Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
"The Second Slip"
The slings and arrows of Fortune affect not only mortals, but divine beings
too. Even the Lord demonstrates during the Ramavatara that no human being is
beyond the grasp of the long arm of Fate. And it is this Fate or Fortune that
was responsible for turning a Prince into a pauper and the First Citizen of
Ayodhya into a nomadic jungle-dweller.
The entire city of Ayodhya was decorated with festoons, the homes freshly
whitewashed and sporting gay flags fluttering from their tall domes. Men and
women were bedecked in the finest of clothes and most opulent of ornaments:
more than their physical adornments, everybody's face was wreathed in smiles.
Everyone, from babes in arms to doddering old grannies, was looking forward to
the great event. There was great rejoicing among the populace, which shed all
its inhibition to sing, dance and make merry. Scholars and the unlettered alike
were in great cheer at the impending event. Even the trees of Ayodhya were in
full bloom, many of them sporting colourful flowers despite it not being the
season for flowering. It was as if they didn't want to be left out of the
merriment and revelry.
Everyone was excited and enthusiastic, tingling with anticipation.
It was a great day for a great event. The Sun was shining brightly but without
the customary heat. A cool and pleasant wind was blowing and all rivers were
filled with crystal clear and plentiful water. It was as if Nature herself was
taking an active part in the festivities.
It is at this juncture that Fate decides to take matters into its hands.
Mantara, the hunchback, who has absolutely no business on the palace terrace,
takes it into her head to climb there-"yadrucchayA" says Sri Valmiki-apropos of
nothing, the deformed maid servant climbs on top and finds the city in the grip
of a festive fever. Curious to know the reason (nobody thinks Mantara important
enough to tell her things), she inquires and finds out that it is the day of
Sri Rama's coronation as the Prince of Ayodhya. What happens later, with
Mantara working through Kaikeyi to ensure Rama's banishment to the jungle and
Bharata's ascent to the throne, is recorded history.
What we are concerned about here is the victim's reaction to the body blow
dealt to Him, and how He responds to the proverbial slip between the cup and
the lip.
When He is summoned by Kaikeyi to meet His father, Sri Rama has absolutely no
inkling of the impending misfortune. He goes gaily, with the notion that the
Chakravartthi has called Him to discuss some minor detail about the Coronation.
When Kaikeyi lowers the boom on Him, telling Him that it is His lot not to rule
Ayodhya, but to live in exile in the inhospitable jungle for fourteen long
years, how does Sri Rama react?
He is pained, very much so, not at the sudden change in programme transforming
Him from Prince to pauper, but at Kaikeyi's words that it was His father's wish
that Sri Rama should abdicate the throne in favour of Sri Bharata. He enquires
of Kaikeyi, " Do you have to cite father's instructions that I should live in
exile? Could you not have said so yourself? Would I not have obeyed implicitly
even if these were your own words of command? ("mannavan paNi endrAgil num paNi
maruppEnO?") You are my revered mother and your word to me is greater than any
scripture. I am pained that you did not instruct me yourself, which obviously
shows your lack of confidence in my implicit obedience. Be that as it may, I
shall carry out Father's instructions to the letter and make arrangements for
departing to the forest, immediately."
Raghava assures Kaikeyi that she need entertain no doubt about her wishes being
carried out, irrespective of the great sacrifice it called for on His part. "I
am not after riches or regal splendour, but am equal to Rishis in observing
austerity, with a clear mind fixed firmly on Dharma" says Sri Rama-
"nAham arttha parO dEvi lOkam Avastum utasahE
viddhi mAm rishibhi: tulyam vimalam dharmam Astthitam"
What overwhelms our hearts is the equanimity displayed by Raghunandana on the
occasion, when the entire world comes crashing down on Him, all the days of
anticipation and expectancy suddenly proving futile. Imagine yourself in His
place- would you have been able to bear the shock with even a semblance of
fortitude? From the acclaimed "Prince-in-waiting" one moment, He is transformed
into an exiled person, persona non grata in His own kingdom-to-be.
His face betrayed no emotion, nor did He appear to have been affected in anyway
by the sudden and cataclysmic change-"na cha Eva Rama: pravivEsa shOkam"
Kaikeyi's words, cruel and deadly as they were, did not cause any adverse
change in the Prince-
"tat apriyam amitraghna: vachanam maraNOpamam
shrutvA na vivyathE Rama:"
His habitual good humour and cheer do not forsake Him even at this moment of
trial and tribulation of the most unbearable dimensions-"uchitam cha MahAbAhu:
na jahou harsham AtmavAn". In Sri Rama's perception, exile in the jungle,
undertaken at the behest of one's parents, is indeed the happiest of lives, and
it hardly matters if it is at the cost of Princedom-"vanavAsO mahOdaya:". And
what matters to Him is the unquestioning implementation of parents' desires,
however cruel, unjust, unreasonable and patently partial they might be.
Adducing reasons for Sri Rama's abject acceptance of the unjust instructions,
Sri Valmiki says "pitu: vachana nirdEsAt, KaikEyyA: priya kAraNAt".
However, for all His iron control over His feelings and absolute equanimity in
the face of unprecedented adversity, Sri Rama's heart is heavy and filled with
sorrow-
"dhArayan manasA duhkham indriyAni nigrihya cha". This is sorrow occasioned by
the thought of the crushing disappointment He would be causing to the expectant
citizens of Ayodhya and to His own mother Kousalya, who would be anticipating
His return from the Coronation ceremony, bedecked in finery befitting a Prince,
with a glittering headgear, the regal staff held aloft in His long hand, with a
distinguished entourage fanning Him and singing His praises, the tall and broad
decorated umbrella protecting Him from the elements and all attendant
paraphernalia as behoves the Prince of Ayodhya.
Here are the heart-rending lines of Kamban, describing the return of Raghava
from the Emperor's palace, uncrowned and unsung, as perceived by an expectant
Kousalya waiting with HArati in her hands to welcome the Prince-
"kuzhaikkindra kavai indri, kottra veN kudayum indri
azhaikkindra vidhi mun chella, Dharumam pin irangi Ega"
The sight of Sri Rama's return is poignant enough to move even the stoniest of
hearts. There is none of the numerous symbols that herald the arrival of the
Prince. Gone is the festivity from the air, to be replaced by spreading gloom.
Eager anticipation has given way to deadly disappointment. The sky has suddenly
become gloomy and glowering, rivers full of muddy water. The cool and balmy
breeze has changed into an unpleasant heat and humidity, in which not a leaf
stirs. As if in sorrow, all the colourful flowers on the trees of Ayodhya have
withered suddenly, leaving the trees standing bare and forlorn, portending
sinister and sorrowful events ahead.
To Kousalya, it appears as though cruel Fate is prancing ahead of Rama, intent
on leading Him on from trouble to trouble, each more severe and insurmountable
than its predecessor-"azhaikkindra vidhi mun chella".
Dharma, on the other hand, sorrowed at the dreadful turn of events and crushed
by the cruel blow dealt to its principal votary and personification ("RamO
vigrahavAn Dharma:"), trails behind the Prince, portraying a picture of
dejection and dismay-"Dharumam pin irangi Ega".
We thus see that the proverbial slips between the cup and the lip affect the
Lord Himself (due to His own sankalpam). The difference however is how we
respond to such disappointments and how the Lord did- undeterred by the loss of
the crown, the banishment to the jungles, the benumbing death of His revered
father, the abduction of His beloved Sita, the insurmountable difficulties in
tracing Her and the apparent impossibility of battling with the powerful Ravana
with an army of mere monkeys at His command-undaunted by all these adverse
developments and handicaps, Sri Raghava went on to achieve all His goals,
displaying admirable equanimity, devotion to righteousness and sticking to the
narrow, inconvenient and often razor-edged path of Dharma. He never took
recourse to the popular maxim of convenience that people quote to justify
unjustifiable actions-"All is fair in love and war". In love, as in war,
Chakravartthi Tirumagan never abandoned His eminent fairness and espousal of
Dharma, whatever be the occasion and however grave the provocation. The
exemplary bravery He displayed in battling with all foes, be they external like
the innumerable asurAs He felled with His arrows, or the internal ones like
Kama, Krodha or Moha, which he quelled with an iron will, is what entitles Him
to Swami Desikan's eloquent tribute-"Jaya Jaya MahAvIrA! MahAdhIra dhourEya!"
Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Dasan, sadagopan
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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