The Incredible Reaction

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta

Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

The Incredible Reaction

 

Reactions of aggrieved people differ: when one

is insulted by others, the natural tendency is to

fling back words of venom, infinitely more insulting.

There are some who react more violently, with blows

aimed at the offender.

Other, more mature people just don’t react, taking the

insult in their stride. This is so even if the

accusation or insult is unjustified. However,

paradoxically, we find that the truer the insult, the

stronger the reaction thereto, indicating people’s

intolerance for unpalatable truths, especially about

themselves.

While the height of tolerance one may display

towards an aggressor is to keep quiet, it is almost

impossible to find an aggrieved person bursting into

song and dance about the offender. In fact, it appears

to be an extremely inappropriate reaction, even from

one who is Tolerance personified. We are surprised to

find in Srimad Ramayana one of the characters, a

Rakshasi at that, displaying the improbable reaction

indicated above.

Shoorpanaka develops infatuation for Sri Rama at

first sight, and resolves to get Him at any cost. She

assumes the appearance of a delightful damsel, and

tries to persuade Chakravartthi Tirumagan to abandon

the “unseemly” Sita and to cohort with herself.

Unwilling to hurt even the murderous Shoorpanaka, Sri

Rama tries to fob her off, and when she is insistent,

asks her to approach Sri Lakshmana, who is equally

handsome and without the inhibiting company of a wife.

And when she does that, Lakshmana, not having the

compunctions of his brother, and perceiving the threat

she poses to Sri Mythili, cuts off Shoorpanaka’s nose

and ears.

From the way poets wax eloquent about nasal beauty

(we hear that Cleopatra’s nose launched a thousand

ships), it is evident that the worst insult a woman

could suffer is disfigurement of her nose. When

additionally the ears were also cut off, we can

imagine Shoorpanaka’s feelings in the matter. Enraged

beyond imagination, she rushes to her beloved brother,

Khara, for redressal.

Startled and pained at the insult to his sister, Khara

enquires of her as to who was foolish enough to cause

her harm, knowing full well what awaited the offender.

 

 

It is to this question that Shoorpanaka gives a reply,

which is fit to be included in our daily parayanam.

Given her nature and the indignity and injury she had

just then suffered, we would expect her to have burst

into a stream of invective, not fit for the ears of

gentlemen. We are extremely surprised therefore, when

she starts singing Sri Rama’s praises, especially of

His handsomeness. In Srimad Ramayanam, Chakravartthi

Tirumagan’s beauty has been extolled by many (Sri

Sita, Tiruvadi,Sri VibhIshaNa, etc.) in differing

contexts. However, Shoorpanaka’s description is unique

both from the points of view of the author and the

context. Here are the beautiful slokas:

 

“TaruNou roopa sampannou sukumArou mahAbalou

PundarIka visAlAkshou cheera krishnAjina ambarou”.

..

“TaruNou”- despite her agony, Shoorpanaka recalls

vividly the bewitching youthfulness of Sri Rama and

Sri Lakshmana.

“Roopa sampannou”- the sons of Dasaratha are blessed

with a beauty that is unparalleled. This is beauty

beyond compare, which enthrals not only women but men

too-(“pumsAm drishti chitta apahAriNam”). This beauty

comes from symmetrical limbs and body parts

(“sama:sama vibhaktAnga:), and pleasing complexion

(“snigdha varNa:).

High shoulders, long arms reaching down to the knees

(“AjAnubAhu:”), chubby cheeks, broad chest, beautiful

forehead (“sulAlata:”), broad eyes (“VisAlAksha:”),

majestic demeanour and gait (“suvikrama:”)- all these

combine to make Sri Rama the perfectly proportioned

male and the personification of beauty. And, more

relevant, it is beauty that floors even His sworn foes

and those who have suffered at His hands.

“SukumArou MahAbalou”- despite their formidable

strength, the brothers are delicate. Their figure is

not gross, which often accompanies strength, but looks

as if sculpted out of some fine material. Their

appearance makes one wonder what such delicate youth,

who so obviously belong to the palace with all its

creature comforts, are doing in such inhospitable and

dangerous forests. Lest Khara be misled by the

appearance of delicacy, Shoorpanaka hastens to caution

him about their redoubtable might-“MahAbalou”.

“PundarIka VisAlAkshou”- more than anything else, it

is the Lord’s broad lotus eyes that captivate

everybody, right from Rishis hardened by years of

penance, to the ordinary citizens of Ayodhya, to

RAkshasa prakritis. And Shoorpanaka is no exception-

she too is floored (“JitamtE PundarIkAksha!”, “tOtrOm

mada nenjam emperumAn NAranarku”). These are eyes,

which can drive one crazy with their beauty and depth

of expression, as Sri PAN PerumAl attests_”KarivAgi

pudai parandu milirndu sevvariOdi neenda ap periavAya

KaNgaL ennai pEdmai seidanavE”.

 

It is indeed extraordinary that Shoorpanaka says not a

single word denouncing the brothers instrumental for

her indignity. If it were an isolated instance of such

conduct (praising the aggressor), we may dismiss it as

an aberration. However, we find Shoorpanaka repeating

herself before Ravana, to whom she rushes for

redressal, after Khara, Dooshana, Trisiras and

fourteen thousand of their ilk are destroyed

single-handedly by Sri Rama. In Ravana’s court too,

before even apprising him of what happened, she waxes

eloquent about Sri Rama’s handsomeness:

“Deergha bAhu: VisAlAksha: cheera krishNAjina ambara:

Kandarpa sama roopascha RamO DasaratAtmaja:”

Unable to forget those bewitching eyes, Shoorpanaka

mentions them again with fascination, and, admitting

failure to describe Sri Raghava’s beauty adequately,

concludes lamely that He equals Manmata, the

personification of all beauty. And she pays an implied

compliment to Sri Dasarata too, as the father of such

a striking son could have been of no ordinary

handsomeness himself. The repetition of the words

“Cheera KrishnAjina ambarou” is significant, for they

embody the RAkshasi’s sorrow that such compelling

beauty was clothed not in the finery it deserved, but

only in tree bark and deerskin.

It would appear that Sri Rama’s beauty is better

described by His detractors than by those close to

Him. Shoorpanaka is not alone in this regard, and

another Rakshasa, MarIcha, shares her feelings about

Raghunandana. When his assistance is sought by Ravana

in the abduction of Sri Mythili, MarIchA does his best

to dissuade Ravana from the foolhardy endeavour, and

in the process, showers the choicest words of praise

on Chakravartthi Tirumagan, encompassing not only His

handsomeness, but also His kalyANa guNAs.

“na noonam budhyasE RAmam mahAveeryam guNOnnatam

ayukta chAra: chapala: mahEndra varuNOpamam”

Propelled further by the enjoyment occasioned by the

auspicious attributes of the Lord, MArIchA launches

into a detailed account of Sri Rama’s sterling

qualities, comparing Ravana unfavourably with his foe,

in the process:

“RamO vigrahavAn dharma: sAdhu: satya parAkrama:

RAjA sarvasya lOkasya dEvAnAm MaghavAn iva”.

 

For those with an unvetted appetite for Bhagavat

gunAnubhavam, adiyen would recommend the thirtyseventh

sarga of Aranyakanda, incorporating MarIchA’s detailed

and eloquent portrayal of the Lord, His strength,

bravery, righteousness, etc.

In the great epic, it is the foes of Chakravarti

Tirumagan, rather than His friends, who are more

effusive in their depiction of His auspicious

attributes. Shorn of their undesirable qualities, the

characters of Shoorpanaka, MarIchA, KumbhakarNa,etc,

are outstanding for their fairness and truth,

especially when it comes to praising the Lord and His

greatness, despite their animosity.

The greatness of Sri Valmiki’s work is such that each

word of it is pregnant with meaning, and even an

uninitiated and ignorant explorer like adiyen is

tempted to delve deeper and deeper in search of

greater bliss. While in search of a particular pearl,

one is often distracted by numerous other

scintillating gems, which has in fact led to the

considerable digression in this piece.

 

Srimate SriLakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka

SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya

Nama:

Dasan,sadagopan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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