Hari Om.
Let us begin the sixty fourth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Waking up from sleep that was forcibly cut short, gulping thousands of pots of wine, unease engulfed kumbhakarNa. He went to see rAvaNa who acknowledged the fear of rAma that was haunting him. The reckless acts of rAvaNa only increased his unease. He gave an earful to rAvaNa about his conduct as a king since he never discussed with his ministers and even if he did, he rarely paid heed to good advice. Good sense never deserted kumbhakarNa although he acted contrary to that due to his allegiance to rAvaNa. It was no different right now. Although kumbhakarNa spoke of what rAvaNa ought to have done, he didn’t take path that vibhIshaNa did. Giving in to the admonition of rAvaNa to not preach him and some emotional blackmailing, the giant vowed to vanquish the enemy of rAvaNa. Onwards…
The demon mahOdara responded to the sermon of the mighty and giant kumbhakarNa that was directed at the king rAvaNa and said –
“O kumbhakarNa, even though you are of high birth, you are dumb, conceited and uncouth and as such you don’t grasp the royal actions. It is not that the king is unaware of what is strategic or what is not strategic. It is just that you just want to blabber childishly.
न हि राजा न जानीते कुम्भकर्ण नयानयौ ।
त्वं तु कैशोरकाद्धृष्टः केवलं वक्तुमिच्छसि ॥
The king of the demons is an expert knower of the appropriate time and place and understands well how he or others can retain their position, enhance it or diminish it. In this world which wise man will do what even an ordinary uneducated man with might also will not do?
The dharma, artha and kAma that you alluded to as being different pursuits, there is no clear definition for these three. It is only action that results in some benefit. Sometimes even sinful action results in good results. Both dharma and Artha can lead to bad results and lac of those two can also lead to unintuitively good results. Hence people perform their actions purely based on what will get them through this world and the next even if it is purely based on kAma. Therefore the king has done this (abduction of sItA) as per his heart (without regard to dharma or artha is indicated) and we have supported it. Now why should we leave our pursuit seeing the daring enemy?
Further, it is also not appropriate that you declared to go to the battle alone. I will give you some good advice regarding this. How will you conquer that rAma alone who has vanquished scores of very powerful demons in the janasthAna in the past? Even today you will find in our inner chambers demons who survived that assault and are terrified. Why do you want to fight that rAma alone who is angry like the lion? It is like waking up a sleeping serpent! Why do you want to approach him alone who is burning with anger every moment, hard to beat and is verily like the unbearable death? Which person with subdued resources would want to take on a well resourced enemy unless one is willing to sacrifice his life? On account of these doubts, I do not really recommend waging the battle all alone”.
Having advised and admonished kumbhakaNa thus, mahOdara turned to rAvaNa, who made the words cry and said in the presence of other demons –
“Having obtained vaidEhI why do you even discuss anything else now? She will get into your control whenever you wish. I have an idea that will make her move towards you. Do listen and see if it appeals to your mind. Announce that myself, dvijihva, samhrAdI, kumabhakarNa and vitardana have left for the battlefield to vanquish rAma. We will go there and give a good fight. If indeed we win, there is no business with any scheming.
On the other hand if our enemy is alive, we will be battered by rAma’s arrows and then run away from the battlefield and fall at your feet carrying the arrow with his insignia. We will proclaim to you that we have gobbled up both rAma and lakshmaNa. You reward us immediately and get it announced all over the city riding on the back of the elephant. You pretend to be very pleased and give away lot of stuff in charity to your accomplices. Then decorate yourself very well with jewellery, apply sandal paste and revel with the warriors by drinking lots of wine. Then as this revelry prevails all over, go to sItA secretly and convince her that rAma has been gobbled up. You entice her with loads of wealth and other desirable things. With nowhere else to go, her lord vanquished, being terrified, grieving, in utter hopelessness and the helplessness of being a woman, she will accept you. She deserves comforts and has enjoyed those in the past. Now in grief, she will realize that she can enjoy all that with you again and become yours.
This is my considered opinion. If we see rAma in the battle, it will only lead to losses. On the other hand, what I have suggested will result in great benefit without battle and hence do not fret over it.
एतत् सुनीतं मम दर्शनेन रामं हि दृष्ट्वैव भवेदनर्थः ।
इहैव ते सेत्स्यति मोत्सुको भूः महानयुद्धेन सुखस्य लाभः ॥
Thus you can win over the enemy without even seeing your army and without doubt. And thereby you will earn fame, merit, wealth and illustriousness for ever”.
Here we conclude the sixty fourth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 6.065. The giant sets off
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 