Chapter
3(b)
The Wily Villain
Rama
returned to Panchavati
from the depths of the jungle, after killing the
'impersonation' called the Golden Deer. He thought within
himself that the plot of his story would have by now
worked out, at the hermitage, as directed by His Will. He
said within himself, "Though this is but the blossoming
of my plan, people should not understand so soon that it
is Divine Design; I have to behave hereafter as an
ordinary human being." When he was half-way back, he saw
Lakshmana coming and he decided that he too must be kept
unaware of the secret purpose behind the seeming tragedy.
So, he asked, as if he was perturbed in mind, "Lakshmana!
Brother! You have disobeyed me and brushed my word aside.
You have come away, leaving Sita alone in the hermitage.
How could you do so? You have come so far leaving her
helpless! Alas! You are witnessing the demonic wickedness
of the Rakshasa
brood every day; how could you desert Sita so? Alas! What
has happened to her? I am afraid some calamity has
befallen! I feel that Sita is not there, in the
hermitage. Alas! What shall we do now? What is to be our
future?"
Hearing this
lamentation, Lakshmana fell at the brother's feet and
said, "Brother! You know me, as the workings of your
mind. Whatever the occasion I am ever ready to offer
myself, my very breath, at your feet. Will I ever go
counter to your command? However this time it happened.
The force that compelled me to disobey is the prompting
of my Destiny. What can I do? The outburst, 'Ha, Sita,
Ha, Lakshmana' that arose from the throat of that false
Deer reached the hermitage. As soon as she heard it she
urged me in various ways to turn to your side. I am
conversant with the tricks of these Rakshasas and so, I
fell at her feet and prayed for pardon. I told her, 'Rama
cannot be harmed in the least. No danger can approach
him. The cries we heard are only the false stratagems of
the Rakshasas.' A second time, those cries struck our
ears. Then she lost all courage. They were exact
reproductions of your voice. At this, she ignored her own
Reality; she ignored the mores of kinship and family; she
used words that should not be spoken or taken by the ear;
I could not suffer any more. So, I directed her to take
every precaution; I did all I could to keep her safe, and
then came away from the hermitage. I shall gladly accept
whatever punishment you award me, whatever measure you
take to expiate for the wrong I have done."
With these words,
Lakshmana fell flat at the feet of Rama. At this, Rama
said "Lakshmana! You ought not to have left her all
alone, whatever the reason. I feel that Sita will not be
at the hermitage when we reach there. How can we pride
ourselves as heroic men, when having come into this
forest, we are not able to guard Sita from being carried
away by the Rakshasas?
Can you tolerate when people talk tomorrow that Rama was
unable to save his wife from the calamity of being
kidnapped? Can you remain calm in mind, listening to such
talk? Alas! How am I to bear this tragedy?" Rama moaned
and groaned in great mental pain, just like an ignorant
man, and ran forward to the hermitage, to find whether
his fears were true.
Rama
and Lakshmana grieving over the loss of
Sita
As Rama had indicated,
Sita could not be found therein. In seemingly unbearable
anguish, Rama lamented her disappearance. Lakshmana fell
even as he stood, unable to bear the grief. Aware that he
had caused this catastrophe, he felt like giving up his
life; but, he realized soon that Rama, already deprived
of Sita, would be put to further anxiety and tangles if
he departs from this world, taking his own life. He felt
that if he dies, Rama would wander alone, in sorrow,
through the forest glades; he will have none to give him
food and drink. He could not bear the anguish of Rama at
the loss of Sita. He could not find his tongue, nor could
he frame words, to console Rama and pacify him. Lakshmana
ruminated in his mind on all that had happened that day.
He soon came to the conclusion that it must be the result
of Rama's own will; he realized that this brother of his
was not an ordinary man; he knew now that what was
happening was part of the drama that was destined to
bring about progress and prosperity for all mankind. For,
he, who would gladly wipe the tears from all eyes, he who
was the guardian of the world, he who had not evinced an
inkling of sorrow so far, was now lamenting and weeping
like any ordinary human, at separation from his wife!
Watching these happenings, Lakshmana could easily infer
that it was all the unrolling of a play directed by Rama!
Lakshmana knew very well that Sita was incomparably
virtuous. That such a uniquely pure woman should have met
with this calamity was inexplicable, except as a scene in
a play, or a part of the Divine Plot, devised by Rama. No
one anywhere can execute even the slightest deed without
orders from Rama! However, Rama had come down as man, and
resolved to guide man by his example along the path of
justice, integrity, detachment, devotion, virtue,
veracity, morality and humility. Lakshmana realized that
this was the meaning of the play which Rama and Sita were
enacting, He recognized himself as but an actor, whose
whole duty was to act the role assigned to him as well as
he could.
Deriving strength from
these thoughts, Lakshmana approached Rama and fell at his
feet. He said, "Brother! you are, I know, the Director of
the Drama which the Cosmos is. There is nothing you
cannot do, nothing you do not know. Everything that
happens follows your will only. These events could not
happen unknown to you. I will not take a denial. I
believe so, firmly. By these incidents, I believe you are
designing to promote the peace of the world and destroy
the Rakshasa race. My mind is whispering this to me and
asking me to be firm in that faith. This must be the
Truth behind this play. Pray tell me the Truth and give
me peace of mind".
Rama replied with a
smile, "Lakshmana! You are a limb of my person; so, what
can I keep away from you? You have hit the truth. I have
incarnated in order to uphold and foster Dharma
(Righteousness). To do so, I have to enact many scenes of
righteous and unrighteous conduct. A baby that wails has
to be comforted into quiet joy by means of prattle and
play, toys and jingles, songs and swings. The mother has
to devise many stratagems on the spot, in order to
persuade the baby to drink the milk it needs. The purpose
is the giving of the milk feed. But, consider how useful
these means are - the songs and swings, the toys and
talks, the tricks and tickles. These methods help the
quenching of hunger and the stoppage of wailing. That is
their reason, too. You have to add them all up in order
to discover how the hunger was quenched and the grief
ended. Similarly, dear brother, I who am the Mother of
the Universe, have to act in these manifold ways to
re-establish Righteousness and demolish unrighteousness.
These incidents have been designed to secure the twin
aims of the removal of grief and the winning of bliss;
they are not just meaningless exercises. Ordinary folk
base their conduct on the ideals presented to them; so,
as Master and Leader, I have to practice what I intend to
place before them as ideal conduct. Unless I practice
what I hold forth as the ideal, I cannot claim to be
Master and Leader. When masters and leaders who do not
deserve the positions appear and exercise authority,
Righteousness declines and unrighteousness runs wild.
Therefore, brother, remember that those in authority as
masters or leaders must prove their advice right, in
actual practice; they must help realize the ideals they
preach by their own genuine effort. This is the way for
them to earn the Grace of God and the gratitude of
men.
"Sita knows the role
she is playing. These two bodies - mine and Sita's -
evince the joys and pangs of union and separation, only
as bodies! The pain and pleasure, the weeping and wailing
are all illusory and unreal. They follow the needs and
compulsions of the Incarnation I have taken upon myself,
along with other limitations. I am taking you into
confidence regarding my Reality; take note that you too
will have to act in conformity with time, deed and cause,
space, occasion and recipient, as the story unfolds. This
Divine Mystery is beyond the intelligence of others. So,
you must also keep mum on this and play according to the
rules. We have to concentrate on the mission on which we
have come".
After this Revelation,
they plunged immediately into the task of searching for
Sita. Both acted their roles during this search most
sincerely, admirably, and realistically. Not only the
brothers, but Sita too exhibited supreme nobility and
acted with equal staunchness and sincerity, even though
the Rakshasa guards, in the place where she was kept
captive, terrorized her and threatened her most cruelly.
She did not waver or yield; she stuck bravely to her
determination to save her self and to preserve her
purity. She maintained her vow undefiled.
The drama enacted by
the two parties held forth for every householder and
every individual the highest ideal of righteous conduct.
It placed before the fathers, mothers, wives, husbands,
brothers and friends the best lines of behaviour expected
of them and how each of them had to keep their promises,
and tend their virtues. Why dilate further? The
Ramayana
lays down ideals for all relationships in life, and for
the realization of the highest aim of human life. Nowhere
else can be seen such a variety and quantity of moral
dicta and their practical applications. The one text,
Ramayana, has soaked in its pages directions for correct
conduct in all situations and under all conditions: it
teaches how to justify human birth, how to carry on the
government of a kingdom, how to regulate the reactions of
the people and how to design the laws that can control
and consummate the wishes of the people. If only the
Ramayana is studied closely and observed in daily
practice, mankind can attain peace and prosperity in all
fields.
In order to discover
some clue about how Sita left or why or when or whereto,
Rama and Lakshmana forsook the hermitage, armed with
weapons; they examined every tank and looked over every
hill in the region. They could not come across any sign.
While proceeding thus, they saw before them branches of
trees that had been pulled asunder lying across the
track. There were other evidences of a combat that had
taken place like broken arrows and patches of blood. Rama
drew the attention of his brother to these. He said, "A
fight seems to have taken place here", and looked around
for information about who had engaged whom. He found an
eagle of truly regal mien lying on the ground, gasping
for breath, but still repeating reverentially with eyes
closed the Name it adored, "Rama, Rama". The brothers
walked straight to the bird and lovingly stroked its head
and body. When the hand of Rama blessed it with the
tender touch, the bird recovered some little strength. It
opened its eyes and looked around. It saw the beautiful
form of Rama that could captivate all the worlds.
Suddenly it was overpowered by a flood of both joy and
sorrow. The incapacitated bird could not move its limbs,
nor could it turn on its side; so it crawled a little
forward and raising its head, placed it at the Feet of
Rama. Rama placed the head on his lap and gently fondled
it into awareness and activity.
Jatayu
said in feeble accents, "Lord! While the wicked
Ravana
- yielding to maleficent motives, forsaking justice and
uprightness, casting away powers acquired by years of
asceticism, was carrying away Mother Sita, in a chariot,
through this forest, as a dog goes in stealth and as a
fox goes cunningly, the Mother of all the Worlds, the
Daughter of Janaka
wailed aloud, 'Rama', 'Rama', covering the entire forest
in gloom. I heard the wail, but did not know who it was
that raised the sad cry. I flew near and discovered to my
great surprise and sorrow that Mother Sita was the person
in distress! I could not remain quiet. Though old and
decrepit, I pronounced your Name, and derived strength
thereby and courage to give him battle. I pecked at him
so furiously that his body streamed with blood all over.
He placed Sita in the shade of a tree and fought
ferociously. He drew his wheel-weapon and slashed my
wings into shambles. I could not do anything to stop his
onward journey with Sita; so, I lay here, weeping over my
defeat, and waiting for your arrival. I am most unlucky,
for, though I saw Mother being taken away by that
ruffian, I could not save her". Jatayu shed tears of
despair, as he spoke those words.
Rama
too displayed great interest and anxiety, and he
addressed the bird thus: "O Chief of Birds! I shall never
forget your help. The good deed you have performed will
give you Bliss in the next world. Do not feel sad". Thus
saying, Rama dusted its wings with his own matted hair,
while Lakshmana hurried to bring some water to slake its
thirst and refresh it. Rama poured the water drop by drop
into the bird's mouth. Jatayu was delighted at the good
fortune and his face glowed with ecstasy. Jatayu said,
"Rama! I am luckier than even your father, for, he did
not have this chance of drinking water from your hands
when he left this world. I could get my last sip from
your golden hand! I could rest on your lap. I could drink
nectar from your fingers. And, while drawing my last
breath, I could fill my eyes with the picture of your
charming Lotus Face. I am certain I will be merging in
you. O, I am indeed blessed". Then, Jatayu spoke in
feeble tones: "Rama! That vicious demon proceeded in the
southern direction. Most probably, he must have reached
Lanka. Therefore, go straight to Lanka, destroy that
wicked fellow and then bring the Mother to your
presence". Jatayu could speak no more. He cried 'Rama'
just once and drew his last breath. Rama allowed the
vital breath of Jatayu to merge in Him; he performed the
obsequies to the body of the bird and took the
valedictory bath. After these rituals, he moved towards
the south picturing in his mind the regions of the South
and the ordeals of Sita.
[Picture:
Jatayu attains liberation]
On the way, a demoness
called Aja-mukhi espied them and was entranced by their
personal beauty. She said to herself, "Ah! What
loveliness of body! What a feast to the eye! I must wed
them and win happiness". So resolving, she clasped the
hand of Lakshmana and drew him towards herself. Lakshmana
inferred that she too was stricken with the malady of
Surpanakha,
and he treated her with the same contempt. He cut off her
limbs and taught her a severe lesson. The forest through
which they passed was as terrible as the demons they
found there. It was infested with wild animals that
roared, howled and growled most fearfully. Even the
toughest heart would quake in fear at the scene and the
noises. While the brothers were tracking across, a demon
called Kabandha, a mass of distortion and disfiguration,
appeared before them; he opposed their advance and shook
the forest with his unearthly guffaw; he attempted to
snatch Rama and Lakshmana but, Rama slew him ere he could
succeed. He was a monster, with no head; his arms were
inordinately long; he had his mouth in the center of his
stomach! He was a terror in that forest, devouring
whatever he could get in the sweep of his arms. By
killing him, Rama saved the forest-dwellers from a
dreaded foe.
On the point of death
Kabandha realized who his enemy was; he recognized Rama.
He said, "Master! You have this day liberated me from the
shackles of a curse that had reduced me to this ludicrous
and cruel role. My sins have been exonerated by the
vision I have of you". While falling at the feet of Rama,
Kabandha said, "Your mission will succeed, without delay
or obstacles. You will certainly triumph over the forces
of wickedness".
Rama, the large-hearted
lover of all, moved on from that spot, walking on foot,
with his brother as sole companion. They soon came across
an old woman - she had a stoop; her head could not be
held erect; her eyesight had become dull; her hands were
quivering, she was coming towards them, with a basket of
fruits on her head! She saw the charming figures of the
brothers and inferred that they were the two, who were
described with excitement and delight by the
rshis
of the forest! Placing the basket on the ground, she
stood on the track, whispering 'Rama' 'Rama' in reverence
and thankfulness. Lakshmana guessed that this too was an
impersonation by some wily Rakshasa to harm them. But,
Rama knew that his guess was wrong; he proposed to sit
under a near-by tree, the tree that was adjacent to the
very hermitage where the old woman was
residing.
Sabari
the old woman noticed the lotus-petal-like eyes, the
ringlets of hair on their foreheads, the long arms that
reached down to the knees, and the dark-blue complexion
of Rama. She could contain her ecstasy no longer; she
could not surpress her adoration. She ran forward and
fell at the feet of both. She asked, "Where are you
coming from? What are your names?" Rama replied,
smilingly and coolly: "Mother! We are coming from
Ayodhya;
we are residing in the forest; I am called Rama; this
brother of mine is known as Lakshmana". At this, Sabari
exclaimed, "Father! My long cherished desire has been
fulfilled, I have been waiting for your arrival, day and
night, and looking for you into the distance, until my
eyes have become dull and insensitive. I have achieved
success. My longing has had its result. My vigil and
fasts have borne fruit. Ah! I have been rewarded! This is
the result of my Guru's Grace; this is the mysterious
working of God". She brought the basket near Rama.
Meanwhile, Rama asked her, "Mother! You speak of a Guru:
who is he, this Guru of yours?"
She said, "His name is
Mathanga Rshi. But, since women are not taken as pupils
in this hermitage, I listened to his lessons, hiding
behind bushes and trees. I served my Guru and other
rshis, removing the thorns from the tracks that led to
the rivers where they take their bath, mostly by rolling
over the ground, for, I had to do it pretty early, before
dawn. I also removed the pebbles and stones that might
hurt their feet. I lived on fruits and tubers as the
other pupils did. I served my masters unseen, and spent
my days in the recesses of the jungle. Mathanga, the
Mahatma, who knew the yearnings of my mind, told me one
day, 'Mother! Your body has reached a ripe old age. If
you strain so much, you will soon be exhausted. So, come,
reside in the hermitage and take good rest'. While I was
spending my days thus in the service of this hermitage,
the rshi desired to quit the body and called me beside
him. He said, 'Sabari! The task on which I have come is
over. I have resolved to leave this body now. You shall
remain in residence at this hermitage itself. Within a
short time Rama will come into this forest. Invite him to
enter this hermitage and offer what little service you
can to him. Let this hermitage be sanctified by the touch
of his feet". I protested a great deal; I told him how I
could never be happy in the hermitage without him. I
prayed to him to take me too, through death to where he
was proceeding. My Guru was not in a mood to accede to my
wishes. He said that I had to be here awaiting the
arrival of Rama and that I could not avoid that
responsibility or lose that joy. From that day, I am
existing here, with arms outstretched to welcome you,
with eyes watching the horizon, and carrying about with
me this decrepit body, so that I may live to see you and
serve you. O Rama! O Lord! O Compassionate to the
Afflicted. O Dweller in the hearts of Rshis. The wish of
my Guru has been fulfilled. The hermitage is just a few
feet off; please sanctify it by entering it". Sabari fell
at Rama's feet and entreated him to accede to the last
request of her Guru.
Rama was naturally
happy at the dedication and devotion of the old woman. He
was the very embodiment of spontaneous surging love. So,
he rose and walking towards the hermitage with his
brother, Lakshmana, entered it. O! Sabari was overpowered
by a flood of joy; the flood broke all limits and
expressed itself in ecstatic thrill and speech. That gem
among women was until that moment too weak to tread a few
paces; now, she found herself endowed with the strength
of a thousand elephants! She marched buoyantly to the
river and brought, in quick time, cool limpid water that
was eminently sweet. She tasted first the fruits she
chose from the basket and she offered to the brothers
those she found sweet and ripe. While they ate, she
looked on happily and with gratitude at their charming
faces, and when they had finished, she washed their feet
and placed on her head the drops of water sanctified by
the contact. "Lord! I have no more desire. For what shall
I live on? I survived until now for that one piece of
good fortune - the darsan
of Rama. I have had the Darsan. Now, save me by merging
this life, this breath, in thy Lotus Feet. I have heard
your glory extensively from the sages and saints. Today,
I have witnessed it; I am full of gratitude and joy".
Rama relished the fruits she offered with so much
devotion; while partaking of them he said, "Mother! These
fruits are as sweet as your own heart. Really,
these are not fruits that grow on trees. Why, the wild
fruits that grow in jungles are not so sweet at all. They
can never be. These are fruits that have grown on the
holy tree of life, on the branches of the pure mind, in
the sunshine of love". Rama ate the fruits extolling
their taste all the time.
Seeing Rama in this
mood, Lakshmana was happy beyond words; for, Rama had not
eaten fruits with such joy since long; all these days,
Lakshmana had to persuade him to taste a few, with a good
deal of parley, pleading and praying, even after the
fruits were peeled, cut, and placed before him. Rama was
so afflicted by the separation from Sita. In spite of all
the efforts of Lakshmana, Rama would eat only half a
fruit or so; never was Lakshmana satisfied with the
quantity that his brother ate. Today, Sabari gave him the
fruits which had dropped ripe from the trees; she used to
dust them and clean them and keep them for him every day,
and when Rama did not arrive, she consumed them herself
as sacramental food, given to her by Rama himself! Day
after day, she roamed the forest in search of sweet ones
to be placed before Rama. Thus, daily the fruits were
saturated with her love and devotion and the fruits
became doubly desirable. Lakshmana noticed that this was
the reason Rama was eating them with joy. He was filled
with delight, and he admired the devotion of Sabari that
was so richly rewarded. He appreciated the divine joy
that she had filled herself with as a result of her long
years of spiritual study and practice.
Sabari stood with
folded hands before Rama and said, "Lord! I am of low
caste; I am of untutored intellect, dull and stupid. I am
not learned in any sacred art or text. I am lower than
the lowest. How can I extol you or describe your glory? I
have no skill in the use of words. I have not cultivated
my Reason. Nor have I practiced austerities prescribed to
gain insight into Divinity. I am on the lowest step in
spiritual Sadhana.
My only strength is my love for God. I have no other
support or sustenance". She spoke of Rama's compassion,
in accepting her offering. "Your grace is boundless", she
said. Rama was listening to her words intensely. He
lifted her chin and looked right into her eyes. He said,
"Mother! Devotion is the thing I need; the rest are
subsidiary. Other things like scholarship, intelligence,
status, social prestige, caste, I do not pay any
attention to them. They are of no value in my eyes. More
than all the powers gained by spiritual disciplines and
austerities, I relish the sweetness of devotion saturated
with love. I seek only that. A man who has no love in him
is as barren as a cloud with no moisture, a tree with no
fruits, or a cow yielding no milk; he is ever far from
God and can never earn Grace. Sabari! Of the nine ways of
evincing and cultivating devotion, I only desire that any
one be followed consistently by man. But, I find you have
followed to the very end all the nine ways. So, I do not
see any one higher than you in spiritual attainment. I am
indeed elated in all manner of ways, for, you have
offered me devotion that is pure, steady, and self-less
and which is Love springing from the heart and surging
from it in all directions and towards all directions and
towards all beings. You have not cast aspersions on any
one, even while dreaming! That is what makes your mind so
pure. Your mind does not blossom when 'good' comes to
you; nor does it wither, when 'bad' comes. You are
blessed in all ways".
Sabari drank in these
words of counsel that Rama spoke to her. She said, "Rama!
There is no path for the devotee other than doing one's
best to please the Divine, is there? I do not crave for
aught else. This day, my father, my God, the Lord of my
life, the Lord of all the Worlds, the Lord of all
Creation has appeared before me! How can I measure my
good luck, O Lord of Janaki,
of Sita the daughter of Janaka?"
At this she remembered Sita, and the brothers, too,
suddenly realized their plight. Rama told her, "Alas,
Sabari, all this while you kept us happy, rid of anxiety,
floating in joy; but, now, you have plunged us in grief".
Sabari was struck with remorse; she raised her head in
consternation and pleaded, "Lord! What is this you say?
Pardon my indiscretion" and she fell at the feet of
Rama.
Rama asked her,
"Sabari! Do you know anything about Sita? Have you heard
anything about her?" Sabari replied, "Don't I know! Don't
I know about Sita? No woman who knows the Rama principle
will be ignorant of the Sita-principle, that Gem of
womankind, that Crown of virtue, that Light of feminity?
O! what great good fortune is hers! She is the very
shadow of my Rama! Rama! I must tell you what my Guru
Rshi Mathanga has taught me about the Sita principle. Of
course, there is nothing you do not know. But, since you
asked me now, whether I knew anything about Sita, I shall
tell you what I know. 'Rama deluded the minds of
Manthara
and Kaikeyi,
in order to fulfill his mission of destroying the
Rakshasa brood'. [See:
Ramakatha Rasavahini part 1, Chapter
10(a)] As a
result of this, my Guru told me 'Sita, Rama and Lakshmana
have entered the forest as exiles'. He said, they would
visit hermitages and bless the ascetics and that Rama
would kill the demons who obstruct their rituals and
disciplines. He said that Rama would devise a plan by
which Ravana, who is knit strongly with the Rakshasa
clans, will be tempted to enact a role in a drama
centering around the 'abduction' of Sita! He assured me
that the Sita abducted by Ravana is only a pseudo-Sita
and not the real, genuine Mother. He had told me that
Rama would come into this forest, while searching for the
Sita who has been abducted and that, I would be rewarded
as never before by that visit. My Guru also told me that
Rama would cultivate an alliance with Sugriva, who has
taken refuge in the Rishyamuka Hills (adjacent to this
hermitage) from the deadly depredations of his elder
brother, Vali. Rama would accomplish the task of seeking
out Sita through Sugriva. Rama! You are the Director of
this Cosmic Drama, which you have designed. The incidents
of your Drama were known to my Guru and he has revealed
them to me. Your stage is the entire Cosmos. Your will
decides the future of the Universe; it ensures the
stability and progress of the Universe. All that happens
is the unrolling into action of your Will; without it,
nothing great or small can ever happen.
"Lord! You are acting
in this play, as if you are unaware of your own plot. You
are pretending to be grief-stricken at separation from
Sita! Only those who are foolish, or who have no faith in
the Atmic
reality, or who are atheists can take it as true; those
who are aware of Divinity and its mysteries, those who
are devotees, and Sadhaks
seeking to know God as their own Reality, will not be led
away into the belief that it is genuine. You are the Doer
of all that is done; no one however powerful can hinder
or oppose your Will. You will the reactions of
people to all happenings as good or bad; they are not the
authors thereof. The ignorant may assert that they are
the executors of their deeds. Rama! Pardon my
impertinence. I have spoken too much in your presence".
Thus saying, she fell at the feet of Rama. She developed
the inner Fire of Yoga and as a result, her body was
reduced to ashes, while her breath was merged in the
Rama-principle she adored.
contents
of this Vahini
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