padiththadhil pidiththadhu

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

My sincere deepaavali nal vaazhththukkaL to all srivaishnava fraternity.

 

In the search of a reference for "the ball handling seethaa near the sivaa's bow

and pushing the bow so easily" episode being discussed under the title the bow's

story, I came across the write up titled "spot lights in Ramayana" by Sri Swamy

Premananda in the Divine life society web site of Swamy Sivananda

www.sivanandadlshq.org <http://www.sivanandadlshq.org> In that write up, which

runs to some 30 pages with picture, foreword etc in all 39 pages, the chapter on

esotericism in raamaayaNam attracted me very much - "padiththadhil

pidiththadhu".

 

In particular, the description of raama as wisdom, seetha as devotion, et al is

really a new dimension for me. This I thought will be of interest to novices

like me and hence I am sharing this in the list. If any of the points are not

according to the tenets of srivaishnavam, those need not be taken for further

discussion, and I may be pardoned for bringing in such references. Please

consume only the good parts and leave the chaff if any. Thanks.

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.

 

Esotericism in Ramayana

 

There is a spiritual interpretation of the story of Rama, which would be found

beneficial to the entire mankind. According to the esoteric explanation of the

Ramayana, man himself is the battlefield where a constant war is going on

between the good and evil propensities. Information about the external world is

collected through the five sense organs. These perceptions are turned into

impressions with the help of mental background, different in different

individuals. On the basis of these impressions the individual acts through the

five organs of action. It is by controlling the sense organs and disciplining

the mind with the help of the intellect that man can take proper action and lead

a happy life. After continuous disciplining of the mind and the senses,

ignorance is dispelled and one is able to discriminate between good and evil.

 

A person who is able to command his ten senses is called Dasaratha. Among his

wives,

* Kausalya can be said to be an embodiment of Devotion,

* Kaikeyi of Attachment and

* Sumitra of Detachment.

 

Similarly,

* Rama represents Wisdom,

* Bharata Discrimination,

* Lakshmana Renunciation and

* Shatrughna Thought.

 

The knowledge contained in the Vedas is personified in sage Vashishtha who first

teaches and trains the four princes-Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna. It

is only when wisdom, discrimination, renunciation and asceticism are combined

that universal brotherhood or Vishwamitra emerges who imparts further training

and help to Rama and Lakshmana to conquer evil forces like

* Tataka (Anger-lust combined),

* Maricha and Subahu (deceit and temptation).

 

After that sage Vishwamitra takes them to Mithila, the kingdom of Raja Janaka,

to participate in Swayamvara, the, marriage function of his daughter Sita. On

their way to Mithila, Rama revives Ahalya who had turned into stone i.e. without

feeling and sensation, due to a curse, which fell on her, and is again brought

back to her full sensibilities.

 

There the contest was that whosoever lifts the bow of Siva, Sita will be married

to him. Many princes and kings competed for the hand of Sita but they were not

able even to move the great bow and were therefore disappointed. This bow,

according to our allegory stands for pride and Sita is an embodiment of

Devotion. Now unless a man is able to rise above pride, he cannot attain

devotion.

 

Parasurama is a devotee of the Lord and stands for Ego. He was enraged not only

as the great bow was lifted but broken into two. Whereas Rama tried to assuage

the feelings of Parasurama with sweet words, Lakshmana, his brother almost

challenged the great sage for unnecessarily interfering in the internal affairs

of king Janaka.

 

As an embodiment of wisdom and being the eldest amongst the princes, Rama is

rightly chosen by his father to be crowned as king, but on account of the

intervention of Kaikeyi, he is compelled to banish Rama from the kingdom for 14

years. Thus Rama, Sita and Lakshmana left for the forest and minister Sumanta

(i.e. Sukarma-good actions) accompanied them but wisdom (Rama) compelled him to

go back to Ayodhya.

 

The trio (Wisdom-devotion-renunciation) proceeded further. The meeting of wisdom

(Rama) with skillful Nishada helped the trio to cross the Tamasa river (river of

Brahma-Vidya) on the boat of pure sankalpa and then accompanied with Nishad, the

trio reached 'Triveni' the conjunction of three rivers (Ganga, Yamuna,

Saraswati), which symbolically represent Ida, Pingla and Sushumna. On the bank

of Triveni they had the darshan of Pranav (i.e. Bharadwaja) and afterwards of

Valmiki Rishi (Discipline) who advised them (wisdom-devotion-renunciation) to

stay at Chitrakut, the place of reasoning and understanding, for sometime.

 

[point by MGV - without renouncing some things bhakthi or devotion will not

develop. Without bhakthi or devotion wisdom is not going to dawn. So one

following the other is a very neat idea of presenting]

 

When Bharata returned to Ayodhya from his maternal uncle's place, he is able to

discriminate and see the injustice of the whole episode. But he fails to

dissuade Rama from following the orders of his father as well as of Kaikeyi.

Rama does not leave the kingdom alone and is accompanied by Renunciation

(Lakshmana) and Devotion (Sita). Then the trio left Chitrakut also. On the way

they met the great sages Atri (Truth), and Anasuya, wife of Atri, an embodiment

of loyalty and faithfulness.

 

The trio of Wisdom, Devotion and Renunciation occupy Panchavati-literally an

abode standing for an embodiment of the 5 sense organs. There Surpanakha, the

sister of Ravana and an embodiment of Desire, approaches Rama and Lakshmana for

the satisfaction of her lust. But neither Wisdom nor Renunciation are attracted

or lured by Desire who is not only turned away but also disfigured by Lakshmana.

Surpanakha approached her brothers Khara and Dushana, who stand for Pride and

Evil. But in a battle royal they are not able to measure swords with Wisdom and

Renunciation. Whosoever makes use of wisdom before taking any action - and if

that wisdom is tempered with renunciation - pride and evil cannot stand before

the combination, and automatically disappears.

 

Then we reach the climax of the story where Ravana or Dasanana, literally a

person with 10 heads, decides to avenge the dishonour done to his sister. Having

analysed that the ascetic princes are no ordinary individuals and have withstood

not only Pride and Evil but also Desire, Dasanana decides to organise an attack

with the help of Deceit, in the form of Maricha. Maricha or Deceit could assume

a variety of forms and hence Ravana used him as a ploy to appear before Sita as

a golden deer so that she might be attracted towards him.

 

It is said that at this juncture, in order to save Sita - a Princess who had

been brought up in luxury - She was concealed by Rama with the help of Fire and

in her place an illusion of Sita was created by him. It was this illusory Sita

who fell for the golden deer and asked her husband to bring it for her. Rama,

through his wisdom saw the game but on account of Sita's persistence and to play

his part in the cosmic drama gave the deer a chase.

 

The deer enticed him away from Panchavati and as he was dying, he cried

Lakshmana as if it was Rama himself crying for his help. The illusory Sita heard

the cry and asked Lakshmana to rush to Rama's help. Lakshmana tried to assure

Sita that no calamity could befall the wise and brave Rama but she insisted and

even insinuated motives to Lakshmana who had to leave to find out facts.

 

When Sita was alone, Ravana approached Panchavati as a hermit, begging for alms

and took her away forcibly. Jatayu, an embodiment of peace, who lives for

others, intercepted him but who was fatally wounded. Since Rama is depicted in

the Ramayana as an ordinary but an ideal man, finding Sita missing, he begins to

lament and cry for help as any husband would do. Finally he runs into Jatayu who

tells him the truth. Several efforts are made to dissuade Ravana from evil path

and to make him return Sita, but nothing avails of. Finally, Rama strikes

friendship with Sugreeva, who is personified action, which has lost power and

strength on account of the defeat inflicted upon him by his brother vali,

literally a very brave man.

 

Sugreeva introduces Rama to Hanuman who stands for absolute renunciation, who is

sent to find out the exact whereabouts of Sita. On the way, the

water-spirits-Surasa, Simhika and Lankini - standing for three attributes of

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, which pervade the universe - try to hinder the progress

of Hanuman. He raises above all the 3 attributes and it is only after he masters

all of them that he reaches Lanka and finds out Sita in the forest of Ashoka

trees. After delivering the message of Rama to her, he creates havoc in the city

and lets himself be caught by Meghanatha so that he is produced in the court of

Ravana.

 

There he speaks of the valour and virtues of Rama and tries to dissuade Ravana

from evil ways. Ravana's brother Vibhishana also tries to give good advice to

the king and asks him to return Sita so that bloodshed may be avoided. But the

king strikes at Vibhishana and turns him out of the court, who then joins the

forces of Rama. Even the entreaties of Mandodari, his queen, do not prevail upon

the king. Wisdom (Rama) also sends another emissary, Angada, to persuade Ravana

to give up his evil ways. But Attachment and Desire, as personified in Ravana

are determined to have their way and finally a battle royal ensues.

 

Ravana had all the evil forces like Greed, Deceit and others on his side but

they were all destroyed by Rama, causing consternation in Ravana. But his Desire

in the form of his son Meghanatha, consoled him and succeeded in striking at

Renunciation (Lakshmana) sending him to sleep for a short while, but Good

Actions in the form of the medicine-man Sushena came to the help of Renunciation

and revived him with the help of the Sanjivini herb, i.e. determined good

action.

 

Even Kumbhakarana standing for pride, could not stand before wisdom and was

killed. Finally Desire and Attachment (Ravana) were completely annihilated by

Wisdom and when illusory Sita came to Rama, Wisdom declared that he had no place

for Maya and sent her back to fire. Bharata had been ruling Ayodhya with great

discrimination and once the period of 14 years was over, Wisdom, Renunciation

along with Devotion, Absolute Renunciation, Bravery and other attributes

returned to Ayodhya, to establish the reign of righteousness-Ramaraj.

****