lakshmaNa 15

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Post 15

 

 

 

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

In the previous 14 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.

- The minor role of non veg chef.

 

Now we are continuing the role of lakshmaNa as the envoy or emissary for

the second time. Here the role became more simplified for lakshmaNa, as

hanumaan took upon himself all initial work of talking first. We also raama

was very much impressed with hanumaan's way of talking. On this 'raamaa

getting impressed' I want to share some more elaboration. [Though it is

not connected with our core subject of 'lakshmaNa's roles, since the matter

is throwing light on certain aspects on learning and reciting vEdhaas, and

about a guru in particular a srivaishNavaite, on which we all have common

interest, I thought of sharing that with all. The matter is taken from

valmikiramayan website. Thanks to the authors for such beautiful notes which

are quite educative].

 

* *

 

We have seen as soon as hanumaan reached in a sanyaasi vEsham, he started

talking, then changed his original form of monkey. We also saw vaalmeeki

describing that pleased raama as 'prahrushTa vadhana: sreemaan'. That

'prahrushTa vadhana: sreemaan' raama describes 'hanumaan' after hearing him

to lakshmaNa as follows.

 

 

 

[you may feel this man repeats that prahrushta – when talking about raama,

it is so sweet – so a repetition is worth it.

 

To these slokams on raama's talk, the authors of website have added the

beautiful comments and that is the highlight in this post].

 

* *

 

*Raama – starts talking about hanumaan*

 

na an rgvEdha vineethasya na a-yajurvEdha dhaariNa: |

 

na a-saama vEdha vidhusha: *s*akyam Evam vibhaashithum || 4-3-28

 

 

 

meaning: Nay...the non-knower of Rg vEdha, or the non-rememberer of Yajur

vEdha, or the non-scholar of Saama vEdha, can possibly, or truly speak this

way.

 

 

 

NOTE: [from website:] From here on Raama's analysis of Hanumaan is depicted..

 

 

 

 

1. In Rig Veda every letter has too many phonetically deflected variations,

in many ways to mean many things. It is practically impossible to contain

that knowledge, unless the reciter has complete control over it. Hence the

word, *vineetha*, 'well trained' is used.

 

 

 

2. In Yajurveda many *anuvaaka*-s or passages occur recurring, with

different utilisation. Remembering not to mix one with the other is a

difficult process. Hence the reciter has to have enormous remembrance.

 

 

 

3. In Saamaveda the pitch and duration of the rendering is of high

importance, as such it requires a scholarly bent to control vocal notes.

 

 

 

The three words, *vineetha - disciplined* *schooling*; *dhaaraNa

-*remembrance and

*vidh - *knowledge are required to recite each of the above Veda-s.

 

 

 

4. Atharva Veda, on the other hand, has no recital performance other than

the above. Hence, it is said, is not quoted by Raama.

 

 

 

a. Hanumaan said 'you two are eligible to rule the earth' - in slokam

4-3-15, which tantamount to the quote '*brhamaa vaa idham EkamEva agra

aaseeth... *from Rig vEdha aitharEya.

 

 

 

b. Next he said that you are deities in human form at 4-3-13, which has its

bearing on the Yajur vEdha quote '*ajaayamaanO bahudhaa vijaayate..'.*

 

 

 

c. Then Raama is said having lotus-petal like eyes, at 4-3-11, taking clue

from cChandogya of Saama vEdha, *myathaa kapyaasam punDariikam eva

akshiNee...*. Hence these utterances of Hanuman are said to have direct base

in the vEdhaas.

 

 

 

*[Note ends] and then next slokam is taken up -- Raama continues on hanumaan

– *

 

noonam vyakaraNam kruthsnam anEna bahudhaa *s*rutham |

 

bahu vyaaharathaa anEna na kinchith apa *s*abdhitham || 4-3-29

 

* *

 

meaning: Definitely grammar is severally and comprehensively learnt by him.

And though much is said by him, not a single word has gone amiss of

verbiage.

 

* *

 

*Comment:* Earlier Vedic knowledge of Hanumaan is analysed. Now his

knowledge of grammar, the essential part of Vedic learning is analysed.

Without the knowledge of subsidiary scriptures of VEdhaas, like,

 

*· **vyaakaraNa,*

 

*· **nirukta, *

 

*· **sikhsha, *

 

· *chandas*,

 

the study of vEdhaas and its ancillaries itself is futile.

 

 

 

Reading and reciting the Vedic hymns is of no use in practical life, for the

knowledge learnt thereon is to be implemented in society. A simple

recitalist is known as *chaandhasa - *orthodox fellow, while the user of

that knowledge for the good of society is *vyavahaartha - *practical fellow..

 

 

 

 

Hence Hanumaan is implementing the grammar and training received originally

as a Vedic scholar, because he is a practical one.

 

 

 

Raama continues describing hanumaan

 

na mukhE nEthrayO: cha api lalaaTE cha bhruvO: thathhaa |

 

anyEshu api cha sarvEshu dhOsha: samvidhitha: kvachith || 4-3-30

 

* *

 

meaning: On his face or eyes, or on forehead or brows, or on other faculties

of expression no fault is found, even at the least.

 

* *

 

*Comment:* Now the behavioural niceties of a Vedic scholar are being

analysed. The *siksha *part of vEdhaas imposes certain rules while reciting

the hymns. There will be some *paaTaka athama-s*, - meaning - Reciters, the

worst. The following slokam [verse] elucidates the skills of such worst

reciters.

 

 

 

geethee *s*eeghree *s*ira: kampee thathhaa likhitha paathakaa: |

 

anartha jna: alpa kaNThaa: shat EthE paaThaka athamaa: ||

 

 

 

geethee = stretching;

 

*s*eeghree = quickening the pace;

 

*s*ira: kampee = one who nods head

 

thathhaa = thus;

 

likhitha paathakaa: = written-text readers

 

anartha j~na: = unknowing the meaning

 

alpa kaNThaa: = weak-voiced

 

shat EthE = these six

 

paaThaka athamaa: = the worst reciters.

 

* *

 

*1.* *Undue stretching, *

 

*2.* *quickening the pace, *

 

*3.* *nodding the head *

 

*4.* *reading by seeing written texts without memorising *

 

*5.* *not knowing the meaning, *

 

*6.* *weak-voiced, *

 

*are thus the six sorts of worst reciters of vEdhic hymns. *

 

* *

 

*MGV's point:* exactly the above and two more sets below are the points,

which I was interested in sharing. Perhaps we are all doing such things,

even without knowing such niceties in recitation. So this is a great step to

that learning of vEdhaas – not only vEdhaas but also sthOthrams – because

these sthOthraas are containing parts of the vEdha manthraas.

 

* *

 

Raama continues his analysis of hanumaan –

 

avistharam asandhigdhham avilambitham avyatham |

 

uraHstham kaNThagam vaakyam varthathE madhyamE svaram || 4-3-31

 

 

 

meaning: Unexpanded, un-doubtful, un-delaying and non-dissonant is the tenor

of his speech, and it comports in his chest or throat in a medium

tone...[4-3-31]

 

* *

 

Comment: After elucidating the reciters, the worst, now the recitation, the

worst is being analysed.

 

* *

 

*s*ankitham bheetham udhghushTam avyaktham anunaasikam

 

kaaku svaram *s*eersha gatham thathhaa sthaana varjitham |

 

vi svaram virasam Eva vi*s*lishTam vishama anvitham

 

vyaakulam thaalu bhinnam paaTha dhOshaaH chathur dhasa: ||

 

 

 

*s*ankitham = doubting;

 

bheetham = fearing;

 

udhghushTam = shouting;

 

avyaktham = unclear;

 

anunaasikam = nasal;

 

kaaku svaram = shrieking;

 

*s*eersha gatham = high-pitched;

 

thathhaa = like that;

 

sthaana varjitham = placed, improper;

 

vi svaram = melody-less;

 

virasam = rude;

 

Eva = also, like;

 

vi*s*lishTam = torn apart;

 

vishama anvitham = negatively meaning;

 

vyaakulam = chaotic;

 

thaalu bhinnam = labiovelar – uLarudhal in tamil ?

 

paaTha doshaa: = all reading mistakes.

 

chathur dhasa: = the fourteen

 

* *

 

*Reading vEdhaas / scriptures with *

 

*1.* *doubting, *

 

*2.* *fearing, *

 

*3.* *shouting,*

 

*4.* *unclear, *

 

*5.* *nasal, *

 

*6.* *shrieking, *

 

*7.* *high-pitched, and like with *

 

*8.* *improper sounds placement, *

 

*9.* *melody-less, *

 

*10.* *rudely, and also *

 

*11.* *letters torn apart, *

 

*12.* *rendering negative meaning, *

 

*13.* *chaotic, *

 

*14.* *labiovelar, *

 

*are the fourteen reciting mistakes.*

 

* *

 

*Raama continues his comments on hanumaan -*

 

samskaara krama sampannaam adhbhuthaam avilambithaam |

 

uchchaarayathi kalyaaNeem vaacham hrudhaya harshiNeem || 4-3-32

 

 

 

meaning: He has orderly refinement in speech that is remarkable and

un-delaying, and he speaks propitious words that are heart-pleasing.

 

* *

 

Comment: Best reciters will render 'phonetics' as below, as contained in *

seekhsha* of vEdhaas:

 

 

 

maadhuryam akshara vyakthi: padha cChEdha: thathhaa thvaraa |

 

dhairyam laya samanvitham shaT EthE paaThagaa gunaa: || .

 

 

 

maadhuryam = sweet-voiced;

 

akshara vyakthi: = syllables, enunciated;

 

padha cChEdha: = parting of words;

 

thathhaa = thus;

 

thvaraa = quickness;

 

dhairyam = confidently;

 

laya samanvitham = rhythm included;

 

shaT EthE paaThagaa gunaa: = are the six abilities of the reciters.

 

* *

 

*Meaning: With sweet voice, enunciated syllables, properly parting the

words, quick and confident, and rhythm included are the six best qualities

of best reciters.*

 

* *

 

*Raama still continues --*

 

anayaa chithrayaa vaachaa thri sthaana vyanjanasthayaa: |

 

kasya na aaraadhyathE chiththam udhyath aseerE: api || 4-3-33

 

* *

 

meaning: His speech is generated in three places is enthralling, and whose

heart is it that is disenchanted, even that of an enemy after raising his

sword at him, on hearing his speech.

 

* *

 

Comment: Three places to generate speech are

 

*urashi - *at chest,

 

*sirasi- * at head,

 

*kanTha - *at throat.

 

A real speqker of his mind has to generate his speech in these three areas,

without rendering any lip service. Again this is the rule of vEdhic *siksha

**viz.* the vEdhic training.

 

* *

 

MGV adds now – after these only raama tells lakshmaNa that comment on envoys

or emissaries – if a king has such an envoy how can his mission fail –

slokams 34 and 35, which we saw in last post.

 

* *

 

*MGV adds now one more: Further a note added after the completion of the

sargam 3 of kishmindha kaaNdam is also quite interesting and talks about the

qualification of a guru. *

 

Note: Raama is going to give aachaarya - Teacher status to Hanumaan to

educate the innate soul - Seethaa in Lankaa - about the Almighty. So, to

receive that status, according to Vaishnavaite stipulations, a guru should

possess certain qualities like:

 

*aachaaryO vEdha sampannO vishNu bhakthO vimathsara: |*

 

*manthrajnO manthra bhaktha: cha sadhaa manthraartha: suchi: |*

 

*guru bhakthi samaayuktha: puraaNajnO visEshatha: |*

 

*Evam lakshaNa sampannO guru ithyabhidheeyathE ||*

 

* *

 

*Meaning: A teacher is to be *

 

· *well-equipped with all Veda-s, *

 

· *a devotee of Vishnu, *

 

· *always purified by hymnal purity, *

 

· *devotion to his own teacher, *

 

· *knower of mythologies in particular, *

 

*and one who is endowed with these qualities alone is called the Guru. *

 

[And Hanumaan is one such according to popular belief says the note].

 

 

 

MGV adds – kindly recall we had a discussion on finding a real guru some

time back and also on hanumaan being considered as aachaarya of seethaa.

Perhaps a base to that contention is laid here with 'raama's words

describing hanumaan' as seen here].

 

 

 

Dear raama bhakthaas and lakshmaNa abhimaanis, please excuse me for

including these points in this series, which is not related to the main

topic, we have on hand.

 

 

 

Dhaasan

 

 

PS: I realize that my posts 13, 14, 15 are lengthening to more than 3 pages,

but the contents force me to do that. I plead another excuse for that also.

 

--

Vasudevan MG