SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 41 – sundhara kANdam 21.3 – thruNamantharatha: – Part 3

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

We are grateful to periyavAchchAn piLLai for mercifully giving us this vyAkhyAnam that we are enjoying in this series. We are also grateful to puththUr swAmy for publishing this vyAkhyAnam along with an explanation for these.

rAvaNa, instead of considering pirAtti as jaganmAthA, speaks inappropriate words to her, reveals his desires for her. pirAtti is hurt on hearing those words. She looks at his self-destructive actions while enduring her own suffering. So, she not only replies to him but also instructs him to deviate him from his evil path.

She places a blade of grass between herself and rAvaNa and begins to speak (the SlOkam below). But, why did she choose to place a blade of grass between them? periyavAchchAn piLLai offers many explanations for this. He provides a total of 26 interpretations for this.

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

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA prathyuvAcha – she replied by placing a blade of grass between them

Why did she keep a blade of grass between them before replying to rAvaNa? It is not a normal practice that is followed while replying to someone. So, what is the reason behind her action?

First reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass in-between, offering a seat

Apasthamba 2-4-1 “Asanam annam udhakam dhEyam” (Kings should be offered a seat, food, and water). (Note from kAlakshEpam: Apasthamba is a dharma SAsthram)

pirAtti being aware of what is said in SAsthram, offers him a seat. So, she thinks (but with uncertainty), “Maybe he will have a cheerful heart if I treat him with hospitality and will leave me”.

Apasthamba 2-4-14 “abhAvE bhUmir udhakam thruNAni” (If a seat cannot be offered, the earth, water, or grass can be offered in lieu of a seat).

Hence, pirAtti thinks, “As per Sasthram, let me offer a seat by placing a grass”.

Second reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, as a way of expressing her apathy towards him

raghuvamSam 6-25 “rujupraNAmakriyayaiva thanvI prathyAdhidhESa” (She, the one who is beautiful, replied with greetings).

She behaved in a manner that reflected what she felt in her heart – her lack of interest in him. pirAtti thinks, “If I treat him like a parapurushan (a man who is not the husband) and offer a seat, he may understand my intentions – that I have no desire for him and leave me”. Hence, she placed a blade of grass between them.

Third reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass in-between, to create a barrier between them

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 18-25 “samIpam upasankrAntham” (thiruvadi (hanumAn), saw rAvaNa who came near pirAtti).

Since rAvaNa was approaching her, in order to prevent him from coming near her, she placed a blade of grass in-between them.

“sthambEna salilEna vA pankthibhEdhO’bhijAyathE” (Using grass or water creates a demarcation).

Fourth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass in-between, using it as a pretext to talk; she made him listen to her

Since it is not apt for women to look at or talk to another man who is not her husband, she placed a blade of grass in front of her to talk; using that as a disguise, she made him to listen to her.

“na paramukhanirIkshaNam nApi sambhAshaNam” (It is inappropriate for women to stare at or talk to another man who is not her husband).

Fifth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass in-between, to indicate that he is comparable to a blade of grass

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-10 “pathyamuktham vichakshaNai: I rAkshasAnAm abhAvAya thvam vA na prathipadhyasE II” (The words spoken by virtuous people are not heard by you since the time for the rAkshasas (demons) to perish has come).

pirAtti thinks, “You did not listen to the words previously spoken by those who care for your well-being, such as mArIcha, akampana and mAlyavAn. When you have rejected their counsel, even now you are going to listen only as much as this blade of grass will listen”. Hence, she placed a blade of grass equating him to a grass.

mAgham 2-50 “nidharSanamasArANAm laghurbahuthruNam nara:” (A man who is a metaphor for someone who is weak and very ordinary, like a grass).

(Note: mAgha is a poet; he composed a kAvyam named SiSupAla vadham, also known as mAgha kAvyam)

Sixth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass in-between, with the intention of making it listen to her words of advice.

vishNu purANam 1-9-131 “sa kuleena: sa budhdhimAn” (Oh, dhEvi! On whomever your glances fall, he is considered as man of noble birth; only he is wise).

To impart words of wisdom, an appropriate recipient is required. pirAtti thinks, “Even an insentient entity (achEthana) can become wise by my katAksham (merciful glance)”. Observing that the grass has not committed evil acts like rAvaNa, she graced it with sanity so that it could hear her words. Thus, she placed a blade of grass before her and began to speak.

Seventh reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – placed a blade of grass in-between, changed it from achEthanam (insentient) to chEthanam (sentient), and thereby displaying her greatness.

It can also be considered that pirAtti used her Sakthi (power) to make a blade of grass sentient (endowed with intellect), and placed it there with the thought that rAvaNa might turn back in fear upon seeing the greatness of this power.

Eighth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – placed a blade of grass in-between, treating him as one devoid of intellect like a blade of grass.

“thruNamiva laghu mEnE” (She thought of you, a doltish one, as an inferior object like a blade of grass).

Hence, she placed a blade of grass between them, conveying that she views him as a person devoid of knowledge, much like a grass.

Ninth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – “hrudhayE kruthvA” – anthara referring to heart, she thought about it (blade of grass) in her heart.

She values the grass for not having committed any evil actions, and for this reason she regards it in her divine heart.

mahAbhAshyam sUthram 2-13-17 “na thvA thruNathvam manyE” (I don’t think of you as even a blade of grass).
mahAbhAshyam sUthram 2-13-17 “na thvA thruNAya manyE” (I don’t consider you as even comparable to a blade of grass).

(Note from kAlakshEpam: mahAbhAshyam, written by pathanjali provides commentaries for certain sections of pANini’s ashtAdhyAyi).

pirAtti placed a blade of grass to emphasise, “Oh, look! I don’t even think of you as equal to this blade of grass!”

Tenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass – considering him as a cow, she offers it to him.

narasimha purANa 16-13 “gyAnEna hIna: paSubhi: samAna:” (An ignorant person is equal to a cow).

(Note from kAlakshEpam: Ignorant because he is oblivious of the supreme lord; he is mindless about the fact that she is the divine consort of SrI rAma, son of an emperor).

pirAtti thinks, “Aren’t you a grass-eating cow? Here, eat this grass”, and hence placed a blade of grass.

(Note from kAlakshEpam: AhAra – to eat; nidhrA – to sleep; bhayam – to become fearful; maithunam – to mate; these four are common to all beings. If one doesn’t go beyond these four and possess the ability to differentiate good from evil, that person is classified only as an animal).

Eleventh reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, something that is suitable for his enjoyment

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 22-16 “thvam nIcha SaSavathsmrutha:” (Oh, you lowly person! You are like a rabbit).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 47-45 “yadhantharam simhasrugAlayOrvanE” (The difference between you and SrI rAma is the same difference that is seen between a fox and a lion in the forest).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 2-16 “nAhamaupayikI bhAryA parabhAryA sathI thava” (I, who am the wife of another man, am not suitable to be yours).

pirAtti thinks, “This is more befitting for your enjoyment”. And hence, placed a blade of grass.

Twelfth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass implying that all the riches promised by rAvaNa are nothing but a blade of grass for her.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-33 “vichithrANi cha mAlyAni chandhanAnyagarUNi cha I vividhAni cha vAsAmsi dhivyAnyAbharaNAni cha II” (You will obtain – different kinds of garlands, sandalwoods, agarwood (fragrant wood), many different types of garments and ornaments from the celestial planets).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-33 “yAni vaiSravaNE subhrU rathnAni cha dhanAni cha” (Oh, the one with beautiful eyebrows! You will also get the gems and treasures of kubEra).

It can also be interpreted as: pirAtti thinks, “All those things you just reeled off your mouth one on top of another incessantly are like a blade of grass to me”. Hence, she placed a blade of grass.

Thirteenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, indicating her life is insignificant to her like this blade of grass.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 16-24 “dhArayathyAthmanO dhEham thathsamAgamakAnkshiNI” (She prevails in her body because of her desire to attain SrI rAma).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 28-17 “udhbadhya vENyudhgrathanEna SIghram aham gamishyAmi yamasya mUlam” (I shall tie my hair around the neck and soon reach the yama’s abode).
“thruNam SUrasya jIvitham” (For a brave person, life is like a blade of grass).

It can also be interpreted as: pirAtti thinks, “With the longing that SrI rAma would come, I have clung to my life. Oh, see, like this blade of grass, this life of mine is insignificant! Am I not going to perish anyway?” Hence, she puts a blade of grass.

Fourteenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, in a deriding manner

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-12 “lankA rathnaughasankulA I aparAdhAth thavaikasya nachirAdh vinaSishyathi II” (Because of your mistake alone, lankA, that is filled with repositories of gems, is going to perish soon).

It can also be interpreted as: with a mindset to ridicule, pirAtti thinks, “Due to your fault, lankA is going to be destroyed; you may need this grass at that time to build yourself a hut”. And so, she puts a blade of grass.

Fifteenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, a simple sign but indicating a bigger truth – surrendering to SrI rAma.

thruNElapa nyAyam (logic) – Just as a tiny grass can eventually spread into a vast ‘ulapam’ – creeper with many branches, pirAtti uses this logic to convey a profound in-depth meaning. By instructing him with a simple task, “Turn the mind that is focused on me towards your wives”, she is actually communicating through this SlOkam a specific, transformative command (upadhESam): “Surrender to SrI rAma”.

Sixteenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, implying, just like how this will be washed away if thrown into the ocean, you faults will be forgiven by SrI rAma.

She thought, rAvaNa might think, “What goodness can your upadhESams bring me if SrI rAma does not forgive my mistakes?”

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 1-4 “na smarathyapakArANAm SathamapyAthmavaththayA” (Because SrI rAma has a controlled mind/heart, even if hundred sins are committed he will not hold them in his mind (they will be forgiven)).

It can also be interpreted as – pirAtti places a blade of grass with the thought, “When a tiny straw is thrown into the ocean it does not remain in the middle but is washed ashore; similarly, your faults will not stay in SrI rAma’s divine heart. Is he not the one who knows no fault?”

Seventeenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, implying to rAvaNa – just like I have put this grass, put your envy and anger away

“antharatha: (AthAyapahi) kruthvA” antharatha: (from within), AthAyapahi (having taken) bahi kruthvA (throw it outside)

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 27-7 “IrshyA rOshau bahishkruthya” (Push your envy and anger out of you).

It can also be interpreted as: (pirAtti saying) “Just as I threw this grass, throw outside the inappropriate desires and anger in your heart which stand in the way of your attaining us, your mother and father, and surrender to SrI rAma.

Eighteenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass, as if telling him to bite the straw, to bow down and surrender.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-19 “mithramaupayikam karthum rAma: sthAnam parIpsathA I vadhanchAnichchathA ghOram II” (If you desire to have a place, if you do not want to fight a horrible battle, befriend SrI rAma).

It can also be interpreted as: pirAtti telling rAvaNa, “If you like to have a place to exist and if you like to be alive, bite this grass (let go of your mistake/bow down) and surrender to that manly SrI rAma”.

Nineteenth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she placed a blade of grass with the thought of having his chest torn open

pirAtti thinks, “The one who exists in everything, exists in this grass too, just as he existed within a pillar (as narasimha)”. With that thought, she places the grass to turn it into a pillar, and beckons rAghavasimham (SrI rAma, the lion among the descendant of raghu).

thiruvAimozhi 2-6-6 “sindhaiyinAl igazhndha iraNiyan agal mArvam kINda – en munnaik kOL ariyE!” (In his mind hiraNyakasipu ignored/insulted you; you effortlessly tore his wide, spacious chest; you superceded your devotee’ s thoughts (prahalAdhAzhwAn), and appeared as my kOlariyE- half-lion half-man incarnation as narasimha).

As such, it can also be interpreted as: with the intention to have his evil heart (chest) torn as that of hiraNya, she placed a blade of grass.

Twentieth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she throws a blade of grass to make an oath

It is a common practice seen in the world to throw grass and clod of earth (mud) before oneself while making oaths. In accordance with that tradition, she threw the blade of grass before her.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-83 “kshipram thava sa nAthO mE rAma: saumithriNA saha I thOyamalpamivAdhithya: prANAnAdhAsyathE Sarai: II” (Like the sun which drinks (evaporates) a puddle of water, my lord who is along with lakshmaNa, is going to kill you/get your life using his arrows).

As such, it can also be interpreted as: pirAtti throws the grass and makes an oath, “SrI rAma will not even touch your lowly life with his hand; his arrows will attack and remove your life”.

Twenty-first reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she puts a blade of grass, implying – your head shall be cut by SrI rAma just like the way this grass was pinched.

Since the root kruthi means – to cut (chEdhanE), the word kruthvA here refers to pinching.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-28 “na chApi mama hasthAth thvAm prApthumarhathi rAghava:” (rAma will not attain you from my hands).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 21-28 “apanEshyathi mAm bharthA thvaththa: SIghramarindhama:” (My lord, who destroys the enemies, shall soon rescue me from you).

It can also be interpreted as conveying, “Just like how I pinched this grass, SrI rAma shall behead you and take me away from you”.

Twenty-second reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she puts a blade of grass, alluding to poke his eyes.

“viprapIdAkaram chEdhyam angamabrAhmaNasya thu” (The limb of one who is unvirtuous (one who is not a brAhmaNa) that torments a brAhmaNa (a virtuous one) is worthy of being destroyed).
“bhrungAradhArArOdhdhuScha SukrasyAkshi sa dhakshiNam I pavithrasya SirOgrENa kshObhayAmAsa vAmana: II” (vAmaNa poked the right eye of SukrAchArya with the tip of a dharbha grass (pavithram) when he blocked the mouth of the water jug”.
periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 1-8-7 “sukkiran kaNNaith thurumbAl kiLaRiya” (You had poked the eyes of that SukrAchArya, with the tip of the divine grass that you wore on your hand).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 20-15 “yadh yath paSyAmi thE gAthram SIthAm SusadhruSAnanE I thasmin thasmin pruthuSrONi chakshur ma nibadhyathE II” (Oh, the one with a divine face that resembles the moon! Whichever part of your divine body I behold, my eyes become engaged in those very parts).

As said in the SAsthram, and like how SukrAchArya’s eye was poked, it can also be interpreted as (pirAtti saying) “Your eyes, which looked at another man’s wife, are to be poked with this straw”, and hence she placed the grass (thruNamantharatha: kruthvA).

Twenty-third reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she puts a blade of grass, indicating her intention to have SrI rAma use it as his brahmAsthram

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38-30 “sa dharbham samstharAdh gruhya” (SrI rAma took a blade of dharbham grass and uttered the brahmAsthra mAnthram (weapon)).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38-37 “hinasthi sma sa dhakshiNam” (That brahmAsthram destroyed the right eye of kAkAsuran (monster)).

It can also be interpreted as (pirAtti) indicating, “Just like how the ruthless kAkAsuran was made half-eyed, with this grass I shall have SrI rAma poke and destroy your eyes too”. And hence, she placed a blade of grass.

Twenty-fourth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she puts a blade of grass, on account of using that as a weapon.

As nara and nArAyaNa, nArAyaNa with the grass killed king thrinthadambhOthbavan who boasted to have no enemies. (Details of this can be found in mahAbhAratham, udhyOga parva, chapter 96. Please note that in some cases, minor discrepancies regarding the chapters maybe found.)

It can also be interpreted as indicating, similarly, that this grass could also be a weapon to kill him. And thus, pirAtti, placed a grass.

Twenty-fifth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she puts a blade of grass, to ignite it with her chastity (fire) and burn him.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 51-36 “sIthAyAsthEjasA dhagdhAm” (Look at this lankA that has been destroyed by the pAthivrathya thEjas (power due to her virtue of chastity)).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 22-20 “na thvA kurmi dhaSagrIva bhasma bhasmArha thEjasA” (Oh, the one that deserves to be burned to ashes! (Since I do not have orders from SrI rAma) I have spared you from turning into ashes).

Hence, it can also be interpreted as pirAtti implying, “I place this grass and ignite it in the fire of my chastity to burn you”.

Twenty-sixth reason:

thruNamantharatha: kruthvA – she pinched a blade of grass as though indicating to kill him by nipping his head.

If kruthvA is considered as derived from the root kruthi – chEdhanE, then kruthvA would mean – ‘to pinch the grass in the middle’. So, it can be interpreted as “She nipped a grass that had grown nearby in the middle”.

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18-24 “angulyagrENa thAn hanyAm” (I shall destroy them with the tip of my finger).
thiruppAvai 13 “pollA arakkanaik kiLLik kaLaindhAnai” (He who effortlessly destroyed rAvaNa, personification of bad deeds).

As such, it can also be interpreted to mean: (as pirAtti saying) “I shall kill you by nipping your head like pinching this blade of grass”.

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 – 41 – sundhara kANdam 21.3 – thruNamantharatha: – Part 3 Audio Video

adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi

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

Artwork – namperumAL rAmAnuja dhAsan

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