lakshmaNa 38

March 6, 2007

Post 38

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

In the previous 37 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 and security guard' lakshmaNa conveyed to raama why he came away, leaving seethaa unsecured, being driven by her tongue lashing. When both returned to aasramam both realised that seethaa was lost. Raama was very sad, angry and said, 'let me destroy the hills, kill all animals, and dry up the river etc' as they have not responded to his query on whereabouts of seethaa. [for before leaving her unguarded, lakshmaNa appealed to the vanEcharaa: to take care of seethaa].

We also saw a very beautiful para as the endnote of 65

th sargam in valimkiramayan website, connecting the two heroes 'raama and arjuna' in sOkham and how they converted that sOkham into anger.

Just let me repeat the last para - for it has some finer points, which require elaboration - Quote: 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. [viz 66

th sargam]

Now points:

First of lakshmaNa is elevated to the level of krishNa. – that is great. Yes – for we have already seen - that lakshmaNa was thinking of himself as an 'amsam' of sriman naaraayaNa - and as such raavaNa could not lift him off, when lakshmaNa was hit by raavaNa's sakthi aayudham. But same lakshmaNa could be easily lifted by hanumaan and carried to safety.

For one person lakshmaNa made it very difficult and to other so easy. So lakshmaNa is an amsam – part of sriman naaraayaNa only – krishNa is 'full and full' sriman naaraayaNa. No amsam business – a 'poorNa avathaaram' as said.

But when it comes to the supreme lord sreeman naaraayaNa, an amsam – part or full - how does it matter? Just recall that slokam

poorNamada: poorNamidham poorNaath poorNamudhachyathE

poorNasya poorNamaadhaaya poorNam EvaavasishyathE'

where it is said - when from 'poorNam – whole', is removed from 'poorNam – whole', what remains is also 'poorNam whole' only. So whole or part – an amsam of naaraayaNan is also 'poorNam' naaraayaNan only. So lakshmaNa is another krishNa. Any more explanation is needed?

Then some one may ask why between these two naaraayaNa poorNams, raama and lakshmaNa - this entire preaching, counselling, etc? As already said more than once – raama is 'aathmaanam maanusham manyE' – so at times counselling is needed to that 'human raama'.

2. While preaching arjuNa was at an elevated place – 'uyarndha thErth thattu' – elevated seat of chariot – and guru krishNa was at the driver's seat – a slightly lower seat and position – see here raama is sitting and weeping [or standing and weeping], the preacher or counselor lakshmaNa holds the feet of raama who is being counseled or 'taught [?]' – so in both instances the preacher or counsel / guru is placed at a lower level and 'student or receiver or counselled' is positioned in elevation. [ref slokam 2 below]

3. In both places the heroes - there arjuna, here raama – are in a sorrowful state of mind and need consolation, encouragement, pursuation to take further course of action.

4. In both places or cases, a war is about to begin – there arjuna is already in the midst of the war arena standing between the arrayed armies – here raama has already raised his dhanu: and s

ara: – bow and arrow, to fight against the non replying vanEcharaa:

5. In both the counselling is 'to make them act against enemies' – for arjuna to fight against dhuryOdhana and team – here for raama to fight against that 'yet unknown enemy' who has captivated seethaa, instead of the animals, gods, trees, hills, and river etc as he said.

Can this preaching or

counselling to raama by lakshmaNa be called lakshmaNa geethaa? Dear readers, you have to say.

Now the slOkam – [for corraborating point 2 above]

thatha: soumithri: aasvaasya muhoorthaath iva lakshmaNa: |

raamam sambOdhayaamaasa charaNou cha abhipeeDayan || 3-66-2

meaning: At that time Lakshmana, the son of Sumithraa, suppliantly gripped raama's feet and started to address him.

Preaching starts here:

mahathaa thapasaa raama mahathaa cha api karmaNaa |

raaj~naa dhasarathEna asi labdho amrutham iva amarai: || 3-66-3

meaning: Oh, Raama, as gods have reaped ambrosia after a prolonged churning of Milky Ocean, you are a reap of King Dha

saratha's superlative ascesis and by his superior acts.

Point:

lakshmaNa says raama is 'amirtham' – 'raamaamrutham' – amrutham is useful to others – when it comes to use for self? Somebody has to tell, 'hey you are amrutham – so no question of any decay or treatment required for you – you are poorNam – no minus for you - even if it is to happen a minus – then also what remains is also same amrutham' etc.

That is what dhasaratha got – lakshmaNa reminds that amrutham - 'raamaamrutham' - otherwise why, now, we should study about that vasthu now so seriously?

LakshmaNa continues -

yadhi dhu:kham idham praaptham kaakuthstha na sahishyasE |

praakrutha: cha alpa saththva: cha ithara: ka: sahishyathi || 3-66-5

aas

vasihi narasrEshTha praaNina: kasya na aapadha |

samsprus

anthi agnivath raajan kshaNEna vyapayaanthi cha || 3-66-6

meaning: If you are unable to withstand this anguish chanced on you, oh, Kaakuthstha, then how a simpleton and whose boldness is meagre can withstand it. Oh, first and foremost man, tell me who is not caught by mishappenings, which mischance will be flashy like fire-catch, and oh, king, even then, that lets up momentarily.

Point:

Is this not similar to bhagavadh geethaa slokams in 2-11 to 13,

gathaasoona agathaa soonou 'This that irks- / Thy sense-life, thrilling to the elements- / Bringing thee heat and cold, sorrows and joys, / 'Tis brief and mutable!'.

Perhaps lakshmaNa is not saying openly 'I am not imparting any maiden version of Bhagavad Gita which later you will be doing to arjuna, your sishya'.

dhukhithO hi bhavaan lOkaan thEjasaa yadhi dhakshyathE |

aarthaa: prajaa nara vyaaghra kva nu yaasyanthi nirvruthim || 3-66-7

meaning: If you are going to blaze away worlds with your radiance in your ruefulness, to where the ordinary people in rue shall go for solace, really.

Point:

this is one of the very beautiful prepositions lakshmaNa gives – a gentle reminder – 'hey you are the person to whom all look for solace. If you are going to act in a fit of anger where people in general will go?' – Is that the proverb - 'vEliyE payirai mEindhaal maadu engE pOgum?' came from this slOkam? These are certain superb slokams to be enjoyed to its core.

Continuation:

in the next slokam lakshmaNa reminds raama, 'hey, your and my guru vasisthta was also was in same predicament that he got 100 sons and in one day, all 100 died due to ire of visvaamithra, but vasishta did not fight with him like how you started now, etc. Then lakshmaNa tells about the mother earth – where she is so calm and equipoised at all times, but she also at times undergoes earthquakes, storms, etc which are reflections of her anger. Similarly, he reminds raama about the sun and moon who are light providers in this earth, sometimes they also undergo eclipses – [as we had few days back] etc.

See next lakshmaNa talks about indhra and qualifies raama – hey you don't deserve to be like this -

sakra aadhishu api dhEvEshu varthamaanou naya anayou |

srooyEthE nara saardhoola na thvam vyathithum arhasi || 3-66-13

meaning: Oh, tigerly-man, we hear that whether gods like Indhra et al., are ethical and / or unethical, yet they too have the resultant agonies and ecstasies. Hence, it is inapt of you to fret thyself.

Point:

A note to this slokam by authors of website is so beautiful – that shows their knowledge even in the alien land – christianity - sincere thanks to them –

quote - The last compound in second foot na thvam vyathhithum arhasi is the 'theme instruction' in bhagavadh Geethaa na thvam

s

Ocithum arhasi

which again appears in the next verse. This has a near psalm in The Bible: 'Fret not thyself because of the ungodly...' Psalm 37, v 1. – unquote.

Continuation:

hruthaayaam api vaidhEhyaam nashTaayaam api raaghava |

sOchithum na arhasE veera yathaa anya: praakrutha: thathaa || 3-66-14

thvath vidhaa nahi

sOchanthi sathatham sarva dharsina: |

sumahathsu api kruchChhrEshu raama anirviNNa dhar

sanaa: || 3-66-15

meaning:

Whether VaidhEhi is stolen or slain, oh, brave one, it will be inapt of you sadden like this as with any other commoner without tracking her whereabouts. Persons of your stature, who are always equitable in their outlook, oh, Raama, will remain non-dispirited even if they are undergoing desperate straits, and they will not just be sad like this.

Point:

lakshmaNa tells raama, 'hey, we do not yet know whether seethaa is stolen by somebody or killed. We have not yet found an answer to that aspect – about her safe living or not – without finding out that, you want to act in eliminating, ripping, drying, burning, etc - in what way it is reasonable? Further perhaps that may fit a common man, but you – for you are some one very special' – a gentle reminder to raama again as to who you are?

Further the addressing is also so pinpointed – 'veera' – hey raama what happened to your bravery and valour? For brave men will not undergo such suffering but they will act – either in finding out seethaa or will fight with the thief who stole her – but you are not doing either but threaten damage to all others who are 'mute witnesses' – in its real sense.

thaththvathO hi nara

srEshTha budhdhhyaa samanuchinthaya |

budhdhhyaa yukthaa mahaapraaj~naa vijaananthi shubha ashubhE || 3-66-16

meaning: Oh, foremost man among men, you analyse in subtle pursuit, objectively and intellectually, and great brains will comprehend good and bad in subtlety with their wisdom [or intellect].

adhrushTa guNa dhOshaaNaam adhruvaaNaam cha karmaNaam |

na antharENa kriyaam thEshaam phalam ishTam cha varthathE || 3-66-17

meaning: Indiscernible are the rights and wrongs of actions, and indefinite are the cherished fruits of those actions. Without performing any action, fruits also will be nonexistent.

Point:

perhaps the essence of all that is said in the karma yogam chapter 2 of bhagavadh geethaa 'to act'instead of brooding over - is all said in this one slokam.

Dear readers, Just with a little exaggeration - is it that bhagavaan having learnt from laksmaNa all these in his poova avathaaram of raama, taught arjuna later as krishNa? For krishNa only said in same bhagavadh geethaa, 'I know all what happened earlier janmaas, hey arjuna you do not know'. Logical?

maam Evam hi puraa veera thvam Eva bahu

sO ukthavaan |

anusishyaath hi kO nu thvaam api saakshaat bruhaspathi: || 3-66-18

meaning: Oh valiant one, indeed you alone have said all these to me previously and repeatedly. Who really can profess you even he were to be the professedly Jupiter – guru, bruhaspathi.

Point:

what is said as point to previous slokam with a bit of exaggeration is shattered here – lakshmaNa says, 'I just repeated what you told me earlier, taught me earlier, I am now reminding you or recalling you all that in this hour of desparation, you are guru's guru, for the entire world – to you how can I teach or the jupiter?'

– just recall that sri vishNu sahasra naama slOkam 'gurur guruthamO dhaama'. He is a teacher, a supreme teacher not only that but a potential place - kshEthram for all gurus – 'guru dhaam' - Oh, classic.

Dear readers, even though length of post applies brakes and also length of series get elongated than what I anticipated, if we miss these - tasty tasty – portions, then we are missing a lot. Perhaps you have to bear with me for some more time to complete the series.

budhdhhi: cha thE mahaapraaj~na dhEvai: api durhanvayaa |

sOkEna abhiprasuptham thE j~naanam sambOdhayaami aham || 3-66-19

meaning: Oh, great discerner, your thinking process is non-explicit even to gods, but now that thinking process is obliquely and utterly in slumber, owing to your sadness. Hence I am addressing you and this is no schooling.

Point:

suddenly lakshmaNa comes to ground realities – hey raama, I am not schooling you, for you are great and you thinking cannot be understood by others so easily. Presently due to sadness on account of separation of seethaa, I thought, it is clouded and hence I tried to clear those clouds'.

For it is raama only, who said 'even somebody touching seethaa makes me sorrowful' in that viraadhan episode. So lakshmaNa says 'you are sad and hence I feel your clarity in thinking is also clouded'.

dhivyam cha maanusham cha Evam aathmana: cha paraakramam |

ikshvaaku vrushabha avEkshya yathasva dhvishathaam vadhE || 3-66-20

kim thE sarva vinaa

sEna kruthEna purusharishabha |

tham Eva thu ripum paapam vij~naaya udhdhhartum arhasi || 3-66-21

meaning: Oh, foremost one among Ikshvaku, oh, Raama, contemplate the divineness of those immortals and their pure being in maintaining the world order, also consider the humanness of these mortals and their helpless susceptibility to pain, also count on your own valour that which can annihilate the whole of anything. And then come to conclusion whether or not to annihilate everything. But, before that try hard to eliminate the abuser, lest he may abuse many others. Oh, best one among men, what is it you gain on performing a complete annihilation owing to a single soul's malefaction, hence, mark him, that malefactor and a malevolent of yours, and it will be apt of you to uproot him, him alone.

Point:

A great ending to the preaching, counselling, or suggesting, by the minister lakshmaNa to raama. A minister or a deputy like lakshmaNa, who just trots the need of the hour is very dificult to find. Then – is there any exaggeration in what raama said – I can get many seethaas, but not a brother like lakshmaNa - when lakshmaNa fell in that hit by raavaNa – for the second time [first time it was a hit by indhrajith, early in the war – second by raavaNa].

Just ponder over again on this. Let us continue in next post.

Dhasan

-- Vasudevan MG