Divine Invocation

My intentions here are to continue this blog on a regular basis and to tell the story of the Ramayan, the great Indian epic as narrated by Tulsidas.

I have been fortunate to have the influence of great saints while growing up in India. One of them being Shri Sarkar Swami who encouraged our family to read the Ramayan on a daily basis. He was a true master of the Ramayan . He would sing the Chaupaies (couplets)and then give its meanings. My father took us every Saturday to Bithoor (where he resided) on the banks of the river Ganges. We would hear his renditions of the Ramayan and then he would end by doing Kirtan (chanting) of Jai Sia Ram Jai Sia Ram.

The family did this activity every Saturday which was the reason that the Ramayan was read in our house everyday. I must say here, that my father is the one who I should thank for bringing me on this path. As we progress on this journey together I will introduce and elaborate on all of the influences in my life. Basically how and why I am here has been a long journey. It is over-whelming enough as it is to even try to tell the story of Ram. It is no easy task and Tulsidas has said that right in the beginning. Before he begins to write this epic he invokes the blessings of Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesh, Shiva and Parwati, Guru Valmiki, Hanumanji, Sitaji etc. Tulsidas prays to Shri Hari (Vishnu)whose worship is enough for us to obtain Nirvan and whose Avatar on earth was Shri Ram.

With Vishnu Bhagwan's blessings a mute person can start speaking sweetly and a lame person can start climbing mountains. He who burns all the sins in Kalyug (the present era, according to the Hindu calendar) may that ever forgiving God, bless us. He who's colour is blue as the blue lotus, whose eyes are red like the red lotus and who always rests on the Sheersagar (the Celestial Ocean) may that God Narayan reside in my heart.

These are the same sentiments that I have . My prayer is that I can do justice to my narration with the help of Divine Grace. Jai Ho!