Author: shivam

Saranagati or Prapatti or total, absolute, unconditional surrender to the Supreme God, means Mahavishnu and his consort Mahalakshmy, is the core principle of devotion as per the Sri SampradAya of RamAnjacharya.
‘Na Dharma Nishthosmi Na Cha Atmavedi
Na BhaktimansTvat Charanaravinde |
Akinchanonanyagati Sharanyam
Tvat Padamoolam Sharanam Prapadye ||’
I know neither Dharmam nor Dyanam, righteousness nor meditation.
In fact, I know nothing . I totally surrender at your lotus feet.
Adi Sankara too, does the same in his ShivamAnaspooja stotram.
After offering the Asana, snAna, vastraaadi upacharams, all in imagination, he does a total surrender of to God.
करचरणकृतं वाक्कायजं कर्मजं वा
श्रवणनयनजं वा मानसं वापराधम् ।
विहितमविहितं वा सर्वमेतत्क्षमस्व
जय जय करुणाब्धे श्रीमहादेव शम्भो ॥५॥
Kara-Caranna-Krtam Vaak-Kaaya-Jam Karma-Jam Vaa
Shravanna-Nayana-Jam Vaa Maanasam Va-Aparaadham |
Vihitam-Avihitam Vaa Sarvam-Etat-Kssamasva
Jaya Jaya Karunna-Abdhe Shrii-Mahaadeva Shambho ||5||
Pardon me for every wrong committed by me, by my body or mind, knowingly or unknowingly , you the ocean of compassion, Mahadeva, Sambho!
Before that, he submits:
आत्मा त्वं गिरिजा मतिः सहचराः प्राणाः शरीरं गृहं
पूजा ते विषयोपभोगरचना निद्रा समाधिस्थितिः ।
सञ्चारः पदयोः प्रदक्षिणविधिः स्तोत्राणि सर्वा गिरो
यद्यत्कर्म करोमि तत्तदखिलं शम्भो तवाराधनम् ॥४॥
Aatmaa Tvam Girijaa Matih Sahacaraah Praannaah Shariiram Grham
Puujaa Te Vissayo[a-U]pabhoga-Racanaa Nidraa Samaadhi-Sthitih |
San.caarah Padayoh Pradakssinna-Vidhih Stotraanni Sarvaa Giro
Yad-Yat-Karma Karomi Tat-Tad-Akhilam Shambho Tava-Araadhanam ||4||
You, my Lord, are my Atma, soul. My budhy, pure intellect, the Divine Mother. Your companions ,Shiva ganas are my Prana, breath. My body is your temple. My worldly living is your worship and my sleep, Samadhi absolute absorption in you. My walking about you is pradakshinam for you. All my words, my hymns to you.
In short, every action, every movement of mine , Shambho, is your Worship.
This is complete identification with the absolute Reality.
The Atmasadakam of Sankara amplifies Acharya’s conviction that he is not different from Shiva, the Ultimate Reality.
Mano Buddhi Ahankara Chitta Ninaham
Nacha Shrotra Jihve Na Cha Ghrana Netre
Nacha Vyoma Bhoomir Na Tejo Na Vayu
Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham
‘When a mere stripling he was asked by his teacher,
‘Whence do you come; who are you;whither bound!’
Sankara answered:
I am not in the senses, nor in the mind.
I’m not in touch, nor am I taste;
Breathing and beating of the heart
Even they can hold me not;
Ears that hear, hear not my silence!
For I’m not the earth, nor in the air;
The light that scorches, and the spaces of the ether,
Even they are tongue-tied when they seek to name me;
For I’m infinite Knowledge,
I’m life that is beyond the living,
I’m the absolute,
Existence infinite–
I’m bliss.’
From the book ‘Sri Ramakrishna, the face of silence’
So, there lies the difference between the two streams, the thoughts propagated by Sankara and those of Sri Rananuja.
I’m the Dasan of God and I’m the God- both are not the same. But, Adwaitham was not Sankara’s finding. He only propagated it.
Sankara’s commentary on VushnusahasranAmam, which is considered to be of a great value and his Baja Govindam’ and several other stotrams and also his PanchAyathana pooja paddathi shows that for hiim, all gods are manifestations of the Absolute Truth.
I quote from the book, ‘Sri Ramakrishna, the face if silence’:
Enter the garden, eat sweet mangoes, and depart. You didn’t enter the garden to count the leaves on the mango tree. Why waste time discussing whether worship of God should be through idols or without idols? ‘
Various streams of thoughts are, fortunately, available for us.
Choose one or don’t choose any. But the fact is that the Ultimate Truth is Single, solid, unbreakable.
To quote again from the same book:.
“The teacher propounded, “Thou knowest the story of Rama and Hanuman.
When the incarnation of God said to Hanuman, ‘How dost though perceive me, O,my dearest devote?’ – What did Hanuman answer?”
“Hanuman replied, said Ramakrishna, “‘ when I feel you, my Lord, I’m your son and servant. When I think you, I’m part of you. But when I realized you, I am you”
That is Adwaitham

 

While treading the tedious, tormenting forests, following her husband’s steps, and even subsequently, the horrible incidents of her last day in the Palace would have been haunting Sita.
But, in captivity under the simsupa tree in the the Asoka grove of Ravana, her nightmare might have been the day of kidnapping by the demon king and her misjudgment of Lakshmana’s character and the rebukes, she showered on him.
‘How could Kaikeyi mother be so cruel to hand over the bark pieces for me to wear, she herself being a woman!’ Sita would have mused, for several days after leaving Ayodhya. ‘She cared neither for her heart-broken husband nor for the respected seniors like Sumantra and Sidhartha who pleaded with her to reconsider her arrogant and unjustified imposition to the king. She didn’t not care even for Raja Guru VasishtA’s advice.
‘There was not even a shade of change in her face,’ says the saint poet:
नैवसाक्षुभ्यते देवी न च स्म परिदूयते |
न चास्या मुखवर्णस्य विक्रिया लक्ष्यते तदा || २-३५-३७
naivasaakshubhyate devii na cha sma pariduuyate |
na chaasyaa mukhavarNasya vikriyaa lakshyate tadaa || 2-35-37
‘That queen Kaikeyi, however, was neither excited nor repented in her heart nor was any change observed in the colour of her face’.
Her mukhavarnam remained the same!
Once it was clear that the cruel lady would never change her imposition, the king orders to provide plenty of weapons, fighters and all materials required for a fearless and comfortable living in the forest for Rama, but even that was not agreeable to Kaikeyi.
aayudhaani cha mukhyaani naagaraaH shakaTaani cha |
anugachchhantu kaakutthsam vyaadhaashchaaraNyagocharaaH || 2-36-5
“Let important weapons, chiefs of police and vehicles, hunters knowing the secrets of forest accompany Rama(scion of Kakutsa)”
धान्य कोशः च यः कश्चित् धन कोशः च मामकः |
तौ रामम् अनुगच्चेताम् वसन्तम् निर्जने वने || २-३६-७
dhaanya koshaH ca yaH kashcit dhana koshaH ca maamakaH |
tau raamam anugacchetaam vasantam nirjane vane || 2-36-7
“Let the granary and the treasury belonging to me be sent to Rama residing in the uninhabited forest.”
No, even that was not acceptable to Kaikeyi.
How could Kaikeyi be so cruel ? We too wonder.
अथ चीराणि कैकेयी स्वयम् आहृत्य राघवम् |
उवाच परिधत्स्व इति जन ओघे निरपत्रपा || २-३७-६
‘Put these on,’ she told Rama to wear the bark pieces, she herself had brought shamelessly, to the gathering of men.
परिधत्स्व इति demanded Kaikeyi- ‘don these’
She, निरपत्रपा – shameless ( woman ).
Rama and Lakshmana wore the ascetic garb but Sita struggled with those when Rama helped her to wear them. What a treatment to the eldest daughter in law of theKingdom!
Sita’s leaving the palace was her decision but Kaikeyi endorsed and encouraged it. She also opposed the orders of the king to send men and materials for a comfortable living in the forest. It was a well planned strategy to keep Rama away from Ayodhya, along with his wife and most loving brother so that Bharatha’s throne is safe and secure.
A careful study of these two chapters will reveal that there was a concealed ambition in
Kaikeyi’s mind to make her son the monarch by somehow sidelining Rama. Mandara became an ignition torch. Selfishness was in Kaikeyi’s blood .
For me, it looks that the palace coup was well planned in advance, in Kaikeyi’s mind.

After mentioning that he was Rama’s messenger and that Rama was eager to secure her from her imprisonment and was fully capable of it, the great Hanuman talks about Lakshmana.

लक्ष्मणः च महातेजा भर्तुः ते अनुचरः प्रियः |

कृतवान् शोक सम्तप्तः शिरसा ते अभिवादनम् || ५-३४-४

‘The follower and favorite brother of your husband, the splendorous Lakshmana, himself tormented with grief, saluted you with his head’

mahaatejaaH, anucharaH, shoka santaptaH are the words Hanuman selected to qualify Lakshmana..  And ‘he did abhivaadanam to you,  shirasaa’.

It is natural that Sita’s thoughts, next to her husband, would have been around Lakshmana, who, like her, opted willingly to follow Rama and Sita to the forest and served most unselfishly the couple, throughout their living together. When Maricha screamed imitating Rama’s voice and Lakshmana assured Sita that it could be nothing but deceptive, she disbelieved him , abused and chased him to go for Rama’s help. Despite that, he took the precaution of drawing a protective line and asked her never to cross it, which she did for her ruin. The feeling of misunderstanding a noble and unselfish brother-like was bound to pinch her mind and she could have even gone to the extend of assuming that Lakshmanan would have never excused her for her ill treatment. It is to assuage that feeling Hanuman tells her that Lakshmanan still continues to nourish the same respect he had earlier and salutes you with all humility.

There was a concealed message. Lakshmanan is still with your husband! He still continues to be AnucharaH- walks with Rama! Don’t worry about your husband’s safety and daily needs- the best medicine for a wife, separated since months.

Spirituality is subtle in Valmiki’s RAmAyanam. The Adikavi recognizes Sri Rama as an incarnation of Mahavishnu but his treatment of Rama in his epic is, as an ideal son, ideal brother, ideal husband, ideal King, super archer and above all a Dharma purusha or superman of righteousness.  It is humanness more than divinity highlighted in the great work, which is a faithful narration of the life of the great Rama, his wife, siblings, father, mothers and others with whom he had to come into contact by design or by accident. We read the book as a Royal history or biography and there are other studies like geography, civics etc. too. Every character, every incident is more or less what happens even today in our country and outside. It can happen even in our homes. There are a few lines where the head queen Kousalia complains that the junior queens are not giving her due respect. Lakshmana threatens to chop of his father’s head for succumbing to the greedy dictation of his favorite queen. Mandara, an ordinary servant woman could play such a havoc in the royal kingdom which caused the loss of a mighty King and irreparable damage to millions, near and far! And the hunchback was neither Dhuryodhana, Sakuni or Dhrutarashtra- just a servant, invalid, old woman! Remember, this is a 5000 year- old story ! But, the difference is that the hero of the epic and many others sacrificed their lives, comforts, fortunes to uphold Dharma, come what may!  That is how Vamiki RAmAyanam became a spiritual book.

Sita could have said, ‘sorry Ram. You obey the orders of your cranky dad, but why should I? Buy a ticket for my natal home by the next available flight’.

So too, Lakshmana. ‘Annayya, nu poi ra- you carry on’ .

And will there be another fool like Bharatha, who threw away the golden crown offered in a golden platter? If the characters had behaved as many of us would be doing, we would have lost an invaluable life guide, an indestructible lighthouse like RAmAyanam.

Adyadmaramayanams in vernaculars, as the name suggests are deep in Adyadmeekam, spiritual, Devine thinking. Tunjathu Ezuthatchan, for example never allowed to slip an opportunity to sing the glory of Sri Rama. The book commences with

RamanAmam, recitation and repetition of Rama’s name.

‘Sri Rama Rama Rama Sri Ramachandra jaya,

Sri Rama Rama Rama Sri Ramabadra jaya—–

There are many hymns, songs on the glory of Sri Rama, all of them melt the heart of devotees. Ahalya, Kabandhan, Shabhari and many other characters, forget themselves by singing Rama’s greatness. 

Part 1

This is Ramayana mAsam in my native land of Kerala. When the Sun god moves behind the Western ghats to do Sandhya, the great AdyaAtma RAmAyanam hymn,  scented by the sacred Name of Rama in every line, overflows from most of the houses. I’m attempting to join the devotees in my own humble way, spending some time to meditate on Sundara Kandam, where Hanuman meets Sita, with Rama’s message, like the ThiruvAdira jnAttuvela , monsoon rains which cool and nourish the parched lands of the western coast.

SundarakAndam in RAmAyanam is really Sundaram!

The poetic talents and imagination of Valmiki is in full blossom in the SundarakAndam. In every stanza, there is a pearl or diamond or ruby, studded to it, most charismatically. This poetical extravaganza turns into needle -tip precision, when the great monkey king Hanuman, starts talking to Sita.

In the very first stanza, in the very first line, he has an amazing message for Sita, separated from her husband and starving to hear a word of consolation and assurance.

This is how Hanuman introduces himself to Sita:

अहम् रामस्य संदेशात् देवि दूतः तव आगतः |

वैदेहि कुशली रामः त्वाम् च कौशलम् अब्रवीत् ||

‘I have come with Rama’s message, Videha Raja putri! . The virtuous Rama Enquires about your welfare”

Imagine how Sita would have received the message, ‘ I have come with Rama’s message!’

Then the assurance:

‘your Rama, be assured, continuous to be virtuous. Don’t entertain any doubt on that account.

‘कुशली’ Rama: the virtuous Rama.

And also, Devi, don’t have any doubt in your mind whether he is interested in your welfare or not. He is anxious about it.

कौशलम् अब्रवीत् |

In the next verse, Hanuman reminds Sita that Rama is a great archer. He is a great Vedic too.

यो ब्राह्मम् अस्त्रम् वेदान् च वेद वेदविदाम् वरः |

स त्वाम् दाशरथी रामो देवि कौशलम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३

Rama possess BrhmAstram.

This is to remove any apprehension in her mind, if any, as to whether her husband would be able to conquer Ravana and free her.

And Rama is a great Vedic exponent too. He will never deviate from the Path of Dharma.

And then the next and most important message:

Devi, such a Rama enquired about your welfare!

Does Sita needed such an assurance about Rama’s intentions and ability and repeatedly to be told by Hanuman that he was anxious about her welfare?

Think about her situation, then. Absolutely hopeless, under the wrench-like grip of a mighty demon, with a huge army, who had been torturing her directly and indirectly. The Rakshasis, day in and day out had been praising the might of Ravana. Rama was a sanyasi and apart from his brother, he had no other support. Had he been in the throne, things would have been different with a mighty army and many other kings to support him.

In the guise of a sanyAsi, Ravana carried away Sita, by treachery. He could go to any extend to harm Sita. Rama was aware that the Jadayu bird, who intervened and tried to stop the kidnapping was mercilessly slashed to the ground by Ravana. Though he didn’t know where she was and in which state, Rama was worried about her and welfare was topmost in his mind. That was effectively conveyed by Hanuman. There cannot be anything more reassuring for a wife under the custody of the usurper than to learn that her husband is concerned about her safety and security.