Adhyatma Ramayanam Day 3. Balakandham Contd. & Ayodhyakandam

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Ramayanam Kilippaattu Day 3 രാമായണമാസം - ദിവസം 3

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Adhyatma Ramayanam Day 3.  Balakandham Contd. & Ayodhyakandam 

Parasurama’s Story

“Rama, listen to me. I will narrate my life story. I have started doing penance at an early age. I meditated upon Lord Vishnu, the one who carries the discus as his insignia. Finally, pleased with my austerities, the Lord appeared before me and inspired me with kind words. He revealed the secret that I am indeed a part of him, just as you are, Rama. The Lord asked me to take up the duty of annihilating king Kartavirya Arjuna. “He deserves a punishment no less than death as he killed his father.  Kartavirya Arjuna is a great archer, and you will face fierce resistance, but you should make sure that you obliterate his clan. It would take twenty-one wars to accomplish this, but you must confiscate the properties from the Kshatriya rulers and donate them to sage Kashyapa. In the eon of Treta, I will take birth as the son of Dasaratha, and you would meet him when you transfer my divine essence to him so that he can continue his work of establishing dharma in the world.”

Parasurama continued: "Rama, you asked me to give you a target to shoot the arrow with the Vishnu Bow you have just strung. Please aim it at the virtues (Sanchita Punya) I have accrued over my past lives. Thus, I can transfer all my Vishnu energy to you. You must fulfill your life’s purpose as desired by Lord Brahma. I am indeed blessed to have seen you, the blemish-less reality, which is a rare feat. You are not carried away by any vacillations of mind or situations around you. Developing devotion to you must be the mission of one’s life. Such a seeker keen to get absorbed in your thoughts would get a suitable guru in life to guide him in the path of liberation. But those who are not interested in developing devotion to you would not progress in their journey. Removing ignorance is what a guru does and that leads to attaining the knowledge divine. Liberation is indeed imbibing the principle of Brahman as the experiential reality. I bow down to you, the infinite consciousness. Rama, may I be blessed with continued devotion unto your feet! Rama, you are the shining jewel of the Surya dynasty. I am leaving for the Mahendra hills to continue penance.” Parasurama concluded.

Life in Ayodhya

Once reached the city of Ayodhya, King Dasaratha led the best time of his life with his sons and daughters-in-law. He was already a benevolent king well-liked by his subjects and respected by his enemies. In Ayodhya, Sri Rama and Sita enjoyed their married life as if they are indeed Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. Four young royal couples also lived there along with the king and his queens bringing joy to all around them.

One day, Yudhajith, the king of Kekaya sent a messenger to Ayodhya requesting for Bharatha to be sent with him. Dasaratha obliged and sent Shathrughna also with him for a company. Yudhajith, brother of Kaikeyi was very happy to see his nephews and they spent some time in the Kekaya palace. Mother Kausalya rejoiced the life with his son Rama and the ideal daughter-in-law, Sita. Dasaratha's life was so perfect that it was like that of Indra, who is ruling the city of gods, Amaravati. 

Thus saying, Lord Siva thus concluded the first Chapter – Balakandham.

Ayodhyakandham

As they were living in Ayodhya, enjoying each other's company and the wedded bliss, Rama was keen to behave like an ideal son, model husband, and a benevolent prince. One day, he was reclining on a plum chair and Sita was fanning him with a perfumed fan. He was chewing the betel leaves and relaxing, talking to his beloved. As if to see that wonderful scene of Vishnu and Lakshmi enjoying themselves, Sage Narada appeared before them, landing down from the Vimana he was traveling in. Narada, who flew in the sky regularly was able to reach wherever he wishes within moments of imagining the destination. As soon as the divine couple saw the sage, they stood up with folded hands in reverence. They welcomed the sage with suitable rituals and prostrated at his feet showing their respect. They inquired about his welfare and the purpose of his visit. “Oh sire, your presence is a blessing for us, householders. As we are immersed in worldly affairs, we are under pressure all the time and we may inadvertently commit omissions in executing our duties. But the presence of great sages such as yourselves brings our attention back to our ordained duties. Pray, tell me the purpose of your visit.”

The sage replied: “Rama! I know all about you- you know everything, and you are omnipresent. Sill you are asking me what I am here for. You are very good at pretending to be a king and your wife is a great companion in the drama you play. You are saying that you a householder. True, the universe is your house. Who else are the man and woman of that house? You are like the glowing sun and Sita Devi is like the effulgence emanating from the sun. Whatever I can imagine as masculine is you and whatever as the feminine is Sita Devi. Thus, I do not see anyone else other than you two anywhere I turn to.  Bless me with the discrimination to see the truth from untruth, reality from illusion, and sat from asat. May your Maya power never conceal my power of discrimination. May I be blessed with devotion unto your lotus feet! Please treat me as your servant’s, servant’s, servant. Now let me tell you the purpose of my visit.

Rama! Since you have taken up the avatar in the human form, you are bound to forget why you have taken this life and what your life’s mission is. I am here to remind you about what Lord Brahma and Lord Siva desired of you. As the Lord Vishnu, you had offered to solve a grave problem faced by the world that only you can do. Ravana, the formidable and mighty demon king is a threat to the three worlds, and you must annihilate him and re-establish dharma. You must set the stage to accomplish that feat and your surroundings are getting ready to commence the drama. I am sure your father king Dasaratha would love to coronate you soon as the king of this kingdom. But if that occurs, it would be difficult to achieve your goals. You are the one chosen for upholding the truth and you must have that mission always fresh in your mind. Human minds fluctuate all the time and sometimes someone must remind them of their duty, strength, and purpose.”

Rama replied: “Oh! sage, yes, I remember my role here. But everything needs to take place in its time. Time is the Lord himself! The karma principle applies to all. One must exhaust all the tendencies accumulated over the past lives, before embarking on the next step. I was waiting for an opportune moment to move on. Be assured, I will be leaving for the forest before it is too long, possibly tomorrow itself. I will be living in the forest for fourteen years during the time which I will destroy the demons and uproot their clans. My main purpose is to kill Ravana, and Sita Devi will become the reason behind all these escapades. Oh, Sire, please be assured, I will not stray away from my commitment.” The sage took leave of the couple after prostrating again and again.

Preparation for the Coronation of Sri Rama

Lately, king Dasaratha was engrossed thinking about his age and ability to conduct the royal duties. He called his guru Vasishta and sought his counsel. “As you know, I am an old man now and Rama is a favorite for everyone in the palace and the country. His qualifications are unparalleled, and his attitude is exemplary.  He is the eldest among the four and is acceptable to all. So, tell me what do you think about it? If you agree, guide me, and let us do it as soon as possible.  Bharatha and Shathrughna have gone to meet their uncle and they have not returned yet, but the auspicious time will not wait for anyone. We do not have time to bring them back before the ceremony. Tomorrow, we have a perfect muhurat, an auspicious moment in time to coronate Rama. If all are agreeable, please tell Rama about this and let the citizens know. We need to make the streets and the city decorated with the finest materials.  Let this be a festival for all. Drummers should walk around the country announcing the coronation event and invite all of them for a wonderful feast after the ceremony.” He turned to his chief minister Sumanthra “please arrange everything as sage Vasishta instructs. We must do it tomorrow; there is no time to waste!

Under the guidance of Vasishta, Sumanthra arranged for elephants with golden ornamentation to decorate the court and invited court dancers and musicians to make the event colorful.  He also sent for collecting waters from all the nearby pilgrim centers to bathe Rama ceremoniously as he assumes the helm of the country. Thousand of gold pots filled with gold coins were lined at the stage where the ceremony was to take place. He also made ready thousands of bright lamps to be placed all around the palace.    

Sage Vasishta was elated to convey the news to Rama, and he reached his house immediately. Seeing the royal guru at their doorsteps, Rama and Sita ran out to welcome him. They prostrated before the guru and received him with the utmost respect. They washed his feet in reverence and offered him the best seat available in the palace. Then Vasishta told Rama that he knows all the secrets about the avatar of Rama and Sita Devi.  He knew that everything is a divine play in which all are playing their roles under the spell of Maya, the illusory force of ignorance. However, Rama is here as the beloved son of Dasaratha he is going to be coronated the next day. He is here to fulfill a divine purpose and the coronation is a prominent part of that drama. “Rama! You keep vigil for the night, observe fasting and celibacy, and sleep on the floor so that you get ready for the big event tomorrow.” 

Rama shared the happy news with Lakshmana about the sage’s visit and he was excited about the festivities to follow. Queens Kausalya and Sumitra were informed of the good news and Mother Kausalya immediately started praying to Mahalakshmi, begging her to protect her son always. 

Manthara and Kaikeyi

Everything was ready in the palace to coronate Rama the next morning, but the celestial will of re-establishing dharma by killing Ravana will not happen if Rama becomes the king now. The divine drama has its specialties, and the Gods decided to do something to disrupt the coronation ceremony. They went to Goddess Saraswathi who is the presiding goddess for letters, words, and literature. They begged her to do magic by residing at the tips of the tongue of Manthara, chief maid of Queen Kaikeyi. So it happened. 

Manthara, a constant companion, a confidant maid to Kaikeyi, came with her to Ayodhya when Dasaratha married her. Seeing Kaikeyi in a happy mood hearing about Rama’s coronation, Manthara started admonishing Kaikeyi. “You are always lazy and unfortunate. No one consulted you when an important decision was made for the kingdom, did they? And you are not concerned! What is the use in saying that you are the favorite queen around here? Do you have any relatives here to look after you? I am here, but you do not listen even when I tell you something for your good.” Kaikeyi was curious “What is the matter? Everything is going on fine, right? Rama is my favorite and for him, I am his favorite, even more than his mother Kausalya, I think. He will give me the first pick, whenever he gets something good, even great fruits to eat. He has never uttered anything bad in front of me and he is always an ideal son. So, what is bothering you? Is it not great that Rama is going to be our king?

Kaikeyi’s reply was not satisfying to Manthara. “Are you indeed a fool or are your eyes and ears closed when a calamity is imminent? Didn’t you notice the way the king sent Bharatha and Shatrughna to their uncle’s house and announced the coronation in their absence? Both Rama and Lakshmana would be treated to high positions whereas the other two are going to be their slaves. As the mother of a slave, you will be subservient to Kausalya and even Sumitra. If they are not pleased with your service, they will banish you from the country or might even kill you to avoid intervention. Until now you enjoyed special attention from the king and that is going to end. Let me tell you something for your good. Your son, Bharatha, must become the king, and Rama must go to the forest and live there for fourteen years.  There will be no disturbance from him after that. You can lead the palace as the chief queen and garner respect and fame. You must be thinking about how to get the king to agree to these. Do you remember the time you helped the king during a fierce war with the demons? A wheel of the king’s chariot was about to dislodge from the axis when you put your finger in the pinhole preventing a big accident. You saved his life and then he had offered you two boons to be availed whenever you choose. Yes, if you are intelligent enough, this is the time to ask for them. When the king approaches you tonight, do not oblige. Show your displeasure and tell him what makes you happy. Be angry and unkempt, unlike your usual self.”

Finally, Kaikeyi was convinced of whatever Manthara told her and decided to behave as advised. “I will stay in this chamber until the king decides to coronate Bharatha instead of Rama. If it does not happen, I will die. Thank you, dear! You made me open my eyes. If Bharatha becomes the king, I will give you gifts including lots of jewelry and land in your name.” 

When the king came to the bedroom, he could not see Kaikeyi in the usual chamber. He asked around and found that she is in the special chamber reserved for people in distress. He went there to see what was bothering her.  He asked her nicely about her health and wanted to tell her about Rama’s coronation ceremony. “Did anyone say anything to displease you? Do you want me to punish anyone for their misdeeds? I will not spare anyone if they have misbehaved to you. I can make a pauper a wealthy man and vice versa for you. I will release prisoners if you say so and I can imprison anyone if you order it. But be happy now, didn’t you hear about the coronation ceremony for our Rama?’

Kaikeyi replied: “You are well known for keeping your promises and it is time for me to ask you to fulfill the promises you made to me. Hope you remember the two boons you gave me during the war with demons, I want you to give me those now.  I want Bharatha to be coronated and Rama to be banished to live in the forest for fourteen years.  He should start today and spent fourteen years in the jungle eating just the fruits and root vegetables. If you satisfy my wishes for the two boons promised, I will live. Otherwise, I will be forced to leave my body.”

Dasaratha could not believe what he had just heard from his favorite queen. “Why are you saying this dear? Did Rama do something to upset you? You used to tell me all great things about Rama more than Kausalya would. Ok, I am ready to give the kingdom to Bharatha, if you insist. But why should Rama go to the forest? I will make sure that Rama will not engage in anything to harm you in any way.” The king shed tears and pleaded with his wife to make amends. But that did not pacify Kaikeyi.  “If you do not keep up with your promises, you will end up in hell. If Rama is not going to the forest in the morning, I will kill myself. You have a reputation to keep as the most trustworthy king.”

The king was desperate with grief and started wailing like an uneducated villager. The night was long and painful for him to bear. However, in the morning, without knowing all the new developments, a group of singers came to the palace to wake up queen Kaikeyi. She was so furious that she threw them out without paying their dues.

The palace was getting filled up with people who came to attend the coronation ceremonies. Elephants, horses, camels, army men in their finest uniform, archers, fencers, singers, and dancers were already waiting for a signal to start the festivities. People of Ayodhya waited there anxiously in anticipation of the arrival of Sri Rama and Lakshmana to the center court. They did not know what transpired the night before.