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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00060 Feb 2007

 
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Post 31

 

Dear Sri vaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In the previous 30 posts, we saw 'lakshmaNa' donning 10 roles. The 10 th role as a great warrior is continuing. When lakshmaNa, our hero, faced kumbakarNan, kumbakarNan brushed him aside saying 'you are a baalan – young boy - and as such I do not want to fight with you'. Though lakshmaNa did send some arrows, those did not create much impact on kumbakarNan. At that stage kumbakarNan appreciated lakshmaNa. Then raama fought with him. While raama was fighting with him lakshmaNa suggested an idea to raama – [while lakshmaNa uttered that sentence vaalmeeki's description of lakshmaNa at this stage is something unique and that is why referring. Again kumbakarNa vadham scene. See slokam --

 

thasmin kaalE sa dhharmaathmaa lakshmaNO vaakyam abhraveeth |

kumbakarNa vadhE yukthO yOgaan pari mrusan bahoon || 6-67-139

 

Meaning: during that time that dharmaathmaa lakshmaNa intended in thinking about several ways in kumbakarNan's killing said like this. -  

 

What he said is – 'this fellow kumbakarNa is not able to distinguish between vaanaraas and his own fellows, so he is eating all, so let all these vaanara sainyam and leaders hang on kumbakarna since his body is so huge and that may create problem to him'. But kumbakarna brushed aside these. Here the point is not the idea given by lakshmaNa but that description of lakshmaNa by vaalmeeki – saying 'dharmaathmaa'. After that raama killed him by cutting one hand, second hand, both legs and then finally the head.

 

When message reached raavaNa, he did his sorrowing – 'sOkhap pulambal' as usual – 'oh my capable brother is lost'.

 

His other sons consoled RaavaNa. They and the senaapathis, one by one, started facing 'raama and his troops'. The list of persons faced and killed by runs like this -

·        Mahaa udharan or mahodharan – younger brother of raavaNan - killed by commander neelan – son of agni

·        Mahaa paarsvan – a brother of raavaNa - killed by rishabhan a vaanara sEna leader

·        Maththan and yudhdhha unmaththan - two more brothers of raavaNa who accompanied by naraanthakan and this team were also killed in the above gang – by rishabhan and gavaakshan – another leader of vaanara sainyam.

 

Then comes athikaayan [A] – another son of raavaNa – who again had in his account boons by brahmaa –especially 'avadhyathvam' – cannot be killed. Such a person came up for war. Raama was surprised at his majesty and build. And he was given a brief on athikaayan by vibheeshaNan. Though athikaayan was resisted by maindhan, dhvividhan, neelan et al - the leaders of vaanara sainyam, he came up to raama and said 'I do not want to fight with small fellows'.

 

Hearing that lakshmaNa got wild and twanged his bow to announce his readiness to fight. But that athikaayan brushed him saying, 'you are a child, go   – baala: thvam asi, gachchha' 6-71 -51.

 

LakshmaNa replied – 'baala~ayam ithi vignaaya na maam ~avagnaathum arhasi' – 'you just cannot ignore me saying a boy and reject me' 6-71-64 – like that child vaamana who measured all 3 worlds you are going to see me as your yama, the death agent.

 

Then both started fighting. All dhevaas, maharshis, mahaathmaas, et al, came in the sky to see that war. LakshmaNa's arrow struck athikaayan's forehead –

sa lalaatE sarRO magnasthasya beemasya rakshasa: |

dhadhrusE sONithEna aaktha: pannaga indhra iva achalE || 6-71-76

meaning: the arrow of lakshmaNa hit that raakshasa in the face, which looked like a huge kingly snake clinging on a hill.

 

Athikaayan appreciated lakshmana saying

saadhu baaNa nipaathEna slaaghaneeyO~si mE ripu: |   - 6-71 – 78

yes – lakshmaNa - you deserve an appreciation from me, your enemy.

 

Point: even though the two are fighting see the greatness where they are to be appreciated it is done – for the valour, for the easiness in handling bows, charioteering etc,. That is one thing which is to be noted in both raamaayaNam and bhaaratham.

 

Continuation: Then they both exchanged arrows [sasthrams] and lakshmaNa [L] was hit. Then both started with asthrams like [each countering the other] -

·        L -agnEyaasthram – A - sooryaasthram,

·        A -isheeka asthram – L- indhra asthram

·        A- yama asthram – L – vaayu asthram

Since dhEvaas were watching from sky, vaayu bhagavaan – the air god, whispered in lakshmaNa's ears, saying 'since he has brahmaa's boons he cannot be killed by other asthrams except brahma's own – bramhaasthram - so use that to kill him'.

 

Accordingly when lakshmaNa sent that brahmaasthram, athikaayan even though was resisting it with his own asthrams he was killed. So here is one more instance where brahmaasthram was used.

 

When the news of athikaayan's death was conveyed to raavaNan, he recognized who has come to fight now in that frain human form and said

"tham manyE raaghavam veeram naaraayaNam anaamayam" – 6-72-11

meaning: Oh this raaghava, [or raama] is that naaraayaNan – no body else.

 

This is a very famous slOkam and many a times quoted one.

 

Then indhrajith, son of raavaNa, took up the fight. He resorted to invisible fight and using brahmaasthram against almost all leaders of vaanara sainyam. Since he was invisible so he could not be hit. Further since he is using brahmaasthram, raama gave signal to lakshmaNa that 'let us abide to that asthram'. thus both got fainted besides all other leaders fell down unconscious. [means raama and lakshmaNa showed respect to that asthram of brahmaa, even though they have not been killed or harmed in major way]. That is the dharmam of raama and lakshmaNa.

 

Then indhrajith thought he won and returned to lanka with success. Since all got tied except vibheeshNan and hanumaan. Even though fainted, jaambavaan enquired about hanumaan's welfare.   Jambavaan suggested hanumaan to go himaalayaas and bring sanjeevani herbs. Hence hanumaan did that effectively all in vaanara sainyam got back on their feet.  

 

When those herbs rejuvenated raama and lakshmaNa and others, another battalion of raakshasaas containing kumban, nikumban, makaraakshan [son of khara] et al came and got defeated. Then indhrajith once again resorted to homams and started fighting invisibly. He made raama lakshmaNa and others struggle with his arrows.

 

So lakshmaNa got wild and said to raama, 'I will send brahmaasthram to kill all raakshasaas'. brahmaasthram prayOkshyaami vadha arthham sarva rakshasaam | – 6- 81- 36.

 

Raama advised lakshmaNa not to do that. Indhrajith in his invisibility got that feedback and returned to lankaa successfully.   [This is the third time].

 

Point: See raama stopping brother lakshmaNa in using brahmaasthram. Why he stopped?

Is it that raama has sympathy against all raakshasaas except raavaNa?

Or is it because of the idea that lakshmaNa will get credit of killing raavaNa and not himself?

Or is it that lakshmaNa is incapable in handling brahmaasthram?  

lakshmaNa has just proved he is successful in handling that asthram in athikaayans's case – then why?

Or is it that the asthram cannot be used for the second time in the same day?

For the asthram is primarily intended against indhrajith. Then why raama stopped?

 

This is not the present day competitive 'corporate' world – by pulling a peer's leg only I will get noticed in the eyes of my management – means - no hesitation for me in doing that.

No, sirs, and madams. Thoese days were dhaarmic period. So there must be reasons sound and solid.

 

If lakshmaNa does pronounce that manthram and send the brahmaasthram – then it will eradicate all raakshasaas – note the word 'sarva' – that 'sarva' includes 'vibheeshaNa' also, besides his 4 colleagues on raama's side, leave aside raavaNa and indhrajith. Even by mistake that should not happen. That is why raama stopped lakshmaNa. Perhaps as usual in his angry and snaky mood if lakshmaNa did that then a very large damage could be created. Then raama would become an "asathyan" in performing that raajya abhishEkam to vibheeshaNa. So that is why he stopped.

 

So we have to look at each word, and each word in these slokams have lot of meanings.   

 

Let us continue in next post.

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.

 

PS: perhaps you may wonder how long this great warrior role is going to be stretched. Yes, please – it is a bit more lengthy only – in kamba raamayaNam in his 10600 + verses, more than 5000 is in yudhdha kaaNdam only – for the 14 days war description. In vaalmeeki also 6049 slokams are there precisely, which means more than 25% slokams are there in yudhdha kaaNdam. [Total 24000 – excluding uththara]. Further once indhrajith vadham is over lakshmaNa's conribution is less afterward.



--
Vasudevan MG __._,_.___

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