Swami says: The Ramayana is not merely a story of Rama. Rama + Ayana is Ramayana. Ayana means Path. The inner meaning of Ramayana is that the path shown by Rama should be followed.

Swami has often punctuated His talks with powerful quotes that serve as a guide to us on daily life.  In His many talks on the Ramayana, He has used many of these quotes to great effect to teach us ideals for contemporary living.

In this quiz, each of the events outlined lead up to a quote of Swami.  The quote has been given in a jumbled form.  You would need to unscramble the words to arrive at the correct quote.

Lets go! Enjoy the fun even as you gain precious life lessons through some little known incidents of the Ramayana.

The Peculiar Malady

Q1. Swami narrates the story of the birth of the four brothers:

Dasaratha treated all his wives alike; he had no partiality towards any of them. He divided the pudding into three equal parts and distributed to each of them. He told them to have a ceremonial bath before partaking of the pudding.

Kausalya and Kaikeyi were overjoyed. They kept their share of pudding at a safe place and went inside to have a ceremonial bath. But Sumitra was not all that happy. She felt “Since Kausalya is the first wife of Dasaratha, the son born to her has every chance of becoming the crown prince. Even Kaikeyi’s son may occupy the throne as Dasaratha had given word to her father. But the son born to me stands no chance of becoming the crown prince.”

Thinking thus, she completed her bath. As there were no fans or hair dryers in those days, she went to the terrace, kept the cup containing the pudding by her side and started drying her hair in the sun. Suddenly from somewhere an eagle swooped down and took away the cup containing the pudding.

Sumitra was taken aback. She was not really sad for losing the pudding, but was afraid that her husband Dasaratha might reprimand her for her carelessness. She approached Kausalya and Kaikeyi and explained to them her plight. They loved Sumitra as Sumitra loved them. So, they took pity on Sumitra and gave a part of their share to her.

Out of the part of pudding given by Kausalya, Lakshmana was born to Sumitra, whereas Satrughna was born out of the share of the pudding given by Kaikeyi. Hence, Lakshmana, born of Kausalya’s share, was deeply attached to Rama and Satrughna, born out of the share of Kaikeyi, was deeply attached to Bharata.

Sumitra’s two children, Lakshmana and Satrughna, started crying as soon as they were born while Rama, the son of Kausalya, and Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, had blissful smiles on their faces in their cradles. The children of Sumitra puzzled everybody by their incessant crying. Sumitra tried various means to make them stop crying but it was of no avail.

Emperor Dasaratha consulted several physicians to cure the strange malady of Sumitra’s children, but nothing worked. Mother Sumitra then called Sage Vasishta as a last resort to solve her problem. The eminent sage meditated for some time and said: “Oh mother, you need not administer any medicine to alleviate your children’s suffering. All you have to do is to keep Lakshmana by the side of Rama, and Satrughna in the cradle of Bharata.”

Sumitra did accordingly and found that Lakshmana and Satrughna stopped crying immediately. The two children who had refused to drink milk till then started taking food and playing in the cradle.

Swami uses this anecdote to drive home a lesson. Unscramble the quote and find the lesson:

Rama with His Servants:

Q2. Swami says:

There are many lessons that the Ramayana holds out for the entire world. One day Dasaratha noticed that the child Rama was massaging His own feet. He did not ask the services of the servants to massage His feet. Dasaratha, looking at Rama’s condition, sent for the servants immediately to massage Rama’s feet.

Rama told Dasaratha, “I don’t want the services of these servants. I will do My work Myself. These are My legs and not someone else’s. So I should massage My own legs without depending on others. All are servants in this world.”

Which lesson do you think Swami would have taught us through this small episode? Unscramble the words to find out:

Alike Everyone All One Be Are To

Rama’s obedience

Q3. Swami narrates the events after Rama and Lakshmana successfully protected the yagna of Viswamitra.

When the rituals in the forest were completed, Rama and Lakshmana came to Viswamitra and requested him to permit them to go back to Ayodhya as their work was over. Viswamitra then told them that he had just received the news of celebrations that were taking place in Mithilapura and suggested that they all go and participate in the celebrations.

Lakshmana, who was very smart, reacted to this and said that their parents had sent them for the protection of the yagna, but not to go to Mithilapura. Rama then addressed Lakshmana and said that they were asked by their parents, to do whatever Viswamitra asked them to do. He, therefore, suggested that they should follow Viswamitra and do whatever he asked them to do. Here, we should carefully see how much respect and attention Rama is giving to the words of Viswamitra.

Later, even at the time of Rama going to the forest, it was not Dasaratha who gave the orders. When Dasaratha saw Rama, he was simply steeped in sorrow. How could Dasaratha, in that sorrow, tell Rama to go to the forest? How could he speak at all when he was steeped in such agony?

Recognising the situation, Kaikeyi gave expression to what she thought was in the mind of Dasaratha. Accepting the decision and the orders of Kaikeyi, Rama went to the forest. Here, we should recognise Rama as a person who implicitly obeys the orders of the father, whether they came directly from the father or indirectly through someone else.

The sacredness that is contained in obeying the orders of the parents and the beneficial results that will flow by following the orders of one’s parents is something which we should note very carefully. By looking at it in a worldly manner, one may ask the questions, why should I continually go on respecting my parents? I have grown older, I have become an important person and I am strong. Why should I still respect my parents?

Swami here forcefully warns us about an important law of Karma. Unscramble the words to find out:

Has Action Resound Every Reflection And Always Reaction A

Manthara, a key character:

Q4. Swami recounts the unfolding drama after Dasaratha announced the coronation of Rama:

As Manthara was coming down, she encountered Kausalya’s servant maid. She was on her way to Kaikeyi to show off all the dress and fineries that Kausalya had given her. Manthara asked her wherefrom she got all this finery. She replied, “Kausalya’s son Rama is going to be crowned as king and in the joy of that news Kausalya has given all of us, her servitors, fine clothes, jewellery, etc.” Manthara was infuriated by this. She was even jealous of the fact that none of it was coming her way also. Even that rankling was persisting in her mind.

Immediately, she went to Kaikeyi and asked her, “Wherefore are you decked out in all these fineries?” Kaikeyi did not pay any attention to Manthara’s words. Manthara went near Kaikeyi and told her, “You simpleton, you are under the false impression that Dasaratha loves you more than anyone else. But it is really deceit. You will see what happens to you in the future. Just listen to me.”

So saying Manthara tapped on Kaikeyi’s shoulder. By this mere contact, all the evil seething inside Manthara entered into Kaikeyi.

Find the quote Swami would have used to drive home the lesson from this episode from the jumbled words below:

Association Evil Give People Up Habits With Of

Lakshmana’s Strange Behaviour

Q5. Swami narrates: Much later in the story when Lakshmana was accompanying Sita and Rama in exile in the forest, on reaching a particular place, all of a sudden his mind totally changed.

He suddenly burst out, “Brother! What is all this trouble? Why are you, who is supposed to enjoy every luxury, suffering here? Why am I supposed to suffer with you? Let us go back to Ayodhya now. Why should we proceed further in this terrible forest? How are we expected to eat and foster ourselves?” It was a sudden burst of anger from Lakshmana.

Rama merely smiled and expressed no reaction. Instead, he took Lakshmana’s hand and led him out of the forest. The anger that erupted in Lakshmana stayed till they reached the border of the forest. The instant Rama led Lakshmana out of the forest, he calmed down to his usual self. As Rama let Lakshmana relax and calm down under a tree, he explained to the perplexed Lakshmana: “This is the kingdom of Ravana’s sister, Soorpanakha. She roams freely in this area.”

Unscramble the words to find out the important lesson Swami uses this episode to teach us:

In Has Effect The A Atmosphere Place A Behaviour Telling Your Of On You Are

Separation from Rama

Q6. Swami says: In the story of the Ramayana you must understand the principle of Sita. Before going to the forest, Rama distributed his wealth to the poor. Sita also followed Rama and distributed clothes and jewels. Thus, she attained Rama by leaving her worldly desires. However, in the forest she desired to have the golden deer, and, as a result, became distant from him.

Today’s man likewise is bound by desire. When you give up desire, you can attain God.

Swami here uses a vedic dictum He is very fond of quoting. Unscramble the words to find the quote.

Can Immortality Attained Sacrifice Through Only Be

Caution and Precaution:

Q7. Swami describes Hanuman:

Hanuman is one who had synthesized his thoughts, his words and deeds; and he could become an important character. He was proficient in all the different types of grammar. He was a scholar proficient in the four Vedas and six Sastras. The scholarship of Hanuman made him look at everything with equanimity and equal-mindedness.

Sugriva and Hanuman saw that Rama and Lakshmana were coming in their direction while searching for Sita. However, Sugriva felt that Rama and Lakshmana were messengers of Vali coming to spy on him, and do him harm.

On the contrary, Hanuman, because of his very great good quality and peace of mind, told Sugriva not to be agitated, and that he would go and find out who those people were and report back. He advised that whatever we wish to do, we should never be in haste. Haste is not the right natural quality of one’s own mind.

Which famous quote of Swami do you think He would have stressed at this juncture of the narration? Unscramble the words to find out:

Haste Waste Waste Worry Makes In Be So Do A Not Hurry Makes

Hanuman’s Advice to Vibhishana

Q8. Swami narrates: Hanuman, while searching for Sita in Lanka, heard in the corner of a palace the chanting of Rama Nama. He immediately went into the room from which the sound of Rama Nama came.

On entering, he found Vibhishana and exchanged pleasantries, for both of them were devotees of Rama. Vibhishana said to Hanuman, “Oh Hanuman, though you met Rama just a few months ago, you have advanced very high in the realm of the Spirit. And you are enjoying the sweet proximity of Rama. But I have been chanting Rama Nama for so many years; yet, Rama has not showered His Grace on me. I have not had the darshan of Rama even once.

To this Hanuman replied, “Oh Vibhishana, it is not that you ought to participate in the mission of Rama and serve his cause to obtain the full benefit of chanting Rama Nama. You must not only perform penance and do japa and meditation, but you must also participate in seva.”

Swami, in his narration, stresses a very important point at this juncture. Unscramble the words to find the quote:

Life Service Very Of Boat The Is

Mandodari, the Ideal Wife

Q9. Swami throws light on the wonderful character of Mandodari, Ravana’s wife: While abducting Sita, Ravana was taking her across the ocean to Lanka. He was highly materialistic and hence wanted to impress Sita with glimpses of his riches, power, opulence and acquisitions. With this intention he took Sita into the inner apartments of his palace. But Sita refrained from looking at any of these with utter disdain. Mandodari was very sad at the turn of events. She advised Ravana thus, “Oh! Lord! Why are you inviting your own doom?”

Why did Mandodari fear Ravana’s destruction? Swami brings out a powerful message through Mandodari’s advice to Ravana. Unscramble the words to find out!

Destruction As Discrimination Time Of Approaches Departs The

The Bridge Across the Ocean:

Q10. Swami says: Nobody can estimate the infinite power of Rama. It can only be experienced in the heart. Love is the only yardstick to measure the power of Divinity. Hence, we have to develop love to experience Divinity. Hanuman could jump across the vast ocean because he chanted the Name of Rama always. With the power of Rama's Name, he could lift mighty mountains.

How could the monkeys build a bridge across the ocean? In the beginning, the boulders were getting drowned in the ocean and the monkeys were frustrated. Then Hanuman thought of a plan. He inscribed the letter 'Ra' on one boulder and 'ma' on another and threw them in the ocean one after the other. They stuck together to make the Name 'Rama'. With the help of many such boulders bearing the letters 'Ra' and 'ma', a bridge was constructed. The boulders became light and floated on water only due to the power of Rama's Name.

Swami gives us a precious hint about the secret to liberation in the present age. Unscramble the words to unlock the secret:

God’s Royal Name Age Liberation Path In To The Is Kali Chanting