Decoding Ramayana’s Symbolism in Advaita Vedanta

The Rāmāyaṇa is not just a story of heroism, devotion, and the triumph of good over evil. When viewed through the lens of Advaita Vedanta, it becomes a profound allegory of the spiritual seeker's journey towards self-realization.

The journey of the yogī mirrors the epic tale of Rāma, where each character and event symbolizes different aspects of the spiritual path. In this article, we will explore the rich symbolism of the Rāmāyaṇa and how it reflects the yogī‘s quest for inner peace and ultimate liberation.

The Seeker's Quest: Rāma's Search for Sītā

The journey begins with Rāma, the embodiment of the Self, who loses his beloved consort Sītā. Sītā represents śānti (inner peace), and her abduction by Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed demon, symbolizes the loss of peace due to the overpowering influence of sensory desires and worldly attachments.

Rāvaṇa‘s ten heads represent the ten senses—five organs of perception (jñānendriyas) and five organs of action (karmendriyas). His abduction of Sītā signifies how the Self, initially in a state of Paramātma (the Supreme Self), falls into the state of Jīvātma (the individual self) due to the pursuit of material attachments and delusions, symbolized by the golden deer.

This loss of inner peace marks the beginning of the spiritual journey. Just as Rāma sets out to reclaim Sītā, the spiritual seeker embarks on a quest to rediscover their true nature and regain the lost tranquility.

Building the Bridge: The Path of Knowledge

One of the most iconic scenes in the Ramayana is the construction of the bridge (Setu) to Laṅkā. With the help of Sugrīva and his army, Rama builds this bridge to cross the vast ocean separating him from Sītā. This bridge represents the seeker's efforts in sādhanā—the spiritual practices undertaken to attain self-realization.

The process of building the bridge can be likened to the three stages of Vedantic practice:

1. Śravaṇa: Listening to the teachings of the scriptures and a qualified guru.
2. Manana: Reflecting deeply on these teachings to resolve doubts.
3. Nididhyāsana: Meditating profoundly to internalize the truth.

The bridge itself symbolizes jñāna (knowledge), which helps the seeker cross the ocean of saṃsāra (worldly existence) and reach the shore of self-realization.

Crossing the Ocean of Delusion

The vast ocean between India and Laṅkā represents the ocean of saṃsāra or moha (delusion). This ocean is filled with symbolic meaning:

• The waves represent the ups and downs of life.
• The ocean's depths signify the profound ajñāna (ignorance) that the seeker must overcome.
• The monsters lurking in the waters symbolize the rāga-dveṣa (likes and dislikes) that the yogī must conquer.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes this state: “For the senses wander, and when one lets the mind follow them, it carries away his discrimination, as a wind carries away a ship on the waters.” (2.67)

Rāma's Weapons: Tools for Spiritual Growth

Throughout his journey, Rama relies on his bow and arrows, which serve as his primary weapons. In the context of spiritual growth, these weapons represent essential qualities that the seeker must cultivate:

1. Viveka (Discrimination): The ability to discern between satya (the real) and mithyā (the apparent), ātman (the self) and anātman (the non-self). The Katha Upanishad states: “The wise one who knows the Self as bodiless within the bodies, as unchanging among changing things, as great and omnipresent, does never grieve.” (1.2.22)
2. Vairāgya (Dispassion): Detachment from worldly temptations. The Bhagavad Gita advises: “When a man completely casts away all the desires of the mind, satisfied in the Self alone by the Self, then he is said to be one of steady wisdom.” (2.55)

These “weapons” are crucial for overcoming obstacles on the spiritual path.

The Battle Within: Conquering Inner Demons

Rāma's battle against Rāvaṇa and his army symbolizes the internal struggle against our own negative tendencies. Each demon represents a different obstacle on the spiritual path:

1. Rāvaṇa: The ten-headed demon king represents ahaṃkāra (ego), with its ten heads symbolizing the five jñānendriyas (organs of perception) and five karmendriyas (organs of action). The Bhagavad Gita warns: “While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.” (2.62)
2. Kumbhakarṇa: Rāvaṇa's brother symbolizes tamas (inertia) and ajñāna (ignorance). The Bhagavad Gita describes tamas as: “Darkness, inertness, negligence and delusion – these are born of tamas.” (14.13)
3. Indrajit: Rāvaṇa's son represents hidden vāsanās (subtle desires). These are the deeply ingrained tendencies that often remain unnoticed but continue to influence our actions.

Overcoming these inner demons represents the purification of the mind, a crucial step in spiritual growth.

Reunion with Sītā: Rediscovering Inner Peace

Rāma's reunion with Sītā symbolizes the seeker rediscovering their innate śānti (peace) and ānanda (bliss). This state is described as “Ātmārāma“—reveling in the ātman (self). It represents the culmination of the spiritual journey, where one experiences the joy of ātma-jñāna (self-knowledge).

The Mundaka Upanishad beautifully describes this state: “When the seer realizes the self-effulgent Being…then, knowing the highest God, he shakes off good and evil and, free from stains, reaches the highest oneness.” (3.1.3)

Return to Ayodhyā: Stabilization in Self-Knowledge

The return journey to Ayodhyā and Rama's coronation represent the stabilization in ātma-jñāna (self-knowledge). Ayodhyā, meaning “that which cannot be conquered by war,” symbolizes the state of unshakeable śānti (peace).

Rama's rule (Rāma-rājya) represents living from the standpoint of the ātman, where inner conflicts have ceased. This is the state of a jīvanmukta (liberated while living), as described in the Bhagavad Gita: “The person who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.” (2.58)

Conclusion: The Journey Home

The entire journey—crossing the ocean of moha, destroying the rākṣasas of rāga-dveṣa, and uniting with śānti—leads to dwelling in the glory of one's realized ātman (Ātmārāma). The guidance of a guru, symbolized by Hanumān in the Rāmāyaṇa, is crucial in this journey.

Ultimately, the jīvanmukta shines in the śānti and ānanda of ātma-jñāna, a state that, once attained, is never lost again. As the Chandogya Upanishad declares: “That thou art” (Tat Tvam Asi), reminding us that our true nature is none other than the supreme reality itself.

Through this allegorical interpretation, the Rāmāyaṇa serves as a roadmap for the spiritual seeker, guiding us on our own journey from ignorance to enlightenment, from bondage to liberation, and from the apparent to the real.

 

Story of Ramayana and Symbolism in Detail:

1. Seeker (Rāma) searching for peace (Sītā):
   Rāma's journey represents the spiritual seeker's quest. Sita, symbolizing śānti (peace) and the seeker's true nature, is kidnapped by Rāvaṇa (representing avidyā and worldly attachments). This initiates the search, mirroring how we often begin our spiritual journey when we feel we've lost our inner peace.
2. Building the bridge (Setu):
   Rāma builds a bridge to Lanka with the help of Sugrīva and his army. This represents the seeker's efforts in sādhanā – śravaṇa (listening to teachings), manana (reflection), and nididhyāsana (deep meditation). The bridge itself symbolizes jñāna (knowledge) that helps cross the ocean of saṃsāra.
3. Ocean of delusion (Samudra):
   The vast ocean between India and Laṅkā represents the ocean of saṃsāra or moha (delusion). Its waves symbolize life's ups and downs, while its depths represent the profound ajñāna we must overcome. The monsters in this ocean are our rāga-dveṣa (likes and dislikes) that the yogī must conquer.
4. Sharp arrows:
   Rāma's bow and arrows are his primary weapons. Spiritually, these represent:
   • Viveka (discrimination): The ability to discern between satya and mithyā, ātman and anātman.
   • Vairāgya (dispassion): Detachment from worldly temptations.
     These “weapons” help the seeker overcome obstacles on the spiritual path.
5. Slaying demons:
   Rāma's battle against Ravana and his army symbolizes the internal battle against our own negative tendencies. Each demon represents a different obstacle:
   • Rāvaṇa: The ahaṃkāra with its ten heads (five jñānendriyas and five karmendriyas).
   • Kumbhakarṇa: Tamas and ajñāna.
   • Indrajit: Hidden vāsanās (subtle desires).
     Overcoming these represents purifying the mind of its conditioning.
6. Finding Sītā:
   Rāma's reunion with Sītā symbolizes the seeker rediscovering their innate śānti and ānanda. This state is described as “Ātmārāma” – reveling in the ātman. It represents the culmination of the spiritual journey, where one experiences the joy of ātma-jñāna.
7. Returning to Ayodhyā:
   The return journey and Rama's coronation represent the stabilization in ātma-jñāna. Ayodhya, meaning “that which cannot be conquered by war,” symbolizes the state of unshakeable shanti. Rama's rule (Rāma-rājya) represents living from the standpoint of the ātman, where inner conflicts have ceased.