Slokam from vaalmeeki raamaayaNam

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a slOkam from vaalmeeki raamaayaNam where in there is no direct reference on her capability but three highly significant words are interpreted by commentators in a very big way to prove her 'capacity' or 'power'. dhu:khaarthaa rudhathee seethaa vEpamaanaa thapasvinee |chinthayanthee varaarOhaa pathimEva pathivrathaa || 5-21-2thruNam antharatha: kruthvaa prathyuvaacha suchismithaa |dhu:khaarthaa = Being tormented by grief;tapasvinee = in a pitiful state; varaarOhaa = with excellent limbs; pathivrathaa = devoted to husband; chinthayanthee = thinking; pathim Eva = about husband alone; suchi smithaa = with pleasant smiles; seethaa = seetha; rudhathee = was sobbing;vEpamaanaa = shivering; kruthvaa = making; thruNam = a grass straw;antharatha: = in between (herself and Ravana);prathyuvaacha = spoke in reply.Meaning: Being tormented by grief, and in a pitiful

state, that seethaa, with excellent limbs, devoted to husband, thinking about husband alone, and with pleasant smiles, was then sobbing, shivering and placing a straw in between herself and raaavaNa spoke thus in reply.[Thapasvinee also means a lady, one who is doing penance -thapas]The meaning, as given above, appears not directly related to our current topic of 'Is she capable?' But that three words - thruNam antharatha: kruthvaa is interpreted to give a lot of meanings including her powers or capacity to kill raavaNa. Hence it is being included here.Sri periya vaachchaan pillai who is titled as vyaakhyaana chakravarthy - emperor among commentators [perhaps got that title for commenting on these 3 words?] interprets these in the following ways - gives 26 different meanings. [thanks to sri vanamaamalai padhmanabhan swamy who gave this list of meanings to me in a private mail and I have changed the serial order he gave to me, to suit my context

here]The 26 points are 1. By placing the grass she conveys to raavaNan - By my powers, I can convert the grass into a powerful missile like weapon to threaten you or kill you, oh raavaNa, so that either you would return to your abode or run away from here out of fear [like how my husband raama converted the grass into a brahmaasthram which perhaps you should have heard now through your spy network]. 2. Like the easy plucking of the grass with the fingertips, seethaa points out to ravaNan, "I can remove your heads with my fingertips. I am so much powerful". 3. Seethaa indicates, "I can burn you so easily like burning this dry grass with the fire of my chastity". 4. Seethaa indirectly tells raavaNan, "Like how I

plucked this grass from its roots, My Lord will pluck your heads from your shoulders and rescue me. 5. Since, even the grass is in some respects good, She throws the blade of grass to highlight that raavaNa is not even comparable to that grass. 6. Seethaa considers raavaNa so lowly, that he is not having any intelligence like that grass. 7. It is customary to welcome the kings and royals, by offering them proper seat and hosting them with food. Seethaa piraatti welcomed raavaNan by offering a seat of grass and expected him to reform himself - a chance being given to change. 8. Having seen the grass placed in between, seethaa feels perhaps rAvaNA would understand that she does not like him and he will

return. 9. The grass acts as a differentiator - the separator, indicating seethaa and raavaNa are of two different heterogeneous groups and cannot mingle. 10. Since, women of noble families and well-mannered type, should not talk directly to any unknown men, other than their husband, she placed the grass in front of her and talked to raavaNan through the grass. 11. Since, raavaNan did not heed to the good words of maareechan and so on, he was destined to doom. Hence, the grass is thrown in between as a synonym to replicate his bad nature and his inevitable doom. 12. Since, piraatti blesses an achEthanam like grass by touching it, even raavaNan can become so much blessed and made to understand the good words of

her. 13. Seethaa speaks her mind 'hey raavaNa, You are not fit to be a human being, so, like cattle, you should also eat grass instead of other things. 14. Having desired for the most wrong person like me, raavaNa, you can get happiness only from this grass. 15. Since raavaNa earlier said, "I will pile all wealth like clothes, ornaments this kingdom land etc all to you oh seethaa, She tells in reply all these, to me, are like this grass". 16. She highlights to raavana, "hey, I am not bothered about my life. I consider my life like this grass. I survive here only for the sake of my raama piraan". 17. The whole lankaa is going to be destroyed like a

dry grass. At that time, perhaps, oh raavaNa, you will have no abode to stay. Here, take this grass for building your future residence. 18. Similar to this small grass plant spreading over a vast land, let your mind be diverted from me and turn that towards your wife [or wives]. 19. If you surrender to Sri raamaa, He will neither reject you, nor punish you for your offence done to me. Like how the small dry grass [thurumbu], being washed to the shores by the waves and thus saved from getting drowned in the deep waters, hey raavaNa, you will also be saved, by that ocean of mercy raama. 20. Akin to me throwing this grass, you throw and shed your all vices and bad thoughts about me and surrender. 21. If you want to

survive, you fall like this grass and surrender. 22. Since, the Lord is prevalent everywhere, He will also be present in the grass - thurumbilum iruppAn and the RAGhava Simham will pierce through grass and emerge out to kill you. 23. It is customary to vow by throwing sand in air -maNNai vaari thooRRuthal - piraatti throws the grass and vows that he will be defeated by Sri raama piraan. 24. Since, raavaNa indulged in bad deeds of desiring others wives, he is fit to be tortured through the eyes, may be by throwing bits of the grass into eyes - akin to sukkiran kaNNai thurumbAl kiLariya. 25. kAkAsuran's eyes, was reduced to half eyes by a grass piece. Likewise, Sri raamapiraan will also reduce

yours. 26. Sri nArAyaNan demolished the asura thirindhadampOdhvan. you may also face such an end with this grass.Oh what a great interpretation of the three words - highly significant words. That is why it is said great people convey a lot in small words and small deeds.

 

 

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