Dear sri
vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,
This is a
sequel of that well written article on crow by our dear Sadagopan Swamy of
Coimbatore [SSC]. While SSC did write an elaborate article on the crow, one
small point comes to my mind, which I read in my lower classes of schooling –
viz. primary classes – kaakkaai – the crow - is called an aagaayath thOtti – a
scavenger from the sky or of the sky – for the crows feed themselves on the dead
rats, the human spitting, and other waste food stuff [rotten] etc, the humans
throw out, thereby giving somewhat clean environment for us the humans.
Perhaps if
the crows do not do that work here, the surroundings of us will become more
nasty and stinking, with the things we, the so-called evolved human beings,
throw on the street, in order to keep our house inside clean.
Similarly
yet another point comes up on the kaakaasuran episode - why should raama use
brahmaasthram than any other? SSC himself answered the question with few points,
which you all have read.
The
following are my own speculations as my thinking went ‘astray’ and located few
points. Pardon me if the same exceeds the limits. The elite readers of the lists
are welcome to offer their criticism on my points.
Point 1:
when raama had a plethora of asthrams and sasthrams, he chose the brahmaasthram
immediately to kill a bird, the top most one in his armoury, than any other
asthra [or sasthra]. Even with raavaNan, the great offender [in the ‘degree of
comparison’ of the offense against seethaa, between kaakkaai and raavaNan] raama
played with other asthrams and sasthrams, and finally only took that
brahmaasthram out. [Kaakkai’s was time wise small, degree wise
small].
Of course
he did not choose any sasthram for he did not possess any at that time of taking
rest with his dear wife.
Point 2.
He chose brahmaasthram, for perhaps he had a doubt, for these athi-dhEvathaas of
other asthrams like agni, varuna, vaayu, et al are subservient to king indhra,
the father of this kaakaasuran. Perhaps they might have a soft corner for
aindhra and hence they may not hit the target kaakaasuran – the son of indhra –
for indhra is their king, - so going against kaakaasuran or hitting him as per
the shooter’s direction may earn the ‘wrath’ or ‘ill will’ of their king.
Even
though, it is sri raama, who is shooting the asthram, since raama treats himself
as a human here – in this boolOkam – in this avathaaram – ‘aathmaanam maanusham
manyE’ claimed raama in front of brahma later – so he might have thought and
doubted these athi dhEvathais – that they may betray the shooter.
That is
why brahmaasthram - for brahmaa is the head of dhEvaas including and above the
king indhran. As such brahma may not have any such soft corner or obligation
like others against indhra or his son.
Point 3:
since jayanthan or the crow is son of indhran, he is also an amaran – a
deathless one [for the dhEvaas are all ‘amaraas’] – it is possible that he also
took ‘amirtham’ during the distribution of ‘nectar’ by ‘mohini’ [since there is
no specific mention who are all took amirtham except all dhEvaas took and one of
the asuran who was later cut into two as raaghu and kEthu]. The then mohini is
same ‘raama’ now in another form. So raama thought this kaakkaai cannot be
killed. Hence it is a question of threatening that kaakkai only. To threaten it
is better to use a bigger and mightier weapon than use a small weapon.
Point 4:
Further Since this jayanthan might have seen that mohini and got amirtham from
her, perhaps he went into intoxication of that beauty of that mohini earlier.
And he thought now seethaa is that same mohini and as such wanted to play with
her. As such he ‘mis-played’ with her and earned a punishment.
Point 5: A
friend told me [who knows raamaayaNam better, in and out], kaakaasuran had a
saapam – curse, and to get released from that saapam he is to be saved by raama,
[being chased for a hit and then surrender to raama] – like that viraadhan and
kabhandhan, who were released from their curses. Of course both of us agreed
that the curse source is difficult to locate, and not known to each other. If
any of the learned colleagues in the lists comes forward to provide same they
deserve a praise.
Point 6:
sri thyaagaraaja referred this kaakaasuran episode in the krithi sreekaantha in
raagam bavapriya, [which I dealt with earlier in the title ‘is seethaa
capable’].
Dhasan
Vasudevan
m.g.
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