lakshmaNa 31

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Post 31

 

 

 

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

 

In the previous 30 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 10 roles. The 10th role

as a great warrior is continuing. When lakshmaNa, our hero, faced

kumbakarNan, kumbakarNan brushed him aside saying 'you are a baalan – young

boy - and as such I do not want to fight with you'. Though lakshmaNa did

send some arrows, those did not create much impact on kumbakarNan. At that

stage kumbakarNan appreciated lakshmaNa. Then raama fought with him. While

raama was fighting with him lakshmaNa suggested an idea to raama – [while

lakshmaNa uttered that sentence vaalmeeki's description of lakshmaNa at this

stage is something unique and that is why referring. Again kumbakarNa vadham

scene. See slokam --

 

 

 

thasmin kaalE sa dhharmaathmaa lakshmaNO vaakyam abhraveeth |

 

kumbakarNa vadhE yukthO yOgaan pari mrusan bahoon || 6-67-139

 

 

 

Meaning: during that time that dharmaathmaa lakshmaNa intended in thinking

about several ways in kumbakarNan's killing said like this. -

 

 

 

What he said is – 'this fellow kumbakarNa is not able to distinguish between

vaanaraas and his own fellows, so he is eating all, so let all these vaanara

sainyam and leaders hang on kumbakarna since his body is so huge and that

may create problem to him'. But kumbakarna brushed aside these. Here the

point is not the idea given by lakshmaNa but that description of lakshmaNa

by vaalmeeki – saying 'dharmaathmaa'. After that raama killed him by cutting

one hand, second hand, both legs and then finally the head.

 

 

 

When message reached raavaNa, he did his sorrowing – 'sOkhap pulambal' as

usual – 'oh my capable brother is lost'.

 

 

 

His other sons consoled RaavaNa. They and the senaapathis, one by one,

started facing 'raama and his troops'. The list of persons faced and killed

by runs like this -

 

- Thrisiras – raavaNa's son – who has 3 kreetams in his 3 heads -

killed by hanumaan – using thrisiras own sword.

- Naraanthakan – killed by angadhan

- DhEvaanthakan – killed by hanumaan

 

· Mahaa udharan or mahodharan – younger brother of raavaNan - killed

by commander neelan – son of agni

 

· Mahaa paarsvan – a brother of raavaNa - killed by rishabhan a

vaanara sEna leader

 

· Maththan and yudhdhha unmaththan - two more brothers of raavaNa who

accompanied by naraanthakan and this team were also killed in the above gang

– by rishabhan and gavaakshan – another leader of vaanara sainyam.

 

 

 

Then comes athikaayan [A] – another son of raavaNa – who again had in his

account boons by brahmaa –especially 'avadhyathvam' – cannot be killed. Such

a person came up for war. Raama was surprised at his majesty and build. And

he was given a brief on athikaayan by vibheeshaNan. Though athikaayan was

resisted by maindhan, dhvividhan, neelan et al - the leaders of vaanara

sainyam, he came up to raama and said 'I do not want to fight with small

fellows'.

 

 

 

Hearing that lakshmaNa got wild and twanged his bow to announce his

readiness to fight. But that athikaayan brushed him saying, 'you are a

child, go – baala: thvam asi, gachchha' 6-71 -51.

 

 

 

LakshmaNa replied – 'baala~ayam ithi vignaaya na maam ~avagnaathum arhasi' –

'you just cannot ignore me saying a boy and reject me' 6-71-64 – like that

child vaamana who measured all 3 worlds you are going to see me as your

yama, the death agent.

 

 

 

Then both started fighting. All dhevaas, maharshis, mahaathmaas, et al, came

in the sky to see that war. LakshmaNa's arrow struck athikaayan's forehead –

 

 

sa lalaatE sarRO magnasthasya beemasya rakshasa: |

 

dhadhrusE sONithEna aaktha: pannaga indhra iva achalE || 6-71-76

 

meaning: the arrow of lakshmaNa hit that raakshasa in the face, which looked

like a huge kingly snake clinging on a hill.

 

 

 

Athikaayan appreciated lakshmana saying

 

saadhu baaNa nipaathEna slaaghaneeyO~si mE ripu: | - 6-71 – 78

 

yes – lakshmaNa - you deserve an appreciation from me, your enemy.

 

 

 

Point: even though the two are fighting see the greatness where they are to

be appreciated it is done – for the valour, for the easiness in handling

bows, charioteering etc,. That is one thing which is to be noted in both

raamaayaNam and bhaaratham.

 

 

 

Continuation: Then they both exchanged arrows [sasthrams] and lakshmaNa [L]

was hit. Then both started with asthrams like [each countering the other] -

 

· L -agnEyaasthram – A - sooryaasthram,

 

· A -isheeka asthram – L- indhra asthram

 

· A- yama asthram – L – vaayu asthram

 

Since dhEvaas were watching from sky, vaayu bhagavaan – the air god,

whispered in lakshmaNa's ears, saying 'since he has brahmaa's boons he

cannot be killed by other asthrams except brahma's own – bramhaasthram - so

use that to kill him'.

 

 

 

Accordingly when lakshmaNa sent that brahmaasthram, athikaayan even though

was resisting it with his own asthrams he was killed. So here is one more

instance where brahmaasthram was used.

 

 

 

When the news of athikaayan's death was conveyed to raavaNan, he recognized

who has come to fight now in that frain human form and said

 

"tham manyE raaghavam veeram naaraayaNam anaamayam" – 6-72-11

 

meaning: Oh this raaghava, [or raama] is that naaraayaNan – no body else.

 

 

 

This is a very famous slOkam and many a times quoted one.

 

 

 

Then indhrajith, son of raavaNa, took up the fight. He resorted to invisible

fight and using brahmaasthram against almost all leaders of vaanara sainyam..

Since he was invisible so he could not be hit. Further since he is using

brahmaasthram, raama gave signal to lakshmaNa that 'let us abide to that

asthram'. thus both got fainted besides all other leaders fell down

unconscious. [means raama and lakshmaNa showed respect to that asthram of

brahmaa, even though they have not been killed or harmed in major way]. That

is the dharmam of raama and lakshmaNa.

 

 

 

Then indhrajith thought he won and returned to lanka with success. Since all

got tied except vibheeshNan and hanumaan. Even though fainted, jaambavaan

enquired about hanumaan's welfare. Jambavaan suggested hanumaan to go

himaalayaas and bring sanjeevani herbs. Hence hanumaan did that effectively

all in vaanara sainyam got back on their feet.

 

 

 

When those herbs rejuvenated raama and lakshmaNa and others, another

battalion of raakshasaas containing kumban, nikumban, makaraakshan [son of

khara] et al came and got defeated. Then indhrajith once again resorted to

homams and started fighting invisibly. He made raama lakshmaNa and others

struggle with his arrows.

 

 

 

So lakshmaNa got wild and said to raama, 'I will send brahmaasthram to kill

all raakshasaas'. brahmaasthram prayOkshyaami vadha arthham sarva rakshasaam

| – 6- 81- 36.

 

 

 

Raama advised lakshmaNa not to do that. Indhrajith in his invisibility got

that feedback and returned to lankaa successfully. [This is the third

time].

 

 

 

*Point:* See raama stopping brother lakshmaNa in using brahmaasthram. Why he

stopped?

 

Is it that raama has sympathy against all raakshasaas except raavaNa?

 

Or is it because of the idea that lakshmaNa will get credit of killing

raavaNa and not himself?

 

Or is it that lakshmaNa is incapable in handling brahmaasthram?

 

lakshmaNa has just proved he is successful in handling that asthram in

athikaayans's case – then why?

 

Or is it that the asthram cannot be used for the second time in the same

day?

 

For the asthram is primarily intended against indhrajith. Then why raama

stopped?

 

 

 

This is not the present day competitive 'corporate' world – by pulling a

peer's leg only I will get noticed in the eyes of my management – means - no

hesitation for me in doing that.

 

No, sirs, and madams. Thoese days were dhaarmic period. So there must be

reasons sound and solid.

 

 

 

If lakshmaNa does pronounce that manthram and send the brahmaasthram – then

it will eradicate all raakshasaas – note the word 'sarva' – that 'sarva'

includes 'vibheeshaNa' also, besides his 4 colleagues on raama's side, leave

aside raavaNa and indhrajith. Even by mistake that should not happen. That

is why raama stopped lakshmaNa. Perhaps as usual in his angry and snaky mood

if lakshmaNa did that then a very large damage could be created. Then raama

would become an "asathyan" in performing that raajya abhishEkam to

vibheeshaNa. So that is why he stopped.

 

 

 

So we have to look at each word, and each word in these slokams have lot of

meanings.

 

 

 

Let us continue in next post.

 

 

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.

 

 

 

PS: perhaps you may wonder how long this great warrior role is going to be

stretched. Yes, please – it is a bit more lengthy only – in kamba raamayaNam

in his 10600 + verses, more than 5000 is in yudhdha kaaNdam only – for the

14 days war description. In vaalmeeki also 6049 slokams are there precisely,

which means more than 25% slokams are there in yudhdha kaaNdam. [Total 24000

– excluding uththara]. Further once indhrajith vadham is over lakshmaNa's

conribution is less afterward.

 

 

--

Vasudevan MG