In Adhyatma Ramayana, Rama is the Brahman. This is explained in the conversation between Shiva and Parvati; and between Sita and Hanuman. Shiva tells Parvati that Rama, the noblest of Raghus is the condensation of pure consciousness. Sita tells Hanuman that Rama is the supreme Brahman, the existence-knowledge-bliss absolute and the one without a second. He is pure existence devoid of all adjuncts. The process of realization by the Jiva starts with meditation upon God, initially in an embodied form with attributes. In Adhyatma Ramayana, the form is Rama with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Reference: Adhyatma Ramayana by Rai Bahadur Lala Baij Nath, Adhyatma Ramayana by Swami Tapasyananda

Sita tells Hanumanji that the ultimate reality is the Brahman, the Sat-Chit-Ananda, i.e., existence-consciousness-bliss. It has no beginning and hence no end. Sri Rama is none other than that ultimate reality, now appearing before us in various roles. I am the Prakruti, the creator of everything; but I require the presence of Lord Rama, the ultimate reality to manifest my ability. People, because of their ignorance relate created things as part of the Lord Himself.All of Rama’s actions were performed by Sita herself as the Prakruti, or as Maya Devi. Rama also tells Hanumanji that Paramatma is the ultimate reality which is real, and the appearances are Jivatmas. By the grace of one's gurus, and by deep-rooted devotion, one gets a revelation on the oneness of jivatma and Paramatma. This revelation is the end of ignorance and the worldly bondage of jivatma.Adhyatma Rayana is considered as a text of Advaita.Picture Credit. Dr. K.U. Krishnakumar and Guruvayoor Devaswom Board

Parvati asks Shiva about the apparent contradiction in Rama’s awareness about his own divinity. Parvati asked, if Rama was aware about his own divinity, why did he have the normal human feeling of sorrow at the separation from Sita. On the other hand, if he did not know his own nature because of Maya and had to be told, why is he worshipped as divine? Parvati was alluding to Brahma revealing to Rama his divine nature in Valmiki Ramayana’s Yuddha Kanda.Establishing Rama’s divinity, his self-awareness about his own divinity and explaining the events of Ramayana to align with this is one of the core narratives of Adhyatma Ramayana. Source: Adhyatma Ramayana by Swami TapasyanandaPicture is Rama, Sita and Lakhshmana at BITS Goa campus. Picture Credit. S. R. Ramanujam

Guha was distraught seeing the condition of Rama and Sita. Hearing Guha's laments, Lakshmana told him about Karma. Good and bad experiences come to us based on our karma. Karma follows us from the previous births and there are no practical ways to transfer or donate our pleasure and pain to others. There are no alternatives to experiencing the consequences of your karma. You cannot share it with others, nor can you get rid of it. Human life is a mixture of positive and negative experiences, which carry on through this life and beyond. No one will continue to be either in sorrow or in happiness all the time. Wise people face life courageously and without getting attached to experiences whether they are to our liking or not. A wise person treats good and bad with equanimity. In the Valmiki Ramayana, a distraught Lakshmana pours out his agony to Guha. Picture Credit: G Sankar

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana encounter Viradha in the form of a terrible beast. It had a spear in its left hand on which the carcasses of several wild animals were impaled. It was eating raw meat, and blood was oozing out of its mouth. All the Rishis had fled the forest because of him. Rama slays Viradha. A composed human form emerged out of Viradha's fallen body and started extolling Sri Rama's glories. The human said he was a Vidyadhara who had been cursed by Durvasa for no reason. Now that he had seen Rama, he surrendered to him. Rama tells him, “By seeing me, you have overcome the limitations of Maya and have been liberated. Pure devotion is seldom found. If one has that type of Bhakti, he attains Mukti immediately and is no longer in this world of beings in bondage. Endowed with such Bhakti, you will now, at my command, attain Mukti.” Picture Credit: Anna Johansson from the “Queen of the Elements”

Rama visited Rishi Agastya’s Ashram. The Rishi narrated how everything sprang from Rama, or pure bliss. From Rama came Aham and Samsara, the three gunas (Satva, Rajas, and Tamas), the five elements, the organs of perception, and the mind. From these came the Virata Purusha, and then Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva. The Rishi also narrates that great men know the path to liberation is to be in the company of noble people (Satsang). Great men are characterized by their dispassion. When someone gets a chance to be in the company of great people, they develop a keen interest in hearing the noble tales of pious individuals and devotional stories about Rama. This leads to them being devoted, and a devoted mind becomes wise in due course. This ultimately leads to liberation. The Rishi thus narrates how everything sprang from Brahman and how one can merge back and attain liberation. Picture Credit: Picture Ramayana palm leaf painting

While living in Panchavati, Lakshmana approached Rama and asked him to teach him the method of achieving liberation (Moksha). Rama teaches Lakshmana. The field of activities (Kshetra) for the five senses, the organs of action, the mind, the ego, and Chitta (the mind unsullied by memory) is the body. As they become active, the body is presided over by the Jivatma, which is an expression of the Paramatma, the supreme truth principle. Jivatma and Paramatma are synonymous in effect, though ignorant people do not see the oneness in them. Wisdom develops when we are devoid of base tendencies. Wisdom or knowledge is the surest path to knowing Me as the unattached reality, Paramatma. Moksha is knowing the truth experientially that the Jivatma is the Paramatma—knowing the microcosm as the macrocosm. Picture Cerdit: J Martin and Manoj Publications

When Surppanakha wished to marry Rama, the brothers teased her back and forth. Enraged, she lunged towards Sita. An enraged Lakshmana pulled his sword and cut the tips of her nose, ears, and breasts. She cried out loudly and went straight to her brother Khara. He first sent 14 of his warriors who all perished at the hand of Rama. He then sent 14,000 warriors led by his brothers Dooshana and Thrisiras who also died at the hand of Rama who used the divine bow of Vishnu and Indra’s arrow which had been gifted by Indra. All fourteen thousand warriors were liberated and became celestial beings, as they had the great fortune to be killed by the Rama himself. They narrated the story of their previous birth. Although they were Rakshasas, they did Tapas and got the vision of Maheswara, He offered them liberation from Samsara but said that they have to wait until Rama appears and gives them liberation. They asked Rama to explain the concept of Brahman, the ultimate reality. Rama explained that Paramatma is the witness to all names and forms of this world. He watches us through all the three states waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. Paramatma is the Brahman. It is the only entity that has existence, consciousness, and bliss, all combined as one (Sacchidananda). We go through childhood, adulthood, and old age, under the watch of Paramatma, but it is not affected by any of these changes. When we meditate upon Paramatma, we get absorbed in It and get to see the oneness in all. Picture Credit: J Martin and Manoj Publications

Kabandha's stuti names the two classical cosmic forms of Vedantic meditation. Virat is the gross universal body — sun and moon as eyes, sky as head, devatas as limbs, drawn from the Puruṣa Sukta. Hiraṇyagarbha is the subtle counterpart: the collective mind and prana animating all beings.Meditation on the visible form comes first, and comes easily, since the mind grasps the gross before the subtle. Subtler meditation goes beyond it, to the collective consciousness and prana.Nevertheless, both forms are only superimposed on the Atman — which is the real nature of Rama, and of Kabandha, and of everyone.Picture Credit: J Martin and Manoj Publications

Rama consoled Sabri and said that he only looks at the devotion of his devotees and not their background. Going on a pilgrimage, visiting temples, or doing sacrifice rituals, etc. are good, but no one will get to see Rama except when they are devoted with a one-pointed vision. He then explains nine ways to build up devotion.1. Being in the company of noble people, Satsang.2. Telling Rama’s stories and singing his glories.3. To identify with Rama’s qualities4. To follow Rama’s words5. To follow Rama’s rituals serving the gurus.6. To live a noble life, following the scriptural injunctions of Yama-Niyama, etc.7. To meditate upon Rama and chanting the mantra prescribed by your guru.8. Developing compassion towards all living beings and seeing Rama in them.9. Firmly know that I am Paramatma and is the soul of the individual, Jivatma.When anyone cultivates devotion, they will have a blissful feeling of contentment. This leads to liberation, and this is the best path for human beings to follow.Rama says Sabri is an example of devotion and that is why she was able to see them.Adhyatma Ramayana uses the narration to convey deep philosophical thoughts aptly.Picture Credit: J. Martin and Manoj Publications

After watching Rama hit all seven trees with a single arrow, Sugriva realized Rama’s prowess and extolled Rama’s. He started chanting a hymn in praise of Lord Rama who is the witness consciousness. He said that he does not long for wealth or pleasure from having a family. Just by meeting Rama, he lost all concepts of separateness between man, animal, friend, and foe, etc. He said all his wealth and pleasure are all Maya which have been torn away after seeing Rama. A repeating theme in Adhyatma Ramayana is how avidya makes us perceive the world as different from Bhagwan.Sugriva prayed to be always thinking of Rama, chanting Rama’s name, doing Pooja to Rama, to see Rama in everything, to listen to Rama’s stories, visit pilgrim centres filled with Rama’s energy and prostrate at Rama’s feet every day.You may recollect the nine steps of devotion that Rama had mentioned to Sabari and Sugriva’s wishes are almost the same.

Adhyatma Ramayana heavily conveys Upanishadic philosophy, teaching that the individual soul (Jiva) and the Supreme Reality (Brahman) are fundamentally non-different. Through spiritual knowledge (Jnana), the illusion of separation is dissolved. Unlike strict, purely intellectual non-dualism, the Adhyatma Ramayana champions supreme devotion to Rama as the primary and most accessible path to liberation (Moksha). Knowledge and devotion are shown to be mutually reinforcing. Rama is not merely depicted as an ideal king, but is explicitly revealed from the outset as the Supreme Brahman—the formless, infinite, and eternal absolute consciousness incarnated in human form for the welfare of the world.

Ravana narrated all the events to Kumbhakarna. Hearing this, Kumbhakarna replied that “If one does not know how to see the good from the bad, he must listen to wise people when they advise them. Vibhishana pleaded to return Sita to Rama but you did not listen. That is the beginning of all the decline for you. Good advisers consider the various aspects of time, four alternatives, and six principles in deliberating on any topic.”Picture Credit: D.D Dalvi and Navneet Publications

The devas were astonished that the epitome of adharma could merge with Rama in this way. Narada explained to them that Ravana had started being obsessed with Rama due to fear. He saw Rama everywhere towards the end of his life and even in his dreams. He also met his death at the hand of Rama himself.This highlights an important concept of Hindu philosophy. One becomes what they meditate upon, whether out of love or fear. However, meditating out of love brings happiness in life.This discussion is not in Ezhutachan’s Kilippattu.Thereafter Rama consoled a distraught Vibhishana and asked him to prepare a proper and royal funeral for Ravana. He told Vibhishana that if anyone dies of Rama’s arrows, all his sins are dissolved. Also, all rivalry lasts only until death.Lakshmana also tells Vibhishana not to be attached to a body or the concept of self. He explained an important concept – just like the world does not appear to exist for a person in deep sleep, a person who has given up the sense of “I” also is free of this world, even though he lives in it.Adhyatma Ramayana repeatedly explains the concept of Maya through important events of Ramayana.Picture Credit: J. Martin and Manoj Publications

Adhyatma Ramayana was given by Shiva to Parvati. It has all the profound truths about Rama. Shiva had repeatedly churned the whole of Vedas. He realized that the supreme Brahman is Rama or Vishnu whose form cannot be known. Shiva, after realizing this, has extracted the essence and put it in Adhyatma Ramayana clearly in a brief form and communicated it to Parvati.Additional Source: Adhyatma Ramayana by Lala Baij NathPicture Credit: Swami Raghaveshananda and RK Mutt