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.
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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."
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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.
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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.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
