Book Summary of 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 others. 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. Brahmanas 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 practicing deceit upon others, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas will no longer follow the dictates of religion. They will be cherishers of enmity towards their fathers-in-law and other elders. How can beings possessed of such lost understanding achieve happiness in life. In former times filled with affection towards her devotees the goddess P?rvat? reverently questioned Shiva desirous of knowing the nature of R?ma. The Lord of the mountains himself recited to his dear consort that great mystery known as the Adhy?tma R?m?y?na which is great amongst the Pur?nas. He who reads with devotion even a shloka or half a shloka of the Adhy?tma R?m?yana, is purified of all sins that very moment. He who daily recites reverently the Adhy?tma R?m?yana with a mind directed to no other object, is said to be a j?van mukta (emancipated in this very life). One who casually listens to the Adhy?tma R?m?yana from another without showing reverence, even he is freed from sin. He who bows to the Adhy?tma R?m?yana, having approached it, obtains the fruit of worshipping all the go