epics - hidden meanings

[Guest guest]

We should feel proud that our epics and scriptures are full of hidden

marvels! There is this sloka in Ramayana, in the context, where Lakshmana

approaches to his mother for blessings before he goes to the forest along

with Rama:

 

rAmaM daSaradhaM vitthi mAM vitthi janakAtmajAH

ayOdhyAM araNyAM vitthi gacca tAta yadhA sukhaM ||

 

Implied Meaning 1: My dear Son, you are going to that forest, there you can

not see your father who can give you his advise, hence look for your father

in your brother Rama (rAMaM daSarathaM vitthi), look for me (mother) in

jAnaki [sita] (mAM vitthi janakAtmajAh), feel that forest is ayOdhya

(ayOdhaM araNyaM vitthi)...

 

Implied meaning 2:

a) Ramam daSarathaM vitthi: The moment Rama leaves the kingdom, because of

the immense pain caused by that seperation, your father Dasaratha will die

(which takes place later in Ramayana), hence know that, in the absence of

your father, Rama will become your father..

 

b) mAm vitthi janakAtmajAH: The culture in those days is that the moment

the husband dies, the widow should travel back to her parents and should

take shelter at her father's place. So after Rama leaves daSaratha will die

making her a widow. Since a widow should go back to her father, she is

saying "my dear Son, know that I am going to be again with my father, as his

dear daughter (janaka = father).

 

c) ayOdhyAM araNyaM vitthi: The moment Rama leaves the kingdom, people in

the kingdom will loose their heart they no more will feel like proud

citizens of Ramarajya, where their king became so weak that he listened to

his wife and sent away a trained prince to the forest! And the moment

DaSaradha dies, the good citizens dessert the ayOdhya and migrate to other

places. The moment good people live the kingdom, bad people start riots...

Bad people behave like beasts, they are animals. A city where people do not

live, will become abode to the animals... We call that place as forest where

animals live. All this is going to happen because Rama is going to the

forest; because of the death of Dasaratha; because of Bharata's refusal to

accept the kingdom.... Hence, know that Ayodhya is going to become a

forest...

 

There are other 20 more interpretations for this sloka alone! The complete

Ramayana reveals other hidden meanings the moment we start contemplating...

 

 

[Note: Above is the recollection from the memory, sorry for not being able

to quote the source. comments and corrections are most welcome]

 

Yours,

Madhava