Guest guest Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 Post 26 Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer, In the previous 25 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 10 roles. The 10th role as a great warrior is continuing. Just for recollection, we have completed lakshmaNa's role as a warrior in - thaatakaa vadham, - maareecha ambush and subhaahu killing, - viraadha vadham, - soorpanakaa punishment, - khara dhooshaNa vadham - maareecha vadham We now have to look into vaali vadham – the story goes like this – the king sugreevaa's envoy hanumaan met raama and lakshmaNa. And king raama observed the protocol of talking thru his envoy lakshmaNa [we have seen that in detail] and later made friendship with Agni as witness. Then sugreeva and raama both expressed their purposes of seeking the mutual help of each other – viz. the matter concerned with their wives, incidentally the kingdom also for sugreeva. When raama assured the kingdom and his wife to sugreeva, sugreeva had his own doubts on the strength of raama in killing vaali. To clear that doubt raama did 2 things - cracking the 7 saala trees with a single arrow, - lifting and throwing away the dhundhubi's skeleton by toe nail for 80 miles - kaal kattai viralal kendhinaan. Then raama advised sugreeva to invite vaali for a fight. In that both brothers fought well, but raama did not kill vaali for he was confused with the identical figures of both. See raama's advise to sugreeva -- abhijnaanam kurushva thvam aathmanO vaanarE*s*vara | yEna thvaam abhijaaneeyaam dhvandhva yudhdhham upaagatham || 4-12-38 meaning: You wear a mark of identification for yourself, oh lord of monkeys, by which you can be spotted easily when you are engaged in the duel. gaja pushpeem imaam phullaam uthpaaTya *s*ubha lakshaNaam | kuru lakshmaNa kaNThe asya sugreevasya mahaathmana: || 4-12-39 * * meaning: LakshmaNa, pick up this gaja creeper that is beautiful in its appearance and let this noble souled Sugreeva be garlanded with that." said Raama to LakshmaNa. thathO giri thaTE jaathaam uthpaaTya kusumaayuthaam | lakshmaNO gaja pushpeem thaam thasya kaNThe vyasarjayath || 4-12-40 * * meaning: Then lakshmaNa plucked that gaja creeper with flowers growing at the foot of the mountain, and slung it like a garland around the neck of that Sugreeva. Dear readers, this much is the role played by lakshmaNa in vaali vadham – to adorn king sugreeva with a creeper garland – actually this is a servant role which is to be covered in that topic there - but since no other matter concerning lakshmaNa is here in this topic. So I mention it here. Another interesting point is here. Vaalmeeki mentions lakshmaNa as 'mahaa bala' – when raama and lakshmaNa reached near vaali after he is struck by raama's arrow - at that stage. See slokam - tham dhrushTvaa raaghavam vaalee lakshmaNam cha mahaabalam | abraveeth parusham vaakyam pra*s*ritham dharma samhitam || 4-17-14 * * meaning for 14 and 15: On seeing Raama and the great mighty LakshmaNa as well, he who fell to ground flatly hurt by arrow, and whose energy and lives are trifling and vigour trivialised thereby, that Vaali spoke these sarcastic words in his proper pride to Raama, who is taking pride in this conflict as a victor, which words at the same time have meaning, politeness, and self-righteousness. [15 slokam is not covered here but meaning only, for, then, this sentence conveying meaning of slokam 14 will be incomplete] Earlier in slokam 12 of same 17th sargam, both brothers, raama and lakshmaNa are said as 'mahaaveeryou' – fine - but why this special for lakshmaNa By doing a little anvayam the slokam if read this way - vaalee tham raaghavam mahaabalam dhrushtvaa lakshmaNam cha – then it is fine – for, if raama is not a mahaa balavaan – vaali could not have been killed. vaalee tham raaghavam mahaabalam dhrushtvaa lakshmaNam mahaabalam cha – this way also anvayam can be done – which means both are mahaa balavaans. Then also it is fine. But why suddenly mention on lakshmaNa as mahaa balavaan – that is the point. The ramayaN web site as well the two books, which I follow, translate this slokam in same manner as – andha raaghavaraiyum mahaa balavaan aagiya lakshmaNaraiyum. Raaghavan mahaa balavaan – even if not specified it is understood. Why specifically this special description for lakshmaNa – I invite your comments, since lakshmaNa is the hero of this series. Ok. Let us move on. Next topic is that geat war in lanka – in the happenings between vaali vadham and lanka war – it is only hanumaan doing the fighting about which we need not cover in this series. So let us go straight into lanka war. Eventhough the sixth part is called yudhdha kaaNdam actual war starts in 42nd sargam. After hanumaan reported back to raama and lakshmaNa in end of sundhara kaaNdam, then lot many things happen like · Preparation of army, · army marching to the shore, · resting at sea shore, · vibheeshana saranaagathy with a prelude of vibheeshaNa advising raavana and as result being sent off, · thinking how to cross the ocean, · then bridging, · reaching lanka and staying at suvEla mountain · sukha saarana spying, · exploring the chance of a truce by sending angadha to raavaNa After aligning all the army at the start of war – after see raama's words to himself and his order to army - athra saa mruga*s*aavaakshee mathkruthE janakaathmajaa | peeDyathE *s*Oka santhapthaa kru*s*aa sthaNDila*s*aayinee || 6-42-8 nipeeDyamaanaam dharmaathmaa vaidhEheem anuchinthayan | kshipram aajJNaapayath raamO vaanaraan dhvishathaam vadhE || 6-42-9 meaning: raama said to himself, "Here is that daughter of Janaka, whose eyes resemble those of a fawn, tormented with grief, emacitated, with a bare ground as her bed and suffering here on my account. Reflecting on Seetha being troubled, the virtuous Raama speedily issued a command to the monkeys to destroy the enemies forthwith. *Point:* It is clear from this statement at the start of the war, it is a war for seethaa's sake – her recapturing - removal of her agony and that separation from her husband raama. That avathaara kaaryam with her contribution as the main tool is being played skillfully – tactfully and in a grand way. jayathy athibalO raamO lakshmaNas cha mahaa bala: | raajaa jayathi sugreevO raaghavENa abhipaalitha: || 6-42-20 ithi Evam ghoshayantha*s* cha garjantha*s* cha plavangamaa: | abhyadhaavantha lankaayaa: praakaaram kaama roopiNa: || 6-42-21 meaning: The monkeys, who were able to change their form at will, shouting "Victory to the mighty Raama and the valiant LakshmaNa!Victory of Sugreeva protected by Raaghava!" and roaring, rushed towards the defensive walls of Lanka. uththara dhvaaram aasaadhya raama: soumithriNaa saha || 6-42-27 aavruthya balavaamsthasthou sugreeva*s* cha hari ee*s*vara: | meaning: Raama along with Lakshmana and Sugreeva the mighty lord of the monkeys, seeking the northern gate (while remaining stationed in the north west) stood besieging that gate. vaanara indhras thu sugreeva: praghasEna samaagatha: | sangatha: samarE *s*areemaan viroopaakshENa lakshmaNa: || 6-43-10 meaning: Sugreeva the king of monkeys confronted well with Praghasa and the glorious Lakshmana confronted with Viroopaksha in the battle. prapeeDya *s*ara varshENa raakshasam bheema dhar*s*aanam | nijaghaana viroopaaksham *s*arENa EkEna lakshmaNa: || 6-43-25 meaning: Lakshmana, with terrific look, having tormented the demon Virupaksha, by a bombardment of arrows; killed him by one arrow. Point: lakshmaNa's contribution as a great warrior has just started with killing of virupaaksha. See what the monkeys started shouting at the start of war – mahaa bala lakshmaNa – so he proves that by giving a kickstart with virupaaksha. Let us continue seeing more of his contribution in the next post. Dhasan -- Vasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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