SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 26 – AraNya kANdam 19.14 – tharuNau – Part 2

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

In this SlOkam, SUrpaNakhA, in spite of her predicament (her nose and ears being cut), is attracted by perumAL and iLaiya perumAL’s beauty; she describes them as charming, young, lotus eyed men adorned in treebarks and deer skin, who are gentle, and with great strength.

In the avathArikai for this SlOkam, periyavachchAn piLLai explains the reason behind SrI rAma avathAram and the events that happen during the avathAram. In the previous article, some portions of this avathArikai were enjoyed.

The dhEvas approach emperumAn and implore to rescue them from rAvaNa.
They praise bhagavAn’s previous avathArams and his mercy in taking these avathArams to protect them.
They surrender and fall at his divine feet.

avathArikai (Introduction)

The supreme lord, who is most compassionate, incarnates as the son of king dhaSaratha and pirAtti, who is eternally with emperumAn, incarnates as the daughter of king janaka.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 15-21 “pitharam rOchayAmAsa thadhA dhaSaratham nrupam” (The supreme lord, at that time, desired to have king dhaSaratha has his father).
SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 1-27 “janakasya kulE jAthA” (She is born in janaka clan).

During the early ages, SrI rAma was in ayOdhyA and sIthAp pirAtti was in mithilA. This period, when they were away from each other, is seen as a period when they both are not only not protectors, but when they are separate, their separation from each other is seen as disastrous to the entire world. just as it has been said in

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 64-78 “purEva mE chArudhathIm anindhithAm dhiSanthi sIthAm yadhi nAdhya maithileem I sadhEva gandharva manushya pannagam jagath saSailam parivarththayAmyaham II” (If the one who has beautiful teeth, one without flaws, and the princess of mithilA, is not given to me, I will turn this world which is filled with dhEvas, gandharvas, humans, nAgas, and mountains, upside down).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 36-13 “kuSalee yadhi kAkuthstha: kim nu sAgara mEkhalAm I mahIm dhahathi kAkuthstha: krudhdhas thIvrENa chakshushA II” (If the one born in kakuthstha clan is safe and in good health, he would have burnt this earth that is surrounded by the ocean, in his anger, with his furious eyes).

(Note from kAlakshEpam: perumAL and pirAtti are eternally together, our pUvAchAryas, out of their love to always see them together, even in vibhava avathAram, express their separation in this manner).

When they are together, it is auspicious to the entire world, as mentioned in

“AvAbhyAm karmANi karthavyAni prajASchOthpAdhayithavyA:” (Both of us have many things to be accomplished; we also have to beget children).
SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 16-8 “upEtham sIthayA bhUyaSchithrayA SaSinam yathA” (SrI rAma together with sIthAp pirAtti is like the moon with chithrA star).

With the intent to see their union, sage viSwAmithra, who is aware of the secret reason behind perumAL’s avathAram, approaches king dhaSaratha who is like an ocean with gems, and requests the gem, SrI rAma [Some examples for the reasons for his incarnation are as given below].

SrI bhagavath gIthA 4-8 “vinASAya cha dhushkruthAm” (To protect the virtuous people, to annihilate the wicked ones, to establish dharmam [righteousness], I take birth in every yuga).
SrI bhagavath gIthA 4-6 “sambhavAmi” (Though being birthless, by my will and desire, I take birth).
mahAbhAratham “yagyavighnakaram hanyAm” (I will kill those who create obstacles to yAgam and those who are enemies of the pANdavas).

King dhaSaratha did not understand the truth about perumAL because of his extreme love for SrI rAma. Hence, without understanding the greatness of SrI rAma, he refuses to send SrI rAma with sage viSwAmithra by stating that SrI rAma’s age is such that he cannot be considered to execute anything independently.

thiruvAimozhi 1-4-3 “madhiyellAm uL kalangi” (The unblemished knowledge given by perumAL is totally lost in her and she is fully confused)
SrI rAmAyaNa bAla kANdam 20-2 “UnashOdaSavArshO mE” (My son, SrI rAma has not even completed sixteen years of age).
“bAla AshOdaSAdhvarshAth paugaNdaSchEthi kIrthyathE” (Until sixteen years of age one is said to be an adolescent, of tender age, still with a preference to drink milk).

King dhaSaratha says to sage viSwAmithra, “I will accompany SrI rAma along with my entire army – infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry”.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 20-10 “chathurangabalairyuktham mayA cha sahitham naya” (Take SrI rAma along with me and my four divisions of army).

Sage viSwAmithra tells king dhaSaratha not to judge SrI rAma’s strength by his age and convinces king dhaSaratha to send SrI rAma with him to the forest.

periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 1-4-8 “siRumaiyin vArththaiyai mAvali idaich chenRu kEL” (Go to mahAbali and listen to him about krishNa’s activities as a child – as vAmana).
SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 19-14 “vasishtO’pi mahAthEjA yE chEmE thapasi sthithA:” (The very wise sage vasishta and the rishi who are steadfast in penance are aware of SrI rAma’s greatness).

King dhaSaratha gives his two sons to sage viSwAmithra for him to engage them in any manner he wishes.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 22-3 “dhadhau kuSikaputhrAya” (He gave SrI rAma to viSwAmithra)

Just as one destroys ignorance by using karma and knowledge, sage viSwAmithra destroys thAtakA with perumAL and iLaiya perumAL. When ignorance is removed, the puNya and pApa karma that arise due to ignorance are also destroyed. So, along with destroying thAtakA, subhAhu and mArIcha are also destroyed by SrI rAma.

(Note from kAlakshEpam: By performing activities/karma due ignorance, one gains puNya and pApa. thAtakA is personified as ignorance, and subhAhu and mArIcha who are born out of that ignorance – thAtakA, are personified as puNya and pApa.)

brahmasUthram 4-1-13 “uththarapUrvAghayOraSlEsha vinASau” (After one receives the true knowledge of brahmam, sins which were committed earlier will be annihilated and sins which are to be committed in future will not come near him).

As such, SrI rAma, annihilated subhAhu (like the past sins, which are annihilated upon gaining true knowledge) and pushed away mArIcha (like the future sins, which are pushed away upon gaining true knowledge) and protected sage viSwAmithra’s yAgam.

brahmANda purANam “SriyamichchEdha hUthASanAth” (SrI dhEvi – wealth- is to be asked and received from agni).
SrI sUktham 1 “jAthavEdhO mamAvaha lakshmeem” (Oh agni! Bestow me with the grace of lakshmi pirAtti). Here, agni refers to the paramAthmA who is the antharyAmi of agni.
SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 118-44 “viSwAmithrENa sahithO yagyam dhrashtum samAgatha:” (SrI rAma came along with sage viSwAmithra to see the yAgam)

As such, one should ask for lakshmi pirAtti’s grace with agni as witness. So, when SrI rAma went to mithilA to attain sIthAp pirAtti, he went when king janaka was performing a fire sacrifice (yAgam). He worshipped the three sacred fires – gArhapathya agni, AhavanIya agni and dhakshiNAgni and then took the Siva dhanush, removed its dhOsham of being associated with lowly dhEvathA and then elevated its characteristics by his touch and strung the bow.

thirunedunthandakam 13 “villiRuththu melliyal thOL thOyndhAy” (Oh, one who broke the bow and got the hand of seethA pirAtti!).

On his [reference to SrI rAma] way after breaking the bow and taking sIthAp pirAtti’s hand, paraSurAma comes there. He is furious upon knowing that the Siva dhanush was broken and thinks angrily, “How can there be two kings with the same name?”.

raghuvamSam 11-73 “anyathA jagathi rAma ithyayam Sabdha uchcharitha Eva mAmagAth I vrIdamAvahathi mE sa samprathi vyasthavruthathirudhayOn mukhEthvayi II” (In the past, the name ‘rAma’, when uttered, would refer only to me. But now, since it refers to both of us, that name brings shame to me).

Upon seeing paraSurAma’s fury, king dhaSaratha, being a very loving father, trembles. He is fearful as to what will befall SrI rAma who had said as in

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 18-34 “abhayam sarvabhUthEbhyO dhadhAmi” (I will give protection from all beings).

King dhaSaratha, who observed paraSurAma’s disdain to see another person with the same name, out of fear, did not utter his son’s name, he instead called them simply as his children. He asked paraSurAma to provide protection for his children.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 75-6 “bAlAnAm mama puthrANAmabhayam dhAthumarhasi” (Grant protection to my sons, who are children).

Hearing these words, paraSurAma, looked like a blazing fire. King dhaSaratha and sages including sage vasishta, in order to pacify him, like dampening the fire with water, said to paraSurAma, “Is there any rAma, other than you?” They flattered him with double the glories of rAma upon him.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 74-21 & 24 “tham dhrushtvA bhImasangASam jvalanthamiva pAvakam I rushayO rAmEthi vachO madhuramabruvan II” (Looking at paraSurAma, who looked dreadful like a burning fire, the rishis said the sweet words ‘rAma rAma’).

In spite of such words, paraSurAma, being jAmadhagni (the great fire and son of jamadhagni), remained unquenched. SrI rAma thought, “He is burning like this only because he has a stick/firewood in his hand”, and hence, he took away that stick with the fire that rose as the traits of a kshathriya which was conferred on him, and left him with only his inborn brAhmaNa traits.

Then, suitable to his natural brahminical traits, he (paraSurAma) sang mangalAsAsanams. When perumAL took the vishNu dhanush from him, he held his axe in his hand to show the greatness of SrI rAma to all the worlds and took leave from SrI rAma.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 76-17 “akshayam madhuhanthAram jAnAmi thvAm surOththamam I dhanushO’sya parAmarSAth svasthi thE’sthu paranthapa II” (One who makes the enemies suffer! You are indestructible since you broke this vishNu dhanush, you are the one who destroyed the asura named madhu, I understand you as vishNu, the leader of all the dhEvas. May all auspiciousness happen to you”.

After listening to the magaLAsAsanam of paraSurAma, it was certain that he was a brAhmaNa, perumAL plucked the dharbha grass and creeper, and offered at his feet and showed his respects. He let him go since he was wearing his pUNUl [sacred thread] and gave him protection.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 76-6 “brAhmaNOsIthi pUjyO mE” (You are worthy of being worshipped by me since you are a brAhmaNa).

perumAL returned to thiru ayOdhyA with the understanding of sIthAp pirAtti’s greatness, who is SrI dhEvi herself, considering the endeavours that were put forth by him to attain her.

SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 77-26 “rAmasthu sIthayA sArdham vijahAra bahUn ruthUn” (For many years SrI rAma enjoyed along with sIthAp pirAtti).

Seeing perumAL’s and pirAtti’s enjoyment in their union, bhUmip pirAtti also desired perumAL.

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 1-34;2-48 “lOkapAlOpamam nAthamakAmayatha mEdhinI” (bhUmip pirAtti desired SrI rAma, who is vishNu, the lord of the universes)
vishNu purANam 1-9-143 “yadhA thu bhArgavO rAmasthadhAsIthdharaNI thviyam” (When the supreme lord, took the avathAram of paraSurAma, she became bhUmip pirAtti).

Upon seeing this, king dhaSaratha, did not want bhUmip pirAtti’s union with perumAL to be a gandharva vivAham (union of love without ceremonies), he wished to perform pANigrahaNam, so she can hold perumAL’s hand in the presence of everyone in a brAhmaNa vivAham. He gathered all residents of ayOdhyA, ministers, and AchAryas to discuss it. He decided to perform the ceremony on the day of the pushya star that has all auspicious qualities and commenced the arrangements in this regard.

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 4-3 “manthrayithvA thathaSchakrE niSchayagya: suniSchayam I Sva Eva pushyO bhavithA SvObhishinchAmi mE sutham II rAmam rAjIvathAmrAksham yauvarAjya ithi prabhu: II” (Tomorrow being pushya star, I will perform the coronation ceremony for my eldest son SrI rAma who has reddish eyes like a lotus and make him the king tomorrow itself).

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 2-10 “sO’ham viSramamichchAmi” (I want to retire from this position as a king).
SrI rAmAyaNam bAla kANdam 1-21 “yauvarAjyEna samyOkthumaichchath” (People of ayOdhyA said – King dhaSaratha desired to make SrI rAma as the king).

These are desires of king dhaSaratha and people of ayOdhyA who are bound by their karma, hence, they are asathyasankalpam (not sure of achieving desired result), but perumAL who is sathyasankalpan (whose desires are always fulfilled), decided to make his desires come true.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 5-34; 7-14 “AvAsam thvahamichchAmi pradhishtamiha kAnanE” (Oh sages! In this forest, I desire to live in a place that is shown by you).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 6-25 “thapasvinAm raNE SathrUn hanthumichchAmi rAkshasAn” (I desire to kill the rAkshasas, who are enemies to those who do penance, in a fight).
thiruvAimozhi 10-6-3 “eNNinavARu AgA ik karumangaL” (instead of ways we thought, it is happening in the way of his coming towards us, his desiring us, his craving for us and his looking at our thoughts).

So, as antharyAmi of kaikEyip pirAtti and mantharA, perumAL changed those plans of king dhaSaratha and went to the forest to see the rishis in dhaNdakAraNya. Since it is not customary to go empty handed when visiting the rishis, he kills the asura virAdhan as an offering for them.

brahmANda purANam 43-67 “rikthahasthEna nOpEyAth” (One must not go empty handed when visiting a king, dhEva or an elderly person).

Unlike sugrIva mahArAja, who was suspicious of perumAL and iLaiya perumAL during his first meeting, the rishis after seeing perumAL’s valour in killing virAdhan, approached perumAL with great respect and surrendered to SrI rAma for protection.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 6-19 “paripAlaya nO rAma vadhyamAnAn niSAcharai:” (Sri rAma! Protect us, who are being destroyed by the rAkshasas).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 7-24 “bhavathAmarthasidhdhayarthamAgathO’ham yadhruchchayA” (I came here by chance, to accomplish your tasks).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 11-24 “jagAma chASramAmsthEshAm paryAyENa thapasvinAm” (SrI rAma, who visited the hermitages of the rishis repeatedly).

SrI rAma visited the hermitages of Sarabhanga, sudhIkshNa, agasthya and his brother, several times. Then, with the instruction of agasthya, he built a hermitage in panchavatI, on the banks of gOdhAvari, and stayed there with sIthAp pirAtti and iLaiya perumAL.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 17-4 “sa rAma: parNaSAlAyAmAseena: saha sIthayA I virarAja mahAbAhuSchithrayA chandhramA iva II lakshmaNau saha bhrAtharA” (The one with broad shoulders, SrI rAma, along with sIthAp pirAtti and his brother lakshmaNa, lived in the hermitage like the moon when he is with chithrA star).

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

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

periyavAchchAn piLLai thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Source – SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 26 – raNya kANdam 19.14 – tharuNau – 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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