Ramayana of valmiki and Kamban-yuddhakanda

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5.Doctrine of Surrender

 

The dharma involved in the act of Vibheeshana is a

little difficult to understand. The decision of Kumbhakarna to stay with his

brother, even though he knew that what Ravana did was adharma, can be

understood by everyone as one of sibling loyalty. But whether Vibheeshana was

right in leaving Ravana and joining Rama is a matter of debate even today.

 

To understand this we must examine what is dharma

and what is svadharma. Dharma is of two kinds, sadharana dharma as understood

by common man and visesha dharma, which supersedes sadharanadharma. Svadharma

on the other hand differs for different individuals. What is svadharma

for a sathvik person as Vibheeshana is not applicable to a rajasik person like

Kumbakarna.

 

A sathvik person abhors any act of adharma and

could not be a part to it, which would have been necessary if Vibheeshana had

stayed with Ravana. Kumbakarna, even though he had the knowledge of dharma and

adharma, had no strong affinity towards dharma. But Vibheeshana was a follower

of dharma as Surpanakha described him to Rama as vibheeshansthu dharmaathmaa.

 

Vibheeshana tried his level best to turn Ravana

away from adharma but not only Ravana did not listen but also abused him and

banished him from his kingdom. The visesha dharma here is that one could

renounce everything or everyone for the sake of dharma but should not forsake

dharma for anything or anyone. Rama himself said in Aranya kanda to Seetha that

he would renounce even Seeetha and

Lakshmana for the sake of dharma but would not give up dharma for any reason.

Vibheeshana came to Rama whom he looked upon as the embodiment of dharma, vigrahavaan DharmaH. Once he

surrendered to Rama he becomes the servant of Rama and had to do his bidding.

He renounced everything including his own possessions and relatives for the

sake of dharma.

 

Vibheeshana sarangathi is upheld as the perfect illustration

of the doctrine of surrender which is not exclusive to vaishnava tradition

though it is illustrated to explain the

requisites of saranagathi in vaishnavite

literature. The principle of surrender

to God exists in all religions but it has been elevated to a special path in

vaishavism.

 

Prapatthi or saranagathi is of three kinds.

Svaroopa samarpanam is the attitude that nothing is mine but everything belongs

to the Lord. Bhara samaspanam is relinquishing all the burden of out protection

to the Lord. Phala samarpanam is dedication of the fruit of saranagathi also to

Him.

 

Since the path of prapatthi can be followed by

anyone irrespective of birth, learning etc., Ramayana stands as an example of

saranagathi as Rama was the saraNya to all beings.

 

The requisites for prapatthi are six.

1. mahaaviSvasa,

the faith that the Lord will certainly protect us. Vibheeshana came to Rama without

any doubt whether he will be accepted or not. This is the mahavisvasa.

 

2.gopthrthva

varana, accepting the Lord as the sole refuge. Vibheeshan said that he has

left his wife, son and wealth etc and had surrendered to Rama.

 

3. prthikoolyavarjanam,

giving up everything which is against attaining the Lord. VibheeshanA

renounced his brother who was adharmik and life in Lanka under him was not

conducive to his service to the Lord.

 

4,.aanukoolya

sankalpam, once having chosen the service of the Lord the intention to do whatever please Him. That

was why Vibheeshana lent his assistance to Ram in the battle.

 

5.kaarpaNya

, one's own helpessness. Vibheeshana said to Rama that he had offered his life

and happiness at the feet of Rama and he was at his disposal.

6. aathmanikshepa,

surrendering even his self, which comes as the natural sequence of the

rest.

 

Vibheeshana functioned as the sesha of Rama and

dedicated every moment of his life to the service of Rama . Thus the episode of

Vinbheeshana sarangathi stands as a practical example of the charama sloka of

Gita , sarvadharmaan parithyajya maam

ekam SaraNam vraja. By the words of

Rama the second line of the sloka aham

thvaam sarvapaapebhyaH mokshayishyaami is elucidated. The Lord as Rama

demonstrated what He was going to say as Krishna

in His later incarnation, kountheya

prathijaaneehi na me bhakthaH praNaSyathi. He gave the kingdom of Lanka

to Vibheeshana immediately after his surrender, though he asked only for the service of Rama.