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Rama - 1
Since we are approaching Ramanavami, I would like to share some
discourse of Rama by my Teacher, Sri Sivananda-Valentina. The following
is an extract from a recorded conversation with a student.
Jack
-------------------
Well... there is external world and there is the eternal world
which is inner world. And external world is a common experience to
everybody, whereas the internal is only to those who live in Eternity.
Internal and Eternal - similar words phonetically and also the way I
interpret them at this moment.
Now why do I say that in connection with Rama? Because from the
point of view of traditions, all the observances are local and are part
and parcel of the external world. But from the state of Consciousness
which is Universal, all these observances are timeless and spaceless.
They belong to the Eternal Consciousness. And they are not at all
confined to yearly observances, or for that matter, to five thousand or
six or ten. I don't know how long ago Rama was walking this earth, He
is still walking, you see - this event became imprinted in the
Universal Consciousness. So when I say Rama, it means the Eternal
Presence of God. And these particular local experiences, whether
several thousand years ago or last night, are all packed in one Divine
Consciousness. They are repeating themselves all the time because they
are Eternal. You understand?
Student: Yes, Ma'am.
Valentina: So that's what it is. What is past is not necessarily
past. It applies to the present and to the future. And there is also
simultaneousness of the past, present and future in Universal
Consciousness. So when I repeat the word Rama, the Name Rama, it
resounds in Space as the past, the present and the future all combined.
And it is very difficult to say what was past and what will be future -
it's all Rama. [Quietly] Rama.... Okay, Rama! He belongs to all the
events. And local, external events - they belong either to the past or
the present or the future, according to the consciousness of space and
time. But, according to the consciousness of Forever, there is only
Rama. Rama.... That's all....
***
