Ramayana of valmiki and Kamban

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13.Grief of Dasartha and Kousalya and Sumitra offering consolation

 

Dasaratha was seeing Rama as far as he could see the chariot and as long as the dust from the chariot was visible. When Rama and the chariot went out of sight he fell on the ground. Kousalya and Kaikeyi started to raise him on either side. Here we see the play on words by Valmiki the poet. He says,

 

Thasya dhakshiNam anvagaath kousalyaa baahum anganaa

Vaamam cha asya anvagaath kaikeyee bharathapriyaa

 

Kousalya tried to raise him by right hand, dhakshiNa baahum, and Kaikeyi by the left. The words dhakshiNaa and vaama have wider implications than the literal meaning of right and left. DhakshiNaa means also the one who is courteous and submissive. Hence it is used with respect to Kousalya, whereas Vaama means cruel an hence it is used in refernce to Kaikeyi and also Valmiki refers to Kaikeyi as bharathapriya, to denote that she is interested only in her son and no one else including her husband.

 

Then Dasaratha denounced Kaikeyi telling her not to touch him and that he disowned her as his wife and also Bharatha as his son, if he would accept the kingdom from his mother. He told her that she would get the kingdom but will become a widow as he would not survive the separation from Rama. Then Dasaratha wanted to go to the palace of Kousalyaa. When he reached there his eyes were blinded with grief and he told Kousalya that his sight which had gone after Rama had not returned.

 

Kousalya expressed her anguish on Rama being gone to forest and in her grief accused Dasaratha for sending Rama to forest to please Kaikeyi.

 

Then Sumithra consoled her saying that no harm would come to Rama and even the elements would serve him. The valour of Rama and the power of his asthras are such that no one could resist him. The words of Sumithra expound the parathathva or the real identity of Rama though not expliciltly.

 

Valmiki refers to Sumithra as Dharme sThithaa, one who is established in dharma.

Sumithra said,

Thavaarye sadhguNairyukthaH sa puthraH purushotthamaH

 

" Oh noble minded one, your son is endowed with all good qualities and the best among men."

 

Here the word purushotthama, meaning `best among men' also refers to Narayana, who is called sreepathiH purushotthamaH. Rama, said Sumithra, went to the forest following dharma and to set an example to the world about the duty of a son to his father by obeying the words of his father in order not make him swerve from the dharma of keeping his promise. Sumithra further said to Kousalya who was lamenting about the fate of Seetha and Lakshmana, that Laksmana could never enjoy anything better than doing service to Rama all day long which he could not have done even in Ayodhya. As far as Seetha was concerned she followed her husband, who is the embodiment of dharma, willingly `anugacChathi vaidhehee dhrmaathmaanam thavaathmajam,' The word used for Seetha here is Vaidhehi, to emphasize that she was the daughter of Janaka whose clan are well known for observing dharma. Rama for whom sathya and dharma are the only wealth would return to Ayodhya with his fame spread far and wide.

 

What Sumithra said next has the implication of parathathva of Rama.

 

Sooryasyaapi bhaveth sooryaH

hyagneragniH prabhoH prabhuH

SriyaHSreeScha bhaveth agryaa

keerthiH keerthyaaH kshamaakshamaa

 

dhaivatham dhevathaanaam cha

bhoothaanaam bhootha satthamaH

thasya ke hyaguNaah dhevi

raashtre vaapyaThavaa pure

 

 

The meaning of these slokas is,

 

Rama is the Sun to the Sun, that is , he is greater than the Sun. He is fire to the fire, Lord of lords, wealth of all the wealth. He is fame to the fame itself and the power behind the virtue of patience. He is the one resorted to by the devas, and hence the Lord of the devas. He is the master of all the natural elements. To him who can be against, wherever he is , be it a country or a town?

 

This meaning which sounds like an adulation of the qualities of Rama, denotes also the real identity of him as Lord Narayana.

 

Sooryasyaapi sooryah , He is the sun to the sun, has reference to the sruthi text, `thamevabhaantham anubhaath srvam thasya bhaasaa sarvamidham vibhaathi,' meaning that all luminous bodies follow Him and by His luster all shine. The Lord is described as sooryamandala maDhya varthi, the one who is seen inside the sun, as its inner self, because of whose power the sun shines.

 

Similarly He is the power behind the fire and hence He is the fire of the fire. Since He is the one who apportions the duties of the devas like Brahma He is the dhaivatha the deity or the divinity behind the devas. Like wise He is the power behind the elements and hence bhoothaanaam bhootha satthamaH, the most powerful element of all. Bhootha can also mean living beings and the Lord is the controller of all. Since Lakshmi gets her glory by His association He is the one who is the wealth or glory of Sree. Simlilarly the words keerthyaah keerthih and kshmaakhamaa are explained as the fame , keerthi and forbearance , kshama, are supported by Him only.

 

Thus Sumithra assured Kousalya that Rama would return safely and get the kingdom and give joy to her whereupon Kousalya was comforted .