Guest guest Posted December 9, 2006 Report Share Posted December 9, 2006 Post 9 Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, In the previous 8 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 6 roles, that of - bhaalya sakha to raama – playmate in young days, - vazhith thuNaivan to raama – companion in long trekking, - husband of oormiLaa - assistant administrator in ayOdhyaa, - angry young brother to raama - the boat or barge or raft builder / oarsman. In the list of roles in first post, I mentioned against the boat builder role – the purpose is to cross river ganga. Actually it should be read as 'yamunaa' and not 'gangaa'. Sorry for the mistake. Now let us take that role of the 'Engineer' in building the house for their stay. tham thu parvatham aasaadhya naanaa pakshi gaNaayutham | bahu moola phalam ramyam sampannam sarasa udhakam || 2-56-13 manOgnO~ayam giri: soumya naanaa dhruma lathaayutha: | bahu moola phalO ramya: svaajeeva: prathibhaathi mE || 2-56-14 meaning: Raama said to Lakshmana as follows: reaching that mountain, with various flocks of birds, with many roots and fruits, lovely and rich in streaming water, Raama said, 'It is appearing to me that this beautiful Chithrakoota mountain yields an easy sustenance, for, it is charmingly filled with various kinds of trees, creepers, with different kinds of roots and fruits." *Point: *dear bhakthaas*, *here, again, please note raama stresses on the availability of 'fruits, roots' and not animals, so that he can kill them and eat. That shows he was a strict vegetarian in his forest sojourn – vana vaasam. munayascha mahaathmaanO vasanthi asmin *s*ilOchchayE | ayam vaasO bhavEth thaavadh athra soumya ramEmahi || 2-56-15 meaning: [raama continued], 'Oh, gentle brother! High souled sages are also staying on this mountain. Let this become the dwelling. Let us have a pleasant resort here'. [just after the trio met vaalmeeki and he said to raama, 'I know you will come here and live here'.] lakshmaNa aanaya dhaarooNi dhruDaani cha varaaNi cha | kurushva aavasathham soumya vaasE mE abhiratham mana: || 2-56-22 meaning: LakshmaNa, my gentle brother! Bring strong and choicest timber, and construct a dwelling. My mind is fascinated in dwelling here." *Point:* Now see the 'Engineer's role' is assigned by raama to lakshmaNa. This is also a part of that 'ardous servant' role, which I mentioned, for lakshmaNa carries out whatever is ordered by raama. Further when raama orders lakshmaNa, raama must have thought about - what are the capabilities of lakshmaNa – in selection of materials of construction like quality trees, which will last [for few years at least without decay], – also in rejecting certain species of trees which are not fit for house construction – the method construction, – the 'vaasthu' aspects etc [for in the next slokam raama says let us do vaasthu saanthi and occupy the house]. thasya thath vachanam *s*ruthvaa soumithrir vividhaan dhrumaan | aajahaara thatha: chakrE parNa *s*aalaam arindhama || 2-56-23 meaning: Hearing those words of Rama, lakshmaNa brought various kinds of trees. Thereafter, he the annihilator of enemies, constructed a leaf-hut. [here the word 'parNa saalaa' is translated as 'leaf hut' – perhaps you may think for a hut why should the timber be 'dhaarooNi dhruDaani cha varaaNi cha' – strong, choicest etc. 'parNa' is leaf and hence a house having leaf as roof covering material thisname for he dwelling place. Further in forests leaves are available in plenty and can be changed frequently in case required. Also since raama is to live like an ascetic, why to have big pharaphernalia in house building. That may also be a reason.] thaam nishThathaam badhdhakaTaam dhrushTvaa raama: sudhar*s*anaam | *s*u*s*rooshamaaNam Eka agram idham vachanam abraveeth || 2-56-24 meaning: Seeing that hut, which was firmly built and thatched as well as beautiful to look at, Raama spoke the following words to Lakshmana who listened to his command and who was closely attentive to him: aiNEyam maamsam aahruthya *s*aalaam yakshyaamahE vayam | karthavyam vaasthu *s*amanam soumithrE chirajeevabhi: || 2-56-25 meaning: Oh, Lakshmana! Bring the meat of an antelope. We shall perform a purifactory ceremony while entering the house, which is to be done by those who wish to live long." Point: see here raama telling lakshmaNa, 'let us do vaasthu samanam'. Raama adds its purpose also – to live in that place for long, and also to have long life. Many a times we do this 'vaasthu samanam' or vaasthu saanthi hOmam, thinking that vaadhyaar swamy told us to do – so let us do. The real purpose is explicitly said by none other than our beloved 'raama'. So at least hereafter whoever thinks of purchasing a house – please realize there is a purpose behind doing this vaasthu saanthi – to live long in that place with a long life. Immediately lakshmaNa killed a black antelope and cooked it nicely, and brought the meat to be given as bali. So in the list of several roles, this minor role of a 'chef', a 'good nonveg cook' can also be added. May be he was a 'barbecue' expert, for he did that cooking with open fire. In the earlier post also we saw raama offering meat to seethe nicely cooked. It was not mentioned there who cooked that so nicely. Perhaps our "kainkarya sri" [as our respected sri sadagopan swamy wrote] lakshmaNa did that cooking also. Then lakshmaNa said to raama, 'since you are good in worshipping the concerned deity, please do so' and raama did it. [slokam 2-56-31, 32]. ishTvaa dhEvagaNaan sarvaan vive*s*a aavasatham *s*uchi: | babhoova cha manOhlaadhO raamasya amitha thEjasa: || 2-56-33 meaning: Worshipping all classes of deities and getting himself purified, Raama entered the house. There was a heartful joy in raama, with his limitless splendour. vai*s*va dhEva balim kruthvaa roudhram vaishNavam Eva cha | vaasthu sam*s*amaneeyaani mangaLaani pravarthayan || 2-56-34 japam cha nyaayatha: kruthvaa snaathvaa nadhyaam yathaa vidhi | paapa sam*s*amanam raama: chakaara balim uththamam || 2-56-35 meaning: Having taken bath in the river as prescribed Raama offered oblations to Lord Rudhra and Lord Vishnu after offereing tributes to Vai*s*vadhEva. He performed benedictions relating to the purification of house and also a silent prayer as per prescribed rites. He finally offered excellent tributes to the deities, for removing sins. Point: in the recent past, there was a comment in the lists, that, our poorva aachaaryaas did not accept raama worshipping 'siva' or 'rudhra' before he ventured for the raavaNa yudhdham. Perhaps that portion of raamaayaNam is popular, catches the eyes easily of an inquisitive reader, and hence repeatedly questioned and answered, or commented frequently. Here it goes, may be noticed, or unnoticed, or considered something insignificant. It is a fact that sage vaalmeeki reports as things happened, [kindly recall brahmaa's varam – boon, to vaalmeeki, when brahma, on his own, arrived in front of vaalmeeki and gave that boon - as available in sargam 2 baala kaaNdam] and here as 'raama worshipped as per rules by giving vaisva dhEva bali, rudhra bali, Vishnu bali etc before entering a new house.. My intention here in bringing this slokam reference IS NOT TO CREATE ONE MORE ROUND OF COMMENTS and COUNTERS on that "over heated topic" of 'anya dhEvathaa aaraadhanam', but to mention the routines involved in a house warming ceremony as in raamaayaNam. [like the purpose of vaasthu samanam mentioned above] Then raama made inside the house seating arrangements and places for performing yaagaas, poojaas etc. vanyai: maalyai: phalai: moolai: pakvai: maamsai: yathaa vidhi | adhbharjapai: cha vEdha ukthai: dharbhai: cha sasamith ku*s*ai: || 2-56-34 thou tharpayithvaa bhoothaani raaghavou saha seethayaa | thadhaa vivi*s*athu: *s*aalaam su*s*ubhaam *s*ubhalakshaNou || 2-56-35 meaning: Raama and Lakshmana along with Seethaa, having auspicious characteristics, satisfied the spirits by crowns of flowers obtained in the forest, by fruits, roots, and cooked meat, by water, by prayers as uttered in the sacred texts (Vedas), by sacred grass, by fuel, and Kusa grass and then entered the auspicious leaf-hut. thaam vruksha parNach chadhanaam manOjnaam | yathaa pradhE*s*am sukruthaam nivaathaam | vaasaaya sarvE vivishu: samEthaa: | sabhaam yathaa dhEvagaNaa: sudharmaam || 2-56-36 meaning: All of them (Seethaa, Raama and LakshmaNa) together for residential purpose, entered that hut, thatched with leaves of trees, looking beautiful, well-constructed at a suitable site and protected from winds, as if entering an assembly-hall called Sudharma (in heaven) by a group of celestials. Thus completes the role of lakshmaNa the Engineer as well a good chef. Dhasan -- Vasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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