SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 27 – AraNya kANdam 19.14 – tharuNau – Part 3

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

The very merciful periyavAchchAn piLLai has given us vyAkhyAnam for important SlOkams in SrI rAmAyaNam; we are enjoying this vyAkhyAnam in this series. This SlOkam (AraNya kANdam 19.14 – tharuNau) is uttered by SUrpaNakhA. She develops a desire for perumAL and iLaiya perumAL after seeing them. When SrI rAma does not reciprocate, she goes to attack sIthAp pirAtti and at that point iLAiya perumAL cuts the nose and ears of SUrpaNakhA. She immediately goes to her brothers – khara and dhUshaNa to describe her condition. She describes the beauty of perumAL and iLaiya perumAL and identifies them as the cause for her plight.

The avathArikai for this SlOkam has been given in a very detailed manner, describing the predicament of dhEvas and their surrender to perumAL in kshIrAbdhi to destroy rAvaNa. perumAL then incarnates as SrI rAma, son of king dhaSaratha, marries sIthAp pirAtti and lives happily in ayOdhyA. Thereafter, he goes to the forest with sIthAp pirAtti and iLaiya perumAL. In the forest he first meets sage bharadhwAja, he also consequently visits many sages in their hermitages. He stays in chithra kUta for sometime and with the instruction of sage agasthiya goes to panchavatI and stays there with sIthAp pirAtti and iLaiya perumAL. It is at this juncture that SUrpaNakha arrives there.

avathArikai (Introduction)

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 17-5 “tham dhESam rAkshasI kAchidhAjagAma yadhruchchayA I sa thu SurpaNakhA nAma” (A rAkshasi came there unexpectedly (per perumAL’s wish); her name was SurpaNakhA).

SurpaNakhA, due to some surprisingly good deeds of hers, approaches perumAL; though he is the ultimate goal to be attained, she approached him without an AchArya. An AchArya is one who unites the AthmA with perumAL, and hence perumAL should be known through an AchArya. Hence SUrpaNakha does not understand the truth about emperumAn. She does not understand him as sarvESvaran, the one who does good to everyone, and the one who is with pirAtti eternally. Without this realisation, not only does she approach perumAL without purushakAram (recommendation of pirAtti), she also commits an intolerable offence – asahyApachAram (offense without any specific reason).

(Note from kAlakshEpam: There are three types of offences – bhagavath apachAram – offence committed towards bhagavAn, bhAgavatha apachAram – offence committed towards servitors, and asahya apachAram – offence committed towards bhagavAn and servitors without any particular reason)

varAha purANam “na kshamAmi” (perumAL says: I will not tolerate bhAgavatha apachAram even if hundred padhmakOti kAlam – several crores years in brahma’s time – is passed).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 18-21 “ithyukthO lakshmaNasthasyA: krudhdhO rAmasya paSyatha: I udhdhruthya khadgam chichchEdha karNanAsam mahAbala: II” (The very strong iLaiya perumAL, upon hearing SrI rAma utter these words, drew his sword while SrI rAma was watching and cut her ears and nose).
siRiya thirumadal 36 “kUrArndha vALAl kodi mUkkum kAdhiraNdum” (with a sharp sword, nose which is like a creeper and the two ears).
periya-thirumozhi 7-4-3 “kAdhOdu kodi mUkku anRu udan aRuththa kaiththalaththA!” (Oh, one who is having divine hands which at once severed the ear and creeper-like nose of SUrpaNakhA).

Then, SrI rAma through iLaiya perumAL who is his right hand, disfigured SUrpaNakA.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 34-13 “rAmasya dhakshiNE bAhu:” (SrI rAma’a right hand).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 18-26 “virUpaNanchAthmani SONithOkshithA SaSamsa sarvam bhaginI kharasya sA” (covered in blood, kharan’s sister, described about everything including her disfigurement to kharan)

SUrpaNakhA, with her nose hanging and blood dripping, narrates to her brother kharan about the incident. Upon hearing, he becomes angry, and asks her to clearly identify the people responsible for her condition.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 19-2 “vyakthamAkhyAhi kEna thvam Evam rUpA virUpithA” (Tell me clearly, who disfigured you like this?).

SUrpaNakhA begins to describe by saying, “tharuNau” (young men).

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 19-14 “tharuNau” (young men).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 19-15 “puthrau dhaSarathasyAsthAm bhrAtharau rAmalakshmaNau” (There were two brothers SrI rAma and lakshmaNa, sons of King dhaSaratha).

Although she was disfigured by them, yet, why does she begin by describing their youthfulness and beauty? Though her limbs were mutilated, her desires were not mutilated. She expressed her desires towards them very obviously and outwardly, and without feeling any discomfort in the presence of her brother.

This is however, true for everyone – whether one is desirous or not of perumAL, once they have seen him, they will be enchanted by his beauty.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 17-9 “kAmamOhithA” (SUrpaNakhA, who was spellbound by her desire).

This can also be seen when sIthAp pirAtti asks thiruvadi (hanumAn) to describe SrI rAma’s identification to her. He too described SrI rAma’s lotus eyes before he described other identifications of SrI rAma’s divine form.

SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 35-3 “yAni rAmasya chihnAni” (Describe SrI rAma’s identifications).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 35-27 “thris sthiras thripralamabaScha” (with three limbs which are very firm, with three limbs which are very long).
SrI rAmAyaNam sundhara kANdam 35-8 “rAma: kamalapathrAksha: sarvasaththvamanOhara:” (SrI rAma has eyes like the reddish lotus petals; he captivates the hearts of all beings).

Also, since it is necessary to define the form before naming an object, it can be said that SUrpaNakhA described SrI rAma’s beauty before identifying him as king dhaSaratha’s son.

purusha sUktham “rUpANi vichithya dhIra: nAmAni kruthvA” (The omniscient supreme lord, first created all forms, spelled out their names).
“supthapramaththakupithAnAm bhAvagyAnam dhrushtam” (The inner thoughts of one can be well known when one is asleep, mentally ill or angry).

This is also predominantly seen in the world – when one gets angry, the true intentions within him are clearly revealed. According to those worldly practices too, it can be said that SUrpaNakhA, in a fury, not aware of herself, described her inner feelings about SrI rAma’s and iLaiya perumAL’s beauty.

What were the reasons behind SUrpaNakhA’s extreme desire for SrI rAma?

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 17-9 “rAmamindhIvaraSyAmam kandharpa sadhruSaprabham I babhUvEndhrOpamam dhrushtvA rAkshasI kAmamOhithA II” (rAkshasi was captivated by looking at SrI rAma who was like the blue lotus-like flower, with a radiance like that of kAma dhEva, and comparable to indhra dhEva).

perumAL’s captivating form .

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 19-20 “thayOsthayAScha rudhiram pibEyamaham” (I desire to drink the blood of that SrI rAma, iLaiya perumAL, and sIthAp pirAtti in the battle).

Anger arose in her due to humiliation.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 19-6 “kOyamEvam mahAvIrya:” (Who is that great warrior who disfigured you?).
SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 19-15 “phalamUlASinau dhAnthau thApasau dharmachAriNau” (SrI rAma and iLaiya perumAL are those who eat fruits and roots; who have control of their senses; who perform penances; who are steadfast in following the dhamam).

perumAL’s and iLaiya perumAL’s simplicity that is shown in their appearance.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 21-10 “rAmasya cha mahath karma mahAmsthrAsO’bhavanmama” (I got apprehensive by looking at SrI rAma’s valour).

Being afraid of perumAL and iLaiya perumAL, and to create an irritation in kharan’s heart, SUrpaNakhA spoke words to instigate her brother.

SrI rAmAyaNam AraNya kANdam 21-16 “budhdhyAham anupaSyAmi na thvam rAmasya samprathi I sthAthum prathimukhE Saktha: sachApasya mahAraNE II” (I think even you are not capable of fighting with that SrI rAma who lives in the forest with a bow in his hand).

Chivalry of perumAL and iLaiya perumAL.

As such, it can be seen that perumAL’s beauty, simplicity and chivalry are all described in this SlOkam.

tharuNau rUpasampannau sukumArau mahAbalau I
puNdareekaviSAlAkshau chIrakrushNAjinAmbarau II

Word-by-Word meaning

(SrI rAma and iLaiya perumAL are)
tharuNau – in their youth
rUpasampannau – very stunning
sukumArau – very gentle
mahAbalau – with great strength
puNdareeka viSAlAkshau – with wide eyes resembling a lotus
chIra krushNAjinAmbarau – adorned in treebarks and deerskin

Simple Meaning

(SrI rAma and iLaiya perumAL are) youthful, good-looking, gentle yet very strong, with eyes which are broad like lotuses and dressed in treebarks and deerskin.

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

First, let’s look at the thoughts pertaining to SUrpaNakhA’s desire.

SUrpaNakhA says (about perumAL and iLaiya perumAL), “’Their youthfulness, beautiful form, agility of execution, strength, beautiful eyes, and adornments cannot be found in anybody else. Those features present in perumAL’s divine form, are the ones which have made me so desirous of him”.

periya thirumadal 46 “ennai idhu viLaiththa IriraNdu mAlvaraiththOL mannavan” (the king of kings, the four shoulders which are like a huge mountain and which torment me, who is a sinner).

tharuNau

rig vEdham “yuvAkumAra:” (one who has entered youthhood; but also has slight adolescence)
yajur vEdham 2-4-3-29 “ya: pUrvyAya vEdhasE navIyasE sumajjAnayE vishNavE dhadhASathi yavIyasE” (one who surrenders himself to vishNu, who is eternal, who is the oldest, who is novel, who is young and who is husband for lakshmi pirAtti).
periya thirumozhi 7-10-1 “ arumbinai alarai” (bud which is also in the blossoming state). (Note from kAlakshEpam: This is a direct translation in thamizh for yuvAkumAra:).

As such, vEdham describes perumAL as one who remains eternally youthful, without any change. SUrpaNakhA, a rAkshasi, is bringing up the same meanings which are explained in vEdhantham as though she is well versed in it. This also seems to be the talk of all rAkshasis. Even maNdOdhari, celebrated SrI rAma like this.

SrI rAmAyaNan yudhdha kANdam 111-14 “vyakthamEsha mahAyOgI paramAthmA sanAthana: I thamasa: paramO dhAthA Sankha chakra gadhAdhara: II” (maNdOdhari says: It is clear that SrI rAma, one who is a great ascetic, one who is the oldest, one who is different from the mUla prakruthi – primordial matter, one who is eternal, one who is beyond ignorance, one who is the nourisher for all, one with the conch, disc and mace, is the one who is within all beings in the universe, paramAthmA).

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 – 27- raNya kANdam 19.14 – tharuNau – 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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