line of control -7

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Post 7

 

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In the previous post, we saw there is no 'line of control' drawn as projected by

kamban. Now let us see whether saint thulasidhaas draws this line of control, in

his version of raamaayaNam, [or the raamcharithmaanas as it is called, which is

very famous in northern parts of India].

 

To put it straight to you, bhakthaas, he also does not say anything about this

'line of control' or lakshmana rekhaa. Simply lakshmana goes as directed by

seethaa after entrusting her care to the vana dhEvathaas [as in vaalmeeki

raamaayaNam].

 

Sanit thulasidhaasa puts the following [which is a variation to vaalmeeki], even

before raavaNa approached maareechan

 

sunaahu priya bhrata ruchira suseelaa

mai kachChu karabi lalitha nara leelaa

thumha paaraka mahum karahu nivaasaa

jon lagi karoum nisaachara naasa || choupaayee 1 after doha 23

 

jabahin raama sab kahaa bakhaani

prabhu padha Dhaari hiyam anala samaanee

nija prathibimba raakhi thaham seethaa

thasisai seela roopa subineethaa || choupaayee 2 after doha 23

 

Meaning: raama says to seethaa, "listen my darling, seethaa, you have been in

the staunch in the holy vow of fidelity to me, and are so lovely human part,

abide in fire until I have completed the destruction of demons". No sooner did

raama say her every thing in detail, than she impressed the image of the lord's

feet in her heart, and entered into fire leaving with him a shadow / image of

hers, precisely of same appearance, amiable, and gentle disposition. [lakshmaNa

also did not know what happened]

 

So what raavaNan lifted later is that image according to thulasidhaasa.

 

RaavaNan requested maareecha to go as deer, and seethaa sees the golden deer,

asks raama to get it. See thulasi's version of raama going behind the deer.

 

mriga bilOki kati parikara baanDhaa

karathala chaapa ruchira sara saanDhaa|

prabhu lachimana hi kahaa samujnaayi

phiratha lipira nisichara bahu baaye || choupaayee 4 after doha 26

 

seethaa kEri karEhu rakhvaaree

budhDhi bibEka bal samay bichaari

prabhu bilOki chala mruga bhaajee

dhaayE raamu saraasana saajee || choupaayee 5 after doha 26

 

Meaning: Casting a look at the deer, raama girdled up the loins with a piece of

cloth and taking the bow in his hand fitted a shining arrow to same, told

lakshmaNa "a host of demons, brother, roam about in the woods. Take care of

seethaa with due regards to your strength, circumstances and make use of your

intellect and discretion".

 

khal badhi thuratha phirE raghubeera

sOha chaapa kara kati thuneeraa

aaratha giraa sunee jab seethaa

kaha lachimana san parama sa beethaa|| choupaayee 1 after doha 27

 

jaahu bEgi sankata athi braathaa

lachiman bihasi kahaa sunu maathaa

brukuti bilaasa srushti laya hoi

sapanEhun sankata parai ki soi || choupaayee 2 after doha 27

 

Marma bachana jab seethaa bOlaa

Hari prEritha lachiman man dOla

Ban dhisi dhEva saanpi sab kaahoo

ChalE jahaan raavaN sasi raahu || choupaayee 3 after doha 27

 

Meaning: As soon as raama had slain the wretch the hero of raghu's clan turned

back, the charming bow in his hand and quiver in the waist. When seethaa heard

the cry of distress, she was seized of excessive fear and said to lakshmana, "go

quickly, your brother is in great peril". Lakshmana answered with a smile,

"listen, oh mother, by the very play of sri raamaa's eyebrows the entire

creation is annihilated. Could he then ever dream of being in danger?" But when

seethaa urged him with words that cut him to the quick lakshmana's resolution,

for such was hari's will, was shaken. He entrusted her to the care of of all

sylvan gods and deities presiding over the quarters and proceeded to the place

where raama a veritable raahu to the moonlike raavaNa was.

 

After this portion raavaNa enters the scene, takes that image of seethaa, the

story further goes. Actually if you read the aaraNya kaandam of thulasidhaas,

you will feel he has condensed the whole khaandam. Now, dear bhakthaas, tell me,

where lakshmana drew a rekha, a line of control, which is our topic, which

prevented seethaa from crossing and how this line of control story came into

existence, when all three very famous versions do not have any material to

indicate that?

 

We will see more on this line of control from 'adhyaathma raamaayaNam' angle,

which is part of the brahmaaNda puraaNam [one of the 18 puraaNams].

 

Dhaasan

 

Vaasudevan m.g.