good governance - raamaa's style - post 6

[Guest guest]

Post 6

 

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

Continuing the topic of "good governance- raamaa's style", we saw in post 5, the

king's first and foremeost duty is protection of the kingdom. We will see

continue on what a king has to do and what he should not do.

 

To continue as king, for a longer time, the king must control his senses --

 

apramaththa: cha yo raajaa sarvajnO vijithEndhriya: |

kruthajnO dharma seela: cha sa raajaa thishtathE chiram || 3-33-20

[as stated earlier 3 means aaraNya kaNdam 33 is sargam 20 is slOkam number]

 

a pramaththa: cha ya: raajaa = also the king not uncautious [has to be cautious]

sarvajna vijitha indhriya = all-knowing [clever] controlled senses

kruthajna: dharma seela: cha = credence giver, conscientious

sa: raajaa thishtathE chiram = he as king stays sustainably.

 

Meaning: A king who is cautious, clever and a principled one with controlled

senses, he stays as king sustainably. [3-33-20]

 

Point: Soorpanakha continues her points on the king's behaviour etc in this

slOkam.

A king for continuing to be the king must on his personal side has to observe

certain things. These are

1. Caution while dealing with any subject or subjects.

2. Use his intelligence cleverness and sharpness

3. Never loose his grips on the dhaarmic code of conduct

4. Must always be having controlled his own senses.

 

Here, since raavaNa is not careful as assessed by her, acting foolishly, not

knowing his own kinsmen were killed single- handedly by a man [maanusha:] etc.

He is not a dharmavaan in her opinion also. Hence she says that since you are

not like these perhaps sooner you may have to be thrown out as king.

 

On the contrary see here - king dhasaratha praises raamaa on his own first,

considering the urgency of crowning raamaa as the prince, then announces his

good qualities to his ministers and people of ayOdhyaa. Then he pronounces that

he has the inclination to make raamaa as the crown prince and asks, "oh! My dear

people of ayOdhyaa, what is your opinion".

 

We saw in "how could such a raamaa do that" series -what are these

charecteristic specials of raamaa which dhasaratha described? After announcing

to people, dhasaratha the king calls his son raamaa to his house and says "My

son, although you are a storehouse of merits, I wish to offer some friendly

advice to you out of sheer affection".

 

kaamathasthvam prakruthyaiva vineethO guNavaanasi || 2-3-41 second line

guNavathyapi thu snEhaath puthra vakshyaami thE hitham | 2-3-42 first line

 

puthra = Oh, son!

prakruthya Eva = by nature

thvam asi = you are

kaamatha: = very much

vineetha: = humble

guNavaan = virtuous man

guNavathya: api = even if virtuous [because of my]

snEhaath = out of friendship

thE hitham = for your good

vakshyaami = I tell

 

meaning: Oh, son! By nature, you are very humble and virtuous. Even then,

because of my friendship with you, I can tell you this for your benefit."

 

Point: See here the way father tells a son - after nominating him as crown

prince - he puts it across as a friend - snEhaath - not as an advice nor as a

command from king to his deputy. that too - for your benefit - not for the

benefit of the kingdom or any such thing - your benefit. For he knows - once the

king is good naturally the kingdom will be benefitted.

 

First the subtle point of a king or a prince has to be humble is brought out so

nicely saying you are already humble.

Then the second point of king to be virtuous is also spelt.

Now see next -

 

bhooyO vinayam aasthaaya bhava nithyam jithEndhriya: || 2-3-42

kaama krOdha samuththhaani thyaja Ethaa vyasanaani cha |

 

nityam vinayam bhooya: = (even) more humble always

aasthaaya bhava = try to become

jithEndhriya: bhooya: = (remain as) one who has victory over senses,

kaama krOdha samuththaani = born out of desire and wrath.

vyasanaani tyaja = leave bad habits

 

Meaning: Be even more humble and always keep the senses under control. Leave the

bad habits born out of desire and wrath.

 

Point: King Dasharatha suggests to raamaa: [can not put advices]

* Resort to be even greater humility (than before),

* constantly keep your senses under control.

* This means a king is not to be easily provoked by others and must always chek

his senses.

* Next is - Avoid vices born of lust and anger.

 

Continuing

svayam kaaryaaNi ya: kaalE na anuthishtathi paarthiva: |

sa thu vai saha raajyEna thai: cha kaaryai: vinasyathi || 3-33-4

 

paarthiva: ya: svayam = the king who on time in person,

kaaryaaNi kaalE na anuthishtathi = not deal with the concerns of kingdom

sa: thu vai saha raajyEna = he verily with the kingdom

thai: cha kaaryai: vinasyathi = gets ruined along with the concerns of the

kingdom.

 

Meaning: The king who does not deal with the concerns of kingdom in person and

on time, verily he, his kingdom and those concerns of his kingdom even get

ruined.

 

Point: Soorpanaka says to raavaNa this slOkam.

This can also be expressed as "tai: kaaryai: raajyena saha sa: ca vinashyati" by

those very issues of kingdom, the king along with his kingdom gets ruined.

 

A king / ruler has to take certain actions and decisions personally, and most

important "on time". For this the king has to remain firm in his body and mind.

 

Inordinate ravelling in comforts and lust makes a king weak in body, mind, and

time. The timely actions he is supposed to take do not come to mind because it

is weakened and benumbed. Then he is liable to believe his aids that may

precisely land him into further troubles.

 

The major issue at that stage is Rama and Lakshmana as cautioned by soorpanaka,

adding they can ruin Ravana and his kingdom.

 

Further - What are the vices (vyasanani) according to Manu Smriti arising from

lust and anger to a king?

Answer is - first for lust

* hunting

* playing at dice

* sleeping by day

* slandering others

* fondness for women

 

Vanity and vices resulting from anger are

* tale-bearing

* violence

* vindictiveness

* jealousy

* fault-finding

* squandering one's wealth

* abusive speech

* cruelty in punishment

 

Perhaps this applicable to us common folks also.

 

Just as a sidelight, see here, how thaara the wife of vaali invites lakshmaNa

inside the inner chambers when he went to the kingdom to remind sugreeva about

his commitment made to raama in searching seethaa. This is mainly from the angle

of avoiding the vice of "fondness for women" stated above.

 

thath aagachCha mahaabaahO chaarithram rakshitham thvayaa |

achChalam mithra bhaavEna sathaam dharaa avalOkanam || 4-33-61

 

thath aagachCha mahaabaaha: = hence get inside oh neat-handed one

chaarithram rakshitham thvayaa = tradition upheld by you

a chChalam mithra bhaavEna = not deceitful friendly intent

sathaam dharaa avalOkanam = for good-willed friend's wives peering at.

 

Meaning: oh, dextrous one [addressing lakshmaNa], get inside the

palace-chambers, for you have been standing here at the door coyly, unwilling to

behold womenfolk inside. Enough is this upholding of tradition by you.

Good-willed peering at the wives of friends with a friendly intent is not at all

deceitful. Thus Tara affectionately invited Lakshmana inside the

palace-chambers.

 

Point here is lakshmaNa is not even looking at them, leave alone with a friendly

intent or otherwise. Such is his chaarithram - history - his side of story - his

charecteristic. Of course few more can be given on this guNam of lakshmaNa but

since that is not the main topic taken up this is stopped here.

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.