Hindu article-The lure of senses

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The lure of senses

 

 

CHENNAI, MAY 12 . The epics and puranas are an

indelible part of our spiritual ethos. A scholar once

said that while earthly riches are bequeathed by a

parent to his progeny, scriptures are the heirloom of

generations of people. The Ramayana, in particular,

commands such a status. From the time of sage Valmiki

whose search for the `complete man' of his times

resulted in the story of the prince of Ayodhya to the

current century, the Ramayana continues to be an

inspirational manual for all. While there may be

variations in the narrative caused due to the

exigencies of the time in which the author created his

work, the basic tenet of upholding virtuous conduct

despite severe challenges remains inviolate.

 

In her discourse, Dr. Sudha Seshian said the Ramayana

is interwoven with our destiny. The importance of the

epic is gleaned from the fact that in the Indian

almanac the essential aspects are detailed beginning

with the birth of Rama and ending with the vanquishing

of Ravana. Another common association, known to people

of all strata, is the "Lakshman rekha", which refers

to the line supposedly drawn by Lakshmana prohibiting

Sita from crossing it as he went in search of Rama.

Another famous divergence occurs in the 12 th century

Tamil work Kamba Ramayanam, with regard to the

narration of the fall of Hiranyakashyap. Kamban

juxtaposed the Nrisimha avatar as Vibhishana's

exposition in the council of war. At the Srirangam

temple where the poet first presented his work,

pundits unanimously rejected the reference as an

aberration at a time when a country faced the serious

threat of war. However, endorsement came from none

other than Nrisimha Himself, who appeared on the stone

pillar, an aspect that finds relevance to date among

pilgrims to the temple.

 

Replete with humour, scientific facts and poetry of a

pristine order, Kamba Ramayanam is a study in virtue.

All creatures on earth face downfall due to sensory

attachments. All the senses are enough to bring ruin

to a man; however, the eye is considered the biggest

source of temptation, for it covets what it espies.

 

copy right: The Hindu-daily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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