Post 36
Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,
In the previous 35 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 11 roles. The study on the 11 th role of the 'minister' or counsel is continuing. We saw how the minister lakshmaNa showed his clarity of thoughts in realising the maareecha maan as 'who is who' and in forewarning raama. He did show same clarity to seethaa, by telling her nothing will ever happen to raama, when both heard that "haa seethaa haa lakshmaNa" in raama's voice mimed by maareechaa - as well he was clear that it was a miming of raama's voice by same maareecha.
Incidentally we also saw lakshmaNa, in and as the strict security officer, curtly saying seethaa 'I just cannot leave you and go, for I have orders of my king raama to safe guard you – this is in spite of your resorting to severest 'tongue lashing' on me'.
This lashing included a sentence in which seethaa saying just for 'her sake', he is not going. When lakshmaNa replies to seethaa, vaalmeeki describes him in the very next slokam as "vijithEndhriya:" - one who has controlled his senses very well. A classic character analysis is by vaalmeeki – that too in a very serious situation. [Trust you can understand what is conveyed here when I say for 'her sake' and 'jithEndhriya'].
See vaalmeeki's slokam --
abraviit lakshmaNaH seethaam praanjali: vijithEndhriya: | 3-45-28 a
meaning: [When that self-insulted Lakshmana is addressed in this way with hair-raising and acerbic words by Seetha,] he spoke to her suppliantly adjoining his palm-fold.
Continuation:
uththaram na uthsahE vakthum dhaivatham bhavathee mama || 3-45-28
vaakyam aprathiroopam thu na chithram sthreeshu maithili |
svabhaava: thu Esha naareeNaam Eshu lOkEshu dhru syathE || 3-45-29
vimuktha dharma: chapalaa: theekshNaa bhEdakaraa: sthriya: |
na sahE hi eedhru sam vaakyam vaidhEhee janaka aathmajE || 3-45-30
srOthrayO: ubhayO: madhyE thaptha naaraacha sannibham |
meaning: I do not venture to reply you, Maithili, as you are like a deity to me. Women using words, which are a class by themselves, is not at all surprising. This sort of bringing stilted words into play is the nature of women and it is obvious in the world. Women by their nature are unbound by the etiquette of decency, whimsical, cantankerous and they tend to become the artificers of vicissitudes, and oh, VaidhEhee, the daughter of Janaka, indeed unbearable are this kind of words that are much the same as burnt iron arrows thrust in between my two ears.
Point: see lakshmaNa - the minister here advising her, 'you need not worry, somebody has mimed raama's voice, raama cannot be won by anybody in this world etc', even then she goes on saying hot words.
So lakshmaNa exalts her – saying "maithilee - you are a diety to me - maithili mama dhaivatham bhavathee". Perhaps he tries to persuade her by elevating her to that exalted position of dheivam – god – does he kindles her to just fall back on her own real identity? – as periya piraatti – and make her to accept that nothing or no one can really harm raama and thereby console her.
Oh, that minister lakshmaNa has to use different tactics at different times to do that convincing.
That way he also indirectly indicates here that he is not interested in her physical assets.
These two viz. 1. "vijithEndhriya:" 2. maithili mama dhaivatham bhavathee" are some extraordinary words describing the sterling character of lakshmaNa [which is the main intent of this series]
Further that also teaches us, the later generation - on how a minister and / or a security officer [for here lakshmaNa is two in one] should behave in anthappuram – inner courtyard of a king – that too while dealing with a suspecting queen.
Just compare this situation [of how lakshmaNa handles seethaa] with that of meeting the other woman – thaaraa – she is also a queen - when lakshmaNa went as an envoy of king raama to king sugreeva. Here a revered lady seethaa is in front – there thaaraa came in 'as is where is condition' and in a drunken state. Then also lakshmaNa deftly handled by twanging his bow, which showed his anger and sent strong signals. LakshmaNa is lakshmaNa – unique.
Continuation: Till now lakshmaNa put his own points. Now he calls upon witnesses.
upas ruNvanthu mE sarvE saakshinO hi vanEcharaa: || 3-45-31
nyaaya vaadhee yathaa vaakyam ukthO aham parusham thvayaa |
meaning: Let all of the forest-itinerants indeed listen as to how you are addressing me with bitter words, though I am reasoning with you conscientiously, and let them become my corroborators for the sake of justice.
Point: again a classic way of handling the situation by a minister – calling upon witnesses in case needed at later stage.
Perhaps that is why later the 'forest residing' – vanacharaa: did not come to help of seethaa, when she called upon them at that time of raavaNa lifting her. It can also be due to fear of raavaNa - both factors.
Now lakshmaNa utters a sort of hot words to seethaa – or is it a 'curse' [?] – 'dhik thvaam praNasyantheem' –
dhik thvaam adhya praNa syantheem yan maam Evam visankasE || 3-45-32
sthreethvaath dhushTa svabhaavEna guru vaakyE vyavasthitham |
meaning: Fie upon you, you are acrimoniously tempered owing to your feminine nature, and by which impulsive reason you mistrust me, who is presently abiding in my brother's order, may God damn you for that crotchety.
Comment : while a long list of points was presented in that article 'ordeal by fire' of sri sadagopan iyengar and rejoinders by sri sudharsan swamin of Kuwait, I am afraid this point of lakshmaNa's reaction was not covered.
Continuation: now the minister again says the 'varum poruL' – premonition? 'While returning with raama, oh seethaa, will I be able to meet you?' – but just after he said that, he again says ' svasti te astu varaanane' – let safety be with you oh fair faced – may be he realized he did a mistake in uttering that, to his manni – priya raama's wife – his dheivam as just then said – or god like mother in seethaa – for every word uttered comes true in raamaayaNam – first that 'praNasyantheem' and then 'svasti te astu' – [that is what really happened also].
nimiththaani hi ghoraaNi yaani praadhur bhavanthi mE |
api thvaam saha raamENa pa syEyam punaraagatha: || 3-45-34
meaning: Gauging by those dangerous forebodings that are now bidding fair, can I see you again along with Raama on my return? or not? That I do not know." Thus LakshmaNa spoke to Seethaa.
Comment: A note after this slokam in ramayan website reads -- Lakshmana said Seetha 'be lost in desolation...' in the first instance and further said that she 'be blest...' and seeks the help of pastoral divinities to protect Seetha in his absence. This appears self-contradictory on the part of Lakshmana. But it is held correct, for he uttered derogatory words in the first instance as a vexed person and then, on knowing what is suddenly uttered by him, he is correcting himself in saying 'she be blessed...' He wishes her to prosper as she belongs to Raama. Whatever belongs to Raama cannot be ridiculed, especially his mother-like elder sister-in-law.
Continuation: After such hot exchanges also lakshmaNa has not actually left. So seethaa started threatening him that she will fall in river godhaavari – fall from heights of hills – drink poison – enter a fire, etc – to give up that body, than being touched upon by any, other than raama – and started beating herself in the stomach. [vayiRRil adiththuk koLLudhal – to show her anger and dissatisfaction]. She wanted to give up that body, which in her opinion, is what lakshmaNa is interested in and that is why he is not going.
Points: 1. Dear readers – are you getting one more point now - for that ordeal by fire – since her body was touched by raavaNa – naturally she has to enter the fire and get it purified - since she only said 'I will give up this body, if it is to be touched by some one else than raama' – so she kept her word by asking same lakshmaNa to light the fire.
See in raamaayaNam thus every one acts or keeps their words even though uttered in anger or in calm mood.
2. Further these words of threatening are not new to seethaa, for, she said similar words when raama refused to take her to forest. [of course not on the body alone but as complete seethaa].
3. One of the readers wanted to know the place where this abduction of seethaa took place. From these, it is clear, that, it is in a forest place, on the banks of Godhaavari River. For later raama also calls upon godhaavri as to ask 'hey have you seen my seethaa?'
Continuation:
thaam aartha roopaam vimanaa rudhantheem soumithri: aalOkya vi saala nEthraam |
aas vaasayaamaasa na chaiva bharthu: tham bhraatharam kinchith uvaacha seethaa || 3-45-39
meaning: Observing the agonised aspect of Seethaa, that cheerless Soumithri started to cheer her up by repeatedly informing that her husband Raama will come soon. Even then Seethaa has not spoken the least to the brother of her husband, and maintained a silence of antipathy.
Point: see yet lakshmaNa has not given up his attempts in convincing seethaa – his ministerial role in counseling queen seethaa continues and he has not given up his attempts yet. So it teaches us that a minister or counsel or adviser should not easily give up when his stance is strong – a management point also when we go in a 'change'.
thatha: thu seethaam abhivaadhya lakshmaNa: krutha anjali: kinchidh abhipraNamya |
avEkshamaaNO bahusa: sa maithiliim jagaama raamasya sameepam aathmavaan || 3-45-40
meaning: But then, holding Seethaa in usual reverence, that self-respectful LakshmaNa briefly came to her fore, made a reverential palm-fold briefly, and then proceeded to the proximity of Raama, while repeatedly looking back at that lonely lady in the thick of forest.
A point of clarification from ramayan website on this 'lakshmaNa's anjali' to seethaa – as to how he did it – is given here. It also adds different types of anjalis – elaboration on body language.
Till now Lakshmana was behind her or at her sideways, as he usually stood a foot behind Raama or Seethaa, but now came to her fore to rever her viz made a semi-salute, i.e., briefly and briskly adjoined and disjoined his palms, without bringing the joined palms up to his heart or his face.
Bringing the folded palms up to one's own heart is suggestive of 'pouring forth one's own heart' at the other, which is known in prayers language as iungo manus ante pectus
.
And if it is lifted up to forehead, it is suggestive of 'concentrating with whole of the mind,'
and if hands are totally lifted into air it is for the god unknown.
But here this iungere manus is neither ante pectus, infra pectus, nor supra abdomen but a quick gesture. He is performing an-iSTa-namaskaara 'un, interested, greeting...' 'a half-hearted gesture' like a 'cold-handshake' rather than a 'warm' one, because he is now sent by her compulsively and compulsorily.
From MGV: Dear readers, you may get annoyed why this man copies from website – can we not read them directly. Yes – you can. But the 'good taste' of these beautiful points makes me happy to copy them on to my article and share it with you all. My sincere thanks to the authors of website.
May be this clarification may be not relevant to lakshmaNa's role as a minister – but it expresses his reaction, his behaviour - when he is forced to do something, which he dislikes to do.
May be it is a show of resentment but not disobedience. That is how a minister should do – a subordinate should do – when asked to do some jobs not to the taste. May be some lessons for us on the "human behavioral science"?
Let us continue with more on lakshmaNa in next post,
Dhasan
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |