SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 57 – yudhdha kANdam 17.14 – sO’ham, 17.15 – nivEdhayatha – Part 1

_{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.

Having left rAvaNa, vibhIshaNAzhwAn stands in the sky and beholds sugrIva mahArAja and others. He tells them that rAvaNa humiliated him and refused to listen, despite being advised repeatedly. He requests them to inform perumAL of his arrival immediately.

avathArikai (Introduction)

[periyavAchchAn piLLai beautifully describes the words of vibhIshaNAzhwAn in this SlOkam].

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “Not only did he reject my good counsel, but he also insulted me with inappropriate words, for providing it. He even had his subordinates [such as prahasthan and indhrajith] humiliate me. Therefore, I abandoned all of my bodily relatives and took refuge at the divine feet of perumAL, who is the natural relative of everyone”.

sO’ham parushithasthEna dhAsavachchAvamAnitha: I
thyakthvA puthrAmScha dhArAmScha rAghavam SaraNam gatha: II

Word-by-word meaning

thEna – by him
parushitha: – one, who was berated
dhAsavath – like a servant
avamAnitha: cha – and humiliated
sa – that
aham – I (am)
puthrAmScha – my sons (also)
dhArAmScha – wife (also)
thyakthvA – have given up
rAghavam – SrI rAma
SaraNam gatha: – surrendered

Simple meaning

[vibhIshaNAzhwAn says]

I, who was spoken harshly and humiliated by him [rAvaNa] like a servant, have left my children and my wife, and surrendered to perumAL.

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

[Note from kAlakshEpam: An important point to bear in our minds: We may think vibhIshaNAzhwAn is a virtuous person and so is his daughter thrijatA, his other children too, would have also been righteous, along with his wife. Why did he abandon even these virtuous relatives? One must let go of all attachments while surrendering to perumAL, and thus he abandons all worldly relationships.

However, since his family members are virtuous, they will eventually follow vibhIshaNAzhwAn and come to perumAL. Everyone, who is in adiyAr’s gOshti (community of devotees), even if not physically related, will be together as Athmabandhu [friends of the soul] and perform kainkaryam together.

nammAzhwAr explains this in thiruvAimozhi 8-10-11 “manai vAzhvar koNda peNdir makkaLE” (Living in gruhasthASramam along with their accepted wife, children et al in the distinguished state of thadhIya SEshathvam – servitude towards devotees). Furthermore, in the next pAsuram, thiruvAimozhi 9-1-1, AzhwAr shows that there is no refugee other than the supreme lord who mercifully consumed and protected everyone from deluge (“uyyal allAl illai kaNdIr thuNaiyE”).

It is perfectly fine to be together to experience perumAL and be engaged in kainkaryam. However, if the relationships are based solely on worldly matters and physical enjoyment, they need to be abandoned. It is important to understand this distinction to avoid confusion. The goal is to perform kainkaryam and encourage all family members to be included in such services. Hence, these matters must be analysed well and followed under the guidance of elders. Even though it is said that vibhIshaNAzhwAn left everyone, his family members – who are also servitors of the lord – will eventually come and surrender at the divine feet of perumAL, after the war. Hence, he says he surrenders, leaving all aupAdhikam (relative, for the reason of being related in this birth)].

sO’ham – I

I – referring to vibhIshaNAzhwAn, who offered good counsel upon seeing the disaster (anartham) that was going to befall rAvaNa, even though rAvaNa had turned himself away (vimukha) [by ignoring the advice].

parushitha: – treated harshly, addressed roughly with severe words

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “Using my advice as a pretext, he wounded my heart with his thunderbolt-like speech (vAk vajrAyudham)”.

puththUr swAmy’s explanation:

[Reflecting on the thirukkuraL] ‘ArAdhE nAvinARchuttavadu’ (scar caused by a harsh tongue never heals), rAvaNa used his tongue like a vajrAyudham [thunderbolt weapon] to deeply offend and wound vibhIshaNAzhwAn.

thEna – [vibhIshaNAzhwAn’s words were neglected] by him

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “I offered good counsel; he not only disregarded them (anAdharam), but he also regarded kAlan’s [lord of death] words, thinking them to be good for him”.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: Due to rAvaNa’s immense sins, kAlan constantly incited him to ignore vibhIshaNAzhwAn’s words].

dhAsavachchAvamAnitha: – I was insulted like a servant.

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “Even if what was spoken by me was not for his goodness, being my elder brother he could have disregarded me, instead, he insulted me through his servant prahasthan, and through his son, indhrajith. I was humiliated like a servant who eats the remains of his master”.

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 15-2 “thAtha kanishta vAkyamanarthakam” (indhrajith says: Oh, uncle! Your lowly words are meaningless).

Alienated even by the most sinful rAvaNa, vibhIshaNAzhwAn expresses his state of lowliness in this manner.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: Just as vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, ‘I was discarded even by the lowly rAvaNa’, in the same way, thoNdaradippodi AzhwAr expresses his profound humility (naichyAnusandhAnam) that he was not wanted even by women with evil intentions, in thirumAlai 31 “thuvarththa sevvAyinArkkE thuvakkaRath thurisanAnEn”].

Being discarded by his brother, vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “When the status of a very close relation like a brother remains in this manner, what can be said about the level of other conditional relationships (sOpAdhika bandhu)? They are going to yield the same result”.

Thus, vibhIshaNAzhwAn states in the latter half of the SlOkam that he has renounced his wife and children – who are sOpAdhika bandhus – and has surrendered to perumAL, who is the nirupAdhika bandhu (unconditional relative).

[Note from kAlakshEpam: In this context, other relationships (such as wife and children) are referred to as sOpAdhika bandhu because they come into existence later in life, whereas a brotherly relationship exists from birth].

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 102-12 “dhESE dhESE kalathrANi dhESE dhESE sa bhandhavA: I tham thu dhESam na paSyAmi yathra bhrAthA sahOdhara: II” (perumAL says: In every country, wives can be found. In every country, relatives can be found. However, I do not see any country where a brother born from the same womb can be found).

puthrAmScha – the son who helps to cross the hell known as ‘puth’

One who delivers the father from hell known as ‘puth’, is called puthra (son). By mentioning that vibhIshaNAzhwAn renounced his son, it becomes apparent that for one who surrenders, all superficial prApyams (goal) and prApakams (means) must be renounced.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: On the surface, a vaidhika may desire to save himself from going to the hell called ‘puth’ and may hold on to his son for this reason. However, for one who believes in the SaraNAgathi SAsthram, there is no reason to hold on to anyone. Hence, while these relationships outwardly seem like a goal, in reality, they are not the prApyam (goal). The same explanation holds true for a wife or a husband].

thyakthvA – having abandoned

The suffix, ‘kthva’ translates to ‘having done the action’. Therefore, it can be understood that one must first give up all other superficial goals and means; having done so, he surrenders. Thus, renunciation of everything other than perumAL is described as an essential limb of SaraNAgathi.

rAghavam SaraNam gatha:

Just like the words of iLaiya perumAL – ‘Every relationship is my lord to me’, vibhIshaNAzhwAn surrendered to the lord, who possesses a natural propensity to become all the relationships which were abandoned.

SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 58-31 “bhrAthA bharthA cha bandhuScha pithA cha mama rAghava:” (perumAL, rAghava is my brother, lord, relative, and father).

[Note from kAlakshEpam: One wonderful aspect often discussed in many upanyAsams is our situation in this world, where we have many relationships. If someone dies suddenly – such as a father, mother, son – others, like a king (in olden times) or an elderly relative, may step forward to fill that role. This can be true for almost all relationships, except for that of a wife or husband. However, perumAL can declare that he is every relationship to us. This unique role is suitable only for emperumAn. Hence, the above pramANam is cited].

vishNu purANam 4-2-78 “kim thvarthinAm arthitha dhAnadhIkshAkruthavratham SlAghyamidham kulam thE” (Oh, mAndhAthA! On this earth there are many other kings, who have also given birth to women, but your clan is distinguished as one ready to give everything that is asked for, as charity).

[Note from kAlakshEpam: While performing penance underwater, sage saubhari felt a shoal of fish brush against his leg and was awakened from his meditation. Upon seeing the fish swimming in groups, a sudden thought crossed his mind that he too must enter gruhasthASrama (householder life) to enjoy its pleasures. Consequently, he approached king mAndhAthA who had 50 daughters, and expressed his desire to marry them all. The above incident was cited by sage saubhari during his meeting with the king].

As such, the lineage of raghu is known to grant the wishes of all who seek refuge. Therefore, this also implies that he surrendered to a descendant of this clan, perumAL.

sO’ham parushithasthEna dhAsavachchAvamAnitha: I
thvakthvA puthrAmScha dhArAmScha rAghavam SaraNam gatha: II

Thus concludes the vyAkhyAnam for this SlOkam.

SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – yudhdha kANdam 17.15 – nivEdhayatha – Part 1

Up until now, in the preceding SlOkams, vibhIshaNAzhwAn has expressed all the essential aspects of SaraNAgathi. The current SlOkam is very important, as it is in this SlOkam that he requests sugrIva maharAja and other monkeys to inform perumAL of his arrival. periyavAchchAn piLLai has given two vyAkhyAnams for this SlOkam: thaniSlOka vyAkhyAnam and abhayapradhAna sAra vyAkhyAnam. First, we will enjoy the commentaries in abhayapradhAna sAra vyAkhyAnam.

avathArikai (Introduction)

vibhIshaNAzhwAn is requesting the monkeys to very quickly inform perumAL of his arrival, so that SrI rAma – seeing his unfortunate state [of having abandoned everything but not yet attained perumAL, and standing unsupported in the sky] – shall bestow his blessings upon him.

nivEdhayatha mAm kshipram vibhIshaNam upasthitham I
sarva lOka SaraNyAya rAghavAya mahAthmanE II

Word-by-word meaning

sarvalOkaSaraNyAya – the one who is apt to be surrendered to, for all the worlds
mahAthmanE – one with great virtues
rAghavAya – for SrI rAma
upasthitham – arrived (here)
vibhIshaNam – the one named vibhIshaNa
mAm – me
kshipram – quickly
nivEdhayatha – inform

Simple meaning

[vibhishaNAzhwAn says to sugrIva maharAja and other monkeys]

Immediately inform SrI rAma, who is apt to be surrendered to, for all the worlds and one with supreme virtues, that I, VibhIshaNa, have arrived here.

Notes from periyavAchchAn piLLai’s vyAkhyAnam

mAm upasthitham nivEdhayatha – I have arrived; inform

Although he should have said,‘I have arrived, inform perumAL’, vibhIshaNAzhwAn instead begins with ‘nivEdhayatha’ (inform). This emphasises his extreme urgency. His haste also reveals an inability to sustain himself without attaining perumAL.

mAm – me

“prachyuthO vA asmAllOkAdhAgathO dhEvalOkam” (The one who, after attaining the abode of the dhEvas, slips away from it). [Note from kAlakshEpam: This refers to the story of thriSangu, who plummeted downwards after being pushed out of the dhEva lOkam. Sage viSwAmithra, using the powers of his penance, then created a new world for him in mid-air. This is cited here because vibhIshaNAzhwAn also, had slipped from everything he had, without attaining perumAL and stood in the sky without any support].

He left all those he was holding on to before, those who had to be abandoned, but had not yet reached the divine feet of perumAL, the ultimate goal. Instead, he stood in the sky, his eyes and mouth drying up, looking out and calling repeatedly – ‘You should come so that I can see you’ (kANa vArAy enRenRu kaNNum vAyum thuvarndhu).

thiruvAimozhi 8-5-2 “kANa vArAy enRenRu kaNNum vAyum thuvarndhu” (Looking out and calling out repeatedly saying “you should come to be seen by me”, my eyes and mouth are dried up).

kshipram – very quickly

Shouldn’t the virtues and flaws of an entrant be analysed prior to reporting on his arrival? Sensing that the monkeys were thinking along these lines, vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, ‘Quickly (kshipram), or I might lose my life before you finish your analysis. If this happens, the blame for my death may fall on you. Therefore, quickly inform perumAL of my arrival’. Immediately they reply, “Before announcing your arrival to the emperor’s son (chakravarthith thirumagan, king dhaSaratha’s son), we must verify that you are indeed a qualified person with good virtues”.

rAghavAya

vibhIshaNAzhwAn asks, “For those born in the lineage of raghu, who provide refuge to everyone, is there such a thing as an unqualified person for surrendering”?

mahAthmanE

Even if a person in the raghu clan considers someone as unqualified to seek refuge, is there anyone unqualified in the eyes of perumAL, who, true to his great virtue, encompasses everyone with his compassion without perceiving the lowliness of the one surrendering? [Therefore, vibhIshaNAzhwAn requests them to inform of his arrival without delay].

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 131-101 “rAmO rAmO rAma ithi” (During SrI rAma’s reign, all conversations of his subjects were only: rAma, rAma, rAma; the entire world was filled with rAma).

SrI rAmAyaNam uththara kANdam 109-133 “thiryak yOnigathASchAnyE” (Even the crawling and slithering entities in SrI ayOdhyA followed SrI rAma).

perumAL thirumozhi 10-10 “anRu charAcharangaLai vaigundaththERRi” (That day, when SrI rAma mercifully went to his abode of paramapadham, he made all the mobile and immobile entities present in SrI ayOdhyA to ascend to paramapadham).

Thus, mahAthmanE illustrates the limitless, natural, and causeless mercy of the distinguished greatness of emperumAn’s SrI rAmAvathAram when compared to para, vyUha, and other states.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: In this context, other avathArams of emperumAn – such as mathsya, kUrma, narasimha, or krishNa avathAram – can also be included. However, it is a special distinction for SrI rAma avathAram that only during this incarnation did perumAL take all the residents of SrI ayOdhyA to paramapadham].

sarvalOkaSaraNyAya – the ultimate refuge for all the worlds

According to its etymology, “lOkyantha ithi lOkA:” translates to ‘Those who are seen are perceived as world’. Hence, the word ‘lOka’ (in sarvalOkaSaraNyAya) refers to the people in the world.

In entirety, everyone [all AthmAs] has the eligibility to seek perumAL’s refuge. Simply being subjects in his kingdom was a sufficient reason to seek SrI rAma’s refuge. vibhIshaNAzhwAn says to the monkeys, “You think I am worthy of abandonment due to my relationship with rAvaNa. However, aside from protecting me, perumAL will not even abandon rAvaNa – who refuses to surrender to anyone – even if he is cut into halves”.

SrI rAmAyaNam yudhdha kANdam 36-11 “dhvidhA bhajyEyam apyEvam na namEyam thu kasyachith” (I will not bow down to anyone even if I am cut into two).

vibhIshaNAzhwAn continues, “Even if all of you abandon me, there cannot be any objection to holding on to SrI rAma, who does not abandon the surrendered. So, simply holding onto him will be sufficient for me to become a part of him”.

[Note from kAlakshEpam: You may leave me, but not perumAL. perumAL will not abandon me as I seek refuge in him, and I will not let go of perumAL. Therefore, abandoning me will result in losing perumAL’s grace. In other words, vibhIshaNAzhwAn says, “I am devoted to perumAL and he also considers me dear to him; if you come between us as a hindrance, it will only result in a loss for you”].

“madhamSabhUthO rAma:” (SrI rAmapirAn is present for me too, to have a share of him).

[Note from kAlakshEpam: Everyone deserves to share a part of perumAL].

The word ‘sarvam’ means ‘all’. Thus, vibhIshaNAzhwAn asks, “Will I alone be excluded by perumAL (madhEkavarjam kimitham vratham thE), who is sarvalOkaSaraNyAn (refuge of all worlds)”?

sthOthra rathnam 64 “madhEkavarjam kimitham vratham thE” (Will this distinguished vow of your highness, who is common to all, exclude me)?

vibhIshaNam

vibhIshaNAzhwAn says further, “I am vibhIshaNa, one who is feared by everyone in various ways. You all are not comparable to me in this particular matter. I am unwanted and disliked by all due to my fearful nature. Accepting a lowly person like me would add glory to SrI rAma, and I have come to offer such glory to perumAL. Would it be possible for the rest of you to offer this to perumAL”?

upasthitham

vibhIshaNAzhwAn further entreats: “Even if I had cried out, “rAghava SaraNam’ from lankA, shouldn’t perumAL come just as he did in a great hurry – with disheveled waist-cloth and hair flying loose – to the pond to offer protection to gajEndhrAzhwAn when he cried, “AdhimUlamE”? Since I have already reduced his burden by taking four steps towards him; shouldn’t he hurry in his endeavour to rescue me”?

nivEdhayatha mAm kshipram vibhIshaNam upasthitham I
sarvalOkaSaraNyAya rAghavAya mahAthmanE II

This concludes the abhayapradhAna sAra vyAkhyAnam for this SlOkam.

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jIyar thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

periyavAchchAn piLLai thiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Source – SrI rAmAyaNa thani SlOkam – 57 – yudhdha kANdam 17.14 – sO’ham, 17.15 – nivEdhayatha – Part 1 Audio Video

adiyEn chithrA rAmAnuja dhAsi

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

Artwork – namperumAL rAmAnuja dhAsan

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