July 6 - Sargas 77 and 78 of Ayodhya Kanda.
In these two short chapters, we see some solid action from Shatrughna.
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After the purification ceremony on the tenth day of Dasharatha's passing, Bharata dutifully performs the prescribed Shraddha on the 12th day. He gives elaborate and generous gifts to Brahmins and others. We all know the importance of these rituals in Hindu customs.
On the thirteenth day, they go to the cremation spot on the bank of Sarayu to gather the ashes of the king. Bharata breaks down uncontrollably.
Seeing him thus, Shatrughna is also very distressed. He says,
मन्थराप्रभवस्तीव्रः कैकेयीग्राहसंकुलः ।
वरदानमयोऽक्षोभ्योऽमज्जयच्छोकसागरः ॥
"We have all been drowned in the ocean of sorrow that began with the outflow of wickedness from Manthara; in the ocean that harbours a crocodile in the form of evil Kaikeyi. The ocean was created by the king's unstinting boons, and cannot be controlled in any way."
Sage Vasishtha cries a halt to these lamentations. They have to get on with the job at hand including the dispersion of ashes. He counsels the two brothers,
त्रीणि द्वन्द्वानि भूतेषु प्रवृत्तान्यवशेषतः ।
तेषु चापरिहार्येषु नैवं भवितुमर्हसि ॥
" Three pairs of opposite experiences are inevitable for all creatures - pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, birth and death. Those cannot be averted and you should not grieve like this."
Sumantra also adds his words to make the brothers recover their poise somehow and return to the palace.
***
Shatrughna says something significant on the way:
बलवान् वीर्यसम्पन्नो लक्षमणो नाम योऽप्यसौ।
किं न मोचयते रामं कृत्वापि पितृनिग्रहम् ॥
पूर्वमेव तु विग्राह्यः समवेक्ष्य नयानयौ ।
उत्पथं यः समारूढो नार्या राजा वशं गतः. ॥
"How come the mighty Lakshmana too came up short in his handling of the situation? He should have imprisoned the king and liberated Sri Rama from this situation.
" After all we all knew even before how this king strayed from his righteous path by yielding to the wiles of a woman. We should have exercised our discretion on what is right and wrong in royal responsibilities and controlled the king."
***
The sight of Manthara greets them. It provokes Shatrughna to uncontrollable rage. Valmiki describes how Manthara appeared to them:
प्राग्द्वारेऽभूत् तदा कुब्जा सर्वाभरणभूषिता ।
लिप्ता चन्दनसारेण राजवस्त्राणि बिभ्रती ॥
विविधं विविधैस्तैस्तैर्भूषणैश्च वरभूषणैः ।
बभासे बहुभिर्बद्धा रज्जुबद्धेव वानरी ॥
"Just at the palace entrance appeared Manthara, bedecked with splendid ornaments. She had anointed herself with sandal paste and wore clothes worthy of a queen.
She had elaborately chosen her ornaments and had spared no effort in decking herself up. Indeed she looked like a monkey bound up with many ropes. "
(Valmiki's humour cannot escape anyone here. My father told me about these shlokas some 55 years ago.)
***
Shatrughna catches hold of Manthara. His rage terrifies all the women around who scatter away thinking he will kill her and also others present with her. They run looking for Kausalya to save them.
As Shatrughna drags Manthara on the floor, her splendid ornaments scatter all around. Valmiki the poet says the royal floor looked like the night sky full of stars.
Manthara gives a terrible shriek that reverberates loudly throughout the palace. Kaikeyi is benumbed with fright and supplicates to Bharata.
Bharata restrains Shatrughna. He says a woman should not be slain under any circumstance. In fact, if this were permitted, he would have finished off Kaikeyi already. But Sri Rama would never never have forgiven them and ever set eyes on them if they had committed the act.
When Manthara is released by Shatrughna, she falls at Kaikeyi's feet sobbing, and the queen consoles her.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
