Jai SitaRam 2019 - Sri Ranganji in Singapore Srimad Ramayanam - First day’s upanyasam Feb 20 2019

After a year’s gap my wife and myself were sitting in the upanyasam of Sri Ranganji. It was a great feeling akin to home-coming. ‘Valmiki Maharishi – Srimad Ramayanam – Sri Ranganji’ is a divine combination that is a God sent vehicle for experiencing Sri Ramachandra Prabhu in our hearts. Here are some of the gems from the first day’s upanyasam.

Sri Ranganji started off recalling that Saranagathi had been experienced in the previous year’s pravachanam. In his devotional voice with a rich timbre he chanted the famous Charama Slokam of viz.,

sakRid eva prapannaaya tavaasmi iti ca yaacate || abhayam sarva bhuutebhyo dadaami etad vratam mama |

This sloka is the very heart of Ramayana. He mentioned that Viirya rasam is the very essence of Ramayana. is often referred to as “Ranadheera”. But unlike the human history which relates ‘viiryam’ with destruction, Ramayana projects ‘viiryam’ as the key act of protection of the helpless people. Protection of those who had taken refuge in Rama is the ‘viiryam’ of Ramachandra Murthy (abhayam sarva bhuutebhyo dadaami).

That divine Rama is lying in ‘dharba sayanam’ as a vratam towards getting Samudra Raja’s cooperation for getting the entire Sena across the 100 yojanas of ocean lying between the mainland and dweepam. Valmiki Maharishi uses a phrase “pratishishye mahodadheH” in the sloka describing this act of Sri Rama. Sri Ranganji gave an interesting interpretation to this phrase. He highlighted the ‘prati’ in ‘pratisishye’ as “facing the Samudra (ocean) another ocean called Lord Ramachandra was lying down”. The same simile was brought out by Kamban in Kamba Ramayanam “அ翁க்垿ய ꯁல்쮿ல், க쏁ணைஅம் கடல் 垿டந்தனன் , க쏁ங் கடல் நநோக்垿;” highlighted Sri Ranganji. At this point, Sri Ranganji brought out the set of slokas from Valmiki Ramayana that eulogise Sri Rama’s divine shoulder & arms which he used as pillow while lying down on the dharbha sayanam. In one of the slokas Valmiki Maharishi describes that in the past Devi used to sleep with her head on his arms (shayane cottamaaNgena siitaayaaH shobhitam puraa).

While lying down, Rama was very firm that either he succeeds in crossing the ocean or …… “maraNam vaa taraNam saagarasya vaa”, so says the sloka. Here was a lovely twist. He quoted from two different commentaries on Ramayana …. One tied the word ‘maranam’ to Rama implying that Rama was determined either to cross the ocean or give up his life. The other commentary tied the word ‘maranam’ to the ocean implying that Rama was firm about his crossing the ocean or drying up the ocean (death to the ocean).

When Samudra Raja does not turn up even after three days, Rama gets angry. Calls to bring his bow and arrows (caapam aanaya saumitre sharaamH ca). Lakshmana, who is described as “Ramasya dakshino baahu” (Rama’s right hand) does so, after some hesitation. Hence the term “saumitre’ is used implying that Lakshmana has been advised by his mother to be completely in the service of Rama (srishtastvam vanavaasaaya) and Rama reminds him of it when he calls him “Saumitre”. And an angry Rama started sending his powerful astras into the ocean and made the ocean boil. When he picked up the Brahmastra the earth quaked and the ocean boiled. Samudra Raja came out to Rama, with his hands put together. This was “Samudra Raja saranagathi” ….. ie., Samudra Raja doing saranagathi to Lord Ramachandra …. pointed out Sri Ranganji.

Before , the amsam of Vishwakarma, started building the divinely Sethu, Rama showed the design of the Sethu by drawing lines (kodi) on the sand with his Dhanush. That place became known as “Dhanushkodi”.

He elaborately went into the description of Valmiki Maharishi about the construction of the Sethu to highlight the fact that it was not a fantasy but actual engineering process. Effortlessly Rama showed his Paratvam (Eashwaratvam) in blessing the and even the stones to perform unnatural deeds, said Sri Ranganji. Then he referred to the famous work called “Atimaanushastavam” by Sri Kooraththaazhwaan, which picks up the episodes in Ramayana where Rama has very quietly displayed his “beyond human” powers. He chanted a similar verse written by Sri Sri Anna in his “Ramakathamruthasaram”. This beautiful verse lists each such episode and reminds Rama how he has shown his Paramaatvam again and again. Even in making everyone asleep and quietly slipping off to the forest on the banks of Tamasa river in Kandam, giving moksha to even as he is in the midst of searching for the lost Sita Devi …. Hereabouts he highlighted a significant difference between “miracle” and “siddhi”. What cannot be understood by a human limited mind is called a miracle. But in fact it is the siddhi of a higher being.

Very gleefully he described Rama & Lakshmana crossing the Sethu and camping on the Suvela mountain. sending his spies Suka & Chaarana disguised as Vanaras to this camp. Their getting exposed and being taken to Rama. Rama being very generous and magnanimous with them. And they singing the praises of all the Vanara Chiefs, Sugreeva, , Lakshmana and about Rama himself … to Ravana. Ravana getting upset with them. Ravana sending another spy called Shardula to Rama’s camp.

Hereabouts Sri Ranganji did an enquiry (thought process) into the need for Ravana to send yet another spy. Even though Valmiki, in his usual style does not explain it, our mental enquiry (kind of reading between the lines) would show us that the objective of Shardula’s mission was very different. His mission seems to have been to study the “amsam” of each key Vanara. Why? Here Sri Ranganji invoked Sri Sri Madhwacharya. In his magnum work called “Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya” he gives a very unique definition for “amsam”. According to him that is the potential existing in that being. When one says Nala is Vishwakarma’s putra, in fact it means he is Vishwakarma’s amsam. It further means that he has the potential to be Vishwakarma. But he has to develop that potential through Sadhana. In a very simple manner this is the explanation of the complex concept of Amsam as described by Sri Sri Madhwacharya. Thus we can surmise that Shardula’s mission was to find out what the potential (amsam) of each Vanara Chief is.

At this juncture, Sri Ranganji went into a fantastic exposition on a sarga and character least talked about in Ramayana. Let us try to recall it as much as we can.

Ravana, hearing about the praises of Rama and his army from his spies gets pretty angry and irritated. To take it out on Sita Devi and torment her he goes to Sita Devi in the Ashoka Vana, with an illusion of Rama’s head dripping with blood. He tries to convince Devi that Rama is no more. Once he is off from there, called by his council of ministers, a Rakshasi by name comforts Devi and points out to her that it is only an illusion that Ravana has created.

The next 15 to 20 minutes of the pravachan focused on the greatness of this Sarama and the lovely slokas appearing in that sarga (Sarga 33 of Yuddha Kandam). In the very first sloka, Sri Ranganji pointed out that, Valmiki uses the term “priyaam praNayinii sakhii” to show how close this Sarama was to Sita Devi. She was a friend (sakhi) to Devi. Her name itself can be taken to be one who is with Mahalakshmi (sa Ramaa). Valmiki further praises her as very compassionate and firm in her principles (saanukroshaa dRiDha vrataa). She says she hid herself nearby and overheard Ravana speaking to Devi. And she further goes on to state that for Sita Devi’s sake she would do anything even to the extent of giving up her life (tava hetor vishaala akShi na hi me jiivitam priyam), implying that if Ravana had found her eavesdropping he might have killed her. She continues on, confidently stating that Rama is someone who is very alert always and it would be impossible to attack him even while asleep, leave alone killing him (na shakyam sauptikam kartum raamasya vidita aatmanaH …..). She goes on further and declares that it would also be impossible to attack even the Vanaras since they are protected by Rama (na ca eva vaanaraa hantum shakyaaH ……. raameNa hi surakShitaaH). She assures Devi that the victorious Rama would free her and take her back. And auspicious events await her (dhruvam tvaam bhajate lakShmiiH). Sri Ranganji justified her word (dRiShTo me paripuurNa arthaH) that implies Rama is wholesome and complete …. while he is yet to attain Devi which will in fact bestow on him the wholesomeness. He stated that Sarama implies he is about to regain Devi and so he is “Paripuurna arthah”. That is why Valmiki calls her “madhura bhaaShiNii”. Sarama goes on to praise Rama (raamaat kamala patra akShi daityaanaam iva vaasavaat || avajitya jita krodhas tam acintya paraakramaH) almost invoking his super-human capabilities. Sarama visualizes Rama destroying Ravana, coming over to rejoin with Sita Devi, very soon, seating Devi on his lap, tying her hair with great affection …. It is an extraordinary visualization that sends us to raptures.

“hi raamasya kShipram anka gataam satiim | aham drakShyaami siddha arthaam …… samaagamya pariShvaktaa tasya urasi mahaa urasaH …… aciraan mokShyate siite devi te ….. | dhR^itaam etaam bahuun maasaan veNiim raamo mahaa balaH” ……

Taking on the very next sloka which says “mokShyase shokajam vaari nirmokam iva pannagii”, Sri Ranganji pointed out that the term “shokajam” can even be “ashokajam” in that place in the sloka. Is Sarama saying that Devi will shed tears of sorrow or tears of joy? Which is correct? Which is Valmiki’s intention here? “Shokajam” is seen to be more apt looking at the upamaanam that Valmiki provides here viz., that of a snake giving up its old cover, said Sri Ranganji. That she would shed tears of sorrow and once for all give up sorrow like the snake throwing its old sheath … seems to be Valmiki’s intent. It was a beautiful analysis. He also went into another profound analysis on the terms “sukha arho lapsyate sukham”. How Rama deserves to be in comfort and how Sita Devi would want him to be in comfort … and how the whole world will be in peace and happiness if Rama and Sita are in comfort …. To be honest, even though I had studied this sarga a few times, never have I gone so deep into it and never have enjoyed this sarga so much as when listening to Sri Ranganji go into it word by word, in his discourse yesterday.

Finally, something very close to my heart ……

Sri Ranganji went into the significance of the word “sakhii” and “sakhaa”. One who stands by the other in their times of distress. In Sarama Sita found a “sakhii”. Who was that for Rama, asked Sri Ranganji. That “sakhaa” for Rama was Lakshmana (my favourite selfless nayaka in Ramayana) answered Sri Ranganji. In every time of pain and sorrow, Rama was confiding in Lakshmana …. so much so he was known as “Raamasya dakshino Baahu” ……

Now, looking forward to this evening’s continuation of the discourse.

Jai SitaRam

V.Prabhakar Rao Singapore/Coimbatore Feb 21 2019