Guest guest Posted June 28, 2008 Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, We are discussing on how the 'kaikEyee kaamam' laden dhasaratha promised on 'raama' and listened to what are the 2 boons to be granted. Then he shifts his 'kaamam' on raama and says "The world can exist without the sun, a crop without water. But life cannot continue in my body, without Raama. " [2-12-13]. So if dhasaratha has to fulfill kaikEyee's wishes, then it is clear that it will be at the cost of his life as stated above. So he pleads with kaikEyee to relax on the boons and says he deserves sympathy. [2-12-34]. See vaalmeeki again picturises from kaamam to kaaruNyam. Dhasaratha says 'anjalim kurmi paadhou cha api sprusaami' – I beg with an anjali – praNaamam – namskaaram – even ready to fall at your feet, oh kaikEyee', to relax the terms of the boons. But see what he gets in return to his pleading – kaikEyee retorts -- sa thvam dharmam parithyajya raamam raajyE abhishischya cha | saha kousalyayaa nithyam ranthum ichchhasi dhurmathE || 2-12-45 meaning: Oh, the evil-minded! By giving up righteousness and by installing Raama in the kingdom, you want to enjoy life with Kousalya forever " . Point: So the focus now shifts from 'kaamam' - not to kaaruNyam - but to 'dharmam' – kaikEyee dwells on dhasaratha's dharmam – hey, do you want to flout your dharmam – for your 'kaamam's sake' [on raama]. See she has already succumbed to her own kaamam and her able counsellor's [kooni's] kaamam. She has already flouted her own dharmam – pathi vrathaa dharmam - in asking her husband something at an inconvenient time to him against his wish which may cost pathi aayu – husband's life as expressed by him. Even then she prefers to say 'do you want flout your dharmam by coronation of raama?' Yes – on the other side dhasaratha has promised to kEkaya king at the time of her marriage - to adorn the crown of ayodhyaa to her son - bharatha – so, that way she is correct. By that reason dhasaratha is doing an adharma act or flouting his promise. So here is a very nice picture of 'kaamam and dharmam' conflicting each other between a husband and his wife regarding crowning of one son or the other. The present day management experts who advocate few 'conflict resolution' techniques can take this beautiful case study – between kaikEyee and dhasaratha and offer a solution. Continuing - the reason she gives in slokam 45 only smells a little more foul, for she mixes dharmam with kaamam. See with what words kaikEyee abuses her husband – 'dhurmathE – eveil minded'. And also note 'hey you want to enjoy with kousalyaa when raama is available in royal seat as king'. So her point [in focus] is on 'enjoying' – kaamam – because he came for that. Perhaps at her level and with pre-dominance of her kaamam in getting the raajyam for son, she can think of kaamam only. For suddenly one cannot change so easily, that too to a diametrically opposite nature. That is what happening here with kaikEyee. See here - vaalmeeki picturises the 'human' angle very well in managing the 'change' – from one to other but coming back to old track and not sticking to the new one. Management experts in the list, please note this on the 'change management'. But when kaikEyee made a mention on kousalyaa, see the 'regrets' by dhasaratha -- yadhaa yadhaa hee kousalyaa dhaaseevath cha sakheevath cha || 2-12-68 bhaaryaavadh bhagineevath cha maathruvath cha upathishTathi | sathatham priya kaamaa mE priya puthraa priyamvadhaa || 2-12-69 na mayaa sathkrithaa dhEvi sathkaara arhaa kruthE thava | meaning: Oh, KaikEyee! Whenever Kousalya was waiting on me, § like a maid-servant, § like a friend, § like a wife, § like a sister and § like a mother, for your sake she was never treated kindly by me, but she deserves to be kindly treated because she § was always desirous of showing kindness to me, § was blessed with a pet son, § speaks kind words. Point: So when kaikEyee hits the king on 'kaamam' with kousalyaa, he begs for kaaruNyam – sympathy towards kousalyaa, for he has not treated her properly for kaikEyee's sake. Again a shift is there from kaamam to kaaruNyam – by vaalmeeki. . Is it a very late regret on the part of dhasaratha? Seems so, because after these conversations, dhasaratha did not last for more than few days. All these conversations take place in kaikEyee's palace in the evening. Dhasaratha spends a sleepless night there. In the morning again she reiterates her boons and wants the coronation to be stopped [since vasishTa and all have come ready for coronation and Sumanthra is instructed by vasishTa to call the king for the coronation and sumanthra reaches kaikEyee's palace]. What happens – let us see in next post. Dhasan Vasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.