WITH THE GREAT
22. RAMA ON THE MOVE
Like a long river taking bends in its course, Hinduism has undergone reorientations in its history. While the basic insights have not changed, their practical application did undergo changes. This is called Yuga dharma. However, Hinduism is not an organised religion, and there was no attempt at a complete break with the past. Many elements of the old systems have continued and coexisted with new developments. No matter how modern people claim to be, they always stand on old foundations. This accounts for the hotch-potch appearance. Everything and everybody has a place in it.
New trends....and troubles!
By the 8th century, the Bhakti movement- cult of devotion to a personal Deity- Bhagavan- took over. It seems to have originated in the South, in the Tamil speaking area. Srimad Bhagavatam states that Bhakti was born in the Dravida Desa. It seems to have been triggered by the rising influence of nihilistic ideas of the Buddhists and Jains, and their attempts to win over the Tamil kings. However, it had one undesirable manifestation: division into the worshippers of Vishnu and Shiva- Vaishnavites and Shivites- and mutual animosity between them. Many of their Saint-singers were contemporaries, but there is little reference in the works of one to the existence of others! The literature of the period seems to consist mainly of their works, so that there is little scope for verification of the historical facts. When Shaivite chronicles relate that Appar was persecuted in different ways by the king ( Pallava-Mahendravarman) we get to know the period, but not anything else. Since Appar was a senior contemporary of Jnanasambandha, and the latter had some encounters with the Pandya king, we get to know some details as to how his patronage was sought by the Jains. Thus, religious literature remains our main source of contemporary history.
The animosity between the two groups was notorious and intense. The first three Alwars (7th century) were rather mild- though devotees of Vishnu, they were not antagonistic towards Shiva. In fact, the first Alwar- Poigai Alwar- sang:
பொன் திகழும் மேனிப் புரிசடை அப்புண்ணியனும்
நின்றுலகம் தாய நெடுமாலும் - என்றும்
இருவர் அங்கத்தால் திரிவரேனும் ஒருவன்
ஒருவன் அங்கத்து என்றும் உளன்.
Golden complexioned Shiva the pure, with his plaited hair, and the tall Vishnu who, standing,measured the worlds, go around in two bodies, but each exists in the other for ever.
Likewise, Paeyalwar, the third in the order, sings:
தாழ் சடையும் நீள் முடியும் ஒண் மழுவும் சக்கரமும்
சூழ் அரவும் பொன் நாணும் தோன்றுமால்- சூழும்
திரண்டருவி பாயும் திருமலைமேல் எந்தைக்கு
இரண்டு உருவும் ஒன்றாய் இசைந்து.
Flowing hair and the tall jata, the weapon mazhu; the chakra, twining snake, golden chord round the waist- the Lord seen on Tirumala has both these forms at once.
However, such sentiments are not seen in later Alwars, who are fanatical followers of Vishnu.
Nayanmars, the Shivite saints view Vishnu as but the Shakti of Shiva, but beyond that they are not into praising Vishnu. We can thus see that the separatist attitudes hardened and this is surely unpleasant.
Arunagirinatha- breath of fresh air!
Into this vitiated atmosphere, Arunagirinatha brings in a refreshing draught of fragrant fresh air. He is an ardent devotee of Subrahmanya- son of Shiva-Parvati. But he always praises Vishnu and all his forms and incarnations.
திருக்குந் தாபதர் வேதியர் ஆதியர்
துதிக்குந் தாளுடை நாயகனாகிய
ஜெகச்செஞ் சோதியு மாகிய மாதவன்.
Tapasvins who see the three kaalas- past, present and future-, the Brahmins versed in the Vedas, and such others worship His Feet. He is the Lord who is the great light of the world- He is Madhava!
It is impossible to find such fulsome praise of Vishnu and his other forms in the works of the other Shaiva saints. Arunagirinatha is fascinated by the life and works of the Avataras.
Rama on the search
We last saw (post 20) that Sita was kidnapped from Panchavati. Rama and Lakshmana start in search of her and reach Kishkinda.
இருங்கா னகம்போ யிளங்கா ளைபின்போ
கவெங்கே மடந்தை ...... யெனவேகி
எழுந்தே குரங்கா லிலங்கா புரந்தீ
யிடுங்கா வலன்
As usual, Arunagirinatha is fast! He takes us far!
Into that dark forest they enter, Rama with his younger brother. "Where is Sita"- this is their search. So searching, they caused Lanka to be burnt through Hanuman!
But, before that they are introduced to Sugriva by Hanuman.
பருதிமகன் வாசல் மந்த்ரி அநுமனொடு நேர்ப ணிந்து
பரிதகழை யாமுன் வந்து ...... பரிவாலே
பரவியவி பீஷ ணன்பொன் மகுடமுடி சூட நின்ற
படைஞரொடி ராவ ணன்ற ...... னுறவோடே
எரிபுகுத மாறி லண்டர் குடிபுகுத மாறு கொண்ட
ரகுபதியி ராம சந்த்ரன் ...... மருகோனே
Here too, Arunagiri takes us forward,fast!
Sugreeva, son of Surya is informed about Rama. It is Rama who goes in search of Sugriva to befriend him and seek his help.
Vibhishana comes and surrenders, even before he is called by Rama and is crowned.
Rama then marches with his army and causes the death of Ravana with all his relatives, so that they are all burnt.
Thus the Devas regain their abode (so far they had been afraid of Ravana who had prevented them from functioning normally)
Such was Raghupati Ramachandra who was en enemy of the Ravana clan.
Developments at Kishkinda
Coming of Hanuman
It is Hanuman who removes the fear that Sugreeva had of Rama.Then , they inform Rama abut the jewels of Sita that were dropped as she was passing above.
அரிமைந் தன்புகழ் மாருதி என்றுள
கவியின் சங்கமி ராகவ புங்கவன்
அறிவுங் கண்டருள் வாயென அன்பொடு ...... தரவேறுன்
அருளுங் கண்டத ராபதி வன்புறு
விஜயங் கொண்டெழு போதுபு லம்பிய
அகமும் பைந்தொடி சீதைம றைந்திட ...... வழிதோறும்
மருவுங் குண்டலம் ஆழிசி லம்புகள்
கடகந் தண்டைபொன் நூபுர மஞ்சரி
மணியின் பந்தெறி வாயிது பந்தென ...... முதலான
மலையுஞ் சங்கிலி போலம ருங்குவிண்
முழுதுங் கண்டந ராயணன் அன்புறு
மருகன் தென்புன வாயில மர்ந்த
Here too our master cannot contain his enthusiasm. He combines several things.
Sugreeva, the son of Surya , asked his famed minister Hanuman to go and find out about Rama, who came there wearing the garment of barks. (His intention was that Hanuman should test Rama about his intelligence and intentions!) Hanuman was impressed by Rama's kindly disposition. He revealed that as Sita was passing above their area, being forcibly taken by Ravana, she was crying loudly and dropped her ornaments in a bundle. So saying, he placed the bundle in front of Rama. Rama- who had measured the Meru mountain and all the adjoining earth, extending like a chain, with one foot as Trivikrama, saw that.
Anjanadri hill- near Anegundi- Navabrindavan in Karnataka. Locals believe Hanuman was born here,
.Picture from Art of Living blog. thanks.
Then Hanuman informs Rama about the strength of Vaali- that he helped at the time of Samudra manthan.
மலையை மத்தென வாசுகி யேகடை
கயிறெ னத்திரு மாலொரு பாதியு
மருவு மற்றது வாலியு மேலிட ...... அலையாழி
வலய முட்டவொ ரோசைய தாயொலி
திமிதி மித்திமெ னாவெழ வேயலை
மறுகி டக்கடை யாவெழ மேலெழு ...... மமுதோடே
The Meru mountain was kept as the churning rod, and Vasuki the rope. Vishnu held the rope on one side, and Vaali on the other. The noise generated by the churning filled the whole earth. The entire ocean was shaken up and the Nectar rose up.
With all this strength, Vaali was also cruel.
வன் குரங்கெனும் வாலி
He was in the habit of shaking up seven strong Palmyra trees just for fun!
கொடுங்கைப்பட்ட மராமரம் ஏழு
We now know why Sugreeva tested Rama with the seven trees!
With such strength,Vaali was a friend of Ravana. Hanuman also tells him about the enmity between Vaali and Sugreeva, and how Vaali had driven Sugreeva from his place and also grabbed his wife. Sugriva now lived in mortal fear of Vaali.
Rama made up his mind to kill Vaali and help Sugreeva get back his wife. Rama accordingly killed Vaali. These are stated by Arunagiri in several hymns.
srinistuff.com. Thanks.
The friendship of Rama and Sugreeva is sealed with Agni as witness. Sugreeva promises to help search for Sita after the monsoon. But he is so immersed in his pleaures that he forgets the promise and Rama sends Lakshmana to remind him!
மறந்த சுக்ரிப மாநீசன் வாசலி
லிருந்து லுத்தநி யோராத தேதுசொல்
மனங்க ளித்திட லாமோது ரோகித ...... முன்புவாலி
வதஞ்செய் விக்ரம சீராம னானில
மறிந்த திச்சர மோகோகெ டாதினி
வரும்ப டிக்குரை யாய்பார்ப லாகவ ...... மென்றுபேசி
அறந்த ழைத்தநு மானோடு மாகடல்
வரம்ப டைத்ததின் மேலேறி ராவண
னரண்கு லைத்தெதிர் போராடு நாரணன்
This is so well captured here.
Rama asks Lakshmana to go to the place of Sugreeva- the base one and tell him: " O the low one! Traitor! How can you forget your promise in your pleasures? I am the same Rama who disposed of Vaali earlier. And I still have my arrows. Don't delay further." And Lakshmana did so.
Later, with Hanuman, ever bound by dharma, they constructed the bridge across the ocean and crossing on that bridge, they went to Lanka, killed Ravana and destroyed his forts.. Such is Narayana!
Unique mission of Hanuman
Sugreeva comes to his senses and sends his forces to search for Sita in all directions.
குடக்குச் சிலதூதர் தேடுக
வடக்குச் சிலதூதர் நாடுக
குணக்குச் சிலதூதர் தேடுக ...... வெனமேவிக்
குறிப்பிற் குறிகாணு மாருதி
யினித்தெற் கொருதூது போவது
குறிப்பிற் குறிபோன போதிலும் ...... வரலாமோ
அடிக்குத் திரகார ராகிய
அரக்கர்க் கிளையாத தீரனு
மலைக்கப் புறமேவி மாதுறு ...... வனமேசென்
றருட்பொற் றிருவாழி மோதிர
மளித்துற் றவர்மேல் மனோகர
மளித்து
Let some search in the West, some in the North, some in the East.
'Hanuman is capable of reading signs within signs! குறிப்பிற் குறி காணு மாருதி So he is fit to go to the South'. So thinking, Sugreeva told him, that even if he missed his signs, he could not afford to come with empty hands!குறிப்பிற் குறி போன போதிலும் வரலாமோ And Hanuman, who could outwit and defeat the Rakshasas well-versed in treachery and magic, crossed the ocean and saw Sita in Ashokavana. He handed her the ring given by Rama. As he returned, he became very dear to Rama.
Well, Hanuman has become dear to all of us!
11th Century Chola Bronze of Standing Hanuman.
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
By PHGCOM [GDFL (CC BY-SA 3.0) creativecommons via Wikimedia commons.
NOTE:
Tamil lyrics of Tiruppugazh from kaumaram.com with kind permission. Manifold thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment