What are the criteria for ensuring success in life? Is it access to elaborate material wealth, contacts or something else? Lord Rama answers these questions.

In Tulsidasa’s Ramcharitamanas, Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, is seized with doubt when he sees Ravana enter the battlefield in a splendid chariot. Ravana is in full battle gear and his vehicle is loaded with advanced weapons. Rama, in contrast, is barefoot and has only his bow and arrows. He is dressed in simple clothes. Ravana’s army is well equipped with elephants, horses, soldiers. Rama’s army comprises mostly of monkeys and bears who are neither trained nor armed with sophisticated weapons. They only have their claws, teeth, boulders, and trees as weapons.

 Vibhishana wonders if Rama can ever be victorious. He expresses his concern to Rama thus: “You are without proper war gear; what to talk of a chariot, you do not have even a shield. Devoid of them how shall you conquer Ravana?”

Rama replies that victory is assured not by worldly chariots and armaments made of gross components, but by inputs of a different kind. Devotion to God is what drives the chariot that wins. As far as weapons are concerned, detachment acts as shield, and contentment serves as sword. Wisdom and reason are pikes and spears, and deep knowledge is the bow. Devotion to one’s teacher and the learned person is the armour, protective cover like armlets, breastplate, gauntlet, helmet, shield.

These, according to Rama, are the ingredients of victory. One who has all of these is assured of victory. For he has overcome the greatest enemy of all, that is, attachment to worldly things. In the battle for survival, we lose sight of our compassionate nature and become cruel and covetous. We lose sight of right and wrong. Like Ravana we become obstinate, and arrogant. As a result we become selfish and egoistic and are filled with ahamkara or ego which leads us to downfall and failure.

The one who, after knowing all the pros and cons of issues he is faced with, is able to manage life’s challenges with fortitude, with a detached, serene and firm mind – to him will come success as he does not act impulsively. Using the allegory of a chariot, Rama is explaining the most efficacious method of keeping ego at bay.