fish fight 1

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In yester era, generally any fight, without the involvement of physical bodies',

between the two warring parties, is taken to the king for a judgement. The king

after consulting his ministers or counselors or panel of jury, passes a

judgement on the dispute. The king also ensures that his judgement is abided by

both, and the parties do not pick up further more fight, because of the

judgement.

 

We have already seen how the minister's functioned efficiently and effectively,

advising king dhasaratha in the write up "good governance raamaa style".

 

If it is a physical fight between two human beings, naturally one, who is weak

physically and in tact, goes down fighting. The other person emerges victorious

naturally. This same logic applies, if the fight is between two animals. The

stronger one or the tactical one even if slightly weak physically, emerges

victorious because of the tactics used in taming the other.

 

But if both are foolish and equally possessed in strength what will happen. May

be some third party, even though not involved or connected even slightly, has to

enter into the ring and stop the fight.

 

See here - the third party or the mediator who has gone to resolve the fight

between two foolish sorties, has to plead for forgiveness with yet another. Why?

Because he failed to appear in time before that yet another and is now put in

the dock.

 

maddi meen onROdu onRu mallaadi amar pooNum

vazhakku theerkkap pOnEn idhaRkO un manam kONum

 

meaning: the foolish fish fought with one another and entered into a war. I went

there to resolve their dispute. You got upset with that. Oh, please do not get

angry with me.

 

Dear bhakthaas, You may wonder why this person tells a well known matter in the

list, known even to a child, where all are scholars in one subject or way or

other.

 

Now read the beautiful krithi in raagaa asaavEri in the raama naatakam of

arunaachala kaviraayar. Pallavi -

 

saraNam saraNam raghu raamaa nee ennai

thaRkaaththu aruL paranthaamaa [saraNam]

 

meaning: surrender to you oh, raamaa born in the raghu clan, oh supreme lord,

you please protect me.

 

Anupallavi:

 

virikadal vEndhaa un thiruvadi sErntha en

mEl enna apachaaram aaiyira namaskaaram [saraNam]

 

meaning: oh king of the vastly spread ocean, what is the mistake on my part, oh

lord I reached your feet, one thousand prostration to you .

 

maddi meen onROdu onRu mallaadi amar pooNum

vazhakku theerkkap pOnEn idhaRkO un manam kONum

ettum reNdum theriyaadha enakku iththanaiyO kaaNum

enna pizhai seidhaalum neeyE poRuththal vENum [saraNam]

 

meaning: the foolish fish fought with one another and entered into a war. I went

there to resolve their dispute. You got upset with that. I do not know either

that 'eight' or the 'two'. Please forgive me for whatever mistakes I commit.

 

Now you may wonder what is the situation under which this pleading is made to

raamaa, and who is the pleader. He also addresses raamaa as virikadal vEndhaa -

meaning lord of vast ocean.

 

When raamaa is, not even having his own kingdom named kOsala dhEsam with

ayOdhyaa as capital, to be inherited from his father, he is being addressed as

virikadal vEndhaa. What a surprise.

 

Who it is who addressed like this? Let us see in next post.

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.