SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 40 – sundhara kANdam 21.3 – thruNamantharatha: – Part 2

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

Despite rAvaNa’s misdemeanour, pirAtti replies with compassion after listening to him. She places a blade of grass between herself and rAvaNa and then begins to speak to him. With a gentle smile, she says, “Take your mind away from me and show your love towards your wives”.

The first part of the avathArikai was discussed in the previous article. Let us now continue with the remaining avathArikai.

(Note from kAlakshEpam: In AchArya hyrudhayam sUthram 204, while explaining the greatness of nammAzhwAr, azhagiya manavALap perumAL nAyanAr explains to this question – Why did nammAzhAr choose to help the jIvAthmAs through his upadhESams even while he suffered in this samsAram? nAyanAr explains – he did not do it for wealth or fame. nAyanAr says that nammAzhwAr did it for 2 reasons – his intense feeling for the sufferings of people caught in samsAram and his compassion to help them. He elaborates this with example – thAykkum magaRkum thambikkum ivarkkum ivar adipaNindhavarukkum idhE iththanmai. thAy – pirAtti, magan – prahlAdhAzhwAn, thambi – vibhIshaNAzhwAn, ivar – nammAzhwAr, ivar adipaNindhavarukkum – emperumAnAr – these 5 people have this innate nature to empathise and help those who are suffering)

Similarly, in spite of rAvaNa’s malevolent behaviour, pirAtti, due to her compassion, speaks to him for the sake of his welfare.

avathArikai (Introduction)

rAvaNa causes his own downfall by speaking inappropriate words to pirAtti.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-3 “kAmayE thvAm viSAlAkshi” (Oh, the one with wide eyes! I desire you).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-15 “yadhyathpaSyAmi thE gAthram SIthAmSusadhruSAnanE I thasmin thasmin pruthushrONi chakshurmama nibadhyathE II” (Oh, the one with beautiful waist! The one with a divine face like the moon! Whichever parts of your divine form I behold, my eyes become deeply captivated and immersed in each of those parts).

pirAtti, responds to him.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-3 “nivarthaya manO maththa:” (Turn away your heart from me).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-7 “sAdhudharmamavEkshasva sAdhu sAdhuvratham chara” (Follow the actions of virtuous people; indulge in righteous actions).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-7 “yathA thava thathAnyEshAm dhArA rakshyA niSAchara” (Oh, rAkshasa! Aren’t other people’s wives worthy of protection as your own?).

She tells him, “Avoid evil actions and embrace the good ones”. But rAvaNa continues to talk.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-35 “bhunkshva bhOgAn yathAsukham” (Enjoy all the pleasures as per your desire).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-8 “EkavENi dharASayyA dhyAnam malinamambaram I asthAnEpi upavAsaScha naithAni aupayikAni thE II” (Having your hair without braids, sleeping on the floor, meditating, wearing a torn saree, and fasting without any reason – these actions are not suitable for you).

pirAtti, replies again.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-4 “akArya na mayA kAryamEkapathnyA vigarhitham I kulam samprApthyA puNyam kulE mahathi jAthayA II” (Having a birth in a noble clan, having married into a noble clan, and being a wife of only one, such despicable acts are not appropriate for me).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-6 “nAhamaupayikI bhAryA parabhAryA sathI thava” (Being another man’s wife, it is not correct for me to be your wife).

rAvaNa continues to speak and portrays his manliness.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-20 “asakruthsamyugE bhagnA mayA vimrudhithadhvajA: I aSakthA: prathyanIkEshu sthAthum mama surAsurA: II” (Many times, the dhEvAs and asuras, incapable of confronting me in the battlefield, have had their flags cut off and they have been defeated by me).

As he vaunts his bravery, pirAtti replies, “You will not be able to escape if you are seen by SrI rAma, how can a dog escape from a lion?”

pirAtti says, “Fourteen thousand rakshasas were annihilated by SrI rAma single-handedly. In retaliation to that bravery, you used mArIcha and committed a deceitful act. Your bravery became evident to me in that act of cowardice!”

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-29,30,31 “janasthAnE hathasthAnE nihathE rakshasAm balE I aSakthEna thvayA raksha: kruthamEthadhasAdhuvai II ASramam thu thayO: SUnyam praviSya narasimhayO: I gOcharam gathayOr bhrAthrO rapanIthA thvayAdhama II nahi gandhamupAghrAya rAmalakshmaNayOsthvayA I Sakyam sandharSana sthAthum SunA SArdhUlayOriva II” (You demon! You the lowliest of men! After the entire settlement in janasthAnam was destroyed and after the rAkshasa army was completely vanquished, this despicable act was done by you, an impotent! You entered the hermitage when the supreme among the humans – SrI rAma and lakshmaNa were absent. And when the brothers had gone far away, I was abducted by you. Like a dog that has no chance in front of a lion, you smelled the absence of SrI rAma and lakshmaNa and then came here, you don’t have the courage to stand in front of them).

pirAtti assaulted him with her reply, “First, you have to sustain yourself without fainting, after smelling those two male tigers, only then your victory and manliness can be seen by others”.

rAvaNa continues in his attempt to tempt her and says, “I shall give you kingdom, gems, wealth, grains, cities, and towns”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-17 “lOkEbhyO yAni rathnAni sampramathyAhruthAni mE I thAni thE bhIru sarvANi rAjyam chaitha dhahancha thE II” (Oh, you fearful one! All the gems which were forcibly snatched away by me from all over this world, this kingdom, and I, everything belong to you).

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-18 “imAncha pruthivIm sarvAm nAnAnagaramAlineem I janakAya pradhAsyAmi” (For your sake, I shall give all of this world that is composed of many cities, which are like garlands, to janaka).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-33 “yAni vaiSravaNE subhrU rathnAni cha dhanAni cha” (Oh, the one with beautiful eyebrows! You can also enjoy the gems and wealth that belongs to kubEra).

pirAtti again responds to him, “Are your trying to charm me, the one who is eternally with the supreme treasure by showing a few coins?”

[sarvESwaran is the supreme treasure, he is the source of all wealth for the dhEvAs and humans]

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-15 “SakyA lObhayithum nAhamaiSvaryENa dhanEna vA I ananyA rAghavENAham bhAskarENa prabhA yathA II” (I am someone who cannot be swayed by wealth or money. Like the rays of the sun which remain inseparable from the sun, I am one who is inseparable from SrI rAma).
vishNu purANam 1-9-131 “yam thvam dhEvi nirIkshasE I sa: SlAghya: sa guNI dhanya: sa kuleena: sa budhdhimAn II” (dhEvi! On whomever your merciful glances fall, he is the greatest, he is the most virtuous, he is the most fortunate, he is the one born of noble clan; he is the most intelligent).

rAvaNa says, “Please embrace me with love”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-3 “bahumanyasva mAm” (Will you honour me?).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-33 “mAncha bhunkshva yathAsukham” (Enjoy me as per your desire).

pirAtti replies, “Having rested my head on the shoulder of the lord of the universe, whom everyone else carries upon their heads, would I ever touch another lowly person?”

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-16 “upadhAya bhujam thasya lOkanAthasya sathkrutham I katham nAmOpadhAsyAmi bhujamanyasya kasyachith II” (I rest my head on the shoulder that is worshipped by all, the one who is the lord for all the universes, how will I rest on the shoulder of an insignificant person?)
thiruvAimozhi 10-3-5 “aNi migu thAmaraik kaiyai andhO adichchiyOm thalai misai nI aNiyAy!” (nammAzhwAr says in the mood of nAyaki: You should place your hand which is like an attractive and well decorated lotus flower, on the heads of ours, the servitors; indicates the desire for wild union. It is tragic that I have to explain my suffering to you!).

rAvaNa replies, “While you are in my control, rAma can neither see you nor approach you”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-3 “bahUmanyasva mAm” (Honour me!).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20- 27 “nahi vaidhEhi rAmasthvAm dhrashtum vApyupalapsyathE” (vaidhEhi! rAma will not get to see you).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20- 28 “na chApi mama hasthAth thvAm prApthumarhathi rAghava:” (rAma will not be able to get you from my hold).

pirAtti responds, “Like the wealth that was reclaimed from the asuras, he is going to take me away from you in your presence”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-28 “apanEshyathi mAm bharthA thvaththa: SIghram arindhama: I asurEbhya: Sriyam dhIpthAm vishNus thribhiriva kramai: II” (My lord (pathi), who is capable of controlling the enemies, is going to rescue me from you very soon – like vishNu bhagavAn who measured and reclaimed the wealth of the three worlds abducted by asuras like mAvali).

rAvaNa replies, “Look at my opulence and fame”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-25 “rudhdhim mamAnupaSya thvam Sriyam bhadhrE yaSaScha mE” (Oh, one who is auspicious! Look at my prosperity/power, wealth, and fame).

pirAtti says, “These riches of lankA are going to be destroyed in front of your own eyes”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-12 “samrudhdhAni vinaSyanthi rAshtrANi nagarANi cha I thathEyam thvAm samAsAdhya lankA rathnaughasankulA II aparAdhAththavaikasya nachirAdh vinaSishyathi II” (Like all prosperous kingdoms and cities which face destruction, this lankA that is filled with vast riches shall also soon perish owing to your kingship and sin).

rAvaNa says, “Having lost his wealth, it is doubtful that rAma is even alive”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-26 “nikshipthavijayO rAmO gathaSrIr vanagOchara: I vratheesthaNdilaSAyee cha SankE jIvathi vA na vA II” (Is rAma, who is victoryless, possessionless, wandering as a nomad in the forest, observing austerities, sleeping on the floor, alive or not?).

pirAtti responds, “SrI rAma and his brother are coming to behead you; you are about to see him live happily”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-33 “kshipram thava sa nAthO mE rAma: saumithriNA saha I thOyamalpamivAdhithya: prANAnAdhAsyathE Sarai: II” (Like the sun that drinks (evaporates) the water bodies with its rays, my lord, SrI rAma along with lakshmaNa, is going to suck your life with his arrows).

rAvaNa replies, “rAma is no match to me in terms of physical strength, braveness, wealth, wisdom, and fame”.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-34 “na rAmas thapasA dhEvi na valEna na vikramai: I na dhanEna mayA thulyasthEjasA yaSasApi vA II” (dhEvi! rAma is not equal to me in austerity, strength, prowess, wealth, intelligence, and fame).

pirAtti replies sharply, “Compared to his bravery, your bravery is nothing in measure; do you think he will leave you alive if he sees you? In reality, even SrI rAma doesn’t have to come, you cannot withstand even a tiny bit of sound that resonates from the great sound emanated by his bow. The arrows, inscribed with their divine names are demanding in fury, ‘Show me rAvaNa!’, ‘Show me the one who abducted sIthA!’”.

Thus, sIthAp pirAtti tactfully and with powerful assertions attempts to divert rAvaNa from this evil path.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21- 23, 24, 26 “varjayEdh vajra muthsrushtam varjayEdhanthakaSchiram I thvadh vidham na thu sankrudhdhO lOkanAthassa rAghava: I rAmasya dhanusha: Sabdham SrOshyasi thvam mahAsvanam I ishavO nipathishyanthi rAma lakshmaNa lakshaNA: II” (indhra’s vajrAyudham (weapon) may miss a target; yaman (personification of justice) may spare someone for a longer duration; but the enraged SrI rAma, sarvESwaran (the lord of all) will not leave someone like you; you are going to hear the great sound from the the string of SrI rAma’s SArngam (divine bow); the arrows with the names of SrI rAma lakshmaNa are going to fall on you).

Simple explanation for 21-1 – Listening to the wicked rAvaNa’s word, pirAtti began to say a few words.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-1 “thasya thadh vachanam SruthvA sIthA raudhrasya rakshasa: I ArthA dhInasvarA dhInam prathyuvAcha thatha: Sanai:” (Tormented by that asura’s angry words, she ached, sIthAp pirAtti who possesses a gentle voice, replied in a low tone).

Simple explanation for 21-2 –

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21- 2 “dhu:khArthA rudhathI sIthA vEpamAnA thapasvinI I chinthayanthI varArOha pathimEva pathivrathA II” (The beautiful pathivrathA [one who is devoted to her consort], sIthAp pirAtti, thought of her lord SrI rAma while she suffered in distress, she trembled in a sorrowful state, she cried (speaking a few words)).

“pathirEkO gathissadhA” (For woman, her pathi (husband) is always her ultimate refuge). nAchchiyAr thirumozhi 8-9 “gadhiyenRum thAn AvAn” (That emperumAn is the protector all the time). pirAtti says, “SrI rAma is the protector at all times, you are going to be destroyed, help yourself before being destroyed”.

Simple explanation for 21-3 – This is the current SlOkam that is being explained in the article. pirAtti thinks, “SrI rAma is very far away, it might take some time for him to come here to rescue, until that time let me try to persuade rAvaNa in the right path”. She takes a blade of grass and places it between herself and rAvaNa, and says, turn your heart/mind away from me and place your thoughts on your wives”.

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA prathyuvAcha SuchismithA I
nivarthaya manO maththa: svajanE prIyathAm mana: II

Word-by-Word meaning

thruNam – a grass
antharatha: – in-between (herself and rAvaNa)
kruthvA – kept it (placed)
SuchismithA – with a pure smile
prathyuvAcha – (pirAtti) replied
maththa: – from me
mana: – the mind
nivarthaya – turn away
svajanE – your wives
mana: – (let) your heart
prIyathAm – desire (them)

Simple meaning

sIthAp pirAtti placed a blade of grass between her and rAvaNa, she spoke with a gentle smile, “Turn your thoughts away from me; let your thoughts be on your wives”.

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

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

periyavAchchAn piLLai thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Source – SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 40 – sundhara kANdam 21.3 – thruNamantharatha: – Part 2 Audio Video

adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi

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

Artwork – namperumAL rAmAnuja dhAsan

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