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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00114 Sep 2007

 
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3. Dasratha Informs Rama of his decision

Rama was coming to see Dasaratha who saw him from his court-hall 
balcony. (It must be the balcony because Rama is mentioned s later 
as ascending the steps  and Dasaratha could b not have seen him 
coming to the   palace otherwise. Valmiki describes Rama coming on 
the chariot seen by Dasaratha. 
gandharvarAjaprathimam loke vikhyAtha pourusham
dheerghabAhum maha satthvam matthamAthangagAminam
chandrakAnthAnanam rAmam atheeva priyadharSanam
roopoudhAryagunaiH pumsAm dhrdhtichittApahAriNam

Rama was handsome as the king of gandharvas and known for his 
valour, says valmiki, to denote that he was not only handsome to 
look at but was also valiant, which was already well known from the 
Tataka episode and his protection of the yajna of Visvamithra by 
killing the demons and none the less from his breaking the bow of 
Siva and subduing Prasurama. Gandharvas are  renowned for their 
beauty but not valour. Hence the clubbing of the two epithets.

Valmiki describes  Rama as dheerghabahu, having long arms  and walks 
like an elephant ,matthamAthangagAmi , which shows his prowess and 
masculine stature. But at the same time he was as attractive to look 
at as the Moon, chandrakAnthAnana. Govindaraja in his commentary 
explains this word as chandrAth kAnha Ananam yasya, meaning that his 
face was even more delightful than the Moon. The name Rama itself 
denotes this as it means ramayathi ithi rAmaH, one who delights. 
Thus he was atheevapriyadharSana, extremely dear to look at.  He was 
giving joy to the eyes by his appearance and to the mind  with his 
loveable qualities and Dasaratha, says Valmiki never had his fill 
looking at Rama, especially perceiving him as his dear son as well. 
When  Ram approached his father and saluted him in the traditional 
manner â??nAma svam srAvayan rAmah,â?? uttering his own name and bowing 
down (abhivAdhaye etc.) Dasaratha started talking. Valmiki  calls 
Dasaratha as puthravathAm varah, because he is exalted as a father 
because of being chosen by the Lord Himself to be  His father.

Dasaratha  asked Rama to accept the coronation and the  Rama of 
Valmiki simply bowed down again to his father and left for his 
palace. But Kamban describes this as 

thAdhai apparisu urai sei , than maraikkaNNan
kAdhal uttRilan; igazhndhilan, â??kadan idhuâ?? enrRu  uNarndhum
â??yAdhu kottRavan Eviyadhu adhu seyal anRO
needhi eRkuâ?? ena ninaindhum appaNi talai ninRAn.

When Dasaratha told Rama that he will be made the  king, Rama 
neither loved nor hated it but accepted it as the command of the 
king and father whose words must be obeyed. This aspect of the 
character or Rama, Kamban explains further when Kaikeyi tells him to 
go to forest. We shall enjoy the nectar of the words of Kamban  when 
we come to it.

On hearing the news of the coronation of Rama, his friend hastened 
to tell Kouslya about it .Rama also took leave of his father and 
returned to his own palace. Then Dasaratha consulted the experts and 
decided to perform the coronation the next day when the reigning 
star would be Pushya. Then he again sent word to Rama and  when he 
came , told him that he was seeing some ill omens to indicate that 
his end was near and hence he wanted to crown Rama the very next 
day. He said that the mind is fickle and Rama should be coronated 
before his mind changes without any further delay as there would be 
normally be many obstacles before any good action.   

Dasaratha further told Rama that he wanted to crown Rama while 
Bharatha was away  because even though Bharatha  knew dharma and 
would wish only Rama to become the king, still human mind is not 
steady . What Dasaratha referred  to here is that he has promised 
the father of Kaikeyi that her son will succeed  him as the king and 
even though Bharatha  may not accept it superceding the right of 
Rama, the eldest son, to  be the crown prince as per the custom of 
Ikshvaku race, someone might try to change his mind if her were 
present . Then he sent Rama back ttelling him to follow the 
austerities necessary for the coronation the next day. Rama went to 
see his mother and Kousalya was in meditation on Lord Narayana as 
she already heard the news and Sumithra with Lakshman and Sita were 
also there.

Valmiki says Kousalya was eagerly expecting this to happen, 
(probably knowing the promise of Dasratha to the father of Kaikeyi 
she had trepidations that it might not happen,) and expressed her 
joy. Rama told Lakshmana that he was going to rule the kingdom along 
with Lakshmana because they were inseparable. Then Rama returned to 
his palace with Sita.

Vasishta then went to the abode of Rama and instructed him about the 
austerities to be performed. The whole city of Ayodhya went into a 
festive mood and people started celebrating the forthcoming 
coronation , decorating their places eagerly awaiting for the 
coronation of Ram which was not destined to take place  the next 
day. Why? We shall see presently.














Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan
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