Ramayana Chapter 7 Vishvamitra

Chapter 7

Vishvamitra

Dasharatha’s conference with his ministers was over. But no one was in a hurry to leave. With gods in heaven and happiness all around, Dasharatha and his ministers were enjoying the brief respite of freedom from worries. It was time for compliments and thanks, as if good fortune was being gifted, not by providence, but by friends to each other. Every one warmed up as the conversation began to revolve around families and children. Dasharatha was beaming with pride at the mention of Rama and Laxman.

“The princes must find their consorts now, “said someone.

Everyone agreed and turned to Dasharatha for endorsement. Dasharatha was smiling pensively. The suggestion was not out of place.  Besides, with his wife by his side, Rama would forget the gloom which had overshadowed him of late.

“You have in fact given expression to my innermost desire,” he said, a bit hesitantly, because he was not sure how Rama would take it. Dasharatha looked in the direction of Vasishtha who was listening without involvement. Vasishtha read the question in Dasharatha’s eyes and smiled approvingly. 

The euphoria of the conversation was interrupted by the royal guard who announced, “Your Highness, sage Vishvamitra is at the gate of the conference-room. He wishes to present himself to the king and his ministers.”

Everyone was wondering what could have brought the sage to Ayodhya and why he would seek a meeting with Dasharatha in the presence of his ministers. The royal guard was trembling nervously. Dasharatha understood the gravity of the announcement. He looked at Vasishtha who beckoned him to get up and follow him. Everybody got up and reached the main gate after Vasishtha and Dasharatha.

Vishvamitra was standing steadfast at the threshold of the main gate. There was the agility and alertness of the fighter and the quiet restraint and sagacity of a priest, which he had earned with years of austerity and penance.

His presence inspired awe. There was no agitation in his gestures as he stood there ni quiet dignity. The white strands of his hair covered his shoulders. The aura of peace and compassion which surrounded him was indicative of his ancient yogic power. He stood there patiently, waiting to be invited inside. Transgression was considered a sign of indignity. The sages would not overstep the authority of kings and kings would not  dishonor the sanctity of the hermitages of the sages.

In spite of the rigor and austerity of his person, he filled everything around him with a breath of life.

With his head still adorned with the crown he was wearing at the conference, Dasharatha bent reverentially before him. Thereafter, Vasishtha , followed by the other royal priests received him.

Dasharatha said, “Your holiness, we are surprised yet glad to have you amongst us so unexpectedly. We consider it our good fortune that you have chosen to bless us with your gracious presence.”

Thereafter all the sages and the ministers who were present there, entered the conference hall and occupied their seats. Vishvamitra accepted the greetings offered to him according to the protocol and met Vasishtha cordially.

The king then addressed the sage thus: O great priest, you deserve to be rewarded richly and it is our good fortune that you are here in Ayodhya. Tell us your wish and tell me how I can serve you. O great sage, you have conquered all desires, fear and anger. There is no place for love or hate in your heart; you are in good health, and yet you have come to me. That’s very strange! Whatever may be the mission or the interest that has brought you here; you may rest assured that it will be fulfilled. I have always held you in great esteem. O great descendent of the Kushika dynasty, state what you want without hesitation. Your holiness, there is nothing in this world that I cannot give you. I shall feel honored if you allow me to help you. “

Vishvamitra was pleased.

“O great king, I know you are under sage Vasishtha’s command. Therefore I presume that the words you have uttered have the sanction of Vasishtha. Let me tell you now what is on my mind. Whenever I initiate the auspicious yajnya to propitiate the deities, some marauders who reign at night, come and destroy the altar and the holy fire. I have started the ritual again and again, but they have desecrated the floor with flesh and blood. This has happened several times. Every time I put in great efforts; but it’s all in vain. I have left my abode and come to seek your protection so that my yajnya may be completed without trouble. I cannot utter a curse in anger. I want to bring the yajnya to its fulfillment with your grace. I know, your son Rama is valiant like a lion. He is capable of destroying those marauders. Trust your son to me. He will be totally safe in my custody. I shall train him in the use of the rare missiles which are in my possession. These marauders called rakshasas are fierce warriors. They are the agents of Khara  and Dushana who rule from the forests. They are the death incarnate to their opponents. But they will be slain and brought down to earth like particles of dust in rain by Rama’s missiles. I can see this with certainty, and you can believe them killed already, because yogis like me never indulge in vain talk. Your son Rama is not an ordinary being and this known to me, Vasishtha and other farsighted sages like us. This sacrifice, for which Rama is going to kill the rakshasas, will be brought to completion in ten days. Please ask Vasishtha and your ministers to give consent; I am sure they will agree. Therefore send Rama with me on this mission. Try to understand its importance and waste no time. Time is running out and delay will be destructive.”

Vishvamitra was silent, and so was Dasharatha, after this impassioned plea. Dasharatha remained speechless for a long while. There had to be a logically satisfactory answer to fence off a sage like Vishvamitra who had come to him with high expectations. After a considerably long silence Dasharatha spoke in despair:

“Your holiness, Rama is hardly sixteen. I don’t see any sign of capability in him which can assure success in the war against the rakshasas. See, I have a huge army at my command. I will lead this army and fight those ghosts myself. All these soldiers are loyal to me; I have raised them. My ministers are all excellent fighters, and moreover, they are good counselors. They will fight and I will guard them. Rama is still a child. He has no knowledge of weapons, nor is he trained yet in the strategies of warfare. He does know as yet how missiles are used in the battlefield when faced with crores of fierce fighters. He has seen parks gardens and woods; he has walked on carpets of flowers with the other princes, but he has not experienced the terror of battles….. And besides, what to tell you, your holiness, these days my stars are adverse; I don’t know why, but Rama has weakened and gone pale like a blighted lotus. Rama is the dearest of all to me. Therefore please do not take away Rama. If your object is to eliminate the night-marauders, I’ll come with you with my own battalion of horses, elephants and soldiers.”

Having spoken thus far, Dasharatha was silent for a moment. Then he dropped the stance of the practiced diplomacy and voiced his deeper fear in a somewhat hushed tone:

“We have heard about a fierce warrior called Ravana, who they say, is the half-brother of Kubera who is the treasurer of the devas. And sage Vishrava is his father. If this misguided soul is causing obstruction in your yajnya, then I must say, we are powerless against him.”

Upon this, Vishvamitra was enraged. He thundered:

“You are bound by your own words of promise. You made a promise to me that you will fulfill my demand, and now you are going back on your promise. It seems that you, who are a lion, now want to change into a fox. This does not become a descendent of king Raghu’s dynasty. You are setting back the age-old tradition established by your ancestors. I did not expect this from you. If you are unable to keep your word, I will go back the way I came. If going back on your promise is what you need to do for your happiness, be it so. My blessings are with you; may you live happily with your kith and kin.”

Seeing Vishvamitra overcome by anger, Vasishtha who had restrained himself so far stepped in to prevent any untoward thing from happening.

He addressed Dasharatha thus:

“Your highness, you have always stood by what is right. You have never failed in your duty as the king and the protector of your subjects. Understand your mission; I am sure you will. This sage here has the power to rule over the whole world if necessary; you must obey him. If you go back on your promise, you will be known for vain glory, not for valor. Trust Rama to Vishvamitra. If king Dasharatha born in Ishwaku dynasty fails in his mission, who will the world turn to in times of distress? Sage Vishvamitra has a thorough knowledge of what is right and what is wrong for humanity. No one can compete with him today in the knowledge of weapons and missiles, and no one will be able to in future. All the mighty races living in this world cannot face him even if they all unite against him. The greatest missile-makers of the world have made missiles according to his instructions. He has devoted many years of life to research on missiles of destruction. Whoever is his protégé, will defeat the forces of death. Give up fear. There is no need to panic when you have an invincible ally like him by your side.”

Vasishtha’s words were timely and adequate. Dasharatha ordered the attendant to fetch Rama and Laxman. The attendant returned in a while and said, “Your divine grace, my lord Rama has turned the day into night. He has closed the portals of his chamber and he is lost ij thought. “The personal attendants of Rama, who had accompanied the messenger, spoke one after another and reported how Rama had lost interest in eating, drinking and merriment ever since he had returned from the pilgrimage.

“He has no inclination towards the active life of a prince. He is incommunicative.  He neither laughs, nor sings, nor cries in grief. It appears as if he has no mind. He is not proud of being a prince, nor does he think of his future as the king of Ayodhya. There is neither happiness nor sorrow in him. We don’t know where he goes, what he does, what he desires, who he thinks of and whom he follows. Day by day he is getting weaker and weaker. Laxman, who follows him in every respect, has also become weak like Rama. When we try to talk to him, he tells us that we are wasting time in meaningless pursuits and when we remind him of his kingship he laughs as if we have said something greatly ironic.”

Everybody listened in dismay except Vishvamitra who responded with great aplomb. He said, “I am eager to see Rama. These are not signs of inertia. He is on the threshold of enlightenment. But this is not the time for it. He is passing through the most critical time. He is on his way to reach the highest point of knowledge. This is his dark night before he reaches the light. He is mistaking the dark to be the end of the path. His path lies ahead of the darkness. He has no knowledge of it. I am sure we can remove this confusion and set him on the right path.”

Dasharatha felt gratified. He started sending messages after messages to Rama. While he was engaged in the talk with the sages and the ministers, Rama arrived, followed by Laxman.

Rama and Laxman saw their father brooding anxiously over something. There was silence as they approached the king who was holding his breath for long. As they bowed to the king and looked around they were struck by the presence of an ancient sage sitting next to sage Vasishtha. They bowed to both and stood in attention to be instructed further.

Vasishtha addressed them, “Long live prince Rama and prince Laxman. You are here to receive the blessings of sage Vishvamitra who has come on a special mission.” Rama bowed reverentially and touched Vishvamitra’s feet. Vishvamitra found himself looking at a lad who was barely sixteen, tall and dark.  He cast a sedate, disinterested look at Vishvamitra. Those were not the eyes of a fighter. Here was a young man who was not out to grab anything for himself because he knew, he lacked nothing. His wisdom was combined with love and compassion. However, there was a trace of fatigue and distress in his eyes which he concealed behind his calm appearance. His brother Laxman stood behind him attentively, alert to the subtle vibrations of curiosity in the people surrounding them. He was especially responsive to the slightest expression feeling from his brother. His heart seemed closed to every other presence save the presence of his brother. In a quick glance, he took in the mood of the assembly and looked at Rama to understand his mind.

Dasharatha saw his young sons and looked at the invincible sage as though at some insatiable deity at the altar of sacrifice. He closed his eyes in fearful anticipation, praying to gods for protection.

Vishvamitra ended the silence. “Rama, I am here to appoint you on a task. But before I begin, let me have a glimpse of your mind.”

Everybody listened with bated breath. Rama looked up and saw Vishvamitra eye to eye. Vishvamitra saw that there was no attempt On Rama’s part to brace up or fence off. Vishvamitra was eager to talk and Rama was eager to listen. Laxman watched Rama from the corner of his eye, trying to conceal a sense of amusement even in the midst of a situation which seemed grave to everyone else. Rama caught his eye for a moment, but there was no way he could chide him in the august presence of the sages. The sixteen-year-old lad was caught between a burden of accountability to his elders and the watchful eye of his shrewd brother. He relaxed and made himself ready for the sage’s scrutiny.

Vishvamitra remembered his own rash and irascible temper when he was of Rama’s age. Vishvamitra was a king before he embraced a radically different way of life of a yogi. He was born in a Kshatriya dynasty. As a Kshatriya, he was an invincible fighter who believed that a king has a right of ownership over the wealth belonging to his subjects. In those days he had coveted a beautiful cow owned by Vasishtha. That cow was believed to be a mascot who fulfilled the wishes of her master and brought him good luck. For the sake of that one cow Vishvamitra was ready to give away half his wealth to Vasishtha. Though Vasishtha was not interested in the wealth, he was ready to part with his beloved cow. But the cow would not leave her master. Vishvamitra had devastated Vasishtha’s hermitage. But finally Vasishtha overpowered him by having recourse to his yogic power. That was the turning point in the foolishly egoistic warrior’s life. He gave up his kingdom and turned to a life of penance, but not before he had destroyed all of Vasishtha’s sons. It was Vasishtha’s fortitude that helped him tide over the grief and come back to his duties as the preceptor of the Ishwaku dynasty.  The past was incredible but true.

Vishvamitra looked admiringly at Rama. If he had been a young man of yore, he would have envied Rama as he had envied Vasishtha in the past. But now life had taught him better things than envy and pride. Here was a young man standing before him who seemed to know his mind well and seemed to have shedded all craving for possessions. Vasishtha also watched the heir of the Ishwaku dynasty as he stood in the presence of them all, waiting silently.

As the conversation had reached a dead end, Vasishtha asked Rama, “You are free to speak Rama. Have no inhibitions. We are here to listen.”

Rama was still silent. Dasharatha was seized with a bout of anxiety once again. Vishvamitra, who was anxious to see his objective fulfilled, said gently, “Speak Rama, I can see that something is holding you back from us.”

Rama said, “Your holiness, I am at your service. There is nothing that I shall hold back from you. Whatever is in my possession, I will give it to you and whatever is in my power to do, I will do it for you.”  

Vasishtha said, “Rama, we are concerned about your well-being. Before we proceed with Vishvamitra’s project I want to know what it is that is ailing you. Something has changed since youcame back from your pilgrimage.

The question was direct and simple, but Rama did not have a simple answer. Everybody was reading his own meaning into Rama’s silence. Dasharatha saw a silent rebuke of his enslavement to Kaikeyi; the ministers saw the would-be prince in a dilemma, caught between the desire to lead a life of his own choice and the obligations to answer the call of his duty towards the state and the family. Vishvamitra was so eager to see Rama out of this stupor that he had no time to waste on speculations. He wanted a quick remedy and immediate results. Laxman stood by, more in agony than in anxiety. Vishvamitra looked at Vasishtha beseechingly.

Vasishtha continued, “A prince should not stay in this state of mind for long. I, as the preceptor of the Ishwaku dynasty, know the annals of history. Your forefathers were all men of action. Your father, Dasharatha is held in high esteem by all the kings of the neighboring states. A Kshatriya cannot sit in isolation and brood. Battles and bloodshed are part of Kshatriya’s life. “

Rama smiled. He said, “Yes, all I have seen of the life of a Kshatriya is just that: killing. That is why I went on a pilgrimage to see what life is like apart from battles and diplomacy. I learnt horse-riding, weaponry, missiles and the science of war. But all that I did so far was to go to forests, escorted by a retinue of attendants and kill innocent animals for sport.”

Vasishtha said, “Henceforth you are not going to kill for sport, Rama. You are going to protect the sages living in the far-flung areas from the towns, in mountains and forests . They are exposed to threats by rakshasas. You are called upon to stop the wanton killing by rakshasas. They are night-marauders; carnivorous; and moreover, they are bent on destroying our way of life. Vishvamitra has chosen you and Laxman for the task of protecting the yajnyas from rakshasas. Say yes. He is ready to impart the knowledge of secret weapons and missiles to you and Laxman. Go with him wherever he will take you. Have no fear.”

Rama who had been avoiding eye contact so far, raised his eyes and looked at his father. He was pained to see anguish in his eyes. Then he turned a little to steal a glance at Laxman. Laxman was beaming with excitement and raring to go. He gave a nudge to Rama , pressing him to go ahead and say yes to the proposal.

Rama met his father’s eye briefly but unwaveringly. Dasharatha knew that his son had made up his mind. He nodded to give consent. Rama went to Vasishtha and Vishvamitra, touched their feet and said, “I am ready.”

Ramayana chapter 6 Rama and Laxman Again

………Chapter 6……….

Rama and Laxman

Laxman saw Rama’s attendant moving in the direction of Dasharatha’s palace.  Laxman ran in haste and intercepted his path.

“Is Rama there in his palace?” he asked the attendant. The attendant bowed and said, “Yes, your highness.” Then picking up courage, he said, “Your highness, my lord needs to be brought back to the way of life that is fit for the prince. You alone can do it. We fail to understand what is driving him to seek solitude. He lives in an exile. Nothing that we do to revive his interest in pleasure satisfies him. We do not understand his language, nor do we understand how we should conduct ourselves to satisfy him; for we fear that whatever we do or say might appear vulgar or distasteful in his eyes. Of late he has started giving away his precious belongings to those around him. We are ashamed to take them, but we can’t refuse for fear of offending him. Something is gnawing at his heart, and we too have lost appetite for the ordinary pleasures of life. We don’t see why life should turn so distasteful for the heir-apparent of Ayodhya.”

The attendant looked at Laxman for a possible answer though he knew that Laxman would not deign to quench the doubts of an attendant. Laxman hurried in the direction of Rama’s palace.

He found Rama alone, sitting in a meditative posture. Laxman could not bear to see his brother brooding in silence. He entered the room roughly without announcing his arrival. Rama noticed him only when he sat at his feet and touched him on the knee. Rama ran his fingers through Laxman’s hair playfully and smiled. Trying to seek him out, Laxman asked, “Are you sad over something?”  

“No, why should I be sad?” asked Rama. “Do you remember,” Laxman asked, “We used to sit on the banks of rivers, on the peaks of mountains, at the feet of massive trees, when we were on our pilgrimage after our studies were over. But you were never alone like this then. We used to be together, talking away, pouring out our hearts over everything that concerned us. Very often we used to be surrounded by nothing but the wilderness of forests, but how happy we were together, sharing every bit of thought and feeling that crossed our mind!”

There was a longing in Rama’s eyes for the days gone by. But he said, “Gone is the simple joy of those days.” He got up and said, “Don’t worry, my brother, I am fine!”

Laxman said, “No, you are not! Otherwise, why would you feel sad over the memory of those days?”

After a pause, Laxman asked him again, “Tell me, are you worried about our father’s old age? In fact, I do worry over the growing predominance of queen Kaikeyi over him. So long as he yields to her in the matters of small consequence, it is all right. But I fear, she has far greater things on her mind.”

Rama said, “The matters engaging her mind are of no consequence to me, be they small or great for her. This kingdom needs an heir who will protect it and this dynasty needs an heir who will perpetuate it. Like everyone else, she is thinking of these things, because this is the time to think about them. We are all very fortunate these matters can be settled amongst us without bitter disagreements. The peace and welfare of this state are uppermost in my mind. And I am sure that’s the way all of my brothers, including you, I think. If required, every one of us is willing to step down in favor of the one who is willing to take the responsibility for the kingdom.”

Laxman watched him as he said this, listening more to the sound of his voice and the feel of it than to the words he spoke. He felt a touch of some abrasive memory from the days of childhood as it were, that he had no knowledge of. It was not a moment for an argument to decide the right or the wrong.

Rama was neither sad nor gloomy. He was looking at life squarely in the face. Though Laxman did not find himself in agreement with what Rama said, he could not bring himself to refute the basic stance. He looked at Rama closely. Both of them were going to cross adolescence soon. But Rama carried as it were, the knowledge of another lifetime within him. Though Laxman was not aware of the deeper mysteries of life, he felt vaguely aware of the presence of some unknown power in Rama. He did not know why, but he always felt at peace in Rama’s presence. He was the first to awaken to the untroubled, calm strength that manhood inspired in Rama’s person. It gave him a feeling that he was in the presence of a man whose understanding and insight would seek no other light but the light of truth. Of late, Rama had lost weight. But only those who had seen him in his toddler days could say that. He had broad shoulders and a well-rounded neck. Though of a dark complexion, he made the beholder feel that he was bathing in sunlight. His voice was deep and sonorous. His words carried conviction, and when he made statements, he never felt the need to clarify his meaning. There was always a resolution in his statements which left no space for arguments. And yet there was no arrogance.

Rama tapped Laxman playfully on his shoulder to wake him up from his thoughts. Laxman looked at him freshly. There was no trace of the gravity that had marked Rama’s face a moment ago. The same spark of mischief, with which he used to parry Laxman’s aggressive scrutiny in the days of their childhood, had come back to his eyes again.

Laxman marveled at the volatile expressions Rama could generate with ease. He wondered what was at the core of his brother’s heart. He would have bartered away all that he owned to be like his brother. The family- astrologers had marked that Laxman and his twin brother Shatrughna were born on Ashlesha constellation, which was why they were short-tempered and rash; Rama was born when Punarvasu constellation was on the horizon, which endeared Rama even to his enemies, and as yet, Rama had no enemies outside the family.

Still, Laxman could not bear to see Rama drawing himself away from everyone in the family. Where was he going to end up if this inwardness continued without cess? Laxman did not want to think of it. The only thought uppermost in his mind was that Rama had to be brought back to this world of mundane reality.

Laxman said, “I don’t understand the drift of time, but ever since we came back from the pilgrimage, things have changed; nothing is the same You are living like an exile in the palace; our father is anxious and worried, Kausalya is being subjected to subtle insults by Kaikeyi, and my mother is dumb as ever.”

Rama laughed. Laxman was perturbed. He said, “You may find this situation hilarious, I don’t! The kingdom and the dynasty both will be destroyed if the rightful heir forfeits his claim to the throne. This is not something you can laugh over and dismiss as of no consequence. “

Laxman dragged Rama out of the palace. He was bent upon finding out the secret of his despondency.

When they sat down, Laxman marked him closely. The two brothers had no close friends outside the palace. Besides, now that they had attained adolescence, they were not allowed to mingle with the commoners. Young girls and women vied with each other to have a word with them whenever they stepped out of their private interiors. Laxman enjoyed the game of inviting their attention and then parrying their advances, Rama did not. He shied away at the sight of girls.

“Are you in love?” asked Laxman with an innocent curiosity.

“Stop kidding,” said Rama.

There was a pause. Laxman knew, as usual, he had tried to open the portals of Rama’s heart which were closed even for Laxman. It was Rama’s turn now to stare mischievously at Laxman. Laxman realized that Rama was silently turning the question on him He looked away. Rama patted him on the back and said, “There is plenty of time for us to fall in love. But before that, we have far more important things to do, Laxman.”

Laxman listened eagerly.

“Do you know, Laxman, life outside our father’s state is very unsafe. There is terror in the interiors of forests. Do you remember the hermitages we saw on our pilgrimage? Most of them were situated in forests and on mountains. Those hermitages are guarding our heritage of secret mystic doctrine.  But how defenseless they were against the attacks of the carnivorous tribes of rakshasas ! We are as yet far away and secured against their attacks. But the wealth and prosperity of our cities may lure them any time. We have our armies and forts well-armed. But seeing that our father is old and tired of campaigns, we cannot rest assured always as before.”

Laxman warmed up. The thought of his father languishing for the love of Kaikeyi, sent a wave of anger through his mind.

“I don’t understand what Kaikeyi wants to achieve by sending Shatrughna along with Bharat to her father’s state except that it should deplete our father’s strength!”

Rama said, “We have seen days of friendship and love. We may have to pay a high price if we don’t come out of the nostalgia. Undercurrents of rivalry and suspicion are going to surface in the days ahead.”

Laxman looked at him pensively. Rama pointed to the woods where he used to meet the strange hermit and said, “Do you see that deserted cottage? That was the place which was dearer to me than our father’s palace. If I had continued to meet that strange hermit in that cottage a little longer, I don’t know where I would have been today. But the hermit vanished as mysteriously as he came and I was forced to seek my roots back here in the palace.”

Laxman watched him in silence. It pained him to see Rama giving way to the distress he had accumulated since childhood.

He said, “If you don’t find your roots here, none of us has the right to call this palace our home. This palace, this Ayodhya—they live in you, Rama. Everything will be uprooted if you don’t find your roots here!”

Rama said nothing. Laxman seized his hand impulsively and held it to his heart.

“Promise never to leave me alone in this palace, Rama. With you by my side, I can defeat the whole world; but you gone—and I will be a non-entity here.”

Rama looked at him in astonishment. Laxman was as tall as him, with the same family resemblance, but fairer. He was strong physically, but still, like a lost child without Rama. Rama was overcome by a deep emotion when he saw that Laxman was trying to hide a sign of weakness—his tears! Rama knew how precious those tears were! They were not a sign of weakness, but a veil behind which was hidden a whole world of childhood comradeship. Without any reserve, Rama hugged him close. It was a silent promise that the bond between them was stronger than any other bond in life.

Ramayana Chapter 5 Sage Vasishtha

Chapter5

Sage Vasishtha

That morning sage Vasishtha received the royal emissary at his hermitage. Dasharatha had sent a special chariot to bring him to the palace. Vasishtha was an ancient soul. He had blessed, and guided many generations of the Ishwaku dynasty to their path of destiny. Dasharatha had trusted his four vivacious sons to the mentorship of Vasishtha.

On reaching the palace, he was shown into the private conference room of the king by the attendant. Dasharatha received him and venerated him according to the protocol. Then without standing on ceremony, he began to speak anxiously about Rama.

“Revered Guru, I am worried about Rama,” he said.

Vasishtha noticed his agitation as he spoke those words. Vasishtha closed his eyes to feel Dasharatha’s state of mind. He opened his eyes ,looked at Dasharatha and addressed the problem directly.

“Rama has lost interest in life as you understand it and want him to follow. Mind you, you cannot entice him with any vain temptations that lure the princes of his age. Women cannot lure him, because no woman can fathom the depth of his heart; no woman can scale the height he can reach with his knowledge of life.”

Dasharatha listened carefully. Vasishtha continued, “Never make the mistake of trying to hold him down to the princely life by exposing him to the lure of women. That way you will hasten him on the path of asceticism.”

Dasharatha remained quiet for some time. His heart was filled with tenderness and anxiety for his son. He would gladly have let Rama follow the path of asceticism even as he understood what it meant for the kingdom. The concerns of the future of his kingdom and of his old age weighed less upon him than the concern for Rama’s happiness.

He trusted Vasishtha to find an answer. He said to the sage, “Rama’s unrest is causing him to turn away from everything that interests a man of his age. But what worries me is his state of health. He is going to seeds. I cannot bear to see him live like an ascetic,” Dasharatha pleaded.

Vasishtha looked grave. He said, “It’s true that there is something that is causing despondency.”

“What is it?” asked Dasharatha impatiently.

Vasishtha said, “The cause lies deeper than our understanding. But it is not something that you should worry about. At the same time be ready to withdraw your shield of protection. Rama and his brothers are ready to face life with all its uncertainties. What you see in Rama is despondency, not despair. “

Dasharatha was calmed down by Vasishtha’s perception of the problem. He said, “If so, please talk to him and try to remove that despondency. I am sure your guidance will give him a sound foothold and inspiration to seek out what is best for him in life”

Vasishtha promised to meet Rama soon.

……………….

Vibhuti Pada Sutra 15 The Principle of Uncertainty

Vibhuti Pada

Sutra 15

The Principle of Uncertainty?

Shanta udita avyapadeshya dharmanupati dharmi

Literal Meaning

An individual displays particular characteristic conditions at different points of time. Every entity in the universe is the ground for the manifestation of innumerable possible conditions. Some of the conditions arose and became manifest in the past and have dissolved now (‘shanta’). Some are emergent (‘udita’). Some have yet to arise and become manifest (‘avyapadeshya’). Every entity has a life in the world of nature and no entity exists without a precedent and the present condition and no entity is out of the orbit of the future change.

This Sutra forms the key-note of Patanjali’s basic philosophy which can be described as the philosophy of the Being and Becoming. “Being’ is referred to as ‘Satvada’ and ‘Becoming as ‘Parinamavada’. It suggests the problematic of ‘Chance or Choice’. ‘Being is the totality of life, which is classified into three basic tendencies or directions of evolvement, termed as ‘sattva’, ‘rajas’, and ‘tamas’. At the beginning, or at the stage of inception, they are in an inert and balanced state. When life begins to manifest as an organism or as a universe, there is a perturbance in this state of inertia or balance and the three tendencies emerge and begin to act as life. Every entity exhibits the activity of the three basic tendencies in various proportions of existence at a given point of time. The proportion of the three tendencies in a given entity varies at different points of time and we have different combinations of them at different stages of their evolution. Some combinations were manifest in the past and unavailable now for observation. They are referred to here as ‘shanta’ that is ‘quiet’. Some have emerged on the ‘event-horizon’ and are active at the present moment. These are referred to as ‘udita’ that is ‘arisen’. The present state of their combination is conducive to innumerable types of consequences which are all possible. Which of those possibilities will materialize is unpredictable now. Every living entity is subject to this law(‘dharma’) of change. Although change is the law, there is no certainty that can determine which possible direction of evolution will emerge.

It is precisely the moment of choice at the level of the individual psychology and it is this moment that the yogi is expected to recognize and seize. The point of Yogadarshan is to bring the yogi to the level of enlightenment where he is able to penetrate the moment of choice and lead in the direction of evolution, avoid temptation, examine his potential and his objective and give a direction to the future. The past is gone below the horizon(shanta), and the present is known(udita); the future has not materialized and the yogi has the choice.

Yogadarshan is about knowing the present and the past. The past has lessons and knowledge and the present has possibilities.

The master is at a still higher level. He has nothing to achieve for himself. He exists for the humanity. He can look at the present and the past objectively and can see the possibilities which the individual seeker cannot sometimes see because of his personal involvement and limited perspective. At such moments a master can guide and direct or influence the course of the life of an individual who is blind to certain aspects of his personality and potentialities. There are moments when it is actually  the ‘karma’ which intercepts the path and leads the person astray and we call it fate. Wherever and whenever we are at the point of choice we have to make it a conscious choice. Chance rules above choice in the larger perspective, but within the range of what is predictable, there should be the freedom of conscious choice.  What we have to give up is still a possibility that may come, if not now, sometimes in future, and if not in this life-time, perhaps in another life-time. Life is inexhaustible.  

Ramayana Chapter 4 Valmiki

Far away from Ayodhya, in a thick forest dwelt Valmiki. His spiritual eye was sharpened by the life of penance and solitude. No one would believe now if told that this soft-spoken gentle recluse, once upon a time, in this very life-time, was a fierce dacoit who had ended the lives of a countless number of way-farers. His life changed however, when a clever traveler asked him to think of an answer to his question: “For whose sake do you commit these heinous crimes?”

“For my family! They depend upon me for their livelihood.” The dacoit said.

“Do you know, if caught, death is the punishment for you?”The traveler asked.

“I know it. But the thought of my family emboldens me to take the risk,” said Valmiki.

“Do they love you as much as you love them?” The traveler asked.

“I am sure they do,” said Valmiki.

“Then, if you are caught, will they go and offer to die in your place?” The traveler asked.

“I am sure they will; but I won’t let them,” said Valmiki.

“Go home and find out, “said the traveler. “I shall wait here till you come back with the answer,” said he.

Valmiki at once dropped his lethal axe and went home disarmed. He rallied his family around him and said, “Do you know how this home survives? Do you know what I do to maintain ourselves?” The dacoit asked.

They confessed their ignorance.   “I loot lone way-farers in the forest, kill them, and bring the booty home,” said he.

They laughed. “We don’t care what you do and how, so long as you do your duty, which is to feed us and keep us happy, “said his wife..

He was aghast at their selfishness and callousness.

“Well, I am tired of killing innocent people for your sake. Hence you go to the forest and do what I have been doing for you sake,” said he.

They were speechless and looked at each other.

“Do you know the consequences if the king’s men come and arrest me tomorrow?”

His wife said, “We didn’t know you kill. We never told you to kill; so we are not responsible for the consequences.”

“Will you hand me over to the king’s men if the things come to that pass?”

“We won’t. But we won’t be able to do anything to save you,” said his wife.

“Then will you stand by and see me die?”

“I am sorry, but what else can we do?” She asked.

Valmiki stepped out of the house and since that day Valmiki: the dacoit: vanished from the pages of time and there was born Valmiki the sage.

The traveler who had brought about this metamorphosis, had uttered a mystic name’Rama’ in his ears. The sound of it magnetized him. It acted like a light on his path and gave him strength. How and why, he did not know.

One day, he met a man who stopped to talk to him and said, “You will write. You will write the saga of a king called Rama.”

Valmiki looked at him in astonishment.

“It’s not in me even to write a line that makes sense. I have no strength left to do anything,” said he to the man.

The man simply said, “You are going to write, pages after pages, thousands and thousands of verses. Ages will go by, but your work will continue to be read by millions of generations of humanity,” said the man.

Valmiki, who considered himself lost and defeated at the hands of life, stared in disbelief.

The quiet certainty in the man’s eyes filled him with a faith he had never known before.

“I will. I will write because I believe you,” said he.

The name Rama haunted Valmiki like the name of some long-lost beloved whose face begins to glimmer in the clouds. He would retreat in solitude to think of Rama whom he had never seen. The name generated a passionate desire to see him, know him, to feel his heart and mind. Soon he began to live with the thought of Rama. The name was transformed into a thought and the thought was transformed into energy of an unknown origin.

Valmiki came to believe in the reality of it all. He was born anew in that self-created reality. His mind became devoid of every desire other than the desire for meeting Rama. He was no longer of this world.

Gradually in his hours of solitude, he began to feel the presence of a man whose heart was a silent lake of a deep sadness, and surrounding that sadness was peace and compassion. Valmiki began to live in that peace and compassion, away from the turbid life of busy men. He began to wonder if life could be any better than this solitude which was filled with the presence of Rama.

………………

Years went by. Valmiki had no knowledge of what was happening in the world of politics and civilization. Two cultures were clashing with each other. Kings and sages were under threat of extinction from the powerful races of rakshasas, daityas and asuras. Sages were massacred, people subjugated. Kings were unable to protect sages.

One day, Valmiki met the same holy man who had prophesied that Valmiki was to write the saga of king Rama. Till that day, Valmiki had not written a single word to that effect.

The holy man gave him a smile of assurance. He said, “The saga is ready. It has been enacted. It is waiting to be told. Unless you immortalize it in poetry, it will be forgotten. But I can see; its destiny is ordained now. I am an ordinary bard who narrates the facts of the lives of kings and queens. Today I will recite to you the story of the king Rama. Mind you, I will present mere facts; but you are going to transform them into a perennial epic. Valmiki listened to the story in amazement. For hours together, the holy man spoke and Valmiki listened, internalizing the story of his beloved Rama, who had indeed been crowned the king of Ayodhya after a long ordeal of unimaginable suffering.

When the holy man had uttered the last word, there was a peaceful silence. The holy man reclined in his seat and said to Valmiki, “Hereafter your mission begins. Bring this story to life and let the world know it. Valmiki fell at the feet of the holy man. A wave of sublime beauty engulfed him all around.

The holy man raised him up. “Let this knowledge not escape your understanding. Enter into it with all your soul. Reality is far deeper than facts. Enter that reality which is lying beyond facts. Go to the secret which my recitation of facts points to but does not divulge.”

Valmiki listened intently. The holy man continued, “I started off my narration from a place and a point of time. You have to take this saga beyond the limits of an epoch. Let your mind range over every possible thought and feeling experienced by humanity. Let the friend himself in the foe. Let the rival unite with the claimant. Let everyone see his own self in the other. Let your discourse be disengaged from all will to power: the will to possess: the will to engender blame and hence guilt in your listener. Let it be a story of infinite patience and sharing”.

The holy man got up to take leave of Valmiki.

“You have entrusted me with an impossible task. I don’t think, it’s in me to bring it to fulfillment,” said Valmiki.

The holy man said, “You don’t have to strive. A time will come when you will find a peaceful marriage of the right word with the right thought. Do not have any preoccupation right now. A tree does not fall where and when we expect it to fall. But it’s ready to fall.”

Valmiki looked at the holy man with disbelief.

“I have not received any schooling in grammar. I’ve never been in the company of scholars. You have entrusted me with an impossible task. You have very high expectations of me: a less than an ordinary man who has been spending life in the wilderness of this forest!” said Valmiki.

“Who told you that language always follows scholars? The task I see ahead of you needs a heart that is all-embracing. You are self-taught. Your penance and solitary self-reflection will raise you above all those who claim to know the secret of language.”

The holy man thought it unnecessary to answer any further questions. He took leave of Valmiki and went the way he came.

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