Jai Sri Ram.
Rama avows to eliminate RavaNa & Co.
Sugreeva
promising to fetch Seetha from where ever She is, informs that he has
seen Seetha travelling overhead in the sky while being abducted. He also
says that the lady while being abducted has dropped her ornaments
wrapping in her upper cloth at their place atop the mountain. Then he
shows the ornaments to Rama asking him to identify them. At their sight,
Rama became like mist filled moon with tears over whelming and
failed to recognise the ornaments. Lakshmana then is asked to identify
them. Lakshmana reverentially replied saying that he does not know the
ornaments of upper body like thOdu (ear ring). addigai (necklace), vangki (shoulder ornament) or oddiyaNam (waist girdle) but is aware only of the noopuram (anklets)
as he always worshiped the feet of Seetha, nor Her upper cloth used
for wrapping the ornaments is known to him. Rama now vows to lead the
whole of demons into the jaw of Death for the sake of one demon who
abducted Seetha. To this Sugreeva promise to get back Maithili in no
longer a time at the same time consoling Rama advises him not to forsake
courage for despair, out of loss of Seetha, which is un-fitting to a
person like Rama. Pumped up by such words of self-esteem, Rama promises
to be truthful to his word in alleviating the fear of Vali for
Sugreeva.
''Untruth is not uttered by me earlier nor will be at
anytime from now'' -- Making this promise in the name of truthfulness,
Rama blessed that all the efforts put to search Seetha by Sugreeva will
unfailingly reap like the crops planted during rainy season in good
soil.
These words by Rama is quoted by NamperumaL of Sri Rangam in the wake of doubts raised by Baghavat Ramanuja, while seeking moksha to
His followers. The brief story connected with this anecdote is that Sri
Ramanuja, who was born in Sri Perumbudur and who spent large part of
His life in Sri Rangam, on a Paguni Uttiram day performed saranagathi in the presence of Divya Dambadhi and the Lord granted Paramapadam to Sri Ramanuja. Not satisfied with that, Sri Ramanuja pleaded that Kainkarayam at their Lotus Feet in His abode namely Sri Vaikundam be granted to all His followers, who bear allegiance to the 74 Simhasanathi Pathi-s and who have become Ramanuja-samandhi by that.
While granting the boon as prayed by Sri Ramanuja, NamperumaL quotted what Rama said to Sugreeva here and I repeat :
''anRitam na ukta puurvam me na ca vakShye kadaachana..''
One more interesting fact to be noted here is that
a Prapanna will be assured of moksha by the Lord only with the consent
and grace - purushakAram by Goddess Lakshmi. But in case of
Sugreeva, Rama's grace has fructified though Seetha is away and not near
to conjure. Is this an exception to the general rule, one may doubt.
The answer is a big NO as the God's grace worked on Sugreeva subsequent
to Seetha dropping the auspicious jewellery aiming at him, which in
fact is a blessing in approval by Her.
Sugreeva then gives an account of his plight and why
he fear for Vali, who made his own brother an enemy and abducted
Sugreeva's wife. Rama asking for the real cause of enmity request
Sugreeva to narrate the story in full, so that He can take a just
decision.
Rama taking side with Sugreeva is not accidental or
opportunistic. But was based on ethics and morality He wishes to
establish in the jungle Raj. His purpose of finding Seetha would have
been served well, befriending Vali. But that was not to be as it amounts
to achieving a just cause by un-just means. Thus Sugreeva is asked to
narrate the real cause of his enmity with Vali, so that Rama stands
by the righteous of the two.
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