Adhyatma Ramayana

On the advent of the terrible Kali age, men will be bereft of meritorious deeds. Devoted to evil actions they will all shun truthful speech. They will be addicted to speaking evil of others and will covet other’s wealth. Their hearts will be attached to other men’s wives and they will be bent on doing injury to othe They will look upon the body as their own self, of foolish understanding they will be atheists and be devoid of intelligence. They will cherish hatred towards fathers and mothers and will worship their wives as gods and be slaves of lust. Brahmaças will be addicted to avarice and will live by selling the Vedas. They will only read such sciences as will bring them wealth and will be conceited of their learning. Leaving off the duties of their own order and usually devoted to practising deceit upon others, Ksha-triyas and Vaishyas will no longer follow the dictates of religion. They will be cherishers of enmity towards their fathers-in-law and other elde How can beings possessed of such lost understanding achieve happiness in life. In former times filled with affection towards her devotees the goddess Pàrvatí reve-rently questioned Shiva desirous of knowing the nature of Ràma. The Lord of the mountains himself recited to his dear consort that great mystery known as the Adhyàtma Ràmàyàça which is great amongst the Purànas. He who reads with devotion even a shloka or half a shloka of the Adhyàtma Ràmàyaça, is purified of all sins that very moment. He who daily recites reverently the Adhyàtma Ràmàyaça with a mind directed to no other object, is said to be a jìvan mukta (emancipated in this very life). One who casually listens to the Adhyàtma Ràmàyaça from another without showing reverence, even he is freed from sin. He who bows to the Adhyàtma Ràmàyaça, having approached it, obtains the fruit of worshipping all the gods. He who having observed the vow of silence, reads the auspicious Ràmahridyaya thrice daily in front of the image of Hanumàn, achieves all that he wishes. This greatness of the Adhyàtma side of Ràma’s deeds was declared to the chief of Munis (Nàrada) by the lotus-seated Brahma. He who reads or listens to it with faith attains to the abode of Vishnu and is worshipped by the gods.