winning ways -post 6

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Post 6

 

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In the preceding 5 posts on "winning ways of raamaa" you may have noted that the

winning ways are unique. Also the results of these wins are also special.

 

The very first win over thaataka is by arrow "sabhdha vEdhi" and raamaa received

after killing of thaataka some "special asthrams" from sage visvaamithra. So a

win by means of "weapons" brought him in additional weapons. See slOkam

dhEva asura gaNaan vaa api sa gandharva uragaan bhuvi |

yai: amithraan prasahya aajou vaseekruthya jayishyasi || 1-27-3

thaani dhivyaani bhadram thE dhadhaami asthraaNi sarvasa: |

yai: = by which - weapons;

dhEva asura gaNaan vaa api = gods, demons, scores of, or, even;

gandharva uragaan = gandharva-s, urugaa-s;

bhuvi = [or that are] on earth - earhling;

a + mithraan= un, friendly ones - enemies;

aajou = in war;

prasahya vaseekruthya = by dominating, humbled down;

jayishyasi = conquers;

thaani dhivyaani = those, the divine [weaponry];

asthraaNi sarvasa: = missiles, all of them;

dhadhaami = I am going to give;

bhadhram thE = safety, be with you.

 

Meaning: I am going to accord all of those divine missiles by which scores of

gods, demons, or even from gandharva-s, uragaa-s and the like, or even

earthlings are dominated, humbled down and conquered in war. Let safety be with

you. [1-27-3, 4a]

 

On the second winning viz: king janaka by raamaa's beauty he got the "prized

beauty" seethaa as the reward. This winning since included the people of mithila

again by same beauty. So the reward of seetha, the beauty personification is

"more than adequate compensation" for this win - can we say?

 

Now let us look at the next win - the people of ayOdhyaa by his guNam - sterling

character. This win, what it brings in to raamaa, as a reward, is a guess for

the present.

Now let us see sage Vaalmeeki's description on raama's guNam:

 

thEshaam api mahaa thEjaa raamO rathikara: pithu: |

svayamBhoo: iva Bhoothaanaam baBhoova guNavaththara: || 2-1-6

[2 represents ayOdhya kaaNdam, 1 represents sargam no, 6 represents the slokam

number]

 

Meaning: raama, like the brahma, among all the living beings, the most virtuous

among those brothers and the mightiest, was a great source of joy for his father

dhasaratha.

 

sa hi roopopapannascha veeryavaan anasooyaka: |

Bhoomau anupama: soonur guNair dhasarathha upama: || 2-1-9

Meaning: - Raama was beautiful in form, a hero of valour without envy. By

virtues, he was like Dasaratha. In this way, he was an incomparable son on

earth.

 

sa cha nithyam prasaantha aathmaa mrudhu poorvE cha BhaashathE |

uchyamaanO~pi parusham na uththaram prathipadhyathE || 2-1-10

Meaning: That Raama was forever peaceful in mind and spoke softly. He did not

react to the hard words spoken by others.

 

kadhachidh upakaarENa kruthEna EkEna thushyathi |

na smarathi apakaaraaNaam satham api aathmavath thayaa || 2-1-11

Meaning: That Raama, because of his good bent of mind, feels glad even by

whatever way a good thing is done to him. He does not remember any number of bad

things done to him.

 

seela vrudhDhair jnaana vrudhDhair vayO vrudhDhaischa sajjanai: |

kathhayan naastha vai nithyam asthra yoga antharEshu api || 2-1-12

Meaning: Whenever he finds some time even while practising archery, raama used

to converse with elderly people, elder by way of conduct or wisdom or age or

with good natured people.

 

budhDhimaan maDhuraaBhaashee poorva Bhaashee priyam vadha: |

veeryavaan na cha veeryENa mahathaa svEna vismitha: || 2-1-13

Meaning: Raama was a wise man. He used to speak sweetly. He was the first man to

initiate a talk. His speech was compassionate. He was valorous. But he was not

arrogant of his mighty valour.

 

na cha anrutha kathhO vidhvaan vrudhDhaanaam prathi poojaka: |

anuraktha: prajaaBhischa prajaascha api anurajyathE || 2-1-14

Meaning: - He did not speak untruth. He was all-knowing. He used to be receptive

and worshipful to the elders. People used to love him and he used to love the

people.

 

saanukrOsO jithakrODhO braahmaNa prathi poojaka: |

dheena anukampee DharmajnO nithyam pragrahavaan suchi: || 2-1-15

meaning: He had compassion. He conquered anger. He used to be receptive and

worshipful to the wise. He had mercy towards the meek. He knew what was to be

done. He had always self- control. He was clean (in conduct).

 

kula uchitha mathi: kshaathram svaDharmam bahumanyathE |

manyathE parayaa preethyaa mahath svargaphalam thatha: || 2-1-16

Meaning: That Raama, having an attitude suitable for his social rank, giving due

respect to his kshatriya righteousness, believed that by following the

righteousness he would attain great love towards all and through it the fruits

of heaven.

 

naasrEyasi rathO yascha na virudhDha kathaaruchi: |

uththara uththara yuktheenaam cha vakthaa vaachaspathir yathaa || 2-1-17

Meaning: Raama was not interested in actions, which are not beneficial. He had

no taste in tales opposing righteousness. Like vaachaspathi, his eloquent speech

contained a series of strategies for action.

 

arOgastharuNo vaagmee vapushmaan dhEsa kaalavith |

lOkE purusha saarajna saadhu: ekO vinirmitha: || 2-1-18

Meaning: Raama was a young man without any disease. He was a good speaker. He

had a good body. He knew both time and place. He could grasp the essence of men.

He was one gentleman born on earth.

 

sa thu srEshtair guNair yuktha: prajaanaam paarthiva aathmaja: |

bahischara iva praaNo baBhoova guNatha: priya: || 2-1-19

Meaning: People loved the virtuous prince raama, and treated him as their spirit

moving outside.

 

samyagvidhyaa vrathasnaathho yathaavath saanga vEdhavith |

ishu asthrE cha pithu: srEshtO baBhoova Bharatha agraja: || 2-1-20

Meaning: After completing his education properly, Raama after knowing the

science of archery as prescribed was better than his father in the use of bow

and arrows.

 

kalyaaNa aBhijana: saadhu: adheena: sathya vaagruju: |

vrudhDhair aBhivineethascha dhvijair Dharma arthha dharsiBhi: || 2-1-21

Meaning: Raama, having born in a good clan, was gentle minded. He was not

feeble. He spoke truth. He was straightforward. He was properly trained by

elderly wise men, who knew righteousness.

 

Dharma kaama arthha thathvajna: smruthimaan prathiBhaanavaan |

loukikE samaya aachaarE krutha kalpO visaaradha: || 2-1-22

Meaning: Raama knew the real form of desire, wealth and righteousness. He had a

good memory power. He had a spontaneous wisdom. He had skills in arranging

customs useful to society prevalent at that time.

 

niBhrutha: samvruthaakaarO guptha manthra: sahaayavaan |

amOgha krODha harshascha thyaaga samyama kaalavith || 2-1-23

Meaning: Raama was humble. He did not let his feelings appear outwardly. He kept

his thoughts to himself. He helped others. His anger and pleasure were not

wasteful. He knew when to give and when not to give.

 

dhruDa Bhakthi: sthhira prajnO naasadhgraahee na dhurvachaa: |

nisthandhreer apramaththascha sva dhOsha para dhOshavith || 2-1-24

Meaning: Raama had a firm devotion to god, had a steadfast mind. Raama was not

stubborn, and was not speaking evil words. He was not idle, was always alert,

recognised his own errors and those of others.

 

saasthrajnascha kruthajnascha purushaanthara kOvidha: |

ya: pragraha anugrahayOr yathaa nyaayam vichakshaNa: || 2-1-25

Meaning: Raama knew the theory and practice of sciences. He understood the

differences among men. He could judiciously discriminate whom to protect and

whom to punish.

 

sathsangraha anugrahaNE sthaanavin nigrahasya cha |

aayakarmaNi upaayajna: sandhrushta vyaya karmavith || 2-1-26

Meaning: Raama was very good in identifying the good people and protecting them.

He knew the people who deserve to be reprimanded. He knew the ways and means of

getting income, knew the system of spending as mentioned in saasthra.

 

sraishtyam cha asthra samoohEshu praapthO vyaamisrakEshu cha |

arthha Dharmou cha sangruhya sukha thanthrO na cha alasa: || 2-1-27

Meaning: Raama could obtain great skill in the groups of war sciences along with

their subsidiaries. He was interested in enjoying comforts only after

understanding the economic realities. He was not an idle man.

 

vaihaarikaaNaam silpaaNaam vijnaatha arthha viBhaaga vith |

aarOhE vinayE chaiva yukthO vaaraNa vaajinaam || 2-1-28

Meaning: Raama was acquainted with the fine arts useful for entertainment. He

knew how to distribute the wealth. He was efficient in riding and taming of

elephants and horses.

 

Dhanur vEdha vidhaam srEshtO lOkE~thirathha sammatha: |

aBhiyaathaa praharthaa cha sEnaa naya visaaradha: || 2-1-29

Meaning: Raama was the best of persons knowing the science of archery in the

world, and was well appreciated by the champions of archery. He attained skills

in marshalling the army. He faced and killed the enemies in battle.

 

apradhrushyascha sangraamE krudhDhair api suraa surai: |

anasooyO jithakrODhO na dhrupthO na cha mathsaree || 2-1-30

Meaning: Even enraged devas and rakshasas cannot defeat Raama in battle. He had

no jealousy. He conqured anger. He had no arrogance and envy.

 

naavajnEyascha Bhoothaanaam na cha kaala vasa anuga: |

Evam sreshtair guNair yuktha: prajaanaam paarthiva aathmaja: || 2-1-31

meaning: He had not humiliated any living being. He had not surrendered to time.

That Prince Raama, with these good virtues, was fair to the people.

 

sammathas thrishu lOkEshu vasuDhaayaa: kshamaa guNai: |

budhDhyaa bruhaspathEsthulyO veeryENaapi sacheepathE: || 2-1-32

Meaning: He was agreeable to the three worlds. By patience and the related

virtues, he was equal to earth, by wisdom to Brihaspathi and by valour to

Devendra.

 

thathaa sarva prajaa kaanthai: preethi sanjananai: pithu: |

guNair viruruchE raamO dheeptha: soorya iva amsuBhi: || 2-1-33

Meaning: Raama, by his virtues, was a source of happiness to all the people and

a spring of joy to his father. As the sun shines with his rays, Raama was

shining, thus, with his virtues.

 

tham Evam vratha sampannam apradhrushya paraakramam |

lOka paala upamam naathham akaamayatha mEdhinee | 2-1-34

Meaning: The earth wished Rama to be her Lord, as he was adorned with

self-control, and norms of behaviour, bearing undefeatable valour equal to the

universal lords like Indra.

 

Dear bhakthaas, perhaps this description of vaalmeeki is like a "raama sahasra

naamam" as part of raamaayaNam. Even though many may accuse me of repetition

[since same I included in my series writeup on "how could such a raama do

that"], I would like to give it since it is worth reading once more. Such is the

taste. By all these charecteristic attributes raama mesmerized all people of

ayOdhyaa to wish him as their king. So the winning ways of raama is by his

"nature". We will continue in next post about this characteristic points.

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.