Adhyatma Ramayanam Day 4. Ayodhyakandam Contd.

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Ramayanam Kilippaattu Day 4 രാമായണമാസം - ദിവസം 4

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Adhyatma Ramayanam Day 4.   Ayodhyakandam Contd.

Disruption of the Coronation Ceremony

On the morning of the coronation ceremony, Minister Sumanthra was concerned that the king was not awake yet. This was a big day for the whole country, but there was a lack of enthusiasm in the air. He decided to go to Kaikeyi’s palace where the king retired for the night. There he saw the pathetic sight of his mighty king lying on the bare floor, weeping profusely.  He asked queen Kaikeyi: “What happened to my king? He seems to be distraught. Tell me what happened last night?” Kaikeyi replied as a matter of fact: “Last night the king did not sleep at all. He kept on chanting the name of Rama and immersed himself in thinking about him. Perhaps he wants to see Rama at once and he cannot contain himself. Let us send someone to bring Rama over here.” Sumanthra himself went to fetch Rama in a hurry. Rama immediately got ready to go with Sumanthra and asked Lakshmana to accompany him. Their chariot hastily reached the palace where the king was lying down.  Dasaratha embraced him when Rama prostrated him, but he lost his strength due to distress and fell on the floor. Sitting down, Rama lifted him and laid him on his lap. Ladies started crying and the royal Guru Vasishta showed up hearing the condition of the king. 

Rama asked: “Why is my father so distressed now? What happened?” Kaikeyi replied: “You are the reason behind his sorrow and only you can give him solace and pacify him. You must facilitate your father to fulfill his vow of truth. After all, he is known for keeping up the truth as paramount. You are the eldest son, and you must help your father maintain his name and fame. Long ago, he had given me two boons during a war between Devas and Asuras. Pleased with my timely intervention that saved his life, the king had given me the boons and I asked for them to be fulfilled now. The king is reluctant to tell you about it as it affects you. But remember, you are bound to help your father. A son (Putra) can redeem his father from even the worst hell such as Punnama.” 

Rama was impatient and said “Oh! mother, you do not have to explain all these to me. I am ready even to leave my body to help my father. I will sacrifice anything and everything for my father’s solace. If he asks me to forgo the coronation, I will gladly oblige. I would even abandon Lakshmana, my favorite brother if my father asks me to do so. If needed, I would jump in the fire or drink poison if that would make my father happy. A son is a perfect one only if he does whatever his father needs, without even asking. A mediocre son would do something for his father if he were asked to. A son who disobeys his father’s wish is as good as his body waste. You know that I am ready to do anything for my father. This is my promise, and I will not allow anything to compromise this.”

When Rama promised thus, Kaikeyi told him. “Rama, the first boon I want to use is that the coronation arranged for you is to be transferred to my son Bharatha. The second boon is that you must go to the forest and live there for fourteen years. The king is reluctant to tell you these and that is indeed the reason for his distress.”

Rama replied immediately:” Oh mother, I would gladly oblige both. Let Bharatha become the king and I will go to the forest immediately. He can govern the country and I am glad to leave the country. If you think about it, it is too tedious to look after a country. Living in a forest is easy for me. I know you love me so much that I would need to look after just my body by taking up life in the forest. I remember the story of Pururavas who gave his youth to his father and accepted the old age of his father in return. What I am asked to do here is nothing compared to such sacrifices people have done for their father’s happiness. I will not let my father be sad on my account.”

Dasaratha told Rama: “Son, I am a henpecked husband who is not behaving now like the ruler of a country. Arrest me and put me in jail; you will not incur any sin by doing so. Take over the kingdom. That way I will not incur the sin of deviating from my truth either.” Thus saying, the king started wailing again, chanting the name of Rama. “Oh! my dear son, how can I endure the separation from you? I cannot even think of your plight living in the deep forests.”

Ram brought some cold water and washed his father's face and pacified him with sweet words. “Why are you upset my dear father? I do not doubt whether to keep the truth as the epitome of our life or not. My brother can rule the country and I will follow your order to go to the forest. Living in the forest is an easy life compared to the stress of ruling a kingdom. Mother Kaikeyi has blessed me by giving me such an easier job. Let me tell Mother Kausalya and Sita about my exile to the forest.” Rama set forth to the palace of Kausalya.

At her palace, Mother Kausalya was preparing herself for the coronation ceremony. She did several pooja rituals to bring good fortune to her son as the newly coronated king. She, along with Mother Sumitra was anxiously waiting for Rama to arrive and they saw Rama entering the palace in a hurry, without any royal regalia.  She went and embraced him, sat him down by her side, and asked: “Son, is there something bothering you? A mother would know if something were to be wrong when she sees her son’s face. Are you hungry? I will serve you your favorite food at once.”

Rama replied: “Mother, I do not have time to eat now. I need to leave the palace and go to the forest today itself. That is an order from father at the behest of Mother Kaikeyi. Long ago, he had given two boons to her, and she is now asking to fulfill those. She wants Bharatha to be coronated and send me in exile to the forest for fourteen years. Don’t be upset, I will finish my time in the forest and return to see you in no time”. Hearing this, Kausalya was grief-stricken and fell on the floor.  Later she gathered her strength, got up, and started wailing. “If you need to go to the forest, take me along. I cannot bear the thought of living separated from you even for a moment. If you go to the forest Dandaka, I will leave my body and go to the world of Dandadhara, the god of death. To make Bharatha our king, why do you have to go to the forest? What did you do to Mother Kaikeyi to get this punishment? You respect equally your mother and father, right? If he says you must go to the forest, I am telling you not to. If the king decides to ignore my wish, I will take my life. A mother’s grief is enough to destroy the world of humanity.”

Lakshmana was furious listening to these conversations, he told Rama: “As people get old, they can not think straight. I think our father is senile and to make the matters worse the old man is easily won over by women. Forget being so peaceful and obliging all the time. Tie him up and take over the country forcefully. I am with you all the way. If anyone opposes our move, I will take care of them. Mother, there is nothing to worry about, I will make the coronation happen as planned. You are allowed to correct a course of wicked action, even if it was taken by your guru or father.”

Rama’s Advice to Lakshmana.

Seeing Lakshmana infuriated, Rama smiled and pacified him by embracing him. “My dear Lakshmana, hear me out. Do not be argumentative when you listen to these words of advice. I know who you are, that too, not just in this life. I know the principle behind your existence and your role in this life as my constant companion. Your love towards me is unparalleled and you can accomplish anything you want. This country, our bodies, and all our wealth are, although visible, not real. In this world, all the experiences of our enjoyments are momentary and fickle, although seen to be vivid and bright at times. Know that our human life is only for a very short time compared to the age of this universe.  We behave like a toad extending its tongue, craving for food while it has already been captured between a snake’s fangs, as its food. Life’s enjoyment is fleeting and is under the spell of time. Our family life with the wife and children is limited in scope and is functioning under the mercy of time. In our life, we meet so many people as if we are travelers meeting strangers at a wayside inn. These meetings are unpredictable and momentary like that of the various objects carried by the river water. Our wealth and health are also not long-lasting. The bliss we enjoy in married life is like a dream, and it is short-lived. Our life span itself is very short. Please understand that our life in this world is like a dream, like an imaginary city in the sky. Sunrise and sunset, happen and people go to bed and rise in the next morning as if it is clockwork. Living beings, including humans, do not recognize that their life is clicking away and reaching fast to the death bed. As we are fully immersed in the illusory Maya, we long for more and more pleasures in life even when we are old and tired. Most of us die with those desires unsatisfied. 

Death is the only constant companion we all have. Ailment and old age are affecting our body, but we are attached to it as if it is there to serve us forever. Thus, we proudly declare ourselves to be a man, woman, a Brahmin, a king, etc., without thinking that once dead, this body will be eaten by insects and will be decayed and absorbed in the soil. Know that it is your body- consciousness making you behave like this at this juncture.  You are not the body, not even the mind. The feeling of ‘I am the body’ is ignorance, avidya, expressed through the power of Maya. Vidya is the real knowledge that destroys ignorance. Desire, rage, greed, delusion, vanity, and rivalry are the six enemies always ready to suppress you from realizing the truth all the time. These are the obstacles in the path towards liberation and among them, rage is the most troublesome. A man who is succumbed to anger would kill even his kith and kin, although he may repent later. Even for kings, anger is the reason behind them getting tied down to this ephemeral world. Anger would create situations that help the deterioration of dharmic values in our life. Rage is death in disguise, and one must get rid of it. Peace is always desirable, and peace brings solace to all.

Beyond the body and mind, there is Atman, the spiritual essence of our being. Atman is unaffected by any modifications, and it is the one without a second. It is the reason behind everything and is a mere witness unaffected by anything. Understand that as an embodied being, we are bound to go through experiences of pairs of opposites such as good and bad, pain and pleasure, etc., ordained by our karma and the resulting innate tendencies we carry with us. We have organs to perform actions, but the fruits of those actions are not within our control. So, there is no point in being wishful about the work we undertake. Do your duties without concern about the results thereof. Leave your pride and anger, engage in your duties.” Rama then turned to Kausalya and started consoling her.

“Mother, please don’t be despondent. Listen to my words without any grief.  Atman is unaffected by any afflictions of our body, and you know that well. You know that everyone brought up together in a family cannot live the entire life jointly at the same place. I will quickly finish my fourteen years in exile and return to your lap. Please bless me happily. Whatever is my father’s wish for me, I pray that you may have the same for me. With my mother’s blessing, I am sure I will have the forest life very comfortable.” Rama prostrated at his mother's feet and bid goodbye. Kausalya embraced him again and again, kissed his forehead, and shed more tears. She started praying to all the gods and goddesses to protect her son in his life in the forest. ‘Oh! Mahadeva, Oh! Brahma deva, Oh! Lord Vishnu, Oh! Gods of the eight directions, Oh! Goddess Durga, please give him protection all the time, while he is sitting calmly or walking briskly, or sleeping peacefully.” She blessed him again and bid farewell. 

Lakshmana said: “Now I don’t have any doubt as to what my duty is. I will be joining you in your journey to the forest as your helper. Please do not even think of preventing me from following you, as my alternative is, for sure, to kill myself.” Rama agreed, “ok, you may join me.”

Dialogue between Sita and Rama

Rama went to Sita’s chamber to say goodbye. As soon as he entered, she gave him water to wash his feet and asked: “Oh! Dear, how come you came alone without any royal attendants with you? Today, there must be signers and drummers following you everywhere, right? You do not even have any ministers with you, and you appear to be in a hurry.”

Rama told her about what happened overnight and his meeting with the king earlier in the morning. “My father, out of his mercy towards me, let me go to the forest to lead a peaceful life rather than take up the task of ruling the kingdom. I am going to the forest to obey him and came here to bid you farewell. You must stay here in the palace, serving Mother Kausalya and other mothers.”

Hearing Rama’s words, Sita replied “I know your Pita Sri, the king, is so attached to you that he would not bear the thought of sending you away even for a night. How come he is banishing you now to the forest for fourteen years? It was just yesterday he decided to coronate you and what is the reason for this sudden change of mind?” Rama explained what happened in detail. “So, I am going to live in the forest for fourteen years, Lakshmana is accompanying me on his own insistence.”

Sita said in a decisive voice: “Oh Prabhu, if you are going, I will be walking to the forest first, and you can follow me. It is not appropriate for you to leave me here and live in the forest alone.”  

“Oh! Dear Sita, how can I take you to the forest full of wild animals and difficult terrains? Man-eating demons are roaming in the Dandaka forest where I am planning to stay. Forests are not a place for women, you know. Moreover, you will find it uncomfortable living on just wild roots and fruits. How can you stay away for a long period without seeing your family and friends? There is no good food or drinks available in the forest. How will you protect yourself from the cold weather without the proper attire and blankets? Asuras are waiting to get their hands on human beings as soon as they see them in the forest, so one needs to be vigilant there all the time.  So, you better continue staying in the palace, serving Mother Kausalya.”

Sita would not acquiesce and retorted: “Is it not my duty as your wife to serve you in good and bad times? When I am with you why should I fear anything? I am quite content with the wild roots and fruits, that too whatever is leftover from you is adequate for me. When my man is with me, nothing would bother me, not the sharp stone laid forest paths or the wild animals. An astrologer had once told me that I would have a time period dwelling in the forest with my husband, and this must be that opportunity. You know that this is not the first Ramayana happening in the world. In all the previous Ramayana’s, sung by poets, Sita followed Rama to the forest and there is no reason for that storyline to change now. Prakruti, nature, must reside close to the spirit, and a wife is supposed to be staying with her husband. Our wedding vows are telling us to follow each other’s footsteps until death and perhaps beyond. Still, if you are in doubt, please know that I will not be alive even for a moment once you leave.” Rama had to agree. “Ok, join me and Lakshmana. You do not have to be sad on that account. Give away all your royal regalia and ornaments to Guru Mata Arundhati. Lakshmana, please invite the Brahmana scholars and donate clothes, gold ornaments, and other things abundantly.  Let us give gifts to all our servants and associates to their heart's content.”

As the customary ceremony of donating gifts is over, elders and the Brahmanas blessed Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana. Lakshmana called on his mother Sumitra and left her with Mother Kausalya.  Sumitra advised her son: “Serve your brother as if he is your father Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya. Treat Sita as me, your mother. From today onwards, the forest is Ayodhya for you. Go ahead, may good fortune be upon you.” Lakshmana prostrated his mother again and got ready carrying his bow and arrows. Citizens of Ayodhya gathered as they came to know the new developments. They could not take their eyes off Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana. They started wailing sadly. “What a pity! What happened to this kingdom and the mighty king Dasaratha? Are the gods so unkind to us? The king’s heart must be made of stone, but king Dasaratha is known for his love for his sons. Rumor is that Queen Kaikeyi is behind all these.”

Hearing this, sage Vamadeva told them about the principles behind Rama and Sita. “Don’t worry about Rama and Sita. I will briefly tell you the story behind this drama. Rama is none other than Lord Maha Vishnu and Sita is his consort, Lakshmi Devi. Prince Lakshmana is the serpent Anantha. Maha Vishnu is Rama, who took various avatars to establish dharma in the universe. You must have heard about the Matsya (fish) avatar, Kurma (tortoise) avatar, Varaha (boar) avatar, Narasimha (man-lion) avatar, Vamana (dwarf) avatar, Parasurama avatar, and now, He has taken the Rama avatar to annihilate Rakshasas, especially Ravana. Do not blame King Dasaratha, Queen Kailkeyi, or her maid Manthara. Vishnu himself is playing the main role in this drama. So, do not despair for Rama. He is doing what is needed as per the divine plan. All should chant Rama’s auspicious name.” The people of Ayodhya were calmed and they started chanting Rama’s name.