Shri Ram Navmi Sandesh: Lord Ram as a Child

Lord Ram is the Lord of righteousness and self-control. There are very few childhood stories (leelas) of Lord Ram. What does Lord Ram teach us as a child?

When all four brothers, Shri Ram, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrugna, returned on completing their studies, Shri Tulsidasji said that they had the following virtues which all students must have: knowledge, modesty, skill and good conduct.

As a prince, Lord Ram would go hunting with his brothers and friends. E would show everyone who killed which deer. This is questionable. Why would Lord Ram do this? Shri Tulsidasji says:

Pavan mriga marahi jiya jani, din prati nrupahi dekhavahi ani;
Je mriga Ram ban ke mare, te tanu taji surlok sidhare.

These deers were those chaste souls who deserved emancipation. Shri Ram gave them freedom from the cycle of life and death.

Lord Ram ate and had picnics with his brothers and friends. He obeyed his parents and would act in a manner that would please the citizens of the city. All of them listened to stories from the Vedas and Puranas daily from their Guru and other Brahmins.

The mind of a child is like a blank slate. It will print whatever you write on it. A child will remain interested in our scriptures if taught how to listen and study them from childhood. If you do not concentrate on their upbringing and character from childhood, then you will not achieve this when the child is older.

While the child is little, he/she listens to and loves his/her parents. At that time, parents have the responsibility of putting certain habits in the child: my child, have you done your Hanuman Chalisa today? Your prayers and mala today? Get into the habit of doing and making your child do these prayers before they go to bed at night. Teach them the importance of doing this. Then, this routine will become part of one’s life as they grow older.

Lord Ram listened to and understood kathas from Puranas and Vedas daily. He thereafter taught his brothers what they had not understood. He bowed to his parents and Guru every morning. Respecting your parents as God does not necessarily mean doing their tilak and aarati every day. It means obeying them and being at their service.

Lord Ram teaches us a great deal as a child. Let us all celebrate Shri Ram’s birthday by singing along to this kirtan sung by Pujya Bhaishri: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quwqQV0yNlQ

Jai Shri Ram!