champion of champions 3

[Guest guest]

Post 3

 

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

We saw how it is justified to call 'kosala raama' the champion of champions.

 

Now let us see the defeat of raavaNa at the hands of kaartha veerya arjunan who had 1000 hands. For that we have to turn to 'sreemadh bhaagavatham' – navama skandham - 9

th section – sargam 15 – or chapter 15.

 

Slokam 17 –19

Sri baadharaayanir uvaacha

 

 

haihayaanaam adhipathir arjuna: kshathriya rshabha: |

 

dhaththam naaraayaNasya amsam aaraadhya parikarmabhi: || 17

 

 

baahoon dhasa-satham lEbhe durdharsathvam araathishu |

 

avyaahatha indriya Oja: sri thEjO veerya yasO balam || 18

 

 

yOgesvarathvam aisvaryam guNa yathra aNimaa aadaya: |

 

chachaara avyaahatha gathir lOkEshu pavanO yathaa || 19

 

 

meaning: Suka brahma rishi [son of baadaraayana – vyaasa's other name] said to king pareekshith: The best of the kshathriyas, Kaartha veerya arjuna, the King of the Haihayas, received 1000 arms by worshipping DhaththaathrEya, another amsam [or avathaaram] of the Supreme lord NaaraayaNa. He also became undefeatable by enemies and received unobstructed sensory power, beauty, influence, strength, fame and the mystic power by which to achieve all the perfections of yoga, such as aNima and laghima [the ashta anga yoga and related siddhis]. Thus having become fully opulent, he roamed all over the universe without opposition, like the wind.

 

 

Slokam 20

 

sthree rathnair aavrthah kreedan rEvaambhasi madhOthkatah |

 

vaijayantheem srajam bibhradh rurOdha saritham bhujaih ||

 

 

Meaning: Once while enjoying in the water of the River Narmadha, the puffed-up Kaartha veerya arjuna, surrounded by beautiful women and garlanded with victory, stopped the flow of the water with his arms.

 

 

Slokam 21

 

viplaavitham sva-

sibiram pratisrotah-sarij-jalaih |

naamr

syath thasya thadh veeryam veeramaani dhasa aananah ||

 

Meaning: Because Kaartha veerya arjuna made the water flow in the opposite direction, the camp of RaavaNa, which was set up on the bank of the Narmadha near the city of Mahismathi, was inundated. This was unbearable to the 10 headed RaavaNa, who considered himself a great hero and could not tolerate Kaartha veerya arjuna's power.

 

 

Point: RaavaNa was out touring to gain victory over all other countries (digvijayam), and he had camped on the bank of the Narmadha River near the city of Mahismathi.

 

 

SlOkam 22

 

grheethO leelayaa sthreeNaam samaksham krtha kilbishah |

 

maahismathyaam sanniruddhO mukthO yena kapir yathaa ||

 

 

Meaning: When RaavaNa attempted to insult Kaartha veerya arjuna in the presence of the women and thus offended him, Kaartha veerya arjuna easily arrested RaavaNa and put him in custody in the city of Maahismathi, just as one captures a monkey, and then released him neglectfully.

 

 

Points:

 

See both are bloated with their own varams – boons. Both are out on their digvijayams. So it happened that one met other and a conflict arose.

 

How kaartha veerya defeated raavaNa so easily – that too in front of the ladies is mentioned.

So it is a double defeat for raavaNa – one at hands of kaartha. second in front of ladies.

May be this kindled his desire to capture ladies and imprison them and enjoy them.

See also how kaartha is able to stop the river flow with his hands, and then the river flow rises and inundates downstream as described here.

Another focal point here is – that upamaanam – comparison – capturing like a monkey and then releasing raavaNa – so easily - that leads us to understand about kaartha and his physical mite - kaartha is such a 'balavaan' – 'powerful' - with his 1000 hands – also that shows the power of kaartha in comparison to raavaNa with his 10 heads and all boons behind him.

Another point is – is it a prelude for things to come later – kosala raama coming with monkeys, to lanka and defeating raavaNa and his battalion. Think over.

 

 

Let us continue with other portions in next post.

 

Dhaasan

 

 

Vasudevan m.g.-- Vasudevan MG