Ayodhya Kand
Analysis
Today’s topic is a philosophical reading of Nishadraj Guha. What is this story really telling us? We’ll definitely spend a few minutes on that—since that is our main topic—but whenever we take up a new episode, I want us to keep the earlier parts of the Ramayana in view so the old insights don’t fade. So let’s begin with a quick recap.
We all know that “Ramayana” literally means “the abode (ayan) of Ram,” and here “Ram” signifies Self-knowledge. So the Ramayana is “the home of Self-knowledge,” a text where Self-knowledge is discussed. What is Self-knowledge? How does it descend into our life? Why does it matter? The epic explains these things in many ways. Note this carefully: the Ramayana’s core concern is not the step-by-step practice of “How do I remain established in Self-knowledge?” If someone wants a manual for stabilizing in Self-knowledge, the Ramayana only hints at it. What the Ramayana truly emphasizes is the greatness and necessity of Self-knowledge—why it matters at all.
Valmiki gives only brief pointers about “how.” He does this in two ways: first, through the line of Ram’s ancestors—indicating the stages of spiritual discipline before the descent of Self-knowledge; and second, through the special process of Ram’s birth—a key that hints at how Self-knowledge might descend within us.
Right after describing Ram’s advent, the text gives five or six episodes: the sacrifice of Vishvamitra, King Sagara’s story, the descent of the Ganga, the breaking of Shiva’s bow, and the encounter with Parashurama. Through these, the Ramayana presents the majesty of Self-knowledge from different angles. After these comes Kaikeyi’s story—which we’ve already read. With Kaikeyi’s story, the epic points straight back to its central message: Why must one be established in Self-knowledge?
The answer given is this: across many births, through the results of our own actions, impressions of defects (vikar) accumulate in the subconscious (the chitta). To destroy these, being established in Self-knowledge is indispensable. But how do we destroy what’s stored in the subconscious? We must turn toward it—look within, move into that depth. The Ramayana expresses this as Kaikeyi sending Ram to the forest—“forest” meaning the realm of one’s own subconscious, the chitta.
After Kaikeyi’s episode comes the story of the Nishad king. We read the Nishadraj Guha episode last Sunday. This story signals something crucial: there’s the ordinary person’s conscious mind, and there’s the conscious mind of one established in Self-knowledge. The two are entirely different. For the knower of the Self, the conscious mind becomes a friend, a servant, and is filled with discernment.
We are heading toward the forest—toward the subconscious—but before that, the text gives five stories describing the conscious mind of the Self-realized: first Nishadraj Guha, then Bharadwaj, then Atri, then Sharabhanga, and then Sutikshna. These five show how the enlightened person’s conscious mind differs from the ordinary mind.
Let’s begin, then, with the symbols hidden behind the Nishadraj Guha episode. First a super-brief recap of the narrative: Leaving the land of Kosala, Ram arrives at Shringaverpur. He decides to spend the night by the Ganga under an Ingudi tree. Shringaverpur is ruled by Guha, king of the Nishads and a friend of Ram. Hearing of Ram’s arrival, Guha comes with ministers and kinsmen. Ram embraces him. Guha offers many foods, which Ram declines. Honoring Guha, Ram rests on a bed of grass with Sita. At dawn, Ram chooses to cross the Ganga. Guha arranges a fine boat. Ram asks Sumantra to return to Ayodhya and resolves to live in the lonely forest with matted hair. At Ram’s request, Guha brings the “milk” of the banyan tree, with which Ram and Lakshman make their matted locks, then they cross the Ganga with Sita.
Now, what does this seemingly simple story mean, symbolically? We need to unpack each symbol.
1) Kosala (Kaushal Janpad):
“Kaushal” points to a skilled, wholesome mind; “janpad” here denotes “mind.” In this skilled, undivided mind there is no inner conflict—no “Should I? Shouldn’t I?” That’s why Ayodhya lies within Kosala. “Ayodhya” literally means “no conflict.” Only in such a conflict-free mind does one realize: “I am not the body; I am the conscious power that animates it.” This recognition—Self-knowledge—appears in the “Ayodhya” within the “Kosala” of our own mind.
2) The Forest:
The “forest” represents the subconscious/chitta—the deep mind where impressions from many births lie stored as tendencies of defects (anger, etc.). These surge up and pollute the conscious mind. Their destruction is necessary—and possible only after recognizing one’s true nature. Thus, leaving Kosala for the forest means: do not stop at insight—use Self-knowledge to cleanse the subconscious.
3) Shringaverpur:
The word breaks into shringa (peak), vara (excellent), and pura (body). It points to the human mind as the highest among embodied minds across all life-forms. So “Shringaverpur” signifies our own human mind, the best instrument for this inner work.
4) The Ganga and the Ingudi Tree:
Ganga always symbolizes knowledge. “Ingudi” signifies steadiness. Etymologically, ingu suggests movement/vibration; the suffix indicates cutting off that vibration. So resting under the Ingudi by the Ganga means: the enlightened person’s mind is steady and established in knowledge. The ordinary mind is neither steady nor knowledge-centred; it trembles and wavers.
5) Nishad / Nishad-raj:
“Nishad” comes from the prefix meaning “downward” and the root “to dwell”—the mind’s functions naturally tend downwards toward lower tendencies. “Nishad-raj,” the king of these functions, is the mind itself.
6) Guha (Guya):
“Guha/Guya” means hidden, subtle, profound. In ignorance, the mind’s movement remains subtly downward, hindering spiritual ascent. But when one recognizes, “I am the conscious Self, not the body,” the mind’s current turns upward—away from sense-bound preoccupations toward the Self. Then the mind becomes a friend. Thus, “Nishad-raj Guha, friend of Ram” means: for the Self-realized person, the conscious mind—once an enemy—has transformed into a friendly, helpful mind.
This is why Guha serves Ram. He offers food; Ram refuses; Guha withdraws it without hurt or insistence. That shows the enlightened person’s mind is now a servant, not a master. When Ram says, “We must cross the Ganga,” Guha instantly brings the boat. This points to the mind’s knowledge-orientation: rowing a boat on the Ganga means living life grounded in knowledge.
7) The Banyan (Vatavriksha) and its “Milk”:
The banyan symbolizes the world-tree (like the Ashvattha in Gita 15). Its “milk” stands for the blissful conscious essence pervading this world. Bringing the banyan’s milk means: the mind has realized that the divine consciousness pervades every atom of the world. “Making matted hair” (jata) with that milk is not about physical hair; jata here means a firm conviction. The realized person installs the conviction that this world is truly the manifest form of the Divine—unity pervading apparent diversity.
8) Ram rests; Lakshman keeps vigil:
“Ram’s rest” means resting in God-contemplation. “Lakshman” represents thought-power, resolve. The Self-realized person abides in contemplation and remains ever alert—the power of resolve never sleeps.
In short, every action leaves a trace in the subconscious. People often say, “But I’ve done nothing wrong—why suffering?” We must remember this is a journey across births; impressions are deep. Therefore, when suffering arises, we must also look to the subconscious, not just the surface mind.
Second, only by recognizing and standing in our true nature—Self-knowledge—can we see the stored defects and destroy them. That is the ultimate benefit of Self-knowledge—symbolized in the Ramayana by Ram going to the forest and destroying Ravana and his forces. That “final victory” takes time, yes, but even before that, a first, precious gain appears: the conscious mind, once unruly and enemy-like, becomes centered, obedient, and friendly. This is what the Nishadraj Guha episode illustrates.
Hence:
The mind becomes a servant-friend, not a tyrant.
It becomes knowledge-based (rowing on the Ganga; fetching the banyan’s milk).
It perceives unity within diversity and holds that conviction (the “jata”).
Thus, the story tells us that the very first fruit of Self-knowledge is this transformation of our own conscious mind—from enemy to friend, from ignorance to knowledge, from self-will to service.