ramayanam and number three - post 3

[Guest guest]

Post 3

Dear srivaishNava

perunthagaiyeer,

 

 

Continuing on that number

three and sree raama, now we will see some details or comments on

each of the threes.

 

 

The first is - sree raama

has three mothers in kousalyaa, sumithra and kaikEyee. See how

different are the threesome.

 

 

1. Kousalyaa –

the mother who gave birth to raama and king dhasaratha's patta

mahishi – crown queen. Sage visvaamithra addressed raama as

'kousalyaa suprajaa raama' – which we use daily and have the

pride in doing so. Raama in many places is addressed by vaalmeeki as

'kousalyaa aanandha vardhana' – giving the meaning -

'pleasure enhancer to kousalyaa' for having such a son.

 

 

kausalyaayaa gR^iham shiighram raama maatur nayantu

maam |

iti bruvantam raajaanam anayan dvaara darshitaH ||

2-42-26

meaning: dhasaratha says to his servants on raama

leaving ayodhyaa "Take me quickly to the apartment of Kausalya, the

mother of Raama. Nowhere else my heart will find solace ".

So no doubts on

capabilities of raama's mother in providing solace to king during his

last moments. Further it is her raajyam, kOsala raajyam which came to

dhasaratha as a gift of wedding with kousalyaa. So she is 'artha'

oriented mother to raama.

 

2. Mother

sumithra – she is described by vaalmeeki as – the dharmam &

knowledge embodiment - [kousalya was weeping on raama having left

for forest just then, and sumithra consoles her in sargam 44- that is

the context here and sumithraa is being described as above by

vaalmeeki]

 

 

vilapantiim tathaa taam tu kausalyaam pramada

uttamaam |

idam dharme sthitaa dharmyam sumitraa vaakyam

abraviit || 2-44-1

meaning: Sumitra, who was devoted to righteousness,

spoke the following words, which were virtuous, to the celebrated

Kausalya, the foremost among women, who had been wailing as

aforesaid.

Even though kousalyaa is

stated as 'pramadha uthamaam', one who is entrenched in dharmam is

sumithraa. Like that 'raama' who is said by maareecha as 'raamO

vigrahavaan dharmah', sumithra here is said dharmE sthithaa sumithraa

– that is something great of sumithraa. So if we then say or

conclude raama learnt dharmam from sumithra also, apart from his

gurus – perhaps we may not be wrong.

 

 

That sumithraa says

'raama stands for dharmam' – one who knows what is dharmam, he or

she only can certify others as "yes – this man follows dharmam".

That way sumithra is the righteous mother to certify raama --

raamaH dharme sthitaH

shreSTho na sa shocyaH kadaacana || 2-44-4

– that too to whom she

says all these – to kousalyaa. So sumithraa is dharmam.

 

 

3. mother

Kaikeyee to raamaa- mother number three – kaamam oriented--

 

 

saa vishhaNNataraa

bhuutvaa kubjaa tasyaa hitaishhiNii |

vishhadayantii provaacha

bhedayantii cha raaghavam || 2-7-19

 

 

meaning: That Manthara, who was full of cunning,

feigning to be seeking Kaikeyi's welfare, appeared more worried, and

making Kaikeyi sorrowful, spoke the following, to create hostility

between Rama and Kaikeyi.

Point: So kaikEyee was full of love and

affection to raama but manthara only tried to create hostility and

it also worked later. So kaikeyee is full of love for raama. And no

other than manthara herself certifies kaikeyee about her clean

thinking – see -

dharmavAdI shaTho bhartA shlakShNavAdI cha dAruNaH |

shuddhabhAve na jAnIShe tenaivamatisandhitA ||

2-7-24

meaning: manthara to kaikEyee, 'Your husband

talks about righteousness, but does harm secretly. He says sweet

words but behaves cruelly. Because of your clean thinking; you are

not able to know that he is cheating you thus.'

and see kaikEyee's reply – first reaction to

manthara on informing raama being crowned -

rAme vA bharate vAha.n visheShaM nopalakShaye |

tasmAttuShTAsmi yadrAjA rAma.n rAjye.abhiShekShyati

|| 2-7-35

meaning: " I do not see any difference

between Rama and Bharata. That is why, I am happy that Rama is being

anointed for crown by the king. "

Point is such a kaikeyee is finally changed –

all because of desire – kaamam – for his son to be crowned –

even at the cost of her husband's death,

yathaa ne bharato maanyastathaa bhuuyo.api

raaghaavaH |

kausalyaato.ariktaM cha so hi shushruushhate hi maam

|| 2-8-18

meaning: kaikeyee to manthara " For me,

Rama is as lovable as Bharata and even more. Is he not doing more

service to me than to Kausalya? "

point: see how manthara slowly changed

kaikEyee --

darpaanniraakR^itaa puurvaM tvayaa

saubhaagyavattayaa |

raamamaataa sapatnii te kathaM vairaM na shaatayet

|| 2-8-37

meaning: manthara to kaikEyee, " Previously,

you treated Kausalya with disrespect due to arrogance, that you were

fortunate [in getting away with it unnoticed by king]. Will not such

Kausalya, your rival wife, revenge for that animosity? "

So it is clear that kaikEyee is arrogant, arrogance

due to desire, selfishness of owning a older husband with her than

with other queens etc. All these made her treat kousalyaa badly etc.

But raama to kaikEyee is [as seen above in kaikEyee's own words] as

good as her own son or better.

So the conclusion is -- three mothers – three different types –

one royal and loving –

kousalyaa - artham,

second – sumithraa –

dharmam

third – kaikEyee –

kaamam – desire -

 

 

This analysis will

continue for other threes also.

dhasanVasudevan MG