Page 11 - Ramayana - Eng
P. 11
Introduction
a dwarf, yet with two footsteps crossed over the
whole creation. Assuming a gigantic form as the
transcendental boar, Varāha, He picked up the earth
planet, which had fallen out of its orbit. As half-man
half-lion Nṛsiṁha, He stopped the atrocities of the
demon king Hiraṇyakaśipu by killing him. Although such
extraordinary feats are doubted by men of puny intelligence,
they are simply play for the Supreme Lord, who effortlessly
creates, maintains and destroys millions of universes.
Similarly, when the Supreme Lord appeared as
Rāmacandra, He performed the wonderful activity of slaying
the tyrant Rāvaṇa, who was not to be killed by any other
person. Ostensibly assuming the form and personality of a
human being, Lord Rāma enjoyed many sweet pastimes with
His dear devotees. These pastimes are inconceivable to the
faithless, but are a source of transcendental joy for the theists.
The story of Lord Rāma has given pleasure and solace to
theists for many thousands of years, and continues to do so.
Not so long ago, when the people of India were accustomed
to discuss the transcendental activities of the Lord, every
Hindu knew the pastimes of Lord Rāma as well as the
back of his hand. Among the three great epics famous in
India (Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam), the
Rāmāyaṇa was traditionally most popular, due to its relative
simplicity and cohesiveness of plot. The action, drama and
pathos of Rāmāyaṇa still place it among the world’s most
popular stories.
Recently, with the spread of the bhakti movement
1
throughout the world, there has been a revival of interest
1. Devotion to the Supreme Lord as inculcated in Bhagavad-gītā
and other Vedic texts.