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The 7 Cantos
The Ramayana contains seven cantos. These seven cantos are considered as seven steps to reach GOD. The highest goal of
human life is to reach God. This can be easily attained by either reciting or listening to Ramayana. BALAKAND is considered
as GOD'S FEET. AYODYAKAND is GOD'S THIGH. ARANYAKAND is HIS STOMACH. KISHKIDAKAND is GOD'S HEART. LANKAKAND is HIS FACE and
MOUTH. UTTARKAND is HIS HEAD. RAMAYANA as a whole is God's BODY. Therefore these seven cantos are seven steps to go forward
in religious path to reach GOD realization and then to liberation. Each canto has inner meaning. From BALAKAND we can learn
that , if the people are innocent, good, polite and simple ( inspite of their position, richness ) like children ,they can
easily attain GOD. AYODYAKAND teaches us ,how people should love others. Rama set a typical example of good son, husband,
brother, friend, guide and philosopher. Rama leaves Ayodya only when jealous enters Kaikeyi's mind. Bharata's example shows
how a person should love his brothers. Though he gets the kingdom he sacrifices it and lives like a tapasvi similar to RAMA.
Here we learn that a true wife should love her step children. (like Kousalya)
• ARANYAKAND tells us without Aranyavasam (living with detachment) there is no meaning in life. Without it we
wont get satyaguna (good character). Here only you get the feeling that we have only god to help us. To kill lust vanavasam
is a must. Only when we fully eradicate lust we will be able to attain GOD.
• KISHKIDAKAND says, once you killed the lust (kaama); the union of jeevatma and Paramatma takes place. For
this union we need the help of Brahmacharyam. That is shown by the role of Hanuman
• Sundarkand teaches us , people who can cross the ocean of birth and death alone can meet the Mother of universe.
Here Hanuman meets Sita the Mother of universe. The place where Sita lived was called Ashokvanam ;because, there can be no
sorrow where Mother of universe lives
• LANKAKAND means, once the lust is overcome, we can kill Raavana (personification of kaama).That is what shown
in here. All demons were killed and Sita was restored
• UTTARKAND: RAAMA's coronation takes place. This kand also explains ,who is real devotee and who can easily
attain GOD. To make our life beautiful through out ,control lust from the earlier part of life
Thus ,all the ,like seven steps leads one to GOD. RAMAYANA is like ocean. Like Shiva, let us also keep RAMA Naama in our
hearts. Always think about RAMA. Remember ,there can be no happiness, nor peace even in dream if we forget RAMA's name. We
are fortunate to get this human body. It is a gate way for spiritual endeavours and liberation. People who devote their minds
to the pleasures of sense even after attaining human birth take poison in exchange for nectar. Out of love God has given us
this human form and only by HIS grace we can cross the ocean of birth and death. THIS glorious, holy, purifying, blessed RAMAYANA
brings happiness; IT bestows both wisdom and devotion; wipes out lust, infatuation and impurity. Men who with deep devotion
recite or listen to It are never touched by the worldly illusions.
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