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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 Aldous Huxley in his introduction to Perennial Philosophy said, “The Perennial Philosophy is primarily concerned with the one divine Reality substantial to the manifold of things, lives and minds. But the nature of this one Reality is such that it cannot be directly and immediately apprehended except by those who have chosen to fulfil certain conditions, making themselves loving, pure in heart and pure in spirit.”
Well, Guha was one such person who fulfilled all the conditions that Huxley speaks of. That was why the Lord was close to him. Please note that we have not mentioned that Guha was close to the Lord. It was the other way about. Rama when replying to Guha’s request speaks as if he were speaking to a child. The verse reads like the excuse that a father would give to his child, giving some promise to postpone avoiding immediate commitment.
‘annalum adhu keLaa agam nirai aruL mikkaan.’ Rama heard his request, and his mind was filled with compassion.
‘veN nira nagai seidhaan.’ He smiled.
‘veera ninuzhai yaam puNNiya nadhi aadi, punidharai vazhipadu utru, eNNiya sila naaLil kurughdhum inidhu.’ My dear brave man! I have a few things to do. I have to go and have my holy dip in waters in different places and I have to meet sages, fall at their feet and get their blessings. I will come back to you and stay with you in a few days, when I come back.’
‘eNNiya sila naaLil.’ In a few days. There is a pun on the use of the word
‘eNNiya.’ It means to count. Count the days. I would come back in a few days. It also means, ‘to think, to decide.’ I will come back to you at the end of the ‘few days’ that I have thought of staying in the forest, at the end of which I sure will come and stay with you.
It sounds strange that Rama uses an intended pun in order to pacify this hunter. This was something that he never did in any other circumstance. His words were always straight and set very clear - excepting perhaps on one other occasion, in his conversation with Surpanakha, when he was in a playful mood when the ogress grew lusty about him.
 Rama is not able to say ‘no’ to the request of Guha. He could say that to Sugriva and also Vibishana when they requested him to come to their palaces. ‘I am under a vow to live in the forest for specified number of years. I am not supposed to enter any city during this time. I am therefore not able to come there,’ was his clear and firm response to both. The reader would recall that it was Lakshmana who presided over the coronation of both Sugriva and Vibishana and consecrated them to the throne.
Why would Rama not be so firm with Guha? Why could he not show the same firmness that he showed to Sugriva and Vibishana? Once again we have to recall the words of Tagore. “Here is thy footstool and there rest thy feet where live the poorest, lowliest and lost.” His compassion runs deeper when he is with the poorest, lowliest and the lost.
More follows...
Hari Krishnan
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