SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 56 – yudhdha kANdam 17.12 – thamaham hEthubhi:, 17.13 – sa cha na

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

We are currently enjoying the in-depth meanings of SrI rAmAyaNa SlOkams from the yudhdha kANdam, based on periyavAchchAn piLLai’s commentaries (vyAkhyAnam) and puththUr swAmy’s lucid explanations.

We express our gratitude to periyavAchchAn piLLai and puththUr swAmy, and also to SrI u vE sArathy thOthAthri swAmy for his thamizh kAlakshEpam series.

This article is a translation of the grantham with the support of SrI sArathy swAmy’s thamizh kAlakshEpam.

In the 10th and 11th SlOkams in sargam 17, vibhIshaNAzhwAn expressed his lowliness, and declared his helplessness while surrendering. He also stated his abandoning rAvaNa’s undesirable relationship and his desire to attain SrI rAma.

In the current SlOkam, he illustrates that he has counseled rAvaNa many times in various ways, advising him to reunite sIthAp pirAtti with perumAL.

avathArikai (Introduction)

sugrIva mahArAja and others question vibhIshaNAzhwAn, “What is the grievance for you due to all of rAvaNa’s evil actions [such as killing jatAyu mahArAja and abducting sIthAp pirAtti]?” [This is a continuation of what was said in the previous SlOkam]. vibhIshaNAzhwAn answers, “After observing rAvaNa’s offence [abducting sIthAp pirAtti], I should have instantly fled, as if trying to escape a house on fire. I am a great sinner because I lingered with rAvaNa, endeavouring to provide good counsel for his uplifting simply because he was my brother”.

thamaham hEthubhir vAkyair vividhaiScha nyadharSayam I
sAdhu niryAthyathAm sIthA rAmAya ithi puna: puna: II

Word-by-word meaning

aham – I
tham – him
sIthA – “sIthAp pirAtti
rAmAya – to SrI rAma
sAdhu – well
niryAthyathAm – should be given”
ithi – (saying) that
vividhai: – various
vAkyai: – words also
hEthubhi: cha – also many reasons
puna: puna: – again and again
nyadharSayam – informed

Simple meaning

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “I repeatedly advised rAvaNa, using many words and various reasons, to return sIthAp pirAtti to SrI rAma in a proper manner”.

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

tham – him

The previous SlOkam (17.10) depicted vibhIshaNAzhwAn (thasyAhamanujO bhrAthA) as one subjugated to rAvaNa (rAvaNO nAma dhurvruththO), the one who abducted pirAtti and killed jatAyu mahArAja. This described vibhIshaNAzhwAn’s offence as a consequence of being a slave to rAvaNa. The offence described in the second SlOkam is much greater. vibhIshaNAzhwAn explains that he has a share in the offences committed by rAvaNa. Herein, he continues to elaborate further.

bAla rAmAyaNam 4-30 “sahasranthu pithur mAthA gauravENAthirichyathE” (A mother is revered a thousand times more than a father).

Accordingly, sarvalOkajanani (the mother of all universes) should be devoted to and served a thousand times more than sarvESvaran (the supreme being).

bhagavath gIthA 7-19 “sa mahAthmA sudhurlabha:” (The gyAni, for whom vAsudhEva is everything, is exceedingly rare to find).
SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 4-43 “dhvithIyam mE’ntharAthmAnam” (He is like my second life). [Note from kAlakshEpam: When there was a conversation about coronation (in ayOdhyA kANdam) with his mother, perumAL says to iLaiya perumAL, ‘You should rule the kingdom with me’, you are like my second life].

In his divine heart, perumAL held jatAyu mahAraju in the same regard, viewing him as his very own second life. By killing jatAyu mahAraju, rAvaNa committed a grave offence against someone dear to perumAL.

Thus, by committing one offence after another, rAvaNa engaged in a continuous series of sins.

aham – I am the one who stayed by rAvaNa’s side to counsel him, driven by brotherly love even after recognising his grave sins.

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “Despite knowing he was a grievous sinner, my love for my brother kept me from abandoning him right away; instead, I stayed to offer him righteous counsel”.

vividhair vAkyai: – in many sentences

vibhIshaNAzhwAn uses all four methods – sAma, dhAna, bhEdha, dhaNda – to counsel rAvaNa.

sAma – Offering good counsel

bhEdha – Threatening

dhAna – Granting gifts or fulfilling their desires

dhaNda – Resorting to punishment

hEthubhiScha: – with reasons also

In order to successfully convey his intentions and align them with the words which he spoke, vibhIshaNAzhwAn elucidated his points with many reasons: he provided vivid details about the deaths of kharan, dhUshaNan, kabandhan, vAli, and many others who were extremely strong but fell at the hands of SrI rAma.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: vibhIshaNAzhwAn did not merely communicate what is good and evil; he clearly showed rAvaNa that it was impossible to fight against SrI rAma and win, explaining this to him with reasons].

nyadharSayam – vibhIshaNAzhwAn made rAvaNa aware of what he did not know

He says, “I enlightened him, speaking as if I were awakening someone who was sleeping”.

What insights did he provide?

sAdhu niryAthyathAm – should be given properly

According to the lexicon, niryAthyathAm means ‘to give’. It also carries the meanings of returning, touching, handing over: “niryAthanam vitharaNam sparSanam prathipAdhanam”.

In this context, sAdhu niryAthyathAm translates to ‘give well’. ‘Giving well’ means to offer something with repentance, an expression of helplessness, and total surrender.

vibhIshaNAzhwAn advises rAvaNa, “Repent for having stolen sIthAp pirAtti, acknowledge your helplessness, surrender, and return her”.

svApadhESam (inner meaning): When the AthmA is offered to paramAthmA, it must be done through total surrender using all three faculties: mind, speech, and body.

sIthA – sIthAp pirAtti

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “You have to give what belongs to him; other than that, you do not have to offer anything”.

As the term ‘ananyA’ suggests, vibhIshaNAzhwAn explains that rAvaNa only needs to return to perumAL what rightfully belongs to him. He does not need to offer anything else in addition.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: It is generally said in our sampradhAyam that offering the AthmA to emperumAn is known as Athma samarpaNam. However, both withholding the AthmA and offering it present a paradox. If you surrender the AthmA, it amounts to giving his own property to him; yet, if you do not offer it, possessing it amounts to stealing it.

The same is expressed by AzhwAr (thiruvAimozhi 2-3-4) “enadhu Avi thandhozhindhEn (I submitted myself under the lotus feet of your highness); enadhu Avi Aviyum nI” (You are the in-dwelling supersoul of my soul, too). Upon analysing, AzhwAr realises that he has submitted something to bhagavAn that inherently belongs to bhagavAn. Similarly, ALanvandhAr conveys the same in his sthOthram too. As long as the AthmA remains in this material realm, this sacrifice of the soul – followed by repentance – will continue.

This is illustrated by the following story: Someone steals namperumAL’s blue gemstone. A few days later, the thief returns and announces with great fanfare that he is going to offer a blue gemstone to namperumAL. Everyone will know it is simply the stolen being returned. Sacrificing the AthmA is akin to this. Just as rAvaNa returning sIthAp pirAtti was merely giving back what was already perumAL’s possession, our act of surrender is simply returning what belongs to the supreme lord].

When one returns something that truly belongs to perumAL [such as rAvaNa returning sIthAp pirAtti], perumAL does not view it as a mere return of his property. Rather, his greatness is such that he overlooks the theft, graciously feeling, ‘Because of this person, I have recovered my possession’.

Will perumAL tolerate his offence, even when he thinks he regained sIthAp pirAtti because of rAvaNa’s intention?

rAmAya – SrI rAma is the ultimate protector who tolerated the sin of kAkasura, the sin that was crueler than rAvaNa’s sin.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 38-34 “sa tham nipathitham bhUmau SaraNya: SaraNAgatham I vadhArhamapi kAkuthstha: krupayA paryapAlayath II” (SrI rAma, the ultimate protector, out of mercy, protected the crow, kAkAsura who had fallen on the ground, and (thereby) sought refuge, though he deserved to be killed).

ithi puna: puna: (thus, advised again and again)

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “Even though rAvaNa had no desire to listen, I reiterated my advice many times with a wishful hope that perhaps he would act according to my words”.

rAvaNa is an offender and intransigent, but he is also the elder brother of vibhIshaNAzhwAn. Is it appropriate for a younger brother to offer good counsel?

“AkESagrahaNAn mithram” (Even if it is by pulling by his hair, a friend must be stopped from doing evil deeds).
SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 17-31 “api sandhEshtum yuktham” (It is appropriate for a friend to provide guidance in times of danger).
SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 14-18 “yAvadhdhi kESagrahaNAthsuhrudhbhi: nigruhya rAjA parirakshithavya” (A king is to be protected by friends even if it is by pulling his hair).

Therefore, it is appropriate to give good counsel when someone is seen in an unfortunate situation. However, for such persons, it is enough to advise just once. Was it not his affection for his brother that prompted vibhIshaNAzhwAn to counsel rAvaNa repeatedly, hoping to reform and uplift him? vibhIshaNAzhwAn considers this – staying with rAvaNa and providing him advice many times – as his offence, and he informs sugrIva mahArAja and others of the same.

thamaham hEthubhir vAkyair vividhaiScha nyadharSayam I
sAdhu niryAthyathAm sIthA rAmAya ithi puna: puna: II

Thus concludes the vyAkhyAnam for this SlOkam.

SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – yudhdha kANdam 17.13 – sa cha na

avathArikai (Introduction)

Just like a person facing death does not heed the words of a physician, vibhIshaNAhwAn states that rAvaNa, instigated by yama, ignored the words spoken to him with affection.

sa cha na prathijagrAha rAvaNa: kAlachOdhitha: I
uchyamAnam hitham vAkyam viparItha ivaushadham II

Word-by-word meaning

sa – that
rAvaNa: cha – rAvaNa also
kAlachOdhitha: – prompted by yama
uchyamAnam – (that was) spoken
hitham – (for) goodness
vAkyam – the sentence
viparItha – one who is about to die
aushadham iva – as a medicine
na prathijagrAha – did not accept

Simple meaning

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “rAvaNa, driven by kAlan, did not receive my good advice, just as a dying person does not accept medicine”.

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

sa cha na prathijagrAha – he did not listen

Even if he chose not to act on my words, he could have at least listened to them. He failed to do even that.

kAlachOdhitha:

Why did he not listen? What is the reason?

He was incited by yama; therefore, he did not listen.

rAvaNa:

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “He disrespected my words, though I spoke to him as a brother and a well-wisher. Why did he follow the path impelled by yama – a stranger and an enemy? It is because he is unvirtuous and engaged in evil deeds”.

uchyamAnam vAkyam

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 16-16 “thvAm thu dhik kulapAmsanam” (You have to be burnt, you are a disgrace to your own clan).

Despite being humiliated, vibhIshaNAzhwAn did not abandon rAvaNa but repeatedly spoke to him for the sake of his uplifting.

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 16-25 “AthmAnam sarvadhA raksha” (Save yourself by all means).

hitham vAkyam – well-intentioned words

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says that rAvaNa could abandon his words, even though they were spoken by his own brother, if they were not beneficial to him. However, there are no words better than these. There is no other path to his being uplifted, and these words are the most befitting. Yet, he did not accept them, acting like a “viparItha ivaushadham” – a dying man who rejects a physician’s advice. Just as an expert physician counsels about the nuances of taking medication, a person on the verge of death remains indifferent to the advice.

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 16-26 “mumUrshava: parEthakalpA hi gathAyushO janA:” (On the verge of death, almost equivalent to a corpse, people whose life times are over, do not accept the good words said by their friends). This was indeed mentioned by vibhIshaNAzhwAn to rAvaNa.

Finally vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “If I had left rAvaNa immediately after learning that he had committed an offence against pirAtti, I could have protected my svarUpam. Alternatively, if rAvaNa had listened to my advice and returned her, I could have also preserved my svarUpam. Instead, I sustained myself with the hope of reforming and uplifting him, and in that process, I lost my true nature (svarUpa hAni)”.

sa cha na prathijagrAha rAvaNa: kAlachOdhitha: I
uchyamAnam hitham vAkyam viparItha ivaushadham II

This concludes the vyAkhyAnam for this SlOkam.

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

periyavAchchAn piLLai thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Source – SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 56 – yudhdha kANdam 17.12 – thamaham hEthubhi:, 17.13 – sa cha na Audio Video

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