Chapter 6 - Words of Wisdom

CHAPTER VI WORDS OF WISDOM Sundaresa has availed opportunities to employ proverbial statements that add to the morale of the text. Here are a few select golden sayings thus commissioned by the author at the appropriate context. When Kausalya wanted to accompany Rama, he said, "Noble ladies render service to their husbands and thus they win happiness in the other world" patyussevanatah paratravanita stusyanti naivanyatha | yn To convince Rama to take her to the forest, Sita said, "All people must enjoy the fruits of the good deeds that they have done in their previous birth, but a lady enjoys all the merits and defects of her husband". 2 sarvah presyajobhunakti sukrtam svam bhartrjam tvangana | ' Rama convinced Sita thus: "A wife must obey the words of her husband, that is her Tapas". 351

strinam sattapa atmabhartr 3 Rama told Sita at the time of their departure to the forest, "The greatest merit is to obey one's father and mother. I cannot go against it. Even Gods woul not help a man if he betrays his father and mother. But the man who obeys his parents and gets their blessings is entitled to beget heaven, wealth, food grains and also the final bliss of enjoying the supreme atman" said, prasvadvasata pituscaparamo dharmastamullamghitum necchamisvaguruguham tadabalam daivam parityaksyati | svargam va dhanadhanyamapyatitaram prapnoti gurvipsitah brahmanandamupattapunyasulabham site'nugacchadyamam || Sumantra advised Kaikeyi not to send Rama to the forest. He 66 If a lady does not treat her husband with devotion, she would be subjected to incalculable miseries. The husband is to be considered a crore times more valuable than the son". putratkotigunam patissukhakaro naryastutadvesini | klesane valabhetasa vidhikrtannityam batavaritan || 352

Siddhartha, the minister tells Kaikeyi, "Anything wrong done to a virtuous person will bring about the ruin of the kingdom, even if it be that of Indra". pidanaga sa uttamasya vibhavam tvaindram cahim syaditi ' On hearing Kaikeyi's cruel words Dasaratha out of frustration lamented thus: "For any man in this world, joy and sorrow come only because of the working of fate". kalasyagatimantara nahi bhavejjatasya kimcid dhruvam 7 At the time of departure to the forest, Kousalya spoke to Sita about the behaviour of women: 66 There are some wicked ladies in the world, who serve the husband when he is rich and who will abandon when he becomes poor. For chaste women husband alone is the God, so though Rama lost his kingdom, do not disregard him". pranairapyabhisatkrta bahudhanairnityam kusilastriyah bhartaram caparityajantyapadhanam praptam paramapadam | sadhvinam prabalam tu daivamanisam bhartevanato'dhikam tadvatsetanayam mamavasucayam tvam navamanyasvatam || 8 353

Sita extols the greatness of men: "A woman gets pleasure from her husband and this hundred times more than the pleasure she could get from her sons. Which intelligent and cultured woman would look contemptuously at the husband who gives her immeasurable joy!" strinam premasata''tmajaiscanatathapatyayatha jayate ka prajnapari khedayedamitadam bhartaramabhyarhitam || Dasaratha speaks in high praise of Kausalya. "A chaste wife regards her husband as her God" 10 cakrureti paresu bhartrabhimatam daivam striyastatkrtih || " In the forest, Rama spoke to Bharata about the duties of Sons. "The sons are expected to be totally obedient towards father. Fathers have the right in bringing about happiness and misery in the life of the son". putresuvyasanamsukham vitaritum syatkamakaroguro || " While Rama was searching for Sita, he got angry and tried to burn he entire world, Laksamana convinced him with the following words: 354

"Fate is more powerful than anything. Even the Sun and the Moon suffer eclipses and the earth trembles. overcome fate ?". Who can yatpragjanmani duskrtam viracitam samlabhyate tatphalam janmanyadyatane'khilai dhruvamidam linassatam vasare | ekasminmunayo vasisthatanaya grastau nisa'harpati kova'nyetumalambhavodvidhikrtamsamvepatetsthira || 12 At the pangs of separation of Sita, Rama told Laksmana, "Time is all powerful. It renders a mighty man weak". citram praptabalam karotyapabalam kalobaliyanyatah 13 At the time of his death, Vali spoke to Sugriva: "All that happened are due to fate; No one had the ability to undergo sorrows and pleasures simultaneously". 14 sauhardam sukhamekada taditaratkartum patuh kobhuvi | " When Sugriva was enjoying his newly obtained kingdom, forgetting his promise to Rama, Lakshmana told him : "An ungrateful person who ditched his friend would never come up in life". 355

mitradhunksapatih krtaghnaihanaprapnotivrddhimparam || 15 When the monkeys could not findout Sita, they got frustrated and feared the king's punishment. They decided to stay in a cave to escape the wrath of Sugriva and Rama. Then Hanuman told them, ""The weak should not challenge the mighty" nunam praptabalena durbalata monaiva''caredvigahatam 16 During Sita's imprisonment in Asokavana, Ravana and other Raksasas threatened her. She wished to commit suicide, but she was helpless. She then thought so: "Fie on this human helplessness. It is impossible to die even if one wants to nakalemrtiratrasetinitaramsa'khidyatapasprha | 17 When Indrajit proceeded to fight with the enemies, Vibhisana spoke about the great prowess of Rama and his virtues. Then Ravana reprimanded Vibhisana saying, "A person who supports the enemies of the king should be discarded like a foe" jnatirbhe'bhyudayamparam nasahase satrupriyassatruvat tyajyobhisayasistuterasuhrdascedevamanyo'subhih || 18 356

Ravana scolded Vibhisana for his partiality in showing attachment towards the enemy. Then Vibhisana spoke to Ravana thus: "The elder brother deserves the same respect as one's father. It is said that people do not come forward to give righteous advice. It is all the more rare to find a person listening to good advice and sticking to it" vaktatasya ca durlabhoracayitassvastimanmamvina || Cf. apriyasya tu pathyasya vakta srota ca durlabhah || 20 At the time of granting asylums to Vibhisana, Rama said, 19 "Once a man seeks protection, he must be granted asylum even if he happens to be an enemy said, sarvabhipsita sangatisvasaranamtam cangayakarsittada || 21 In the battle field, Rama pointing out the misdeeds of Ravana, futile" 66 One has to bear the fruit of one's deed". prapnuhyadyaphalam svakarmana iti 22 On seeing Ravana fallen dead, Mandodari lamented, "Tears rolling down the eyes of chaste women will not become 357

sadhvinam viphalam na casramitiyatsatyampravadastvayi 23 When Hanuman sought Sita's permission to punish the demonesses, Sita replied with compassion, "Good men should help even sinners" sadhuryo'pakrtesucopakurutetadraksaniya imah 24 After the battle was over, when Rama was receiving Sita, he told Vibhisana, "A girl shoul be guarded by her chastity and not by a big fort" prakaro'pimahannara ksativadhum silam varenyam yatha | 25 358

OMENS AS MOTIF Poets in general make use of certain superstitions such as omens etc., to indicate the future occurence. There are certain conventional omens such as throbbing of eyes, arms, thighs etc., for both men and women. It is believed that the throbbing of any limb on the left side for women indicates the impending auspiciousness, happiness, joy, prosperity etc., As far as men are concerned it is vice-versa. The negative aspect of it, is the right portion, throbbing for women indicates the inauspiciousness and for men it is vice-versa. And the animals, and birds moving from left to right, moving around etc., are also indicative of omens. The natural calamities are also taken into consideration for predicting the future occurence. Mammata says " a cha vyavaharavide etc., A poet must be conversant with such poetic conventions like the knowledge of Sakuna Sastra and be able to appropriately employ them wherever there is scope for introducing conventions. Application of omen in a poem displays the skill of the author. And Sundaresa has not gone away from such conventions. A few samples of application of omens referred to by him in the text have been pointed out in the following few lines. " 359

After the marriage of Rama, was over Dasaratha along with the new pairs of brides and bridegrooms started towards Ayodhya, Dasaratha was a bit upset by the cry of birds and their falling down and also the animals moving anti- clockwise which indicated bad omens, which resulted in the arrival of Parasurama who dragged Rama for a quarrel. saketam pratinirgatah katurutam pasyanpatattyavalim mage savyagatinmrgamsca gurunavedasubham tadvayayam || 2" When Dasaratha decided to perform the coronation of Rama, the king learnt that his native star was under the malific influence of cruel planets. So Dasaratha was worried and asked Rama to perform expiatory rites of fasting at night along with his wife. janma parusa grahairupahatam jananniriksyakhilan utpatanmahatim vicintya vipadam ramam punasca''nayan | bhupassvakrtyatam prakathayantadrajyasekadrte vighnanvarayitum striyopavasatim ratro caretyanvasat || " The demon Khara saw many ill omens but yet arrogantly ignores them. Rama observed the omens that indicated victory to him and defeat to the demons and asks Laksmana to protect Sita. 360

alocya''tmajayam riporapanayam ramonimitteksanat vatsatvam drutamasrayacalaguham samraksasitamiti | 28 When Rama promised Sugriva to kill Vali and restore the kingdom to him, the left eye of Sita, Vali and Ravana throbbed simultaneously indicating auspiciousness to Sita and calamity to Vali and Ravana. sitavali nisacaradhipa drso vamassamam prasphuran harsasyapyanivaritasya mahato duhkhasya samsucakah || 29 When Rama was on search of Sita, he met Jatayu who said that Ravana took away Sita during a muhurta called "Vinda ", the effect of which would be that the property seized would go back to the original owner. ayusmannaciratsamesyasi vadhum kirtyetaralabhyaya vindonama muhurta ahrtadhanam tatsvaminam prapayet | 30 The monkeys observed that it was an auspiciuos hour known as "Abhijit" when Sampati gave information about Sita's whereabouts. paksau satyavaco munervacanatassiddhirbhavedvo'cirat ityuddina gatau khage'bhijitite hrstah payodhimyayuh | 31 361

When Sita was in Asokavana, her left eye and her left thigh throbbed which indicated good omen that portended the early arrival of Rama and to rescue her. tasyavamamarala paksmanayanam praspandatorustatha ramoraksitumagratassthita iti spastam samacastayat | 32 When Rama decided to build a bridge across River Setu, he observed the stars and the planets. He noted that the star of the day was uttaraphalguni and the time (muhurta) was 'Jayah'. He also noticed the throbbing of his right eye which indicated, the destruction of enemies and his own success. viro vamchita vairivargadalano ramo'pyamoghepsitah sugrivannijagada pusnyadhigate madhyam muhurtojayah | prapto'dyottaraphalguni parigato mitrabhiyamanvitah 33 sainyaissatruhatim vadatyabhimatam praptam sphurantidrk || a 362

CHAPTER VI- NOTES 1. SR (Ay. K ) Verse 70 2. SR (Ay. K ) Verse 74 3. SR (Ay. K) Verse77 4. SR (Ay. K ) Verse 86 5. SR (Ay. K) Verse 99 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. SR (Ay. K ) Verse 102 SR (Ay. K) Verse110 SR (Ay. K ) Verse113 SR (Ay. K ) Verse 114 SR. (Ay. K) Verse 163 11. SR (Ay. K) Verse 272 12. SR (Ar. K) Verse 151 13. SR (K. K) Verse 2 14. SR (K. K) Verse 52 15. SR (K. K) Verse71 16. SR (K. K) Verse 99 17. SR (S. K ) Verse 43 18. SR (Y. K) Verse 24 19. SR (Y. K) Verse 26 20. VR ( Ar. K ) Canto 37, Verse 2 21. SR (Y. K) Verse 29 22. SR ( Y. K ) Verse 187 23. SR (Y. K) Verse 202 24. SR (Y. K) 210 25. SR (Y. K) 212 26. SR (B.K) Verse 85 27. SR (Ay. K) Verse 7 28. SR (Ar. K) Verse69 29. SR (K. K) Verse 17 30. SR (Ar. K) Verse 157 31. SR (K. K) Verse 111 32. SR ( Sundara Kanda ) Verse 50 33. SR (Y. K) Verse7 363