Shri Ram Navami - how to celebrate?

1. Introduction

Shriram Navami is celebrated to proclaim the birth of Shri Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. (To know more about Sree Ram please visit the Understanding section of this website). Celebrations of Sree Ram Navami start on the first day of Chaitra (Gudhi Padwa, Yugaadi) and continue for 9 days. During this period, devotees do periodic readings (parayans) of the Hindu holy text - Ramayan, recite hymns glorifying Sree Ram (Ramaraksha Stotra), sing holy devotional songs (bhajans-kirtans) in His praise and chant His name.
On the ninth day, in the afternoon, a spiritual discourse on Lord Ram's birth is held. At noon, a coconut draped in a hooded cloak is placed in a cradle and the cradle is rocked. Devotees shower a red, fragrant powder (gulaal) and flowers onto the cradle.

2. Worship of Lord Ram

Once the stage of worship of the Divine Principle or Deity according to one's religion (that of the family deity for Hindus) is completed, the spiritual practice (worship) of Lord Ram is useful for many seekers. It helps one to go from many to One. This is because of Lord Ram's attributes of being true to His word, devoted to only one wife and attaining His target with just one arrow.

2.1 Ritualistic Worship (puja):

Since Sree Ram is an incarnation of Sree Vishnu, He too is worshipped like Sree Vishnu in sixteen steps (shodash-opachaar puja). The leaves of the sacred and medicinal plant called tulsi, found in India, are essential for His worship. Tulsi has the ability to attract the subtlest pure particles (pavitraks) of Sree Vishnu. It is even better if one can use Lotus flowers for the worship. A sweet delicacy made from milk and rice or vermicelli (kheer) or a sweet delicacy made from semolina, pure ghee and sugar (sheera) is Lord Vishnu's favorite sacrament (naivedya). Choosing the substances offered in the worship according to the science of spirituality helps generate Divine Consciousness (Chaitanya) in the idol, so that it aids one's spiritual progress.

3. Celebration of Sree Ram Navami

Sree Ram Navami is called a holy festival (sun) when it is celebrated individually, a religious festival (utsav) when celebrated collectively and when performed individually with a resolve (sankalp) it becomes a vowed observance (vrat). Also, unlike most vowed religious observances which are practiced individually, Sree Ram Navami is a vowed religious observance undertaken by a group.
Several temples of Sree Ram celebrate this festival for nine days, beginning from the first day (pratipada) of the Hindu month of Chaitra (Gudhi Padwa, Ugadi). It is celebrated by periodic readings (parayans) of the Ramayan, organising and attending spiritual discourses (kirtans) and embellishing Sree Ram's idol beautifully. During these nine days, reciting the Ramaraksha prayer (stotra) eleven times daily with a resolve (sankalp) brings the prayer to fruition, yielding benefits like reduction of speech impairments, other ailments, gaining prosperity, etc. On the ninth day, that is, on Sree Ram Navami a spiritual discourse on Sree Ram's birth is held in the afternoon. At noon, a coconut, draped in a hooded cloak is placed in a cradle and rocked. The coconut signifies the baby Sree Ram. A red, fragrant powder (gulaal) and flowers are showered onto it. Many places in North India host fairs in connection with the festival, culminating in spectacular fireworks on Sree Ram Navami.

4. Spiritual experiences of seekers related to the Sree Ram Navami celebration

1. Feeling of blue light oozing from the body, while chanting, three days prior to Sree Ram Navami:

Sree Ram Navami was to be celebrated on April 18th, 2005. Three days prior to that I could feel blue light in front of my eyes while sitting for chanting. I could feel that it was oozing from my body. At that time my chanting of Sree Ram's name was taking place from very deep within.
-Dr. (Mrs.) Madhuvanti Pingale, Miraj, India.

2. Spontaneous starting of Lord Sree Ram's chant instead of Lord Shiva and later realising that Sree Ram Navami is approaching:

I was chanting 'Om Namah Shivay' for the removal of distress due to negative energies on the night of April 10th, 2004. But Sree Ram's chant would start in-between, unknowingly. Even with repeated attempts to chant Shiva's Name, the chant of Sree Ram would start spontaneously. Later on I came to know, that this was happening because Sree Ram Navami was approaching near, it was on the 11th.
- Shri Arun Sharma, Dubai, UAE
(When a time period in connection with a particular Deity approaches nearer, the pavitrak (pure particles) of that Deity descend to earth on a large scale. Hence the occurrence of such spiritual experiences -Compiler)

3. Perceiving the presence of Sree Ram in all the objects of the ashram while chanting; having His vision within one's heart; and feeling that God has incarnated while blowing the conch:

Sree Ram Navami was to be celebrated on April 18th, 2005. I was perceiving a blue light throughout the ashram while chanting between 11.45 a.m. and 12.00 noon. Thereafter I saw Sree Ram sitting on a golden throne. At that time I was perceiving the presence of Sree Ram in all the objects of the ashram. I was having his vision both within and outside my body. I was experiencing tremendous bliss. Thereafter, while blowing the conch, I felt that God has taken incarnation.
- Shri Omkar Homkar, Miraj, India.

4. Feeling that the ashram itself is the city of Ayodhya and that all the seekers are going to go and bring Him to the ashram:

On 9th April 2005, that is on the morning of Gudhi Padwa (the first day of Hindu lunar calendar), after hoisting the Gudhi (flag or dharma-dhwaj), we were singing the arati (a ritual of waving a lit lamp in front of a Deity (also Saints or ordinary humans), accompanied by singing of hymns) of Sree Ram. At that time while singing the line 'म्हणुनी येणे झाले अयोध्ये रघुनाथा ।' (Meaning: Therefore Sree Raghunath is arriving at Ayodhya), I felt that the ashram itself is the city of Ayodhya and that all seekers are going to go and bring Him to ashram.
- Ms. Kalpana Dube, Dharul, India.

5. Having a vision of Sree Ram and H.H. Dr. Jayant Athavale while performing manas padyapuja (mental ritualistic worship of a Deity's or Guru's holy feet) and feeling that Sree Ram Himself is H.H. Doctor:

Sree Ram Navami was to be celebrated on 18th April 2005. My chanting of Sree Ram was completed between 7.30 a.m.to 8.00 a.m. It was full of spiritual emotion. At that time while performing manas padyapuja I had a vision of Sree Ram and H.H. Dr. Athavale alternating with each other. I was feeling that Sree Ram himself is H.H. Dr. Athavle. I felt gratitude towards H.H. Dr. Athavale at that time.
- Dr. (Mrs.) Sharadini Kore, Miraj, India.

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