desire 26

June 30, 2008

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

We saw in previous post kaikEyee asking her husband dhasaratha – 'wanting to give up your dharmam, you want to enjoy with kousalyaa', and dhasaratha regretting 'I have not treated kousalyaa for your sake' to kaikEyee. During that dhasaratha adds -

baalisah batha kaama aathmaa raajaa dhasarathah bhrisam|

sthreekruthE yah priyam puthram vanam prasthaapayishyathi || 2-12-83

meaning: Alas! The extremely foolish king Dasaratha, whose mind is lustful for a woman sent his dear son to the forest "

vinaasa kaamaam ahithaam amithraam | aavaasayam mruthyum iva aathmanah thvam |

chiram bathaankena dhrithaasi sarpee | mahaa visha thEna hathO~asmi mOhaath ||

2-12-107

meaning: I lodged in my house, as one would one's own mortal enemy, you, who seek my destruction and are unfriendly. Alas, due to bewilderment, a highly venomous female serpent has been held on my lap so long and therefore I am undone. "

Continuation: See the multiple use of words kaamam andmOham by dhasaratha- he realized now his kaamam. As stated earlier, these conversations were going on in the early part of night. And both dhasaratha and kaikeyye spent that night without sleep – not in sex for which dhasaratha came there to see kaikEyee - but much in conversation.

In the early morning again Kaikeyee says to dhasaratha --

aahuh sathyam hi paramam dharmam dharmavidhO janaah |

sathyam aasrithya hi mayaa thvam cha dharmam prachOdhithah ||2-14-3

Meaning: kaikEyee speaks to dhasaratha, " People who know what is right, indeed speak of truthfulness as the highest virtue. I too have taken refuge in truth and made you aware of your duty.

sathyam Eka padham brahmE, sathyE dharmah prathishThathah|

sathyam Eva akshayaa, vEdhaah sathyEna Eva aapyathE param || 2-14-7

Meaning: kaikEyee continues, 'Truth is one word and is Brahma. On truth is righteousness established. Truth indeed is the knowledge imperishable. By truth alone, the supreme being is obtained " .

Points:

1. See a beautiful coinage of words by kaikEyee presented by vaalmeeki. See how clear she is – her knowledge on 'sathyam – truth' and 'dharmam – righteousness' and her dictum are impeccable. In advocating dharmam to her husband and king dhasaratha, she is harping on his duty on the boons given to her earlier.

2. If dhasaratha sticks to dharmam he will lose his kaamam – desire of crowning raama. If dhasaratha sticks to his kaamam he will lose his dharmam.

Similarly on the otherside, if kaikEyee sticks to her kaamam of crowning bharatha and send raama to forest, she will lose her husband -pathy and thereby her 'pathi vrathaa dharmam' is in peril. But if she sticks to her dharmam – she will lose her kaamam – desire of crowning bharatha.

3. So here is a very good case of conflict of 'interests' and 'righteousness' – 'kaamam' and 'dharmam'. As we all know, kaikEyee stuck to her kaamam and as a result she lost her husband, and thereby her pathi vrathaa status. Added to her losses was, his son turning down the offer of crown later.

4. Even in mahaa bhaaratham to establish dharmam lot of sacrifices – by way of lives of many – so it appears in any conflict between dharmam and kaamam – dharmam reigns but with loss of lives.

Continuing -- The 'desire' – is overruling kaikEyee – see her next sentence -

sthaapya raajyE mama sutham kruthvaa raamam vanE charam |

nihsapathnaam cha maam kruthvaa krutha kruthyO bhavishyasi || 2-14-22

Meaning: kaikEyee tells king dhasaratha, "You will be the one who discharges duty, by installing my son to this kingdom, by making Raama to wander in woods and rid me of enemies. "

Point: when she uttered about 'dharmam' and her 'desire' dhasaratha was caught – see his reaction –

dharma bandhEna badhdhO~ asmi nashTaa cha mama chEthanaa |

jyEshTham puthram priyam raamam dhrashTum icchaami dhaarmikam || 2-14-24

meaning: I am bound by the ties of morality. I lost my judgement. I wish to see the pious Raama, my beloved elder son. "

Point: again another classy statement – by dhasaratha – his mind is on his dharmam and kula aachaaram – ikshvaaku vamsa kula dhanam is 'dharmam and aachaaram' – 'sticking to dharmam' is his inheritance of his ikshvaaku clan – now he cannot go against his dharmam – which kaikEyee is putting forth and specifically pinpoints. But his kaamam – desire is 'on raama and his crowning'. So, in this conflict, his judgement is lost. So now dhasaratha pins hopes on raama and wants to see him.

See the word vaalmeeki uses here – 'priyam - dhaarmikam' - that 'desired' as well 'dharma swaroopam' raama – both 'kaamam and dharmam' combined - as maareecha says 'raamO vigarahavaan dharma'.

By seeing him is dhasaratha going to get a solution? That we will see in next post.

DhasanVasudevan MG