raama's food habits 11

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Post 11

 

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

We saw a grand opinion by bheeshma aachaarya on the thavam – abstention from food or renunciation of food is the big thavam – penance.

 

Let us go back to vaalmeeki – in sargam 13 of baala kaaNdam king dhasaratha ordered – of course order actually given by vasishta – the guru and minister of dhasaratha – but since it is as per wishes of king dhasaratha, we can consider it is the order of the king himself – that houses be built for braahmaNaas and others and filled with 'food and potables'- 'anna paanam'.

 

Here sreemadh paRavaakkOttai aaNdavan swamy [pundareekapuram aaNdavan swamy] elaborates the manner in which dhasaratha invited guests and offered food in detail that it covers roughly 20 pages - pages 182 to 201.

 

 

Again when the sacrifice of aswamEdham was performed the braahmaNaas were fed as well as all people from all places. After completion of aswamEdham the puthra kaama ishti – a separate yagnam was performed by sage rishya sringa. Elaborate description on the animal sacrifices with notes are available in the www.valmikiramayan.net website for those interested in reading how yagnams were conducted those days. [mEdham or mEdhyam is food, asvam is horse – when horse if offered as food to dhEvathaas in the yagnam it is aswamEdha yagnam] These include some details on the positions of yaaga kuNdams – fireplaces thru which the oblations are done.

 

At the end of aswamedham king dhasaratha gave all lands as donations to braahmaNaas and in turn they returned the land and in barter took gold and gems.

 

Another interesting point here is 'No silver is to be given as dhaanam or dhakshiNa in yagnams'. So king did not give silver as dhakshina.

 

But silver was taken by these braahmaNaas in barter to the lands and cows given by king dhasaratha.

 

Then puthrakaama ishti was done, meanwhile in the upper lOkam discussion took place and sriman naaraayaNa was requested to take birth in boolOkam as amnushyan. He also accepted and came as sons of king dhasaratha. Thus after 12 months of garbham lord raama was born.

 

Why so much on dhasaratha's giving food to all – is to show how raama was got by dhasaratha, by doing so much dhaanam – anna dhaanam – and other dhaanams and yagnams - but his son went on doing thavam – abstention from food – not enjoying food at the prime time of his life – for 14 years – living on roots fruits and leaves like a sanyaasi.

 

 

Now are we getting some link – between dhaanam and thavam.

 

Now let us go into raama's childhood food habits.

 

Since vaalmeeki did not describe much on raama's childhood except how the pair of raama and lakshmaNa was close, the other pair of bharatha and sathrughna was close – we will see how raama and lakshmaNa were close in food and sleep.

 

 

na cha thEna vinaa nidhraam labhathE purushoththama: || 1-18-30

mrushTam annam upaaneetham asnaathi na hi tham vinaa |

 

 

meaning: That best one among the men, Raama, does not get his sleep without Lakshmana and he would not eat food brought for him, however delicious it may be, without LakshmaNa.

 

The child 'raama' will not eat without 'lakshmaNa'. That is the 'food habit' of raama – not eating separately, without company of lakshmaNa. And that is the extent of 'togetherness' between the two, the 'baalya sakhaathvam' in the younger days.

 

Reason: Perhaps you may wonder 'what is the reason for this kind of attraction between the two?' 'the sakhaathvam'. For lakshmaNa 'it is the charm of raama' says vaalmeeki. See the words 'raamasya lOka raamasya' – 'of the world charmer raama'. The attraction on lakshmaNa to raama – is because of lakshmaNa's love and affection, and the 'readiness' in serving his elder. Already we saw how lakshmaNa was upset more, whenever raama is upset slightly.

 

 

baalyaath prabhruthi su-snigdhO lakshmaNO lakshmi vardhana: || 1-18-28

 

raamasya lOka raamasya bhraathu: jyEshTasya nithya

sa: |

 

meaning: Right from childhood LakshmaNa, the enhancer of prosperity, is always amiable towards his world-charming elder brother Raama.

 

notes:

Also note here vaalmeeki's usage of words describing lakshmaNa. He is addressed 'lakshmi vardhana'. In many other places lakshmana is titled 'lakshmaNO lakshmi sampanna:'

 

But here it is 'lakshmi vardhana' – growing – because both raama and lakshmaNa are growing – also lakshmaNa's 'lakshmi' is growing – his lakshmi – his assets – his name, fame, valour, education, etc are growing.

 

That charm of raama made lakshmaNa to dedicated himself to raama. See further

 

 

sarva priyakara: thasya raamasya api sareeratha: || 1-18-29

 

lakshmaNO lakshmi sampannO bahi: praaNa iva apara: |

 

meaning: LakshmaNa, who is endowed with the wealth of dedication, dedicated himself to Raama with bodily service, and while performing all agreeable deeds in respect of Raama, he behaved like Raama's 'alter ego'.

 

 

Thus when they were growing, sage visvaamithra came and asked raama be sent with him. We will continue in next post with details on that and how sage gave 2 manthraas, which helped raama later in overcoming his hunger - pasi – appetite. -- Vasudevan MG