On arrival in Ayodhya, all of them had a ritualistic bath, They were all taken and decorated with ornaments. Here, a miracle occurred. All moneys were transformed into human beings and came into the city riding on horses, elephants and camels. Who is a Vanara and who is a Nara? He who has intelligence is man (Nara) He who is a stupid is a Vanara. A Vanara is associated with restlessness . Nara (man) is characterised by his steadiness. (SSB 1996, pp. 96-97)
The one who is always smiling is Narayana, the Lord. The one who is weeping is Nara (man). A crying person is ignorant. Krishna is Atma, Arjuna is Anatman, one is the embodiment of wisdom and the other is filled with ignorance. (DBG, p. 99)
What is the difference between Nara and Narayana? Nara is one who is endowed with the three aspects: Nada, Bindu and Kala . Narayana is the one who transcends all these three. The former corresponds to Pravritti and the latter to Nivritti. Nivritti is the state of desirelessness. One who treads along the path of Nivritti surrenders himself completely to God. Such a man is one who has absolutely no trace of selfishness. (SSS Vol.31, p. 398)
Hanuman at one time said one is Nara, human being and the other Vanara, a monkey. But the monkey is better than a human being in one way. ‘I serve Rama whereas human beings are serving desire,Kama. I keep Rama as my ideal. I live with Rama but you lead your life in desire. That is the difference between you and me.’ Where there is Rama, God, there cannot be Kama, desire. Therefore, we should have to limit our desires. This, in our Organisation, is the programme on ceiling on desires. We have too reduce our desires.
God is not separate. ‘Daivam manusha rupena’, God is in human form. Human life is the result of the merits of several previous lives. ‘Jantunam Nara Janma Durlabham’, Human life is very rare. Nara is not anything new. Nara means Atma. Atma is imperishable. Raha is perishable. Na means no. Nara means imperishable. It is only the body that changes. The Atma does not change. We do not understand the imperishable Atma, the soul within but we are carried away by this worldly sense and take to wrong directions. We have to direct the external look inward.
Reduce your desires to a certain extent. There will be increase of spirituality with the decrease of desires. Less luggage, more comfort makes travel a pleasure. The desires are our luggage. Desires are needed in the world but they should be within a limit. You will be put to danger if they become limitless. Every desire must have a limit. (DTB Vol.6, pp. 7-8)
What is the meaning of Naraha? It is Atma. Na (no), Raha (perishable) i.e. that which is imperishable is Atma. Out of this Atma, space and other elements originated. In all there is water. How do you take it? Each has got his own level. How human beings cry for small and big things! It is not natural quality of human beings. it is a sign of abnormality-weak qualities. Nara (water), Ayana (eye) i.e. tears should come in the eye of a person only for the sake of Narayana (God) and not for everything. Upa (near), Nayana (vision) i.e. What is near vision? The kind of vision that takes us near to the Divine. Upanishad means sitting very close and thinking of the Divinity. Upa (near), Ni (down). Why should we sit down? The one who teaches should be at a higher level. The disciple should be at a lower level. Then there will be place of humility. Without humility, it is not true education. (M, p. 191)