Valmiki Ramayana - August 11

August 11 - Sargas 30 and 31 of Valmiki Ramayana.

Sri Rama kills Khara with the divine weapon he received from the sage Agastya. Sita and Lakshmana reunite with Sri Rama with much relief and joy. The celestials and sages are wonderstruck by Sri Rama's prowess and celebrate his victory. 

A rakshasa by the name of Akampana somehow escapes from the battlefield and rushes to the chief of all rakshasas, Ravana, in Lanka. He narrates what has transpired. Ravana says nobody in the three worlds dares challenge him and he will go at once and kill Rama. Akampana musters enough courage to tell Ravana that Rama is the supreme warrior and Ravana cannot ever face Rama in battle. However, Akampana suggests, Rama will die of grief if Ravana abducts Sita, his wife of incomparable beauty.

Ravana goes to Mareecha and asks for help in abducting Sita. Mareecha is shocked to hear of this plan and advises Ravana not to test Rama's might. He should abandon the plan and go back to his female company and comfort in Lanka. Ravana returns to Lanka.

***

Sri Rama calls out to Khara, wounded and stranded without his chariot or any weapons, that his earlier boast that he will avenge the death of his rakshasa army was an empty one. He should now realize his end is near.

Khara is, however, not done yet. He looks around and selects a huge tree and uproots it. He takes it and throws it at Sri Rama who deftly avoids it and shatters it with his arrows. Then he is sufficiently enraged to end the battle decisively. He showers arrows on Khara that wound him in so many places that the rakshasa looks now like a mountain with rivulets of blood running down.

Khara rushes forward as the last resort to bring down Sri Rama. Sri Rama steps back and avoids the charge. Sri Rama then picks up the divine weapon he got from Indra (through Agastya). It is like Brahmadanda. As he shoots that astra at Khara, it rushes like a big storm and hits him.

स पपात खरो भूमौ दह्यमानः शराग्निना       ।

रुद्रेणेव विनिर्दग्धः श्वेतारण्ये यथान्तकः        ॥

"Khara fell to the ground consumed by the fire of that arrow, much like Yama who had been burnt down by Lord Shiva in Shvetaranya."

***

The celestials and divine sages all showered their gratitude and appreciation upon Sri Rama for accomplishing this wonderful deed of ridding Dandakaranya of the menace of rakshasas. They said that Lord Indra had come to Sharabhanga muni's ashrama only to set things in motion for Sri Rama's mighty act. We remember reading how Indra did not show himself to Sri Rama at that time, saying that there was some unfinished work on Rama's part. That was when the sages came and surrounded Sri Rama with their tales of the rakshasa atrocities and extracted Rama's vow that he would free them from the menace.

Lakshmana and Sita come down from the mountain cave. Sita warmly embraces her dear husband. They all feel very happy that the Dandaka forest will no longer face trouble from rakshasas or rakshasis.

***

One rakshasa by the name of Akampana is still alive. He manages to flee to Lanka and meets Ravana, the overlord of all rakshasas, feared in the three worlds. 

Ravana hears from Akampana of the extermination of all the rakshasas under Khara and Dushana in Janasthana. He cannot believe it. He thunders that no god ever dare challenge Ravana or his people, be it Indra, Vayu, Agni, Yama, or even Vishnu. He shall at once go and finish off this miscreant who has killed Khara.

Akampana is afraid to watch Ravana's fury. He musters the courage to inform him that this Rama, son of King Dasharatha, is no ordinary warrior. He is handsome, well-built, strong, and perhaps the best archer in the three worlds. He has a younger brother Lakshmana who is equally strong.

Ravana mocks that he will just now proceed to Dandaka and kill these two brothers. Then Akampana makes bold to tell Ravana that it is an impossible task.

नहि रामो दशग्रीव शक्यो जेतुं रणे त्वया   ।

रक्षसां वापि लोकेन स्वर्गः पापजनैरिव     ॥

तस्यापहर भार्यां त्वं तं प्रमथ्य महावने       ।

सीतया रहितो रामो न चैव हि भविष्यति    ॥

"Oh the great ten-headed Ravana, let me tell you that it is impossible for Rama to be defeated by you. In fact, even if all the rakshasas in all the worlds get together, he cannot be defeated. It is as impossible a task as for sinners to attain to heaven.

"But here is something else. Let me tell you, Ravana, that Rama has a wife by the name of Sita. She is young and infinitely beautiful. She has such a shapely body and lissom limbs that no celestial, demon, or any other species has a female that can come anywhere near her in beauty.

"I suggest that you find a way to go and hoodwink Rama in the forest and somehow abduct that Sita. Without Vaidehi Sita, who is dearer to him than his life, Rama will die of grief and your goal will be accomplished. "

Ravana loves this plan! He at once proceeds alone in his celestial chariot drawn by donkeys to Mareecha, the rakshasa son of Tataka ( we read of them in Balakanda!)

Mareecha is in his hermitage. He offers respectful hospitality. He enquires if all is well and what is the occasion for Ravana's sudden visit. Ravana informs him that there is one Rama who has eliminated his entire army of Khara and others in Dandaka. Ravana wants to teach Rama a lesson and therefore wants Mareecha's help in abducting Rama's wife, Sita.

Mareecha is shocked at the very idea. He says only a man who has some deep-seated wish to destroy Ravana and all rakshasas would have given him this idea. It seems that someone has hit Ravana on the head when he was sound asleep. After all, Mareecha says, Rama is simply incomparable in his might and valour. He looks like a whole array of divine weapons in a human form. He is like fire. He is like the whirlwind. He is like a tusker. He is like a lion who trifles with deer. He is invincible.

चापापहारे भुजवेगपङ्के

      शरोर्मिमाले सुमहाहवौघे         ।

न रामपातालमुखेऽतिघोरे

      प्रस्कन्दितुं राक्षसराज युक्तम्   ॥  

"Oh, supreme lord of Rakshasas, to steal Rama's bow will be impossible because his arms are like the whirlwind. His arrows are endless like ocean waves and will not stop their onslaught in a big battle. It is indeed totally unwise to enter into the most terrible mouth of hell called a confrontation with Rama."

Mareecha convinces Ravana to abandon the misadventure and to return to Lanka and his queens.

***

॥           श्रीरामजयम्             ॥ 

Valmiki Ramayana - August 10

August 10 - Sargas 28 and 29 of Aranya Kanda.

The final battle between Khara, a supreme warrior, and Sri Rama ensues.

***

Khara was himself taken aback by the total debacle of his army, and on seeing how his invincible warriors including Dushana and Trishiras died at the hands of this Rama. But he was undeterred in his attack on Rama.

ज्यां विधुन्वन् सुबहुशः शिक्षयास्त्राणि दर्शयन् । 

चचार समरे मार्गाञ्शरै रथगतः खरः            ॥

"Seated on his chariot, Khara exhibited great expertise as he released a multitude of arrows in all directions while twanging his bow loudly." 

As Sri Rama responded in kind, the sky was clouded by their arrows that flew noisily and full of sparks. 

Khara advanced towards Rama on his chariot and thought this was the time to strike hard as he believed Sri Rama had tired fron the incessant fighting. He shot fierce arrows that broke Sri Rama's bow. He shot more arrows that pierced and shattered Sri Rama's armour. He advanced menacingly sensing that Rama was ready to be conquered. 

Sri Rama was injured all over his body. Valmiki says that he looked like a smokeless fire with many  tongues of flame. 

Sri Rama was severely provoked. In Sanskrit poetry, when they say enraged, provoked, etc., in war, they refer to that flow of adrenalin that propels one to escalate the fight with a fierce focus and mustering all of one's strength. 

Sri Rama took up the Vaishnava bow given by sage Agastya. He aimed infallible arrows and pierced Khara all over. He broke his bow deftly. He decimated Khara's horses, his charioteer, and his chariot, after felling its flagstaff that fell to the ground looking like the sun god despatched from heavens by order to illumine our sky. 

***

Khara was now on the ground. We have to imagine in a quick playback how a mere mortal in ascetic robes had so far weathered the onslaught of innumerable, hitherto undefeated, rakshasas who attacked him all at once incessantly. In fact this was the most decisive battle that Sri Rama fought in the entire Ramayana. Later, in the Lanka war, he was needed only to deal with Kumbhakarna and Ravana who were protected by divine boons that meant that only he could kill them. 

***

As Khara rushed towards Rama on the ground, about to launch his gada, Sri Rama addressed him:

वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तापसान् धर्मचारिणः       ।

किं नु हत्वा महाभागान् फलं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस ॥

अद्य त्वां निहतं बाणैः पश्यन्तु परमर्षयः        । 

निरयस्थं विमानस्था ये त्वया निहता पुरा      ॥

"Oh Rakshasa, what did you achieve by killing all those holy ascetics doing tapas in Dandakaranya, those blessed people who did no harm? 

" Now you shall die, reaping the fruit of your sins. Those great sages whom you killed before will witness, from the heavens, as you die from my arrows". 

Rama mentions how his father, King Dasharatha, had sent him on a mission to kill the rakshasas in Dandakaranya because they were tormenting the ascetics. Khara says he is unimpressed by all this boastful talk. He is going to finish off Rama. Does Rama not see that his end is very near as Khara hurls this deadly mace at Rama!!?

***

 "This will avenge all those warriors killed in this battle by you and they shall rejoice at your death!" Saying this, Khara launched that thunderbolt of a mace that went destroying trees and shattering rocks and descended towards Sri Rama.

तामापतन्तीं महतीं मृत्युपाशोपमां गदाम्   । 

अन्तरिक्षगतां रामश्चिच्छेद बहुधा शरैः      ॥

" Then Sri Rama shattered into smithereens with his several arrows that deadly mace which looked as infallible as Yama's noose as it rose up into the sky and started to descend on him." 

***

॥             श्रीरामजयम्             ॥

Valmiki Ramayana - August 9

August 9 - Sargas 26 and 27 of Aranya Kanda.

After Sri Rama decimates the large contingent of rakshasas with his Gandharvastra, Dushana decides to make another decisive effort.

After Dushana's death, another terrific warrior Trishiras (three heads) attacks Sri Rama and even hurts his forehead. Sri Rama finishes him off also.

Khara enters the fray.

***

Dushana marshalls his forces again. He orders five thousand warriors to attack Sri Rama. They all hurl deadly missiles of all kinds - rocks, trees, maces, spears, swords, all at once on Sri Rama. Valmiki says that all these weapons did not bother Sri Rama and he stood firm in battle just as a bull stands in heavy rain unperturbed.

Sri Rama countered the attack with his shower of infallible arrows. Valmiki says that no one could see him actually releasing the arrows. It was all over in a flash. One only saw the rakshasa warriors dying.

Sri Rama then brought down Dushana's chariot. He killed the four horses. He released a crescent-tipped arrow that decapitated the charioteer. This enraged Dushana.

Stranded on the ground, he invoked his ultimate weapon, called paridha. It was a kind of spear but it had a multidimensional array of sharp objects and deadly parts. It had soaked up the marrow of many enemies. It was huge like a cloud. It could eliminate even an army of gods. It was sure to spell death to the enemy.

तं महोरगसङ्काशं पृगृह्य परिघं रणे                  ।

दूषणोभ्यपतद् रामं क्रूरकर्मा निशाचरः           ॥

तस्याभिपतमानस्य दूषणस्य च राघवः           ।

द्वाभ्यां शराभ्यां चिच्छेद सहस्ताभरणौ भूजौ.    ॥

"Dushana, that merciless killer rakshasa, then picked up his parigha, which looked like a monstrous, dragon-like serpent.

" Just as Dushana was about to launch it, Sri Rama released two deadly arrows that cut off Dushana's two shoulders with ornamented hands."

The effect was that Dushana fell to the ground like a tusker falls when his giant tusks are broken. His parigha rolled to the ground like a fallen flagstaff. Dushana died on the spot.

Seeing him dead, a dozen warriors of Khara came and attacked Sri Rama. There is much detail about their names and how each one was attended to by Sri Rama. Suffice it to say that they were all killed soon.

I must at this point say how fascinating are all the battle descriptions by Valmiki. Obviously, we belong to a civilization with a big history of weaponry and war tactics and manoeuvres. At the same time, as we discussed early on about the weapons that were bestowed on Vishwamitra and subsequently given to Sri Rama, these were not passive elements. They were endowed with supernatural powers and did the bidding of the warrior who owned them rightfully.

So when the parigha is going to be released by Dushana, what does Sri Rama do? He incapacitates the warrior and hence nullifies that superweapon.

***

Khara is infuriated by the debacle so far. He picks up a thunderbolt of a weapon and begins to attack Sri Rama. But he is stopped by Trishiras, his mighty commander. He tells his king Khara, "please allow me to go and kill the enemy. If I kill Rama, you can go back happy to Janasthana. On the other hand, if I am killed, you can personally take on Rama."

Khara is pleased. Trishiras is like a mountain with three peaks. He boards a mighty chariot and goes towards Sri Rama. A terrific battle ensues. Each launches countless deadly arrows at the other. In fact, three of Trishiras's arrows go and wound Sri Rama's forehead. Sri Rama comments that Trishiras is indeed a great warrior and managed to cause three wounds that feel like flowers on his forehead.

Sri Rama then decides to end the game. He launches fourteen arrows at Trishiras. He decimates his four horses with four arrows. He kills the charioteer with eight arrows. He brings down the flagstaff with an arrow. Then Trishiras, seeing that he is being finished off, decides to make a run for his life. As he is running away, Sri Rama sends three sharp arrows at his three heads and kills him.

Khara's army runs helter-skelter.

तान् खरो द्रवतो दृष्ट्वा निर्वर्त्य रुषितस्वयम्    ।

राममेवाभिदुद्राव राहुश्चन्द्रमसं यथा             ॥

"Seeing his army dispersing in utter fear of death, Khara was enraged. He  personally commandeered them to regroup and fight. He decided to attack Sri Rama himself and launched himself like Rahu engulfs Chandra during an eclipse."

***

॥           श्रीरामजयम्            ॥

Valmiki Ramayana - August 8

August 8 - Sargas 24 and 25 of Aranya Kanda.

Sri Rama sees that a huge dark cloud of a rakshasa army is descending on them. Meanwhile, he has sensed many omens that portend his victory over these rakshasas. Indeed the end to the rakashasa menace in Dandaka forest seems near at hand.

Sri Rama sternly instructs Lakshmana to proceed with Sita at once and protect her in the cave on top of the mountain nearby. He says he will deal with these rakshasas single-handed.

The gods assembled in the sky are somewhat worried to see Sri Rama facing such a mighty rakshasa army single-handedly.

There is a terrible battle. After hurling all their weapons at Sri Rama and sufficiently injuring his body, the rakshasas start seeing his superhuman prowess at war. He pretty much flattens the entire, diverse, army of Khara. Dushana has to deal with a decimated force and those warriors still alive but scared out of their wits.

***

सम्प्रहारस्तु सुमहान् भविष्यति न संशयः        ।

अयमाख्याति मे भाहुः स्फुरमाणो मुहर्मुहुः      ॥

"Dear Lakshmana,  brave one, there is absolutely no doubt that there is going to be a huge battle. My right shoulder is repeatedly shaking in horripilation as a sign that the defeat of the enemy for certain."

तस्माद् गृहीत्व वैदेहीं शरपाणिधनुर्धरः           ।

गुहमाश्रित्य शैलस्य दुर्गां पादपसंकुलाम्        ॥

"Therefore, please escort Vaidehi to safety at once. Take all your weapons. Go to that cave surrounded by trees on top of the mountain."

प्रतिकूलितुमिच्छामि न हि वाक्यमिदं त्वया      ।

शापितो मम पादाभ्यां गम्यतां वत्स मा चिरम्     ॥

"My dear, you shall not counter my orders. I forswear you on the power of my feet (which Lakshmana has been always worshipping)  that you shall obey my instruction to proceed with Sita to safety immediately." 

Sri Rama says that he knows that Lakshmana is also entirely capable of dealing with the enemy, but Sri Rama wants to kill all these rakshasas single-handedly. Therefore Lakshmana should leave.

After Lakshmana and Sita leave, Sri Rama wears his armour, holds his weapons, and stand ready for battle. Valmiki compares Sri Rama arraigned with full weaponry, fiery with rage, to Lord Shiva himself holding the infallible Pinaki bow.

***

Khara attacks Rama with a thousand arrows. All his warriors hurl an uncountable number of weapons of all kinds, spears, battle axes, hammers, and so on, at Sri Rama. Sri Rama stands firm like Lord Shiva.  He stands like the sea unaffected by the onrush of rivers. He looks like a majestic mountain unruffled by lightning bolts. Sri Rama starts to bleed from the many wounds that appear on his body as those weapons strike him, but he seems totally unconcerned. 

***

ततो रामस्तु संकृद्धो मणडलीकृतकार्मुकः        ।

ससर्ज निशितान् बाणाञ्छतशोऽथ सहस्रशः    ॥

अन्तरिक्षगता रेजुर्दीप्ताग्निसमतेजसः              ।

असङ्ख्येयास्तु रामस्य सायकाश्चापमण्धलात्   ॥

तत्सैन्यं विविधैर्बाणैरर्दितं मर्मभेदिभिः              ।

न रामेण सुखं लेभे शुष्कं वनमिवाग्निना           ॥

"Then Sri Rama in terrible fury bent his bow almost full circle. He released extremely sharp arrows by the hundreds and thousands. 

"Those arrows filled the sky and sparkled with a fiery glow. They were simply countless and continued to emerge from Sri Rama's bent bow in an unbroken flow.

"That army of Khara was pierced in its vitals by Sri Rama's arrows and each warrior was rent to death. Sri Rama's onslaught was unbearable as a forest conflagration and the army was decimated."

The soldiers that were alive ran helter-skelter. Some brave warriors rushed towards Rama with their weapons. In an instant, Sri Rama cut off all their heads with his arrows. 

A few warriors that were left regrouped under Dushana. They now brought boulders, trees and other objects and started hurling them at Sri Rama. Sri Rama's arrows were countering those missiles even as they were in the sky and destroying them.

A stage came when the entire area was a terrible sight, full of broken chariots, shattered weapons, decapitated and rent bodies of thousands of soldiers and animals.    

***

॥          श्रीरामजयम्           ॥ 

Valmiki Ramayana - August 7

August 7 - Sargas 22 and 23 of Aranya Kanda.

Khara promises Shurpanakha that he will quickly get rid of Rama and Lakshmana and she can happily avenge her injury by drinking their blood. 

He orders Dushana, his war chief, to assemble his entire army of fourteen thousand rakshasas. Valmiki describes how the army gets ready and marches from Janasthana to Panchavati. Khara leads them from the front in his chariot resplendent with fantastic decorations. 

There are elaborate descriptions of all their weapons and how their march terrorised the denizens of the forest. 

प्रवृद्धमन्युस्तु खरः खरस्वरो

             रिपोर्वधार्थं त्वरितो यथान्तकः     ।

अचूचुदत् सारथिमुन्नदन् पुन-

             र्महाबलो मेघ इवाश्मवर्षवान्       ॥

"Thus did Khara, with a voice that bayed like a donkey (hence his name), who was swollen with extreme rage, show his great impatience to kill his enemy. He looked like Yama himself. He was like a large dark cloud about to rain hailstones. He roared at his charioteer to make haste. "

***

As Khara with his impressive and deadly army marched noisily, a number of evil omens occured. Valmiki describes them in some detail. 

Dark clouds started pouring blood-like red rain. The sun aopeared eclipsed, with a bloody ring around his orb. Wild animals shrieked. A large vulture descended and settled on Khara's chariot. There was an unbearable screeching of birds. It appeared that all animals of prey were on to an impending feast of dead bodies. 

The strange sights in the sky, the rain, the animals and birds, the most ugly noises, made no impact on Khara. His left shoulder shook violently. His eyes were horripilating and started s) hedding tears. But he was so hell-bent on attack that nothing would stop him now. He called out to his army:

महोत्पातानिमान् सर्वानुत्थितान् घोरदर्शनान् ।

न चिन्याम्यहं वीर्याद् बलवान् दुर्बलानिव      ॥

"Bah to all these highly evil omens that have suddenly arisen and look terrible to you all. Believe me, I give absolutely no thought to them, because I know how strong I am. My feelings are the same as those of a strong man who doesn't care for a weak enemy. 

"Remember, my men! I have never faced defeat. I can even take on Indra on his Airavata and vanquish him. I do not know any retreat. We shall march on and soon kill those two brothers. My dear sister is thirsting for their blood." 

Hearing his words, his army was galvanised into great fervour and made huge war noises. Valmiki lists twelve of Khara's ablest commanders and how each was deadlier than the others. They all surrounded Khara and marched forward in full anticipation of an easy victory. 

Valmiki says that those man-eating warriors rode forward as if an unseemly dark cloud had engulfed the day. 

Meanwhile, celestials and sages had assembled in the heavens to witness the impending extermination of these rakshasas, something which was overdue. They were speaking among themselves that Sri Rama should annihilate this rakshasa army like Vishnu would his enemies in the war against demons. 

***

॥       श्रीरामजयम्      ॥

Valmiki Ramayana - August 6

August 6 - Sargas 20 and 21 of Aranya Kanda.

The fourteen powerful rakshasas go with Shurpanakha and attack Sri Rama. They are all eliminated in one stroke by him. A scared Shurpanakha goes back to Khara challenging him to kill the mighty enemy in the form of Sri Rama and Lakshmana.

***

The fourteen raskhasas of terrible appearance and obvious might come to Sri Rama's hermitage with Shurpanakha. Sri Rama and Sita are seated in the courtyard with Lakshmana in attendance. Seeing them, Sri Rama asks Lakshmana to take care of Sita and go inside. He will attend to these rakshasas.

Sri Rama first speaks to them. 

"We are Rama and Lakshmana, sons of King Dasharatha, come to this dense Dandaka forest with Sita. We live as ascetics eating fruits and shoots and are engaged in the study of scriptures. We have no enmity with you and have done you no harm. 

ऋषीणां तु नियोगेन सम्प्रापः सशरासनः. ।

यदि प्राणैरिहार्थो वो निवर्तध्वं निशाचराः  ॥

" On the order from rishis, we are carrying weapons for their protection. In case you value your lives, I suggest you better go away quietly, oh rakshasas!"

Of course, the rakshasas have come on a mission. "Oh Rama, you have provoked the wrath of our master Khara. It is you who will now lose your life in battle. How do you even imagine that fighting by yourself, you will face so many of us in battle? When we release these fierce spears, you will fall dead with your bow and arrows in an instant. "

***

They threw their spears, with full force, all at once, aimed directly at Sri Rama. 

तानि शूलानि काकुत्स्थः समस्तानि चतुर्दश    । 

तावद्धिरेव चिच्छेद शरैः काञ्चनभूषितैः        ॥

" Sri Rama simultaneously shattered those fourteen spears aimed at him by shooting fourteen golden arrows." 

Then Sri Rama released arrows like Indra would release his thunderbolt. The arrows went and rent the raskhasas' chests. They all tumbled to the ground bleeding, much like snakes prised out of their anthill forcibly. 

Shurpanakha was extremely scared to see the carnage. Valmiki says her wounds had stopped bleeding by now. She again rushed to Khara's presence screaming even louder than before. 

Khara was irritated. In fact Valmiki says he spoke to her clearly unhappily, thinking she brings more trouble now (तामनर्थार्थमागताम्). 

Shurpanakha replied that his fourteen invincible warriors were eliminated by Sri Rama in an instant. 

***

Shurpanakha asks, "Where is Khara's valour? Does he think still that he is in control around here?" 

रामतेजोऽभिभूतो हि त्वं क्षिप्रं विनशिष्यसि  । 

स हि तेजःसमायुक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः      ॥

भ्राता चास्य महावीर्यो येन चास्मि विरूपिता । 

एवं विलप्य बहुशो राक्षसी प्रदरोदरी           ॥

"Oh brother, this Rama, son of King Dasharatha, is no ordinary mortal. If you come in conflict with him and face his radiant prowess, you will be annihilated quickly.

" Alas! It is my fate that I have been mutilated by his powerful brother thus...! (basically asking: of what worth is my own brother now when I am in my distress....)", so bewailed the ugly Shurpanakha with her protruding belly. 

***

॥       श्रीरामजयम्       ॥

Valmiki Ramayana - August 5

August 5 - Sargas 18 and 19 of Aranya Kanda.

Valmiki describes a very worldly scene. Here is a rakshasi overcome with passion and unable to see sense. She, naturally, comes to grief.  Then she sets in motion a series of unsavoury happenings that form the core of drama in Ramayana. 

***

तां तु शूर्पनखां रामः कामपाशावपाशिताम्        ।

स्वेच्छया  श्लक्ष्णया वाचा स्मितपूर्वमथाब्रवीत्  ॥ 

"Then Sri Rama addressed that rakshasi Surpanakha, totally bound up in the coils of uncontrolled passion, these words, with a smile, conveying his response clearly and lucidly. "

कृतदारोऽस्मि भवति भार्येयं दयिता मम    ।

त्वद्विधानां तु नारीणां सुदःखा ससपत्नता  ॥

"Oh lady, here is by my side, my dear wife. I am a married man. For women like you, being a second wife will only bring great misery."

अनुजस्त्वेष मे भ्राता शीलवान् प्रियदर्शनः     ।

श्रीमानकृतदारश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान्       ॥

अपूर्वी भार्यया चार्थी तरुणः प्रियदर्शनः         ।

अनुरूपश्च ते भर्ता रूपस्यास्य भविष्यति          ॥

एनं भज विशालाक्षि भर्तारं भ्रातरं मम            ।

असपत्ना वरारोहे मेरुमर्कप्रभा यथा              ॥

"But here is my brother, full of virtue and handsome. This gent is unmarried, and his name is Lakshmana. He is full of valour.

"Having had no wife, he is desires connubial bliss. Young and good-looking, he suits you in looks and will make a good husband. 

"So, oh large-eyed one, you take my brother here as your husband. You will not be a second wife then. With your attractive figure, you will shine with him like the sun casting his brilliance on the Meru peak."   

We can see a bit of a tease here. That was inescapable since Shurpanakha did not appear to have cooled off even after Sri Rama told her he was not available. There is also some poetic justice here, as Lakshmana was in the forest for long in total self-abnegation.

Shurpanakha was so blinded by carnal passion that she at once left Sri Rama and rushed to Lakshmana. She presented herself as one ardently wooing him claiming that she was beautiful and would make a lovely wife for him. They would sportingly roam the forest at will.

I am reminded of what Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavadgita.  काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः महाशनो महापाप्मा विध्येनमिह वैरिणम् । "Know that this lust and hatred are qualities springing from rajas. They lead to great sin, are unquenchable, and are man's worst enemies."

Laksmana at once tells her that he would make a terrible husband for her. He is but a servant to Sri Rama. Would she reconcile to life as a servant, too?  "You would make a wonderful wife with your beauty for my elder brother and master here. In fact, he will discard, for your sake, his current wife as ugly, unchaste, and frightening." It is the stuff of comedy that Shurpanakha again pounces on the suggestion and pressures Sri Rama to accept her. She says Sita is indeed ugly, unchaste, flat-bellied, and aged. So Sri Rama should at once accept Shurpakankha.

Seeing Sri Rama is unmoved, she says that the right thing for her is to get rid of Sita by eating her up. She pounces with burning eyes on the doe-eyed Sita like a meteor. An enraged Sri Rama holds Shurpanakha and restrains her firmly. He says,

क्रूरैरनार्यैः सौमित्रे परिहासः कथञ्चन               ।

न कार्यः पश्य वैदेहीं  कथञ्चित् सौम्य जीवतीम् ॥

इमां विरूपामसतीमतिमत्तां महोदरीम्              ।

राक्षसीं पुरुषव्याघ्र विरूपयितुमर्हसि               ॥

"Oh Lakshmana, it is indeed wise not to try and be humorous or light-hearted with people who are cruel and uncivilised.  Oh Lakshmana, you’re a man of tenderness, see how Sita was saved in the nick of time from death. 

"Oh tiger among men, I ask you to disfigure this ugly, unchaste, fat-bellied, rakshasi who is totally lost to reason by her passion."

In an instant, Lakshmana flashes his sword and lops off Shurpanakha's lips and ears. She utters a roar like thunder and rushes away bleeding all over profusely, uttering fierce cries true to her nature.

***

The rakshasa Khara, terrible in reputation and terrible in looks, is in his assembly inside the Dandaka forest.  His profusely bleeding, mutilated, and screaming sister descends and drops like a huge cloud on the floor in front of Khara, True to the stereotype, he flies into a terrible rage. He says not even Indra dare do something like this to his sister. So this has to be someone who is powerful, and he shall reap the whirlwind by this audacious act. 

Khara compares the man who has incited his revenge to be like someone who goes and touches a King Cobra and challenges it to bite him. Such a man's life is going to ebb away shortly. That culprit is like someone who has garlanded himself with the noose of death.

Shurpanakha narrates how two powerful warrior brothers, sons of King Dasharatha, dressed as ascetics, have come to Dandakaranya with the elder one's extremely beautiful wife. The brothers did this to her, on account of that lady in their midst.

तस्याश्चानृजुवृ्त्तायास्तयोश्च हतयोरहम्       ।

सफेनं पातुमिच्छामि रुधिरं रणमूर्धनि        ॥

"Oh brother Khara, I wish to drink the foamy blood of that crooked woman and those two brothers after they have been killed by you in battle!" 

Like sister, like brother. Khara immediately orders his best fourteen men to go without delay and kill those three who have committed this heinous mutilation of Shurpanakha. Valmiki says those raskhasa warriors spelt death like Yama.

***

॥        श्रीरामजयम्        ॥ 

Valmiki Ramayana - August 4

August 4 - Sargas 16 and 17 of Aranya Kanda.

A quaint description of how Sri Rama goes to bathe in the Godavari river early morning with Sita and Lakshmana in winter. They remember how Bharata must also be experiencing the cold and difficult conditions as they are.

Then enters an important persona. She is going to tweak the story of Ramayana a few notches up. Announcing the rakshasi Shurpanakha!

***

The Hemanta ritu arrives. It is the season from mid October to mid December.

Hemanta is so called because it is the period of hima (snow), mist, and early morning fog. The temperature dips and a cold wind blows to make us experience chills and crave for the afternoon sun.

One early morning, just before sunrise, Sri Rama goes with Sita and Lakshmana towards the Godavari for bathing and prayer. Lakshmana describes nature in this season and how life responds to the misty, dewy, foggy, cold weather.

नीहारपरुषो लोकः पृथिवी सस्यमालिनी  । 

जलान्यनुपभोग्यानि सुभगो हव्यवाहनः   ॥

प्रकृत्या हिमकोशाढ्यो दूरसूर्यश्च साम्प्रतम्    । 

यथार्थनामा सुव्यक्तं हिमवान् हिमवान् गिरिः   ॥

रविसंक्रान्तसौभाग्यस्तुषारारुणमण्डलः      । 

निःश्वासान्ध इवादर्शश्चन्द्रमा न प्रकाशते      ॥

"People are encountering so much of snow, fog and dew, and the earth is decked with vegetation. Water bodies are too cold to be attractive. Instead people love the warmth of the fireplace.

"Nature dictates at this time that the sun is distant from the earth (remember he is farthest from October to January) and there is so much snow settling on the Himavan (the himalayas) that it suits his name.

"The sun is dimmed by the atmosphere filled with mist. Even the moon is clouded by mist, like an image fuzzy in a fogged mirror."

Lakshmana continues in this vein describing nature. He also says this is a time for romance, celebration, travel and even conquest. There is harvest and prosperity all around. 

He also makes a surprising comparison to Sita's beauty. The days look dull like Sita when she has developed a deep tan by moving around in the sun.

People look forward to the afternoons when the sun warms up every space. The wind blows to accentuate the feeling of cold. Tuskers come all thirsty to the river to drink water but their trunks recoil at the touch of such cold water. Birds stay on the banks not interested in sporting in water, much like soldiers shying away from battle.

Suddenly Lakshmana remembers that even Bharata must be suffering from cold dips in the Sarayu. He bemoans the fate of Bharata, tender and unexposed to hardships in his growing years, now sleeping on the cold ground and living an ascetic life. He also says that it is common belief that a son always takes after his mother, but not our Bharata. Indeed, how could Kaikeyi, wife of the noble king Dasharatha, and mother of such a noble Bharata, be so wicked? कथं नो साऽम्बा कैकेयी तादृशा क्रूरशालिनी? At once, Sri Rama cuts Lakshmana down. "Never speak like that of our mother. Of course, whatever you say of Bharata is so right. Indeed I am constantly remembering him as he came full of tears to Chitrakuta and importuned me to return to Ayodhya, even when he knew that I was firm in my promise to father."

After they bathe and offer their prayers, the three return to the hermitage. The mild sun has arisen. In that light, Valmiki says, Sri Rama with Sita followed by Lakshmana resembled Lord Shiva with Parvati and followed by  Nandi!

***

Some time later, it is nearing noon and Sri Rama and Sita are sitting in the courtyard (पर्णशाला). Lakshmana is standing by. There arrives a huge rakshasi (demoness). Valmiki spares no detail to describe her ugliness. But she is simply besotted to see a radiant youth of obvious valour and infinite beauty ( lotus petal-like eyes, moon-like face, broadchested, long limbed, holding weapons, all in all a god.) She is overridden by lust (Kama's arrows). She boldly approaches Rama and asks who he is, what is he doing in these parts that belong to rakshasas, dressed as an ascetic, and with his wife by his side?

I should summarise how Valmiki contrasts Shurpanakha's appearance to Sri Rama's appearance. She has a very ugly face with crooked eyes, unlike his moon-like face and lotus-petal like eyes. She has a protruding belly unlike his flat and attractive middle. She looks old and haggard, unlike the youthful Rama. She has ugly red hair unlike his long tresses of jet black. She has a very scarily harsh voice unlike Rama's very melodious voice.

Sri Rama politely replies, saying he is the eldest son called Rama of King Dasharatha, this is his younger brother Lakshmana,  this is his wife Sita Vaidehi, and he is fulfilling his father's orders to be in the forest and is dedicated to performing his Dharma.  He asks,"Oh beautiful lady, you seem to be a rakshasi. Tell us about yourself and what you are doing here".

That Sri Rama calls Shurpanakha beautiful is interpretable in two ways. He was being courteous as usual. Or that just before she accosted Rama, Shurpanakha by her powers had transformed herself into a very pretty maiden.

Shurpanakha replies that she is the sister of Ravana. Of course, you would have heard of the famous rakshasa, world conquerer, Ravana, son of Vishravas? She has two other brothers- one always sleeping called Kumbakarna and one who is not at all like a rakshasa - Vibheeshana. She has two other famous warrior brothers Khara and Dushana who rule this forest. She herself is a formidable raskhasi. She can assume any form at will, and travels around this forest doing whatever she pleases.

अहं प्रभावसम्पन्ना स्वच्छन्दबलगामिनी            ।

चिराय भव मे भर्ता सीतया किं करिष्यसि          ॥

"Look Rama, I am full of powers, I can travel anywhere with my might and speed. You better become my husband forever and discard this Sita. Of what use is she?"

"In fact, she is so ugly and totally unsuitable for you. I shall at once devour her and this brother of yours, and we can get together and frolic happily in the mountains and forests doing whatever we please!"

Sri Rama smilingly replies Shurpanakha. We shall see that tomorrow!

***

॥                       श्रीरामजयम्                          ॥ 

 

Valmiki Ramayana - August 3

August 3 - Sargas 14 and 15 of Aranya Kanda. 

Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana proceed in the direction towards Panchavati where Sage Agastya has recommended them to set up their hermitage. On the way, they meet the ancient bird Jataayu and establish a bond.

***

As they proceeded towards Panchavati, Sri Rama saw a giant bird eagle-like atop a huge banyan tree.  Sri Rama and Lakshmana were curious to know who this creature might be, and so went up and spoke to him, asking him who he was.

The giant bird replied in sweet words that he was an old friend of their father's. The brothers paid him respect and requested him to tell them his antecedents.

The bird Jataayu had an interesting story to tell.

As we know, in our scriptures, the evolution of all life has been described as a descent from the original creator, Lord Brahma. Brahma created many sons who in turn fathered sons and daughters, who in turn gave birth to several forms of life.

Jataayu says that Brahma had several sons including Angirasa, Pulastya, Atri, and Daksha. They were called Prajapatis (demi-Brahmas). They were all sages or rishis. They in turn fathered many. 

Out of Daksha's sixty daughters, Sage Kashyapa married eight. Among them, Aditi gave birth to all the thirtythree gods. Diti gave birth to Daityas (demons). Serpents, birds, sea creatures, animals of all kinds, even trees, were descended through several rishi patnis. This is the origin of the Gotra system in Hinduism. Manu gave birth to all humans. Kadru gave birth to serpents. Vinata gave birth to Garuda and Varuna. To Varuna was born Jataayu and his elder brother Sampati.

Jataayu concludes his narrative with an expression of filial concern as he knew Dasharatha. He says he will come with them to Panchavati and take care of Sita whenever Sri Rama and Lakshmana are out of her vicinity on any errands. Sri Rama embraces Jataayu very fondly and thanks him for all the stories of his friendship with their father King Dasharatha.

स तत्र सीतां परिधाय मैथिलीं

    सहैव तेनातिबलेन पक्षिणा          ।

जगाम तां पञ्चवटीं सलक्ष्मणो 

    रिपून् दिधक्षञशलभानिवानलः    ॥ 

"Sri Rama along with Sita henceforth under the vigilant care of the mighty bird Jataayu, and Lakshmana  proceeded to Panchavati. Sri Rama along with Lakshmana was embarking on his mission of destroying the rakshasas like a fire burns down moths."

***

When they arrive at Panchavati, they find it to be an exceedingly charming part of the forest with many flowering trees. It is a home to many wild animals. Sri Rama then tells Lakshmana, "dear brother, we have arrived at this place described as Panchavati by Sage Agastya. Would you please look around and select a suitable spot to erect our hermitage? You are an expert in assessing forest ranges." Sri Rama specifies that the location should be close to a good water source, with easy availability of firewood, fruits, and flowers. 

Lakshmana replies that even if he lives for a hundred years, he shall always be an obedient attendant of Rama, and therefore the best spot for the hermitage to suit the comforts and needs of Sri Rama and Sita should be selected only by Sri Rama.

Sri Rama gives a happy smile of concurrence and himself selects a lovely spot on flat ground surrounded by flowering trees and near a beautiful pond full of fragrant lotuses with swans and other birds in constant sport. The spot is near the lovely river Godavari, and gives a view of the mountains in the vicinity. Valmiki then makes Sri Rama point out to the wide variety of trees around: 

"The place is covered with sal and palmyrah trees, other trees including mango, jackfruit, dates, kadamba, punnaga, ashoka, champak, tilaka, ketaka, sandalwood, spandan, dhava, asvakarna, parnasha, khadira, sami, kimsuka and patala trees. It is full of wild paddy, flowering bushes, and creepers that run on the ground."

He asks Lakshmana to build the hermitage there.

Valmiki describes how Lakshmana goes about building a wonderful cottage. 

Lakshmana first digs up the earth. Then he plants strong bamboo poles. He takes sami tree branches and makes them into horizontal beams. He ties everything up with strong ropes he fashions out of grass. He clads the hermitage walls with leaves and grass. He creates a comfortable floor with kusha grass and leaves. The final product is a delightful and comfortable cottage of attractive appearance. 

After completing the cottage, Lakshmana goes to the river and has a bath. He comes back holding flowers and fruits for offering to the deities to sanctify the new home. 

***

When Sri Rama and Sita came and saw the cottage, they were delighted beyond measure.

स तं दृष्ट्वा कृतं सौम्यमाश्रमं सह सीतया  ।

राघवः पर्णशालायां हर्षमाहारयत् परम्  ॥

सुसंहृष्टः परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां लक्ष्मणं तदा  ।

अतिस्निग्धं च गाढं च वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्   ॥

प्रीतोऽस्मि ते महत् कर्म त्वया कृतमिदं प्रभो   ।

प्रदेयो यन्निमित्तं ते परिष्वङ्गो मया कृतः        ॥

भावज्ञेन कृतज्ञेन धर्मज्ञेन च लक्षमण             ।

त्वया पुत्रेण धर्मात्मा न संवृत्तः पिता मम        ॥

"Seeing that lovely cottage completed, Sri Rama along with Sita entered the cottage expressing supreme happiness.

"Sri Rama, full of great joy, then fervently put his arms around Lakshmana in a tight embrace. He spoke the following words suffused with affection and full of insight:

"Oh Master! (Sri Rama is addressing Lakshmana thus!), this wonderful accomplishment of yours in constructing this magnificent cottage makes me supremely happy. All that I can give you in return is this affectionate embrace.

With you full of emtional intelligence and love, master of accomplishing difficult tasks, and always rooted in righteousness, dearest Lakshmana, with a son like you, my father King Dasharatha is not dead but still alive for me through you!"

Sage Valmiki concludes the sarga by saying that Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana lived extremely happily in that comfortable and well-provided-for cottage for a considerable time. Their life was indeed heavenly. 

***

॥                         श्रीरामजयम्                          ॥ 

 

 

  

Valmiki Ramayana - August 2

August 2  - Sargas 12 and 13 of Aranya Kanda.

The meeting between Sri Rama and Sage Agastya as well as their conversation is very interestingly described by Sage Valmiki.

***

Sri Rama instructs Lakshmana to go into the hermitage of Sage Agastya and properly announce their arrival. Lakshmana proceeds to carry out his orders.

On entering the premises, Lakshmana sees a rishi kumara (student). He says the following:

"Sir, there was a renowned king of Ikshwakus in Ayodhya called Dasharatha. We are his sons Sri Rama and Lakshmana. We have come along with Sita, the wife of Sri Rama. I am here as Sri Rama's attendant and am fully dedicated to serving my elder brother Sri Rama. 

"We are in the forest as ordered by our father. Perhaps you already know about us. We have come here to meet Sage Agastya. Kindly inform the sage and seek his permission for our meeting him."

When the rishi kumara proceeds to inform Sage Agastya who is engaged in performing some homa, Sage Agastya expresses extreme delight:

दिष्ट्या रामश्चिरस्याद्य द्रश्टुं मां समुपागतः      ।

मनसा काङ्क्षितं ह्यस्य मयाप्यागमनं प्रति      ॥

By good fortune has Sri Rama, at last, come here to see me. Indeed, my mind has been full of desire to meet him and I have been anticipating his arrival."

Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana are received very cordially in the hermitage. It is situated in a very beautiful forest setting and surrounded by herds of deer.

When Sri Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita are ushered into the sage's presence in the homa shaala (the place for performing many homas and yajnas), Sri Rama witnesses the astonishing presence of all the deities: 

Vishnu, Indra, Sun/Vivasvaan, Chandra/Moon, Bhaga, Kubera, Ashwinis, Vayu, Yama, Varuna, Gayatri, Adishesha, Garuda, Karttikeya, and Dharma. What Valmiki is conveying to us is that if a homa is done in the right way by one qualified to do it, by invoking the gods' presence, we actually receive them there. They will be present to accept our salutations and offerings. 

Seeing the lustrous sage, surrounded by his disciples, coming forward to receive them, Sri Rama tells Lakshmana:

बहिर्लक्ष्मण निष्क्रामत्यगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः    ।

औदार्येणावगच्छामि निधानं तपसामिमाम्    ॥

"Dear Lakshmana, by the very way this esteemed sage is coming out to receive us, full of magnanimity, I see the supreme status of this great rishi and the glory of his tapas." 

Sri Rama bows down to Sage Agastya and holds his feet in reverence. Sita and Lakshmana follow suit. 

Sage Agastya receives them with courtesies and then resumes his homa ritual and after duly completing it, he comes back to them. He informs Sri Rama that it is always the proper thing to complete the ongoing home sacrifice first and then only divert one's attention to entertain guests.  

Sage Agastya says that he knows Sri Rama to be the mighty and righteous warrior who will protect the whole world. 

Sage Agastya offers them delicious fruits and roots for dinner. He also brings and gives a glittering divine bow of gold, studded with diamonds,  made by Vishwakarma himself. It was used long ago by Lord Vishnu himself in battle. Along with that, the sage gives an inexhaustible quiver gifted to him by Lord Brahma and also a divine sword. 

Sage Agastya tells Sri Rama that he should destroy terrible demons with these weapons and earn divine glory much like Lord Vishnu.  

Agasyta tells Sri Rama that he should receive these weapons as they will be required by him, just as Indra had received the Vajrayudha for a special purpose.

*** 

Then Sage Agastya says something very interesting:

एषा च सुकुमारी च खेदैश्च न विमानिता     ।

प्राज्यदोषं वनं प्राप्ता भर्तृस्नेहप्रचोदिता      ॥

यथैषा रमते राम इह सीता तथा कुरु          ।

दुष्करं कृतवत्येषा वने त्वामभिगच्छती        ॥

एषा हि वक्रुतिः स्त्रीणामासृष्टे रघुनन्दन       ।

समस्थमनुरज्यन्ते विषमस्थं त्यजन्ति च        ॥

"Dear Rama, Sita here is a tender, youthful princess, and yet she is not daunted by hardships. She has come into the forest where life is full of troubles. Her only reason is her devotion to her husband. 

"Rama, you should always do what pleases Sita. Her decision to live in the forest with you is indeed a remarkable act. 

"Oh scion of Raghus, it is the nature of women, since the beginning of creation, to be devoted to their husbands as long as they are in prosperity and comfort and to forsake them when facing hardships and distressing circumstances. But Sita is not like that. She is as glorious an example of an ideal wife as Arundhati, the wife of Sage Vasishtha." ( We recall that since Vedic times, during the Hindu wedding, the couple is asked to look up at the Vasishtha and Arundhati stars to bless their happy union.)

Sri Rama now asks Sage Agastya to tell him a suitable spot to construct a hermitage and live for the rest of their sojourn in the forest. Sage Agastya says that there is precisely such a spot called Panchavati, not far from there, on the bank of the Godavari river. He describes how the place is full of beautiful trees like Ashwattha (Panchavati means a spot with five Ashwattha or peepul trees). The location abounds in fruits, roots in all seasons, and is home to birds and wild animals including herds of deer. The sage says that they will all be very happy there and Sita will be particularly comfortable and happy.

Sage Agastya says that by his spiritual power he knows the entire sequence of events up to the present moment. How Sri Rama was exiled by Dasharatha and how dutiful and righteous Sri Rama is. He assures Sri Rama that the exile in the forest will end soon and he will return with Sita and Lakshmana to Ayodhya and live there happily ever after.

***

॥                      श्रीरामजयम्                       ॥ 

Valmiki Ramayana - August 1

August 1 - Sargas 10 and 11 of Aranya Kanda.

Sri Rama responds to Sita and confirms why he has vowed to kill the troublesome rakshasas. 

Along with Sita and Lakshmana,  Sri Rama spends ten years in various hermitages of rishis. Then they go to meet Sage Agastya. 

***

Sita told Sri Rama that he was embarking on an unnecessary mission of violence against the rakshasas in the forest who had actually not shown any enmity towards them. Sri Rama now replies:

हितमुक्तं त्वया देवि स्निग्धया सदृशं वचः    ।

कुलं व्वपदिशन्त्या च धर्मज्ञे जनकात्मजे      ॥

"Dear Sita (he calls her Devi!), although expressed as an admonition to me and my lineage, you are a worthy daughter of the great sage king Janaka and you know Dharma. I can therefore see your affection and concern for my welfare in your words."

Sri Rama then goes on to respond:

"You said, क्षत्रियैर्धार्यते चापो नार्तशब्दो भवेदिति - a Kshatriya should hold and raise his bow (weapon) only to prevent cries of distress among his people. 

ते चार्ता दण्डकारण्ये मुनयः संश्रितव्रताः   ।

मां सीते स्वयमागम्य शरण्यं शरणं गताः   ॥

"Those sages in Dandaka forest came to me, those who are engaged in severe austerities. They have explained their dire circumstances and how they desperately need my protection and how I have the responsibility to protect them by virtue of my being the prince of Ayodhya.

"They have explained the atrocities of the rakshasas. They have also explained why the sages will not depart from their vow of non-violence and in anger invoke curses on the demons. I am therefore their sole refuge.

न तु प्रतिज्ञा संश्रुत्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः    ।

तदवश्यं मया कार्यमृषीणां परिपालनम्       ॥

"Therefore, after giving my bounden promise to those brahmin sages, my adherence is absolutely a must, taking care especially to carry out my word without fail.

सदृशं चानुरूपं च कुलस्य तव शोभने           ।

सधर्मचारिणी मे त्वं प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसि    ॥

"Dearest Sita, your splendid advice is, however, befitting you, your high birth as the daughter of Janaka, and the daughter in law of Ikshwakus. You are indeed my equal consort in carrying out my Dharma and you are dearer to me than my life-breath itself."

***

After taking leave of the sage Suteekshna, Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana move around the forest and meet many ascetics in different hermitages in a large area of the forest full of rich fauna and flora. 

They pass a very beautiful lake resounding with music and dance sounds. When no human is seen, Sri Rama asks the accompanying sage what is the source of those sounds. He is told the story of Mandakarni. After his extremely long and severe penance, the gods sent down five apsaras (celestial maidens born with beauty and artistic talent and irresistible charm) to disturb sage Mandakarni from his penance. The surprising outcome was that the apsaras all fell in love with him and he became young again by his spiritual powers. They all lived happily there and the sage had constructed invisible mansions for the apsaras in that lake. (The word apsara actually means one arisen from the waters).

Many ascetics request Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana to stay with them. Sri Rama accedes. In the process, in the Dandaka region, they stay in many different hermitages for varying periods of time. After spending nearly ten years thus, Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana return to sage Suteekshna. The sage is happy to see them three doing well. Then Sri Rama asks for the way to go and meet sage Agastya. He has heard about his glory from almost every sage he has met.

This sage Agastya is one of the foremost sages in Hinduism. He is considered the guardian sage of south India. He was sent down by the gods to tame the pride of mount Vindhya who was growing constantly and disrupting the life of all creatures. Agastya requested the mountain to stop growing until he went down to the south and completed his mission and returned to cross the mountain. Vindhya paused his growth. Sage Agasyta settled down in the south with no plan to return at all.

Among the many astonishing stories of Sage Agasyta is the one about how he killed the rakshasa brothers Vatapi and Ilvala. The two demons had a strange way of killing ascetics and brahmins. They would accost them disguised as humans and request them to participate in a Shraaddha (ceremonies done to propitiate departed forefathers). Nobody refuses such a request. Then Ilvala would kill and cook a goat (which was indeed Vatapi, again in disguise) and serve the brahmins. After the food was eaten, he would call out "Vatapi, please come out." The demon would tear himself out of the brahmins and kill them. The brothers would then eat up the dead brahmins.

Sage Agasyta went to the brothers. When he was served the food, he used his spiritual power to digest Vatapi and hence foiled the plan. He also burnt down Ilvala with his power.

Sage Suteekshna is very happy to give directions to the ashrama of Sage Agastya and also his brother's ashrama which comes on the way.

Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana make their way towards those ashramas.

***

॥            श्रीरामजयम्            ॥ 

Valmiki Ramayana - July 31

July 31 - Sargas 8 and 9 of Aranya Kanda.

Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita get permission from the sage Suteekshna to move around the forest and visit many hermitages. He makes them promise that they will return to the ashrama after their wandering around.

Valmiki now narrates a very important dialogue between Sita and Sri Rama. Sita comes across to me as a woman of great intuition, sense of righteousness, and total dedication to the welfare of her beloved husband. Today we will see only what she broaches. Tomorrow we will see Sri Rama's response. 

***

Sri Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita rest for the night after much hospitality from Sage Suteekshna. They get up early morning before sunrise and complete their ablutions. Valmiki says that Sri Rama and Sita bathed in cool and sparkling water amd performed prayers to gods and ancestors.

After getting ready, they approach the sage for permission to leave the ashrama and travel around the forest. They say that the sages accompanying them do not want to delay the start. Sri Rama also says something very poetic. 

अविषह्यातपो यावत् सूर्यो नातिविराजते   । 

अमार्गेणागतां लक्ष्मीं प्राप्येवान्वयवर्जितः   ॥

"Respected sage, we want to make a start and travel before the sun reaches the zenith with intolerable heat,  which is as unbearable as the wealth acquired through foul deeds by a man of low birth."

They touch the feet of the sage and get his blessings. Suteekshna warmly embraces the two brothers. He appreciates the way Sita is following Sri Rama like a shadow.

He describes the setting of the hermitages that they will be visiting, situated amidst resplendent nature full of fruits, roots, flowers, animals, birds, cool lakes with lotuses, peacocks, and waterfalls.

The sage extracts a promise from Sri Rama and Lakshmana that they will come back to visit him. He blesses them all. 

Sita hands over their weapons to Sri Rama and Lakshmana. They wear their armour, belt up their quivers and swords, and carrying their bows, leave in all majesty. 

***

As they make their way, Sita speaks to Sri Rama. There is decorum, respect, wisdom, and a note of concern in her voice and words. 

अयं धर्मः सुसूक्ष्मेण विधिना प्राप्यते महान्    । 

निवृत्तेन च शक्योऽयं व्यसनात् कामजादिह  ॥

"Dear Rama, this ideal we uphold as Dharma is pursued by our actions in a very subtle way and is easy to miss. The only way to earn it is to eliminate from our actions bad deeds and habits occasioned purely by desires and lust. " 

त्रीण्येव व्यसनान्यत्र कामजानि भवन्त्युत    । 

मित्थ्या वाक्यं तु परमं तस्माद्गुरुतरावुभौ     ॥

परदाराभिगमनं विना वैरं च रौद्रता            । 

"Dear Rama, in this context we need to look at three vices which are the worst. Top most among them is speaking untruth (and related aspects of cheating, not keeping one's word etc.) The other two are of a rather serious nature. The first is having illicit relations with someone else's wife. The second is inflicting violence and hurting someone who is not one's enemy".

Sita says how deviance from truth is totally foreign to Sri Rama's nature. He has never and will never speak untruth. The second vice of cohabiting with someone else's wife is something patently foreign to his nature as he has demonstrated to Sita during all the years of their marriage. He is impeccable in this aspect. 

Sita says that this immaculate behaviour of Sri Rama regarding these two vices is extremely rare, shows his absolute self control, and is praiseworthy indeed. 

But the third, i.e. resorting to violence and killing people when there is no enmity with them, looms large as Sri Rama is embarking on this course now. 

Consider this. He is going into Dandaka to kill rakshasas. They have not harmed the three of them. There is no enmity. He has given his word to the ascetics they met recently that he will surely kill all the rakshasas. 

Coming to the forest as ascetics, Sri Rama and Lakshmana are carrying dreadful weapons and planning to act against the ascetic Dharma of non-violence. Indeed these weapons are as dangerous as a forest fire. They incite one to needless violence.

Sita now tells a story. Once there was a sage in the forest deeply engaged in his austerities. Indra wanted to make him fall from his high asceticism. He arrived as an attendant guard carrying a big sword. He gave it to the sage to take care of it, for safekeeping. 

Soon the sage was so enamoured of the glittering sword that he started carrying it around even when he went looking for fruits and roots. Within no time, he was using the sword to cut down trees needlessly. Soon he wreaked violence on animals and birds too. To cut a long story short, Sita says, the sage went to hell as a result of his actions. 

"Dear Rama, I am deeply concerned that you are entering Dandaka with these weapons, having a plan to kill rakshasas who have done no harm to you. Weapons if at all should be only for self-protection. Your nature of a kshatriya and fondness for wielding weapons is all right while ruling a kingdom. But here you have come as an ascetic. Imagine the great joy and pride your revered mother and departed father would feel to see you as a pure ascetic full of non-violence and penance in the forest, true to your promise to them."

Sita concludes with words typical of an obedient wife. 

स्त्रीचापलादेतदुपाहृतं मे 

      धर्मं च वक्तुं तव को समर्थः   ।

विचार्य बुद्ध्या तु सहानुजेन 

      यद् रोचते तत् कुरु माचिरेण  ॥

" Dear Rama, out of my fickle nature being a woman, have I spoken thus. Indeed who is there competent to give you advice on your Dharma? Please deeply consider all these aspects along with your brother. Then please act as per your wish, without losing time, of course. "

***

॥          श्रीरामजयम्           ॥

Valmiki Ramayana - July 30

July 30 - Sargas 6 and 7 of Aranya Kanda.

Sri Rama is met by a large number of ascetics performing severe penance in the region. They all request Sri Rama not to fail in his duty to protect them from the menace of rakshasas who are terrorizing them. A large number of dead bodies and skeletons of rishis killed by demons can be seen all over the region. Sri Rama says he will not fail in his duty.

Later Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana meet the sage Suteekshna. He offers his own hermitage for Sri Rama's stay.

***

After Sage Sharabhanga's ascent to Brahma Loka, a large number of ascetics descend on the place from all corners to meet Sri Rama. Sage Valmiki describes them in some detail. Many are divinely descended. Many have embraced asceticism in the evening of their lives. They subsist on next to nothing and perform severe austerities. Valmiki says some drink the rays of the sun and moon. Some subsist on dry leaves. Some on just water. Some on just air. Many drench themselves constantly. Some stay neck deep in water. Some stay on tree tops. Some are surrounded by fires in their meditation. Some lie on the ground always. 

This severe mortification of the flesh is a recognised method for breaking one's "body bondage." As we saw, penance leads to liberation or extraordinary powers that can be invoked for the welfare of others. That in essence is the idea of "tapas" in Hinduism. 

All the sages have only one thing to say. They remind Sri Rama that he is their lord and master. As the scion of Ikshwakus, he owns the responsibility for their safety. Unfortunately their fate has been terrible. All the hermits living on the banks of Mandakini and Pampa and on Chitrakuta have been terrorized by man-eating rakshasas. Sri Rama should be kind enough to offer them protection. They all know of his incomparable prowess and goodness. 

Sri Rama responds with a slight petulence.

विप्रकारमपाक्रष्टुं राक्षसैर्भवतामिमाम्     ।

पितुस्तु निर्देशकरः प्रविष्टोऽहमिदं वनम् ॥

भवतामर्थसिद्ध्यर्थमागतोऽहं यदृच्छया   । 

तस्य मेऽयं वने वासो भविष्यति महाफलः ॥

तपस्विनां रणे शत्रून् हन्तुमिच्छामि राक्षसान्। 

पश्यन्तु वीर्यमृषयः सभ्रातुर्मे तपोधनाः        ॥

"Revered sages, thank you for reminding me of my responsibility of removing the terror unleashed by demons on you. 

"On the order of my father, King Dasharatha, I came into this forest. It is perhaps not a coincidence that, although I was not sent directly for this purpose, the opportunity to perform my duty of protecting you presents itself. I therefore consider that doing my duty to protect you will make my stay in the forest extremely fruitful. 

"Yes, engaging in battle against them, I intend to kill all those demons. All of you glorious ascetics will witness our military prowess - mine and my brother's, in this battle." 

***

Reassuring the sages and ascetics, Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana proceed to meet Suteekshna. It is a difficult journey and involves crossing rivers and moving in the dense jungle. They are accompanied by some ascetics.

***

Sage Suteekshna has been in severe penance and is advanced jn years. It shows on his body which looks ill-kempt.His matted locks have not been cleaned for a long time, just as his body. 

He receives Sri Rama with great warmth. He also says that his departure to the next world has been delayed by him because he wanted to meet Sri Rama. He also offers the accumulated merits of all his austerities which will empower Sri Rama, Sita and  Lakshmana to roam carefree in the three worlds.

Sri Rama politely declines the offer. He instead wants to know where they should build their hermitage. Sage Suteekshna says that his own hermitage is ready at their disposal. There are plenty of fruits and roots and so on in the vicinity. 

There is only one problem. The hermitage is frequented by large herds of deer whose appearance and pranks are indeed attractive to the point of distracting the ascetics. Sri Rama says it is easy for him to slay all those animals but surely the ascetics would not like such a mass killing. Therefore Sri Rama says that perhaps this hermitage is not suitable for their stay. 

They receive very kind hospitality and dinner suitable for ascetics from the sage at evenfall. 

***

॥          श्रीरामजयम्         ॥

Valmiki Ramayana - July 29

July 29 - Sargas 4 and 5 of Aranya Kanda.

The encounter with Viradha ends well. Sri Rama has the darshan of the great sage Sharabhanga just before his departure to Brahma Loka escorted by Indra as the fruit of his astounding tapas.

Rama also gets advice on how to decide where to set up his hermitage.

***

Valmiki does not lose this opportunity to show us the fright and turmoil in Sita's mind as she sees her husband Rama and her brother-in-law Lakshmana being carried away by a monster.

एष दाशरथी रामः सत्यवाञ्छीलवाञ्शुचिः       ।

रक्षसा रौद्ररूपेण ह्रियते सहलक्ष्मणः               ॥

मामृक्षा भक्षयिष्यन्ति शार्दूलद्वीपिनस्तथा          ।

मां हरोत्सृज काकुत्स्थौ नमस्ते राक्षसोत्तम          ॥

"Alas, this Sri Rama, son of King Dasharatha, righteous, always noble in conduct and exemplifying purity, is being carried away by this hideous demon, along with Lakshmana!

" I am then going to be eaten up by bears, tigers, and leopards! Oh, fate! Mr. Viradha, best among monsters, I bow down to you and beseech you to leave these two princes of Ayodhya. Instead please carry me away!"

Sita's cry shakes Sri Rama and Lakshmana into action. They know that weapons cannot harm Viradha. So, sitting on his shoulders, they start pummelling him into pulp. Whereas Lakshmana destroys his left arm, Sri Rama destroys his right arm. The demon is all but killed and falls down. The two brothers beat him into a pulp. They also pierce him with arrows and their swords. But the demon does not die.

Sri Rama tells Lakshmana that by the power of his boons, Viradha will not die. It is better that Lakshmana digs up a huge pit and they bury him.

Just then Viradha speaks.

"Oh Rama, I now know who you are. Know me to be in reality a gandharva (celestial) called Tumburu who was cursed to become a demon by Kubera. I incurred his wrath and also messed with Rambha. While cursing me, Kubera told me that I would be liberated from this demonic state when I would be killed by Sri Rama, son of Dasharatha. 

" It is but proper that demons are buried. So please carry out your plan and liberate me."

As Sri Rama stands with his foot on Viradha's neck, Lakshmana works like the Army Engineering Corps and digs up a huge pit. Sri Rama and Lakshmana drag Viradha and put him into the pit.

Before they cover up the pit, Viradha says to Sri Rama that not very far from that spot is the hermitage of an extraordinary sage, Sharabhanga. It is but proper that they immediately proceed for his darshan.

***

Sri Rama embraces Sita and consoles her. Both Rama and Lakshmana manage to lift her mood up. These two warriors, of divine might, have just accomplished a feat of immeasurable strength. 

They proceed to the ashrama of Sharabhanga without delay.

Approaching the hermitage, they witness an incredible sight. Indra, in his full divine splendour, accompanied by celestials and sages singing chants, is in an aerial vehicle drawn by divine horses and protected by the celestial army. Indra is in conversation with Sharabhanga!

सह सम्भाषमाणे तु शरभङ़गेन वासवे         ।

दृष्ट्वा शतक्रतुं तत्र रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्       ॥

रामोऽथ रथमुद्दिश्य भ्रातुर्दर्शयताद्भुतम्        । 

अर्चिष्मन्तं श्रिया जुष्टमन्तरिक्षगतं रथम्       ॥

"Seeing Indra in conversation with Sharabhanga, Sri Rama called Lakshmana's attention to the divine aerial vehicle that was incredibly lustrous like the sun and endowed with all celestial grandeur and suspended in the sky."

Sri Rama tells Lakshmana to take care of Sita and stay rooted at that spot as he goes to meet the sage Sharabhanga. Seeing Rama making his approach, Indra asks the celestials to move the vehicle away! He says to Sharabhanga that Sri Rama should not get his audience until he completes the imminent mission for which Rama has taken birth ( a reference to Vishnu's incarnation as Rama to destroy Ravana).

Indra also remarks to Sharabhanga that indeed, Sri Rama will successfully accomplish his mission in a short time, something impossible for anyone else. All will be well then.

When Sri Rama and Sita and Lakshmana meet the sage Sharabhanga, he receives them with a lot of affection. He informs Sri Rama that Indra had indeed come to take him to Brahma Loka. he asked Indra to wait for a while as he did not want to miss having the meeting with Sri Rama, the high-souled prince. He also adds that the fruits of his severe penance, which include his conquest of all the worlds including Brahma Loka, will now be handed down to Sri Rama with his grace.

Do you know what Sri Rama replies?

अहमेवाहरिष्यामि सरवाल्ँलोकान् महामुने      ।

आवासं त्वहमिच्छामि प्रदिष्टमिह कानने       ॥

"Oh great sage, I shall by myself earn by tapas all the merits of the Lokas. But I need one favour from you. I want to live in the forest in a suitable place. Be so kind as to guide me where I should make my hermitage."

Sage Sharabhanga looks at Sri Rama, equal to Indra in every way, and shining in his own glory, with respect. He replies that there lives a great sage of incomparable power of tapas nearby. Sri Rama should approach him. The way there is along the bank of Mandakini in the opposite direction. They should approach the sage Suteekshna, for that is his name, with an offering of fruits and flowers. He will take good care of Sri Rama and guide him to the best spot for his residence.

Now Sharabhanga says he will leave his body as his desire to meet Sri Rama has been fulfilled. He requests Sri Rama to witness his departure from his mortal coil.

Sharabhanga kindles a fire by chanting some mantras. He enters the fire. His body and hairs and everything glow brilliantly as he is consumed by the fire. Then he emerges in a youthful, glowing, attractive form and ascends to Brahma Loka (the highest heaven). Brahma is himself waiting to receive the holy sage.

***

॥       श्रीरामजयम्        ॥