August 29 - Sargas 65 and 66 of Aranya Kanda.
Who is a true friend, a true well-wisher? It is someone who stands by my side in my gravest difficulty and helps me pull myself together to do what is in my control and not go overboard in sorrow or anger.
The gold standard for this is Lakshmana. He has always been with Sri Rama as his dutiful younger brother- first when they went as boys with the sage Vishwamitra, and now in this period of banishment. Not only does Lakshmana serve Sri Rama and Sita as an incomparable companion, but he now also speaks words of the greatest importance to Sri Rama who is about to explode in grief and anger.
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अदृष्टपूर्वं संकृद्धं दृष्ट्वा रामं स लक्ष्मणः ।
अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता ॥
पुरा भूत्वा मृदुर्दान्तः सर्वभूतहिते रथः ।
न क्रोधवशमापन्नः पृकृतिं हातुमर्हसि ॥
चन्द्रे लक्ष्मीः प्रभा सूर्ये गतिर्वायौ भुवि क्षमा ।
एतच्च नियतं नित्यं त्वयि चानुत्तमं यशः ॥
"Seeing Sri Rama in such a rage as never seen before, Lakshmana spoke with folded hands these words of advice in a voice parched with grief and anxiety.
" Dear Sri Rama, you have always been full of softness, self-control, and manifest concern for all creation. Please do not lose yourself to this rage and give up your true nature.
" The cheerful prosperity of the moon, the radiant self-assurance of the sun, the momentum in the wind, and the forgiveness characteristic of the earth, are always present in you, apart from your unequalled glorious reputation."
Lakshmana points out that the debris of the chariot and the scattered remains of a great battle point only to a lone culprit, acting with impudence, unassisted by any army. All that remains for them to do is to find out the perpetrator of this heinous act and deal with that person. There is absolutely no provocation to unleash destruction en masse.
मद्द्वितीयो धनुष्पाणिः सहायैः परमर्षिभिः ।
समुद्रं वा विचेष्यामः पर्वतांश्च वनानि च ॥
"Dear brother, I am by your side. Armed with bow and arrows, taking help and guidance from enlightened sages, let us go and search for Sita in mountains, forests, even oceans and caves hidden away from human habitation.
"Only after such a thorough search can we decide what to do next. "
***
Lakshmana now changes gear. He tells Sri Rama that misfortune is a characteristic of everyone's life. The secret is to hold oneself together always.
Lakshmana reminds Sri Rama that his very birth has been unique. King Dasharatha did a huge yajna and got Sri Rama as his son just like the devas had obtained Amrita by churning the ocean. Sri Rama was so special that the king gave up his life after Rama went away to the forest. Therefore Sri Rama had to recognize his own place in the scheme of things and tide over this grief.
तत्त्वतो हि नरश्रेष्ठ बुद्ध्या समनुचिन्तया। ।
बुद्ध्या युक्ता महाप्राज्ञ विजानन्ति शुभाशुभे ॥
"Dear Rama, supreme among men, please apply your intellect and think through our best course of action. Those great men of wisdom don't lose their discrimination and power of judgement when faced with good fortune or ill-fortune".
मामेवंं हि पुरा वीर त्वमेव बहुशोक्तवान् ।
अनुशिष्याद्धि को नु त्वामपि साक्षाद् बृहस्पतिः ॥
"Dear brother, oh valorous one, indeed it is you who have been always guiding me, speaking to me on many matters. Therefore, how can someone else like me now guide you or instruct you? After all, you're Brihaspati himself, the teacher of the gods."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
