Post 3
Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,
Continuing on that number three and sree raama, now we will see some details or comments on each of the threes.
The first is - sree raama has three mothers in kousalyaa, sumithra and kaikEyee. See how different are the threesome.
1. Kousalyaa – the mother who gave birth to raama and king dhasaratha's patta mahishi – crown queen. Sage visvaamithra addressed raama as 'kousalyaa suprajaa raama' – which we use daily and have the pride in doing so. Raama in many places is addressed by vaalmeeki as 'kousalyaa aanandha vardhana' – giving the meaning - 'pleasure enhancer to kousalyaa' for having such a son.
kausalyaayaa gR^iham shiighram raama maatur nayantu maam |
iti bruvantam raajaanam anayan dvaara darshitaH || 2-42-26
meaning: dhasaratha says to his servants on raama leaving ayodhyaa "Take me quickly to the apartment of Kausalya, the mother of Raama. Nowhere else my heart will find solace ".
So no doubts on capabilities of raama's mother in providing solace to king during his last moments. Further it is her raajyam, kOsala raajyam which came to dhasaratha as a gift of wedding with kousalyaa. So she is 'artha' oriented mother to raama.
2. Mother sumithra – she is described by vaalmeeki as – the dharmam & knowledge embodiment - [kousalya was weeping on raama having left for forest just then, and sumithra consoles her in sargam 44- that is the context here and sumithraa is being described as above by vaalmeeki]
vilapantiim tathaa taam tu kausalyaam pramada uttamaam |
idam dharme sthitaa dharmyam sumitraa vaakyam abraviit || 2-44-1
meaning: Sumitra, who was devoted to righteousness, spoke the following words, which were virtuous, to the celebrated Kausalya, the foremost among women, who had been wailing as aforesaid.
Even though kousalyaa is stated as 'pramadha uthamaam', one who is entrenched in dharmam is sumithraa. Like that 'raama' who is said by maareecha as 'raamO vigrahavaan dharmah', sumithra here is said dharmE sthithaa sumithraa – that is something great of sumithraa. So if we then say or conclude raama learnt dharmam from sumithra also, apart from his gurus – perhaps we may not be wrong.
That sumithraa says 'raama stands for dharmam' – one who knows what is dharmam, he or she only can certify others as "yes – this man follows dharmam". That way sumithra is the righteous mother to certify raama --
raamaH dharme sthitaH shreSTho na sa shocyaH kadaacana || 2-44-4
– that too to whom she says all these – to kousalyaa. So sumithraa is dharmam.
3. mother Kaikeyee to raamaa- mother number three – kaamam oriented--
saa vishhaNNataraa bhuutvaa kubjaa tasyaa hitaishhiNii |
vishhadayantii provaacha bhedayantii cha raaghavam || 2-7-19
meaning: That Manthara, who was full of cunning, feigning to be seeking Kaikeyi's welfare, appeared more worried, and making Kaikeyi sorrowful, spoke the following, to create hostility between Rama and Kaikeyi.
Point: So kaikEyee was full of love and affection to raama but manthara only tried to create hostility and it also worked later. So kaikeyee is full of love for raama. And no other than manthara herself certifies kaikeyee about her clean thinking – see -
dharmavAdI shaTho bhartA shlakShNavAdI cha dAruNaH |
shuddhabhAve na jAnIShe tenaivamatisandhitA || 2-7-24
meaning: manthara to kaikEyee, 'Your husband talks about righteousness, but does harm secretly. He says sweet words but behaves cruelly. Because of your clean thinking; you are not able to know that he is cheating you thus.'
and see kaikEyee's reply – first reaction to manthara on informing raama being crowned -
rAme vA bharate vAha.n visheShaM nopalakShaye |
tasmAttuShTAsmi yadrAjA rAma.n rAjye.abhiShekShyati || 2-7-35
meaning: "I do not see any difference between Rama and Bharata. That is why, I am happy that Rama is being anointed for crown by the king."
Point is such a kaikeyee is finally changed – all because of desire – kaamam – for his son to be crowned – even at the cost of her husband's death,
yathaa ne bharato maanyastathaa bhuuyo.api raaghaavaH |
kausalyaato.ariktaM cha so hi shushruushhate hi maam || 2-8-18
meaning: kaikeyee to manthara "For me, Rama is as lovable as Bharata and even more. Is he not doing more service to me than to Kausalya?"
point: see how manthara slowly changed kaikEyee --
darpaanniraakR^itaa puurvaM tvayaa saubhaagyavattayaa |
raamamaataa sapatnii te kathaM vairaM na shaatayet || 2-8-37
meaning: manthara to kaikEyee, "Previously, you treated Kausalya with disrespect due to arrogance, that you were fortunate [in getting away with it unnoticed by king]. Will not such Kausalya, your rival wife, revenge for that animosity?"
So it is clear that kaikEyee is arrogant, arrogance due to desire, selfishness of owning a older husband with her than with other queens etc. All these made her treat kousalyaa badly etc. But raama to kaikEyee is [as seen above in kaikEyee's own words] as good as her own son or better.
So the conclusion is -- three mothers – three different types –
one royal and loving – kousalyaa - artham,
second – sumithraa – dharmam
third – kaikEyee – kaamam – desire -
This analysis will continue for other threes also.
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