lakshmaNa 7

[Guest guest]

Post 7

 

 

 

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

 

In the previous 6 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 5 roles, and the

descriptions, on 5th one, is not finished yet. Same is being continued in

this post also. The fifth role is the 'angry young brother', ready even to

fight against the revered father, and now against his own brother [another

brother], out of love for his elder brother raama.

 

 

 

We saw that when kousalyaa was weeping heavily on hearing the news of raama

had to set out for forest, instead of climbing the throne, lakshmaNa burst

out stating 'I am ready to even kill father' etc. Later when mother

kousalyaa and son raama exchanged examples of how sons served their mothers

and fathers, kousalya became exhausted and fell unconscious due to sorrow.

Then lakshmNa claimed all three worlds cannot stand against his prowess and

why to talk of father, raama's coronation will take place and lakshmaNa wll

stand like a coast against sea. By this time lakshmaNa understood raama

cannot be changed. When he realised that lakhmaNa spoke thus --

 

 

 

braveehi kO adhya Eva mayaa viyujyathaam | thava asuhrudh praaNa ya*s*a:

suhrudh janai: |

 

yathaa thava iyam vasudhaa va*s*E bhavEth | thathhaa Eva maam shaadhi thava

asmi kinkara: ||

 

2-23-40

 

 

 

Meaning: Tell me now itself, who is your enemy to be made deprived of life,

honour, and friendship, by me. Command me so that now this earth will become

your dominion. I am your servant.

 

 

 

*Point:* The last sentence is very important. 'I am your servant and wait

for your orders'. So this is the point of start of lashmNa's next role – the

servant – kinkara - one who does kainkaryam to his master. Of course this is

a self assigned role, like that angry young brother.

 

 

 

LakshmaNa's anger is still not subdued. After this raama consoled lakshmaNa

and said he will still abide by father's orders. So lakshmaNa gave up that

resistance and anger – see vaalmeeki --

 

 

 

vimrujya baashpam parisaanthavya cha asakruth | sa lakshmaNam raaghava vam*s

*a vardhana: |

 

uvaacha pithryai: vachanE vyavasthitham | nibOdha maam Esha hi soumya sath

patha: || 2-23-41

 

 

 

meaning: Then, Raama spoke thus to Lakshmana after consoling him, time and

again, by wiping off his tears; "Oh, Lakshmana! I stand by the words of our

father. This indeed is a good path."

 

 

 

*Point:* So lakshmaNa gave up his anger and became subdued at this stage.

But for us that role of angry young brother is not yet over. For when the

trio of raama, lakshmaNa, and seethaa left to the forest, bharatha returned

and had his own quota of fight against his mother kaikEyee. Then, he,

collecting guru vasishta, ministers and army, left for the forest saying, 'I

will bring back raama and install him in the throne'.

 

 

 

In the forest when this army and others marched, the domain animals and

birds made a hush and left their original living places. Observing this

raama ordered lakshmaNa to find out what is the reason for this.

 

 

 

thaan cha vidhravathO dhrushTvaa tham cha *s*rutvaa sa nihsvanam |

 

uvaacha raama: soumithrim lakshhmaNam dheeptha thEjasam || 2-96-6

 

 

 

meaning: Seeing those animals running away and hearing that clamour, Raama

spoke to Lakshmana (son of Sumithra) of burning courage as follows:

 

 

 

hantha lakshmaNa pa*s*ya iha sumithraa suprajaa: thvayaa |

 

bheema sthanitha gambheera: thumula: *s*rooyathE svana: || 2-96-7

 

 

 

Meaning: Alas! O, Lakshmana! Sumithra is blessed with a noble son in you.

Here it is heard a tumultuous sound, as terrific as that of a roaring cloud..

See what it is."

 

 

 

*Point:* Please note address of raama – sumithra suprajaa. There

visvaamithra addressed raama as kousalyaa suprajaa:, which we use even

today. Here it is raama the supreme lord himself addresses lakshmaNa. 'Oh

lakshmaNa, you are great'.

 

 

 

As directed by his elder brother, the servant lakshmaNa saw a huge army with

elephants, horses, and men, are coming making a thunderous noise.

Immediately he could feel / recognize that it is bharatha's army. So he

informs raama in a fully irritated condition –

 

 

 

tham raama: purusha vyaaghrO lakshmaNam prathyuvaacha ha |

 

anga avEkshasva soumithrE kasya Ethaam manyasE chamoom || 2-96-15

 

 

 

Meaning: Raama the tiger among men replied to Lakshmana, saying: "O,

Lakshmana! See, whose army do you think is this?"

 

 

 

Evam uktha: thu raamENa lakshmaNO vaakyam abraveeth |

 

dhidhakshan iva thaam sEnaam rushitha: paavako yathaa || 2-96-16

 

 

 

Meaning: Hearing Rama's words, Lakshmana was irritated like a fire, and

spoke the following words, as though he was wishing to scorch the army.

 

 

 

sampannam raajyam icChan thu vyaktham praapya abhishEchanam |

 

aavaam hanthum samabhyEthi kaikEyyaa bharatha: sutha: || 2-96-17

 

 

 

Meaning: lakshmaNa says to raama, "Bharata, Kaikeyi's son, having obtained

coronation and desirous of making the kingdom free of enemies, is coming

here to kill both of us. It is clear."

 

 

 

Esha vai sumahaan *s*reemaan viTapee samprakaashathE |

 

viraajathi udhgatha skandha: kOvidhaara dhvajO rathE || 2-96-18

 

 

 

meaning: The gigantic and glorious tree with superb branches is shining over

there prominently. The ensign bearing the device of a kOvidhara

(pomegranate) tree is shining on that chariot.

 

 

 

*Point:* On being told to check what is the reason, lakshmaNa climbed a

'sal' tree and saw the army coming. He identified the flag on the chariot

and its inscription – the pomegranate tree – of king dhasaratha – so tells

raama.

 

 

 

[perhaps, the parents who read this mail can remember and tell their

children, one more answer to the list of quiz questions – what is the

inscription in dhasaratha's flag – it is pomegranate tree - like the wheel

in India's national flag]

 

 

 

api nou va*s*am aagacChEth kOvidhaara dhvajO raNE |

 

api dhrakshyaami bharatham yath kruthE vyasanam mahath || 2-96-21

 

thvayaa raaghava sampraaptham seethayaa cha mayaa thathaa |

 

 

 

meaning: O, Raama! Will that flag with the insignia of a kOvidhara tree come

into our subjugation? Can we see Bharatha, because of whom a great

misfortune has occurred to you, to Seethaa and to me?

 

 

 

yan nimiththam bhavaan raajyaath chyuthO raaghava *s*aa*s*vathaath |

 

sampraapthO ayam arir veera bharatO vadhya Eva mE || 2-96-22

 

bharathasya vadhE dhOsham na aham pa*s*yaami raaghava |

 

poorva apakaariNam hathvaa na hi adharmENa yujyathE || 2-96-23

 

 

 

meaning: O, Raama, the warrior! By the reason of whom you were deprived of

an eternal kingdom, such Bharata as a foe, who is coming here, deserves to

be slain by me. O, Raama! I see no sin in slaying Bharata. None is charged

with unlawfulness, if one strikes down an aggressor."

 

 

 

*Point:* LakshmaNa goes on venting his anger and says – dear readers –

understand all these angry words are out of sheer love on his elder – for,

again here, even at this stage, amidst the fury of anger - he says, 'raama

you will rule the earth' – just does not think of any thing else – hey, this

is sheer fraternal love

 

 

 

poorva apakaaree bharatasya thyaktha dharma*s*cha raaghava |

 

Ethasmin nihathE kruthsnaam anu*s*aadhi vasundharaam || 2-96-24

 

 

 

meaning: Bharata is the assailant and his death is legitimate. He being

dead, you will rule the entire earth."

 

 

 

*s*araaNaam dhanusha: cha aham anruNo asmi mahaa vanE |

 

sasainyam bharatham hathvaa bhavishyaami na sam*s*ayaH || 2-96-30

 

 

 

Meaning: By killing Bharatha together with his army in this great forest, I

shall discharge my debt to my bow and arrows."

 

 

 

*Point:* In reply raama pacified lakshmaNa saying, 'I want the kingdom

obtained in right way and not by killing my own brother'. Then lakshmaNa

felt ashamed – see vaalmeeki

 

 

 

thathaa ukthO dharma seelEna bhraathraa thasya hithE ratha: |

 

lakshmaNa: pravivE*s*a iva svaani gaathraaNi lajjayaa || 2-97-19

 

thadh vaakyaM lakshmaNa: *s*ruthvaa vreeshitha: prathyuvaacha ha |

 

thvaa manyE dhrashTum aayaatha: pithaa dhasaratha: svayam || 2-97-20

 

 

 

meaning: At these words spoken by his honourable brother, to whom he was

devoted, abashed, shrank into himself. Listening to these words ashamed,

lakshmaNa answered: "I think that our father Dhasaratha coming here to see

you himself."

 

 

 

avatheerya thu saala agraath thasmaath sa samithinjaya: |

 

lakshmaNa: praanjalir bhoothvaa thasthou raamasya paarsvatha: || 2-97-28

 

 

 

meaning: Descending from the top of that Sala tree, Lakshmana the victorious

in battle, with joined palms, stood by the side of Raama.

 

 

 

So the angry outburst of lakshmaNa came to an end – 'with a shame – self

inflicted' – because of excessive love - all from the top of tree. But when

ordered to come to ground by raama – he was really grounded – realized the

truth. Earlier outburst came to end with servitude to the lord. Here again

it is the same – see words 'anjali bhhothvaa'. See how vaalmeeki puts the

scenes to glorious end. Enjoy every bit of it.

 

 

 

With this the 'angry young brother' role is concluded. Please excuse me for

using too many slOkams. For, I want you all to enjoy that simple Sanskrit

and also one or more reading of it will make the enjoyment more.

 

 

 

Dhasan

 

 

 

 

--

Vasudevan MG