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Raghuveera Gadhyam: KishkindhA khAndham--Part 2

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • Sat Nov 23 1996 - 05:35:30 PST 


GS 43: taraNi sutha saraNaagathi parathantrikruta
             SwAtantrya ! Jaya ! Jaya ! 

(Meaning ) :

Hail to Thee O Lord  who who sought refuge in
SugreevA , the son of Sun God ! You sought the
friendship and help of SugreevA to find and rescue
Sita dEvi . Through your act of SaraNaagathi
(seeking refuge and help in a state of utter dependence )  
to SugreevA , You gave up your independence as 
the supreme Lord of the Universe and stood meekly 
obeying as it were the command of SugreevA . 

(Background ) : 

Hanuman carried Rama and LakshmaNaa on his shoulders and 
brought them before his king , SugreevA . The visitors and the 
monkey king solemnized their friendship in front of a sacred fire
lit by Hanumaan .

Now SugrivA tells Rama that he will have Sita dEvi traced out ,
wherever she may  be and unite her to Rama. Sugreeva fetches 
a wrapper containing a piece of jewelery dropped by Sita from 
the air as she was being abducted by RavanaA . Rama is overcome 
with grief at the sight  of the AbharaNams and shows the jewelery
( Armlets, ear rings and anklets ) to his brother,LakshmaNA . 
The response of LakshmaNA is a moving one. He says: " Dear 
brother ! Neither  do I recognize the armlets nor do I know 
the ear-rings, I only recognize the anklets due to my bowing 
at her  feet every day ". Such is the mahAtmyam of Sowmithri .

The grief-stricken Rama asks for the help of the monkey king
to locate the place where his beloved consort  is being held 
in captivity by the evil RavaNA . SugreevA consoles Rama
and assures Rama that he will locate RavaNa and the place
where he is holding Sita in captivity . 

SugreevA continues and says that he would like to 
offer Rama a salutary advise in a spirit of friendship and not 
in the spirit of moralizing . ( HITAM VAYASYA BHAVENA BRAMI
NOPADISAAMI TEH ) . SugreevA advises Rama that he should 
not grieve and accept his friendship . Rama is consoled by the 
sweet words of SugreevA ,  wipes is tears and says meekly :
" PLease help me. Please command me and  point out to me  unreservedly
what should be done by me in this effort  ( MAYAA CHA YADH
ANUSHTEYAM VISRABHDENA TADH UCHYATHAAM ) . This 
statement of Rama ( KiskindA KhAndham /canto 7/ verse 20 )
is the source of Swami Desikan's salutation about the PARATANTREE
KRUTHA SWAATANTRYAM ASPECT OF THE SARVESWARAN
TO SUGREEVA. 

It is amazing how Swmi Desikan zeroes in on
one half a sloka in a long chapter, where Adi Kavi Valmiki
dwells at length on the meeting between SugreevA and Rama.
The Lord of the universe conversing with Sugreevaa as a supplicant
of his help goes on and says : " O SugreevA ! Such a friend like you 
is difficult to get indeed , particularly at this time of my adversity.
Please help me and tell me what I should do . All your desire will be
accomplished by me even as all seeds sown in a fertile field 
druing the rains will bear fruit . .....never before has a falsehood been 
uttered by me nor shall I ever utter it. I solemnly affirm this to you and 
swear by truth alone ( ANRUTHAM NOKTHAPURVAM MEH NA VAKSHYEH
KADHAACHANA , YETHATH TEH PRATHIJAANAAMI SATYENAIVA 
SAPAAMYAHAM ) . 

This is the reference to the  Bhaktha Paaratantryam or the 
Yathokthakaari aspect of Sri Ramachandra as revealed to us 
by Swami Desikan .

Sri Vaishnava Daasan ,

Oppiliappan Koil Varadaachari Sadagopan