Question
When Hanuman was coming to Sita, Ram gave him his ring. When Hanuman was leaving, Sita gave him her chudamani, her head ornament.
What do the ring and the chudamani mean? These objects appear in the outward story, but we want to understand their deeper significance.
Answer
In Puranic literature, ornaments are used in two ways: to represent one’s inherent nature or a quality. We should remember this.
Here, the ring and the chudamani are ornaments that are exchanged. Through this exchange, the story gives us an important indication.
Ram represents Self-knowledge. Self-knowledge means understanding: “I am the conscious power, the Self. This is my true nature. I am not the body; the body is my instrument.” When a person becomes established in this understanding, they are said to be established in Self-knowledge.
Ram, the central character of the Valmiki Ramayana, represents this Self-knowledge. Sita represents purity of thought.
The story indicates that Ram-like Self-knowledge and Sita-like purity of thought form a noble pair. As we gradually progress spiritually, this pair develops within us. We recognise our true nature—we become Ram—and our thinking becomes pure.
However, recognising our true nature does not mean that Ravan-like body-identification is immediately destroyed. Body-identification is very old; it has existed for many lifetimes. Self-knowledge, on the other hand, has only recently arisen within us. We have just begun to understand it. Ravan-like body-identification has not yet died. Its destruction takes time.
The story says that, because of the strength of body-identification, the noble pair of Self-knowledge and pure thinking may become separated within us. Yet, even when separated, neither abandons its nature or qualities.
Let me explain this again.
Where is Ram at this point? He is in Kishkindha. Where is Sita? Ravan has imprisoned her in Ashoka Vatika. Ram and Sita are far apart.
Even though they are separated, Ram-like Self-knowledge remains Self-knowledge. Similarly, although Sita is in Ashoka Vatika, far from Ram, she remains purity of thought. She has not become impure.
Ram, too, remains established in Self-knowledge. He has not become distracted from it.
The important point is that no principle abandons its inherent nature. In spirituality, Self-knowledge is a principle. A principle does not give up its nature.
Consider anger. Anger remains anger; it does not abandon its angry nature. Attachment, too, is a principle. It remains in its own nature and does not cease to be attachment.
Every principle remains in its own nature and qualities.
Now consider the ring Ram sends to Sita.
A ring is worn on a finger. When we first put one on, it feels a little strange. We repeatedly touch it because we are wearing it for the first time and are conscious of its presence.
After three or four days, however, it no longer feels strange. Why? Because it has become familiar, almost one with the finger.
The same applies to the chudamani. When we first wear an ornament on the head, our hand repeatedly goes towards it. It feels unusual, perhaps slightly uncomfortable. But after a few days, we become accustomed to it, and it no longer feels strange.
Through these ornaments, the story indicates that, just as the ring becomes one with the finger and the chudamani becomes one with the head, Self-knowledge has become fully assimilated into Ram’s being.
Ram has not changed. Ram remains Ram. He represents Self-knowledge, and that Self-knowledge has not turned into ignorance of the Self. It remains Self-knowledge.
Similarly, through the chudamani Sita gives Hanuman, the story says that although she is in Ashoka Vatika, held captive by Ravan, purity remains purity. It has not become impurity.
By giving Hanuman the ring and asking him to deliver it to Sita, Ram is conveying: “Tell Sita that Ram remains just as he was when she was separated from him. He has not changed.”
Sita then gives Hanuman her chudamani with the message: “Tell Ram that although Sita is no longer beside him, although she is far away and held captive, she has not changed.”
This is the important meaning conveyed through the exchange of ornaments. Ram’s message to Sita and Sita’s message to Ram both say: “My nature has not changed.”
Purity has become so fully assimilated that it cannot become something else. It remains purity. Self-knowledge has become so fully assimilated that it remains Self-knowledge.
The spiritual principle being expressed is that each element remains true to its inherent nature.
Even while body-identification is still alive, Self-knowledge does not abandon its nature. It remains Self-knowledge. Purity does not abandon its nature either; it remains purity.
This is symbolic language. We are trying to understand the story spiritually, rather than merely discussing the physical act of Ram removing his ring or Sita removing her head ornament.
At the spiritual level, an ornament represents an inherent nature or quality. Self-knowledge never abandons its nature, and Sita-like purity never abandons hers.
Through these messages, Sita is reassured: “My Ram remains just as he was when I was separated from him.”
And Ram is reassured: “My Sita remains just as she was when she was with me.”