line of control 2

[Guest guest]

Part 2

 

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

On the topic of "line of control", the LOC of seethaa, let us first

take vaalmeeki and see the story how `devotion' or the `soul' seethaa

drives away lakshmaNa, the renunciation. So, once the renunciation is

not there to save, the soul [or devotion] becomes protectionless from

others like deceit, etc, is subjected to teasing and whims of 10

senses, the 10 faced dhasa aananan – or raavaNan. Thus seethaa,

devotion becomes wavery and goes out of control, the lakshmana rEkhaa

or the LOC, and lands in the bhOga bhoomi of lanka under the command

of raavaNan. Since, seetha, the devotion, had much self control and

did raama naama japam, thinking on raama always, even while staying

among the raakshasees could get back the lord. Of course the lord's

seeking the soul seethaa also contributed to a large extent.

 

Already, because of the desire on the materialistic object of the

golden deer, [guised form of deceit] overtaking the senses, agitation

is going on inside seethaa. Added to that the voice of deceit calling

raamaa in a voice resembling original raamaa's voice has set in

motion waveriness. So the immediate target to attack is lakshmaNa, to

renounce his protection, by driving him away, in the guise of `going

for help or protection of the god raama. Oh, what a way the

waveriness of mind and devotion etc are beautifully placed in

raamaayanam.

 

Now let us see the slOkaas -

aarthasvaram thu tham bharthu: vij~naaya sadhrsam vanE |

uvaacha lakshmaNam seethaa gachCha jaanee: raaghavam || 3-45-1

 

meaning: On identifying the grievous voice that is identifiable with

her husband's voice, Seethaa spoke to LakshmaNa, "you go at once, and

check up on Raaghava.' [3-45-1]

 

na hi mE jeevitham sthaanE hrudhayam vaa avathishtathE |

krOsatha: parama aarthasya srutha: sabdhO mayaa bhrisam || 4-45-2

aakrandhamaanam thu vanE bhraatharam thraathum arhasi |

 

meaning: I have heard the loud yelling voice of highly fretful Raamaa

whereby my heart, or my very entity, is not abiding in its place. It

will be apt of you to protect such a brother of yours, who is

screaming in the forest. [4-45-2, 3a]

 

tham kshipram abhidhaava thvam bhraatharam saraNa EshiNam || 4-45-3

rakSasaam vasam aapannam simhaanaam iva gOvrisham |

 

meaning: "He might have come under the subjugation of demons as with

a bull coming under the seize of lions. Hence, you hurry up, so as to

near such a brother of yours, who is seeking protection." So said

Seethaa to LakshmaNa. [4-45-3b, 4a]

 

Point: lakshmaNa is not moved for this request of `hey you go'. For

he has been ordered not to leave her alone, but to protect her. God

gives the tool or helping hand to us in the form of renunciation and

if we have to throw that away saying you leave me alone, while doing

devotion who can save us.

 

Further - Soul is to be protected by renunciation, when god is away –

away really? Then what happens to the `vis' principle of naama 1 of

sree vishNu sahasra naamam `visvaaya nama:'. "Having entered all,

through in its entrirety and forever?" – does it mean testing times?

 

Lashmana replies to seethaa [ taken two slokams for consideration]

 

avadhya: samarE raamO na Evam thvam vakthum arhasi || 4-45-13

na thvaam asmin vanE haathum uthsahE raaghavam vinaa |

 

Meaning: It is inept of you to talk that way, as Raama is incapable

of being killed by any body in a given war. And as for me, I do not

venture to abandon you, in this forest, in the absence of Raaghava.

[4-45-13b, 14a]

 

hrudhayam nirvrtham thE asthu santhaapa: thyajyathaam thava || 4-45-15

aagamishyathi thE bharthaa seeghram hathvaa mrigOththamam |

 

meaning: Hence, let your heart be diverted and anxiety divested, as

your husband will be returning soon on killing that extraordinary

deer. [4-45-15b, 16a]

 

Point: Dear bhakthaas, see, how renunciation lakshmana speaks – hey

devotion, seethaa or soul seethaa, get diverted from these kinds of

thoughts, that, all powerful god, your husband, will be terminated,

do not stretch your imagination, be within your limits [LOC?] by

getting that "anxiety" removed from your mind, and await the god's

return, etc. oh, again a classy portrayal of the wavering mind and

the correct counter to quell the wavery mind.

 

Now comes the tongue lashing of seethaa on lakshmaNa

 

ichChasi thvam vinasyantham raamam lakshmaNa math krithE || 4-45-6

lobhaath thu math kritham noonam na anugachChasi raaghavam |

 

meaning: Because of me, you wish Raama to be completely destroyed,

and only because of your cupidity for me, you are not following up on

Raaghava. It is definite.

 

Point: See here, the 'real' woman in Seetha is coming out. Once the

mind has lost its selfcontrol, this is what happens. Anger, her own

thinking of `I am being looked upon for the beauty, kaama, passion,

lust for flesh' etc comes out. All because of the materialistic veil

has been drawn because of deceit – the golden deer, maareecha, and

thoughts of her husband's safety is in jeopardy.

 

>From this slOkam 6 [of the sargam] onwards, she goes on talking

unhesitatingly, unilaterally and even abusively because her mind is

fuddled with the thought 'some damage is done to her husband.' – all

his supernatural capacities are forgotten or confusion has taken

over. All because, the desire for materialistic objects have taken

over the mind, and the power of discrimination is lost.

 

If anything is not done in accordance with her wish and whim, or

which goes against her individual or peculiar way of thinking, it is

usual for a "shrewd woman", that too a woman like seethaa, the

princess – a woman of stature, to start on tongue-lashing on the

person nearby, let it be any body – husband, father, mother or any

other.

 

Here, Seetha, the `woman', who is

· "bharthru prEma antha – 'blinded by the devotement to her

husband,

· `bharthru kshEma aarthi'- 'a desirer of her husband's

welfare...'

even at her own risk comes out. So when one is blinded by one

particular type of feelings or emotions, then the wisdom loses

control, anger takes over and tongue lashing is the result. [please

do not brand me as a male chauvinist etc to write like this. But I am

trying to describe the human nature. Also some points are taken from

valmikiramayan.net – in particular this point]

 

Seethaa insults lakshmaNa saying

sudhushta: thvam vanE raamam Ekam Eko anugachChasi |

mama hEthO: prathichChanna: prayukthO bharathEna vaa || 4-45-24

 

meaning: You are verily maleficent for you have singly and covertly

followed Raama, who started to forests all alone, or instigated by

Bharatha, only because of me. [4-45-24]

 

point: The covert operation of lakshmana as instantly surmised by

seetha is that, 'when one half-brother Bharatha can snatch the

kingdom from raama, you, the other half-brother, can snatch away his

wife, hence you have come with covert intentions, on your own,

leaving all your kinsfolk. Or, Bharatha wanted me, too, along with

the kingdom, so he might have instigated you to fetch me for him,

after raama's death, thus he covertly sent 'you' alone.'

 

thath na sidhdhyathi saumithrE thava api bharathasya vaa |

katham indheevara syaamam raamam padhma nibhEkshaNam || 4-45-25

upasamsrithya bharthaaram kaamayEyam pruthak janam |

meaning: Whether this is an intrigue of yours or that of Bharatha it

is unachievable, saumithri. How can I long for another commoner when

I have put my faith only in the lotus-blue-complexioned and lotus-

bright-eyed husband of mine, Raama? [4-45-25, 26a]

 

Point: see here some steadiness is shown, `my refuge is in him that

god raama only. Oh lakshmana you just cannot take me, neither

bharatha' – it is as though both wanted – a real women consoling

herself, with some good thoughts in between in fits of anger, and

expressing incapability and indirectly seeking protection.

 

Since length of the post is growing, let us continue in next.

 

Dhaasan

Vasudevan m.g