SEETALRAMA, THE
CHAMPION OF PRAJAADHARMA AND WOMEN LIBERATION
(Compilation for a discourse by N.R.
Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, November 2019)
It is customary to teach Ramayana as Purana
in Baal Vhaar schools and similar religious classes and also enact it as a
drama or ballet. But Ramayana is considered as Itihasa (iti+ha+sa) meaning it happened so in Sanskrit, that means
a true history. Today researchers have clearly established Rama and Krishna
were historic figures as avatars and really ruled over the lands called
Aryavarta. But does India teaches children the True History of India or focus
on the Rama-Sita Rajya of Aryavarta? The
answer is no, they do not know what the true history is!
According to the Puranas Suryavamsa or the Solar dynasty or the
Ikshvaku dynasty is an ancient and one of the oldest dynasty of India. The
sun god Surya, also known as Vivasvan is considered the primogenitor of Suryavamnsa
and his son Vaivasvata Manu is the
progenitor of humanity according to the Hindu texts. However, it was the
magnanimous King Ikshvaku of the ancient Kingdom of Kosala who became the first Emperor
or the universal ruler when he conquered far distant lands of Aryavarta and established a formidable
empire. Thus, the dynasty derived his name and was also called Ikshvaku dynasty
lord Rama belonged to the Suryavamsa or Ikshvaku dynasty. Twenty-two out of the
twenty-four Jain Tirtnkaras belonged to this dynasty. According to the Buddhist texts, Prince
Siddharta belonged to this dynasty. The dynasty is also known as Raghuvamsa or
Raghu-kula because of King Raghu who was the great grandson of Ikshavaku and
great grandfather of Lord Rama. Okkaka in Pali is equivalent to Sanskrit
Ikshvaku. Okkaka was a king in Saka dynasty.
Ramayana can be more appropriately
called as Sitopaakhyana or Saga of Sita than Saga of Rama or Book of Dharma as
Rama’s focus was more on Prajaadharma and Manava Dharma than A Ballard of Rama.
I have elaborately talked on the grand celebration of Sitakalyanam and the present day tradition of
Sitarama Kalyanotsva in temples and
sanctums. Tamils do not fail to sing “Sita kalyaname vaibhogame” in all weddings.
Why
do I call popular Sitarama as Seetalrama. Rama was cold to Sita. Seetal means cold. Even though he was a champion of
rehabilitating abused, distressed and
down trodden woman in society with dignity and grace as a king devoted to
Manava dharma he was indifferent to Patni-dharma and in
the end abandoned Sita who completely
shattered and broken down gave up her ghost early in her prime of life while Rama ruled over
Ayodhya for more than 10000 years solely devoted to Prajaa Dharma.
Why
Rama abandoned chaste Sita while pregnant has caught the attention of
many. In spite of having
very many Yogas Rama could not escape the consequences or the trials and
tribulation, a human is likely to face. Mars in 7th house gave Kuja dosha (defect) in
his horoscope that his parents neglected while marrying Sita resulted separation in married life despite a powerful Jupiter aspect in his 7th
house. His wife was loyal and virtuous but a victim of circumstances. She was
doubted even after fire-entering testimony, abandoned when pregnant and
was not welcomed back and so gave up her ghost after a short happy
married life as queen while Rama ruled as a king for 10000 years focused
on Dharma! He is only a Venkata Raman to his devotees
which name is popular among Tamils but remained Sankata Raman to his devoted
chaste wife.
Let me reproduce here the thoughts of Chaitanya Charan Das, A Spirituality and Science think-tank on the topic why Rama abandoned a noble and virtuous woman Sita based on his conjectured suspicions and political gossips of a washer-man without proper investigation though a king responsible for imparting proper justice to his citizens and weaker section of society, if not to a beloved wife as sahadharmani who is known for her Pativrata dharma!
“That crucial question has bugged me
for years. Yes, I have heard of all the plausible arguments in favor of democracy
and public opinion and how Rama really loved Sita but had to do it for the love
of Duty etc. None of this made sense. Indeed, which part of Dharma
Shastra would allow him, as a caring King and a loving husband to abandon a
pregnant woman?
This is particularly galling when you
consider that this is the same Rama that helped rehabilitate the sagely
Ahalyaji. In Ahalya’s case, here we have a woman who has been raped under
the guise of Indra pretending to be her husband. She is than duly abandoned
by Rishi Gautam and cursed in the bargain! How unfair is
this? To be raped and cursed for being raped! To punish a victim
for crimes committed against them is unfair and unreasonable in any
society. Yes, Rishi Gautam felt hurt and betrayed, but there was no reason
to take it out on his innocent wife! He even protested that she must have
known the difference between her husband and someone pretending to be the same
– so surely, she is guilty!!
Ahalyaji was raped in the darkest part
of the night – just before pre-dawn, at a time when her husband was out and
about to take the morning bath in the river. There is no way she could
have known in that light if it was Rishi Gautam or not. Only the rishi's
macho-manliness required him to punish the culprits and in his rage, he cursed
the innocent as well as the guilty.
Condemned by her husband, Ahalya lived
unacknowledged, unwelcome, in an ashram full of people that should have been
compassionate to her. She lived so ignored by the community, that she
might as well as have been a stone. Hence the reference to Ahalya as shalya –
stone.
Rama felt the injustice of the sentence
passed by society on an innocent woman. Woman condemned by her aggressor
and her peers. A woman who had no way to redress the system that had wronged
her so badly, had someone who was at the pinnacle of the system to stand up for
her. Rama stood by her. That scion of Raghuvamsa, descendant of
Surya, prince of the clan of Bhagiratha. He came to stand beside
the woman no one wanted to know. Once he stood by her, everyone was bound
to re-examine their own stance.
Rama was a great prince. His
association with Ahalyaji would propel her cause, the cause of all wronged
women, into the lime light. It would set an example of how compassion and
kindness should replace coldness of social
pariah. He brought her out of social exile and had her reunited with her
family. This was an act of great compassion for a young prince, not even married
yet!
He also ate with Sabari, the
aboriginal. No one would sit and eat, let alone have any social
relationships with the tribal people living in the deepest, darkest jungles of
India. Rama did. He not only sought them out, he made them feel at
ease with him –with this act of participation Sabari could establish herself as
a sagely woman of great wisdom. Once accepted by the illustrious student
of Vashishtha and Vishvamitra, everyone began to seek her out!
Let us not forget, he fought the high
caste Brahmin’s court, that of Ravana and not the non-Aryan community
in-between. Rakshasas are born of a sage and are the step brothers
of Yakshas. Yet Rama fought them with the help of Vanaras. He made
the Vanaras – people whom the Aryans considered to be little more evolved than
monkeys, his blood brothers and brought them into the main stream of the
society.
Rama helped yet another woman regain
her social standing – Tara – queen of Kishkindha during the rule of Vali and
Sugriva. Though initially wedded to Sugriva, she was later commandeered
by Vali and later returned to Sugriva.
She had a son – Angada - during her
time with Vali and Rama promised to make sure he would not suffer politically
or socially during the rule of Sugriva. Rama made sure Angada was
made the crown-prince and Tara restored to the position of queen and future
queen-mother. The laws and rules of the Vanara community were respected –
Tara’s forced change of marital partner was the way tribal communities ruled
and some still do.
Rama, by supporting Angada, introduced
progressive ideas in Aryan and Vanara societies and encouraged ideas of
compassion. Under normal circumstances, it seems, Angada would have died
as the off-spring of the old enemy and Tara would have had to swallow that pain
in the name of social order. No more. Rama showed that Tara had no
choice in her situation and the society should treat her with compassion and
understanding.
After the defeat of Ravana, the mortal
enemy of Rama, Mandodari, his chief queen, comes out to grieve over her
unfaithful husband. This was a man who had a roving eye and kidnapped
many women to satisfy his lust. Mandodari, as his first wife, was secure
in her position, but, powerless to restrain him. Her security came from
being the first to wed him, and the first to give him valiant sons as heirs,
but her powerlessness came from knowing her husband was a lustful man who knew
no restraint. Being the super power of his time, he knew no one would
stand up to him.
He took what he wanted, when he wanted,
from where he wanted. If the gods could not restrain him, how could
Mandodari? Rama recognized this. Why should she be punished for his
avarice? He called off her a Sati, and honored her as a paragon of the
virtue of patience. He gave her the honors due to the widow of the fallen
warrior. Rama made sure Mandodari was not vilified for the sins of her
husband and sons”.
Rama followed the rule of dharma unlike
Krishna whatever the outcome may be! Krishna was more result oriented. He often
circumvent dharma to achieve end-results of Dharma! Krishna only said sreyaan svadharme niratah, it is good to
follow one’s dharma and did not make it mandatory. Rama on the other hand
killed Sambuka for leaving his Dharma and indulging in other’s dharma. Rama did
also mistakes in following Dharma. He killed Vali hiding. He cheated the
citizens of Ayodhya that followed him with hope, he neglected Rajadharma,
succumbed to “Pitruvakya paripalana”
(fulfilling his father’s promise) while making Kausalya miserable, as neglects in the name of Dharma that were pointed
out sage Jabali whom he censured!
With this background let me bring to your
knowledge the narration of Valmiki on
the course taken by Rama in the final
abandonment of Sita after waiting for
the birth of Lava and Kusa after making her Queen of Ayodhya for a
short while. Ever suspicious he reluctantly accepted her after she proved her
chastity by fire-test to complete another Rajadharma. He needed a progeny to
keep the continuity of Raghu dynasty. He was also devoted to Ekapatni
vrata--one wife and one wife to live. He
was familiar with Vedic mantra Prajananam
paramam vadanti -procreation is sought after by salvation seekers. So when she was pregnant he abandoned her
with a thoughtful and compassionate planning that a pregnant
woman needs rest in a peaceful and divine atmosphere.
Rama did not rush to Sita when he
killed Ravana and won the battle. He asked Vibhishana to bring her acting like
a king and not a loving husband. Vibhishana brought her in a palanquin and informed
Rama about her arrival as he did not want to present her to public without
Rama’s consent, a matter if etiquette.
Rama then says:
visrijya
sibikam tasmaat pdbyamevaasarpasu |sameepe mama vaidehiee pasyanvete vanaukasah
||
Leaving the palanquin let Sita seek my
presence on foot alone. Let these monkeys have a look at the princess of the
Videha kingdom. [Such a harsh statement should sadden anyone. When Sita walked with her head bent down
Lakshmana and Hanuman were shocked!]
tato
lakshmanasugreevo hanumamscha plavangamah| nisamya vaakyam ramasya
babhoovurvyathitaa bhrisam ||
Lakshamana, Sugriva as well as Hanuman
thereupon felt greatly distressed to hear the order of Sri Rama. From his stern
gestures, which were lacking any concern or regard for his beloved consort Sita
[while in the past he was expressing repeatedly his pangs of love to
Lakshmana whining all the time) they
concluded Rama to be displeased with
Sita. If they too think so what about us!]
Then, suspecting the character of Sita
Sri Rama repudiates her and asks her to seek shelter elsewhere addressing her
in the presence of all to seek shelter elsewhere boasting about his
manliness:
adya
may paurusham drishtamadya may saphalam sramah | adya
teernapratijnoham prabhavaamyadya chaatmanah ||
Today my manliness has been witnessed,
today my exertion has become fruitful, today I have fulfilled my vow and today
I am master of myself! [Though often called gem among men (purushottama) Rama
as a human being and warrior was full of ego who indulged in self boasting taking credit all for himself for what was a Team-work! Compare the modesty of Hanuman
and the sacrifice of Sita! Valmiki though openly did not revolt could not stop himself
giving an expression to it.]
The climax of this inhuman treatment
for a woman who suffered a lot accompanying him to the forest, fighting for her
chastity under hopeless circumstances, is revealed in the following sloka:
viditaschastu
bhadram te yo ayam ranaparisramah
suteernah suhridaam veeryaanna svadartham mayaa kritah
||
This was, however done by me in order
to vindicate my good conduct and wipe off the obloquy coming to me from all
sides as the stigma on my illustrious House.
[Notice the I-ness here and his family pride! Why did he not make any
reference to the more famous Janaka family?]
praptacharitrasandeha
mama pratimukhe sthitaa|
deepo
netraaturasyevapratikoolaasi may hridaa ||
Standing un-bashed before me, even
though suspicion has arisen with regard to your character, you are extremely
disagreeable to me, even as a light to one who
is suffering from sore eyes.
kah
pumamstu kule jaatah striyam parigrihoshitaam |
tejasvee
punaraadadyaat shrullobhena chetasaa ||
What man of spirit and born in a noble
family for his part would take back with an eager mind a woman who has dwelt in
another’s house?
tad
gaccha taanujaane adya yatheshtam
janakaatmaje |
etaa
dasa diso bhadre karyamasti na may svayaa ||
Therefore go wherever you like, O
Janaka’s daughter, I grant you leave to do so this very day. All the ten
directions (I detailed) are open to you. [He does not even address to her as
his wife but as daughter of Janaka!]
Tadadya
vyaahritam bhadre msayaita krita buddhinaa | lakshmane vaatha bharate kuru
buddhi yathaasukham | satrughne vaatha sugreeve
raakshase vaa vibheeshane |
nivesaya manah seete yathaa vaa sukhamaatmanah ||
(Asserting his authority as a king and champion of Kshatriya Dharma he
commands) Hence this utterance has been
made by me today, resolved as I am to act accordingly. Set your mind on
Lakshmana or even on Bharata according to your pleasure. Nay fix your mind on
Satrughna or even the ogre, Vibhishana, O Sita, or do as it pleases your mind.
Nahi
tvaam raavano drishtvaa divyaroopaam manoramaam |
marshayeta
chira seete svagrihe paryavasthitaam ||
“Seeing you who are endowed with a
charming exterior, and are endowed with so soul-ravishing, detained in his abode,
Ravana could not have endured your separation for long, O Sita”[ if Rama could
go to that low level of gossip why blame the illiterate washer-man later who indulged in a gossip
heard by Rama after the crowning ceremony and when she was pregnant sent away in a clandestine manner as to fulfil her desire
to visit hermitage of Valmiki ordering Lakshmana again? How can he ask other
married people to accept her while he is portrayed as champion of
Ekapatnivratas-- one life to live devoted to a single wife unlike his father
and other kings of the day?
With a taunting reply, Sita undergoes a
fire-ordeal in order to prove her conjugal fidelity.
She entered fire with this Public
Announcement completely devastated by the
aspersion cast on her character that Rama was also listening
yathaa
may hridayam nitayam naapasarpati raaghavaat |yathaa lokasya saakshee maam sarvatah
paa tu paavakah|| yathaa maam suddha chaaritraam dushtaam jaanaati
raaghavah | tathaa lokasya saakshee maam
sarvatah paatu paavakah ||Karmanaa manasaa vaacha yathaa naati charaamyaham | raaghavam sarvadharmajnyam tathaa maam paatu paavakah || aadityo
bhagawaan vaayurdisacchadrasthataiva cha | adrischapi tathaa sandhye raatrischa
prithivee tathaa | yathaanyepi vijaananti tathaa charitra samyutam ||
“As my heart never turns away from Sri Rama, so may the god
of fire, the witness of the world protect me on all sides. Since Rama charges
me with adultery, though of unimpeachable conduct, let the god of fire, the
witness of the world under such circumstances, protect me on all sides. In as
much as I have never been unfaithful in act, thought and speech to Sri Rama,
who is the Champion of all Dharma,
let the god of fire in that case afford protection to me! Since the glorious
sun-god, the wind-god, the four quarters and even so the moon-god, as also the
deity presiding over day time, the twilight and the night as also Mother Earth
and others too likewise know me to be richly
endowed with good character, let
the god of fire protect me!” [Look at the dedication to her husband and appreciation as
Champion of Dharma though she stands accused of blasphemy appealing to all gods
to testify through the medium of fire as to her chastity. With all these proofs
listening to the hearsay of a washer-man Sita was abandoned without even
cross examining Washer-man who might have not been aware of this severe test
she took. How can he ignore all this and deny her the justice as a
woman if not as his wife. Let us look at his act of Dharma on
other woman who were in distress; that he denied to Sita who gave up her ghost
entombed in the earth as he witnessed.
First we have Ahalya, a woman punished
for being the victim of some one’s lust! We than have a woman, Shabri, punished
for being born in the “wrong cast” Another, Tara, was the victim of political
and social powers beyond her. Yet
another, Mandodari, feared being ostracized for being the wife of a villain. Rama
stood by all of these women. Not only that, he supported them and
helped them being rehabilitated into the society. So this is the
history of Rama as the Champion of
Kshatriya Dharma!
Why would such a kind, compassionate,
inclusive, progressive person punish his own innocent wife with exile who then
gave up her ghost exhausting all means to lead a happy married life and met
with a pre-matured death while he continued to live happily as a King enjoying Dharma for 10000
years? I believe his son Lava also did
not live with him but was the celebrated King of Lavapuri which is the present day Lahore named after him. Perhaps he was the king of whole
present day Pakistan. May be it is the curse of
Sita that split India to India
and Pakistan later as it happened while
she entered Mother Earth devastated as it
got split and welcomed her to take into her bosom! While India is Rama Bhumi
celebrated today Pakistan is the Sita Bhumi we lost forever! Her grief is our
grief for all our generations to come! Her grief is our grief for all our generations to come!
Then
the question arises should Indians, that includes citizens of all faiths, stop
at Ayodhya Verdict or continue the fight
for the historic Sita-Rama Rajya or at least a sort of Union
with MOU for peaceful living like UNO based not on myth but True History.
That calls for rewriting true history and also start teaching at schools and also wherever Indian History is taught.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Gita Press,
Gorakhpur. India.
2.
Chaitanya Charan Das, Why Rama abandoned Sita
in her Pregnancy? Internet.
3.
Wikipedia,
Internet.
5.
Ayodhya Verdict by Supreme Court of
India, November 2019.
APPENDIX
SATYAMEVA JAYATE HISTORIC BUT NOT PURANIC;AYODHYA VERDICT CALLS FOR TRUE HISTORY
(E-mail sent to HR Forum Participants on November 13, 2019 )
I am
not a Hindu but a Vedantin. Rama was also not a Hindu for the word
Hindu did not exist then and he was Aryaputra of Aryavarta, a vast
stretch of land ruled by Dharma after his conquest celebrated by Rajasooya
Yajna with all participation. Rama caught in confusion in ruling with Dharma
unlike Lord Krishna also historic figure bought lot of misery to himself and
also inflicted on Sita. Please wait for my forthcoming topic “Sheetal
Rama, the Champion of Prajaa Dharma” Present Ayodhya Verdict is
on the ancient Kingdom of Ramarajya and its king Rama whom they
worshiped and built temples as they do today to Sai Baba who is also
considered as Non-Muslim of no religious concept by Hindus! The verdict
was over the building of a mosque over this ancient historic temple which
were excavated that provided evidence of history. The court verdict is
also a directive not to teach false history, establish true history and
teach true history.
Settling
a fractious issue that goes back more than a century, the Supreme Court in a
historic verdict on Saturday backed the construction of a Ram temple by a
government trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and ruled that an alternative
five-acre plot must be found for a mosque in the Hindu holy town. The central
government had acquired the land of 67 acers including the disputed site in
1991. Directed by the Central Government, Uttar Pradesh Government has started
the process of identifying alternative sites in and around Ayodhya for the
proposed mosque: "We have been asked to find the land for
mosque at prominent and attractive place." This is obligatory as a
mosque was destroyed that was constructed on a wrong site knowingly or
unknowingly later. Since the land belongs to Central Government it should
settle the issue in a manner that will promote Indian National integration not
as an issue of Hindus or Muslims. Even Christians should join the melting pot
and think of national Integration being Indians. They should not forget that
four Christians strengthened the hands of Ismail Jinnah who was
fighting for an integrated Pakistan like India with Muslim majority
with total support of minority Christians and Hindus for the then historic
decision of Partition. They all should think of a secular State like USA.
Historically if India is Ramabhumi and Rama was its earliest ruler.
Pakistan and beyond were Sitabhumi ruled by the earliest rulers Lava, and
Kusa who were sons of Rama. Rama is now firmly established as a historic
figure and not a Puranic myth based on archeological studies. History
confirms Lahore is named after Lava who is its earliest king. It is Rama
who was responsible for this partition. When Sita exhausted all possible venues
to unite with Rama who was one track minded on Prajadharma, she by
her power of Pativrata dharma split the land into two and entered
into it. While Rama ruled Eastern part of the Split Land from
Ayodhya that extended as far as Burma and beyond Land Lava and Kusa ruled
the Western Part. Lava ruled from Lavapuri modern Lahore who had
conquered Rama as witnessed in Asvamedha Yajna of Rama. People
later tried to unify artificially but the curse of Sita remained and finally
partition took place in 1947.
The
Kingdom of Kush was an ancient kingdom in Nubia, located at the Sudanese and southern EgyptianNile Valley. The
Kushite era of rule in Nubia was established after a century
later. During classical
antiquity, the Kushite imperial capital was located at Meroë. In early Greek geography, the Meroitic
kingdom was known as Aethiopia.
The Kingdom of Kush with its capital at Meroe persisted until the 4th century
AD, when it weakened and disintegrated due to internal rebellion. The seat was
eventually captured and burnt to the ground by the Kingdom of Aksum.
Afterwards the Nubians established the
three, eventually Christianized,
kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria and Alodia. (Wikipedia)
You
cannot say all this is a myth because the modern history of British
says Brittan conquered and ruled Indian Empire. Therefore this is
not a verdict of Rama Janma Bhumi or Babri Masjid. Indian Empire
that got split has its early history older than 10k years and
doesn't start from 712 A.D. Pakistan and INDIA should encourage thesis on
Indus/Gandhara Valley civilization and Ramarajya civilization. Even
British Indian Empire consisted of present Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma
and even Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. Laster they too got engaged in splitting and
giving away as gifts to Prince of Wales land in the process
of integrating British Isles of Ireland, Scotland and England. The
peremptory task is to establish true history jointly by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Such history researchers and students must be supported through partnership
programs at mainstream level so they could do their work in
an effective united way. That would help to live in peace but not
in pieces. Bangladesh should also join hands in braking all the artificial
walls. Religious tourism can be excellent opportunity in this regard
where Pakistan can attract Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. This
wisdom has just sprouted as reported earlier creating corridor paths to visit
holy shrines. If UNO is successfully working why not this Aryavarta
Union function with its own set of constitution and MOU?
Today
we remain divided and reunion may not be possible. Even Rama was not
compromising, separated from Sita, and split the land as two kingdoms of
Ayodhya and Lavapuri. How can we hope for such MOU with petty
minded doctrine and so called man-made religions unless we realize the
wisdom of Jagadguru Chandrasekharendra Saraswati?"
“What we call Hinduism today was the universal religion in the
past. Looking at the Practice of Hinduism in many parts of the globe there is
no question of certain things being taken from Bharat (Later British Indian
Empire) and introduced into another country. In the beginning the Vedic
Religion was prevalent all over the world. Later, over the centuries, it must
have gone through a process of change and taken different forms. These forms
came to be called the original religions of these various lands which in the
subsequent period, historical times, came under Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism,
Judaism, Christianity or Islam as the case may be". Islam means Saranagati or Self-surrender. Salam or Shalom means
Peace or Shanti, a Hindu benediction! Jehovah means “That I Am” or
Ahamasmi-- all based on Sanatana Dharma Wisdom Thoughts. Why
would such a kind, compassionate, inclusive, progressive Rama punish his own
innocent wife with exile who then gave up her ghost exhausting all means to
lead a happy married life and met with a pre-matured death while he continued to
live happily as a King enjoying
Dharma for 10000 years?
I believe his sons Lava and Kusa also
did not live with him based on historic facts above! May be it is
the curse of Sita that split India to India and Pakistan in
modern days also as we experience, while she entered Mother
Earth devastated as it got split and welcomed her to take into her bosom!
While India is Rama Bhumi celebrated today, Pakistan is the Sita Bhumi we lost
forever! Her grief is our grief for all our generations to come!
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