lakshmana 5

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Post 5

 

 

 

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

 

In the previous 4 posts, we saw on 'lakshmaNa' donning 4 roles, and the 5th

one got mentioned and is being continued. The fifth role is the 'angry young

brother', ready even to fight against the revered father, out of love for

his elder brother.

 

 

 

We saw that when raama came out of the palace of kaikEyee, after receiving

the order of kaikEyee, on behalf of father dhasaratha, setting raama on the

vana vaasam for 14 years, lakshmaNa did not show any reactions, even though

he was angry.

 

 

 

We will continue from there. Raama went to meet mother kousalyaa from

kaikEyee's palace. And since lakshmaNa was accompanying raama, he was

hearing the whole conversation of raama informing mother about the

vanavaasam order. Please see slOkam below. Then kousalyaa started weeping.

This only set the spark on lakshmaNa to burst out angrily, after kousalyaa

finished her lamenting.

 

 

 

saa raaghavam upaaseenam asukha aarthaa sukha uchithaa |

 

uvaacha purusha vyaaghram upasruNvathi lakshmaNE || 2-20-35

 

 

 

meaning: Kousalya, who was fit for happiness, but was afflicted with grief,

spoke thus to Raama, the best of men who was sitting nearby, while Lakshmana

was hearing.

 

 

 

Point: After lakshmaNa listened to the weeping kousalya, he started talking..

 

 

 

 

[incidentally, we will, at this stage just go a little away, and then, come

back to the main track. A different reference here on raamaa's age is

available here – from the slokam on kousalyaa's sorrow - when kousalya

mentioned 'I was suffering for 10 + 7, 'cha' years'

 

 

 

dhasa saptha cha varshaaNi thava jaathasya raaghava |

 

aasithaani prakaanshanthyaa mayaa dhu:kha parikshayam || 2-20- 45

 

 

 

this slokam also gives clues to the age of raama at the time of his leaving

for forest – please recall raamaa's date articles by myself and Mrs.

Jayasree saranathan [last year?] – it was mentioned thru this slokam raama

was 17 at that time. Further this 'jaathasya' was also interpreted as the

'second' birth of raama – which means upanayanam – means - 7 years at that

stage - or the age at which upanayanam is recommended as per vEdhaas, - as

such, if this 17 is added, then it becomes 24.

 

 

 

That also goes well with 'oona shOdasa varsha – less than 16 years of age'

the famous 'pleading' slOkam of king dhasaratha to sage visvaamithra. And

also maareecha saying raama was 12, when his mother thaataka was killed by

raama. This 12 + the 12 years of seethaa saying 'we enjoyed happy married

life at ayOdhyaa', leads us to a figure of 24, when raama to set out for

forest, and this was at 24 years.

 

 

 

Actually now I have another interpretation for this slokam from the book

printed in 1940 by R.Subramaniam vadhyar & sons palghat translated by late

Krishnaswamy iyer – means book pblished in 1940 – then itself sri iyer

became late iyer – means wrote earlier to 1940 and passed away – the

manuscripts must be pretty older than 1940 – It says dhasa 10 + saptha 7 +

cha another 7. That word 'cha' after 'dhasa saptha' which means 17, points

to include another 7 to the 17, which means raama was then 24.

 

 

 

Actually 'cha' can mean any figure added to the 'saptha', or a plus to this

17. But here in that book the author adds 7 only. Perhaps he had some

references for that but not added any notes why he took it as 7. So the '24

years of age' goes well with above interpretations also].

 

 

 

Coming back to our main topic of lakshmaNa –

 

 

 

thathaa thu vilapantheem thaam kousalyaam raama maatharam |

 

uvaacha lakshmaNO dheena: thath kaala sadhru*s*am vacha: || 2-21-1

 

 

 

meaning: Lakshmana became dejected and spoke these words, properly befitting

for that time, to that Raama's mother Kausalya who was thus weeping.

 

 

 

*Point:* See earlier vaalmeeki said lakshmaNa was

 

- parama krudhDha – very angry, and now

- dheena: - dejected.

 

So he starts reacting. He lashes out at father and king dhasaratha – see

 

 

 

vipareetha: cha vrudhDha: cha vishayai: cha pradhar*s*itha: |

 

nrupa: kim iva na brooyaath chOdhyamaana: samanmathaH || 2-21-3

 

 

 

meaning: The king can talk any thing, being prompted by KaikEyee, the king

being

 

· with a perverted mind,

 

· of old age,

 

· one who is outraged by sensual enjoyments

 

· possessed of passion,."

 

 

 

*Point:* LakshmaNa calls father as a man with perverted mind, in love at old

age, and because of it seriously influenced by kaikEyee. See below he says,

'father is a man of no ethics'. Next comes the assertion by lakshmaNa, 'hey

raama, when I am here who can harm you? I will fight for you, kill those who

take side with bharatha or if it comes to that kill father also, if raama

goes to forest I will go before that'.

 

 

 

See the depth and extent of attachment lakshmaNa has for his elder brother –

is it because of love here, in and as lakhmaNa, the younger offspring - or

the overflow from that aadhisEsha, that 'senRaal kudaiyaam ninRaal

maravadiyaam' of aazhvaar - to his lord supreme naaraayaNa -

 

 

 

dhEva kalpam rujum dhaantham ripooNaam api vathsalam |

 

avEkshamaaNa: kO dharmam thyajEth puthram akaaraNaath || 2-21-6

 

 

 

maning: Can anybody observing ethics, causeless get rid of a son,

 

· who is equal to god,

 

· who is honest,

 

· who is self-restrained, and

 

· who is affectionate even towards adversaries?"

 

 

 

yaavadh Eva na jaanaathi kaschith artham imam nara: |

 

thaavadh Eva mayaa saardham aathmastham kuru *s*aa*s*anam ||2-21-8

 

 

 

meaning: lakshmaNa now turns to raama and says 'Even before others get to

know about this matter, make this dominion your own, with my help."

 

 

 

mayaa paar*s*vE sadhanushaa thava gupthasya raaghava |

 

ka: samarthO adhikam karthum krutha anthasya iva thishThatha: || 2-21-9

 

 

 

meaning: Oh, Raama! While I am standing by your side along with a bow,

protecting you, who is standing as God of Death, who is capable of doing too

much to you?"

 

 

 

nirmanushyaam imaam sarvaam ayOdhyaam manuja rishabha |

 

karishyaami *s*arai: theekshNai: yadhi sthaasyathi vipriyE || 2-21-10

 

 

 

meaning: Oh, Raama, the best of men! If the city of Ayodhya turns against

you, I shall make it desolate of men with sharp arrows"

 

 

 

bharathasya atha pakshyO vaa yO vaa asya hitham ichchhathi |

 

sarvaan Ethaan vadhishyaami mrdhur hi paribhooyathE || 2-21-11

 

 

 

meaning: I shall kill all those who are siding Bharatha, and are favourable

to him. Soft person indeed gets disgraced!"

 

 

 

prOthsaahithO~ayam kaikEyyaa sa dushTO yadhi: pithaa |

 

amithrabhoothO nissangam vadhyathaam badhyathaam api || 2-21-12

 

 

 

meaning: If our father, with an evil mind, behaves like our enemy with

instigation by Kaikeyi, I shall keep him imprisoned without personal

attachment, or if necessary, kill him."

 

 

 

*Point:* At this stage, even though struck by sorrow and resulting anger,

[dhukkam, dhukkaththinaal vandha kOpam] lakshmaNa also teaches raama [or

talks to raama], a small point on 'administration of justice' or dharma

upadhEsam, then turns to mother kousalya and aseerts about his devotion to

raama – see slOkams

 

 

 

gurOrapi avalipthasya kaaryaakaaryam ajaanatha: |

 

uthphatham prathipannasya kaaryam bhavathi *s*aa*s*anam || 2-21-13

 

 

 

meaning: Even a venerable person is to be punished, if he becomes arrogant,

if he does not know good and evil actions and if he takes to a wrong route.

 

 

 

Anuraktha: asmi bhaavEna bhraatharam dhEvi thaththvatha: |

 

sathyEna dhanushaa chaiva dhaththEna ishTena thE *s*apE || 2-21-16

 

 

 

meaning: Oh, queen! Really, I am devotedly attached to my brother Raama. I

am swearing an oath to you, by truth on my bow, by the act of giving and by

the act of sacrifice.

 

 

 

dheeptham agnim araNyam vaa yadhi raama: pravEkshyathE |

 

pravishTam thathra maam dhEvi thvam poorvam avadhaaraya || 2-21-17

 

 

 

meaning: Oh, queen! If Raama can enter blazing fire or forest, you make

certain that even before, I will enter there.

 

 

 

*Point:* By hearing lakshmaNa in anger and all, kousalyaa was consoled to

some extent and then spoke to raama –

 

bhraathus thE vadhatha: puthra lakshmaNasya *s*rutham thvayaa |

 

yadh athra anantharam thath thvam kurushva yadhi rOchathE || 2-21-20

 

 

 

meaning: Oh, son! You have heard the words of Lakshmana .If you agree, you

do what is to be done, immediately."

 

 

 

*Comment:* So, for us, now, it is very clear that lakshmaNa did not burst

out in anger, because of the order on raama's vanavaasam, or he got aroused

at kaikEyee's place, but "It is that grief of mother kousalyaa that

triggered and got him speak thus".

 

 

 

Let us continue in next post also more on this 'angry younger brother's

role.

 

 

 

Dhasan

 

 

 

 

--

Vasudevan MG