Guest guest Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 post 4 Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer, Continuing on that number three and sree raama, before i take the second set of threes, I will add a comment on the 'mothers of raama' as stated by seethaa -- This comment is appearing when seethaa talks to anasooya the sage athri's wife – [about the sage we will see more below]. sakR^id dR^iShTaasu api striiShu nR^ipeNa nR^ipa vatsalaH | maatR^ivad vartate viiro maanam utsR^ijya dharmavit || 2-118-6 meaning: seethaa to anasooya-- " The valiant and pious Raama who is devoted to Dasaratha and free from all senses of importance, treats all those women as his mothers on whom Dasaratha has even once bestowed a single glance. " Points: 1. See the amount of confidence the wife seethaa has on her husband raama's true natures. Also shares her views on how devoted to his father – which is the point in this post. 2. But this same raama doubts about her stay in asoka vanam and ask for that agni pareeksha etc. [that is a different topic and not of so much importance to this series]. 3. Why this point here is somebody should not comment raama had so many mothers besides the celebrated three. Exactly 350 is the number - as per vaalmeeki as stated in ayodhyaa ardha sapta shataaH taaH tu pramadaaH taamra locanaaH | kausalyaam parivaarya atha shanaiH jagmur dhR^ita vrataaH || 2-34-13 Now we will see some details or comments on second three of the 24 threes in post 2. Sree raama has one father in king dhasaratha and treats two others as his father – so he has three fathers. 1. first -- well known -- king dhasaratha, so.ahaM vishramam ichchhaami putraM kR^itvaa prajaahite | sannikR^ishhTaan imaan sarvaan anumaanya dvijarshhabhaan || 2-2-10 anujaato hi maaM sarvair guNair jyeshhTho mama aatmajaH |purandara samo viirye raamaH para puraMjayaH || 2-2-11 meaning: king dhasaratha to people and other kings in his assembly proposing coronation of raama, " I desire to take rest, entrusting the rule to my son for the benefit of the people, after obtaining consent from all those best Brahmans who are close to me. My eldest son Rama is equal to Devendra in valor. He is the conqueror of cities of enemies. He is equal to me in all qualities. " Point: Please note at this stage sree raama has not really conquered any kingdom, but dhasaratha says 'raama is conqueror of cities of enemies'. True to the words of father dhasaratha, raama achieved a "three" [may be this is 25th set of threes] killed thaatakaa and subhaahu and pushed aside maareecha, broken the siva dhanus to win seethaa subdued parasuraama and took his vishnu dhanus. These three feats are, anyhow, more than 'the conquering of cities of enemies' by all standards because the opponents like thaataka, parusuraama [the killer of many kshathriya kings] are themselves conquerors in more than one sense. [see MGV's champion of champions series earlier -- List Archive: Message 00018 Nov 2007 being the first part or Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00044 Nov 2007] So father dhasaratha can claim 'raama is conqueror of cities of enemies'. But how raama respected his father – see slokam -- sa pituH caraNau puurvam abhivaadya viniitavat | tataH vavande caraNau kaikeyyaaH susamaahitaH || 2-18-2 meaning: [raama is caaled to kaikeyee's palace where dhasaratha is there and she is going to say you go to forest – even at that stage seehow raama behaves -] Raama being humble and well composed, first reverentially saluted his father's feet and then saluted Kaikeyi's feet. Point: this slokam is taken to show how raama respected his father. This respected dhasaratha offers 'raajya lakshmi' – 'wealth' – in the form of kingdom. 2. Sage athri – treats raama as son – so he is father to raama -- so atrer aashramam aasaadya tam vavande mahaa yashaaH | tam ca api bhagavaan atriH putravat prati apadyata || 2-117-5 meaning: On the way, after reaching the hermitage of a sage Atri, the highly celebrated Rama offered salutation to that sage. The venerable sage, Atri too received him as his own son. Sage athri tells raama dasha raatram kR^itvaa raatriH saa iyam maataa iva te anagha || 2-117-12 meaning: This Anasuya, who has bathed after completion of the voes, is like a mother to you. " Point: See here sage athri receives him as 'puthravath' – like a son. Why? Remember the story about the thrimoorthy – vishnu, siva, and brahma, came to anasooya, the wife of sage athri - and asked for a feast – she turned all three as children and fed them etc. So sage athri is a father to raama for when anasooya is the mother, naturally her husband is father. Another word about sage athri – he is the first rishi in our 'sandhya vandhana manthram' calling the 7 rishis just befor doing japam – saptha vyaahrithi – the first rishi for 'booh' vyaahrithi – [vyaahrithi means utterance or statement] . Since raama has just sacrificed the kingdom, the bhoomi, the sage or rishi athri has nothing to offer to raama than his blessings. That too the blessings, he has not given so openly and has not been described by vaalmeeki as such. But sage's wife anasooya – gives that to seethaa in adequate quantity. It is natural for a mother, who was not present in the son's wedding for some reason or other, to have a tendency to hear about same wedding in detail, when that son has come to meet the parents – that too preferably thru the daughter-in law. This human psychology is amply considered in raamaayaNam – anasooya asking seethaa about the marriage - seethaa kalyaaNam - and she also describes it in full detail including how she was born etc. Then she blesses seethaa by kissing her on her forehead – a typical mother or motherin law's action. Vaalmeeki has taken much pains to describe these in detail. So sage athri, the father like thapOdhana, gives his 'aasee' – as his wealth to raama. 3. bird jataayu – raama treats jataayu as his father and does jataayu's pithru kaaryam on his death. Initial introduction scene: tam dR^iSTvaa tau mahaabhaagau vanastham raama lakSmaNau | menaate raakSasam pakSim bruvaaNau ko bhavaan iti || 3-14-2 meaning: On seeing such an eagle in the forest those two highly privileged brothers Rama and Lakshmana questioned it asking, " Who you are? " presuming it to be a demon. [3-14-2] sa tau madhurayaa vaacaa saumyayaa priiNayann iva | uvaaca vatsa maam viddhi vayasyam pitur aatmanaH || 3-14-3 meaning: But that eagle with sweet ad soft words spoke to them as though to please them, " oh boy Rama know me as your father's friend. " [3-14-3] jaTaayuSam tu pratipuujya raaghavo mudaa pariSvajya ca sannato abhavat | pitur hi shushraava sakhitvam aatmavaan jaTaayuSaa sa.mkathitam punaH punaH || 3-14-35 meaning: Raghava revered Jatayu in his turn by gladly hugging and stood by him with his head bent, and that kind-natured Rama is indeed regardful of the friendship of his father with Jatayu that is repeatedly said by Jatayu. [3-14-35] We know that story of jataayu fighting with raavaNa and in that here jataayu the fatherly bird gives veerya lakshmi – fighting against all odds and in that effort sacrificing his life. On his death see raama doing the ritual rites-- raamo atha saha saumitriH vanam yaatvaa sa viiryavaan | sthuulaan hatvaa mahaa rohiin anu tastaara tam dvijam || 3-68-32 meaning: Then that resolute Rama on going into forest along with Soumitri hunted a robust-bodied, big Rohi animal, [or, Kesari -lion like animal], and then he spread sacred grass on ground to place that offering to the deceased soul of that bird. [3-68-32] rohi maa.msaani ca uddhR^itya peshii kR^itvaa mahaayashaaH | shakunaaya dadau raamo ramye harita shaadvale || 3-68-33 meaning: On drawing up the flesh of that Rohi animal and lumping it to gobbets, that highly observant Rama placed those gobbets on pleasant greenish pasture lands as obsequial offerings in respect of that bird Jataayu. [3-68-33] why this 'animal feasting' to the departed soul – the food offering by the clan of departed soul is important and to be done – again same is fully described by vaalmeeki. so three persons being respected as fatherly – father offers raajya lakshmi, another thapOdhanam, third offers veerya lakshmi. Let us continue more on the threes. Dhasan -- Vasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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