Thread by @dwarakiMN

i thought of making a thread #KnowYourRamayana.

an interesting chapter(=sarga) - and perhaps the most tragic - in the Valmiki Ramayana is the 45th sarga of Aranya kaanDa. valmikiramayan.net/utf8/aranya/sa…

the interesting part: there is no mention of Lakshmana drawing a rekha(line) 🙂

2.
now the tragic part:😭
सौमित्रे मित्र रूपेण भ्रातुः त्वम् असि शत्रुवत् ||३-४५-५
Son of Sumitra, you are an enemy of your brother(Rama)in the disguise of a friend.

इच्छसि त्वम् विनश्यन्तम् रामम् लक्ष्मण मत् कृते ||३-४५-६
Lakshmana,for wanting me you desire Rama's destruction.

Now, we have oft heard of this - "when street dogs bark, why would an elephant even bother!". Some random people casting aspersions will never bother a person. But, here Sita - whom he(Lakshmana) verily considered like his mother - she is herself doubting his integrity. 😭

It is very difficult to comprehend this episode. Sita is pictured as a very *human* woman. She shows her anxiety that something bad might have happened to Rama(!). A jnani wouldn't doubt Rama's capability at all. Vishwamitra/Vasishta knew Rama was god incarnate.

Lakshmana very well knew Rama's powers. He tries to reason with Sita (despite hearing the harshest, unbearable words), that nobody can even touch Rama in a battle, not even devatas.
अशक्यः तव वैदेही भर्ता जेतुम् न संशयः |३-४५-११
There is no doubt that your husband is invincible.

But still, the story has to continue,😭
लक्ष्मणेन एवम् उक्ता तु क्रुद्धा संरक्त लोचना ||३-४५-२०
Thus told by Lakshmana, she got enraged with bloodshot eyes.
अनार्य (oh ignoble),.. अहम् तव प्रियम् मन्ये रामस्य व्यसनम् महत् |३-४५-२२
i feel, Rama's great pain is very dear to you.

Thus, Sita's guard, Lakshmana, is forced out of the parnakuti, by Sita's own anxiety - regarding Rama's safety. Lakshmana has no other option to quickly fetch Rama back.
उत्तरम् न उत्सहे वक्तुम् दैवतम् भवती मम || ३-४५-२८
i have no answer for the godly person that you are,

स्वभावः तु एष नारीणाम् एषु लोकेषु दृश्यते || ३-४५-२९
seems like, this is the nature of all women in this world...

and, human too is Lakshmana 😭
he says,
धिक् त्वाम् अद्य प्रणश्यन्तीम् यन् माम् एवम् विशंकसे || ३-४५-३२
~ for doubting my character, may you perish. 😭

then, ..

corrects himself
गमिष्ये यत्र काकुत्स्थः स्वस्ति ते अस्तु वरानने||३-४५-३३
let me go find Rama, may you be safe.
रक्षन्तु त्वाम् विशालाक्षि समग्रा वन देवताः|
may all forest gods protect you.

Sita then expresses her grief at Rama's separation,that she would die if he is not there.

Sum: while everyone rightly condemns/questions Rama's *doubting* & sending a pregnant Sita to the forest, few link that to this tragic episode of Sita doubting Lakshmana's character/intentions. That pain Lakshmana faced, perhaps Sita had to be made to go through the same.#रामायण

3.
Shabari's tapas

Popularly everyone knows about the berry's offered by Shabari to rama, that too, half-eaten(tasted) berry's, to be specific. However, Valmiki picturizes a completely different scene.

Let us dig into the original, although no disrespect for other versions.

After Ravana abducts Sita,Rama&Lakshmana go in search of her. They meet the dying Jatayu,kill the demon Kabandha.
As they approach hermitage of Shabari,she directly identifies them
पादौ जग्राह रामस्य लक्ष्मणस्य च धीमतः|३-७४-६
She holds the feet of rama& lakshmana in deep respect

Then rama asks her(not for berries,please!)
कच्चित् ते निर्जिता विघ्नाः कच्चित् ते वर्धते तपः|
somehow,all your enemies(अरि षट् वर्ग ) have been conquered & your tapas has progressed, isn't it?
कच्चित् ते नियतः कोप आहारः च तपोधने||३-७४-८
anger & food are also under control, ..

aren't they, Oh tapo-dhane (rich by asceticism)?

And, she is no simple person!
अद्य प्राप्ता तपः सिद्धिः तव संदर्शनात् मया|३-७४-११
today peak achievement of my tapas has been reached, by virtue of your meeting/coming.
..
next she recollects her seniors whom she served..

तैः च अहम् उक्ता धर्म ज्ञैः महाभागैः महर्षिभिः |
i was told by those noble maharshis
आगमिष्यति ते रामः सु पुण्यम् इमम् आश्रमम् || ३-७४-१५
rama will come to this blessed ashrama

स ते प्रतिग्रहीतव्यः सौमित्रि सहितो अतिथिः |
treat them (rama and lakshmana) as atithis - honored guests
तम् च दृष्ट्वा वरान् लोकान् अक्षयान् त्वम् गमिष्यसि || ३-७४-१६
then after seeing them, you will proceed to higher worlds!
..

मया तु विविधम् वन्यम् संचितम् पुरुषर्षभ || ३-७४-१७
these various forest fruits have been collected (to serve you)

rama then asks Shabari to show them the ashrama; she then describes in detail how the sages spent their time in doing various practices- tapas, yajna etc.

तत् इच्छामि अभ्यनुज्ञाता त्यक्ष्यामि एतत् कलेवरम् || ३-७४-२८
now i seek your permission to giveup this physical body (and move beyond).

rama responds,
अर्चितो अहम् त्वया भद्रे गच्छ कामम् यथा सुखम् || ३-७४-३१
i am verily honored by you, great lady, please go to worlds you wish.

It is described later as to how Shabari offers her body into the sacrificial fires, ascends up, gets a divine appearance with divine clothing, ornaments, garlands; sparkling like electric-lightning around the ashrama for a while, proceeds to the higher worlds (to join her gurus).

Sum: here, that rama had to *attest* Shabari's tapas by paying a visit has been highlighted, but the object of devotion & submission, and goal of Shabari always remained her gurus. As highly honored guests rama & lakshmana were treated.

valmikiramayan.net/utf8/aranya/sa…

#ValmikiRamayana