SrIrAma leelAs and their essence – kishkindhA kANdam

SrI:  SrImathE satakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:  SrI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:

SrIrAma leelAs and their essence

<< AraNya kANdam

After SrI rAma reached the shore of the pampA lake along with lakshmaNa, he looked at the natural beauty there and became sorrowful since he could not enjoy it due to the separation from sIthAp pirAtti. He lamented a lot. At that time, sugrIva who was on the rishyamukha hill saw their arrival. sugrIva was living in exile on this hill, due to his enmity with his elder brother vAli. He was accompanied by jAmbavAn, hanuman et al. On seeing SrI rAma and lakshamaNa, sugrIva became fearful thinking that they may have been sent by vAli. Seeing that, hanuman went to them to find out their identity.

hanuman reached them in the guise of a brAhmaNa. As soon he saw SrI rAma in close proximity, he became very blissful. He realised that he has seen the supreme lord. He vowed that he will serve him forever. He approached them and enquired about their identity. lakshmaNa narrated the incidents in detail and informed hanuman that they have now arrived here to meet sugrIva. Feeling joyful, hanuman got back to his original form, worshipped them and brought them to sugrIva. He introduced them to sugrIva and informed their intentions to him and sugrIva too became happy. Having fire as the witness, SrI rAma and sugrIva became friends and vowed to help each other. SrI rAma accepted sugrIva as his younger brother.

SrI rAma told sugrIva that he will defeat vAli and handover the kingdom to sugrIva. sugrIva did not believe his words. Hence, SrI rAma shot seven ebony trees and knocked them down. After that sugrIva became faithful of SrI rAma’s prowess. It was decided that vAli and sugrIva should fight each other. Subsequently, sugrIva went and called vAli for a fight. Both attacked each other. SrI rAma tried to kill vAli, but since both of them had similar bodily features, he could not take aim. sugrIva returned. Again he went and called vAli for a fight. This time, sugrIva was decorated with a garland to easily identify him. A tough battle ensued and at that time SrI rAma hid behind a tree and shot vAli.

Seeing SrI rAma’s arrow, vAli questioned if SrI rAma’s act was correct. SrI rAma consoled him by explaining the dharma and granted him noble destination. After that, SrI rAma performed the coronation of sugrIva.

After that, there was a 4 months period of monsoon and autumn seasons. sugrIva promised that he will help SrI rAma after that and SrI rAma patiently waited. But sugrIva was enjoying worldly pleasures and forgot to help. SrI rAma sent lakshmaNa who advised sugrIva and reformed him and commenced the search for sIthAp pirAtti.

sugrIva sent many vAnaras (monkeys) in many directions. At that time, SrI rAma gave his ring to hanuman and asked him to show it to sIthAp pirAtti. Those who went to east, west and northern directions returned without any success. hanuman and others who went south, met sampAthi who is the elder brother of jatAyu, and he saw sIthAp pirAtti in lankA with his sharp eyes and informed them about it.

hanuman who is very strong, with his great power, crossed the ocean and reached lankA. He searched for sIthAp pirAtti everywhere there and finally found her in a very pitiful state in aSOka vanam. She was ready to kill herself by hanging herself with her hair. hanuman stopped that by reciting the history of SrI rAma and announced to her that he was SrI rAma’s messenger and handed over SrI rAma’s ring to her. Seeing that, she became very immersed in emotions. hanuman further got her trust by explaining the interactions between her and SrI rAma.

Essence

  • Even in his incarnations, bhagavAn cannot live in separation of SrI mahAlakshmi. That is why he became very sorrowful after not finding her even after searching her everywhere.
  • For a true devotee, when he sees bhagavAn, great bliss will occur. At that same moment, he will fully submit himself to bhagavAn. This can be seen in hanuman’s case.
  • Even though bhagavAn had descended himself, since he had concealed his abilities in a human form, sugrIva tested SrI rAma and only then became faithful. This is the nature of this world.
  • Killing of vAli is a much analysed topic. But even while it happened SrI rAma gave explanation to vAli himself and convinced him. Since vAli committed injustice to his brother and since he took away his brother’s wife, he was punished. Since vAnaras are animals, there is nothing wrong in killing them from behind the view.
  • Even when sugrIva had forgotten to help SrI rAma, SrI rAma reformed him through lakshmaNa. In the case of his devotees, bhagavAn makes many efforts to reform them.
  • Since SrI rAma gave the ring to hanuman, it was confirmed at that moment itself that hanuman will be the one who will find sIthAp pirAtti.
  • hanuman saved pirAtti who had taken a disastrous decision, by his beautiful speech and thus saved SrI rAma as well. This is the best kainkaryam.

Source – https://granthams.koyil.org/2024/11/22/srirama-leela-kishkindha-kandam-tamil/

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

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