These days we are all flooded with information/write-ups/articles etc on different view points of Ramayana/ Mahabharata/Puranas/Chanakya Niti or anything connected with ancient culture/ sanskrit by any tom, dick and harry. Of all these, the gentleman Devdutt Patnaik, excels in the art of gibberish articles on Itihasas. One wonders whether he has adequate knowledge of sanskrit, going by the articles that he writes on Ramayana and Mahabharata and his inappropriate and incorrect interpretations of the ancient scriptures. Unfortunately, his books are the best sellers (there are others who are also in the race like Amish Tripati, Anand Neelakantan etc.). While there should be sufficient space in literary world for different view points on all literature( of course, this is restricted only to Hindu scriptures and literature and one dare not venture into anything connected with other religions. The consequence of any one venturing into those areas would bless him or her with a safe passage of an ultimate journey to the other world that will secure an actual audience with the God or Gods of those religions). Licence to write should not be misused to write anything and everything that comes to one's mind as interpretation. For instance, today's article by Devdatt in Economic Times (19.8.2017), draws a parallel between the background of Infosys corporate battle between its founder and the board, to character of Mahabharata. This article is not only shallow and very weak in content but also contains poorly drawn parallels. First of all, it is incorrect to interpret Ramayana or Mahabharata for everyday events of 21st century and keep drawing parallels to every event. While these ancient literature and works have loads of information on dharma sastra and good conduct which are meant to be followed in our daily life, the contents of these works are only used by these self styled mythologists to read into those literature from the prism of today's lifestyle. Nothing could be more misleading. Instead of being judgemental on personalities (especially where these writers lack real knowledge of sanskrit language and invariably borrow from translated versions for their works ), these modern day writers can serve better the cause of dharma by highlighting to younger generations the beauty and richness of these ancient scriptures and works including the moral values based on what our elders have left for us through their commentaries. If one keeps thinking intensely on positive values, he will imbibe only positive qualities over a period of time and if he thinks on negativities, he will only imbibe them. Constant contemplation on Lord Rama will bless one with His qualities and incessant thoughts about Ravana and his deeds will give one similar results. There is a saying in sanskrit, Yat Bhaavam, Tat Bhavati. You become that on which you contemplate. The choice is ours.
Preferably, one should read Ramayana or Mahabharata or Bhagavatam, with the help of only authentic versions of translations, commentaries of great scholars. Then one will enjoy its beauty and understand the actual meanings through proper interpretations. For instance, Sri Mahaswami of Kanchi , always used to highlight that in order to understand the real meaning of Vedas, one should have mastered the Niruktas( etymology or systematic interpretation of words occurring in Vedas.). Similarly, one requires scholarly commentaries of itihasas to understand them. Commentary of late Sri Thetihiyur Subramanya Sastrigal, on Valmiki Ramayana in tamil is quite famous like his work on Sri Shankara's Soundarya Lahiri in tamil. Sri Sastrigal, an exponent on Ramayana and Devi Upanasana, has come out with excellent interpretations of shlokas of Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, which could have been possible only due to his absolute devotion, expertise on the subject and language as also on account of his experience born out of years of Sadhana.(It is learnt that he was initiated into Sri Vidya or Devi worship by His Holiness Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Swamigal of Sringeri Mutt). We will see one example of his vast knowledge on the subject.
Sri Rama settles down in Panchavati with Sita Devi and Lakshmana. Shurpanaka, accidentally sees Sri Rama, Sri Sita and Sri Lakshmana . Looking at Sri Rama's handsome and divine form, she falls in love with him and enquires about them. Here Sage Valmiki is at his poetic best, when he describes the contrasting personalities of Sri Rama and cruel demoness Shurpanaka. He is pleasant faced, having tender waist, lotus like eyes, beautiful lock of hair, sporting magnetic personality, with a pleasant voice. He attracts everyone around. He is a handsome young man, a man of good conduct and thoughts. Contrast this with the personality of rakshasi, who is looking cruel, having protruding belly, cruel eyes, roaring terrifying voice, dishevelled hair, and frightening to look at, endowed with a deceitful talk and full of bad thoughts and bad conduct. When she enquires about them, Sri Rama, ever wedded to truth, narrates his background and how he landed up in Panchayati with his wife and brother. Then she entreats him to marry her and cast off Sri Sita. Sri Rama states that he is already wedded to Sri Sita and he cannot marry her. Instead, in a playful mood, he tells her to approach his brother, though a wedded young man, has accompanied him to forest alone and he would make an ideal companion to her. Believing in what Sri Rama said, she approaches Sri Lakshmana and entreats him with a similar request. Realising that it was a joke that Sri Rama had played on him, he in turn tells her that he himself is dependent on his brother and himself being a slave, it may not be appropriate for her to marry him and become a slave's wife. Instead she should go back to his elder brother. Lakshmana further states that his brother's wife, Sri Sita, is ugly looking, with a protruding belly, fierce looking , one who is not a Sati or Pativrata, very old in age. Naturally Sri Rama will cast his wife aside and marry Shurpanka only. This is a very comical scene in Srimad Valmiki Ramayana. Both brothers play joke on the rakshasi and relying on the words of the respective brothers to be true and not realising it was a joke played on her, she ultimately pounces on sri Sita Devi, upon which Sri Lakshmana, disfigures her by cutting her nose and ears. ( when Shurpanaka tries to pounce on Seetha Devi, Sri Rama tell his brother that it is not appropriate to joke with bad people)
Now, it apparently looks like that Sri Lakshmana uses inappropriate adjectives to describe Sri Seetha such as Viroopa(ugly looking), asatim( bad conduct),
nirnatodari (with a protruding belly), karalaa (fierce looking) and Virudda, of very old age. Though the words attributed to Sri Lakshmana, by the Sage poet, appear to be more comical than with a real intent, the doubt that naturally arises is whether Sri Lakshmana could have ever used these expressions to describe Sri Sita, whom he adores as his mother.
एनां विरुपामसतीं कराळां निर्णतोदरीम् |
भार्यां वृद्धां परित्यज्य त्वामेवैष भजिष्यति ||
Enaam Viroopamasatim Karalaam Nirnatodarim|
Bharyaam Vrudhaam Parityajya Tvaameshaiva Bhajishyati ||
(Leaving that old lady with ugly form, protruding stomach, fierce look with a bad conduct, he will take you only as wife)
Sri Thetiyur Subramanya Sastrigal by using Samasa (compound) here, peculiar to the sanskrit language, gives a different (scholarly) interpretation.
- Taking the root stem Vi, could also mean Vishishta, that is incomparable beauty or form and hence the expression Viroopa.
- A+satim could also mean "न विद्यते अन्यासती यस्याः, तां असतीं "(Na Vidhyate Anyasati yasyaaha, Taam Asatim"), there is no lady who is equal to her in Pativrata dharma,
- As per Samudrikaa Lakshana, for ladies, she has the exact height prescribed for uttama ladies or ladies of perfect form, which is indicated by the word "Karalaa"
- The usage of the word Nirnatodarim could also mean a lady with tender waist and finally
- Viruddha here means one who has knowledge or ripe knowledge.
With the usage of Samas, the actual intended meaning of Sri Lakshmana is beautifully brought out. That is the greatness of Sanskrit. Hence, while reading sanskrit texts such as these, it would be useful to go through commentaries of real scholars.
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