Raghuvamsam -7 (E)
Raghuvamsam-VII
(Written by:Santhipriya)
Dasaratha cursed
Self disciplined Dasaratha who succeeded Ayan, ruled his folks
in righteous glory spreading his power wide and wise subduing his foes in the nobler
manner. As Ayan’s worthy son, he lead
his thunderous army to nooks and corners of the world, as the boundaries of his
Kingdom kept on expanding with the happier
folks everywhere including the territories conquered held no illness in heart on him. In the
climate of peace, as the years rolled over, Dasaratha espoused Kausalya virtuous daughter of King Kosala, Kaikeyi, and
Sumithra virtuous daughters of Kings of Kekaya and Magadha, and lead happier
life with his partners but fate raised
its ugly head in Dasaratha’s life at one point of time.
In the season of spring when new born flowers deck the earth,
deeply passionate Kings in hunting spree reach out to the Jungles when stray
animals roam in woods where the earth put as her robes fresh green while the
forest trees blossoming and budding amid the whistles of flowing
rivers that add up natures' beauty. On one such season, King Dasaratha armed
with men, forest dogs and hunter’s net
reached out to the jungle in hunters joy. Welcomed and watched by the Gods in
jungle, thunderous bowstring of Dasaratha twanged deadly arrows quickly chocking
yawning and yelling throats of soft and fierce animals wherever spotted. As
the enthralled King’s hunting spree continued, for a short while the hunter
team rested under a tree, when gurgling sound of an elephant as if it was
quenching its thirst drew the attention
of Dasaratha sat far away from the sight of the sound. Quick raised Dasaratha, sharp shooter on
target and whose skill is unmatched on earth, released an arrow from the bowstring,
sharply hitting the target from where the sound came. ‘Oh, father’ rang a cry and grief struck
Dasaratha rushed on to the site to find its source, a young lad in teens lay in
reeds pierced by his arrow. In faltering tongue, the mortally wounded boy, with
a jarful of water lying by his side pleaded with folded hands ‘Oh, King, I am carrying the jar of water to
quench the thirst of my blind parents whom I carry on my shoulder as they
cannot travel of their own. Please rush to them with this jar of water and
quench their thirst'. The boy instantly
fell lifeless.
Shocked Dasaratha quickly carried the martyr son along with
the jar of water to the blind parents and on behalf of their son offered the
jar of water to drink without rehearsing the dreadful hap in which he
unwittingly slayed their son. Unconvinced that a stranger, in the absence of
their son offering the water, the blind couple were determined not to quench
their thirst unless their son offered it with his own hand. Unable to convince
them, Dasaratha had no option but to reveal his identity and rehearse the
dreadful hap in which he unwittingly slayed their son and sought their pardon
to the unwitting act. The blind parents broke down and sobbed uncontrollably
before breathing last, but not before releasing a vengenceful curse “Oh, King,
when age comes on you, like how you have thrust grief on us by
slaying our son, so shall you too shall grieve by your offspring'. Meekly absorbing the doom, childless then, King Dasaratha paid last tributes to the blind
parents and sorrowfully conducted the final rites before retiring back to his
palace.
Long ruled the King for sixteen
years in fadeless splendor, yet to pay the debt he owed for the curse he
gained no son till then. As he was left with
no issue, he yearned for a worthy son and began the rite ‘Puthrakameshwara Yahya', a sacrifice done to beget an offspring, lest
he shall be doomed to remain debtor ever
for starving his sires in non performing
annual religious rituals (In Sanskrit it is called
‘Srartha Ceremony’) due to them.
When things were underway as thus, there far away in pearl of
ocean, flashing his arms and feet bedecked with gems of heaven, the Supreme in
radiance, seated on Snake Shesha woke up from sleep on fate of decree to heal agonized Gods in heaven, vexed by an Asura Ravana. ‘Hail Thee Omnipotent’ shouted the demi Gods
and prostrated before the Supreme to lament that they were sunk in the wave of Rakshasas from Giant
demon Ravan, who not only stilled their supreme
sacrifices and austere rites but also choked their hymns and toils, and bent on
annihilating the demi gods from heaven. ‘Our torments are monstrous’ yelled the
demi Gods before the Supreme, and sought his intervention to annihilate the
predators. The Supreme consoled them, his voice rose above the thunderous roar
of ocean 'Demi Gods, dismay no more and resume
calm in mind. I am fully aware of the
torments of the Rakshasas who disturb, torture and smit down all of your
glorious might. In ages past, Ravan won
several boons from Lord Brahma who pleased with his austere rites granted them,
one decree being that he shall not fall dead by heavenly race, but shall demise
by only the act of a human. It is doomed
that I shall have to therefore incarnate as Dasaratha’s son, for he is longing
for one right away and performing a Yahya, and once I am born a human from the
womb of his spouse, Ravana’s annihilation shall be for sure to happen at my
hands.
Soon, there at the Yahya site, the rites which Dasaratha
performed to win an offspring reached the end, out from the alter fire there
appeared a divine form with a pot in hand and proclaimed ‘this nectar drink if your wives drink, your parched longing shall find
blossoming trees'. Quick was the response by Dasaratha who received and rushed
with the nectar pot to offer it to all three wives, none of whom too wasted no
time to drink it. In the next ten months
in waiting they offered off springs like Rama from Kausalya, Bharatha from
Kaikeyi and Lakhman and Sathrughana from Sumithra. While Rama and Lakshman remained
natural allies, Bharatha and Sathrughana were the other pair though all the four
grew in fostering care of parents revealing in the passing period all kinds of
disciplines and self restraint needed for royal kids.
........continued /8
கருத்துகள்
கருத்துரையிடுக