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Sri Suadrshan 's Fourth widow of Ayodhyaa postings.

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • May 4, 1997 


Dear Sri Sudarshan : First of all , thanks very much for your 
unique and rich narration related to the great sorrow of Sri Ramaa
in DandakAraNyam over the plight of His dear brother. 

As always , your narrative skills , rich vocabulary , attention 
to details on describing a scene and the skills in teasing 
without revealing who this  fourth widow was until the last 
section of the last posting have been exemplary. 

Regarding your concerns as to whether you mightb have taken liberty 
with the facts related to the situation that you were describing , 
you do not need to worry too much about it.  You seem to be in 
the august company of Swami Desikan here . Our great achAryA 
created a Kaavyam revered as Hamsa sandesam , where he deals with 
an imaginary situation about  what happened after Hanumaan
had returned from LankhA after finding Sitaa piratti there and 
bringing the good news of seeing her in Asokha vanam . 
Hamsa Sandesam modeled after the Mega sandesam of 
the immortal poet KaLi Daasa is known as a misra kaavyam ,
since it takes incidents described by Sage Vaalmiki 
in Srimadh RaamaayaNam and blends them  with the poetic 
imagination of Swami Desikan . 

According to Hamsa Sandesam , Sri Raama is said to have received 
" the good news " about the whereabouts of his dear consort 
from Hanumaan in autumn(Saradh Ruthu ). He is said to have had  a restless night
. 
Next morning , He saw a beautiful swan on a pond near him 
and requested it to go to Lankhaa as his messenger to 
Sitaa Piraatti . 

The Vyaakyaana karthaas of Valmiki RaamAyaNam like Govindaraajaa 
and Tilak have established rigorously from Srimadh RaamayaNam
that Hanumaan returned from Lankhaa on Panguni Uttaram
day ( Vasantha Ruthu )  and conveyed the message of Sitaa Piratti 
to Sri Raamaa and He started on His journey immediately 
for the destruction of RavaNaa and recovery of Sitaa Devi 
during day time . He is said to have reached the sea shore same day .
Thus , the version of Swami Desikan selecting Autumn instead of
Panguni month in Vasantha Ruthu as the time of receipt of the message
of Hanumaan is inconsistent with the facts established by the commentators.
Again , the timing of the journey is also inconsistent with the 
version of Valmiki. According to Hamsa sandesam ,
Raama spent a restless night and was greatly affected 
by the autumn full moon and suffered. Valmiki describes the start of 
Raamaa's journey during the day immediately after
getting Hanumaan"s message. The Kalpanaa of Swami Desikan
sets the scene in a different way . The most important
feature of this Kaavyam is that it is a poem " Where God Himself 
praises and Goddess Herself is the object of praise " . It has been
pointed out that Sitaa Piratti dwelt at length the anantha KalyANa 
guNams of Her Lord in Sundara Khaandam and Valmiki did 
not give much space to Rama"s adoration of and love for His 
dear consort. It has been suggested that Swami Desikan wanted to mkae
amends and let Raamaa speak at length on " the beauty, righteousness ,
and the excellent qualities of head and heart of Sitaa " in Hamsa
Sandesam . The variations from " the PramaaNams "  of 
the Ithihaasam become secondary here inview of the loftiness of 
the subject . 

Bharathaa was equally dear to Raamaa . Hence any celebration 
of Bharathaa , who worshipped the Paadhukhaas of the Lord 
and served as the representative of those holy Divya MaNi 
PaadhukhAs during his brother's exile is an auspicious 
occasion and is fit for reflection on Sri Rama Navami day . 

Congratulations and Best Wishes for continued contributions 
of such articles on Bhagavadh Charitham .

V. Sadagopan