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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00148 Nov 2003

 
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Post 12

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

Continuing the topic of "good governance- raamaa's style", we saw in post 11, 
the points on the defence commandant and how the king dhasaratha ruled by 
winning over the enemies, not only in war but in peace also. In this post, we 
will see the king's defense preparedness all the time, so that safe governance 
is assured to the sovereign's subjects.  

King dhasaratha equipped his army by having best among the horses, elephants 
etc: see slOkam 1-6-22 [baala kaaNdam sargam 6 slOkam 22] [for in those days, 
the modern day mass destruction weapons were not known, missiles with nuke 
power not thought about]. 

kaambhOja vishayE jaathai: baahleekai: cha haya uththamai: |
vanaayujai: nadheejai: cha poorNaa harihaya uththamai: || 1-6-22

kaambhOja vishayE = kaambhOja the country 
jaathai: = born in 
baahleekai: = in baahleeka country 
haya uththamai: = the best ones of horses
vanaayu jai: = born in the country vanaayu 
nadhee ja: = born in rivers [banks] 
cha = also 
poorNaa = full with 
hari haya uththamai: = like Indhra's horse the best one.

meaning: king dhasaratha brought horses born in countries like kaambhOja, 
baahleeka, vanaayu, and also in countries along river-beds, the best ones, like 
the horse of Lord Indhra [called ucchiasrava]. That city of ayOdhyaa was full 
with such classic horses. [a proof for the defense preparedness]

vindhya parvathajai: maththai: poorNaa haimavathai: api |
madhaanvithai: athibalai: maathaNgai: parvatha upamai: || 1-6-23

maathangai: = elephants 
vindhya parvatha jai: = born in Vindhya mountains 
poorNa maththai: = full of vigor 
haimavathai: api = Himalayan born also 
madha anvithai: = fattened fully 
athi balai: = most mighty 
parvatha upamai: = comparable to mountains in similitude.

Meaning: king dhasarathaa had elephants born in vindhya mountains, also from 
himalayan regions. Mighty were the elephants, fully vigorous and fattened ones, 
and they were most powerful in their strength and each in similitude to a huge 
mountain. 

airaavatha kuleenai: cha mahaapadhma kulai: thathaa |
anjanaadh api nishkraanthai: vaamanaadh api cha dhvipai: || 1-6-24

dhvipai: = the elephants.
airaavatha kuleenai: cha = from that breed of airavatha [the elephant of 
indhra] 
mahaa padhma kulai: = from mahaapadhma breed 
thatha anjanaath api = thus from anjana breed also 
nishkraanthai: = derived from 
vaamanaath api cha = from vaamana breed too 

Meaning: king dhasaratha had high bred elephants of the class of airaavatha, 
the elephant of Lord Indhra, and from mahaapadhma, anjana and vaamana, too.

Just a point on the elephant clan: It is said that eight elephants from eight 
corners called ashta dhiggaja support the universe. These eight elephants have 
their presiding deities. Out of those eight elephants, four are prominent. They 
are 1] airavata, the elephant of indhra, lord of heavens, 2] anjana, the 
elephant of varuNa, the raingod 3] vaamana, the elephant of yama, the lord of 
dharma and death, 4] punDareeka. Thus, the elephants of king dhasaratha in 
ayOdhya are identified with these and termed as 'divine bred' - means of very 
high class breed.

Bhadhrai: mandhrai: mrugai: cha eva bhadhra mandhra mrugai: thathaa |
bhadhra mandhrai: bhadhra mrugai: mruga mandhrai: cha saa puree || 1-6-25

Bhadhra = of the class of Bhadhra
mandhra = of the class of mandhra 
mruga = of the class of mriga
cha eva = like that 
bhadhra mandhra mruga: tathaa = a mixture of these three; 
bhadhra mandhrai: = bhadra and mandra; 
bhadhra mrugai: = bhadra and mriga; 
mruga mandhra cha = mriga and mandra also 
saa puree = that city.

Meaning: That city is full with mountain like elephants bred mainly from three 
classes viz., Bhadhra, mandhra and mriga. And [inter-bred among these three 
main classes are] Bhadhra-mandhra, mandhra-mriga, Bhadhra-mriga etc. [1-6-25]

Point on the elephant breed: bhadra is the elephant class for King's ride, 
called bhadra gaja. It is a state elephant with high honours and for occasional 
or ceremonial use [bhadhram also means mangaLam so also these are used in 
ceremonial occasions. 
Mandhra and mruga are classes of breed, tamed and used in wars or for the ride 
of other nobility. These are the essential mammals used for other lifting and 
carrying works.
Also note that one clan is intermingled with the other and a hybrid variety is 
also produced even in those days - like mandhra mriga etc. So the "knowledge" 
and "technology" on cross breeding was well known and used to produce efficient 
animals during raamaayaNa days. 

Dear bhakthaas, you may ask why so much on the breeds of elephants and horses. 
For raamaa asks bharatha- hey dear brother and king of ayOdhyaa - be never 
satisfied that you have adequate number of horses and elephants - which leads 
to the point on defence. 

kachchin naaga vanam guptham kachchith thE santhi dhEnukaa:|
kaschinna gaNikaa asvaanaam kunjaraaNam cha thrupyasi|| 2- 100 -50

kachchin naaga vanam = the forests where elephants are available
guptham = safe and nicely protected
kachchith thE dhEnukaa: santhi = do you have enough female elephants
kaschin asvaanaam gaNikaa = on the number of female horses
kunjaraaNam cha = and male elephants
na thrupyasi = do not be satisfied

meaning: raamaa asks bharatha - hey king are you checking that forests where 
elephants are available well protected [so that you can catch enough numbers 
when needed]. Are enough number of feamle elephants available to you [so that 
they will be yielding calves in good numbers]. Please do not be satisfied that 
you have enough of female horses, female elphants, also on the male elephants. 

Point: this also means the forest wealth should be managed well so that enough 
number of elephants are available / living in these forests. Also the female to 
male ratios are to be ensured so that the breeding of these animals take place. 
Similar is the case with horses. That way, raama gives important points on the 
governance of department of forestry, animal husbandry, and defense 
preparedness all combined in one stroke. 

Now see the point on protection to the capital city.

nithya maththai: sadhaa poorNaa naagai: achala sannibhai: |
saa yOjanE cha dhvE bhooya: sathya naamaa prakaasathE |
yasyaam dhasarathO raajaa vasan jagath apaalayath || 1-6-26

nithya maththai: = always vigorous 
sadhaa poorNaa = always full with 
naagai: = elephants 
achala sannibhai: = mountain like 
saa = that ayOdhyaa 
yojane cha dhvE bhooya: = two yojanaas further 
sathya naama = true to its name 
prakaasathE = radiant 
yasyaam = that which 
dhasaratha: naama raajaa = named dhasaratha the king 
vasan = residing 
jagat apaalayat = ruled the world [kingdom].

Meaning: Full with the elephants that are always vigorous and mountain-like, 
the radiance of ayOdhyaa is true to its name, because, further two-yojana 
distance [of its circumference] none can assail [hence the name a+yodhya = 
un-assailable]. Residing in that Ayodhya, the king named Dasharatha, ruled the 
world.

The point here is that not only the borders have been sealed and well 
protected, the capital is more protected by elephants on the circumference of 
two yOjanaas. Because those days [and even now] when the capital of a country 
is seized by the enemy, it is deemed that the whole country is taken over. That 
is why the capital is more protected.

Thus in this post the defense preparedness and points on forestry etc are seen.

 Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.


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