Episode 01 - Chapter 5 - Canto on Embalming Dasaratha.

Chapter 5 – Canto on Embalming of Dasaratha - தைலம் ஆட்டு படலம்

 

We are into “தைலம் ஆட்டு படலம்” – the canto of embalming.

 

 

What all followed Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana as they exited Ayodhya?

 

ஏவிய குரிசில்பின் யாவர் ஏகிலார்?

மா இயல் தானை அம் மன்னனை நீங்கலாத்

தேவியர் ஒழிந்தனர்; தெய்வ மா நகர்

ஓவியம் ஒழிந்தன, உயிர் இலாமையால்.

 

As Rama, executing his father’s commad (and with him the inseparable Sita and Lakshmana), astride a chariot, were leaving Ayodhya, who and what did not follow the trio?

 

Dasaratha (as he was on his deathbed);

His Three Consorts (as they could not leave him);

The portraits drawn on the walls of the palatial residences as they could not rise and walk’

 

All the rest went behind Rama (and Sita and Lakshmana). That obviously included all animates – beasts, cattle, horses, birds, insects.

 

குரிசில் = Incomparable; Kamban seems to be quite fond of this term to connote Rama. In the Balakandam, as Dasaratha and his entourage arrives in Mithila for the wedding, Rama meets him and pays obeisance to him. Kamban would term Rama then too as : “இளைய பைங்குரிசில் வந்து அடி பணிந்து”

 

கைகள் நீர் பரந்து, கால் தொடர, கண் உகும்

வெய்ய நீர் வெள்ளத்து மெள்ளச் சேறலால்,

உய்ய, ஏழ் உலகும் ஒன்று ஆன நீர் உழல்

தெய்வ மீன் ஒத்தது - அச் செம் பொன் தேர்அரோ!

 

Unending tears of the crowds following the trio flooded the concourse through which their splendid, golden chariot drove; because of the flood of tears, the concourse got slushy and the chariot got bogged down in its speed – making it appear that even the roads were reluctant to let Rama leave. The chariot resembled the divine fish (Matsyavatara of Sri Maha Vishnu) swimming around through the deluge, in search of the Asura and the four vedas he had hidden.

 

After travelling two ‘yojans’ distance from Ayodhya, Rama with Sita and Lakshmana arrived at the hermitage of a sage for the night-fall.

 

“yojana” = 48000 linear feet or 9.09 miles or 14.63 kms. (4 hastas (length of the hand from the elbow i.e. cubit: about 18 inches) = 1 dhanu (six feet); 2000 dhanus = 1 gavyuti i.e. the distance over which a cow’s mew could be heard i.e. 12000 feet i.e. 3.7 kms. Four Gavyutis = 1 Yojana i.e. 9.09 miles or 14.63 kms.)

 

The poet heralds the nightfall in his own inimitable style – compares the enveloping darkness to the mind of Kaikeyi, that got gradually darkened,  slowly dispossessed of the sense of right (செம்மை நீங்கியே) by the poisonous words of Mandhara aka Kooni: கேகயன் பயந்த நங்கைதன் மந்தரை உரை எனும் கடுவின் மட்கிய சிந்தையில் இருண்டது செம்மை நீங்கியே. The metaphor is exceptional! செம்மை நீங்கியே would stand for the gradual dimming of the crimson in the sky as the nightfall advances; and also connotes the gradual loss of sense of right in Kaikeyi’s mind.

 

வட்டம் ஓர் ஓசனை வளைவிற்றாய், நடு

எள்தனை இடவும் ஒர் இடம் இலாவகை,

புள் தகு சோலையின் புறத்துப் போர்த்தென

விட்டது - குரிசிலை விடாத சேனையே.

 

As the trio retires in the hermitage surrounded by a lovely grove, filled with birds, the Ayodhya on the move, persistently following them, surrounded that grove; the encirclement measured, rAadially speaking, one ‘yojana’ or about 15 kms. all around.

 

Geometric precision in the narration!

 

The poet uses the appellation குரிசில் here as well.

 

The poet uses here the simile tied to “til” (gingelly or sesame) - எள்தனை இடவும் ஒர் இடம் இலாவகை, - the density of the congregation of people surrounding the grove was such that it did not admit of any space even to slip through one grain of “til” (sesame). We must note that the “til” allegory is usually considered inauspicious and is associated with grief or mourning. Here it was considered appropriate by the poet as we are at the fringe of calamity – the oncoming demise of the great Emperor and the abdication of Rama the soul of Ayodhya. Narrating a similar congregation of people from Ayodhya moving into Mithila, for a celebratory occasion, the poet used the term “a grain of black-gram” – considered auspicous. (uLundhu)

The whole multitude spent the night without food or sleep, grieving endlessly. ஒன்றும் அயின்றிலர்; துயின்றிலர்; அழுது விம்மினார். அயின்றிலர் = did not dine.

With the cover of darkness prodding him, Rama thinks out a subterfuge to persuade the people to return to Ayodhya:

 

‘பூண்ட பேர் அன்பினாரைப் போக்குவது அரிது; போக்காது,

ஈண்டுநின்று ஏகல் பொல்லாது; எந்தை! நீ இரதம் இன்னே

தூண்டினை மீள்வது ஆக்கின், சுவட்டை ஒர்ந்து, என்னை, ” அங்கே

மீண்டனன்’ என்ன மீள்வர்; இது நின்னை வேண்டிற்று’ என்றான்.

 

Addressing Sumantra, Rama said: “It is impossible to persuade these multitudes of people devoted to the love of me, to return on their own. It is perilous for me to leave without making them return too. (They would stubbornly follow me and that would be calamitous.) Therefore, if you drive the chariot back Ayodhyawards, they would believe that I am returning too and would follow the chariot towards Ayodhya. That is my request of you.”

 

Sumantra laments his plight, his predicament on his having to return empty-handed, on his having to use subterfuge and face the consequences. He flagellates himself - a messenger of death; “people expect me to bring you back. Telling them that I am empty-handed, would I have to kill so many loving souls, break so many hearts?

 

 கூற்று உறழ் சொல்லினால் கொலைசெய்வேன் கொலோ?‘ he deprecates himself as a graver sinner than Kaikeyi.

 

Rama consoles him and, in order to shake him out of his self-pity and distress, poses the questions: is it right to forsake Dharma because such act would bring one a blame? Is it right to forsake Dharma because such act is painful? True dharma is founded on a determined mind. True valour resides in those who would not forsake dharma even at the cost of death, even at the point of losing all their earned wealth. It was a great, unique, ascetic merit for my father Dasaratha to have commanded me to leave for the forest (thus keeping his word); and unless I executed that command, that merit shall not be accomplished for either. Would you be an instrument of that frustration?”

Rama also requests Sumantra to counsel Bharatha: “Ask him to show the same love and regard to Dasaratha (not deprecating him for what he had done), as he always had for me.”

“Fourteen years shall just fleet past. I shall come back here and pay obeisance to you. Now go and be of comfort to my father and my mothers.”

 

Sita’s command to Sumantra reflects her guileless innocence, unaffected by the weight of grief all around. “Please convey my fond obeisance to my mothers; and, - this is important, ask my sisters (wives of Bharatha and Satrugna) to look after my favourite pets – the parakeet and the “naagaNavaai” bird.”

 

Sumantran asks Lakshmana for any messages he has for the former to carry to Ayodhya. Lakshmana is still smouldering. His response is composed of searing, deeply cutting, sarcastic, carping vitriol.

 

“(You ask me if I have a message for the King?) How could anyone call Dasaratha, who gave the crown to my Lord and then took it away because he had to keep the word given to his beloved wife, as a Ruler?

 

“Tell him, if you will, that I admire his love for life, and his ability not to have gone heavenwards yet, having sent his darling son forest-wards, to survive on leaves and fruits.

 

“Tell, the now crowned “King” Bharatha that I was not born after him; and tell Satrugna, who preferred to stay with Bharatha, that I was not born before him either. I was born unto myself and am doing fine that way.”

 

He had no messages for the mothers, though.

 

Rama censures Lakshmana for his harsh words. Sumantran then leaves, carrying only grief and despondency with him.

 

(In the Aadi Kaavya, this episode is presented slightly differently – the multitudes of people follow the tracks of the chariot for some distance as the trio proceeds towards the fringes of Kosala country; the tracks get blurred and disappear – possibly in shifting sand – and not able to pursue their intent to follow Rama, dejectedly they return to Ayodhya.

 

ततः मार्ग अनुसारेण गत्वा किंचित् क्षणम् पुनः

मार्ग नाशात् विषादेन महता समभिप्लुतः || २-४७-१३

 

tataH maarga anusaareNa gatvaa ki.ncit kShaNam punaH

maarga naashaat viShaadena mahataa samabhiplutaH || 2-47-13

 

Then, proceeding to some distance along the tracks for a while, they were overwhelmed with great despair again due to sudden disappearance of the tracks.)

Rama enters the forest, with Sita and Lakshmana:

 

தையல்தன் கற்பும், தன் தகவும், தம்பியும்,

மை அறு கருணையும் , உணர்வும், வாய்மையும்,

செய்ய தன் வில்லுமே, சேமமாகக் கொண்டு,

ஐயனும் போயினான், அல்லின் நாப்பணே.

 

Rama sets out into the forest in the middle of the night – unnoticed by the people who had converged on to the hermitage – accompanied and protected only by Sita’s chastity, his own righteousness, Lakshmana the epitome of devotion to him, his flawless compassion, his addiction to Truth and of course his invincible bow. (The protective foreces have six components: Four intangibles: Sita’s chastity, Rama’s righteousness, his unshakable affiliation to Truth, his flawless compassion; and two tangibles: Lakshmana and Rama’s invincible bow.)

 

The trio walks into the forest. The path is drenched in silvery moonlight – as if Moongod wished to spread soft cotton all along Sita’s path, making her tender feet not feel the pain of the sharp pebble-filled courses.

 

How did Sita keep pace with Rama – with his pacy, long legs – and cope with the harsh and very painful walkways? With feet as tender and delicate as bubbles of water? The poet would ask in return: what cannot be accomplished by the unalloyed, pure, fierce love Sita had for Rama? What cannot be accomplished by a mind driven by a will energized by that kind of love?

 

When Sumantran reaches Ayodhya and reports to Sage Vasishta, the Sage concludes: ‘This is the end of Dasartha’.

 

Dasaratha, on learning that the chariot with Sumantra had arrived, enquires if Rama is back. On being informed negatively, he lapses back into his end-of-life stupor. DASARATHA BREATHES HIS LAST EVEN AS HE HEARS THAT RAMA AND WITH HIM SITA AND LAKSHMANA WERE TRULY GONE. என்ற போழ்தத்தே ஆவி போனான்

A GREATLY CELEBRATED “CHAKRAVARTHI” OF AYODHYA, RULING THE WORLD FOR EONS THAT ONE CAN’T COUNT, WHOSE FAMED VALOUR WAS SOUGHT OUT BY INDRA HIMSELF FOR GETTING THE BETTER OF HIS ASURA ADVERSARIES, PATHETICALLY SUCCUMBS TO GRIEF, HELPLESSNESS, SELF-PITY AND DISTRESS – LEAVES A BIT QUIETLY, UNCEREMONIOUSLY,  FOR ALL HIS AGELESS. FLAWLESS, HIGH REPUTE REIGN AND SPLENDOUR?

 

Sage Vasishta leaves the scene unable to bear what he had to witness.

 

Dasaratha is regally received by the Gods and taken in a heavens-made craft and reached to Sri Vaikunta – the Sathya Lokam – from where blessed souls never return. உந்தியான் உலகின் உம்பர் மீள்கிலா உலகத்து உய்த்தார்.. உந்தியான் = Lotus-navelled Sriman Narayana.

 

Kousalya grieves inconsolably. And, in the grip of that overwhelming grief, blames Rama for her grief:” In this moment of travail and distress, as a son ought to, Rama (our so-called son) had not come and given the succour needed; he had murdered my husband.”  “அஞ்சல் எனாது, எம்மகன் என்பான் கொன்றான் அன்றோ தந்தையே?”

 

In the grip of that uncontrollable grief, Kaousalya also assails Kaikeyi – for the first time. மதியாலே பிடித்தாய் வையம்; பெற்றனை பேரா வரம்; இன்னே முடித்தாய் அன்றே மந்திரம்?’ You have accomplished your plan; with your (scheming) mind you gained this land; you gained your irreversible boon.” (implying that Kaikeyi’s scheme included inevitably, the end of Dasaratha.

 

With Kousalya, Dasaratha’s other women also grieve and lament over his remains. The wives want to leave this world too.

 

 

கைத்த சொல்லால் உயிர் இழந்தும், புதல்வற் பிரிந்தும், கடை ஓட

மெய்த்த வேந்தன் திரு உடம்பைப் பிரியார் பற்றி விட்டிலரால்;

பித்த மயக்கு ஆம் சுறவு எறியும் பிறவிப் பெரிய கடல் கடக்க.

உய்த்து மீண்ட நாவாயில், தாமும் போவார் ஒக்கின்றார்.

 

Even after Dasaratha’s life leaves his body, after hearing those distressing words affirming Rama wouldn’t return, his wives would not leave his side. They would wish to depart with him too. Dasaratha’s remains are equated with a sea-craft that had forded the perilous sea which life is, filled with killer sharks which are equated with the five sinful, destructive, distractions in life – avidya – ignorance; asmita – egoism (ahankara); raga – attachments; dwesha – aversions/hatred; abhinidvesa – fear.** It had crossed that perilous sea once and had delivered Dasaratha in the Satya Loka (as we saw earlier). His wives want to use the same vessel for a similar deliverance for them. (They would wish to leave this life after him.)  **Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

 

Sage Vasishta arranges to have the worldly remains of Dasaratha placed in a receptacle filled with oil – in order to preserve it till the sons – Bharatha and Satrugna – could return for the final rites.

 

“தையல் கடல் நின்று எடுத்து அவனைத் தயிலக் கடலின் தலை உய்த்தான்.” Retrieving Dasaratha’s remains from the sea of his grieving women (தையல் கடல்), he had them placed in a receptacle filled with preserving oil.

 

Messengers speed to fetch Bharatha and Satrugna.

 

What happens to the multitude encircling the hermitage where Rama, Sita and Lakshmana entered at nightfall?

 

At the strike of dawn, the multitudinous throng is awakened to the realization that Rama is not in the hermitage. As Rama surmised, they find the tyre-marks of the chariot pointing Ayodhya-bound; thinking their Lord had gone back to the city, they trek their way back to Ayodhya.

 

On arrival they are informed about Rama not returning to the city and also about the demise of their Emperor. Sage Vasishta consoles the grieving multitudes.

 

More drama.. more pathos.. more confrontations and .. let us wait for next week!

 

 

 

We journeyed through another grief-filled canto – Embalming of Dasaratha’s remains. The crowning impression the poet makes in this canto would, in my view, be the deep imprint he makes in the readers’ minds of the core character of the three – Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita,  while narrating the leave-taking by Sumantra.

Rama is a picture of steadfast, unshakable, pillar of dharma, conveying wisdom, solace and conviction to the wise and experienced Minister himself an adept practitioner of dharma. Lakshmana,  still simmering and rumbling within like a volcano, threatening to erupt and spew fiery lava anytime – derisive of his father, disowning his two brothers who would rather be in Ayodhya and not with his Rama. Ilaya Perumal, an incarnation of Anantha, hissing all the time!  Of the three, Sita comes through as the most captivating character. Totally unaffected by the gravity and weight of the situation – their parting company with the last vestige of Ayodhya and setting foot into a fourteen years long sojourn in the darkness of the forests, she is caring and worrying about her little pets – her mynahs and parakeets! Don’t we feel for this child-like, sweet and innocent one, particularly in her harsh environs?

 

Parrots, I believe, have a life-span of 40 years. (A tad longer than the average age of Indians in1947!)  Sita might have fancied that her pets would still be around to receive her back in Ayodhya and expect her to feast them with a memorable, delicious, milk-dish for celebrating the Pattabishekam!

 

பூவை = நாகணவாய்ப்பறவை – mynah.