Ramayana of valmiki and Kamban-yuddhakanda

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4. Vibheeshana saranagathi

 

Vibheeshana then started towards Rama and when he

reached the other side of the ocean Sugriva

and others saw him and his four followers standing in the sky like a cloud with

lightning, wearing bright ornaments and wielding weapons and thought that these

rakshasas had come to attack them. The vanaras said that they would attack them

first and make them fall down, and hearing their talk Vibheeshna unafraid, said

in a loud voice that he was the younger brother of Ravana who was wicked and

committed a sin in carrying off Seetha and who would not listen to him when he

advised him to return Seetha to Rama. Ravana also spoke harsh words and had

driven him out of Lanka and now leaving all his kith and kin he had come to

Rama for surrender. He requested them to inform Rama about his arrival.

 

thyakthvaa

puthraamscha dhaaraamscha raaghvam SaraNam

gathaH

 

nivedhayatha

maam kshipram raaghavaaya mahathmane

 

These word of Vibheeshana and the words of Rama

later declaring his vow to give surrender are important in highlighting

Ramayana as saranagathi sastra and stand

as the eliucidation of the charama sloka of Gita sarvadharmaan

parithyajaya maam ekam SaraNam vraja. We shall see the impact of these

words later in the doctrine of surrender.

 

Sugriva immediately went to Rama and told him of

the arrival of Vibheeshana and conveyed

his opinion that he was not to be trusted because he was the brother of Ravana

and might be sent by him to spy on them and had to be punished. Rama asked the

opinion of the others and all spoke on the same lines as Vibheehsna did and Angadha suggested that they should

examine Vibheeshana and could accept him if he was found to be trustworthy.

Then Hanuman spoke and what he said was again a proof that he was buddhimathaam varishtaH and sollin selvan. He said,

 

na vaadhaan

na api samgharshaan na aadhikyaan na ca

kaamataH |

 

 

vakshyaami

vachanam raajan yathaa arTham raama gauravaat

 

 

" I do not speak out of desire for argument or in

competition, nor out of superiority. But I wish to speak what is the reality

due to the weight of the matter."

 

Then he told Rama that the counseling of the others

was not proper as it is not possible to examine his intentions without

entrusting him with some work and it is not advisible to do so with respect to

a stranger. Nothing could be proved by questioning as a clever person could

surmount that without showing his real intention. Hanuman disagreed with

Sugriva that the occasion and timing was not suitable for Vibheeshana to

approach Rama for surrender and said that it was indeed appropriate. Finding

that Ravana was heading for a disaster and not amenable to advice, he left him

and at the most he may have a wish to inherit the kingdom after Ravana, nothing

more sinister. Hanuman then said that in his opinion there is nothing deceitful

in Vibheeshana judging by his appearance and his face. Then he told Rama to

take his own decision as he needed no advice,, being equal to Brahaspathi in

wisdom.

 

Rama then spoke. He said that he also had already

formed an opinion about Vibheehsana and he would not desert any one who

approached him with friendliness even if he had several defects. Then Sugriva

asked Rama what merit one could see in a man who had deserted his brother in

adversity and Rama smiled on hearing it as if to say `look who is talking!' and

told him that it is quite common among friends or close relatives to become

enemies and Vibheeshana being wedded to dharma had come to him, may be with a

desire for kingdom and nothing was wrong with that. Rama then said as if to put

the mind of Sugriva at ease, that not

all brothers would be like Bharatha, nor sons like Rama nor friends like

Sugriva.

 

Even then Sugriva was not convinced out of his love

and regard for Rama whose welfare he was concerned about, and said that it was

not proper to accept Vibheeshana because of the high risk involved. Then Rama said that he was capable of killing all

the rakshasa with the tip of his fimger and therefore was not afraid of any

risk and then told him a story about two

doves.

 

A hunter caught the female dove and came under the

tree where its mate was staying and the female dove told the male not to grieve

over its capture but to be hospitable to the hunter who had come to their

abode. The male dove made fire to give him warmth and fell itself into the fire

to be his food. Rama said if a mere bird could do so much how much more he

should do as a man. He also quoted the words of sage Kandu, son of sage Kanva

who said that even an enemy who comes with folded hands seeking refuge should

not be turned away and one who does that commit a sin. Then Rama said the words

which extol him as sarangathavatsala and raised Ramayana to the status of

sarangathi sastra.

 

Rama said,

 

Sakrdheva

prapannaaya thava asmi ithi yaachathe

 

abhayam sarvabhoothebhyo

dhdhaami ethath vratham mama

 

"To one who seeks refuge in me even once, saying

that "I am yours," I will protect him from all beings and this is my pledge."

 

Moreover Rama said ,

 

aanaya enam

hariSreshTa dhattham asya abhayam mayaa

 

vibheeshaNo

vaa sugriva yadhi vaa raavaNa svayam

 

"Bring him Sugriva, I have already given refuge to

him, whether he is vubheeshana or even Ravana himself."

 

When Sugriva conveyed the message to Vibheeshana he

descended joyfully and prostrated before Rama saying,

 

 

bhavantam

sarva bhootaanaam SaraNyam SaraNam gataH

 

 

parithyakthaa

mayaa lankaa mithraaNi ca dhanaani ca

 

 

bhavadh

gatam hi me raajyam ca jeevitam ca sukhaani ca

 

" I seek refuge in you who is the sole refuge of

all beings. I have renounced Lanka, my friends and wealth. My kingdom, life and

happiness is at your disposal."

 

Ramayana is as a whole an illustration to the

charama sloka of the Gita. Hence it is called saranagthisastra or

saranagathivedha, the gospel of surrender. Rama was the refuge of all beings,

man , bird and beast and in the episodes of kakasura, of dhandakaranya rshis ,

Sugriva and Sabari etc. the doctrine of surrender is emphasized but in Vibheeshanasaranagathi

it reaches the completion because it

contains all the limbs of saranagathi and presents the whole nature of

sartanagathi. This we shall see next along with the dharma involved in the act

of Vibheeshana.