Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,
In observing protocol while meeting great personalities, sri raama observed it
while meeting sage agasthya. The question was 'what is so special to him, which
otherwise he has not observed with other sages?' Except one point of view from
sri Babu, since no other comments or viewpoints came, I now place my points for
your consideration.
1. Is raama not trained properly so as to observe the protocol in one case and
violate that with another?
The answer to this question will be a firm "No". Sri vaalmeeki has a slOkam
that he is properly trained.
kalyaaNa aBhijana: saadhu: adheena: sathya vaagruju: |
vrudhDhair aBhivineethascha dhvijair Dharma arthha dharsiBhi: || 2-1-21
Meaning: Raama, having born in a good clan, was gentle minded. He was not
feeble. He spoke truth. He was straightforward. He was properly trained by
elderly wise men, who knew righteousness.
2. Is raama not uniform in behaviour so that at times he observes the rules,
protocols, but in other occasions does not do so?
Here also the answer will be a firm "NO" for he has good norms of behaviour, so
that even that earth wished raama to be her lord. See slokam -
tham Evam vratha sampannam apradhrushya paraakramam |
lOka paala upamam naathham akaamayatha mEdhinee | 2-1-34
Meaning: The earth wished Raama to be her Lord, as he was adorned with
self-control, and norms of behaviour, bearing undefeatable valour equal to the
universal lords like Indra.
If such is the case, why then the deviations? Let us analyse and conclude.
1. The first Sage raama met - bharadhwaaja - was more like a tour guide -
pardon me for expressing so - for the sage entertained raama and the 2 who
accompanied him for a day or two, guided the way into the forest, and gave the
data whereall raama can stay etc. Similarly when raama returned he did same,
viz. entertaining for a while. When bharatha came he entertained them, gave a
big feast to all. A very good description on that feast is available in
ayOdhyaa kaaNdam. So he played more an innkeeper's role and a guide. As such in
his case protocol is not necessary.
2. Sage Sarabhanga was just waiting for the arrival of raama, to meet him
and then take off from this world, for dhEvEndhran has already come and ready
to take him to brahma lokam. But since he is a realized soul, does not want to
go to brahma lokam, knows well with this body he cannot go to the other world,
and having known that the supreme lord has come here, in this bhoo lOkam and
also very nearby [realized by his sixth sense says slokam], he met raama and
then went to mOksham leaving the body here.
That means this sage is a 'dhaasan' to raama to leave the body at the feet of
raama and realize the lord's presence here and now - at his 'dhEha avasaana
samayE' - at the time of leaving the body. As such the lord need not observe
any formalities or protocols with his dhasan.
It is the same case wih sage sutheekshaNa.
3. Sage athri - as already stated with particular stress on that word
'puthravath' - this sage received raama as his son. In meeting a father one
need not observe protocols. Also see the stress on that 'svayam aathithyam' -
self-hosting - a son in his father's house has to be on his own and no
formalities or protocols. Since meaning already given the slOkams only here
repeated.
sO~athrEr aasramam aasaadhya tham vavandhE mahaa yasaa: |
tham chaapi bhagavaan athri: puthravath prathyapadhyatha || 2-109- 5
svayam aathithyam aadhisya sarvam asya susathkrutham |
soumithrim cha mahaabhaagaan seethaam cha samasaanthvayath || 2-109 - 6
4. In the case of sage agasthya, the protocol is some thing very special.
For raama himself falls at the feet of agasthya, expresses that sage is the
guru. So it is necessary to observe the protocol, of that - a shishya announces
his arrival at the gate of guru's home, takes permission and then enters the
abode of guru. See slOkam.
Further he is going to be the GURU, in teaching the aadhithya hrudhaya
sthOthram later while facing the fight with raavaNa.
Also like sage visvaamithra he is also giving bows and arrows etc. When one
does all naturally he has to be respected and observed with some protocols.
Evam ukthvaa mahaabaahu: agasthyam soorya varchasam |
jagraaha aapathath thasya paadhou cha raghunandhana || 3-12-24
meaning: That dexterous Raama on saying about that sun-like radiant sage
agasthya, he, that descendent of Raghu, fell on the feet of agasthya touching
them reverentially.
While taking leave see what raamaa says to the sage.
dhanyOsmi anugraheethOsmi yasya mE muni pungava: |
guNai: sabhraatru bhaaryasya guru: na: parithushyathi || 3-13-10
sa bhraathru bhaaryasya guNai: == with brother's, wife's by virtues;
yasya mE == to him, such as me;
na: guru: muni pungava: == our mentor sage the eminent;
pari thushyathi == is well-pleased by that;
dhanya: asmi == privileged I am;
anu gruheetha: asmi == blessed, I am.
Meaning: I am privileged and blessed as our mentor and the eminent sage is well
pleased with the virtues of my brother and wife, which are similar to mine.
So thus observing protocol with one and non-observing same with another by
raama has different reasons, which we have to analyse and realize raama's
greatness. Thanks
Dhasan
Vasudevan m.g.
Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam
http://www.vedics.net
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