March 27 - Sargas 83,84, and 85 of Uttara Kanda.
The discussion about a great yajna for universal welfare.
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Bharata and Lakshmana came gladly to pay their respects to Sri Rama. After embracing them warmly, Sri Rama said briefly how he had completed the mission of addressing the grievance of the old brahmin about his dead son.
Then Sri Rama broached, after some thought, an important idea.
धर्मसेतुमथो भूयः कर्तुमिच्छामि राघवौ ।
युवाभ्यामात्मभूताभ्यां राजसूयमनुत्तमम् ।
सहितो यषटुमिच्छामि तत्र धर्मस्तु शाश्वतः ॥
"Dear brothers, Raghavas, I wish to establish a permanent bridge to Dharma now for the welfare of all. Along with you two, I wish to perform the glorious Rajasuya yajna. That will establish Dharma in our land forever."
The Rajasuya is a yajna performed by a king who earns undisputed status as the supreme, unchallenged monarch. We read how Yudhishthira performed the Rajasuya as enjoined by Sage Narada, in the Mahabharata.
Sri Rama went on to state how Mitradeva got his undisputed status as Varuna, as did Somadeva as the beloved of all creation, by the performance of Rajasuya.
But Bharata had a response.
त्वयि धर्मः परः साधो त्वयि सर्वा वसुन्धरा ।
प्रतिष्ठिता महाबाहो यशश्चामितविक्रम ॥
"Oh lord of boundless valour, the mighty-armed Sri Rama, in you already resides all supreme Dharma. The entire support system of this creation is firmly established in you.
"Oh, lord, the Rajasuya requires war and conquest over other kings and will bring hardship to people. Why such a violent yajna? You are already the supreme lord of all earth."
श्रुत्वामृतमयं प्रहर्षं अतुलं लेभे "Hearing Bharata's words of wisdom and universal love, Sri Rama was delighted beyond measure."
"Bharata, I am very happy to hear this from you. Yes, whereas kings engage in Rajasuya for expansionism, there is no need for it now."
बालानां तु शुभं वाक्यं ग्राह्यं लक्ष्मणपूर्वज "If a word of wisdom is uttered even by a child, its import should not be missed."
***
After Sri Rama closed down that line of thinking, Lakshmana said something significant.
"Sri Rama, the Ashvamedha yajna is regarded as sacred and a cleanser of all accumulated sins. It is not easy to do but befits someone like you.
"There is a story of long ago about how Indra incurred the sin of killing a brahmin when he killed the great asura Vrittra. He performed Ashvamedha to absolve himself and be restored to Indra-hood.
"Vrittra was an asura who became a great king and ruled the entire earth well. His purity, valour, administrative competence, all earned him high praise in all the three worlds. There was unprecedented prosperity. Vrittra then decided to perform a severe penance.
तपो हि परमं श्रेयः सम्मोहमितरत्सुखम् "Penance confers the greatest good and bliss, and in comparison, all other pleasures count for nothing."
So Vrittra handed over the kingdom to his son, and engaged in severe penance.
Indra felt threatened and rushed to Mahavishnu. "Oh, lord, the way Vrittra is progressing, soon he will be the lord and master by his merit of the three worlds. Vrittra is no doubt a generous king, but he cannot be allowed to become so powerful. I know, oh, Mahavishnu, that Vrittra is dear to you and that is his strength. Please apply your mind and ensure that Vrittra's rise does not upset the universal order. Please put an end to Vrittra."
***
Sri Rama was very interested to know how Vrittra was killed.
Lakshmana continued.
"Mahavishnu said he had affection for Vrittra from a long time ago. So there was no way he would kill Vrittra. He still suggested a way out since there was universal concern about Vrittra's monopoly. Mahavishnu said he would divide his tejas (divine radiance) into three parts. One would enter Indra and increase his prowess. The second would be placed in Indra's varjrayudha (thunderbolt). The third part would be held in reserve in mother earth. That would ensure Indra would succeed in killing Vrittra.
Indra was very happy. He received the portions of tejas into himself and into his thunderbolt, and went ahead and attacked Vrittra during his penance. Vrittra was emitting an awesome radiance from his penance. Indra went and struck him with the thunderbolt, and instantly, Vrittra's head rolled off his body. Vrittra's death shook the three worlds.
Unfortunately, Indra's act incurred for him the terrible sin of brahmahatya as Vrittra was a devotee. Indra became invisible as a result. So the gods again rushed to Mahavishnu and pleaded that Indra himself had disappeared and therefore they had no lord of the gods anymore. They appealed to Mahavishnu to bring back Indra.
पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्या पाकशासनः ।
पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयः। ॥
"If Indra performs the most sacred yajna of Ashvamedha to propitiate me, he will be blessed and restored to Indra-hood as the lord of gods without fear."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
