seethaa's learnings 4

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Post 4

Dear Sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

Continuing on the topic of seethaa's learnings, we were referring in the previous post, the conversation between seethaa and raama. This conversation is taking place in the dhaNdaka forest, after raama assured the sages 'protection' and 'elimination of the raakshasaas'. Seethaa says, 'I am incapable to tutor you, oh raama, but, out of affinity I tell you'. She continues exhibiting her wisdom -- her level of learning -

 

kshathriyaaNaam thu veeraaNaam vanEshu niyatha aathmanaam |

dhanushaa kaaryam Ethaavath aarthaanaam abhirakshaNam || 3-9-26

 

meaning: For the valiant kshatriya-s who are inclined in forests heartily, the purpose of the bow is this much - 'safeguarding the sufferers.'

 

kva cha sasthram, kva cha vanam, kva cha kshaathram, thapa: kva cha |

vyaavidhDham idham asmaabhi: dhEsa dharma: thu poojyathaam || 3-9-27

 

meaning: Where is that weapon? Where is this forest? Where are the principles of Kshatriya? And where is sageness? All this is inconsistent; let us esteem the laws of the land.

 

Comment: when seethaa says, 'let us esteem the laws of land', that shows adequately to us, that, she knows 'what are different laws of different lands, when to practise it, etc'. Without that basic knowledge, how can she question raama about that? Further how can she comment without an all-encompassing knowledge on these, as 'all this is inconsistent?' That indicates her level of wisdom, that she is fully conversant with these laws, tenets etc - may be learnt from father janaka or raama himself.

 

thathaa aarya kalushaa budhDhi: jaayathE sasthra sEvanaath |

puna: gathvaath thath ayOdhyaayaam kshathra dharmam charishyasi || 3-9-28

 

meaning: Weapon admiring mind becomes maligned with avariciousness, you may therefore follow the tenet of Kshathriya-s on going back to ayOdhyaa again.

 

Comment: MGV adds - that means, seethaa says to raama, 'hey raama, please stop now your kshathriya dharma of protecting and going to eliminate raakshasaas for you are NOT the king of this land, you can continue later when you have returned to ayOdhyaa. Also she comments on the 'human psychology' of a person wielding armoury - just recollect that tamil proverb - irumbu pidichavan kai summa irukkaadhu - one who weilds an armour cannot keep quiet.

 

Point: The following slOkam is really a great one in their conversation - just recall what krishNa says to arjuna in detail about kuladharmam, karmam, gnaanam, sam-nyaasam, bhakthi yOgam, etc in his 'geethaa' - similar 'pouring' out so effortlessly is from seethaa, here. Perhaps, even a learned minister would not have administered the king, such a counsel, but seethaa, here, simply pours out her genius in all the philosophy, tenets, rules and regulations. In particular slOkam 30 holds the testimony of her depth of learning - on 'dharmam'.

 

dharmaath artha: prabhavathi, dharmaath prabhavathE sukham |

dharmENa labhate sarvam, dharma saaram idham jagath || 3-9-30

 

meaning: From virtuousness prosperity emanates, from righteousness happiness, and by honorableness all are achieved, and this universe is the essence of probity.

 

aathmaanam niyamai: thai: thai: karshayithvaa prayathnatha: |

praapyathE nipuNai: dharmO na sukhaath labhathE sukham || 3-9-31

 

meaning: Experts will make efforts to exhaust their own selves with those and those principles, thus they realise sublimity, unachievable is pleasure by pleasuring alone.

 

nithyam suchi mathi: soumya chara dharmam thapO vanE |

sarvam hi vidhitham thubhyam thrailOkyam api thaththvatha: || 3-9-32

 

meaning: Always tread along the righteousness with a pure mind, oh, gentle one, and specially in these sagely forests. You know everything in all the 3 worlds, in all its nuances.

 

Comment: seethaa's 'you know every thing, who am I to teach you in particular on dharma' is not a simple lip level praise to raama. After the exposition of her depth of knowledge on dharma, she says, 'thava dharmam vakthum ka: samartha:' who is capable of teaching dharma to you?'

 

Seethaa does not offer this comment in desparation, for, any how raama is not going to listen to her. Perhaps she has already realized the real impact of that statement 'raama: vigrahavaan dharma:' It means she has realized that she has done her dharmam of that 'saha dharma charee'. That's it. Oh, simply great. Then she says - hey, do what you want, but do it in time - again a good counsel on the 'time aspect' - exhibition of wisdom in another dimension - timeliness of actions -

 

sthree chaapalaath Ethath udhaa:rutham mE dharmam cha vakthum thava ka: samartha: |

vichaarya budhDhyaa thu saha anujEna yath rOchathE thath kuru ma achirENa ||

3-9-33

 

meaning: seethaa finally says, 'oh raama, I cite all this with my womanly waver, and who is capable to talk to you about dharmam? Ponder mindfully along with your brother, and you do it what that is appropriate, but not belatedly'.

 

Comment: We, common folks, would not have realised the impact of janakaa's words 'thava saha dharma charee' at the time of 'raama seethaa kalyaaNam' [in that slOkam]. When we read above conversation and understand it fully, then we realize what weight these four words carry [bold in the following slOkam - uttered by janaka] and how naively janaka has put it across saying 'raama, you have a partner in this seethaa, my daughter, in your life, on 'dharmam chara' - dharma way of life'.

 

iyam seethaa mama suthaa saha dharma charee thava || 1-73-26

pratheechCha cha Enaam bhadhram thE paaNim gruhNeeshva paaNinaa |

 

Meaning: This is Seetha, my daughter, she acquits herself in whatever duty you undertake. Take her wishfully, let safeness betide you, take her palm into your palm..."

OR

Meaning: Here Seethaa stands, my daughter, fair, to share the duties of thy life, take from her father, take thy bride, Join hand to hand, and bliss betide! - Ralph T. H. Griffith [taken from www.valmikiramayan.net <http://www.valmikiramayan.net> web site]

 

Seethaa, being a 'saha dharma charee' of raama is confirmed and reconfirmed in more than one place, by none other than raama, apart from janaka at the time of marriage.

1. when after an argument raama gives his aceeptance for seethaa's coming to forest, he says 'saha dharma charee bhava' in slokam 2-30-40.

2. after this kind of advising, counseling by seethaa, raama tries to justify his line of thinking in making seethaa accept the promise to the sages of the task of elimination of raakshasaas, and in that raama says

sadhrusam cha anuroopam cha kulasya thava sobhanE |

saha dharma chaariNee mE thvam praaNEbhyO api gareeyasee || 3-10-21

meaning: Appropriate and seemly is your word of caution, according to your bloodline, oh, graceful Seethaa, you are the co-pursuer in dharma with me, hence you are loftier to me than my own lives", so said Raama to Seethaa.

 

Let us continue with more on seethaa's knowledge in next post.

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.

 

 

 

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