2.21. lakshmaNa’s wrath meets rAma’s calm

Hari Om.

Let us begin the twenty first sarga of the ayOdhyakAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

The great son that rAma is, he at once agreed to honour the word given by his father to kaikEyi in the distant past, even if his father did not or could not ask him in as many words to do so! Taking the advantage of this situation, kaikEyi hastened rAma to leave for the forest at once, lest the king sulk and neither bath nor partake food! rAma, followed by lakshmaNa, left to meet his mother kausalya, who was busy observing vows for a long and happy life ahead of her son. Her inner chambers were full of festivities and observances on account of the crowning of rAma. She was delighted to see rAma come to her. It was like a fall from the seventh heaven for her when rAma conveyed the unpleasant news to her. She fainted and upon recovering, grieved profusely in the presence of lakshmaNa. Onwards…

Brother lakshmaNa who was already in a rage but was controlling himself, heard mother kausalya’s grief filled words and intervened with words appropriate to the occasion. He said – “O mother, even I am not thrilled by banishment of rAma to the forests based on a woman’s words. The king is perverse, old and to top it all, possessed by lust. Such a man, in the spell of manmatha, driven by passion, can say anything. I see no reason whatsoever or fault on part of rAma to merit this banishment. It is impossible for me to find either a friend or foe or even one defeated by rAma to point out one fault of his even in his absence!

न तं पश्याम्यहं लोके परोक्षमपि यो नरः।

स्वमित्रोऽपि निरस्तोऽपि योऽस्य दोषमुदाहरेत्।।2.21.5।।

Who can give up without an adequate reason such a godly, upright, self-controlled son who is loved even by his enemies? The king has entered childhood again! Which son should take to heart the words of such a king? O rAma, before this news spreads and others come to know about it, usurp the control of the kingdom with my assistance. When I am by your side wielding the bow protecting you and being reminiscent of yama, who can overpower us? If indeed the entire ayOdhya stands against you, I shall wipe out the population with my sharp arrows! Those who support bharata and wish him well shall be subdued by me. Someone gentle is indeed treated with disdain in this world! Instigated by kaikEyi, if our father turns against us, we should either imprison him – or even slay him, regardless of our relationship! Even a guru who becomes arrogant and doesn’t discriminate between worthy and unworthy deeds, deserves punishment. O rAma, best among men, under what authority does he want to confer this kingdom – that rightfully belongs to you – on bharata, and for what reason? By doing so, he has invited enmity with both of us. O dEvi kausalya, I am wholeheartedly loyal to my brother rAma, this I swear by my bow, my merits, my sacrifices and my truthfulness. Know this for sure, if rAma ever enters into blazing fire or forest I shall have already entered into it. O mother, O rAghava, watch, I shall remove this grief that has descended upon us through my valour”.

Hearing the words of raging lakshmaNa, a miserable kausalya addressed rAma and said – “You have heard lakshmaNa’s words. Do so, if it pleases you. But listening to the unrighteous words of kaikEyi, it doesn’t befit you to leave me miserable here go. O rAma, you are righteous and you know what is right. Therefore, stay here and serve me. I have as much right on you as the king does. Don’t you know kaSyapa served his mother and earned merit and the heavens? I shall not permit you to go to the forests. Of what use is this life for me separated from you. Being with you is heaven for me, even if I have nothing worthy to eat. Separated from you, I shall fast unto death. And you will attain lower worlds on account of being responsible for that.” Thus kausalya wailed pitiably, unable to accept the righteous decision of rAma.

The righteous rAma then consoled his wailing mother and said – “O mother, please know that I am powerless to transgress the words of my father. Therefore, I humbly beseech you to let me go to the forest. The learned sage kaNDu, in fact slayed a cow to carry out his father’s command. Even in our clan, the sons of sagara perished in observance of their father’s command. The celebrated paraSurAma, of the battle-axe fame, beheaded his mother rENuka in reverence to his father’s command. History is replete with the examples of these and other godly men who have carried out their father’s command unflinchingly. I shall also do the same. In fact, by doing so I will only be living up to the high traditions of our ancestors. O mother, no one who follows his father’s command shall ever slip from the right path.”

File:Rama went to his mother Kausalya to get permission to go to the forest.jpg — kausalya grieving. Pic from here.

That best among archers, the most articulate rAma, then turned to lakshmaNa and said – “O lakshmaNa, I know your invincible valour, unmatched strength, as well as love for me. Mother is overpowered by grief and hence is unable to appreciate truth of self-restraint. But know this, dharma is the supreme in this world and truth is indeed established in dharma. The command of father is dharma. Anyone who cares for dharma shall not let go the words of the father, mother, or brAhmin in vain. Backed on the strength of his promise, kaikEyi asked me to go to forest. Therefore he must keep his word and I must go to the forest. Shed these terrible and violent thoughts. Respect my decision. Be a righteous kshatriya.” Thus after affectionately addressing lakshmaNa, rAma turned to his mother and said –

“O mother, I have decided to leave for the forest today from here. Please carry out ceremonies wishing me well in the forest, and send me with benedictions. Please exercise self-restraint, win over your sorrow. I swear, after I fulfil the vow, I shall immediately return to ayOdhya, much like yayAti of the yore who regained the lost heavens. You, me, lakshmaNa and sItA, all of us shall abide by the command of father, this is the eternal law. O mother, please stop these preparations for my consecration, win over the wailing heart and bless me to go to the forests”.

त्वया मया च वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन सुमित्रया।

पितुर्नियोगे स्थातव्यमेष धर्मस्सनातनः।।2.21.48।।

[ayOdhyA kAnDam is the dharma canto wherein this injunction एष धर्मः सनातनः – this is the eternal law – comes repeatedly]

Listening to these righteous words of rAma, kausalya grasped them to be steeped in dharma and yet spoke again in deference – “I am on the same footing as far as affection and dharma are concerned as your father or preceptor. Being so, I cannot grant you permission to leave me and go. O rAma, of what use is the divine nectar or any ambrosia available to the manes, I would exchange everything in this world and the next for your company.”

Mother kausalya in that deep distress almost lost her consciousness. Tied up so by the limitations imposed by his grieving mother, rAma felt like an elephant unable to enter the royal highways due to fireworks! But deeply established in dharma, rAma spoke to lakshmaNa, who was deep in distress, and said again –

“O dear brother lakshmaNa, I know well both your devotion towards me and your supreme valour. However by not understanding my intention you are not helping the matters. Know that dharma, artha and kAma (righteousness, means, and desire) are seen through the lens of righteous action only in this world. If there is no righteousness in one these are rendered useless. Be assured that in my decision, these three are embedded as much as wife embodies obedience and son embodies love for his mother. If one transgresses dharma in this world, neither his wealth nor his desires are appreciated in this world. Whatever a guru, father or an old man says shall be obeyed without bothering about whether it was said in accordance to dharma or in anger or in passion. Only a heartless person will disobey them. O lakshmaNa, know that I am incapable of not obeying the king’s command in letter and spirit. He is our lord, as also for kausalya. His command cannot be disobeyed. How can mother kausalya leave her lord when he is alive, and even more importantly, when he is treading the righteous path?”

Elaborating with love and affection the sublime dharma, rAma continued to exhort his mother to give him permission to leave for the forests, promising that he shall be back as soon as the prescribed period of exile is met. He made his intention clear that he prefers the glory of honouring the word of his father to that of usurping the earth by unrighteous means! In his view, this ignominy was not worth it in this fleeting existence on the planet!

The best among men, rAma, thus sought his mother’s blessings and permission yet again while pacifying her, and at the same time, elaborately schooled his brother lakshmaNa on his intentions and right conduct.

Here we conclude the twenty first sarga of the ayOdhya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!

jAi SrIrAma.