SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI (ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿರಚಿತ “ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ ಅರ್ಥವಿವರಣೆ)

    SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI

(ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿರಚಿತ “ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ ಅರ್ಥವಿವರಣೆ)

 Sri Raghavendraru has not spelt the name of Manthara in this stanza. He has mentioned the “evil deeds” committed by her, though all her actions were designed and determined by the Lord to help him in accomplishing the task for which this incarnation of Sri Rama was undertaken by Lord Vishnu. Sri Rayaru has mentioned “Kaikeyee preetihEtOho” to symbolically mention her name.

  Ashwapati, the king of Kekaya kingdom, was a very pious and virtuous king. His daughter was equally good and virtuous. As a token of that similarity in character and attitude of his daughter, she became popular as Kaikeyee. This aspect has been mentioned by stating “KEkayasya apatyam stree KaikEyee”, which means “most deserving daughter of the king of Kekaya kingdom”. The last vowel “yee” in her name means ‘wealth’ in Sanskrit and by addressing her as “KaikEyee” he has indicated “KaikEyyAha yee preetihi KaikEyee preetihi”, which means the “obsession she had for wealth”.

  However, a question arises in this context. How can a virtuous and worthy woman develop such ‘insatiable’ desire for wealth? Therefore, ‘KaikEyee preetihEtOho” is further disjoined as ‘KakEyeepritEhe hEtuhu tasyAha’, which means ‘a person who induced Kaikeyee to long for wealth’. With this expression, Sri Rayaru has deftly indicated that the mind of worthy Kaikeyi was corrupted by Manthara with insane thoughts and unwarranted desire to usurp the throne of Ayodhya in favour of her son Bharata.

The same expression indicates the two boons that Dasharatha had promised her. Once, a fierce battle broke out between deities and demons. Dasharatha participated in that war on the side of deities. Due to her love of her husband, Kaikeyi drove the chariot for Dasharatha in that great war. During the course of the battle, a wheel axel fell off and there was a danger of the chariot breaking down. That would have proved fatal to Dasharatha. Kaikeyi placed her right hand in place of the wheel axel and saved the life of Dasharatha. He immediately offered two boons to her. But, she said that she had only done her duty as a beloved wife and that she would take those boons ‘whenever she needed in the future’. This instance simply signifies the true and natural love that Dasharatha and Kaikeyi shared between each other as husband and wife. The expression ‘KaikEyee preetihEtOho” is very significant as the natural love between husband and wife can be understood in subsequent conversations between Kaikeyi and Dasharatha, as much as between Rama and Kaikeyi, Rama and Seetha, Rama and Lakshmana, Bharata and his messenger and so on. In all these conversations, the focal point has been the ‘two boons’ that Kaikeyi was enticed to demand by Manthara. Although the inhabitants of Ayodhya had to suffer due to those boons, the inhabitants of dense forests, Rishis, ascetics, Munis and saints, were blessed with the arrival of Sri Rama in their midst, which was destined to destroy the demons. The deities and Rishis also ‘indirectly induced’ Kaikeyi to demand those boons.

The usage of “Sasahaja nrupajaha” in this stanza is very significant and pregnant with meaning. Sri Rayaru has indicated with this conjunctive expression the ‘natural love between two brothers, Lakshmana and Rama,

and between Sri Rama and Seetha Devi’. Kshatriya women are normally courageous and Seetha exhibits that courage, the natural courage of Kshatriyas, by boldly following her husband into the forest.

“Shrutajanakagatihi” point to the demise of Dasharatha, the father (Janaka).

The discussion on IV stanza will begin from the next episode. Please read, comment and share. SDN