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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 As we saw earlier, Sita was too anxious to listen to reason. It is human nature to see some action at least, when one is impatient and is going through a trauma. When I sincerely believe that someone whom I love is in distress, I would not be able to restrain myself from rushing to his or her help! Who would not! But when my mobility is limited by circumstances, I would naturally look upon my closest and trusted next of kin to do what I would have done. And when that person does not respond to my urge, I would naturally try to push him or her into action in the direction that I desire. For, it has to be understood that I am in a state of anxiety and not in my normal mental state.
Sita was riven by the ‘anxiety state neurosis’.
‘paar ena kanal ena punal ena, pavana vaan pEr enaiththu avan muniyil pErumaal,’ says Lakshmana. What of other things, the very five elements - earth, fire, water, air and sky - would shatter if he is angered.
‘kaar enak kariya ak kamalak kaNNanai,
yaar enak karudhi iv idarin aazhkindreer?’ Who do you think Rama is and are getting immersed in this ocean of worries!
 It seem you have not quite understood who Rama is!
‘idandhu pOi nisi-sararkku iraaman evvam vandhu azhaikumE!’ Would he ever be lessened by the might of asuras? Is he incapable of vanquishing them? Even assuming that they overpower him, for a moment, do you think distressed by their might he would summon for help? In the first instance, he cannot be overpowered. In the second place, he would not call for help in a voice of distress, even if you assume that he is not able to withstand their might. He would fight to the last in such a circumstance. Who do you think Rama is, my mother?
‘…kamalak kaNNanai yaar enak
karudhi…’
Arunachala Kavirayar who composed the ‘Rama Nataka Keerthana’ was inspired by this line. The famous lyric occurring in a parallel scene in ‘Rama Nataka Keerthana’
‘yaar endru raagavanai eNNineer amma! idhai arindhu sonneerO ariyeerO neer amma!’ is just an elaboration, with the use of the very same words of above verse of Kamban. ‘What did you think of Rama! Are you uttering these words, (even after) knowing his valour or don’t you know anything about it at all, O mother mine!’
But such words do nothing but to fan the anxiety and consequently the anger of Sita. Anxiety is the mother of most of the woes. It gives birth to vain and pointless anger, which needs to be expended on some direction that one is not very sure of. It is directed - or is thought of as being directed - in one direction with some seeming purpose. But as it is born of anxiety, it never makes it mark. It may sometimes achieve the purpose that the person who uses it wants to achieve. However, it always lands the person and others around him or her in trouble. Anger born of anxiety. Righteous anger is totally different and needs to be practised. That is why Poet Bharati said
‘rowdhram pazhagu.’ But what we are seeing now is not that. This one is born of worry, baseless and unfounded, evading all logic and reason. And the effect of it?
More follows...
Published on 17th March 2002
Hari Krishnan
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