Many devotees of Lord Ram, saints and sages have composed many Ramayana texts in different times in India and abroad
This is Part 1 of this Article where we briefly discuss two Ramayan :
- It is very difficult to count how many Ramayanas are there in the whole world because in every country and every state of India, there are versions of Ramayana available in their local languages which have been translated by some devotee.
- All the famous Ramayana texts mentioned in this article are easily available online. Some local language Ramayanas were written by great poets, some by sages and some by Brahmin scholars.
- In this article series, those Ramayanas are discussed which have some unheard of story, which interesting, Informative and useful.
- This article is part 1, in this we will know about Bhushundi Ramayana and Adhyatma Ramayana
Bhushundi Ramayan
- Among the various Ramayana texts found till now, Bhushundi Ramayana is the most detailed and one of the oldest Ramayanas.
- In the Sanskrit manuscripts that are available, two more names have been given for Bhushundi Ramayana – Brahma Ramayana and Adi Ramayana. Brahma Ji narrated this Ramayana story to Bhushundi Ji, hence it is famous and popular by the name Bhushundi Ramayana.
- Ramcharitmanas and Valmiki Ramayana have Bal Kand, Ayodhya Kand, Sundar Kand etc., in Bhushundi Ramayana the entire story is divided into four khandas (parts) – East, West, South, and North Khand.
Bhushundi Ramayana – Why the name?
- The dialogue between Brahma and Bhushundi is “Bhushundi Ramayana”. It is not clear whether the great scholar and Ram devotee Kak Bhushundi, who is in the form of a crow and about whom it is mentioned in Ramcharitmanas, is the same Bhushundi or not, both seem to be same but In Ramcharitmanas Kak Bhushundi is answering questions of Garud.
- Bhushundi became a crow due to the curse of sage Lomash (because of arguing with his guru). But due to his devotion towards Lord Rama and the mercy of his guru, he was blessed with the boon that his knowledge would not be lost, and he can take any form. He mentioned to Garud ji in Ramcharitmanas that it was his own choice to remain as crow, because this body gave him closeness to Lord Ram.
- Goswami Tulsidas has mentioned the Kak bhushundi as Ramayan orator, He answered many questions of Garudaji in Ramcharitmanas. Garud has doubt about Shri Ram as God -after freeing Lord Ram and Laxman Ji from the snake’s noose, to resolve it he went to Shankar Ji, then Shankar Ji sent him to Kak Bhushundi Ji.
- A huge Yagya was organized in Brahma Lok, where all the Gods were present, on expressing curiosity about their Bhushundi, Brahma Ji told –
- Bhushunda was born from the union of the very fearsome sister of Kaal named Kalkantika and the Sun God. He was a great warrior who wore the guise of a crow.
- Having received a boon from Brahma, Kak bhushunda became invincible and terrorised the Tribhuvan (all worlds). The troubled gods then prayed to Brahma Ji to solve this problem, then Brahma Ji himself went to meet Bhushunda* .
- Brahma Ji explained in various ways, told the glory of Lord Rama and also said that this world has been created to give happiness to Ram devotees, if devotees, sages will be unhappy then Ram Ji will be angry… then Bhushunda Ji after understanding requested Brahma Ji to know the character of Lord Rama* .
* This story of Bhushunda is not in Ramcharitmanas
Some important features and exclusive stories of Bhushundi Ramayana
- This huge text has 36000 verses and till now many researchers have not been able to find out who is the author of Bhushundi Ramayana.
- There are many such examples, which suggest that Goswami Tulsidas ji was influenced by the great book Bhushundi Ramayana, and he included many incidents in Ramcharit Manas from Bhushundi Ramayan with judiciousness. However, in Bhushundi Ramayana, the love and affection towards God is predominant, whereas in Ramcharitmanas, God’s Grandeur, Glory and and devotion towards him is the predominant sentiment.
- There is a very detailed description on how the river Sarayu originated and its spiritual significance, which is not found in other Ramayanas.
- After giving the title of crown prince to Ram ji and entrusting him with all the responsibilities, King Dasharatha along with Queen Kaikeyi and sages goes to visit all the pilgrimage places on earth. The description of Dasharatha’s pilgrimage is written in 47 chapters. Such a detailed pilgrimage (teerth yatra) of King Dashrath is not found in any other Ramayana. This Ramayana provides most detailed descriptions of all Pilgrimage locations on earth, their importance this is not mentioned in other Ramayans.
- The management and governance of the Ayodhya state through Ram Ji’s Paduka and Paduka- Kavach is also special in Bhushundi Ramayana and there are many unheard stories in which Padukas protected the people of Ayodhya from natural calamities and invaders.
Some unheard stories of Bhushundi Ramayana
1) Child Rama’s stay in the Saryu neutral Gop region and Ravana’s attempt to kill him:
After Ram’s avtar in Ayodhya, being born, Devarshi Narad went to Lanka and told Ravana, “Due to the prayers of the devtas (angels), your destroyer has been born. Take quick measures to save yourself from him, otherwise when the enemy grows bigger, all your efforts to defend yourself will go in vain.” Saying this he left for Brahmaloka. Ravana was initially very frightened after learning this, but after seriously thinking over the entire situation he said, I will sacrifice my head at the feet of Shiva and obtain immense power from his blessing. Then I will uproot the Vaishnavas and destroy the Gods and throw them out of heaven. Let us see what Vishnu (Shri Ram) does.”
He ordered the demon commanders to implement his plan immediately. The whole world started trembling due to their atrocities. The gods fled from heaven and hid in the mountain caves. Some came to King Dasharath and narrated the story.
In his old age, he became anxious about the safety of his four sons. Thinking that it was unlikely that his sons would be protected in Ayodhya, he secretly sent all the four children to Sukhit Gopa’s house in Kamika forest across the Saryu. His wife Mangalya raised them with great affection. They used to play various types of fascinating games with the Gopa children while grazing the cows. Somehow Ravana came to know about this. He sent many disguised demons to kill them. But Ram killed them all.
During these days, Dasharath once organized a Vishnu Yagya, which made Indra angry thinking it to be an insult to him and he caused heavy rains and tried to flood Ayodhya city. Ram protected Saket Puri and the adjoining Gop Pradesh by wearing a cloud-proof umbrella. After becoming adults, the four brothers came to Ayodhya from Gop Pradesh.
2) Ramgeeta Mahopakhyan
Ramgeeta is in Purvakhand in Bhusundi Ramayana. Under this, devotional teachings given by Shri Ram to the Gopis have been kept. The context is as follows – For the sake of enjoying the incarnation of Paratpar Brahma God Ram) , 16 thousand Sages living in Dandakaranya (Forest), As per the pre-planned plan, these sages were born as a gopi’s in Braj-pradesh. They performed severe penance to get Ram as their husband. Among them, Sahajanandini, daughter of Nandan and Rajini, was the most prominent. Pleased with the devotion of the gopis, Ram said- In my this avtar I have vowed to have one wife. So if you wish to obtain me, you need to worship sita. They pleased sita with worship and got their wishes fulfilled.
The Maharas began. Shiva came to Ayodhya from Kailash to witness this divine Ras. But the Leela Yojika Gopika unknowingly disobeyed him. Angered by this, Shiva cursed them that you all will soon suffer from the pain of separation from Leela Vihari Ram. Saying this, Shiva went to Ram and praised him with great emotion. While leaving, he told Ram about the curse and started asking forgiveness from him for the pain his followers had to face. Ram said, ‘Devdev! Your curse will help in the success of my incarnation. Therefore, it is completely in accordance with my wish.’ Thereafter, while telling the gopis the way to get rid of the possible sorrow caused by separation, he said, ‘You people can easily establish oneness with me even in the absence of direct contact. Everything that you see around is me, Through worship and meditation you can remain absorbed in my eternal pastimes day and night. The eternal abode is full of bliss. Only a seeker has the right to enter it, whether he is a Nirgun Marg saint or a Sagun worshipper devotee. Though by taking support of any one of the means for devotion one can attain Akshardham, but Raasdhyan is the easiest way. Through these important teachings of Ram Geeta, the gopis were enlightened and anxiety arising due to future separation was dispelled. (Bhushundi Ramayan, Poorvkhand, Adhyay 44 to 59)
3) Sita Ji’s Birth
Sunayana, wife of Mithila King Janak, worshiped Mahalakshmi to get Sita, the eternal companion of the Supreme Being, as her daughter. As a result, Mahalakshmi herself took the form of four daughters. She appeared on Navami in Shuklapaksha of Vaishakh month. When the Yajnavedi was plowed with a golden plough, Sita emerged from the yagya-vedi with nine Sakhis (companions) named – Triguna, Kamleshi, Gandaki, Adyavarini, Dyumna, Ghoshwati, Vanaghosha, Swayamlakshmi and Kaushiki. Along with them, Urmila, Mandavi and Shrutikirti also appeared. Sita and Urmila were situated in the middle. Mandavi was seated on Sita’s left and Shrutikirti on her right. On receiving the news of the birth of daughters in King Janak’s house, the sages gathered. At that time, the mother Earth appeared in person and introduced Sita to Janak and said, ‘She is Mahalakshmi herself, who has incarnated in your house in four forms, Her name is Sita, I give them to you please protect them. They are the beloved of Rasikendra Purushottam Ram.’ Saying this, the mother earth disappeared.
The nine sakhis (friends) born with Sita introduced themselves to King Janak. Triguna said, “I am Sita’s eternal friend. Just as you are her father, so mine too. Kamleshi said, “I am Kamleshi, the daughter of Mandaraachal and I am her eternal friend and you are my father.” Gandaki said, ‘I am the great river Gandaki in the rocky area of Shaligram and being the eternal friend of Sahaja (Sita), I am your daughter.’ Adyavarini said, ‘I am the river Adyavarini, the friend of Sita. You are my father.’ Dyumna said, ‘I am Dyumna river, Sita’s friend, you are my father.’ Ghoshvati said, ‘I am Ghoshvati river, daughter of Tapan mountain. You are my father as you are Sita’s constant friend.’Vanaghosha said, ‘I am the river Vanaghosha, daughter of Uttar Shail.’ Lakshmi said, ‘I am her eternal friend born from Sita’s body. Ram is the husband of both of us.’ Kaushiki said, ‘I am the daughter of King Kushik and friend of Sita. In this way, everyone declared themselves to be Sita’s eternal friend and accepted Janak as their father due to the same relation. (Bhushundi Ramayan, Paschimkhand, Chapters 6 to 16).
Adhyatm Ramayan
Aadhyaatma Ramayan – Why the name?
Meaning of spirituality (Adhyatm):
In the Bhagavad Gita, God says, “To know the nature of the soul is spirituality” (the study of the soul), that is, we should abandon materialistic thinking and turn our thoughts inward, and contemplate on the soul… And since Shri Ram is the soul of everyone, the Supreme soul, then leaving aside the thoughts of the world, thinking about one’s own soul or thinking about God is spirituality.
Adhyatma Ramayana is considered to be under the Uttara Khanda of Brahmanda Purana, hence the author is Lord Veda Vyas, Adhyatma Ramayana is narrated by Lord Shankar to Mother Parvati. It has about 4200 verses (printed from Geeta Press).
In Adhyatma Ramayana, spiritual teachings related to devotion, knowledge, worship, ethics and moral conduct have been given in every verse (shlok/pad). Most of the story episodes have been explained from a spiritual point of view, hence it is called Adhyatma Ramayana.
Some main features of Adhyatma Ramayana
Shri Ram’s heart (Baal Kand first canto)
Lord Shri Ram narrated the very secret, heart-breaking, most sacred and sin-destroying Shri Ram Hridaya to Hanuman ji, in which Lord Ram has explained the essence of soul, non-soul (anatma) and God, this is in a very difficult to understand language and concept. And this is the essence of all the Bhagavatvatatva knowledge. Lord Rama is revealing in this, how one can attain God, His exclusive devotion and his form.
Ram Geeta (Uttar Kand Fifth Canto)
Lakshman Ji once requested King Rama to give him such advice that he could easily cross the vast ocean of ignorance. Then Shri Ram happily gave knowledge to Lakshman on how to destroy the dark ocean of ignorance, Which is called Ram Geeta. Lord Ram has described self-knowledge as pure knowledge in this. By diverting our all senses from the enjoyments of worldly pleasures to self-introspection, inward towards our soul.
Creation of Shadow Sita (Aranya Kand Seventh Canto)
Knowing the entire conspiracy of Ravana, Ram Ji told Sita Ji. O Sita, Ravana will come to you in the form of a beggar, so you leave your shadow of your own form in the hut and enter the fire and stay there invisibly for one year with my permission. Thereafter, when Ravana is killed, you will find me as before. Sita Ji did the same, leaving Mayamayi Sita in the hut, she herself disappeared in the fire. So Ravana kidnapped Chhaya Sita Ji or Mayamayi Sita Ji and she then was made to stay in Ashok Vatika.Although this incident is there in both Valmiki Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas, there is a slight difference in the story.
Ravana wanted to die only by the hands of Ram.
When Shurpanakha told Ravana about the death of Khar & Dushan, he could not sleep due to anxiety. He started thinking how Ram alone killed Khar & Dushan both along with their huge army, who were as strong as him. Ravana knew that Ram was not a human being but God himself, and he has taken birth in human form only to kill me. If I am killed by him then I will enjoy the kingdom of Vaikunth (Gods abode).
At that time itself, knowing Lord Ram to be the Supreme God, Ravana decided that he would approach the Lord with a hostile attitude because the Lord cannot be pleased easily by devotion. (Aranya Kand, Fifth Canto, Verse 58-61),
In other Ramayanas it is not so clear that Ravana deliberately developed enmity towards Rama in order to get killed at the hands of Rama. In the seventh chapter of Aranya Kand of Adhyatma Ramayana, in shloka number 65 it is even written that, that Ravana kept Sita in the Ashoka forest and surrounded her with Rakshasi (demoness’s as guardians) and started protecting her with maternal wisdom.
Ravana came to know about Hanuman ji’s arrival in Lanka and his presence in Ashok Vatika.
In the second chapter of Adhyatma Ramayana Sundar-Kand, in shloka number 15-19, it is clearly written that Ravana was always worried that he should die at the hands of Shri Ramchandraji as soon as possible. I wonder what is the reason that he has not yet come to take Sitaji?, by constantly remembering Lord Rama in his heart, the demon king Ravana had a dream on the same day in the remaining night that a monkey has come with a message from Lord Rama, and he was sitting on the branch of a tree in his subtle body and watching him.
After seeing this strange dream he thought in his mind – perhaps this dream is true; therefore now I should go to Ashok vatika and do one thing – I should scare Janaki with my words and make her very sad, so that the monkey sees all this and conveys to Ramchandra.
Ref: 1) Bhushundi Ramayana (Shrimad Adi Ramayana): Translator - Vidyabhaskar Acharya Pandit Jatashankar Dixit "Shastri", Published by Vinay Kumar Awasthi for Bhuvan Vani Trust, Mausambag (Sitapur Road) Lucknow -226020.
2) Adhyatm Ramayan , Geeta Press.
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1uYOzQCazU
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUe1-l4SoK4
5) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kv8Gppu42n4
अद्भुत, बहुत अच्छा लगा, इतनी जानकारी सुन्दर प्रस्तुति, आपका बहुत आभार भाई