SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 9 – bAla kANdam 17.26 – iyam sIthA

_{SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:}

iyam sIthA mama suthA sahadharmacharI thava |
prathIchcha chainAm bhadhram thE pANim gruhNIshva pANinA ||

SrI rAma and lakshmaNa accompany sage viSwAmithra to the forest where they defeat the rAkshasi thAtakA. Her son subhAhu was destroyed and the other son mArIcha was chased and thrown off to a far away place. Sage viSwAmithra then completes his yAgam with SrI rAma and lakshmaNa protecting his yAgam. After the completion of yAgam, sage viSwAmithra takes them to mithilA kingdom. Before proceeding to king janaka’s kingdom, SrI rAma removes ahalyA’s curse on their way.

In mithilA, king janaka arranges for a competition to lift and string the Siva dhanus (bow), to find a suitable husband for his daughter sIthAp pirAtti. Although many princes participated, no one was able to even lift the dhanus.

At that time, sage viSwAmithra brings SrI rAma and lakshmaNa there and introduces them to king janaka. Following the order of sage viSwAmithra, SrI rAma effortlessly lifts and strings the dhanus. King janaka is overwhelmed with joy about SrI rAma’s marriage to sIthAp pirAtti; he immediately sends a message to king dhaSaratha and makes arrangements for the wedding.

(Note: It is said that SrI rAma’s and sIthAp pirAtti’s marriage happened on an auspicious panguni uthram day. It is also on one such auspicious panguni uthram day that emperumAnAr recited his gadhya thrayam in front of SrI ranganAchchiyAr and namperumAL together.)

This SlOkam is spoken by king janaka to SrI rAma during the marriage ceremony.

Word-by-Word meaning

mama – my
suthA – daughter
iyam sIthA – this sIthA
thava – for you (too)
sahadharmacharI – one who performs dharmic / righteous acts along with you
chainAm – her
prathIchcha – accept her
bhadhram thE – may all auspiciousness come to you
pANinA – with your hand
gruhNIshva – hold
pANim – (her) hand

avathArikai (introduction)

King janaka was extremely delighted upon SrI rAma breaking the Siva dhanus. His happiness was due to several reasons.
First, king janaka was happy because he felt relieved. He had been worried about finding a suitable husband for sIthAp pirAtti ever since she attained a suitable age for marriage. This is described by sIthAp pirAtti in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 118-34 “pathisamyOga sulabham vayO dhrushtvA thu mE pithA | chinthArNavagatha: bAram nAsasAdhAplavO yathA ||” [upon seeing me attain the appropriate age for marriage, my father was in a sea of sorrow, unable to find a suitable husband (like a lost boat struggling to find the shore)].
King janaka was pleased not only because his agony was solved by SrI rAma’s victory, but also because by uniting sIthAp pirAtti with SrI rAma, he felt alive/hopeful.
Uniting sIthAp pirAtti with SrI rAma was the only event which gave happiness to him.
He also felt very elated because he was being instrumental in uniting periya pirAtti who is the ‘purushakArabhUthai’ (one who unites jIvAthma with perumAL) with perumAL. By uniting sIthAp pirAtti with SrI rAma, king janaka has become the purushakAram for pirAtti.

Simple Meaning

King janaka says to SrI rAma, “This is my daughter sIthA, she will be with you always and support you in all your endeavours, accept her by holding her hand with your hand; may all auspiciousness come to you”.

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

Let us now see the vyAkhyAnam which provides many latent / in-depth meanings to the above SlOkam.

iyam sIthA mama suthA – this sIthA, my daughter

King janaka feels very proud of sIthAp pirAtti and hence he says “my sIthA” with pride.
King janaka knows everyone is attracted to SrI rAma’s beautiful form and qualities. This is also expressed by king dhaSaratha in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 3-29 “chandhra kAnthAnanam rAmam athIva priyadharSanam | rUpaudhAryaguNai: pumsAm dhrushtichiththApahAriNam ||” (he looks charming to everyone with a beautiful face like a moon, even the men’s eyes and hearts are attracted to him because of his beautiful form and auspicious qualities). Therefore, king janaka does not want SrI rAma to have that sense of pride about himself when he looks at his daughter. Hence, he says “my sIthA” indicating that he too is proud of his daughter.
King janaka continues to express with pride about sIthAp pirAtti and says, “Since there is no one appropriate / suitable for her, I am happy to give her in marriage to you”. SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 16-5 “thulyaSeelavayOvruththAm” (her auspicious qualities, age, and conduct are appropriate and suitable for SrI rAma)
At this point, king janaka assumes that SrI rAma may wonder why he (janaka) feels sIthAp pirAtti is more esteemed than he. So he begins to highlight the greatness of sIthAp pirAtti including the greatness of her birth.
- sIthAp pirAtti’s birth is not an ordinary birth like others, she came to this world without being in a womb. “sIthA lAngalapadhdhathi:”
- sIthA – she is beautiful like a golden creeper, as stated in SrI sUktham 1 “hiraNyavarNAm”.
- sIthA – mama suthA (my daughter) – King janaka says, “Not only is she beautiful, she is also from a noble family because she is my daughter”. King janaka was not only a great emperor but he was renowned for his detachment to material things. This can be understood from the following pramANam which is said by king janaka when the city of mithilA was in flames. “mithilAyAm pradhIpthAyAm na mE kinchith pradhahyathE” (there is nothing that is mine in this mithilA that is burning). sIthAp pirAtti’s greatness also comes because she hails from such a noble family.
- sithAp pirAtti was so precious that even king janaka who did not have any attachment towards anything calls her as ‘mama suthA’ (my daughter) with a sense of possessiveness.
Just like how parakAla nAyaki’s mother praises her own daughter in periya thirumozhi 3.7.1 “vaLLi marungul endhan madamAn” (my daughter who is young with a graceful waist like a creeper), king janaka also praises his own daughter sIthAp pirAtti.
Just like how periyAzhwAr praises ANdAL in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.8.4 “orumagaL thannaiyudaiyEn ulagam niRaindha pugazhAl thirumagaLpOla vaLarththEn” (I, having only one daughter, brought her up like SrI mahAlakshmi, with fame throughout the world), king janaka praises sIthAp pirAtti. SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 67-22 “janakAnAm kulE kIrthimAharishyathi mE suthA” (She brings fame to the janaka clan).

Assuming that SrI rAma may not be interested in sithAp pirAtti only because of her fame or greatness due to her birth, king janaka adds that she can also support him in all of his righteous endeavours. “sahadharmacharI thava” (even before perumAL thinks of executing, sIthAp pirAtti will do all the necessary arrangements required for the execution).

sahadharmacharI thava – She will support you in your righteous acts

perumAL protects and gives refuge to the ones who seek him and surrender to him. But sIthAp pirAtti provides protection even before someone approaches her, even if they have not surrendered. This can be understood through the following pramANams.
SrI rAma promises to protect vibIshaNAzhwAn when he comes to do SaraNAgathi (surrender) to bhagavAn. SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18-3 “mithrabhAvEna samprAptham na thyajEyam kathanchana” (I will not abandon anyone who seeks refuge in me, even if he pretends and is disguised as a friend).
SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18-34 “abhayam sarvabhUthEbhyO dhadhAmyEthadhvratham mama” ( I will give protection to one, who is surrendered to me from all beings; this is my vow).
sIthAp pirAtti gives assurance to protect the rAkshasis in aSoka vanam. SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 27-53 “bhavEyam SaraNam hi va:” (even though you have not surrendered to me, I will protect you).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 27-46 “alamEshA parithrAthum rAkshasIr mahathO bhayAth” (nobody other than sIthAp pirAtti can save the rAkshasis from destruction).
SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 116-44 “na kaSchinnAparAdhyathi” (there is no one in this world who has not committed a sin.)
parASara bhattar describes the greatness of pirAtti in SrI guNarathnakOSam 50 “mAthar-maithili! rAkshasIsthvayi thadhaivArdhrAparAdhAsthvayA rakshanthyA pavanAthmajAl laghutharA rAmasya gOshtI kruthA kAkam tham cha vibhIshaNam charaNamithyukthikshamau rakshatha: sA nas sAndharamahAgasasa sUkhayathu kshAnthis thavAkasmikI” (Mother mythili! You assured to protect the rAkshasis even before their hands, drenched with sins, became dry. When compared to your compassion in saving the rAkshasis from hanuman (vAyu’s son) even, SrI rAma’s compassion in protecting kAkAsura and vibhIshaNa, after they surrendered to him, seems very small; may we, who have committed the greatest sins, benefit from such causeless mercy of yours”
Note: here parASara bhattar has used the word ‘gOshtI’ when referring to SrI rAma. This implies that even the combined compassion of many SrI rAmas together is still less than sIthAp pirAtti’s compassion)

prathIchchA – accept her

When king janaka requested SrI rAma to marry sIthAp pirAtti, SrI rAma did not accept her immediately. He waited for the consent of his father, mothers, and kula guru, sage vasishta. Therefore, king janaka, after the arrival of king dhaSaratha and others, requested SrI rAma to accept sIthAp pirAtti. This behaviour of SrI rAma is unlike SrI krishNa who went alone for his marriage with rukmiNip pirAtti. This feat of SrI krishNa, taking rukmiNip pirAtti’s hand, is described by ANdAL in nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 11.9 “kaNNAlam kOdiththuk kanni thannaik kaippidippAn thiNNArndhirundha sisupAlan thEsazhindhu aNNAndhirukkavE AngavaLaik kaippidiththa peNNALan” (While SiSupAlan sat down and gazed up, after making all arrangements for his marriage with rukmiNip pirAtti, SrI krishNa was the one who took rukmiNip pirAtti’s hand in marriage).
After breaking the bow, SrI rAma waited for consent from king dhaSaratha. Since SrI rAma did not express his intentions at that time, king janaka enquires him about his desire to marry sIthAp piratti. This is similar to parakAla nAyaki’s mother (thirumangai AzhwAr) asking perumAL about his desire for her daughter in periya thirumozhi 2.7.1 “nin thAL nayandhirundha ivaLai un manaththAl en ninaindhirundhAy?” (What are you thinking in your divine heart about my daughter who desires you?)
King janaka says that even though sIthAp pirAtti has desire for him and is also befitting him, all of that will become fruitful only if she is accepted by SrI rAma. So king janaka says, “accept her (prathIchchA)”.
prathIchchA – King janaka tells SrI rAma that it is not apt to have this attitude of “varil pogadEn, kedil thEdEn” (when something comes, I will not reject it, if it goes, I will not go in search of it”). King janaka says, do not have such a frame of mind while accepting sIthAp pirAtti, please accept her (prathIchchA) with a desirous heart.
pirAtti’s eternal union with emperumAn is described in thiruvAimozhi 6.10.10 “agalagillEn iRaiyum” (will not be separated not even for a moment). Just like how pirAtti is eternally with emperumAn, without separation even for a moment, king janaka tells that SrI rAma should also feel the same way about sIthAp pirAtti. SrI rAma expresses this in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 66-10 “na jIvEyam kshaNamapi” (will not stay alive without sIthA even for a moment).

After king dhaSaratha’s arrival in mithilA, SrI rAma was ready to accept sIthAp pirAtti, with king dhaSaratha’s consent. King janaka wanted to perform their marriage in grandeur as described by periyAzhwAr in his pAsurams.
- periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.7.10 “perupperuththa kaNNAlangaL seydhu” (perform a grand marriage ceremony).
- periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 3.8.6 “nAdum nagarumaRiya nalladhOr kaNNAlam seydhu sAdiRap pAyndha perumAn thakkavAgai paRRungolO?” (Would be, who broke SakatAsuran with his divine feet, accept her hand appropriately, in a distinguished marriage ceremony, with all the people in the place and surrounding places knowing about it?).
As said in periya thirumozhi 3.7.1 “veLLi vaLaik kai” ( hands with silver bangles), king janaka asks SrI rAma to hold sIthAp pirAtti’s hand and accept her.

pANim gruhNIshva – Hold her hand

King janaka says that he doesn’t have to make so many convincing arguments for one to accept sIthAp pirAtti. He says that he is not asking to drink neem water. He adds, “Does one need to be implored to drink milk?” sIthAp pirAtti is sweet as milk. sIthAp pirAtti’s sweetness is described in SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 66-15 “madhurA madhurAlAbhA” (sweet person, who speaks sweet words).

bhadhram thE – Long live

When SrI rAma holds sIthAp pirAtti’s hand in acceptance, king janaka on seeing their union immediately does mangaLAsAsanam (blessings ) to the divine couple just like how thirumangai AzhwAr does mangaLAsAsanam in periya thirumozhi 8.2.2 “nanRu nanRu naRaiyUrarkkE”.
pANim gruhNIshva – with your hands hold her hands
King janaka says, “During praNaya kalaham (lover’s quarrel), you may place your head on her feet, but now I only ask for you to hold her hand with your hands”. He says, “You may hold her foot for performing certain rituals during the marriage ceremony, but, for now, you have to only hold her hands with yours”.

King janaka asks SrI rAma to first circumambulate the ritualistic fire as he holds sIthAp pirAtti’s hand with his hand, and then to hold her foot while she steps on the ammi (a stone used for grinding). This ritual is also described by ANdAL nAchchiyAr in her pAsurams.
- nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 6.6 “madhusUdhan vandhennai kaiththalam paRRa kanAk kaNdEn” (I dreamt of kaNNa pirAn holding my hands).
- nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 6.7 “en kaip paRRith thIvalam seyya kanAk kaNdEn” (I dreamt of him holding my hand and circumambulating the ritualistic fire).
- nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 6.8 “semmai udaiya thirukkaiyAl thAL paRRi ammi midhikkak kanAk kaNdEn” (I dreamt of him holding my foot on the grinding stone with his reddish divine hands).

pANinA pANim – hold her hands with your hands.

pANinA pANim implies that sIthAp pirAtti’s hand is on top of SrI rAma’s hand. sithAp pirAtti’s hand being on top of SrI rAma’s hand signifies the importance given to pirAtti. This can also also be seen in the following pAsurams.
- nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 6.8 “semmai udaiya thirukkai” (with his reddish, divine hands).
- nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 6.9 “kaimmEl en kai” (my hand on top of his hand)

sIthAp pirAtti’s hands are on top of perumAL’s because her auspicious qualities and sweetness exceed those of perumAL’s. perumAL’s broad shoulders are like an enormous emerald pond. It is so vast that both the nithya vibhUthi and leelA vibhUthi can rest in a corner of its shadow. Such stupendous shoulders, which provide refuge to everyone in the world, are embraced and comforted by sIthAp pirAtti. Therefore, it is more fitting for sIthAp pirAtti’s hand to be on top of SrI rAma’s.
Such references can also be seen in the following pramANams.
- SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 34-31 “bAhuch chAyAm avashtabdhO yasya lOkO mahAthmana:” (The world (both nithya vibhUthi and leelA vibhUthi) rests under the shadow of his shoulders).
- thiruvAimozhi 10.1.8 “dhayaradhan peRRa maradhaga maNith thadaththinaiyE” (son of king dhaSaratha, who has a dark complexion like an emerald gem pond).
- thirunedunthANdakam 13 “villiRuththu melliyal thOL thOyndhAy” (Oh, you who broke the bow and got the hand of seethA pirAtti!)
- SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 30-39 “SathruhanthAram parishasvajE” (pirAtti nicely embraced perumAL when he returned after killing the enemies). The injuries caused by the fiery arrows of karan and the hotness caused by the complete independence of being the supreme personality were both cooled by pirAtti’s embrace.
- perumAL thirumozhi 9.4 “vEy pOlum ezhil thOLi” (bamboo like shoulder). pirAtti’s shoulder is such that it can provide relief to those wide shoulders of perumAL.

Both perumAL and the living beings, to whom sIthAp pirAtti is the mother, can rest on such shoulders of hers. Such is the beauty of sIthAp pirAtti’s shoulders.

The one with such beautiful shoulders, dreams ( just like ANdAL nAchchiyAr) to unite with perumAL. Hence, king janaka asks SrI rAma to hold sIthAp pirAtti’s hand.

vyAkhyAnam for the next SlOkam will be continued in the next article.

Source – SrI rAmAyaNam thani SlOkam’ – 9 – bAla kANdam 17.26 – iyam sIthA Audio Video

adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi

Proofreading/Curating done by – kOsalEndhra rAmAnuja dhAsan, krishNan rAmAnuja dhAsan

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