lakshmaNa 37

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Post 37

 

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

In the previous 36 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 11 roles. The study on the 11

th role of the 'minister' or counsel is continuing. We saw how the minister lakshmaNa reacted when he was forced to do something, which he did not like, by paying a somewhat cold 'anjali' to seethaa and left the aasramam. This paved the way for raavaNa to enter and abduct her. Since she said, 'if I have to be touched by others than my raama, I will give up this body'. And she kept her word by doing the agni pravesam, since raavaNa touched her body.

 

The dialogues between lakshmaNa and seethaa showed his clarity of thoughts and his sincerity in doing his assigned duty of standing guard, even though she lashed him with her tongue with unpalatable words. He was also told to go immediately even at the cost of her security, by verily the same person, who has to be guarded. But with reluctance he left later. This later led lakshmaNa to get chiding from raama.

 

Before proceeding further, let us see what maareecha shouted in detail, for sage vaalmeeki gives that in instalments. [Many of you might have heard, maareecha shouted 'haa seethaa' and 'haa lakshmaNaa' and that is all]. [Of course I must admit that is not relevant to topic on hand on lakshmaNa – but that also indicates why seethaa forced so much on lakshmaNa.

 

sa praaptha kaalam aj~naaya chakaara cha thatha: svaram |

 

sadhrus

am raaghavasya Eva 'haa seethE lakshmaNa' ithi cha || 3-44-19

 

meaning: Perceptive of the time that chanced bearing his death [and wishful of the death of Raavana too], he, [that maareecha,] then yelled in a voice that is like Raaghava's voice, 'haa, Seethaa...' and also 'haa LakshmaNa.'

 

Point:

This is the first instalment and what we usually hear in many an upanyaasams, then seethaa forced lakshmaNa out and raavaNa came and seethaa abducted.

 

Continuation:

But maareecha also added two more sentences, 'I am killed' and 'lakshmaNa save me immediately' in same raama's voice along with the first one of 'haa seethaa haa lakshmaNa'. These two phrases perhaps miss the attention of many. [Or perhaps many do not take cognizance of these two phrases, since whatever is to be done is already done – viz. seethaa's abduction and then the story flows].

 

 

These two phrases appear in slokams describing raama returning to janasthaana and lakshmaNa meeting him on the way. janasthaana is the place where the assramam is located, from where abduction took place. Now let us see slokams on the maareecha's additional words -- Raama while returning or rushing back talks to himself –

 

raakshasai: sahithair noonam seethaayaa eepsithO vadha: |

 

kaanchana: cha mrugo bhoothvaa vyapaneeya aa

sramaath thu maam || 3-57-7

dhooram neethvaa atha maareechO raakshasO abhooth sara aahatha: |

haa lakshmaNa hathO~asmi

ithi yath vaakyam vyajahaara ha || 3-57-8

 

meaning: raama talks to himself -- As could be seen, that Maareecha's becoming a Golden Deer is only to sidetrack me and take me away from hermitage, his becoming a demon when hit with an arrow, and his shouting words like, 'haa, LakshmaNa, I am killed,' indeed the demons are collectively intending to do away with Seethaa. It is certain.

 

Note:

dear readers, see this 'haa lakshmaNa I am killed' has not appeared earlier in the conversation between seethaa and lakshmaNa. [Vaalmeeki gives that in sargam 57, whereas lakshmaNa was sent away in sargam 44. Next when lakshmaNa is talking to raama, he says maithily heard 'haa lakshmaNa save me' besides haa seethe, and sent me forcefully – that is in sargam 59 -

that slokam reads --

 

aaryENa Eva parikrushTam, paraakrushTam,

haa seethE lakshmaNa ithi cha |

parithraahi

ithi yath vaakyam maithilyaa: thath shruthim gatham || 3-59-7

 

meaning: Maithili gave an ear to that message which is loudly shouted as if it is by your honour, saying, 'haa, Seethaa... haa, LakshmaNaa... save me immediately'.

 

 

Point:

when seethaa heard that message 'I am killed and save me', it is but natural for any sincere wife to act like that – in sending away that 'guard and brother' lakshmaNa to help raama.

 

Comment: After that shouting maareecha enjoined in raama's body as a jyothi – that is what adhyaathma raamaayaNam says. Quote: "From that body of Maareecha a divine aureole risen while all the world is seeing, that merged into Raama alone, causing very great astonishment. This is the marvel of Raama, nothing else'. So the divine beings thought seeing from heavens, and said 'a Brahman or a demon, or a sinner or meritorious one, whomsoever cites the name of Raama at the time of leaving his body, he attains the Ultimate Threshold'. Blessing so, the divine beings returned to their abodes on seeing the salvation of Maareecha's soul in Raama'. -- adhyaatma raamaayaNa, aaranya kaaNda, seventh sarga / chapter". Unquote.

 

 

Continuation:

When lakshmaNa appeared in front of raama, he reproached lakshmaNa saying 'you have committed dereliction of duty' and why you left seethaa and came here, but also there is a touch of love between the two --

 

 

gruheethvaa cha karam savyam lakshmaNam raghunandhana: || 3-57-16

 

uvaacha madhura udharkam idham parusham aarthavath |

 

 

meaning: Taking Lakshmana's left hand into his, Raama, the descendent of Raghu, alike a bewailer spoke this brusque speech that has a mellowly fruition in future.

 

sarvathaa rakshasaa thEna jihmEna sudhuraathmanaa |

 

vadhathaa lakshmaNa ithi uchChhai: thava api janitham bhayam || 3-58-13

 

 

meaning: That impostor and highly impudent demon Maareecha, who shouted loudly as, 'haa, LakshmaNa,' might have caused fear, in everyway, even in you.

 

 

Point:

Note that 'even in you' – seethaa getting afraid of – it is ok and natural for any lady – that too by a 'so much loving wife' like seethaa – fine. It was so blaring and forceful.

 

Perhaps you may also be afraid of – is it lakshmaNa? It also implies – 'you, lakshmaNa, – getting fear out of that thinking - that somebody will kill me? Hey, you have to rush out to save me, leaving seethaa unguarded?

May be you also got it out of love on me, isn't it?'

 

Continuation:

when raama saw and realized some 'asubha sakunams' – inauspicious oomens - like jackal crying, his left eye and shoulder pulsated – idathu kaN thudiththal and thOl thudiththal - which are bad sakunams, he felt bad. He started shouting at lakshmaNa, 'why you left seethaa unguarded'. He also said, 'I confided in you only lakshmaNa, to safeguard seethaa' but you have left seethaa unguarded and came here'.

 

[this also means raama is in the know of something is to happen to seethaa - and lakshmaNa need be or need not be a witness to that. Also the slokam 3-57-16 given above has another shade of meaning that 'by leaving seethaa alone for whatever to happen in future, hey lakshmaNa, you have paved the way' - so that is good – that avathaara kaaryam has to start – that is what is said by raama taking lakshmaNa's hand into his hand – or more or less a handshake giving a meaning of well done – for these are all part of that 'aathmaanam maanusham manyE' – has more meanings than on face]

 

The slokam quoted here shows how lakshmaNa is praised by vaalmeeki even at that sorrowful state of affairs – during that 'dhukham' also -- of course not yet realized seethaa is missed --

 

Evam uktha: thu soumithri: lakshmaNa:

subha lakshaNa: |

bhooyO duHkha samaavishTO duHkhitham raamam abraveeth || 3-59-5

 

 

meaning: When Sumitra's son LakshmaNa, whose traits are blamelessly auspicious

, is addressed thus [by raama], in anguish, cast a double spell on him, one for the tongue-lashing of Seethaa while the other for the reproach from Raama. And he replied Raama in his own way.

 

LakshmaNa described to raama how the conversation between himself and seethaa went on [just the English version only and not the slOkams]

 

"On hearing that grievous voice of yours and owing to her love for you, she shuddered with fear and wept to me 'hurry up...get going' [3-59-8] When she frequently and insistingly compelled me to go, I replied Maithili with this sentence, which has my expression of confidence in you. [3-59-9] I do not think that there is a demon, who can cause panic to Raama. All this is feigning. Someone might have mimicked raama's voice in this way, please control yourself. [3-59-10] How can my esteemed brother who can safeguard even gods, oh, Seethaa, will exclaim in saying, 'save me'. That is highly disparaging and callous of raama to call for help from a lady to safeguard him under such circumstances".

 

After listening to lakshmaNa, then also raama chided him saying --

 

sarvathaa thu apaneetham thE seethayaa yath prachOdhitha: |

 

krOdhasya vas

am aagamya na akarO: saasanam mama || 3-59-24

 

 

meaning: That action of yours in non-compliance of my directive to stand guard to Seethaa, either compelled by Seethaa, or coming under your own ire, it shows your dereliction [of duty] in everyway.

 

 

Point:

see the king taking action on his deputy for dereliction of duty - let it be at the behest of queen [or on his own] – duty is duty - so a chiding – [limited punishment] - for lakshmaNa is also that beloved brother.

 

Dear readers, perhaps you may ask why all these? – not required when we deal our subject on lakshmaNa – we must see not only good points but also some bad ones, like receiving some chiding etc so that the character's both sides are fully analysed.

 

Continuation:

when thus both raama and lakshmaNa came to realize that seethaa is missing, then raama lamented so much. Both started searching seethaa everywhere in janasthaana and in banks of godhaavari. After considerable search and asking the 'vanEchara: the forest living' – lakshmaNa realized that the animals convey seethaa was taken southward by their body language. See vaalmeeki describing that -

 

thEshaam vachana sarvasvam lakshayaamaasa cha ingitham || 3-64-20

 

uvaacha lakshmaNO dheemaan jyEshTham bhraatharam aarthavath |

 

 

meaning: On noticing the lingua franca and even the lingua persona of those animals, that imaginative LakshmaNa spoke to his elder brother, alike a striver striving hard for some information.

 

Point:

this shows lakshmaNa could infer something from the body language of animals and their spoken language also – means he is in the knowledge of the 'mruga saasthram' and 'pakshi saasthram'. The information lakshmaNa gives to raama that seethaa is southbound.

 

That again proves lakshmaNa, the minister, is really an 'allrounder' and gives valuable suggestions and tips, at the appropriate time to king raama.

 

kva seethaa ithi thvayaa prushTaa yathaa imE sahasaa uthhithaa: || 3-64-21

 

dhars

ayanthi kshithim chaiva dhakshiNaam cha dhisam mrugaaH |

 

 

meaning: Oh, godly brother, when you have asked these animals, 'where is Seethaa,' they quickly rose to their feet and

are showing the track on the ground and in the southern direction as well.

 

Continuation:

Then both walk in southern direction, find

 

§ flowers which seethaa was wearing,

 

 

§ the broken part of armour, which raavaNa and his charioteer had,

 

§ some beads of jewelry which seethaa was wearing,

 

§ some broken parts of chariot,

 

 

§ a broken part of a great bow [mahath dhanu says raama himself] and

 

§ the dead body of the charioteer of raavaNa etc.

 

Seeing all these, raama asks the gods, the mountains, the river godhaavari etc to give information on seethaa or return seethaa. When all were silent due to fear of ravaNa, and raama not getting a response, he, at the height of his anger, started raising his bow, stating he will make the river dry, rip of mountains of their peaks, kill all animals, punish all gods etc – all for the sake of seethaa --.

 

puraa iva mE chaaru dhatheem anindhithaam dhi

santi seethaam yadhi na adhya maithileem |

sadhEva gandharva manushya pannagam jagath sa sailam parivarthayaami aham || 3-64-77

 

 

meaning: If that princess of Mithila, who has suavely and toothy smiles and who causes irreproachability to my character, if only I can have a glimpse of her, is not returned to me in fine fettle, as she was when she was with me, then I will countermove whole of this universe together with its gods, immortals, humans, florae and faunas, mountains and waters... and what not... [3-64-77]

 

At that stage lakshmaNa started counseling to raama. The note in www.valmikiramayan.com site after this slokam is really great. I am sharing with you all that note. Thanks to the authors of website.

 

Quote: puraa: iva 'as before'

chaaru dhatheem 'suavely-toothy-smiling Seethaa, when she was smilingly asked me to fetch the Golden Deer, the last glimpse I had of her, still remains on my psyche. Hence, in that fine fettle she shall be handed over now...' a+ nindhithaam 'she is an irreproachable person for herself, no doubt, but she does not land even me into a reproachable situation. Even if I were to countermove the routine of universe for her sake, and my action stands rightful as I am seeking her rightfully.

 

Hanumaan supports this argument when he soliloquised on seeing Seethaa in Lankaa, in Sundhara kaaNdam, 16-13. 'Even if Raama is going to make this earth with its oceans, or even whole of this universe topsy-turvy for the sake of this wide-eyed Seethaa, I opine that Raama is right'.

 

Such Seethaa is "seethaa - one born in a furrow', a better birth than mine, as I birthed from the womb of my mother Kausalya, like any other human'. Besides, she is maithilee 'the daughter of the fit king Janaka and thus she is a fit consort of mine. Such as she is, she is displaced by you, gods, in the name of fate, fortuity, and fortune. Whatever it might be, bring her back to me, or else be prepared for my irreversible counteraction of this universe's routine, which per chance is manned by you, or even for its entire annihilation'.

 

This is veerOchitha sambhaashaNa 'brave talk of a braving hero...' and the mood is

veera rasam 'adventurousness', that too, not at earthly humans or animals or demons, but against the soi-disant gods.

 

So also is the ire of Arjuna in Mahaa Bhaaratham. A valiantly victorious person does not sink deep into his own sorrow, but tries to counteract. Here Raama is counteracting with gods and nature, while Arjuna of Mahaa Bhaaratham had to do the same with his brothers and relatives. That is why Gita had to be imbibed into the mind of Arjuna, when he was at loss to know why he shall war his own brothers, teachers, grandparents et al. Having heard whole of Gita and having followed Krishna's advices, Arjuna though bewails a lot when his son Abhimanyu was murdered, becomes infuriated at the treacherous murder of the boy. And then escalated were his guts to fight back his enemies. Arjuna takes a severe oath to eliminate his enemies.

 

Here Raama too has a Krishna like counsellor in LakshmaNa. But less are LakshmaNa's chances in convincing Raama, as Raama is a 'doer' rather than a 'preacher' like Krishna, or a 'student' like Arjuna. However, LakshmaNa pacifies the fury of Raama in the next sargam. – unquote.

 

 

Dear readers – please excuse me for the lengh of this post.

 

I do not want to stop while raama is lamenting, but at a stage where he is a little more comfortable. Now that raama is expressing his roudhram – anger, and veeram – valour, which are positive signs of a hero, and lakshmaNa is about to counsel him, I conclude the post. We will continue in next.

 

 

Dhasan

-- Vasudevan MG