27/12/2025
Trinidad is Ramayana Country!
We are all in Hanuman's nation. Everyone must raise their hands and raise the Chants. There are many Telugu devotees, so I am speaking in Telugu. You too must learn Telugu, there are so many Telugu bhajans. There is a lot of sanskrit in the Telugu bhajans.
You all know how to come to Ayodhya now. Swamiji has composed many keertans on Ayodhya - including those on Rama, His exile, His coronation etc. We sang many bhajans about Rama and Ayodhya. Many became close to Swamiji through Bhajan Babies.
Vasudeva's remembrance is greatly extolled in Bhagavatam. Even chanting the name without awareness grants merit. Chanting the name of Rama 16 times grants great merit.
Sri Rama's "Tera Naam" (Tera = 13 and Tera = Yours; Naam =name) is very popular. We chanted Shatashloki Ramanaya crores of times and we need to do more. The more you do, the more your troubles vanish - troubles of this life and troubles of all lifetimes.
We started Shatashloki in Trinidad and gained great results. We installed an 85 foot moorti of Hanuman and even established a city of Hanuman there. We did the chanting in a wealthy businessman's house called Coosal (Kausalya). As we chanted, the water from Pampa river surged and entered the place. It's still there! The river is very small, like a ravine. The water seemed to come from nowhere.
The children in Trinidad whose English too is localized chanted SSR (Shatashloki) countless times. Swamiji had a handful of people traveling with him, but the Trinidad devotees filled the place. They love Rama and chant the name and songs regularly. They have photos of Rama in all households and alongside that, they have Swamiji's photos too now.
It seemed at one point that Swamiji would stay back in Trinidad. Mysuru devotees were very worried. The devotees from there still keep visiting India despite their middle class income. Their ancestors went to Trinidad 180 years ago and carried the Tulasi Ramayana with them on the ships. They chant that version of Ramayana for all occasions - weddings, death, housewarming etc. The power of Ramayana is very great!
In Tamil, there's Kamba Ramayana. There are also Agastya Ramayana, Saptarshi, Ananda, Ashcharya, Adhyatma, Valmiki (the main one), Tulasi, Shatashloki Ramayanas. There may be slight variations but the life of Rama, descriptions of Ayodhya, Lanka, slaying of Ravana etc are all the same even though there are slight variations in other parts of the story.
We even see slight variations in Swamiji's life history. People write what they know about, I feel there is nothing wrong with that approach. Some read it, some make movies and plays with those versions. We might wonder if those versions are factual since they are not in the original life history. This happens with Ramayana too.
Some argue if Rameshwaram is really in the South or if Ramayana is referring to another Rameshwaram in Kasi. There are also some variations in the stories about Jyotirlingas. Sri Rama's story is infinite as is your Swamiji's. You must know all the versions.
In the beginning, they said earth was flat like a chapati. Then, they said it was round. Those in the beginning could only see the flat earth, so that's what they said. They could not see the ball. Later they said it was elliptical like an egg. Nothing wrong with it. Some argue about whether the egg or the hen was born first. One cannot come without the other. How strange? Hen vs. egg!
There is a Hindi movie called Padosan in Hindi in which the lyrics too are circular like this. All beings were born due to God's grace. All beings came from God and then the eggs came from there.
So people still keep debating about Rama and Guru and Krishna. "Why did Krishna kill the washerman?" People are coming up with endless theories about this. The washerman was taking clothes to the king Kamsa. Krishna asked him for clothes for his people since it was cold, but the washerman refused. Krishna killed him. The washerman was actually a rakshasa, Krishna slew him and united him with Himself.
In Sri Rama's incarnation, it was the same washerman who had commented about Sita Mata being tainted due to being abducted by Ravana. We speak recklessly without proper knowledge.
Krishna was shot at by a hunter who mistook Krishna's foot for a peacock. In his previous incarnation as Rama, it was Vali who was killed by Rama and was granted the boon to be the hunter in this incarnation as Krishna. We must never believe that God is unjust. We should never blame the scriptures. We should speak only after clearly understanding the content. We are all in Ayodhya, we are all chanting Rama's name.
There is a short story in Bhagavatam. Sage Narada came to earth and was traveling around. He was in a forest when he stubbed his toe against a skull and stumbled. The Devatas usually do not touch the ground, but sage Narada did. The sage picked up the skull.
Some people might accidentally step on something warm on the road. Rather than clean up their shoe and walk on, they want to examine if it is cow dung or some other dung. They pick up the dirt stuck to their slippers to smell/see to confirm what it is.
Some people are curious about accidents on the road and want to know how bad the accident was. If the injury was only a small bruise, these onlookers are almost disappointed. They want photos when accidents happen. They want more views on their social media. Rather than help, they take photos for more views and likes and money. This phone is very dangerous. Everyone has a phone. Rather than separate a fight between two women, we start recording with our phones.
Sage Narada picked up the skull on which was written: You will go to Vishnu Brahma and Shiva loka. The sage was puzzled. "How can the skull go to those lokas? I must find out."
He went straight to Brahma Loka and asked the sage about the skull. The Lord picked up the skull and said it was perhaps Shiva who wrote. The sage took the skull to Shiva and Shiva picked it up and said, it was perhaps Vishnu who wrote on it. Lord Shiva further said - When the Devatas and Rakshasas fought, it was Vishnu who had encouraged them to churn the milk of ocean.
The sage took the skull to Vishnu who was relaxing and reclining. Yet, he picked up the skull and said, perhaps Brahma wrote it. The sage was flabbergasted and said - how could this skull travel to the divine lokas. Vishnu pointed out that the sage had himself taken the skull to all three lokas.
The sage realized that he had made the mistake of stepping on the ground and that is why this happened. Devatas feet do not touch the ground. To get rid of Karma, Bhu Loka (earth) is the greatest place. We should not feel cursed, we should feel fortunate that we are on earth for there are such great kshetras and lokas.
There isn't a greater sacred land than Bharat (India). First, it was Sanatana Dharma that came about along with creation. The central point for earth is the Himayalas in the land of Bharat. From the south in Kanyakumari to the north, you find all climate zones. Nowhere else do you see this. It is also the land that has given refuge to all faiths. We give freedom to all lpeople to practice their own faith. Yet people are still fighting.
People should live harmoniously and peacefully. It was Bharat that taught acceptance and unity.Ayodhya is the most sacred in this land and is the first among the cities of liberation.
Some have come without much planning. Many canceled their plans because they assumed the lack of facilities would not suit them...the hotels, the hygiene etc were their concern.
There is a group of 2000 people (SDHS) that only wait for the Happy tune. If there is no Happy tune in the healing session, they don't feel the session is complete. They are making hot food for everyone in this cold. All of you came to Ayodhya in response to a small signal from Swamiji. We have a small Ashrama here.
We had a wonderful program here so far. Tomorrow, we have Rama Pattabhishekam. Many have come forward for Annadana Seva. The volunteers are supporting fully!
The first night in Ayodhya after the train ride, I felt the bed was swinging as if I was on the train. We touched Kashi and Prayag on the way here, so those Yatras are done. Swamiji is stubborn about giving Prasadam Himself even though it's past 1pm in the afternoon. It will take a few hours, but it is okay.
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Courtesy Avadootha Datta Peetham ; Sri Chakra Puja • SGS Ashrama, Ayodhya • 27 Dec 2025
