----- Original Message -----
From: sadagopaniyengar
To: SriRangaSri ; J.Srinivasan ; radha jagannathan ; rajamragu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 4:39 AM
Subject: Instructive Inaction
Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Instructive Inaction
What is the image we have in our mind of the Divine Consort? What
qualities do we normally associate with Her? How do we expect Her to act in a
particular situation?
These may appear to be rhetorical questions, for which everyone knows
the answers. The picture we have etched in our consciousness about Piratti is
one of an extremely merciful and considerate Mother, ever ready to forgive the
offences of Her errant progeny, endowed with an apparently boundless fund of
Mercy and Compassion, to whom anger and punitive measures are total strangers.
A picture of boundless Beauty and radiating absolute Peace, ready without even
a request to bestow on us bounties-unimaginable riches, blemishless wisdom and
ultimately Liberation itself-this is what we think of Tirumagal, the
inseparable Consort of Sriman Narayana the Supreme Being.
The Scripture tells us that the traits, looks, glory and other attributes of
Sridevi, the Principal Consort, are every bit in conformity with those of Her
distinguished Husband-"Bhagavan Narayana abhimata anuroopa svaroopa roopa guna
vibhava aishwarya seelaadi anavadhika atisaya asankhyeya kalyaana guna ganaam"
says Sri Ramanuja, paying glorious tribute to Sri. What this boils down to is
that the characteristics of Sridevi are every bit a match to and as splendorous
as those of the Lord. There are some like Sri Bhattar who in fact place Her on
a higher pedestal than the Paramatma Himself, as far as compassion is
concerned. She is eternal, as is the Lord. She is all-pervasive, as He is. She
is all-powerful too and omniscient, matching Emperuman perfectly, aspect to
aspect. If He is the Bhagavaan, the possessor of the six major attributes of
Gnaanam, Balam, Ishvaryam, Veeryam, Shakti and Tejas, She too is Bhagavati,
equally endowed with these traits.
It follows from all the above that Piratti is as powerful, strong and capable
of annihilating adversaries, however tough they be, as the Lord Himself is.
There is no limit to Her potency, might, force and command. It is not for
nothing that the Shruti describes Her as "Duraadharshaam" (Srisuktam),
referring to Her invincibility. If only She so wishes, She can destroy evil
forces with as much ease and facility as Emperuman. One might suppose, albeit
mistakenly, that Balam or Strength, being a masculine trait, must be the sole
preserve of the Lord. However, the episode (from Paadma Puranam) of Sri Sita
lifting the box containing the Shiva dhanus casually (in the process of
retrieving Her ball which had fallen behind the same) makes us believe that Her
strength is no less phenomenal than the Lord's, though She doesn't choose to
display the same.
Let us take the instance of Sita Piratti's abduction by Ravana. None can doubt
that that the apparently delicate-looking Princess of Mithila was indeed
endowed with strength enough to ward off the worst of attacks by the mightiest
of foes. She had too the power to reduce the abductor to ashes, with a mere
look of anger from Her normally merciful eyes. She was a true "Pativrata", who
could make the elements dance to Her tunes. More than anything, She was the
Divine Consort, who could destroy a million Ravanas with Her mere will.
The question arises, therefore, as to why Sita Devi chose to meekly let Herself
be spirited away, without defending Herself effectively. Had She done so, She
could have saved Herself, Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana a lot of misery. Rama need
not have searched for Her over hill and dale, seeking the assistance of monkeys
and bears in the process.
She too need not have endured so much depression, desolation and gloom, which
almost drove Her to take Her life. Tears spring to our eyes when we read
descriptions of Piratti's travails while in the custody of the vile Ravana.
Valmiki describes Her as having lost all Her splendour, tortured constantly by
unthinkable thoughts and worry plaguing Her mind. She suffered in silence like
a Chakravaaka bird cruelly separated from its mate. It breaks Sri Hanuman's
heart to witness Sita's plight at Lanka.
With all this, why, indeed why did Piratti choose not to destroy Her abductor
with a fiery glance? Why did She choose to spend a gruelling year in captivity
at the Asoka Vanam, surrounded by terrifying Rakshasis and constantly being
threatened by Ravana? With all the wherewithal at Her command, why did She not
rid Herself of Her tormentors in a trice?
We have an answer to this riddle, in the words of Piratti Herself. Says She,
addressing Ravana with revulsion-
" asandesaat tu Ramasya, tapasascha anupaalanaat
na tvaa kurmi Dasagreeva! bhasma bhasmaarha! tejasaa"
Sita tells Her abductor-"I am entirely capable of reducing you to a mere heap
of ashes, with just a glance from my normally compassionate eyes. My power and
luminescence are such that you would perish like an insignificant speck of dust
caught in an inferno. And that is what you richly deserve too! However, I spare
you because I do not want to expend my divine energy on a non-entity like you.
Further, I do not have the requisite authority from my distinguished husband to
do this to you. You are soon going to see for yourself the destructive powers
Sri Raghava can wield, once angered. And since you would be meeting your
miserable end at His glorious hands, I spare you now".
When we scour the Scripture, we find that this is not an isolated instance of
Piratti refraining from protecting Herself from an asura's onslaughts, though
fully capable of doing so.
In the very same Epic, we find the same Piratti patiently bearing the injury
inflicted by the vile Kaakaasura, who pecked at Her breast and drew blood.
When the dreaded Hiranyaaksha, the brother of Hiranyakasipu, spirited away the
Earth and hid it in the depths of the ocean, Bhoomi Piratti was indeed capable
of annihilating the asura. However, we find Her docilely submitting to the
persecution and remaining hidden ("paasi toorthu kidanda Paar Magal"-Sri andal)
and uncared for beneath the deep waters, till the Lord took the form of a giant
boar, the Yagya Varaha Murthy, and rescued Her after fierce battle with
Hiranyaksha.
Enquiring into this repeated phenomenon of Piratti refraining from any action
in self-protection despite being eminently endowed therefor, Swami Desikan says
there is indeed an excellent reason behind this enigma.
"Aashvaasanaaya jagataam Purushe parasmin
Aabaddha rakshana dasaam abhinetu kaame
Antarhita itara gunaat abalaa svabhaavaat
Oudanvate payasi majjanam abhyanaishee:"
How do ordinary people develop confidence in a Protector? Only by seeing Him
extend the umbrella of safety and security to those in distress. And the more
powerful the distressed person, the greater is the assurance generated in the
onlooker that the Lord is indeed a Protector par excellence, capable of saving
us from any type of danger or threat. It was just to foster in people's minds
such an unshakeable confidence in the Lord as the Universal Guardian, Defender
and Trouble Shooter, that Bhoo Devi subjected Herself to all the tribulation of
abduction by Hiranyaksha. When the Lord is seen to be capable of affording
protection to even the mighty Piratti, it generates in the onlookers' minds an
indestructibly sturdy faith that He is capable of shielding us from any
onslaught from any source. However much the Scripture may wax eloquent about
the Lord's capabilities as the Sarva Rakshakan (Universal Saviour), for the
uninitiated, "seeing is believing". And this is why Piratti meekly accepted the
abduction, rather than destroy Hiranyaaksha with Her mere glance, says Swami
Desikan.
Further, it would appear that though the Lord and His Lady share all the
auspicious attributes, they have entered into an inter se agreement that each
would predominantly demonstrate only certain of the attributes. Going by this
formula, Piratti appears to have entirely forsaken any punitive action,
preferring to deal with Her errant progeny with the extremely potent weapon of
Mercy. "Nityam agyaata nigrahaam" is how Swami Desikan describes Her, telling
us that She is, by nature, incapable of doling out retribution, however richly
deserved. She is the Universal Mother ("Samasta loka Janani"), who would not
take a stick to Her children, however grave be the provocation.
Another reason appears to be to demonstrate the paramount trait of
Paaratantryam or Dependence. We know only too well that we are incapable of
protecting ourselves. Not only is self-protection an ineffective strategy, it
also indicates inadequate faith in the Universal Protector and His capability
to shield and shelter us. "Aham mad rakshana bhara:.na mama, Sripate: eva" says
Swami Desikan, squarely placing the responsibility as well as fruits of
protecting us at the doorsteps of Emepruman. It was to demonstrate to us this
sterling concept of Paaratantryam or sole dependence on the Lord for our
protection, that Piraatti, though eminently capable of defending Herself from
the vilest of asuras, refrained from doing so and awaited succour from the
divine hand.
The glory of Srimad Ramayanam is such that we learn a lot from not only the way
each of the characters act, but also from their inaction. Piratti's conduct on
this occasion, that of refraining from protecting Herself, also aids the story
line, we must say. For, had Sita Devi annihilated Ravana the moment he
approached her in the garb of a Sanyasi, Ramayanam would have come to an end
then and there. We would have had no occasion to learn about such sterling
characters as Sabhari, Sugreeva and Vali. We would never have been aware of the
glory of Hanuman or of Vibhishana.
The vast clan of Rakshasas would have remained undestroyed, continuing to cause
incalculable harm to the rest of humanity. The efficacy of the supreme strategy
of Sharanagati, its modes and requirements, would have remained undemonstrated,
since Vibhishana sharanagati would not have come to pass.
We thus find that every minute action or abstention of characters in the Epic
is extremely significant, everything apparently timed to perfection and enacted
under the able tutelage of the Master Choreographer.
Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
dasan, sadagopan
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