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

aham vEdhmi mahAthmAnam rAmam sathyaparAkramam |
vasishtOpi mahAthEjA yE chEmE thapasi sthithA: ||
This SlOkam is said by sage viSwAmithra to king dhaSaratha. Simple meaning for the SlOkam: Sage viSwAmithra tells king dhaSaratha that he, along with vasishta bhagavAn and other maharishis, is aware about the greatness of SrI rAma.
So far, the words up to mahAthEjA and the glories of vasishta bhagavAn were described in the preceding article. In this article, we will continue to explain a few more details about the glories of vasishta bhagavAn and other rishis.
Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam
yE chEmE – others who are present here
thapasi sthithA – those thapasis / rishis
The following pramANams are given as an explanation as to why king dhaSaratha should accept vasishta bhagavAn’s words which favour sage viSwAmithrA.
- “yadhbrAhmaNaSchAbrahmaNaScha praSnamEyAthAm brAhmaNAyAdhi brUyAth” (in a situation where there is justice on both sides of the argument and if the argument is between a brAhmaNa and another person, judgement given should be in favour of the brAhmaNa).
- manu smrithi 11-79 “brAhmaNArthE gavArthE vA sadhya: prANan parithyajEth” (for the sake of a brAhmaNa or a cow one can even forsake his life immediately)
- As said in the above pramANams, king dhaSaratha thinks that vasishta bhagavAn would favour arguments of sage viSwAmithra over a king . Here, periyavAchchAn piLLai presumes such a thought or a question would arise for king dhaSaratha and hence, provides the following answers.
yE chEmE thapasi sthithA:
- Sage viSwAmithra tells king dhaSaratha that he can rely on the maharishis’ words even if he doesn’t concur with vasishta bhagavAn. He says that the maharishis present are thapasvis and hence their words are also truthful.
- The maharishis being aware of SrI rAma’s true identity, acknowledge sage viSwAmithra’s words. Sage viSwAmithra points out the following to demonstrate their nobility to king dhaSaratha.
- Sage viSwAmithra says that vasishta bhagavAn and himself being kulagurus may at times praise the kings with the intention of earning their generosity. But the maharishis do not commend or applaud king’s actions for any favours because they lead a simple life (even their diet is mainly dry leaves – simple things).
- Sage viSwAmithra says that dhaSaratha doesn’t have to worry about involving SrI rAma in combat, thinking him to be young. Reference for this can be found in SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 20-2 “UnashOdaSavarsha:” (SrI rAma has not even completed sixteen years of age).
- It is said in purusha sUktham “thasya dhIrA: parijAnanthi yOnim” (only the wisest of the learned/ intelligent ones are knowledgeable about emperumAn’s avathAra rahasyam – purpose of incarnation).
- Sage viSwAmithra says that the maharishis are such wise men and hence their words can be trusted by king dhaSaratha.
imE – these rishis ( these – infers to ‘not being prominent’).
- Unlike pulasthyar, agasthyar, parASarar and vyAsar who are all popular with prominent positions as AchAryas, the maharishis have not earned / aspired for any fame or recognition for themselves. As such, sage viSwAmithra infers that the maharishis will not say anything for the sake of getting prominence and hence they are dependable.
- Furthermore, sage viSwAmithra continues, “I do not even have to explicitly describe about them, these rishis live only for experiencing bhagavAn and not for attaining worldly things, fame or position; this is evident by even looking at their forms”.
- The rishis appear with grey hair (indicating worldly detachment), weak jaws, sunken / hollow cheeks, wrinkled / dry skin, weak body, fingers which are consistently counting / doing japam, and mouth repeatedly uttering the manthram, tearing eyes (experiencing the divine bliss), always meditating about the parabrahmam, with persistent horripilation because of divine experience. These indicators themselves show that they are honest and truthful. Such a reference can also be found in vishNu thathvam “AhlAdhaSIthanEthrAmbu: pulakeekruthagAthravAn | sadhA paraguNAvishtO dhrashtavyas sarvadhEhibhi:” (One who is always with tears of joy thinking of emperumAn, with horripilation all over the body, always meditating on emperumAn’s kalyANa guNams – such ones – must be seen by everyone having a human form).
- Another interpretation for – imE – these rishis. The greatness of the rishis is beyond description of words or thoughts and hence sage viSwAmithra says that they are identified here by just a hand gesture (pointing at them using a finger).
- periyAzhwar says in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi – 1.4.8 “siRiyan enRu en iLam singaththai igazhEl kaNdAy siRumaiyin vArththaiyai mAvali idaich chenRu kEL” (periyAzhwAr in the mood of yaSOdhA sings – by looking at the moon – “Don’t think of krishNa as a small child, you can inquire about his greatness from mahAbalich chakravarthi”. Sage viSwAmithra tells king dhaSaratha that he doesn’t have to go all the way to pAthAla lOkam to ask mahAbali, instead he can ask the maharishis present with them (here – imE – referring to the rishis).
- The rishis are in sathva guNam. It is also pointed out that it is better to inquire and listen to the rishis with sathva guNam, rather than listen to mahAbali who is from asura kulam.
- They are trustworthy not only because of their strength in numbers, they are to be trusted because they are also thapasvis. “bhUyasAm syAdhbaleeyasthvam” (unlike vasishta bhagavAn and myself, these rishis here outnumber us; the words of many are trustworthy rather than words of few).
- The following pramANams provide definition for the word ‘thapas’. These definitions highlight the greatness of the thapasis.
- “thapO dhAnam thapas sathyam thapO dharma: prathishtitha:” (giving charity is thapas, speaking the truth is thapas, following varNASrama dharmam is thapas) “thapasi sthithA:” (at all times enduring hardships to their body). The rishis are such thapasvis who will always speak the truth.
- murAri says in anargarAgavam 1-17 “huthamishtancha thapthancha dharmaSchAyam kulasya thE | gruhAthprathinivarthanthE pUrNakAmA yadarthina:” (athithi sathkAram – hospitality to a guest, is considered equivalent to performing yAgam, thapas, and dharmam) The rishis here are of such kind and hence thapasvis.
- using the root meaning ‘thapa santhApE’, the word ‘thapa’ is explained with the following pramANams. bruhadhAraNyaka upanishath 6-4-22 “yagyEna dhAnEna thapasA” (the brAhmaNAs try to understand/realise bhagavAn through yagyam, charity, and eternal penance). ALavandhAr (yAmunAchArya) says in gIthArtha sangraham – 23 “karmayOgasthapasthIrthadhAnayagyAdhisEvanam” (penance, bathing/cleansing in holy waters, charity, yAgam are parts of karma yOgam). The rishis are thapasvis who are steadfast in karma yOgam.
- using the root meaning ‘thapa AlOchanE’, the word ‘thapa’ is explained with the following pramANams. “AthmAnam thathvathO gyAthvA” (understanding AthmA as is); “Athma yAthAthmya gyAna pUrvakam” (understanding the truth about AthmA and on that basis cultivating devotion). As said in the above pramANams, the rishis are committed to acquiring knowledge and hence remain steadfast in gyAna yOgam. These are explicitly expressed to indicate the virtues of the rishis.
- using the root meaning ‘thapa aiSwaryE”, the word ‘thapa’ is explained with the following pramANams.
- manu smrithi 12-122 “praSAsithAram sarvEshAm” (one who controls everyone).
- chAndhOgya upanishath 5-10-1 “yE chEmEraNyE SradhdhA thapa ithyupAsathE” (one who does penance in the forest worshipping the supreme, personified as ‘thapas”.
- sahasranAmAdhyAyam “paramam yO mahaththapa:” (one who is said to be the highest of thapa”.
- Through these pramANams, the rishis can be understood as ones with bhakthi yOgam and gyAna yOgam towards the supreme one, described by the word ‘thapa’.
- thapasi sthithA: – is also explained as ‘vAchika thapas’. vAchika means ‘through words’. By repeated utterances of vEdham, the rishis are always engaged in vAchika thapas. This can be found in thaiththirIya upanishath “thaththi thapas thaththi thapa:” (recitation of the vEdham in itself is a thapas).
- thapasi sthithA: – the rishIs are always anchored in the path of para bhakthi, para gyAnam, and parama bhakthi.
- thapasi sthithA: – As per the description found in the following pramANams, the rishis are always surrendered to the supreme one.
- thaiththirIya upanishath nArAyaNavalli 50 “thasmAn nyAsamEshAm thapasAm athirikthamAhu:” (always eternally anchored in SaraNAgathi – the highest of all thapas).
- ahirbudhnya samhithA “thEshAm thu thapasAm nyAsamathiriktham thapa: Srutham” (SaraNAgathi is the highest thapas).
- Thus, it can be seen that there are many interpretations for ‘thapasi sthithA:’. The rishis in the court of king dhaSaratha fit the description of a thapasvi as per all of the above interpretations.
This concludes the explanation for this SlOkam – “aham vEdhmi”.
At this point, periyavAchchAn piLLai in his vyAkhyAnam continues with the explanation for the next SlOkam SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 20-2
UnashOdaSavarshO mE rAmO rAjIvanalOchana: |
na yuddhayOgyathAmasya paSyAmi saha rAkshasai: ||
The explanation for this SlOkam also serves as an answer to the follow up questions that king dhaSaratha may have in spite of many convincing explanations given by sage viSwAmithra. King dhaSaratha says in this SlOkam that SrI rAma is lotus eyed, very tender who is not even sixteen years of age, and hence he does not see him to be fit to fight with the rAkshasAs.
na paSyAmi – I don’t see
Sage viSwAmithra says to king dhaSaratha that SrI rAma cannot be seen with the external eyes and that is why he does not see SrI rAma as fit for fighting. Sage viSwAmithra replies “aham vEdhmi” (I am aware of SrI rAma).
UnashOdaSavarsha: – not even sixteen years old
King dhaSaratha says SrI rAma is not even sixteen years of age. Sage viSwAmithra replies that SrI rAma’s abilities should not be judged by his age, by saying he is mahAthmAnam.
mE rAma: – my SrI rAma
Sage viSwAmithra says that king dhaSaratha is being possessive by using the phrase ‘mE rAmO’. He explains that SrI rAma is for everyone; king dhaSaratha should not consider SrI rAma as one who belongs to him alone. This reference can be seen in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhya kANdam 2-44 “lOkAbhirAmOyam” (one who brings joy to everyone).
rAjIvalOchana: – reddish lotus eyed
King dhaSaratha expresses that like a lotus flower which closes at sunset, SrI rAma is lotus eyed and sleeps by sunset and hence he will not be able to fight with the demons who are more active during the night time. Sage viSwAmithra answers by describing SrI rAma as “sathya parAkramam”. SrI rAma will destroy his enemies even while sleeping. This reference can be found in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38-25 “sukhasuptha: paranthapa:” (even while he is sleeping, he will destroy the enemies).
“asya-rAkshasai:” – many / innumerable rAkshasas. Here, sage vishwAmithra answers the question – How can SrI rAma, being alone, fight the innumerable number of rAkshasas? These two pAsurams show how innumerable asuras were destroyed by emperumAn single handedly. Sage viSwAmithra tells king dhaSaratha that he does not have to worry about SrI rAma fighting alone with many rAkshasas.
- nammAzhwAr says in thiruvAimozhi – 7.2.3 “utkudai asurar uyir ellAm uNda oruvanE!” (he is one who consumed the mighty asuras who were many in number)
- periyAzhwAr says in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 1-2-16 “thiNkOL asurarai thEya vaLarginRAn” (he is growing up to destroy the strong demons).
Finally, by elaborating- paSyAmi, he emphasises how everyone except king dhaSaratha is aware of SrI rAma’s abilities to fight with the asuras. paSyAmi – refers to singularity here, meaning only dhaSaratha. Only king dhaSaratha thinks that SrI rAma will not be able to fight with the asuras. Sage viSwAmithra says that there is a sea of people (the maharishis, vasishta bhagavAn and sage viSwAmithra) who believe SrI rAma can destroy the enemies – “vasishtOpi mahAthEjA yE chEmE thapasi sthithA:”.
In the next article, vyAkhyAnam for bAla kANdam 20-2 slOkam will be explained.
UnashOdaSavarshO mE rAmO rAjIvanalOchana: |
na yuddhayOgyathAmasya paSyAmi saha rAkshasai: ||
Source – ‘SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam’ – 5 – bAla kANdam- aham vEdhmi 19.14 part 4 Audio Video
adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi
Proofreading/Curating done by – kOsalEndhra rAmAnuja dhAsan, krishNan rAmAnuja dhAsan
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