SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 3 – bAla kANdam 19.14 – aham vEdhmi – Part 2

SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

aham vEdhmi mahAthmAnam rAmam sathyaparAkramam |
vasishtOpi mahAthEjA yE chEmE thapasi sthithA: ||

The rAkshasas attack the rishis in the forest; throw blood, flesh and impure substances into the yagyam and disrupt the performance of yagyam. To annihilate the rAkshasas and to complete his yagyam, sage viSwAmithra visits king dhaSaratha and requests him to send SrI rAma, accompanied by lakshmaNa, to protect his yagyam. The above SlOkam is spoken by viSwAmithra during this conversation with king dhaSaratha.

In the previous article, vyAkhyAnam for the words aham vEdhmi was discussed. Sage viSwAmithra explains to king dhaSaratha that emperumAn Himself has incarnated as SrI rAma. He tells king dhaSaratha that he may not be aware of SrI rAma’s true identity; and elaborates further that being a king, dhaSaratha has mainly indulged in enjoyment of pleasures and hence he has not understood about the parabrahmam. Sage viSwAmithra says that he is aware of the incarnation of SrI rAma, and also provides the reasons for his awareness of SrI rAma’s true identity. He says that his thapas, interest in mOksham, and knowledge acquired by serving his AchAryas have all given him the ability to understand about SrI rAma.

Sage viSwAmithra then begins to explain his understanding/comprehension about SrI rAma to King dhaSaratha (elucidated by the words ‘mahAthmAnam rAmam sathyaparAkramam’ ). periyavAchchAn piLLai, elaborates these words in his vyAkhyAnam with pramANams from upanishadhs, SrI rAmAyaNam, raghuvamSam, and AzhwArs’ pAsurams.

Notes from periyavAchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

mahAthmAnam – as mahAthmA

Sage vishwAmithra says, “I am aware that he – SrI rAma is mahAthmA – one who is supreme – greater than everyone.”

Sage viSwAmithra says, “King dhaSaratha! You look at SrI rAma as a young prince and hence, you are not able to fully understand about SrI rAma.”

kALidhAsan says in raghuvamSam “thEjasAm hi na vaya: samIkshyathE” (greatness of a wise person should not be ignored because of his/her adolescence or youth). So sage viSwAmithra, tells king dhaSaratha that inspite of SrI rAma appearing as a young prince, it is evident to him that SrI rAma is the Supreme One.

vaijayanthi dhivya akshara kANdam (1-6), provides the following descriptions/definitions for word AthmA – jIvan, firmness/steadiness, body, nature of self (svabhAvam), paramAthmA, one with zeal, sun, agni (fire), mind, and vAyu (air). Each of these meanings is elaborated in the context of mAhAthmAnam by periyavAchchAn piLLai with several pramANams.

Using the definition of AthmA as jIvan, the following is explained. bruhadhAraNyaka upanishath 5-7-26 “yasyAthmA SarIram” (One who has AthmA as his SarIram (body)); “ya AthmAni thishtannAthmanOnthara:” (One who pervades inside everything). As such, sage viSwAmithra says, “I understand SrI rAma to be the one who has all jIvas as his body and as the one who is the AthmA within all the jIvAthmAs.

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘firmnesses / steadiness’ the following is explained. (source name is unknown here): “Apadhyapi svakAryEshU karthavyathvasthithir dhruthi:” (One who is resilient at all times and determined to accomplish all tasks and bring them to completion). As such, Sage viSwAmithra says, “I understand SrI rAma to be the one with willpower and determination to accomplish all his endeavours.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘body’ the following is explained. vyAsa bagavAn says in varAha purANam “nithyam nithyAkruthidharam” (One who is eternal, with an eternal thirumEni, thirumEni which is not subject to material changes); “na thasya prAkruthA mUrththir mAmsamEdhOsthi sambhavA” (one with a thirumEni which is not made of flesh and bone). nammAzhwAr says in thiruvAimozhi – 3.1.8, “mAsUNAch chudar udambAy” (One with flawless effulgent thirumEni). As such, sage viSwAmithra says, “ I understand SrI rAma as the one with a thirumEni (body) that is invincible by enemies, eternal, flawless, and with incomparable radiance.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘svabhAvam’ the following is explained. vAlmeeki bhagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam, yudhdha kANdam 18.33 “abhayam sarva bhUthEbhyO dhadhAmi Ethadh vratham mama” (SrI rAma vows: “one who surrenders unto me once, I promise to protect him”) thaiththrIya upanishath says “yaSmAthparam nAparamasthi kinchith” (one who has no one greater than himself, he is paramAthmA). nammAzhwAr says in thiruvAimozhi – 2.3.2 “oththAr mikkArai ilaiyAya mA mAya!” (there is no one equal to or greater than You) As such, sage viSwAmithra says, “I understand that there is no one equal to or greater than Sri rAma, He is greater than the dhEvas [celestial entities], and he is the antharyAmi even for the dhEvas.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘one with zeal ’ the following is explained. krishNa says in SrI bhagavath gIthA 4.8 “vinASAya cha dushkruthAm” (For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the evil, and for establishing dharmam, I take birth again and again.” As such, sage viSwAmithra says, “I understand SrI rAma to be the one with great enthusiasm in pursuit of destroying evil.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘sun’ the following is explained. vAlmeeki bhagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam, sundhara kANdam “rAma dhivAkara:”, meaning, “SrI rAma is like the sun and the weapons that he holds are like the rays of the sun; using his weapons (which are like the sun’s rays), he completely vanquishes the entire pool of rAkshasas”. As such, Sage viSwAmithra says, “I understand SrI rAma as the one who doesn’t need his weapons to destroy the asuras; just by his greatness he can completely dry up the stream (of asuras) from its source.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘agni (fire)’ the following is explained. vAlmeeki bhagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 99-2 “abhitha: pAvakOpam” (bharathAzhwAn says that he saw SrI rAma resembling a fire). vAlmeeki bhagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 30-14 “nirdhahEdh api kAkuthsa: kruddha: thIvrENa chakshushA” (hanumAn says, “by returning in haste from here without carrying sIthAp pirAtti’s message, SrI rAma may get irritated and burn me up with his pungent eyes.) thirumangai AzhwAr says in thirunedunthANdakam 1 “analuruvil thigazhum sOdhi” (that which is unapproachable like fire; the scorching look that will turn the enemies into tiny particles of dust). As such, sage viSwAmithra says, “I understand SrI rAma as the ‘great fire’ which can burn enemies into ashes.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘mind’ the following is explained. valmeeki bagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kAndam 1-1 “sarvaSAsthrArtha thathvagya:” (He is the knower of the meanings and essence of SAsthram). vAlmeeki bhagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 116-27 “budhdhyA hyashtAngayA yuktha:” (one with eight elements of wisdom). As such, sage viSwAmithra says, “I am aware of SrI rAma as the one with abilities to devise strategies and destroy the enemies everywhere while remaining stationed in one place.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘vAyu (air)’ the following is explained. parASara bhagavAn says in vishNu purANam 1-14-31 “thasmai vAthAthmanE nama:” (salutations to the one who is in the form of vAyu). nammAzhwAr says in thiruvAimozhi-6-9-1 “nIrAy nilanAyth thIyAyk kAlAy” (emperumAn – one having as body – fire and air). As such, Sage viSwAmithra says, “just as how a strong wind will blow away a ball of cotton, I am aware of Sri rAma as the mahAvAyu who dispels and vanishes the enemies.”

Using the definition of AthmA as ‘vAyu- prANan’ the following is explained. parASara bhAttar says in sahasranAma bhAshyam “mruthasanjeevanam hi rAmavruththAntham” (SrI rAma’s life history will bring back even a lost life). Sage viSwAmithra says, “just as prANa vAyu provides life energy to all beings, I am aware that SrI rAma is the prANan providing vitality to all favourable/ conducive beings.”

purusha sUktham says: “vEdhAhamEdham purusham” ( (vEdham) understands / knows this virAt purushan as the one who does the creation; he is mahAntham (humongous/ supreme/incomprehensible)).
- How does the vEdham understand him to be ‘mahAntham’? – this is elaborated in the following pAsuram. nammAzhwAr says in thiruvAimozhi – 9.3.3 “aRindhana vEdha aruL poruL nUlgaL aRindhana koLga arum poruLAdhal“.
“mahAntham”, is further explained in the kEna upanishath. kEna upanishath “yaSyAmatham thasya matham matham yasya na vEdha sa:” (A person who thinks that he is incapable of comprehending parabrahmam is said to be the knower of parabrahmam; whereas the person who thinks that he has understood parabrahmam, in reality, has not really understood parabrahmam. Even to the ‘knower of parabrahmam’, parabrahmam can only be understood as the Supreme One who cannot be fully understood).

‘aham vEdhmi mahAthmAnam rAmam sathyaparAkramam‘, is an explanation (upabrahmaNam) to what is told in the purusha sUktham “vEdhAhamEdham purusham mahAntham”.
- vEdhAhamEdham is conveyed as ‘aham vEdhmi’
- vEdha’ is ‘vEdhmi’; ‘aham’ as ‘aham’.
- ‘Edham’ is a subtle reference to the saulabhyam [easy approachability] of perumAL, which is conveyed by the word ‘rAmam’.
- ‘purusham’ refers to ‘one with valour’, the same is conveyed by the word ‘sathyaparAkramam’.
- ‘mahAntham’ is expressed as ‘mahAthmAnam’.
- Thus, it can be understood that the words / meanings conveyed by the rIshI are not different from vEdham.

The Supreme One who is described here as ‘mahAthmAnam’ is none other than SrI rAma, son of king dhaSaratha. vAlmeeki bhagavAn says in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 16-8 “pitharam rOchayAmAsa” ((bhagavAn vishNu) chose King dhaSaratha as his father). Sage viSwAmithra tells King dhaSaratha, “Neither does he (SrI rAma) make us feel apprehensive about approaching him (knowing him to be ‘para vasthu’ – the Supreme Being) nor does he distance Himself from us thinking us to be beneath him. Instead, he (SrI rAma) made himself easily accessible in this avathAram that even I am able to call him to assist me in completing my yagyam.” Sage viSwAmithra continues,“ You are not able to see SrI rAma’s greatness since he made himself easily accessible and approachable.”

Sage viSwAmithra quotes yajur vEdham “sa u SrEyAn bhavathi jAyamAna:” (bhagavAn becomes radiant by incarnating) – The greatness of Sri rAma became well-lit and apparent to all only because of this incarnation.

vyAkhyAnam for the remaining SlOkam to be continued in the next article.

Source – ‘SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam’ bAla kANdam 19.14 part 2 – Audio Video

adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi
Proofreading/Curating done by – kOsalEndhra rAmAnuja dhAsan, krishNan rAmAnuja dhAsan

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