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Raam Charit Maanas | 8-Notes

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Prem Mudit Man Se Kaho Raam, Raam, Raam, Shree Raam, Raam, Raam

Maanas Home

Introduction

Baal Kaand

Ayodhyaa Kaand

Aranya Kaand

Kishkindhaa Kaand

Sundar Kaand

Lankaa Kaand

Uttar Kaand

Notes

Biographies

 


Notes M-Z

Maareech
Maareech Raakshas was the maternal uncle of Raavan and disturbed the Yagya of Muni Vishwaamitra Jee by the order of Raavan. Taadakaa was his mother. When  Vishwaamitra Jee took Shree Raam and Lakshman to protect their Yagya, Shree Raam shot a blunt arrow at Maareech and he fell down 100 Yojan far in the sea. Maareech remembered that arrow and understood that Ram was not an ordinary prince.

Maatali
Maatali is Indra's Saarathee (chariot driver). Indra sent him to help Raam while Raam got ready to fight with Raavan.

Man, Vachan and Karm
It means with all resources. There are three resources with a man - Man (heart), Vachan (speech) and Karm (action). One should do the Karm with full heart and sweet words. In Sanskrit it is said - Manasaa, Vaachaa, Karmanaa.

My Bow
Parashuraam Jee's bow was Vishnu's bow, so by pulling its string, he wanted to test Raam if He was really Vishnu's Avataar.
[Back to 1-Baal/15]

Nine Qualities
These are the nine qualities:
(1) Sham - Calmness (Hindu scriptures put great emphasis on Sham which brings internal peace. It brings the reward of happiness and gives the person the ability to face difficulties and unpleasant events in life, to conquer anger and to think of the meaning of the life.
(2) Dam - Self-control, see also Yam below
(3) Tap - Penance
(4) Shauch - Purification, Cleanliness
(5) Kshamaa - Forgiveness
(6) Saralataa - Simplicity
(7) Gyan - Knowledge
(8) Vigyaan - Elemental knowledge
(9) Aastiktaa - Belief in Bhagavaan
[Back to 1-Baal/15]

Nine Ras
There are several meaning of Ras.
(1) to feel 
(2) juice, essence, sap, taste
(3) sentiments in poetry. In Hindi literature there are nine main Ras - nine types of feelings (some say eleven) :- 
(i) Shringaar Ras (sexual love - two types, Sanyog and Viyog, means meeting and separation), 
(ii) Veer Ras (heroic)
(iii) Veebhats Ras (disgust)
(iv) Raudra Ras (anger)
(v) Haasya Ras (comic and humor)
(vi) Bhayaanak Ras (fright)
(vii) Karun Ras (pity)
(viii) Adbhut Ras (wonder)
(ix) Shaant Ras (peace)
(x) Vaatsalya (parental love)
(xi) Bhakti Ras (love to God)
[Back to 1-Baal/2]

Niyam
Control, Restraint, Regulation.
[Back to 1-Baal/2]

Paaras Mani
Paaras is a type of stone which turns iron into gold at a touch.

Prayaag  see   Sangam

Pushpak Vimaan
Pushpak Vimaan (airplane) was of Kuber (the treasurer of Bhagvaan). When Raavan conquered Kuber, he brought his Vimaan to his Lankaa Puree.

Raahu does not eat the Moon
Here the meaning is that when the Moon is in Retrograde position, there is no Lunar Eclipse.
[Back to 1-Baal/15]

Rati
Rati is the wife of Kaam Dev. Both are supposed to be the most beautiful man and woman, so whenever the beauty of any woman is compared, it is compared with Rati. Kaam Dev is the Devtaa of Kaam (love).

Saashtaang Pranaam
Sa+asht+ang. Sa means "with", Asht means "eight", and Ang means "parts". Pranaam means "greeting with respect". So Saashtaang Pranaam means "Greeting with respect with eight body limbs". The eight body limbs are - 2 hands, 2 knees, chest, head, and 2 feet. This is done normally lying on stomach position, and by joining both palms together saying "I greet thee" with pure heart.

San Tree
San (pronounced as "Sun" in English language) is a kind of tree whose bark is used to make ropes in India. This metaphor means as this tree gives its skin to tie others.

Sanakaadi Muni
Sanakaadi Muni are four in number and all of them together are called Sanakaadi Muni. They are Brahmaa's first children. They look like -year old children although they are the oldest in our Creation. Their names are - Sanak, Sanandan, Sanat Kumaar, and Sanaatan.

Sangam
Sangam means "meeting", so whereveer two rivers meet, that place is called Sangam; but this "Sangam" word is commonl known for Allahabad, UP, where three rivers meet - Gangaa, Yamunaa and Saraswatee (a hidden river). Since these three rivers meet at that place, it is called Sangam. This is one of the very important Teerth (holy place) of Hindu people. It is called Trivenee, and Prayaag too. It is one of the four places where Kumbh falls. Other three places where kumbh falls are at Kshipraa river in Ujjain (MP), at Gangaa river at Haridwaar (Uttaraanchal), and at Godaavaree river at Naasik (Mahaaraashtra).
[Back to 1-Baal/1]   [ Back to 1-Baal/2]

Sapt Rishi
Sapt means seven, and Rishi means saints. There are two lists found. The first list names: Atri, Angiras, Kratu, Mareechi, Pulastya, Pulah, and Vashishth. The second list names: Atri, Bharadwaaj, Gautam, Jamdagni, Kashyap, Vashishth, and Vishwaamitra. The seven Rishi are represented in the sky by the seven stars of the Great Bear. They are different in every Manvantar.
[Back to 1-Baal/4]

Shabaree
Shabaree was a Bheel (a very low tribe of India, they live on prey) woman who was a great Bhakt of Raam. She used to work in Matang Muni's Aashram. When Matang Muni left for Swarg, he told her to stay back in Dandak Van and wait for Raam's Darshan. She was getting old waiting for Him. When He came to her Aashram, searching for Seetaa, she served them with wild berries. The stories goes that Shabaree tasted every berry before serving them to Raam to ensure that they were all sweet.

She was an Evil Person
One-eyed, lames, and humpbacks should be known as cunning and evil-doers. Among them women are more and among the women also maidservants are more prone to this.

Three Things Related to Moon
There are three things related to Moon - (1) Chakor bird - Chakor bird gazes at the Moon for long time. (2) Kamalinee - Kamalinee is a kind of lotus flower. Unlike normal lotus flower that blooms seeing the Sun and closes when the Sun is set; Kamalinee blooms seeing the Moon. (3)

Two Boons
Once Raajaa Dasharath went to help Devtaa in Dev-Asur Sangraam (war). Kaikeyee was a very good Saarathee (chariot driver in war), so Raajaa chose her as his Saarathee. In the war he became wounded and Kaikeyee saved his life in the battlefield. Pleased with this Raajaa asked her to ask for two Var (boons or wishes). At that time Kaikeyee couldn't think of any so she told him that she would ask them later. Here Mantharaa is reminding her for the same two Var.

Vaat, Pitta and Kaph
According to ancient Indian medical system, Aayurved, imbalance among these three, Vaat, Pitt and Kaph, is the  basis of all diseases. Doctors of this system cure the diseases by balancing these three in the body.

Varmaalaa
Varmaalaa literally means, Var means groom, Maalaa means garland, i.e. that garland which is put on in groom's neck by the bride at the time of marriage. This tradition in Hindu society is very old and has been in use since. It is known as Jayamaalaa also.

Yam
(1) to sustain, to support, to hold
(2) rein, charioteer
(3) self-control - These are 10 types (Brahmcharya, Dayaa, Shaanti, Daan, Satya, Arjav, Ahinsaa, Asteya, Maadhurya, and Dam
(4) The ruler of the blessed dead. He gives the dead a resting place and prepares an abode for him. Although Yam rules the dead, he is not feared, rather loved, because of the belief that upon death a person joins his ancestor in heaven. Yam is also regarded as Dharmraaj or Devtaa of justice. Yam is mentioned in Rig Ved as one of the sons of Vivaswat, a human being. Puraan say that he is the son of Soorya (Vivaswaan) and Chhaayaa. Yam and his sister Yamee are also found in Paarasee scriptures too as Yim and Yimeh. In Hindu society, incest is considered great sin. In order to illustrate this, a dialog between Yam and Yamee is described in Rig Ved wherein Yamee wants to seduce her brother, but Yam successfully repulses her by pointing out the sinfulness of such a course. (Rig Ved 10:10)
[Back to 1-Baal/2]

Yogee
Person in union with God.
[Back to 1-Baal/4]

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on May 27, 2002
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 12/19/12