lakshmaNa 14

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Post 14

 

 

 

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

In the previous 13 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 8 roles. The discussion

on the 9th role of 'the emissary' is continuing.

 

Just for recollection, the different roles are

 

- 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.

- The Engineer to construct a wooden house with leafy roof – parNa

saalaa

- The scavenger to dig pits and bury / burn viraadhan, khabhandhan.

 

Incidentally we also saw he donned the role of a good non-veg chef also.

That one perhaps is a very minor role. Now we are continuing the role of

lakshmaNa as the envoy or emissary. This second time the mission as envoy is

more simplified for lakshmaNa, as hanumaan, the minister of sugreeva, has

come down from the hilltop [where sugreeva was hiding] to the place of raama

and started talking. So the initial work of introducing himself, asking who

are you, the purpose of the visit or stay in that place [ear pampa] is all

done by hanumaan, here, [like lakshmaNa did with that sishya of agasthya at

the entrance of the aasramam]. After hearing hanumaan's talk initially,

see raama's direction to lakshmaNa.

 

 

 

Ethath *s*ruthvaa vacha: thasya raamO lakshhmaNam abraveeth |

 

prahrushTa vadhana: *s*reemaan bhraatharam paar*s*vatha: sthhitham || 4-3-25

 

 

 

meaning: Hearing all those words said by Hanumaan, that illustrious raama is

well pleased facially, spoke to his brother lakshmaNa who is standing at his

side.

 

* *

 

*Point:* A note added after this slOkam in valmikiramayan website makes my

job easy to explain the role assignment to lakshmaNa by raama. The note also

says that kings do not converse directly to envoys etc. And hence I quote

that note here, with due acknowledgement - thanks to the authors of the

website.

 

 

 

*Quote:* Again Raama is following his imperial protocol. As an Emperor, he

does not enter into any direct conversation with envoys or ambassadors.

Later Raama asks LakshmaNa to conduct the dialogue with Hanumaan. This is

said to have another reason. Because LakshmaNa is another wordsmith,

equalling Hanumaan by way of his knowledge in scriptures, Raama assigns that

duty to LakshmaNa. Now Raama's analysis of this envoy's knowledge, thereby

gauging his master's virtuousness, is made known to lakshmaNa in the

following verses. -- *Unquote*:

 

 

 

[Dear readers – this note was the spark for me, earlier, for my series on

the observation of 'protocol' by raama while meeting different people].

 

 

 

Raama is continuing to lakshmaNa on hanumaan -

 

sachivO~yam kapeendhrasya sugreevasya mahaathmana: |

 

tham Eva kaankshamaaNasya mama anthikam iha aagatha: || 4-3-26

 

tham abhyabhaasha soumithrE sugreeva sachivam kapim |

 

vaakyajnam madhurai: vaakyai: snEha yuktham arindhama || 4-3-27

 

 

 

*meaning:* He is the minister of that noteworthy soul and king of monkeys,

Sugreeva, whom I cherish, but he himself has drew nigh of me, on his own. Oh

Soumithri, with this minister of Sugreeva, the enemy destroyer Hanumaan, the

knower of art of constructing sentences beautifully, and a pleasantly worded

person, and one with friendliness, you exchange pleasantries.

 

* *

 

Point: The introduction between the two envoys is not within themselves in a

separate place, but in the presence of the 'king' raama on one side. He,

having heard himself the other side's emissary, says to his assistant [or

envoy o emissary], 'please go ahead in exchanging initial pleasantries'. But

see how the envoy lakshmaNa puts his message across – says 'we know your

king well, and, in fact, we are in search of him'. So the job is made easy

for both envoys now.

 

* *

 

Evam uktha: thu soumithri: sugreeva sachivam kapim |

 

abhyabhaashatha vaakyajnO vaakyajnam pavanaathmajam || 4-3-36

 

 

 

meaning: When said thus by Raama, the wise-wordsmith LakshmaNa spoke to that

monkey and the minister of Sugreeva, viz. Hanumaan, the son of Air-god, who

is equally a wise-worded one.

 

 

 

vidhithaa nou guNaa vidhvan sugreevasya mahaathmana: |

 

tham Eva cha avaam maargaava: sugreevam plavagE*s*varam || 4-3-37

 

yathaa braveeshi hanumaan sugreeva vachanaadh iha |

 

thath thathhaa hi karishyaavO vachanaath thava saththama || 4-3-38

 

 

 

meaning: The virtues of that great soul Sugreeva are known to us, oh,

scholarly monkey, we, for our part, are in search of that lord of

fly-jumpers Sugreeva alone. As you communicated the words of Sugreeva, oh,

gentle Hanumaan, by them and by your words, we indeed wish to do

accordingly.

 

 

 

thath thasya vaakyam nipuNam nishamya prahrushTa roopa: pavanaathmaja: kapi:

|

 

mana: samaadhaaya jaya upapaththou sakhyam thadhaa karthum iyEsha thaabhyaam

|| 4-3-39

 

* *

 

meaning: On observing that operative sentence of LakshmaNa, the monkey

Hanumaan is gladdened, as seen from his composure, and kept his mind at ease

at the prospective victory, and then he wished to materialise the pact of

friendship between Raama ad Sugreeva, at the earliest.

 

* *

 

*Point:* see if the ministers or envoys are efficient, knowledgeable, and

well articulated in the art of speaking, then the job of meeting of kings or

dignitaries and / or coming to agreement is almost finished. See the comment

is not mine but raama himself.

 

 

 

Evam vidhO yasya dhoothO na bhavEth paarthivasya thu |

 

sidhdhhyanti hi katham thasya kaaryaaNaam gathayO~ anagha || 4-3-34

 

Evam guNa gaNair yukthaa yasya syu: kaarya saadhakaa: |

 

thasya sidhdhhyanthi sarvE ~arthaa dhootha vaakya prachOdhithaa: || 4-3-35

 

 

 

meaning: Oh, faultless Lakshmana, if this sort of envoy is not there to a

king, really how can that king accomplishes his ways and means. Should a

king have this kind of work accomplishers with a variety of virtues, all his

objectives will be achieved impelled by such an envoy's words" Raama thus

said to LakshmaNa.

 

 

 

*Point:* Perhaps as the proverb goes 'the first impression is the best' -

this initial impression and subsequent moving of hanumaan made raama to

entrust his important and main job of searching seethaa to hanumaan later.

 

 

 

Just a small diversion here: What hanumaan talked which prompted raama to

become '*prahrushTa vadhana: *s*reemaan' *is the following slokams*.* Since

we are talking more on lakshmaNa's roles, I just quote, only, the slokams of

hanumaan's talk, [without any comment or giving meanings for these slokams]..

It sounds to me as 'hanumath krutha raama lakshmaNa sthOthram' in his very

first meeting [besides it also talks on raama's and lakshmaNa's armoury what

they carry with them].

 

 

 

raajarishi dhEva prathimou thaapasau sam*s*itha vrathou || 4-3-5

 

dhE*s*am katham imam praapthou bhavanthou vara varNinou |

 

thraasayanthou mruga gaNaan anyaam cha vana chaariNa: || 4-3-6

 

 

 

pampaa theera ruhaan vrukshaan veekshamaaNou samanthatha: |

 

imaam nadheem *s*ubha jalaam *s*Obhayanthou tharasvinou || 4-3-7

 

 

 

dhairyavanthou suvarNaa bhahukou yuvaam cheera vaasasou |

 

niH*s*vasanthou vara bhujou peeDayanthou imaa: prajaa: || 4-3-8

 

 

 

simha viprEkshithou veerou mahaa bala paraakramou |

 

*s*akra chaapa nibhE chaapE gruheethvaa *s*athru naa*s*anou || 4-3-9

 

 

 

*s*reemanthou roopa sampannou vrushabha *s*reshTha vikramou |

 

hasthi hastha upama bhujou dhyuthimanthou nararshabhou || 4-3- 10

 

 

 

prabhayaa parvatha indhra: asou yuvayO: avabhaasitha: |

 

raajya arhou amara prakhyou katham dhE*s*am iha aagathou || 4-3-11

 

 

 

padhma pathra eekshaNou veerou jaTaa maNDala dhaariNou |

 

anyOnya sadhru*s*ou veerou dhEva lOkaat iha aagathou || 4-3-12

 

 

 

yadhrucChayEva sampraapthou chandhra sooryou vasundharaam |

 

vi*s*aala vakshasou veerou maanushou dhEva roopiNou || 4-3-13

 

 

 

simha skandhou mahaa uthsaahou samadhou iva gOvrushou |

 

aayathaa: cha suvruththaa: cha baahava: parighOpamaa: || 4-3-14

 

 

 

sarva bhooshaNa bhooshaarhaa: kim artham na vibhooshithaa: |

 

ubhou yOgyou aham manyE rakshithum pruthiveem imaam || 4-3-15

 

 

 

sa saagara vanaam kruthsnaam vindhya mEru vibhooshithaam |

 

imE cha dhanushee chithrE slakshNE chithra anulEpanE || 4-3-16

 

 

 

prakaa*s*EthE yathaa indhrasya vajrE hEma vibhooshithE |

 

sampoorNaa: cha *s*ithai: baaNai: thooNaa: cha *s*ubha dhar*s*anaa: ||

4-3-17

 

 

 

jeevitha anthakarai: ghOrai: jvaladhbhi: iva pannagai: |

 

mahaa pramaaNou vipulou thaptha haaTaka bhooshaNou || 4-3-18

 

khaDgou Ethou viraajEthE nirmuktha bhujagou iva |

 

 

 

we will continue with more on hanumaan & lakshmaNa as envoys in next post.

 

 

*dhasan*

 

--

Vasudevan MG