Rama, bhakta aBimAnI - part 3

Earlier, I wrote about how Rama is bhakta abimani in Vibishana’s episode where He felt could not fulfil the oath He had taken to crown the latter.

Another instance from Yuddha Kandam during the fight between Rama and Ravana.

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Indra sends his charioteer Mathali much later and Raghavan does not have a chariot to match up to Ravana in terms of height. Our Hanuman expands himself to a size that is comparable to that of the opponent.

When Ravana looks at Hanuman, he gets wild as former caused havoc 2

To Lanka, so he attacked him with arrows and made Hanuman bleed.

Rama’s patience is already explained by Valmiki in the first chapter

‘KshamaiyA pritvi samaH’ - His patience equals that of earth.

He exhibited such characteristic even during this fight, but got angry when 3

Hanuman was being hit with arrows as he happens to be Rama’s ardent bhakta.

Valmiki also says

காலாக்னி ஸதர்ஷ க்ரோதே kAlaGnI saDruSa krOdE

His anger holds as much fierce as that of a forest fire.

When Hanuman got hit, Valmiki says

KrODasya vaSamE ivAn - engulfed by rage 4

As His bhakta was hit. He decimated the army of Ravana, destroyed his chariot and made him lose all the weapons.

This is another instance of how Rama is a bhakta aBimAni

Jai Sriram

Srimad Ramayanam - thAyar greeting rAvanA, different meanings of a single slokA

Vedas are considered apauruSEyam, not made by humans, and therefore cannot be interpreted in any manner. The vEdanta sUtra bASyam has been done by Sri Adi Sankara, Swami Ramanuja and Sri Madhwa 1

On the other hand, itihAsAs and purunAs are made by riSis, but the greatness is that they wrote without diluting the meaning of vEdAs (or Upanishads).

There is lot in them that are dependent on bhakti, which is subjected to bhAvam (or experience). AcAryAs have relished these 2

experiences in Srimad Ramayanam, and one such instance is in Sundara Kandam where thAyAr greets rAvanA when she visits her and places a grass between her and him. She also smiles at his arrogance

The slokA is

तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता
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There are bursts of bhAvam for one such slokA.

1) Thayar is used to wearing a veil (gOSA niyamanam) and, hence placed a grass between them.

2) When a person comes to see another person in their place, it’s customary to offer them a seat. As she does not have one, she places
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grass

3) She’s insinuating that the strength and the valour he displayed is equivalent to that of a grass, meaning nothing.

4) The wealth or the grandeur he displayed pales into insignificance as She was Mahalakshmi, who is the abode of all the wealth in the universe.
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Rama’s concern on wellbeing of His bhaktas (bhakta aBimAnI)

Once a jIvAtmA does saranagati, Bhagawan takes immense efforts keeps uplifting them until it reaches Him.

Ramayanam consists of guNAs of Rama and Sita that will make the reader get overwhelmed with emotions towards1

Him thereby building Bhakti.

Yesterday, I wrote about how He gave aBaya to Vibishana without questioning.

This is an instance where He cares for their wellbeing.

Rama and his team of vAnarAs have reached Lanka and are in discussions. Similarly, Ravana and his ministers 2

are inspecting their opponents and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.

Upon seeing Ravana, Sugriva who has become a devout bhakta of Rama, cannot bear the sight of someone who has kidnapped Sita causing immense anguish to his swami (Rama). 3

He leaps in the sky, reaches Ravana and wrestles with him fiercely, causing immense embarrassment in front of his ministers, grabs his crown and places it at Rama’s feet.

Meanwhile, Rama became so concerned as He couldn’t find Sugriva and becomes happy once he’s back.4

இதானீம் மா க்ருதா வீர ஏவம் வித மச்சிந்தித்தம்
த்வயி கிஞ்சித் சமா பன்னே கிம் கார்யம் சீதையா மம

பரதேன மஹா பாக லக்ஷ்மனென யவீயசா
க்ஷத்ருக்னேன ச க்ஷத்ருக்ன ஸ்வஷரீரேன வ புன:

Rama is known for speaking what He really thinks, and doing what He speaks. He never ever makes an 5

Srimad Ramayanam - qualities of Lord Rama

Ramayanam starts with a satsangam between Valmiki Bhagawan and Sage Narada with former asking 16 questions enquiring about a human in their contemporary time with the following qualities: 1

கோன்வஸ்மின் ஸம்ப்ரதம் லோகே குணவான் கஷ்ச்ச வீர்யவான்
தர்மஜ்நஸ்ய க்ரிதஞஸ்ய சத்ய வாக்கியோ த்ரடவ்ரத:
சாரித்ரேன ச கோ யுக்த: சர்வ பூதேஷு கோ ஹித:
வித்வான் க க சமர்தஸ்ச கஷ்ச்சைக பிரியதர்ஷின:
ஆத்மவான் கோ ஜிதக்ரோத: ட்யுதிமான் கோனசூயக:
கஸ்ய பிப்யதி தேவாஸ்ச்ச ஜாத ரோஷஸ்ச்ச சம்யுகே 2

kOnvasmin sAmpratam lOkE gunavAN kaSca vIryavAN
Darmajnasya kritajnasya satyavAkyO dratavrataH
cAritrEna ca kOyuktaH sarva bUtESu kO hitaH
viDvAN ka ka samartaSca kaScaika priya DarSanaH
AtmavAN kO jiDakrODaH dyuDimAN kOnasUyakaH
kasya bibyaDi DevAsca jADa rOSaSca samyuGE 3

1) குணவான் (gunavAN) - virtuous person

2) கஷ்ச்ச வீர்யவான் (kaSca vIryavAN) - valorous / vigorous

3) தர்மஜ்நஸ்ய (Darmajnasya) - unwavering in their dharma or conscientious

4) க்ரிதஞஸ்ய (kritajnasya) - who always remembers good deeds done by others (grateful) 4

5) சத்ய வாக்கியோ (satyavAkyO) - speaking truth

6) த்ரடவ்ரத (DratavrataH) - who always fulfils promises, determined in his deed

7) சாரித்ரேன ச கோ யுக்த (cAritrEna ca kO yuktaH) - appropriate in disposition 5

Srimad Ramayanam - essence of Yuddha Kandam

Ramayanam can be analysed in multiple dimensions, such as dharma, bhakti etc, as it provides immense insights.

It also has tattvam behind the entire sequence of events and this has been explained by poorvAcAryAs.

There’s a tattvam 1

Behind Yuddha Kandam as well and two episodes reflect this.

Rama being felled by Naga pAsam and by Brahmastra.

In the first instance, Garudazhvan who was observing the fight along with other devas realised that his swami was felled and came to His rescue even without 2

Realising that it’s a stage of Lord Rama and He was performing activities required for His avatar. That was his bhakti and intense need to perform kainkaryam.

In the second instance, when Rama falls down due to brahmastram, Jambhavan asks if Hanuman was alive as he was the 3

Only one who can perform incredible activities, such as bringing medicinal plans from thousands of miles away.

In addition, in entire Ramayanam, Rama had walked in Aranya kandam until He came in contact with Hanuman, upon which Hanuman never let Him walk but carried on his 4

Shoulders all through.

Similarly, garudazhvan carries Perumal with His feet on his palms and enjoys the touch and turn his head to get a look at his beautiful countenance.

Both helped in resurrecting Rama at the time of dire need and He wanted to highlight the bhakti of two 5

The Srimad Bhagavatham- birth of Lord Krishna

Veda Vyasa did not get a sense of elation with the Puranas, and hence wrote Srimad Bhagavatham. It’s essentially a bhakti granthA to ensure audiences are hooked to the leela of bhagawan.

Birth of Krishna is described so 1

beautifully with the following sloka

Tam aDButam bAlakaM amBujEkSanaM catur bujaM Sanka GadAryuDayuDam
Srivatsa lakSmam GalasOBi kaustuBam pitAmBaram sAnDra bayOda sauBakam
MahA vaiDUrya kirIta kundala dwiSa pariSvakta sahasra kundalam
UDAmA kAnchyank Gada kanganADhibi: 2

virOcamAnam vaudEva aikSada:

தம் அத்புதம் பாலகம் அம்புசேகக்ஷனம் சதுர்புஜம் ஷங்க கதார்யதாயும்
ஶ்ரீவத்ஸ லக்‌ஷ்மம் கலசோபி கௌஸ்துபம் பீதாம்பரம் சார்ந்த பயோத சௌபகம்
மஹார்ஹ வைடூர்ய கிரீடகுண்டலம் த்விஷா பரிஷ்வக்த ஸஹஸ்ர குந்தளம்
உத்தாம காஞ்சயங்கத கங்கநாதிபி: விரோசமானம் வஸுதேவ ஐக்‌ஷத3

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அத்புதம் aDButam is a word described to express a surprise due to variety of things

1.The child is born with four shoulders unlike a regular baby so aDButam

2. AmbujA means Lakshmi. The child looks at Lakshmi and prompts her to be born as Rukmini so aDButam 4

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3. AmbujA also means bUdEvi, so the child is prompting her to be born as SathyabAmA so it’s aDButam

4. AmbujEkSanam - has piercing eyes for a child that is just born so aDButam

5. The child has brought all the play things with it knowing it may not get any- chakram 5

Personality of Rama -

ஸர்வதா அபிகத சத்பி சமுத்திர இவ ஸிந்துபி ஆர்யா சர்வ சமஷ்ச்சைவ சதய்வ ப்ரியதர்ஷின

Just as rivers eventually flow into the sea, all the learned people in Ayodhya were eager to converse with Rama on topics of higher learning.

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ஸ சா சர்வ குனோபேதஹ கௌசல்யா நந்தா வர்தனா
சமுத்திர இவ காம்பிர்யே தைரியென ஹிமவானிவ

As an embodiment of all good qualities, He brings delight to His mother, Kausalya.

His majestic appearance equals an ocean and determination that of Himalayas

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விஷ்ணுனா சதரூஷோ வீர்யே சோமவத் ப்ரியதர்ஷின
காலாக்னி சதருஷ க்ரோதே க்ஷமய ப்ரிதிவி சமஹா

His valour match Vishnu's and looks resemble the pleasing moon.

His anger matches to the fire in pralayam and tendency to forgive match that of Mother Earth. 3

ரக்ஷிதா ஜீவலோகஸ்ய தர்மஸ்ய பரிரக்ஷிதா
ரக்ஷிதா சுவஸ்ய தர்மஸ்ய ஸ்வஜனஸ்ய ச ரக்ஷிதா

He is someone who cares for the wellbeing of all living entities.

He is the protector of dharma.

He follows His dharma strictly and ensures His people follow them too.

Jai Sriram 4

Some qualities of Lord Rama

Qualities of Bhagawan are considered countless (or அனந்தம்), one can experience it only to extent he gets exposed. His avatars are also countless (avatarAt hasankyEyAt) and each had a purpose for that time and we don’t remember each of the 1

avatars as much as rAmA avatar because of His qualities.

The beauty of rAmA avatar is His profound display of characters that, even SitA (சாக்‌ஷாத் மஹாலக்ஷ்மி/Mahalakshmi) was captivated by them.

One of the qualities is humility (வினயம்) and let’s look at some instances. 2

Aranya Kandam: two types of saranagati gets done by sages in the forest, those that aspire for mOkSA( mumukSu) and ArtA (out of despair due to troubles from rAkSaSAs).

In spite of being a saranyan and therefore with an ability to help, Perumal says that it 3

would be an honour/privilege to help them (vanavAsam mahOdayam). This is His quality (humility) and gets even better in Kishkinda Kandam.

Kishkinta Kandam: Sugriva gets his kingdom, respect restored by rAmA. But, when Hanuman comes to enquire about them, He says 4

‘ sugrivam Saranam gataH’ - we have come to surrender to Sugriva and get his help.

Sri Anna says that Bhagawan will come as someone who is dependent on others but will end up helping the person. This is His beauty and speaks volumes about His humility. 5

Srimad Bhagavatham - affection of Yasoda mentioned by Sri Sukar

Yasoda is being described wearing a nice saree with other ornaments and whipping yogurt. Even though she had other servants, she preferred to do it herself as she had so much of affection for Him. 1

kSoumam vAca: prutu kadi tadE biBrati sUtra nadir

க்ஷமும் வாச ப்ருது கடி தடே பிப்ரதி ஸுத்ர நத்தம்

The sound her ornaments were making along with the sound of whipping yogurt was a Shruti gItA to wake Krishna up.

He wakes up lazily from his cradle, saunters over, 2

hugs her neck and places his small chin against hers face with his hand on the churn to prevent her from continuing the work and asks for milk.

She hugs him tightly, starts feeding him whilst continuing her churn.

At that time, the milk on the stove overflowed 3

and she had to leave abruptly (that milk was also for Krishna) to turn it off which annoyed Krishna.

He broke the pot with the yogurt that had just recently been whipped, gobbled it up and left pretending to be angry.

There was a mortar in the back of the house upon 4

which he sat comfortably. His Leela was such that He pretended to cry even though he was eating yogurt.

Subsequently, Yasoda got angry at his petulance, tied Him to the mortar and every time the rope was short. She was so exhausted, and Krishna felt sympathetic and 5