About the Author
William F. Sands is Assistant Professor of the Science of Creative Intelligence and Sanskrit at Maharishi University of Management. He received his B.S. from GeorgetownUniversity, and an M.S.C.I. from Maharishi European Research University. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Maharishi International University, where he received the
Vyåsa
award for the outsanding Ph.D. dissertation of his grad-uating class. He has studied Sanskrit for over 17 years. Dr.Sands is currently completing an article on Maharishi’s Absolute Theory of Government in the
Vålm¡ki Råmåya∆
.
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Address correspondence to: Department of LiteratureMaharishi University of Management, Fairfield, IA 52557
Modern Science and Vedic Science,
Volume 8, Number 1, 1998©1998 Maharishi University of Management
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Natural Law in the Vålm¡ki Råmåya∆ in the Light of Maharishi Vedic Science and Technology
William F. SandsMaharishi University of ManagementFairfield, Iowa
Abstract
This paper examines verses on Dharma from the Vålm¡ki Råmåya∆, in the light of Maharishi Vedic Science and Technology
SM
. Although modern scholars generally hold Dharma to be the collective mores of the ancient Indian social structure, we find that the Råmåya∆ describes Dharma as the total potential of Natural Law, which includes theinnumerable Laws of Nature that promote individual and social progress. Furthermore,the Råmåya∆ supports Maharishi’s teaching that life in accord with Natural Law is attained through the unfoldment of the total potential of human life. This paper also shows how the Råmåya∆ depicts its central hero, Råm, as the embodiment of Dharma, supporting and upholding the progress of every aspect of the universe from the transcendental level. The Administration of Råm thus portrays an ideal civilization, in which every citizen lives a ful- filled and prosperous life in full accord with all the laws of Nature. This ideal life is avail-able to every society through the technologies of Maharishi Vedic Science
SM
.
C
ONTENTS
Introduction ......................................................................................................................4The Råmåya∆ in the Context of the Vedic Literature......................................................5The Availability of Self-Referral Consciousness..............................................................6The Principle of Dharma..................................................................................................7Enlivening Dharma in Individual Life............................................................................12Råm as the Embodiment of Natural Law........................................................................17The Maharishi Effect in the Råmåya∆............................................................................23Society in Accord with Dharma......................................................................................26Conclusion......................................................................................................................31
Introduction
Over the past 38 years His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has reformulated theancient Vedic wisdom of life into a complete science of consciousness, his Vedic Scienceand Technology. In doing so, Maharishi has demonstrated that the literature of the VedicTradition is not the work of different authors in various historical periods; rather it is theprecise description of the unified source of Nature’s orderliness, a self-interacting field of pure consciousness—pure wakefulness—that is the managing intelligence of the universe.Maharishi describes this field as the most fundamental level of Natural Law, for all of thediverse Laws of Nature that give rise to and structure the vast material universe find their home within this unified field of intelligence. In addition, Maharishi has brought to lightpractical procedures from the Vedic Tradition that enable anyone to directly experienceand unfold this most fundamental and powerful level of Natural Law in their own aware-ness. This he explains as the ultimate achievement, the blossoming of the total potentialof human life in higher states of consciousness.Maharishi’s comments on the Vedic Literature, both in his writing as well as in manythousands of hours of lectures, have provided scholars and students with profound insightsinto the Vedic Literature as the theoretical and practical textbooks of consciousness. WhileMaharishi has not commented upon every verse and
s™tra
in this vast body of literature,he nonetheless has provided sufficient understanding of its pervading themes. This paper will illustrate how Maharishi’s comments on the Vedic Literature and his exposition of Natural Law can be used to show how the Vålm¡ki Råmåya∆
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unfolds one of its keythemes, the nature and practical application of
Dharma. Dharma
is a concept of singular importance throughout the Råmåya∆, for virtually allbehavior within the narrative is evaluated in terms of conformity or lack of conformity toit. Modern scholars view
Dharma
as a collection of loosely codified behavioral codesdeeply rooted in the culture of ancient India and handed down from generation to gen-eration. However, Maharishi provides a more profound understanding in his commentaryon another aspect of the Vedic Literature, the Bhagavad-G¡tå. In Maharishi’s commentary,
Dharma
on its most fundamental level is the total potential of Natural Law, the manag-ing intelligence of the entire universe; on a more expressed level it represents the Lawsof Nature that uphold the evolution of all life throughout creation. When behavior is inaccord with these Laws of Nature, then it is right behavior—evolutionary for both theindividual and society. Maharishi explains, however, that it is not necessary to understandevery Law of Nature; rather, one can learn to live spontaneously in accord with NaturalLaw through the technologies of his Vedic Science
SM
.In the following pages we will examine several verses from the Råmåya∆ that supportMaharishi’s interpretation, an elucidation that will better enable us to understand the roleof
Dharma
in the Råmåya∆, and indeed throughout the Vedic Literature. These verseswill also show how the Råmåya∆ provides a practical philosophy for unfolding whatMaharishi terms the “fruit of all knowledge,” a mistake-free life in perfect accord withNatural Law for every individual and every society.
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MODERN SCIENCE AND VEDIC SCIENCE
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We have decided to adopt the convention of transliteration used by Maharishi in his
Absolute Theory of Government: Automation in Administration
, which enables those without formal Sanskrit training to more accurately pronounce the Sanskritexpressions.
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About the Author
William F. Sands is Assistant Professor of the Science of Creative Intelligence and Sanskrit at Maharishi University of Management. He received his B.S. from Georgetown University, and an M.S.C.I. from Maharishi European Research… (More)
William F. Sands is Assistant Professor of the Science of Creative Intelligence and Sanskrit at Maharishi University of Management. He received his B.S. from Georgetown University, and an M.S.C.I. from Maharishi European Research… (More)
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