Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,
In the previous 10 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 7 roles, and had an introduction of that 8 th role of vettiyaan. Just for recollection, the different roles are
Whereas kabhandhan's burning by lakshmaNa or doing that vettiyaan's work for the second time is towards the end of 13 th year or the beginning of 14th year - viz
· after Soorpanakha entering the story
· followed by kara dhooshaNa vadham,
· then soorpanakha going to raavaNa and instigating him
· Raavana lifting seethaa with maareecha's help,
· raama goes searching his wife deep in the forest, and there meeting kabhandhan, then kill him, get his suggestion to meet sugreeva.
This portion of story is all in the 13th year-end or 14th year beginning.
So there is a gap of nearly 12 and a half or almost 13 years. But since vaalmeeki just passes of 10 [or 11 years?] of vana vaasam in one or two slokams, this "time gap" may not really 'click' in the flow of story of raamaayaNam. [readers may refer sri vivek's question and my replies few weeks back]
ithi ukthvaa lakshmaNam raama: pradhara: khanyathaam ithi |
thasthou viraadham aakramya kaNThE paadhEna veeryavaan || 3-4-12
thath sruthvaa raaghavENa uktham raakshasa: pra sritham vacha: |
idham prOvaacha kaakuthstham viraadha: purusharshabham || 3-4-13
meaning: On saying to Lakshmana that 'a trench shall be dug' then Raama repressively placed his foot on the throat of Viraadhan, and stood by. [3-4-12] On hearing those words said by Raaghava, demon viraadha sincerely spoke these humble words to Raama, the finest one from Kaakuthstha dynasty. [3-4-13]
Point: see now the reaction of viraadhan – when raama's feet touched him, he says, 'oh raama, I know you, lakshmaNa and seethaa'. Then he says the reasons for his demonic roopam by way of a kubEra curse to him, and his boon of killing not possible by any weapon except a simple burial, So he says to raama and lakshmaNa, 'please bury me, then you go and meet sage sarabhanga'.
kousalyaa suprajaa thaatha raama: thvam vidhithO mayaa |
vaidhEhee cha mahaa bhaagaa lakshmaNa: cha mahaa ya saa: || 3-4-15
meaning: Oh, sire, I know you to be Raama, the son of Kousalya and even propitious Seetha. I also know the greatly renowned one Lakshmana. [3-4-15]
avaTe cha api maam raama prakshipya ku salee vraja |
rakshasaam gatha saththvaanaam Esha dharma: sanaathana: || 3-4-22
avaTe ye nidheeyanthE thEshaam lOkaa: sanaathanaa: |
meaning: Raama, you go safely on burying me in a pit. This is the age-old custom for those demons who lost vitality. For those that are inhumed in pit, to them there will be the worlds of manes.
thatha: khanithram aadhaaya lakshmaNa: swabhram uththamam |
akhanath paar svatha: thasya viraadhasya mahaathmana: || 3-4-27
tham muktha kaNTham uthkshipya sanku karNam mahaaswanam |
viraadham praakshipath shwabhrE nadhantham bhairava swanam || 3-4-28
meaning: [already we saw raama telling lakshmaNa dig a pit in previous post]
Then, on taking a digging tool Lakshmana dug a deep pit beside the great soul Viraadha. On releasing his throat from the stamping of Raama, lakshmaNa pushed that long eared, lurid voiced Viraadha in that pit while he is still blaring with his horrific voice.
tham aahavE dhaaruNam aa su vikramou sthirou ubhou samyathi raama lakshmaNou |
mudhaanvithou chikshipathur bhayaavaham nadhantham uthkshipya bilEna raakshasam || 3-4-29
meaning: Those deftly victorious ones Raama and LakshmaNa who compose themselves in a given fight, both gladly raised that Viradha, a ghoulish one in fight, a terrifying demon, who is still blaring, with all their might and hurled him into the pit. [3-4-29]
prahrushTa roopou iva raama lakshmaNou viraadham urvyaam pradharE nipaathya tham |
nanandhathu: veetha bhayou mahaavanE silaabhi: anthar dhadhathu: cha raakshasam || 3-4-33
meaning: Raama and LakshmaNa felt happy in burying Viraadha in the pit of the earth, and they felt rejoiced for gone is the 'fear in that great forest'. And within the pit they also concealed him with boulders in order to make it a tomb [burial-chamber] to the departed soul.
Point 1: It is seen that for different persons killed or given mOksham, raama paid the last respects fittingly and properly. See here, vaalmeeki says he placed stones to make it as a tomb or a burial chamber. For jataayu he did the karmas like the son. For the vaanaraas in the end of war, he gave fresh life. For people of ayOdhyaa he gave mOksham.
Point 2: A note from skandha puraaNam added in valmikiramayan web site is worth quoting here, since it also gives a phala sruthi – results, also to the readers and listeners.
On seeing Seethaa Viraadha thought, "She is the Supreme goddess through whom heavens can be obtained by salvation and also release from the bondage [of demon's body] On just seeing Her, relieved is this body cage, so with all my devotion, I steal Her" etc. Hence vi raadha meant to be verily, devout, like Raadha of KrishNa. When chased and hurt by Raama and LakshmaNa, the demon releases Seethaa, but carries both the brothers away. For this distancing Raama and LakshmaNa from Seethaa, it is said that Raama does not kill any demon in the presence of Seethaa, for she graciously condones the mischief of the demons, if they are true devotees.
Again at the end of this Viraaadha episode, the phala shruti [Fruit of Listening] is narrated as: "Those who always listen or let listen, all their sins are absolved, undoubtedly'.
With that quote I also end this post.
dhaasan
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