March 17 - Prakshipta Sargas 1 and 2 of Uttara Kanda.
Prakshipta sargas are considered later interpolations. But all the versions of the Valmiki epic I have seen have this story and so I am reading it and covering it here. It is the story of a dog and a brahmin and has an interesting takeaway!
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The next morning, Sri Rama is resplendently seated on his throne, surrounded by all the great rishis like Sage Vasishtha, his ministers, and other chiefs. He requests Lakshmana to go and find out any citizens waiting at the palace gates seeking redressal or judgement and bring them in. Lakshmana goes gladly but returns with the news that there is no one at all waiting there with any pending issues.
नाधयो व्याधयश्चैव रामे राज्यं प्रशासति ।
पक्वसस्या वसुमती सर्वौषधिसमन्विता ॥७.६०.८॥
न बालो म्रियते तत्र न युवा न च मध्यमः ।
धर्मेण शासितं सर्वं न च बाधा विधीयते ॥७.६०.९॥
दृश्यते न च कार्यार्थी रामे राज्यं प्रशासति ।
लक्ष्मणः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा रामायैवं न्यवेदयत् ॥७.६०.१०॥
Lakshmana reports, "Oh, Sri Rama, what I am hearing is that under your rule, no one has any mental or physical illnesses or grievances. The crops are bountiful, the earth is nourished well by rain and is therefore full of all vegetation and splendour. Neither young children nor youth nor middle-aged people are dying untimely deaths. When you are ruling with Dharma, there is no question of any hardships or difficulties. Hence there is no supplicant at our gate!"
Sri Rama is happy, but asks Lakshmana to go once more and investigate. Lakshmana returns with the same report. Sri Rama now says,
तस्माद्राजभयाद्सर्वे रक्षन्तीह परस्परम् ।
बाणा इव मया मुक्ता इह रक्षन्ति मे प्रजाः ॥७.६०.१३॥
"It is clear that the rule of law is so firm here that out of fear of punishment, people are looking out for each other and taking care of matters righteously. They are upholding the rule of law as inviolably as my arrows! That only motivates me to ensure a more diligent application of my kingship!"
But again, Sri Rama says Lakshmana should go and find out if indeed there is none at all there who has brought some grievance for redressal. It appears that Sri Rama is clairvoyant!
Indeed, this time, Lakshmana finds a dog standing at the gate. When he asks the dog if he has any grievances, he replies, "Yes! I have a big grievance. I shall however disclose it only to Sri Rama. I am a miserable dog and should not enter sacred spaces like a yajna shala or the king's court. So kindly obtain Sri Rama's permission asking whether it is permitted for me to present my case to him in the royal court."
Lakshmana goes and reports what he has just heard and Sri Rama grants the dog permission.
***
The dog enters the court and everyone sees that he has been injured in his head. He says,
राजैव कर्ता भूतानां राजा चैव विनायकः ।
राजा सुप्तेषु जागर्ति राजा पालयति प्रजाः॥७.६१.४॥
नीत्या सुनीतया राजा धर्मं रक्षति रक्षिता
यदा न पालयेद्राजा क्षिप्रं नश्यन्ति वै प्रजाः ॥७.६१.५॥
त्वं प्रमाणं प्रमाणानामसि राघव सुव्रत ।
विदितश्चैव ते धर्मः सद्भिराचरितस्तु वै ॥७.६१.११॥
इदं विज्ञाय यत्कृत्यं श्रूयतां मम राघव ॥७.६१.१६॥
The dog makes a splendid parliamentary speech! I am cutting out all the words oozing administrative and constitutional wisdom but have quoted only a few lines:
"The king alone is responsible for everyone's welfare, the king is the supreme authority of the land. If he does not rule well, the people of the kingdom will perish ( I almost wrote "go to dogs").
"Sri Rama, you are the final authority to settle any doubts even among the ultimate authorities on these matters. Knowing this, let me now present my case."
The dog says that there is a bhikshu (one who lives on charity) by the name of Sarvarthasiddha who is living in a brahmin's house. He has beaten the dog for no reason.
Sri Rama sends for Sarvathasiddha before continuing the hearing. The bhikshu makes his appearance. The bhikshu asks if there is anything Sri Rama wants him to do for the king. Sri Rama meaningfully looks at the dog.
Sri Rama says, "Oh brahmin! Anger is the foremost enemy of man. It is more dangerous than real human enemies as it resides inside man and kills him. Anger destroys everything. It ruins all merit earned through asceticism, charity, and worship. Therefore one should eschew anger."
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा चक्षुषा च समाचरेत्।
श्रेयो लोकस्य चरतो न द्वेष्टि न च लिप्यते ॥७.६१.२४॥
"One should regulate one's thoughts, actions and speech as well as sight and other sense activities such that everything augurs for universal welfare. That is the only way one can avoid hatred and remain unattached in this world."
Sri Rama adds that an intemperate mind is more deadly than sharp weapons. A man's nature predisposed to anger will manifest however much he tries by learning and self-imposed humility to alter his own behaviour.
Why did the bhikshu hurt the dog? He replies that he was at that moment agitated and full of anger when the dog crossed his path as he went begging. He shouted at the dog to clear out of his way but the dog hung around. The man was hungry and angry and thus beat that dog.
"Oh, King! Indeed I now realize I have wronged this dog. Kindly give me whatever punishment is right."
Sri Rama turns to his priests and ministers. They all say with one voice, "Oh, King! It is there in all scriptures and in the collective wisdom of the ages that under no circumstance should a brahmin be ever punished." They conclude that Sri Rama knows all this, as he is Mahavishnu himself.
***
The dog now speaks. "Oh, Sri Rama, if you are pleased to do so, I have a request. You have already assured me of a fair resolution of my grievance.
"Kindly make this brahmin the chief administrator and head of a Matha (a charitable and religious institution!) in the city of Kalanjaranagara."
कालाञ्जरे महाराज कौलपत्यं प्रदीयताम् ॥७.६१.३९॥
What a strange request! Sri Rama smilingly acquiesces, and at once appoints the bhikshu to that high office there. The brahmin is ecstatic as he is then allowed to leave the court, riding on an elephant!
The courtiers cannot hide their laughter. They ask Sri Rama, "Oh, Lord! We thought you would award the worst punishment to that brahmin, but indeed you rewarded him with a high position! How strange!"
It is Sri Rama's turn to smile. He says, "you are judging my action prematurely, without understanding the course of Karma and Fate. Let us ask the dog why he wanted what he asked for."
The dog now says,"Oh Sri Rama! True. In my past birth, I was the chief of that Matha. I ate only the sumptuous prasada of all the yajnas there and lived royally. I had many servants. I took care of my duties and the Matha property. But look at my fate! I have now been born as a wretched dog! Now that you have appointed that cruel and unrighteous brahmin to that post, you can imagine what fruit of his actions there he will reap and how miserable he will be in his next birth. Indeed he will do enough wrong to blight seven generations before and after."
The dog now speaks high words of wisdom!
"Never should one be in charge of a public institution like a Matha. That job will surely bring ruin to one's family for generations. Being in charge of a temple or taking care of cows and brahmins is fraught with severe consequences. The reason is simple. The temptations are too many for misappropriation, misuse of powers, favouritism, and theft. One will be plunged for such misdeeds into a hell called Aveechi. Even to harbour a thought of misappropriation of what truly belongs to brahmins and gods by misusing one's position is going to give hell as punishment."
***
The dog was a wise creature who had held a high position of a brahmin in his past birth! Valmiki says that the dog felt his life had been now fulfilled by having the audience with Sri Rama, went to Varanasi and gave up his life.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
