19.RAMA AS AVATAR

WITH  THE GREAT

Avatars of Vishnu.Painting by Raja Ravi Varma.

19.RAMA  AS  AVATAR

Purpose of Avatar

Hindus know in general that Bhagavan takes Avatar for a purpose. This is usually stated in Puranic language as the protection of the spiritual values and punishment of the wicked, who obstruct spiritual advance : dushta nigraha, sishta paripalanam. The Gita states it as: paritranaya sadhunam, vinasaya dushkrutaam, dharma samstaapanarthaya.

 If only dharma is to be established, why should the Avatar bother about individuals, good or bad? Dharma lives only through the lives and conduct of Sadhus. Adharma too flourishes only through some powerful individuals. So both have to be dealt with appropriately. Good people need protection; the bad ones, not just punishment but even elimination. 

Popular Hinduism holds that Vishnu takes avatar.  The Bhagavata mentions that Avatars are many, but 24 are main, though only ten are celebrated. It is interesting to note that though Vishnu is considered paripalana murti, the Avatars have involved samhara-which is the work of Rudra!  It is just that sometimes evil will not go unless the evil-doers are dispatched. Those who advocate non-violence under all circumstances should remember this.

Avatar and Evolution

An Avatar has a more basic, if hidden, function. This is to raise  human consciousness to a new level. 

 Sri Aurobindo has explained Avatarhood as no one else has in modern times.

The Avatar comes to reveal the divine nature in man above this lower nature and to show what are the divine works, free, unegoistic, disinterested, impersonal, universal, full of the divine light, the divine power and the divine love. He comes as the divine personality which shall fill the consciousness of the human being and replace the limited egoistic personality, so that it shall be liberated out of ego into infinity and universality, out of birth into immortality. He comes as the divine power and love which calls men to itself, so that they may take refuge in that and no longer in the insufficiency of their human wills and the strife of their human fear, wrath and passion, and liberated from all this unquiet and suffering may live in the calm and bliss of the Divine.

Avatarhood would have little meaning if it were not connected with the evolution. The Hindu procession of the ten Avatars is itself, as it were, a parable of evolution. First the Fish Avatar, then the amphibious animal between land and water, then the land animal, then the Man-Lion Avatar, bridging man and animal, then man as dwarf, small and undeveloped and physical but containing in himself the godhead and taking possession of existence, then the rajasic, sattwic, nirguna Avatars, leading the human development from the vital rajasic to the sattwic mental man and again the overmental superman. Krishna, Buddha and Kalki depict the last three stages, the stages of the spiritual development--Krishna opens the possibility of overmind, Buddha tries to shoot beyond to the supreme liberation but that liberation is still negative, not returning upon earth to complete positively the evolution; Kalki is to correct this by bringing the Kingdom of the Divine upon earth, destroying the opposing Asura forces. The progression is striking and unmistakable.

Yuga Dharma

It can be seen in the history of Hinduism that though the basic principles have always remained the same, the application to practical life have changed with the Yuga- called Yuga dharma. Dhyana, tapas and yajna, and Archana were the dharmas in the previous yugas. For Kali yuga, it is Nama Sankirtan. Each such change was initiated by an Avatar. Rama came in the Treta Yuga and his way became the rule for Dwapara Yuga. Krishna came at the end of Dwapara and his prescription holds for Kali. (Kalki will come only when Kali ends!) Bhakti to personal Bhagavan is the method that he prescribed in the Gita. But the Avatar's role in evolution is generally not much thought about.

Rama- ideal man and Avatar

Rama is portrayed by the Adi Kavi as the ideal or perfect man. This perfection is seen in all his human relationships, under all circumstances. But as Avatara, his ostensible purpose was to deal with Ravana. This is admitted by all authorities. Brahma had conferred  boons on Ravana so the other Devas were unable to tackle him. Vishnu had to come in the form of a man, Rama. Arunagirinathar states:

மேலை வானொரு ரைத்தச ரற்கொரு
     பால னாகியு தித்தொர்மு நிக்கொரு
          வேள்வி காவல்ந டத்திய கற்குரு ...... அடியாலே

மேவி யேமிதி லைச்சிலை செற்றுமின்
     மாது தோள்தழு விப்பதி புக்கிட
          வேறு தாயட விக்குள்வி டுத்தபி ...... னவனோடே

ஞால மாதொடு புக்கவ னத்தினில்
     வாழும் வாலிப டக்கணை தொட்டவ
          னாடி ராவண னைச்செகு வித்தவன் ...... 

The whole Ramayana is stated here in a fast forward mode!

Born as the unequalled son of Dasaratha praised by the Devas,

Guarding the yajna of  Muni Viswamitra,

Restoring the stone to its former form  (as Ahalya) by the touch of his feet,

Reaching Mithila and breaking the bow there,

Marrying Sita,

Returning to his own place- Ayodhya,

Sent into the forest by another mother, 

Entering the forest with Sita, the daughter of Earth, and younger brother,

Killing Vali  who lived there,with an arrow,

He went in search of  Ravana and killed him!

(The first line can also be interpreted as 'coming as the unique son of Dasaratha, as requested by the Devas.)

There is a popular 'Eka Sloki' Ramayana, which runs like this:

Poorvam Rama Thapovanadhi Gamanam

Hatva Mrigam Kanchanam
Vaidehi Haranam, Jataayu Maranam
Sugreeva Sambhashanam
Bali Nigrahanam, Samudra Tharanam
Lankapuri Dahanam,
Paschath Ravana Kumbhakarna Madanam
Ethat Ithi Ramayanam

It seems Arunagirinatha's is more comprehensive!

Scene of the fallen Vaali. From Pullamangai temple , Tanjore.
By Arvind venkatraman (Own work) [CC BY- SA 3.0] creativecommons via Wikimedia commons.

Rama as child

In the Bala kandam of Valmiki, we do not get any information about the childhood of Rama. Arunagirinatha provides us a very sweet and rare passage:

எந்தை வருக ரகுநா யகவருக
     மைந்த வருக மகனே யினிவருக
          என்கண் வருக எனதா ருயிர்வருக ...... அபிராம

இங்கு வருக அரசே வருகமுலை
     யுண்க வருக மலர்சூ டிடவருக
          என்று பரிவி னொடுகோ சலைபுகல ...... வருமாயன்

This describes how Kausalya is pleading with  child Rama to come and breast feed!  

Kausalya calls out tenderly பரிவினொடு

எந்தை  வருக                 O my dad, come (அப்பா, வா)

ரகுநாயக வருக             O Raghunayaka, come

மைந்த வருக                       O my child, come

மகனே யினி வருக           O my son, come

என் கண் வருக                  O my eyes, come

என தாருயிர் வருக            O my dear life,come

அபிராம இங்கு வருக           O my beauty, come

அரசே வருக                           O my king, come

முலை உண்ண வருக           Come to feed at by breast

மலர் சூடிட வருக                     Come  to wear these flowers.

The beauty, and difficulty, of this song is that all the expressions are literary Tamil, though they express sentiments that any normal mother would display, struggling to catch the errant child and make it feed or eat!  The word 'Come' is used ten times here. That is taken to indicate a specific  literary form of Tamil poetry which celebrates the ten stages of childhood! It is also taken to indicate the ten Avatars in which he came! And it also makes us think of what Yashoda would have done! Kausalya is portrayed as a dignified, elderly queen and Arunagiri introduces touching tenderness in her relationship at this stage! Oh, how much she suffers later!

Rama and Visvamitra

How did Rama guard the yajna of Visvamitra?

வெடுத்த தாடகை சினத்தை
 யோர்கணைவிடுத்து
 யாகமும் நடத்தி யேயொரு
 மிகுத்த வார்சிலை முறித்த மாயவன் ...... 

Thataka came with  a terrible  disposition, anger personified.. Her anger was removed with her, with  just one arrow. So he allowed the completion of the Yajna. Then he went and broke that exalted and excellent bow.

Visvamitra was a reputed Rishi- Muni, with enormous power.

The other Rishis with him were also tapasvins. Could they not guard their yajna? Why did they need Rama?

It is a basic truth of spiritual life that spiritual merit is acquired through great austerities- tapas. If it is expended on vain display (siddhis) or for other purposes, the merit gets exhausted and tapas goes to waste. Visvamitra's own life is an example of how he wasted his powers by yielding to anger or other weaknesses. So this time he wanted to be careful. Arunagiri explains how these Rishis spent their time:

காலைக் கேமுழு கிக்குண திக்கினில்
     ஆதித் யாயஎ னப்பகர் தர்ப்பண
          காயத் ரீசெப மர்ச்சனை யைச்செயு ...... முநிவோர்கள்

கானத் தாசிர மத்தினி லுத்தம
     வேள்விச் சாலைய ளித்தல்பொ ருட்டெதிர்
          காதத் தாடகை யைக்கொல்க்ரு பைக்கடல் 

These Munis  complete their ceremonial bathing early in the morning.

They face the East and propitiate Surya with offering of water  -arghya and tarpana, with the mantra, Aadityaya nama:.

They complete their Gayatri japa and archana.

Such was their asrama in the forest, with the exalted yajna shaala.  To protect that, Rama the sea of compassion killed Thataka who appeared there with great force to oppose the yajna.

Apart from that, this incident has another great lesson. Religious activities, spiritual efforts can flourish only when there is protection. Dharma can be protected only by the ruler. This is the very purpose of the  'kshatriya'. Visvamitra himself had been a king, and he knew this! This is the reason why the Pandya king gave up his life when he realised that he had failed to protect Dharma in the case of Kannaki.

யானோ அரசன் யானே கள்வன் 
மன்பதை காக்குந் தென்புலங் காவல்
என்முதற் பிழைத்தது கெடுகவென் னாயுளென
மன்னவன் மயங்கிவீழ்ந் தனனே தென்னவன்

(Silappadhikaram, vazhakkuvuraitta kaathai.)

Rama and Shiva's bow

How did that bow break? This also is described by Arunagiri.

சிலைமொ ளுக்கென முறிபட 
மிதிலை யிற்சந கமனருள்
     திருவி னைப்புண ரரி

Arunagiri is a master in describing the exact sounds. He says here that the bow broke with the sound "moluk". Then Hari joined Lakshmi.

This is terrific. First, only the sound  of the bow breaking is described, for it happened so fast, no one could see it! Kambar too says here:

தடுத்து இமையாமல்  இருந்தவர்  தாளின்

மடுத்து நாண் நுதி  வைத்தது நோக்கார்

கடுப்பினில் யாரும் அறிந்திலர் கையால்

எடுத்தது கண்டனர் இற்றது கேட்டார்.

The people did not see how the bow was strung; it was so fast, they saw it was lifted and then they just heard the sound of its breaking. (No one saw how exactly it broke.)

Relief depicting Rama breaking the bow. Hampi.
Dineshkannambadi at en.wikipedia. CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons via wikimedia commons.

Arunagiri says Hari joined Lakshmi. This is exactly what Kamban too says. In the ancient days they were in the ocean, and separated. Now they have joined again: பிரிந்தவர் கூடினர்

மருங்கு இலா நங்கையும், வசை இல் ஐயனும்,
ஒருங்கிய இரண்டு உடற்கு உயிர் ஒன்று ஆயினார் - 
கருங்கடல் பள்ளியில் கலவி நீங்கிப் போய்ப்
பிரிந்தவர் கூடினால், பேசல் வேண்டுமோ? 

Rama breaks the bow as Visvamitra looks on! Painting by Raja Ravi Varma.

Vishnu as Rama, and Devas

Vishnu came in four parts, accompanied by all his amsas. The Devas came as the vanaras, bears. This is stated by Kamban.

 வளையொடு திகிரியும், வடவை தீதர
விளைதரு கடுவுடை விரிகொள் பாயலும்,
இளையர்கள் என அடி பரவ ஏகி, நாம்,
வளைமதில் அயோத்தியில் வருதும்' என்றனன். 


'வான் உளோர் அனைவரும் வானரங்கள் ஆய்,
கானினும், வரையினும், கடி தடத்தினும்,
சேனையோடு அவதரித்திடுமின் சென்று' என,
ஆனனம் மலர்ந்தனன் -அருளின் ஆழியான்: 

தருவுடைக் கடவுள் வேந்தன் சாற்றுவான், 'எனது கூறு
மருவலர்க்கு அசனி அன்ன வாலியும் மகனும்' என்ன;
இரவி, 'மற்று எனது கூறு அங்கு அவர்க்கு இளையவன்' என்று ஓத;
அரியும், 'மற்று எனது கூறு நீலன்' என்று அறைந்திட்டானால். 

Vishnu said that he would  come to Ayodhya with the conch, chakra and Adisesha accompanying him as his brothers.

He asked all the Devas to incarnate as  Vanaras , with their retinue, and occupy forests , mountains and lake sides.

Indra stated that his son would be born as Vaali.Surya said that his son would be born as Vaali's younger brother. Agni said that his son would be Neelan.

This 'who is who' is stated by Arunagirinatha:

இரவிஇந்த்ரன் வெற்றிக்கு ரங்க

     னரசரென்றும் ஒப்பற்ற உந்தி
          யிறைவன்எண்கி னக்கர்த்த னென்றும் ...... நெடுநீலன்

எரியதென்றும் ருத்ரற்சி றந்த
     அநுமனென்றும் ஒப்பற்ற அண்டர்
          எவரும்இந்த வர்க்கத்தில் வந்து ...... புனமேவ

அரியதன்ப டைக்கர்த்த ரென்று
     அசுரர்தங்கி ளைக்கட்டை வென்ற
          அரிமுகுந்தன் 

Surya and Indra came as the two victorious kings. This refers to Sugriva and Vaali. 

Brahma who originated in the matchless lotus that sprang out of the naabhi of Vishnu, came as Jaambavaan, the bear-faced general of the armies.

Agni came as Neelan.

Rudra came as the excellent Hanuman.

The matchless Devas all came down to earth in this manner.

Rama heading them finished off the Asuras.

(Rama is called here Hari-Mukundan. Hari is one who removes our sins. Mukundan is one who confers Liberation-Moksha.

 Kamban says that Maruti  combined the amsas of Vayu and Rudra:


வாயு, 'மற்று எனது கூறு மாருதி' எனலும், மற்றோர்,
'காயும் மற்கடங்கள் ஆகி, காசினி அதனின்மீது
போயிடத் துணிந்தோம்' என்றார்; புராரி, 'மற்று யானும் காற்றின்
சேய்' எனப் புகன்றான்; மற்றைத் திசையுளோர்க்கு அவதி உண்டோ . 

Rama and Lakshmana meeting Sugriva. A painting of 1595 to illustrate a book! public domain.

Both Vali and Sugriva at fault!

This hymn is a puzzle. Arunagiri does not mention Sugriva and Vaali by name.He simply says Ravi and Indra came as two monkey kings.Why?

Learned devotees have felt that Arunagirinatha was displeased with both of them! Vaali, son of Indra, took birth to help the Avatara but he forgot his mission and became a friend of Ravana. Sugriva was informed about Rama by Hanuman himself, yet he doubted his prowess and tested him! This is the reason Vaali was summarily disposed of. May be this is also the reason why Sugriva suffered in the first bout of his fight with Vaali, when he got sound thrashing!

We must remember that these poets were also Saints and they packed so much of fine details in their works! And we need scholars who are also devotees to bring out such nuances! Those who had listened to the discourses of Kripananda Variar on Ramayana had heard many such gems from him, citing Tiruppugazh! P.N.Parasuraman has collected and published many of these. We cannot thank them enough.

The lotus is the symbol of Avatar in Sri Aurobindo circles. This picture is from Sri Aurobindo Ashram sources.