“I do not find in this world any man who can describe a fault in Him, even in His absence, be it an adversary or someone defeated.”  (Lakshmana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 21.5)

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न तं पश्याम्यहं लोके परोक्षमपि यो नरः
स्वमित्रोऽपि निरस्तोऽपि योऽस्य दोषमुदाहरेत्

na taṃ paśyāmyahaṃ loke parokṣamapi yo naraḥ
svamitro’pi nirasto’pi yo’sya doṣamudāharet

Imagine there is a person you really care about. You have known them since childhood. You grew up together. You have shared the joy in the good times and commiserated during the tragedies and the downturns. You cherish the association of this person so much that they are your top priority. When making plans for the holidays, you always consider their presence first. You have no interest in ever deviating from this loyalty, for you consider it a meager attempt at reciprocating the great fortune and honor that this person has bestowed upon you.

Imagine now that something bad happens to this person. The strike has an identifiable force. It is not merely an accident of nature, like a hurricane sweeping through an area or the onset of an unexplainable disease. Someone else wants to harm this person. That someone has a grudge, but their justification does not really make sense.

Putting aside the specifics for a moment, this person that you really care about is now set to suffer. They are taking it in stride, though. They are not bothered in the slightest. Meanwhile, you cannot believe what is happening. How is no one helping? Why is no person brave enough to intervene? Someone should say something. They should do it soon.

This begins to explain the sentiment of the bow-warrior named Lakshmana, during the historical period described in the Ramayana poem. This is a Sanskrit work composed by Maharishi Valmiki, but since the subject matter is Shri Rama, the topic is evergreen; it is transcendental in nature. Wherever there is glorification of that avatara of the Almighty, of the descent of Vishnu in the house of Raghus, there is the Ramayana.

Do we know anyone who is blameless? Even if the small community thinks they are good, we perhaps have more insight. Since we are their friend, we might say negative things about them from time to time. We complain about them to others, in confidential talks. We hold on to perceived insults. At the same time, none of this taints our actual viewpoint. We still have the utmost affection for this person.

Shri Rama was of such a high character that no one would say anything negative even in His absence. The Sanskrit word svamitra refers to a friend. On the one side you have the friend, and on the other the adversary. Rama was also a military man. He was the elder brother to Lakshmana. This means that Rama would have to face off against enemies from time to time. Surely, some of the apprehended would not think favorably of Rama.

But Lakshmana vouches for the sparkling review of character. Whether friend or foe, whether favorable or against, whether in His presence or not – no one can say anything bad about Rama. Why, then, is this punishment set to be implemented? It is like a sentence delivered by a judge who refuses the motion to suspend.

The judge in this case is the father, King Dasharatha, but the root cause is Kaikeyi, who is the youngest queen to the king. It is her desire to send Rama away, like a criminal being punished simply for the womb from which He appeared. Since Rama was born to Queen Kausalya, Kaikeyi momentarily prioritized biological affiliation in insisting upon Bharata’s ascension to the throne. Bharata was a dutiful younger brother to Rama, but Kaikeyi imposed her will while that brother was away from the kingdom.

The teaching on the surface is that no one in this world is immune to false allegations. No one can truly escape the wrath of others, who create vendettas out of thin air, without sufficient justification. Rama accepted the proposal because doing so would maintain the good name of His father. Dasharatha would continue to be known as truthful, to the extent of even punishing his own beloved son to keep a promise.

Beneath the surface, there is the limitless kindness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to descend to this world and endure such hardships. Someone like Lakshmana is devoted to the highest extent imaginable. Lakshmana cannot stand to see his brother punished in this way. He is ready to fight the battle himself, to overturn the ruling by martial law, if necessary.

If Rama goes to such lengths to uphold dharma, to show the path of righteousness in action, to prove that vairagya is not merely a theoretical concept meant to be discussed in academic circles, then perhaps I can go to similar lengths in my struggle to end the cycle of birth and death. The ideal man, with the ideal responsibilities, remaining steady in the most difficult circumstances, can rescue me, should I always think of Him.

तुलसी रामहु तें अधिक राम भगत जियऽ जान
रिनिया राजा राम भे धनिक भे हनुमान

tulasī rāmahu teṃ adhika rāma bhagata jiya’ jāna
riniyā rājā rāma bhe dhanika bhae hanumāna

“Tulsi says that Shri Rama loves His devotee more than His own life. King Rama becomes so much indebted, and the devotee becomes so rich, like Hanuman.” (Dohavali, 111)

In Closing:

Find just single person who,
With bad words Shri Rama to.

Even amongst those apprehended,
Who caught when dharma defended.

Not anything negative to say,
So why this injustice on display?

Brother of Lakshmana taking it in stride,
For His association always to strive.

Categories: memory, ramayana

Tags: dailyprompt, hare krishna, lakshmana, poem, poems, poetry, ramayana