|
Continued from yesterday’s instalment
The  speech of Lakshmana that we referred to yesterday, advising Rama that there was no point in sending an emissary to Ravana at such an advanced stage, might show him impudent, if not imprudent. It is not that he differed with Rama in many matters. If he had his own opinion about anything, he never hesitated to express it; but never persisted in trying to make Rama see his point of view, excepting in instances where Rama needed his moral support.
If one observes carefully it will be very clear that Lakshmana normally does not interfere in matters when Rama handles them, directly. One example is the very important turning point in the story, namely, Vibishana
saranagathi. When Vibishana walks in, Rama just puts the question of whether to accept him or not, to the assembly in general. “The advice which has been tendered by Sugriva (the king of monkeys) regarding Vibishana (Ravana’s youngest half-brother) is extremely reasonable and has been heard by you (too). It is always desirable for one who is intelligent and capable of judgment and seeks the lasting good of one’s near and dear ones to express one’s (honest) opinion on knotty points in regard to duty.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Canto XVII, Sloka 32-33)
‘This is a knotty situation and it is necessary for me to know the opinion of all. I call upon everyone here who is intelligent and capable of judgment and who is interested in the welfare of all of us to express their opinion. What am I to do now?’ This is a very general question that is put to all who is present in the assembly. The scene is not very different in Kamban either.
‘ivan kaip pugar paalanO kazhiyar paalanO’. ‘Is he to be accepted or rejected,’ Rama puts the question open and at the same time keeps it very short. And we see one after the other all the Chiefs in the army of Sugriva like Jambavan, Nila, etc., and even juniors in the Vanara army Angada, Sarabha, Mainda, and others coming forward to tender their opinion, voluntarily and quickly, one after the other.
There and only two in the assembly who do not volunteer their opinion. One is Hanuman and the other is Lakshmana.
‘karuththu en seppu ena neRi tharu maaruthi ennum nEr ilaa aRivanai nOkkinaan.’ ‘What is your opinion? Make it known to us!’ Rama told Hanuman, who is unequalled in wisdom and Hanuman then narrates his personal experience in Lanka. He is in fact the only one who feels that Vibishana has to be accepted; but leaves the decision to Rama. ‘I don’t know what you have in mind,’ he submits.
 And now there is only one voice that remains to be heard and that voice remains unheard. This is something very striking. Sometimes absence is more conspicuous than presence. This is one such instance. Lakshmana doesn’t speak throughout the discussion nor does Rama seek his opinion. Rama, in the above Sloka of Valmiki, has invited all who is ‘intelligent and capable of judgment,’ and more importantly, ‘whoever is interested in the common good,’ to express his opinion. These attributes, without doubt, include Lakshmana in every single and little detail. And why would Lakshmana remain silent!
Actually, there was no need for Rama to ask him to speak. He knew very well that if Lakshmana does not speak, it really means that he has already read his mind and is in agreement with him. Otherwise, it is not possible for anyone to silence him! If he was silent, it means only one thing, ‘He is in agreement with Rama,’ and nothing else. There are so many other instances similar to this one in the Ramayana. In almost all the places, we see Lakshmana, who is the closest to the heart of Rama, remaining silent when Rama handles matters directly. Not for nothing Lakshmana is known as
‘iLaya perumaaL’ the younger Lord.
The incident that we narrated yesterday is just an example that Lakshmana rarely differed with Rama and when he differed, he never hesitated from saying so.
More follows...
Published on 04th April 2002
Hari
Krishnan
Index
| Next Article
|
|
