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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He also arrogantly says that if she accepted him, he would send dowry to king Janaka. She indicated that it will be equivalent to the grass.

5) She indicated that he’s equivalent to a cow and is fit to eat the grass

6) Even though she's held captive, she laid the grass 6
as a layer of protection that he cannot cross and her chastity will burn him like fire as it would do to a grass.

7) She reminded the incident of kAkAsurA where Rama made a grass into a Brahmastra to kill the demon and it will come to save her. 7
In the case of the demon, Rama had to launch the missile but she warned she could do it in his case.

8) Just as Her consort came out of a pillar (Narasimha avatar), she warned that Rama would come out of the grass so she warned him to stay away from her.

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These are the different meanings to a single slokA from this famous verse of Sundara Kandam.

May Bhagawan and thAyAr give us unalloyed devotion to them.

Jai Sriram.
@premikandasa @rangavembar @premaswaroopam @psvinod @MohanShobitha @NandiniVenkate3 @RameshMalolan @SriramKannan77 @_VSriram @BanMidou12 @rssubramanian64 @VG100000 @narayanagl @GunduHuDuGa

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Srimad Ramayanam - Kausalya's mangalasasanam to Rama

This episode is quite moving.

If Rama displayed courage and resilience in the face of distress through His stoicism and equanimity, Kausalya went a step ahead in being the mom of Rama.

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She did what a brave mother would do - wished Rama and her mangalasasanam is quite notable.

Specifically, there are 3 that are also recited as mangala slokas upon completion of parayanam.

यन् मन्गलम् सहस्र अक्षे सर्व देव नमः कृते
वृत्र नाशे समभवत् तत् ते भवतु मन्गलम् 2

யன் மங்களம் சஹஸ்ராக்ஷே சர்வதேவ நமஸ்க்ருதே
வ்ருத்ரநாஷே சமபவத் தத்தே பவது மங்களம்

Felicity occurred when the 1000 eyed Indra killed the demon Vriddasura, let that felicity come to you. 3

यन् मन्गलम् सुपर्णस्य विनता अकल्पयत् पुरा
अमृतम् प्रार्थयानस्य तत् ते भवतु मन्गलम्

யன் மங்களம் ஸுபர்ணஸ்ய வினதா கல்பயத்புரா
அம்ருதம் ப்ரார்த்தயநஸ்ய தத்தே பவது மங்களம்

Which blessing was invoked by Vinata to Garuda who was setting off to bring nectar in the past , may that 4

blessing happen to you

अमृतोत्पादने दैत्यान् घ्नतो वज्रधरस्य यत्
अदितिर्मङ्गळम् प्रादात् तत्ते भवतु मङ्गळम्

அம்ருதோத் பாதனே தைத்யானு க்னதோ வஜ்ரதரஸ்ய யத்
அதிதிர் மங்களம் ப்ராதாத் தத்தே பவது மங்களம்

While blessing was bestowed on Devendra, the wielder of the thunderbolt , 5
Srimad Ramayanam - Qualities of an ideal guru

Our sAstrAs (Vedas and Upanishads) essentially talk about two things - dharmam and brahmam.

Dharmam is how to conduct oneself in everyday life (foundational elements) which helps in cleansing the mind and would help uplifting 1

gradually to reach brahmam.

As Vedas and Upanishads were complex with lot of nuances, Puranas and ItihAsAs came about to engage with people to talk about the above two.

In this category, Srimad Ramayanam is important as it is considered to be a guide to 2

brahma vidya, i.e., to impart knowledge of brahman. In order to understand an esoteric topic like brahmam, one has to have an ideal guru.

Veda defines the characteristics of an ideal guru with the verse ‘SOtriyam brahma niStam’

SOtriyam - knowledge of sAstrAs which means 3

one must be a vaiDIkA

Brahma niStam - knowledge and personal experience of brahmam

Srimad Ramayanam’s first sloka is as below:

तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं तपस्वी वाग्विदां वरम्
नारदं परिपप्रच्छ वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवम्

The literal meaning of this sloka is that ascetic Valmiki inquired 4

Narada who is engaged deeply in austerity and study of Vedas, best among the eloquent and eminent among sages.

But, the greatness of this sloka is that it provides 6 qualities for an ideal guru. Let us look at them.

तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतं -

1) तपः tapas - jnAnam someone who 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

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