Chapter
11 (b)
Lakshmana - Too
Rama
did not utter a single word. He sat near his mother and
stroked her forehead, caressing her hair and consoling
her. He brushed away the dust with which her clothes were
covered. Like a huge well-set rock struck deep in the
sea, Rama sat unhurt by the lashing of the surging
billows around. He was above and beyond the blows of
grief and the blandishments of joy. He was filled with as
much equanimity now when he had to leave for the forest
for fourteen years, as he had a few moments ago, while
proceeding to the Durbar Hall to be crowned as the Ruler
of a great empire!
Kausalya too knew that
Rama would never swerve from his path of duty. She was
aware that Rama would never break his plighted word, and
that he would not stray a hair's breadth from the path
laid down by his father. She was certain that her
lamentations would not induce him to turn back. So, she
gave up all attempts to persuade him to give up his
resolution. "Son! Of what use is it to blame others when
one is destined to meet these tragic developments? No. It
is sheer waste of words. Everything is for our own good.
No one can say 'no' to the dictates of the Divine. I have
had no happiness in this Ayodhya, in this palace. I can
be happy only where my Rama is. So, I shall come with
you; take me with "you", she said. And, she attempted to
rise on her feet. The maids held her and seated her
leaning against the wall; they spoke softly and sweetly,
to bring her round.
Lakshmana was watching
the anguish of Kausalya and listening to her words. He
could not control his emotions. He was bursting with
anger. He held his hands tight over his chest, and said,
"O! Revered Mother! I shall never accept this. Is Rama to
leave the kingdom and betake himself to the forest,
yielding to the prattle of a woman?
I cannot tolerate it.
Father has become too old; his mind is very unsteady as a
result. And, he is entangled in sensual pursuits, and he
has become a slave to the enticements of Kaikeyi; he is
pitiably uxorious; he has no sense of discrimination
about the consequences of his actions. He is liable to
issue any kind of order in his infatuation. Orders of
such type should not be obeyed. The king is in a state of
feeble-mindedness, unable to distinguish the real from
the unreal, the momentary from the momentous. When such
rulers give orders out of infatuation they can well be
disobeyed. What crime did Rama commit that he should be
sent into the forest? Even the cruelest enemy of Rama (if
he has any), or even the most hard-hearted barbarian
suffering punishment for his crimes, cannot point his
finger at the slightest slur on his behaviour or action.
No king on earth has the authority to drive into the
forest as an exile a person of such unquestioned
innocence, purity of intentions and holy sanctity. Rama
is steady in his straightforward path; he is the master
of his senses; he honours and treats with respect enemies
of every type. Will any father drive such a son into the
jungle? Moreover, the king is most attached to Dharma; he
is a hero full of sacred ideals; he is an adherent of the
best in all faiths. Can such a king issue this command?
Judging from this, it is certain that Dasaratha is either
insane or enslaved by passion. Any command from a person
who is either of these, is unworthy of consideration. The
words of a king who behaves like a lunatic or an infant
need not be honoured at all. Forgetting the dictates of
political morality, giving up the path of worldly wisdom,
throwing to the winds the demands of paternal affection,
he has become mad, giving free vent to his whims and
fancies. Need his command be treated as valid? I
wonít agree that it should be
respectedî.
Lakshmana turned
towards Rama, and clasping his hands in reverence, he
said, "Rama! Pardon me! Assume the rulership of the realm
before news of this spreads and becomes known to all. I
shall be by your side, with my bow. Whoever in Ayodhya
stands up against you will have to meet the arrows from
this bow. Of course, there is no such, either in Ayodhya
or any other place. But, if any opposition develops, this
great City will become a desert, with no human
inhabitant. My sharp arrows will see to that. Why repeat
a thousand things? If Bharatha opposes, or any one on his
behalf, I shall destroy him, root and branch. I will not
care. Even Dasaratha, if he stands forth as a supporter
of Kaikeyi in this struggle, I shall capture him and shut
him up in prisonî.
While Lakshmana was
holding forth in this strain, Rama looked at him sternly,
intercepting the flow of his feelings and admonished him
thus: "Lakshmana! Your words are crossing the bounds. No
one can deny me what I wish for. None can change the
march of my will. My exile in the forest cannot be
avoided. You are talking prompted by your love towards me
and the desire to prevent your separation from me.
Forbear! Forbearance will save you against all anxiety
and fear. Be patient. Donít get agitated. Do not
entertain ideas of hatred against either father or
brother Bharatha. They are pure, holy persons. Kaikeyi
too is highly venerable. She is to be honoured and
worshipped. The boons she asked are also blameless. She
loved me, caressed me, fondled me, nursed me, played with
me, derived joy from me, more than her own son, Bharatha.
When the Mother prays today for such boons from father,
boons quite contrary to the ways of the world, surely
there must be some hidden significance in the affair.
This must be the Divine Plan, not mere human tactics. Be
quiet, give up your fears and hatreds, We shall await
what happens next", Rama advised him.
At this, Lakshmana fell
at the feet of Rama and said. "Rama! On what basis, under
what authority is Bharatha to be given the Crown that
ought to be yours? Which other son has the right which
the eldest has not? You are obeying this absurd, unjust
order because of father; but I will not approve of it,
whatever you may say in justificationî. Turning to
Kausalya, Lakshmana continued: ìRevered Mother! To
tell you the truth, I am devoted to Rama. I speak this on
oath: I cannot exist even a single moment apart from
Rama. If Rama has no desire for the Kingdom and if he
moves into the forest, I will follow him. I will walk in
his footsteps, I will be the shadow for him. If he but
orders so, I shall jump most joyously into the blazing
fire. I shall heed only his orders, not of any one else.
Mother! I cannot bear the sight of your sorrow. He is
your son; he is my Ramachandra.
How can any one be away from his own life-breath?"
Listening to Lakshmana, Kausalya was a little comforted.
She stroked the head of Lakshmana saying, ìYour
love gives me much consolation. Your words give me great
strength. Brothers of your kind are rare indeed! The
world considers the mother who has borne such children as
venerable and holy; but, we are afflicted now with the
feeling that we are great sinners. Rama will not desist
from his resolve. Exile is inevitable for him. I want
only this now: Take me also with youî, she
wailed.
Rama looked at
Lakshmana and said, "Brother! I know the extent of the
love you bear towards me. I am not unaware of your
heroism, your ability and glory. Mother is suffering
great grief, since she is unable to understand the true
facts and the value of self-control. Besides, since I am
the child born of her loins, grief is natural. But
consider: for all values of life, righteous conduct,
Dharma, is the very root. And, Dharma is secure only on
the foundation of Truth.
"Sathya and Dharma are
interchangeable. One cannot exist without the other.
Truth is Goodness; Goodness is Truth. I am now achieving
both Sathya and Dharma, while acting in accordance with
the command of Father. No one dedicated to the good life
shall break the word plighted to the mother, the father
or the esteemed Preceptor. Therefore, I shall not
overstep the orders of Father. That is certain. It was
not Kaikeyi that ordered me; she only communicated to me
the command of father. And, she did so in his very
presence; so, one has to bow his head in reverence to it.
If it wasnít fatherís command, when Kaikeyi
was telling me that it was, he could have declared that
it wasnít, couldnít he? He didn't; he was
simply bewailing and groaning; for this reason, it is as
authentic as his own command. So, I shall not deviate
from any resolution. There is no possibility of my going
back on it. Do not allow your reason to slide into this
terror-creating
Kshatriya
mentality. Give up violence and cruelty and adopt my
stand.î Rama stroked the beck of Lakshmana, who was
weighed down by anger and sorrow and spoke soft loving
words to assuage his grief. Then, turning to his mother,
Kausalya, he said, ìDo not obstruct my resolve and
cause breach of my vow. Whatever may happen to anyone, my
exile to the forest cannot be averted. Send me with your
Love; bless my vow, my resolution.î Then he fell at
her feet and prayed for permission to
leave.
The mother was shaken
by the agony that was torturing her; she placed her hands
on the back of Rama and wept aloud. Seeing her plight,
Rama too was unable to restrain his emotions. He held her
feet and said, "Mother! My word is supreme Truth. Listen.
No hardship will happen to me while in the forest. I will
spend these fourteen years with the largest measure of
happiness and joy. I shall come back and fall at these
Feet again. I shall fulfill all your hopes about me.
Mother! It is Dasarathaís Command! It is a Command
which not only I but, you, Lakshmana, Sumitra and
Bharatha too have to carry out to the very letter. This
is the ancient law, the Sanathana
Dharma.
ìMother! I shall
make another appeal, pardon me. The arrangements made by
you and others for crowning me must be used by you, with
equal joy and enthusiasm, for the Coronation of Bharatha.
Father has entrusted the forest region to me. It is best:
it is in accordance with the highest Dharma that each
should do his duty allotted to him. Trying to avoid
oneís duty as hard to accomplish, is to entertain
the idea of difference between me and Bharatha. What you
have to do is to bless us both, asking each to carry on
successfully the responsibility entrusted to
each.î
Kausalya listened to
these words of Rama; she could not bear the grief that
descended on her. She groaned in peat pain. ìO my
son! Father brought you up and helped you grow and was
happy to see you tall and strong. So, he deserves
reverence and obedience. Am I too not worthy of
reverence? And obedience? And, consider this! The wife is
the husbandís half. The husband is the
wifeís right half. Thus, when each is the half of
the other, I am half of Dasaratha, am I not? That is why
the wife is named the
Ardhangi (half
the body) of the husband. When you say that you have been
commanded by Dasaratha, it is only the command of half of
him. It did not originate from all of him. It will become
authoritative only when this half too agrees. When I do
not it is not valid as a command. You know the meaning
and significance of Dharma in all its varied aspects; so,
you must be aware of this too. Without the
motherís acceptance, no duty can be binding and
nothing deserves the name Dharma. More than the
fatherís command, the motherís is to be
followed. That is the more important duty. For, it is the
mother who nourished you into childhood and boyhood, not
the father! Had the mother not borne it for nine months,
there would be no child at all! You are now throwing that
mother into the flames of grief, and proclaiming,
ë0, it is my father's command, I must obey it at all
costsí. I shall not accept that conduct as
correct. No treasure is richer to the mother than her
son. And, for mothers such as I the son is all. When the
son looks askance at me, and considers the
fatherís order as superior, of what benefit is it
for me to secure heaven and live on Divine Nectar there?
I shall rather be in hell. I shall deem it heaven if my
son is with me.
"Rama! What can I do at
this place? I have not tasted a momentís happiness
throughout my life! From birth, I was bound by the
limitations imposed by mother and father; then, caught in
anxiety about what kind of husband I would get, and what
his character and behaviour would be, I was at last
wedded to your father. For years, the agony of
childlessness afflicted me. Then, I had to suffer from
conflict with the other wives of your father. I have no
relief from that battle, from that day to this. As a
result I do not know of what merit in my previous life, I
secured you as son. And, now, separation from you is
happening to me. When have I been happy? My life has
become a vast stream of grief; I am struggling in it,
unable to swim. I sink in it without any hope of being
saved. I had you as a branch which I could hold on to
save myself. If you deny me that, what will happen to me?
As a consequence of my absence away from him, your father
will not suffer any feeling of loss. He has his Ananda in
Kaikeyi; none else is needed by him. Therefore, instead
of hanging on here, and broiling in agony and finally,
giving up breath, I prefer looking on at the charming
face of my dear son. Though I may not have food and drink
in the forest, I shall sustain myself on that joyî.
Though Rama felt that there was some validity in her
plea, he was forced by the need to obey the wishes of his
father and his promise that he would not fall in that
duty.
Meanwhile, Lakshmana
intervened and said, "Brother! Mother's words are the
highest Truth. The mother deserves even more reverence
than the father. The scripture has laid down
'Mathr
devo bhava, Pithr devo
bhava', thus
placing the mother first, and the father in the second
position. It says, ëLet the mother be your
Godí, and thereafter ëLet the father be your
Godí. It is not proper for you to stick so firmly
to your resolution and cause so much grief to
mother.î
Rama turned to him and
intercepted his words. "Lakshmana! You are supporting the
statements of a mother who is suffering from the clouding
effect of a strong attachment to progeny. Consider the
order of the Father, which concerns the welfare of the
empire, the world in its entirety and the human
community. You have not understood the inner implication
and meaning of that order. Only Dharma can ensure the
other three goals of man - Wealth, Happiness and
Liberation. There is no need to doubt this or argue about
its correctness. When activity is merely devoted to the
earning of riches, the world hates the individual. When
it is devoted entirely to the selfish fulfillment of
oneís desire, the world condemns it as
contemptible. Therefore, activity has to be in conformity
with Dharma. Lakshmana! This is not all. Dasaratha is our
Father, Preceptor, and Monarch. He might give us a
command, either through desire for something, or through
anger against somebody or through attachment with and
love towards some one, that is not our concern! We have
only to obey; there is no justification for discarding
it.
ìA son who
delights in sin might act against the command; I am
not such a son. Whatever Father commands, I will bow my
head in reverential homage. Regarding this, you might
have a bit of doubt. When a father, a fool blinded by
lust, devoid of intelligence to discriminate between the
momentary and the eternal, intent only on his selfish
aggrandizement, and putting his trust on the stratagem of
others, inflicts injuries on his own son, you might ask,
should the son put his trust in him and obey him? Without
fail he ought to! He may be a fool or a cruel tyrant, are
you not his son? When that is so, your status is ever
lower and his is ever higher. This decides all duties and
rights. The son can at best try to clarify to him and
explain according to his light what appears to him
confused or complicated. He should not refuse to obey,
dismissing it as foolish or absurd.
ìConsider this
aspect also. Dasaratha is a very talented person, a great
warrior and heroic fighter, a pillar of righteousness.
And, he is struggling in agony to keep his plighted word!
He wasnít deluded by Kaikeyi, or blinded by lust!
No. He was moved by the supreme need to abide by his
promise, a promise he had solemnly made. Besides, he had
told her that he would grant her the boons, whatever they
be, even if the grant involved injury to his own life! I
can never assent to the view that he is overcome by lust.
Father is in misery, because he sees no escape from the
consequences of that assertion, which his heart does not
agree to send me into the forest.
"Lakshmana! Father is a
staunch supporter of Dharma, more staunch than his
predecessors on the throne. His fame has echoed and
re-echoed from every corner of the three worlds. Will it
not be a bad example to humanity if his Queen, the
Anointed Queen, leaves him and accompanies her son,
deserting the husband? Life is short; its span is
limited. To lose oneís reputation forever by thus
resorting to unrighteous acts is not good, either for me
or for you.î
Then, turning towards
the Mother, he pleaded pathetically, "Mother!", and
before he could continue, Kausalya was numbed into
stiffness by sorrow. She realized that her efforts to
change the stand that Rama had taken were fruitless. She
found that she could not escape the obligation to give
him leave to go, with her blessings. She felt that the
more she lamented, the more Rama was
pained.
Meanwhile, Lakshmana
was greatly moved; his eyes turned red; he lost all
awareness of where he was and amidst whom; his lips
became dry; his tongue was tied; he had a fixed stare; he
bowed his head and looked on the ground; tears flowed
without let or hindrance. Rama watched him, and felt that
it would not be proper to leave him in that state.
Besides, Lakshmana might do something with himself, if
left alone; he might even do injury to others. And, those
acts would be deemed to have happened on account of me,
he thought.
So, Rama decided to
question Lakshmana. ìBrother! The fumes of anger
are as incense to the horde of sins. Suppress them. You
might be distressed at the thought that Rama has been so
grossly insulted and dishonoured. But, Sathya and Dharma,
the path of Truth and Righteousness, heed no honour and
dishonour; it does not crave for one or shy away from the
other. Be brave. Fill your heart with courage. Remain
here and serve Father; use your days thus for the
fulfillment of the highest purpose of life.î When
his elder brother blessed him thus, Lakshmana was
startled into speech. "Brother!" he cried, ìWhen
Rama, my very breath, is proceeding to the forest, whom
am I to serve here, with this inert material physical
object called body? This Lakshmana has no desire to serve
any one except Rama. You value your Dharma, your sense of
duty; I too have my sense of duty, and I value it
equally. Therefore, I shall come behind you. I have no
need to await any oneís order. I am not included
in the persons bound to the boons claimed by Kaikeyi.
Even if I am involved with them, I shall not pay heed to
her commands or to the directives of her henchmen. No one
other than Rama has the authority to command me or issue
directives about my movements or conduct. So, here and
now, I too shall don the hermitís habiliment of
bark, tie up my hair into matted locks, and prepare
myself to follow you." With these words, Lakshmana
divested himself of the jewels and regal paraphernalia he
had burdened himself with, while proceeding to the
Coronation Hall; he threw the jewels and silken robes in
disgust. The ear-ornaments and the necklaces fell in the
far corners of the room. He was fretting to accompany his
brother. Ramaís heart softened at the sight of the
spontaneous devotion and dedicated loyalty of Lakshmana.
He went close to him, and placing his hand upon his
shoulder, spoke softly, "Brother! My joy has no bounds,
since I have such a brother as you! This is my great good
fortune. By your coming with me, mother Kausalya too will
gain some peace of mind. She is very much agitated by
fear and doubt about how I will spend my fourteen years
in the forest, and whether I will return after the period
of exile is over. So, tell mother to be free from fear.
Go and soothe her. While we spend the hours like this,
Father must be suffering more and more anxiety. Kaikeyi
will suffer from the welling doubt that I may not leave
at all! Therefore, I shall now go to Sita and inform her
and thence, I shall go to the Palace of Kaikeyi to take
leave of father. Meanwhile, you will go to your mother
Sumitra and receive her consent to join
me.î
With these words, Rama
went round Kausalya full circle, and fell flat at her
feet in reverence. At that, the maids and attendants as
well as the other inmates of the zenana, set up a loud
wail, as if the Deluge had come upon them. But, Kausalya
bravely drew Rama towards her when he stood up awaiting
her blessings. She embraced him, and caressed his hair,
and with her hands on his shoulder, she said, "Son! Rama!
you are the staunchest adherent of Dharma. You are a
resolute hero. You can have no cause to fear life in the
forest. You have resolved on the exile in the forest; it
has become impossible for me to dissuade you from that
decision. May it be well with you. Fulfill your ideal,
your yearning, to respect the wish of your father! Repay
the debt that one owes to one's father, by acting
according to his command. As for me, I wish only one
thing: return happy to Ayodhya. I shall be happy, on that
day at least. Rama! The decree of destiny is indeed
inscrutable. Its text can not be reshaped even by the
most powerful. The Dharma for whose sake you are now
leaving us will certainly guard you and guide you while
in exile. Rama! How nice it would be if at this very
moment the fourteen years roll by, and I see you return,
rather than your departure. Alas! Pardon my madness! Son!
How shall I convey to you my blessings? Shall I say, let
the fourteen years pass by, as fourteen days, no, no, as
fourteen winks of the eye! Come safe, come soon. And, be
crowned Emperor. O, Jewel of Raghu dynasty! 0, my dearest
son! The Goddess of Dharma will surely shelter you during
the years of exile, for it is to propitiate Her that you
are entering the forest. She is the strongest and most
steadfast of Guardians. I shall be propitiating the Gods
here these fourteen years and praying that no harm comes
to you. The service you have offered to your mother, your
father and your preceptor will confer on you long life,
health and happiness. Your loyalty to Truth will grant
you impregnable courage. The mountains, the rivers, the
bushes, the anthills, the beasts and birds of the forest,
these will approach you in kind affection, cater to your
needs, and fill you with joy. The sun, the moon, and
other heavenly bodies will ward off all evil and protect
you. Even the demonic Rakshasas
of the forest intent on heinous acts of cruelty will be
drawn towards you, for your heart is full of cool
comforting love, and they will surrender at your feet,
accepting you as Masterî.
Blessing Rama thus,
Kausalya gulped down with some effort the sorrow that was
overwhelming her, and put on a calm brave face. She smelt
the crown of Ramaís head and held him hard and
close in loving embrace. She kissed his cheeks; her lips
quivered, when she spoke the parting words, "Rama! Return
safe; proceed in joyî. Rama knew the depth of
affection that the mother was bestowing on him. He
touched the motherís feet many times in
reverential gratitude, and said. "Mother! You should not
grieve; you should not reduce sleep or food, do not
injure your health. Remember me, at all moments with a
joyful heart. Your thoughts will be reflected in my
safety and prosperity. When you grieve here, how can I be
happy there? When you wish that I should be happy there,
you have to be happy here. And, with all your heart, you
must be blessing me from hereî. Praying thus, he
moved out of the place, averse to leave her thus, but,
yet, anxious to do his duty.
Rama stepped on the
royal road, and started walking along, barefooted,
through concourse of citizens who had filled it. People
were petrified at the sight of that resplendent symbol of
truth and virtue. The citizens had heard rumours floating
over the streets, telling them that Rama was leaving for
the forest; they were unable to believe it as true; they
prayed it might be false. But, when they saw him tramp
barefooted, their hearts sank; the exaltation they
experienced at the news of the Coronation plumped into
the depths of misery. Faces that bloomed in joy suddenly
faded and dropped, wan and withered. Rama did not raise
his head to look at any of the faces around him. He
proceeded to the apartments of Sita.
contents
of this Vahini
|
|
previous page |
next page