The Oracle of Rama

by David Frawley

The Oracle of Rama, is perhaps the greatest Oracle of India, as well as one of the simplest and easiest to use. Like the I Ching, it consists of various verses that one can get to answer one's questions. While the I Ching uses the symbolism of the world of Nature for providing its forecasts, 7he Oracle of Rama uses the symbolism of Lord Rama, a Divine incarnation, and the Yoga of Devotion (Bhakti Yoga) that developed around him. It condenses the great universal laws of karma into the story of Rama and his noble deeds.

The book is divided into seven chapters, seven sections and seven verses, affording the reader 343 different lines that can be chosen for ones queries While the book is particularly useful as a guide to the spiritual quest, it can be used in all practical matters of life as well from health to relationship and career issues. It also reflects planetary symbolism and can be used along with Vedic astrology as a method of horary astrology, for determining the movement of current events in ones life.

The importance of The Oracle of Rama is that Rama, its central presiding symbol, is a figure of heroic proportions - a perfect human being. His life is an example of perfect action under every difficulty and misfortune, overcoming all the forces of evil and ignorance. As such, his Oracle is very safe and reliable, and provides the most wholesome and trustworthy guidance.

Rama's story, the Ramayana, is one of the great classics of world literature and the most popular story in South Asia from India to Indonesia to the present day. Tulsidas was a sixteenth century Hindu saint who wrote the Hindi Ramayana, also called the Ramacharita Manasa, which remains the most popular book in North India today. Tulsidas was a self-realized yogi and has been held in great esteem by the great modern teachers of India as well.

The Oracle of Rama is based upon a shorter work of Tulsidas, Rama Ajna Prashna, written specifically as an oracle. Dr. David Frawley, Vamadeva Shastri, adds a new commentary and modern adaptation of this great classic. Devotees of Lord Rama have already hailed the book as one of the most important modern additions to their literature. For anyone interested in oracles and wanting to know the use of oracles in India, this book provides a great adventure.

The answers are inspiring and helpful. They take one on the spiritual journey of life. The oracle consists of a poem written by the greatest Hindu poet Tulasidas. It is based on the Ramayana, the story of the Hindu divine hero Rama. With every verse Frawley gives a brief comment which helps interpret the verse as an oracular answer.

The book has an introductory section where the story of the Ramayana is briefly summarised and the characters in the story are introduced. Also the introduction explains a number of ways in which the oracle can be consulted. One way involves dividing 108 seeds into three piles, and then counting the seeds. Using this method, one cannot get certain answer from the oracle, because of the mathematical relation of the three piles.

Review:

"The Oracle of Rama uses the insights of Tulsidas, one of the greatest seers of the Vedic tradition, to unlock the secrets of the realm of unmanifest intelligence and open up for us all the creative potentials of the universe. The Oracle shows us how we can make karmically appropriate choices so that we can live a life of joy and fulfillment on all levels of our being. Dr. Frawley offers us a beautiful English version of this classic for our everyday use." - Deepak Chopra MD, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success