SPOTLIGHTS ON THE RAMAYANAM -11. Sri Swami Premananda

04/04/2020.

II - COSMIC DRAMA : 3

3. Ideal Human Relationships

Post-11.

Ideal Human Relationships

1.

Ramayana is an epic which delineates with remarkable clarity and the precision of a surgeon’s knife, how to conduct human relationships of all types. To my mind it appears to be an authentic interpretation in sociology, a comprehensive directory of human relations. There is no end to this variety of relations between man and man, man and woman and it may be surprising that the ideal behaviour of almost every human relationship has been depicted in this epic. 

To name a few : 

the relationship between father and son as represented by Dasaratha and Rama; 

son and stepmother—Rama and Kaikeyi; 

husband and wife—Lakshmana and Urmila; 

king and his subjects—Rama and inhabitants of Ayodhya; 

brother and brother—Rama, Bharata and Lakshmana; 

married man and a wanton—Lakshmana and Surpanakha; 

God and devotee—Rama and Sugreeva; 

king and his army—Rama and the Vanaras; 

master and servant—Rama and Hanuman; 

sworn enemies—Rama and Ravana; 

ideal husband and wife relationship—Rama and Sita. 

For every human situation, for every intricate relationship, there is an answer in the Ramayana and it is an ideal answer worthy of emulation in all countries, by all people, at all times.

2.

To continue the story, Rama had been sent to the forest as an actor as it turned out to be—to fulfil a grand design and the troubles started very soon in Panchavati in Dandakaranya where they stayed. The sister of Ravana named Surpanakha heard of the two princes and a lady living in the forest and had the easy curiosity of having a look at them. She was a treacherous woman and visited Panchavati in her best attire.

Almost at first sight she fell in love with the handsome Rama and dared to woo him. Rama smiled and explained that he was accompanied by his wife and, in a lighter vein, suggested that she should approach his younger brother Lakshmana who was much fairer and equally handsome.

Lakshmana lacked the sobriety and sanguinity of his elder brother. He also said that he was a married man and that she should leave him alone. But the woman was equally adamant and when she started making advances, Lakshmana was enraged and chopped off her ears and nose. 

She ran away bleeding and cursing, to her brothers Khara and Dushana, kings of two small principalities. She presented entirely a different story—that that the princes wanted to molest her and when she took a stand, the younger brother disfigured her. Both the brothers raided Panchavati and after a fierce battle both were slain. Thus, right from the beginning the stage was set for something more ominous to occur which ultimately led to the wholesale slaughter of the demonic elements along with their king of kings, Ravana.

3.

As the story goes, after her brothers were killed, she went to Meghanatha and finally to Ravana, instigating them to avenge her dishonour. Ravana was a clever king and when he heard that the two brothers had been slain by Rama and Lakshmana, he could guess that they were no ordinary warriors. He therefore set a trap and sent a man Maricha, who could take any form, to go near Panchavati in the form of a golden deer, and beguile the brothers away. 

The plan worked and when Sita saw the golden deer she asked her husband to get it for her, Rama saw the game and told Sita that it was only a ruse and that she should not pay any attention to it, but cosmic plan had its influence and Sita became restless and compelled Rama to bring the golden deer for her.

4.

Rama instructed Lakshmana to look after Sita and started the chase. As planned, when Maricha was dying he shouted for Lakshmana. Sita suspected that Rama was in danger and insisted upon Lakshmana’s going to his help. Lakshmana tried to convince Sita that nothing untoward would happen to Rama and that it was all a trick to take him away from her. But a woman’s heart, she was harsh on Lakshmana and went to the extent of imputing motives to him, which compelled Lakshmana to go in search of his brother. 

Before departure, he drew a line on the ground with his bow and told Sita not to cross the line, come what may. As soon as the two brothers had gone, a mendicant appeared to beg for alms. He noted the line and knline, and as she did so, the mendicant who was none else but Ravana, took her away forcibly in his aerial car.ew that if he crossed it he could be burnt to ashes. He therefore requested her to come out of the line, and as she did so, the mendicant

who was none else but Ravana, took her away forcibly in his aerial car.

To be continued ....