lakshmaNa 44

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Post 44

 

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

In the previous 43 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 11 roles. The study on the 11

th role of the 'minister' or counsel is continuing. LakshmaNa is consoling of raama, when he was in deep sOkham / weeping, since indhrajith killed ['maaya'] seethaa in front of raama. This consoling or advising is more or less a 'dharma upadhEsam' to raama. We saw few slOkams on lakshmaNa talking and saying 'That is why you, who dictates the rules or formulates the rules, gave away the kingdom obtained by doing duty'. This is what we saw in previous post towards the end.

 

Before we continue with more slokams, here is the reference / proof of king dhasaratha giving a word to his father in law while marrying kaikEyee – this is as stated by raama to bharatha when he met bharatha in the forest. What I stated in previous post - as 'may be from other puraNams' – that may also be correct. But when we have it from the mouth of raama as stated in vaalmeeki ramayaNam, why should we search elsewhere. [i apologise for my hurrying in previous post without giving this reference which is authentic and more appropriate].

 

 

 

upapannam idham vaakyam yath thvam Evam abhaashathaa: |

 

jaatha: puthrO dhasarathaath kaikEyyaam raaja saththamaath || 2-107-2

 

 

meaning: raama to bharatha his brother, "These words, which you have spoken are worthy of you, the son of Dhasaratha the excellent king, born through kaikEyee. "

 

 

puraa bhraatha: pithaa na: sa maatharam thE samudhvahan |

 

maathaamahE samaa

srousheedh raajya sulkam anuththamam || 2-107-3

 

 

meaning: 'O, My brother! Long ago, when our father married your mother, he promised your maternal grandfather that he would confer his kingdom as an exceptional marriage-dowry'.

 

 

dhEva asurE cha samgraamE jananyai thava paarthiva: |

 

samprahrushTO dhadhou raajaa varam aaraadhitha: prabhu: || 2-107-4

 

 

meaning: Thereafter, in a conflict between Gods and demons, your mother received the promise of two boons from the efficient lord of the earth, King Dhasaratha, as a token of his joy and gratitude.

 

 

thatha: saa samprathi

sraavya thava maathaa yashasvinee |

ayaachatha nara s

rEshTham dhvou varou vara varNinee || 2-107-5

thava raajyam nara vyaaghra mama pravraajanam thathhaa |

 

thach cha raajaa thathhaa thasyai niyuktha: pradhadhou varou || 2-107-6

 

 

meaning: raama to bharatha, 'O, Tiger among men! Your illustrious mother of beautiful complexion consequently demanded these two boons from that cheif of men, for you the throne, and for me the exile to the forest.

 

 

So that point of dhasaratha becoming a liar, if he has appointed raama as the king is very much true and becoming again a liar if he denies the boon granted to kaikEyee. From these two raaama only saved him by obeying the orders of father. Now continuing on lakshmaNa,

 

arthhEbhyO hi vivrudhdhhEbhya: samvruththEbhya: thathasthatha: |

kriyaa: sarvaa: pravarthanthE parvathEbhya iva aapagaa: || 6-83 –32

 

 

arthhEna he viyukthasya purushasya alpa thEjasa:

|

vyuchchhidhdhhyanthE kriyaa: sarvaa greeshmE kusarithO yathhaa || 6-83-33

 

 

 

sO~yam arthham parithyajya sukhakaama: sukhaidhhitha: |

 

paapam aarabhathE karthum thathO dhOsha: pravarthathE || 6-83- 34

 

 

 

meaning:

lakshmaNa to raama [who is in sOkham], 'how rivulets form into falls on the hill slopes, in same way through different actions only further duties or karmas spring up. One who is weak-kneed leaves the job in the middle having achieved some results of actions done. This leaving in middle dries up results of earlier actions, like the falls getting dried up in summer. That person, who desired comforts does comfortables, but if leaving his chrished desires does a sin, that results in faults. Then he is trapped.

 

 

 

Point:

The comparisons are beautiful. These 3 slokams and its contents are again a high motivational theory. Yes. Actions springs forth in further actions, as well brings in reactions. If a person is really satisfied with the middle level or meagre positive results obtained out of these actions, then he will not reach the final cherished goal. Also having tasted some comforts in the middle he may tend to do some sins. He faulters and falls off the sins. So he has to be continuously patted, pushed up, motivated for bigger achievements, keeping away from committing small sins.

 

 

Is it that lakhsmaNa tells raama these high motivating words?

Or is it that lakshmaNa indicts indhrajith indirectly, who achieved some success initially in tying them with snake asthrams?

Killing seethaa [maaya or even if original seethaa] is a great sin from lakshmaNa's angle. So is he foretelling the death of indhrajith, while comparing with waterfalls in summer etc ?

 

 

Further talks of

lakshmaNa are very practical.

 

 

yasya arthhaa: thasya mithraaNi yasya arthhaa: thasya baandhavaa: |

 

yasya arthhaa: sa puman lOkE yasya arthhaa: sa cha paNditha: || 6-83 - 35

 

 

 

yasya arthhaa: sa cha vikraantha:, yasya arthhaa: sa cha budhdhhimaan |

 

yasya arthhaa: sa mahaa bhaaga: yasya arthhaa: sa mahaa guNa: || 6-83 - 36

 

 

 

arthhasya yEthE dhOshaa: pravyahruthaa mayaa |

 

raajyam uthsrujathaa veera yEna budhdhhi: thvayaa kruthaa || 6-83 - 37

 

 

 

meaning: one, who has wealth, has friends, relatives, and is considered as a man, as a learned person. One, who has wealth, is a successful one, a genius, an attained person, has lot of good qualities. Oh valourous [raama], since you rejected the kingdom [the wealth] through your intellect, and thereby the wealth, I have to tell you all this as an error in you.

 

 

yasya arthhaa: dharma kaama arthaa: thasya sarvam pradhakshiNam |

 

adhhanEna arthha kaamEna

na arthha: s

akhyO vichinvathaa | | 6-83- 38

harsha: kaamascha dhrapascha dharma: krOdhha: samO dhama: |

 

arthaath Ethaani sarvaaNi pravarthanthE nara adhhipa || 6-83- 39

 

 

 

meaning: one who has wealth, for him in this world all works get done. You, who is not having weath and also in a perturbed mind, you cannot succeed. The laughing, desiring, showing of pride, dharmam, anger, control of mind and senses, and such all things come out of having wealth.

 

 

Point:

these 5 slOkams are again from the plain 'world level' – 'human level' – hey one who has wealth can get his things done and all that – since raama you rejected your kingdom and thereby the wealth on account of father's words, you are to suffer. Further when the mind is also clouded definitely it is very bad.

 

 

 

yEshaam nasyathi ayam lOka: charathaam dhharmachaariNaam |

 

thE~rthaa: thvayi na dhrusyanthE dhurdhinEshu yathhaa garhaa: || 6-83-40

 

 

 

meaning: all those who adhere strictly to dharmam and do only dharmam, for them this world is destroyed. Those characters of you, which are necessary now, appear eclipsed in you, like the planets eclipsed at times.

 

 

Point: does it mean that lakshmaNa is against doing dharmam? No. In this world one has to do dharmam but also be sure to exhibit his humanly nature by fighting and all that. Since raama is not doing that lakshmaNa says now you are like a planet under eclipse. Once that is over the planet moon will shine. Like that raama will also shine. So again he motivates in a little round about way.

 

 

thvayi pravraajithE veera gurOscha vachanE sthhithE |

 

rakshasaa~pahruthaa bhaaryaa praaNai: priyatharaa thava || 6-83-41

 

 

 

thadhascha vipulam veera dhu:kham indhrajithaa krutham |

 

karmaNaa vyayanEshyaami thasmaath uththishta raaghava || 6-83-42

 

 

 

meaning: hey bravo, your beloved wife was abducted by that raakshasa, from this forest dwelling which was because of your adhering to the words of father. Hey raama, the bravO, arise, I will remove by my actions today, all these difficulties arising out of indhrajith's deeds.

 

 

 

Point:

Now comes those assuring words, 'hey, raama, I am here to do things for you, you are great, why are you not thinking that you are great [next slOkam] and can do things in a great way?'

 

 

Like those high words of krishNa to arjuna, lakshmaNa says. There also krishNa said, 'I have already destroyed all these warriors', to arjuna, 'you are going to be the outwardly reason for the killing' nimiththa maathram savyasaachin - like that here also, 'hey I am here to do all that killing of indhrajith et al, now, why you worry, get up'. Oh what a reassuring words --

 

 

 

uththishta narasaardhoola dheergabhaahO dhruDavratha |

 

kim aathmaanam mahaa aathmaanam na avabhudhyasE || 6-83-43

 

 

 

meaning: hey raama, tigerly man, stout at heart, one who has well built shoulders, arise, why you are not thinking that you are that greatest soul of souls ?

 

 

point: like visvaamithra saying in baala kaaNdam - uththishta nara saardhoola – lakshmaNa also says exactly same words.

 

 

 

ayam anagha thava udhitha: priya arthham janaka sudhaa nidhhanam nireekshya rushTa:

 

sahaya gaja rathhaam saraakshasa indhraam bhrusam ishubhi: vinipaathayaami lankaam || 6-83- 44

 

 

 

meaning: hey blemishless [raaghava or raama] I, who is born to do things, which are pleasing to you, will destroy lankaa, kill the raakshasaas along with their horses, elephants, and chariots, by my arrows, arising out of the anger of the killing of your beloved jaanakee.

 

 

Point: See lakshmaNa again trotting that assurance to raama, 'I will kill the warriors and destroy lankaa'. Also please note that great words – 'thava priya arthham udhitha:' - 'I am born to do things which are pleasing to you' – that 'senRaal kudaiyaam' aadhi sEshan - lakshmaNa.

 

 

Is it that servant attitude which is in front for lakshmaNa?

 

or is it that adviser, consoler, minister or counsel lakshmaNa?

or is it that guru [which we have seen in last post] ?

 

or is it that loving brother who puts his shoulders underneath for the elder's head to rest when that head is heavy because of a weeping heart?

 

 

 

Oh great lakshmaNa, to render such a long dharma upadhE

s

am and conclude it with that assurance 'I am here to do things, which are pleasing to you, oh, raama'. 'Thambi udaiyaan padaikku anjaan' proverb – is that came out from this situation. ['anjudhal' does not mean 'fearing' – always].

 

 

Dear bhakthaas, with this the role of minister ends. That servant role remains. Since many a points are already covered, perhaps a listing only is needed to cover that role and with that I think I can conclude this very long series.

 

 

 

Dhaasan

-- Vasudevan MG