lakshmana 48

[Guest guest]

Post 48

 

 

 

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

I was reading some material elsewhere and these 3 slOkams struck me well and I am just sharing with you all. Since it is connected with the raama's story with the name of 'raamaayaNam' in which we are very much interested and as well a 'sathya vaak' – 'truth', I thought it is worth sharing.

 

 

First slOkam

ramanthE yOginO~nanthE sathya aanandhE chidhaathmani |

 

ithi raama padhEna asou param brahma abhidheeyathE ||

 

 

 

ramanthE - take pleasure;

yOginah - transcendentalists;

ananthE - in the unlimited,

sathya aanandhE - real pleasure,

chith aathmani - in spiritual existence,

ithi – thus,

raama – Raama,

padhEna - by the word,

asou – He,

param – supreme,

brahma - truth;

abhidheeyathE - is called.

 

 

 

Meaning: The Supreme Absolute Truth is called Raama because the transcendentalists take pleasure in the unlimited true pleasure of spiritual existence.'

 

 

 

This is the 8

th verse of the "raama Satha naama sthOthram" available in the Padhma PuraaNam.

 

Second slOkam

raama raama raama ithi ramE raamE manOramE |

 

sahasra nama thath thulyam raama naama vara aananE ||

 

 

 

meaning: Lord Siva addressed his wife paarvathi as vara aanana and explained, " I chant the holy name of Raama, Raama, Raama and thus enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of raama is equal to 1000 holy names of Lord VishNu. "

 

 

 

This is the 72.335th verse from the Brhath vishNu sahasra naama sthOthram in the uththara khandam of the Padma PuraaNam. [may be we are familiar with this slOkam but the original source may be an information for many].

 

 

Third slOkam:

seethayaa: aaradhithO vahnis chaayaa seethaam ajijanath |

 

thaam jahaara dha

sagreevah seethaa vahni-puram gathaa ||

 

 

 

pareekshaa samayE vahnim chaayaa seethaa vivE

sa sa |

vahnih seethaam samaneeya thath purasthaadh aneenayath ||

 

 

 

meaning: When he was petitioned by mother seethaa, the fire-god, Agni, brought forth an illusory form of seethaa, and Raavana, who had ten heads, abducted [or kidnapped] the false seethaa. The original seethaa then went to the abode of the fire-god. When Lord Raama tested the body of seethaa, it was the false, illusory seethaa that entered the fire. At that time the fire-god brought the original seethaa from his abode and delivered her to Lord Raama. "

 

 

 

These 2 verses are taken from the 'koorma Puraanam'. Again this false seethaa and returning original seethaa thru that much debated agni pravEsam may all be familiar to many. The source as koorma puraaNam – may be new information. Perhaps later adhyaathma raamaayaaNam came into existence, that author took this base and had his slOkams coined. For I believe koorma puraNam is also one among the 18 puraaNams written by sri vEdha vyaasa.

 

 

Now continuing that 'servant' role of lakshmaNa, after agni pravesam, raama and seethaa joined together, came back to ayOdhyaa. Raama was crowned nicely with all festivities and galore. Raama ruled for 11000 years as per vaalmeeki. It is not clear in a reading of uththara kaaNdam, whether towards the end of these 11000 years that seethaa became a 'garbhavathi' – a 'pregnant woman'. Of course from the way the raamaayaNam starts, it is clear that towards the end only the children were born – since, for the young lava and kusa doing the gaanam of raama kathaa - singing in front of their own father, without knowing that they are singing 'his story' – history - in front of raama 'himself'. It is also clear that raama did many asvamEdha yagnams as stated by naaradha in the first sargam of baala kaaNdam. It can also be concluded that these were going on for a long time and raama finally took off to sri vaikuntam at the end of these 11000 years.

 

Coming to the point, lakshmaNa once again did that servant role in bringing seethaa to the forest and leaving her there – that too a pregnant woman in the forest - as per orders of raama, without much a desire to do that. Here again, as in the agni pravesam scene, the obedience to the order of his elder raama comes into significance.

 

The basis of raama sending seethaa to forest goes like this. Raama asked seethaa 'if you have any desires to be fulfilled during this early stage of gharbham I will do my best to fulfill your desires' – [the 'masakkai' period as stated in tamil - since it is said that even small desires of a garbhavathi should be fulfilled at that stage]. She replied raama 'I want to go to forest once again and enjoy that forest life - like those days of the 13 years + month / months, when we were together roaming in the forests, [when you were asked to go to forest by your father]'.

Dear sirs, this conveyance of 'masakkai' message of seethaa is not my imagination, but as available in uththara kaaNdam -

 

dhrushtvaa thu raaghava: pathneem kalyaaNEna samanvithaam |

 

praharsham athulam lEbhE saadhhu saadhu ithi cha abraveeth || 7-42- 30

 

 

meaning: raaghavan [viz. raama] saw seethaa had symptoms of kalyaaNam [subham – mangaLam] – and said well well.

 

This kalyaaNam is interpreted as 'gharbham' by commentators since in subsequent slOkams he asks seethaa

 

 

kim ichhchasi varaarOhE kaama: kim kriyathaam thava |

 

smitham kruthvaa thu vaidhEhee raamam vaakyam athaa abraveeth || 7-42- 32

 

 

Meaning: raama asked seethaa – 'hey beautifully faced, what you desire? what can I do for you?' Seethaa smiled and said to raama thus.

 

 

thapO vanaani puNyaani dhrashtum ichhchasi raaghava |

 

gangaa theera upavishtaanaam rishiNaam ugra thEjasaam || 7-42- 33

 

 

 

phalamoolaa

sinaam dhEva paadha moolEshu varthithum |

Esha mE parama: kaamO yanphala moolabhOjinaam || 7-42-34

 

 

Meaning: oh lord, I want to see the sacred thapO vanams [means residences in the forest – like the aasramams of saints] I want to live amidst the rishis who have glowing thEjas, want to eat fruits and roots and sit in the roots of trees- this is my utmost desire'.

 

 

Of course what she said is as per the curse of that braahmaNa, which has become true already. Actually in next slOkam raama says 'ok you can do so for one night'. But later this became handy for raama when that vaNNaan – the launderer - accused his wife in comparison with seethaa and the king raama accepting seethaa.

 

See raama's orders to lakshmaNa -

 

s

eegram aagachchha soumithrE kurushva vachanam mama |

na cha asthi prathi vakthavya: seethaam prathi kathhamchana || 7- 45- 19

 

thasmaath thvam gachchha soumithrE

na athra kaaryam vichaaraNaa |

apreethirhi paraa mahyam thvayaa Ethath prathivaarithE || 7-45 - 20

 

 

meaning: oh lakshmaNa come quick, do what I say, you need not reply me, in particular on behalf of seethaa, as such you go lakshmaNa, without any discussions, even though it may be undesirable to you and you want to ask questions to me.

 

 

Point:

see the confidence of raama on lakshmaNa. Raama wants lakshmaNa to obey first in leaving seethaa on the other side of banks of Ganga. LakshmaNa also obeyed rather than reacting or resisting such an action of raama.

 

 

While his obedience takes a front seat, lakshmana's exhibition of his motherly affection towards seethaa – that too when she is pregnant and to leave her in a forest etc - becomes pale and / or does not come to the forefront. Of course he laments while taking leave of seethaa etc [slOkams are there as portrayed by vaalmeeki] but these become a rather weak reaction, than that 'obedience'of a true servant.

 

Now with these, I really conclude the series on lakshmaNa. If I missed these two points on his servant's role perhaps I would have missed something great. So please excuse me once again for stretching after saying concluded.

 

 

Hope you all enjoyed the series on lakshmaNa and I would like to hear any missing points on lakshmaNa from the elite group.

 

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.

 

PS: thanks to one and all for the encouraging comments received during the series and in particular to the moderator swamins who allowed me to post this series in the group mails. -- Vasudevan MG