Ramayana of valmiki and kamban -ayodhya kanda continued

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10. Rama agrees to take Seetha and Lakshmana also follows

 

Rama comforted Seetha who was desolate and started to shed tears profusely after arguing with Rama and Valmiki the poet comes to the forefront here and says,

 

Thacchaivaamalachandhraabham mukham aayathalochanam

paryaSushyatha baashpena jalodDhrtham ivaambujam

 

Her face like the moon without blemish and with large eyes, looked like a lotus taken out of water and affected by the heat of the sun due to the hot tears on her face. Rama told her that he was not afraid to take her with him but did not want to suggest it without knowing her intention. He said that this attitude of Seetha does honour to both his and her clan. This is what Janaka meant on giving Seetha in marriage to Rama when he said `janakaanaam kule keerthim aaharishyathi me suthaa, Seetha will fetch fame to the clan of janakas. Rama said finally that he would not enjoy even heaven without her.

 

Then Lakshmana who was hearing the argument between them was filled with anxiety as to whether Rama will agree to take him also, and fell at the feet of Rama. And grasping his feet said to Seetha and Rama. Valmiki refers to Lakshman as raghunandhanaH and says, `seethaam uvaacha athiyaSaaH raaghavam cha mahaavratham, Lakshmana of great fame spoke to Seetha and Rama. Lakshmana is of great fame because he stood as an example of Saranagathi or paramabhaagavatha. That is why he was called raghunandana, as he brought fame to the clan of Raghu. The words seethaam raghavam cha, denoted the purushakara of resorting to the divine mother before the Lord . The word mahaavratha describing Rama, implies his sarnagathivratha. As he says later, when Vibheeshan approached him, 'abhayam sarvabhoothaanaam dhadhami ithi vratham mama.' Hence this sloka is cited as an example of saranagathi.

 

Lakshman told Rama that he will accompany him to forest with bow and arrow in his hands and serve him and said that he will not desire heaven or immortality or wealth of all the worlds without Rama. The arguments of Rama that Lakshmana should remain in Ayodhya to look after Kousalya and Sumithra fell to deaf ears.

 

Rama uttered some words here which seem to be said for the mere purpose of turning away Lakshmana from his resolve to accompany him to the forest. He said that the king was blind by his love to Kaikeyi who would not treat Kousalya and Sumithra well and Bhartha will follow only the words of his mother. This could not be the real intention of Rama and the reply of Lakshmana proved this. . Lakshmana said that Bharatha will only worship Kousalyua and Sumithra. `bharathaH poojayishyathi kousalyaam cha sumithraam cha.'

 

Here Valmiki portrays Kousalya as a great philanthropist . Lakshmana said,

 

Kousalyaa bibhryaath aaryaa sahasramapi madhbiDhaan

yasyaaH sahasram graamaaNaam sampraaptham upajeevinaam

 

"The noble Kousalya will protect thousands like myself (and hence does not need my protection) There are thousands of villages which flourish because of her generosity."

Then Lakshmana said,

 

Kurushva maam anucharam vaiDharmyam naiha vidhyathe

krthaarTho aham bhavishyaami thava cha arThaH prakalpathe

 

" Make me your servant. There is nothing against dharma in this. I will be fulfilling my duty and your purpose will also be served."

 

Here Lakshman being the incarnation of Sesha, reiterates his seshathvam. Poygai azvar says in his mudhal thiruvandhadhi,

 

Chenraal kudaiyaam irundhaal singaasanamaam,

ninraal maravadiyaam neeL kadaluL enrum

puNaiyaam maNiviLakkaam poombattam pulgum

aNaiyaam thirumaarku aravu

 

 

Adisesha serves the Lord in many ways , as an umbrella when He walks, a simhasana when He is seated, as a tree-shade when He stands and as lamp in the milky ocean besides being His bed.

 

Further Lakshmana started enumerating the various possible ways in which he would be of use to Rama in the forest. He said that he will kill the wild animals of the forest, wielding the spade get roots and other things for food from under the ground, and will go in front showing the way and serve him and Seetha in all ways.

 

Then Rama allowed Lakshmana to accompany him to the forest and told him to go and get the permission of his mother.

 

Then as commanded by Rama Laksmana brought all the divine missiles of both of them from the house of Vasishta and made arrangements to give away their belongings to the preceptors, friends and brahmins which Valmiki describes in detail

 

When Rama was giving away the land and other property, a poor brahmin, born in the clan of Gargamaharishi named Thrijata, came there. He was induced by his wife to go to Rama to get wealth that would remove their poverty. Valmiki says that even though he was poor and was in rags he was shining with brahmathejas due to his learning and noble birth and hence no one stopped him when he went inside the house of Rama.

 

Rama said to him in a lighter vein that he had not given away any of his cows numbering to several thousands and he will give them to Thrijata and asked him to throw his staff as far as he could and he will get all the cows that fall within the range. Thrijata tied his garment tight and threw the staff with all his might and it passed all the cows and fell past them. Then Rama embraced him and gave him all the cows. Rama said that he only wanted to test the strength of the Brahmin which his personality belied because Rama could see the brahmathejas of Thrijata. Rama offered him whatever he wanted besides the cows but the Brahmin was satisfied with what he got and returned happily with his wife.

 

Thus rama gave away all his belongings and Valmiki says that there was no one , either Brahmins or friends or servants or poor and the needy in Ayodhya who was not honoured or made happy by Rama.