Srimad Ramayana Tatva Deepika#74 (Ba:la Ka:nda)

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Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha!

Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam!!

 

In a ka:vyam just sweetness in writing is not enough. There should be dignity in

addition to the sweetness in a Ka:vya. ‘Soundarya darSanam’ is essential.

Enjoying the ‘soundaryam’ along with experiencing the inner hidden happiness is

equally essential. Unless the outer cover is removed the inner happiness will

not come to experience. When a lion roars in a jungle, frightened by that sound,

the ‘mriga:s’ breathe their last. The body reaches its end. In a ka:vya, the

concealed secret meaning called ‘dhvani’ (sound), makes us enjoy the hidden joy

of the outer prakrithi.

 

Now the lion called Valmiki roared. The notes of that roar, that is the meaning

called ‘dhvani’ enunciates ‘a:thmathathvam’ and the ‘Parathathvam’ and makes us

experince the joy. This is the secret of Sri Ramayana. Outwardly this is the

narration of Sri Rama’s story. This is Sita and Rama’s story. There is sweetness

in the ‘Sabda:s’ and ‘artha:s’; there is dignity and naturalness in the

feelings, in the thinking, in the descriptions. There is expertise in the

delineation of characters. The similies attract us. The ‘guna:s’ captivate us.

All this is outer experience. There are morals and dharmas explained here. They

teach the mankind the right behavior in the society and correct them. Till here,

this is the external benefit of a kavya.

 

The ‘inner-rasa’ makes one forget oneself and experience the eternal bliss. This

is the inner benefit of kavya. These two are achieved by Sri Ramayanam. This is

the a:di ka:vya; Valmiki is the a:di kavi. This Ramayanam is the ni:ti sa:stra,

dharma sa:stra and mantra sa:stra. It is a great tool to eliminate the

‘unwanted’ and achieve the ‘wanted’. This is the philosophical writing that

gives the a:tma vidya as expounded by Upanishads. Hence all those meanings are

proved in the first sloka. In this, the whole story of Ramayana is briefly

suggested, in those words.

 

(In the next posting)

Jai srimannarayana!

Ramanujamma Mudumbai, Ramanuja Dasi