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.
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