celebrating the great Sree Ramachandramurthi .. .. 'pibare Rama rasam'

Sept 3, 2021 was Punarvasu nakshathiram in the month of Avani – and was Jyeshtabishekam of Sri Ramachandra murthi at Thiruvallikkeni.

‘Padamati Sandhya Ragam’ is a Telugu-language romantic comedy film released in 1987 directed and written by Jandhyala. It starred Thomas Jane and Vijayashanti - drummer Sivamani played a major role as Ronald, a black American drummer who also falls in love with the heroine.

நற்பண்புகள் அனைத்துக்கும் சிகரம் ஸ்ரீராமபிரான். அற்புதமான நகரம் திரு அயோத்தி. தசரத சக்ரவர்த்திக்கு இக்ஷ்வாகு குலத்தனமாம் இராமனும் இலக்குவண பரத சத்ருக்கணனும் பிறந்த செய்தியை அரசவை காவலர்கள் யானைமீதேறி முரசறைந்து அறிவித்தனர். மக்கள் அளக்கமுடியாத இன்பம் கொண்டனர். இராமபிரானது திருநாமம் அவர் பற்றிய விஷயங்கள், அவர்தம் நினைவு எல்லாமே ஆனந்தத்தையும் , இனிமையையும், நற்பயன்களையும் தர வல்லன. இன்று கொஞ்சம் 'இராம ரஸம்' பருகுவோம்.

The Greatest of Ithihasa purana ‘Sri Ramayanam’ is the undiluted history of the Greatest Person who descended on this Universe, on the banks of river Sarayu, in a prosperous country called ‘Koshala’. In the immortal Ramayana, there are learning of life ….. For the Universe, Sri Rama and Sita are the Ideal persons. Sri Rama is all pervading principle of Truth, character, steadfastness, sincerity, valour, skill, correctness, just, compassionate, righteous and more.

The Queen Heo Hwang-ok memorial park named after a Korean queen with Ayodhya roots is in the last stage of completion in Ayodhya, where it is undergoing expansion and beautification, and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to inaugurate it during the Deepotsav celebrations this year. Deepavali falls on November 4 this year and the Yogi Adityanath Government has celebrated Deepotsav the day before Diwali in the last four years since 2017. The memorial will portray the journey of Princess Suriratna of Ayodhya, who had travelled to Korea and married King Kim Suro and became Queen Heo Hwang-ok in 48 AD. Many Koreans trace their ancestry to the legendary princess.

“The memorial will also depict the cultures of both the countries through various means and journey of the Princess from Ayodhya to Korea,” said Ved Prakash Gupta, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Ayodhya Sadar constituency in Uttar Pradesh. This park is expected to be another major tourist attraction in Ayodhya. The sea journey of the Princess is being recreated at the memorial with the help of a pond.

The prime important place will always be Ram Janmasthan at Ayodhya. The foundation of Lord Shri Ram's temple in Ayodhya will be completed by the end of September or the first week of October this year and Ram Lalla will be consecrated in the 'garbhagriha' (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple by December 2023 when devotees can take darshan, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader said on Monday. Speaking to reporters, VHP national general secretary Milind Parande also said the construction of the temple will take a little time but the 'garbhagriha' (sanctum sanctorum) will be in place by December 2023 with starting of puja ritual and darshan for devotees. "The construction of the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya is going on ahead of time. The foundation of the temple will be completed by September-end or in the first week of October. Bhagwan Ram Lalla will sit in the 'garbhagriha' .. Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has been entrusted with the task of the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the Bhumi Pujan at the Ram Janmabhoomi in August 2020 and We pray that in our lifetime, we would be in a position to have darshan at the holy place of Sree Ramachandra murthi’s birth place. A trustee of Ram Mandir Trust, had told PTI earlier that the work on the base plinth for the temple will start with pink stones of Mirzapur in December this year. About 50 layers of a 10-inch thick mixture of building material will be laid in about a 50-feet deep foundation measuring 400 feet long and 300 feet wide, he had said. Six layers of building material mixture have been placed on top of the other over the foundation land spread across 2.77 acres, according to Mishra. On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court settled the fractious issue going back more than a century and backed the construction of a Ram temple at the very place he was born.

Sadasiva Brahmendra was a saint, Carnatic music composer and Advaita philosopher who lived near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, during the 18th century. Only a few of his compositions have survived, but they are recognised as great compositions of Carnatic music. Sadasiva was born into a Telugu Brahmin couple Moksha Somasundara Avadhaani and Parvati. His initial name was Sivaramakrishna. He learnt vedas and other various subjects in Sanskrit in Thiruvisainallur.

"Pibare Rama Rasam" is a classical song – one of his many beautiful compositions This song is usually rendered in raga Ahir Bhairav of Indian classical music:

Pibare Rama rasam - Rasane Pibare Rama rasam

Janana Marana Bhaya Soka Vidooram - Sakala Saastra Nigamaagama Saaram

Suddha Parama hamsa Aasrama Geetam - Sukha Sounaka Kousika Mukha peetam-

Drinking (reciting) the essence of the name of Lord Rama would help in removing the sorrows of life and fear of death. Mostly this great keertana is sung specially on Sri Rama Navami day. Absorb the essence of the name of Rama, O tongue, Sadasiva brahmendrar tells. It will help you remove or be distant (Dūrīkr̥ta) from association with sin (Pātaka) or be distant from those who cause you to sin and you will be fulfilled (Pūrita) with many kinds (Nānā Vidha) and types (varga) of rewards/gains (phala). It will help you be far removed (Vidūram) from the fear (Bhaya) and grief (Śōka) of the cycle of birth and death (Janana-Maraṇa), it is the essence (Sāraṃ) of all (Sakala) the religious treatises (Śāstra), the Vedas (Nigama) and sciences (Āgama).

In case you wonder the reference at the start to the film ‘Padmavathi Sandhya Ragam’ a commercial film directed by Jandhyala starring Thomas Jane and Vijayashanti as Chris, a white American man and Sandhya, a young Indian woman respectively who fall in love after her family immigrates to America – the keerthana of Sadasiva Brahmendra features as a song sung by SP Balasubramaniam and SP Sailaja with music scored by SPB himself. You may listen to the song here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bimK0-AKzM