on which Siva rides.] who was guarding the door of the abode in which the god lived, prevented him from entering it. The demon was greatly insulted at the conduct of Nandi, and said " I do not care a fig of thee and thy master." So saying he began to force his way in, when Siva cursed him and said to him, " A human being and monkeys will kill thee in a battle."

Enraged at this curse he tried to pull off the mountain on which the abode of Siva stood with a view to carry it to Lanka, when the god pressed it in such a manner that the domon-king was confined to it for one thousand years. He always cried and prayed to Siva during the time for his release.One day the god pitied him and set him free.

Chapter 2 to be Continued...

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