SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama: SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
SrIrAma leelAs and their essence
After reaching dhaNdakAraNyam, the sages who were living there came and met SrI rAma, sIthAp pirAtti and lakhmaNa. SrI rAma heard their complaints and understood that they were tortured greatly by the rAkshasas. He promised to help them. During their journey in the forest, a demon named virAdha tried to take sIthAp pirAtti away. SrI rAma killed him and rescued pirAtti.
He then went to Sarabanga muni’s ASramam and took his blessings. He heard the sufferings of the sages there as well and consoled them. He then reached suthIkshNa muni’s ASramam and got his blessings too. Further he met with agasthya muni and got a distinguished bow from him and based on his guidance, went towards panchavati.
On the way, they met jatAyu mahArAja. jatAyu told that he would like to help SrI rAma who is a dear son of dhaSaratha, his friend. SrI rAma too honoured jatAyu greatly and accepted his blessings.
After reaching panchavati. lakshmaNa made an ASramam and they started living there. That is when rAvaNa’s sister sUrpaNakA arrived there. She was a demon but got attracted to SrI rAma, due to his beautiful divine form. She immediately wanted to attain him. She went to him and revealed her desire. But he refused to accept her saying that he was already married. He suggested her to approach lakshmaNa who was alone. She went to lakshmaNa, but he said that he was a servitor or SrI rAma and cannot accept her. She became very angry and considering sIthAp pirAtti to be her hurdle, tried to attack her. At that time, as per Sri rAma’s order, lakshmaNa severed her ears and nose, with his sword. She then ran away from there to kara and dhUshaNa and informed them the sequence of events. kara and dhUshaNa came with an army of 14000 demons to wage a war against SrI rAma, and SrI rAma killed them on his own. She immediately went to lankA and informed her elder brother rAvaNa. After hearing that, according to her suggestion, he planned to capture sIthAp pirAtti. He requested his uncle mArIcha to assume the form of a mystical deer and roam around near SrI rAma’s ASramam. mAricha first refused, but finally agreed and went in that manner. sIthAp pirAtti saw that mystical deer and became very desirous to get it and hence requested SrI rAma to capture it for her.
lakshmaNa told that the deer looked suspicious and stopped SrI rAma; still SrI rAma started chasing it. After a while he shot the deer and felled it, and at that time mArIcha cried out “sIthA! lakshmaNa!”. Hearing that, sIthAp pirAtti asked lakshmaNa to go and help SrI rAma. Without any choice, lakshmaNa went searching for SrI rAma. At that time, rAvaNa came in the guise of a sanyAsi, and took sIthAp pirAtti away. While he carried her on the aerial route, she cried out for help, jatAyu mahArAja rushed to her help and fought with rAvaNa. But rAvaNa clipped his wings and pushed him down. He then placed her in aSOka vanam in lankA.
Here, SrI rAma and lakshmaNa met each other and understood the situation and returned to their ASramam to find out the absence of sIthAp pirAtti and searched for her everywhere. SrI rAma became very sorrowful. They became pained to see the state of jatAyu mahArAja. He granted mOksham to jatAyu and performed his final rites.
On the way, kabandha captured SrI rAma and lakshmaNa. He was afflicted by a curse and SrI rAma relieved him from the curse. kabandha requested them to go and meet sugrIva.
On the way, SrI rAma reached mathanga muni’s ASramam and blessed Sabari who was waiting there for him. He consumed the fruits which she had selected for him and granted her mOksham. As she suggested, they both reached the pampA lake.
Essence
- On seeing the sages of dhandakAraNya, SrI rAma felt ashamed. He asked for their forgiveness for his late arrival. He brought joy for them after quickly destroying the demons based on sIthAp pirAtti’s instigation.
- sUrpaNakA desired to attain SrI rAma. But she wanted to attain SrI rAma after killing pirAtti – such was her cruel mind. Hence she lost her ears and nose.
- SrI rAma individually decimated the 14000 demons starting with kara and dhUshaNa. sIthAp pirAtti became over-joyed and embraced him to eliminate the wounds which he got from the battle.
- mArIcha was already fearful of SrI rAma, having been shot by SrI rAma’s arrow once. Still he understood that if he did not help rAvaNa, he would be killed by rAvaNa. Hence he thought it was best to be killed by SrI rAma’s arrow and accepted to go as the mystical deer.
- sIthAp pirAtti lost SrI rAma, since she desired for the deer when SrI rAma was right next to her. Though this was just a pastime enacted by them, we should understand that we should not desire for anything other than bhagavAn while he is there. Similarly, she spoke very harsh words to lakshmaNa. That also resulted in suffering for her. Though this is also a pastime, it shows the cruel nature of bhAgavatha apachAram (commiting offenses towards bhAgavathas).
- It is illogical to say that rAvaNa took away sIthAp pirAtti. If we observed deeply, the truth is that sIthAp pirAtti voluntarily went to lankA to release the celestial ladies who were held captive in there. Only if she goes there, she thought that SrI rAma would follow her, destroy lankA and free them.
- When we look at SrI rAma suffering in separation from sIthAp pirAtti, we should understand the cruel nature of samsAram. Even when bhagavAn descends here, he goes through some sufferings. Hence, it is best to be liberated from here by the grace of bhagavAn and AchArya’s grace and engage in eternal kainkaryam.
- In Sabari’s offering of fruits, some say that she tasted them to select the best ones. Since bhagavAn will accept such acts when done with great devotion, there is nothing wrong in explaining that way.
Source – https://granthams.koyil.org/2024/11/17/srirama-leela-aranya-kandam-tamil/
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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