Kamba Ramayana A study 09

Interesting how human avarice raises its head in unexpected environment of Dasaratha's court. I have held the belief that the hero of this part of Ramayana is Bharata who need not have had any qualms about taking over the kingdom that fell into his lap.

This episode also emphasises the role of the single powerful extra-constitutional authority (a' la Sonia) and the turmoil that they can cause to a single constitutional authority (a'la MM Singh)

Yes thirteen years were a bliss. The fourteenth one is Ramayana, the earlier years a Mills and Boon romance. Strange Lava and Kusha were conceived only after return to Ayodhya. Some sort of contraception must have been used !!.......Raghunath.

Happy to receive comments for my blog. The reason why Sita was unable to conceive while living in the forest, apart from a medical reason, some do conceive late, could be the body-cream  sati Anasuya gave her.

"O, Seetha, the daughter of Videha kingdom! Here are divine gifts: a garland, an apparel, jewels, a scented cosmetic and rare body-cream. These are all given by me to adorn your limbs. They will be ever worthy of you and will remain in tact (even after constant use)."

At their first halt at Chitrakuta, Rama asks: "Lakshmana, my gentle brother! Bring strong and choicest timber and construct a dwelling. ..." Hearing those words of Rama, Lakshmana brought various kinds of trees. Thereafter, he the annihilator of enemies, constructed a leaf-hut. Seeing that hut, .. Rama spoke the following words to Lakshmana .. "Oh, Lakshmana! Bring the meat of an antelope. We shall perform a purifactory ceremony while entering the house, which is to be done by those who wish to live long. ....The prescribed rite according to scriptural point of view indeed is to be performed. ..."

In Kamba Ramayana, at least in the synopsis, there is no mention of meat. The trio apparently lived on fruits and roots. It is possible that the meat was used for the ritual and not consumed!

While it speaks of their life being an idyll, Valmiki Ramayana shows that it was not entirely so!
Viradha the demon confronts Rama, tries to abduct Seetha.. The killing of this Viradha is the first act of Rama in eliminating negative forces in his empire to establish Rama Raajya. ..  Rama and Lakshmana overpower and eliminate him, rescuing not only Seetha, but also other saints and sages living thereabout.

The dialogue between Sita who is worried about Rama going after the demons, when they had not personally attacked him, is worth noting:

In this world of men, threefold are the evils born of desire, the first being falsehood. Greater than that is the sin of coveting the wife of another. Worse than these two is picking up unwarranted enmity and hurting someone who had never meant any offence. ..Sita hesitated, but Rama lovingly smiled suggesting that he would listen to whatever she had to say.

While she was not worried about the first two!:

Softly and gently like the whispering wind,  Sita voiced her concern, “My Lord the third sin which renders men hostile to one another without cause, threatens to taint you. In your zeal to protect the inhabitants of the forest, you have vowed to slay the rakshasas who have not harmed you in any way. Will the might of your bow prove to be the cause of our sorrow in future? I am afraid of the possible consequences and I do not want you to go any further into these jungles. ....

My weakness prompts me to speak like this, would I otherwise dare instruct you, an embodiment of dharma, about the execution of duties? Consult with Lakshmana, and do what you consider is good”.

Rama while not upset, does not agree with Sita.

Sita, the ascetics of this forest are the refuge of the world, but they have now sought my refuge.....

 I will even give up life, even Lakshmana and you also but will not break up the promise made specially to the brahmins, I will not fail to fulfill. Even if sages did not plead with me I will protect them by virtue of the promise made, what more to say about my duty?

aliasgarmukhtiar mukhtiar said...

nice read