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Chapter 4 Pandurangi

The chapter summarizes key events from the Ramayana story, highlighting the moral and spiritual lessons. It describes Rama killing demons to protect Vishvamitra's sacrifice, releasing Ahalya from her curse, and marrying Sita after breaking Shiva's bow. It notes Manthara was a demoness who influenced Kaikeyi to demand Rama's exile. During their forest stay, Rama blinds crows after one injures Sita, and a sage self-immolates as permitted for the aged. Rama then defeats the demon Viradha.

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35 views2 pages

Chapter 4 Pandurangi

The chapter summarizes key events from the Ramayana story, highlighting the moral and spiritual lessons. It describes Rama killing demons to protect Vishvamitra's sacrifice, releasing Ahalya from her curse, and marrying Sita after breaking Shiva's bow. It notes Manthara was a demoness who influenced Kaikeyi to demand Rama's exile. During their forest stay, Rama blinds crows after one injures Sita, and a sage self-immolates as permitted for the aged. Rama then defeats the demon Viradha.

Uploaded by

rjsimman
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya

- Introduction by Prof.K.T.Pandurangi

Chapter-IV

Chapters 4 through 9 give a brief account of Sri Rama's story. All the major events of Sri Rama's
story are narrated. While narrating some of the crucial events like Ahalya's episode, Manthara's
episode, and Surpanakha's episode, the subtle issues of dharma and adharma are clarified. The
relevance of these episodes is explained along with the main purpose of the theme. The
background of the personalities concerned and the events are explained as well. Thus the
objective of the narration of the different events of the story is not merely for the interest of the
story but for the interest of the moral and spiritual aspects. Since hte main events of Sri RAma's
story are well known, I will highlight only the moral and the spiritual aspects that are brought out
in this portion of the Tatparyanirnaya.

The first important event in Sri Rama's story is Vishvamitra's invitation to Sri Rama to protect
the sacrifice he had undertaken from the demons. This indicates the main purpose of Sri Rama's
incarnation viz., protecting the sages and other innocent persons from the onslaught of the
demons. Sri Rama kills Tataka and Subahu and throws Mareecha into the sea. This very Tataka
will be born as Putana in Krishnavatara. After the destruction of these and the completion of the
sacrifice, Vishvamitra takes Sri Rama and Laxmana to the capital of the country of Videha. On
the way, Ahalya is released from her curse by the touch of Sri Rama. Here are the instances of
two women: one who was cruel and therefore destroyed and one who had suffered at the hands
of Indra and Gautama and was released from her suffering. Gautama had indulged in excessive
penance. This imbalance had to be cut down by provoking him. Therefore, Indra encroached
upon Gautama's wife Ahalya. She was innocent but had become a victim of the
circumstances.Hence, Sri RAma relieved her from her suffering.

atiriktaM tayo hartuM gautamasyAshrame rahaH |


surakAryaM surapatiH kurvan.h bhAryAM samaspR^ishat.h || (saN^.rA. I-6-18)

On arrival at Mithila, Sri Rama was informed of the condition for the marriage of Sita. He broke
the bow of Shiva and married her. The marriage was celebrated in a befitting way. On his way to
Ayodhya, Parashurama confronts him. Both Parashurama and Sri Rama were the incarnations of
Lord Vishnu. Therefore, there was no question of one defeating the other. However, a demon
called Atula had found a place in Parashurama's navel. He was to be destroyed. His penance was
also to be taken away. Therefore, Parashurama gave the Sharang Bow to Sri Rama and asked
Him to kill Atula. Accordingly, Sri Rama killed him. Thus it was not a war between
Parashurama and Sri Rama,but it was only to kill Atula that Sri Rama employed his bow. The
fourt chapter narrates these Balakanda episodes.

The Ayodhya Kanda events are described in the first 16 verses of the fifth chapter. Dasharata
decides to coronate Sri Rama. But under the advice of Manthara, Kaikeyi prevents it. Maanthara
was not an ordinary woman. It is well-known that as a result of the samudramathana, Goddess
Laxmi was born from the sea. Out of the same samudramathana, the Alaxmi called Jyestha was
also born. She has been the wife of Kali. It was this Alaxmi alias Jyestha who was born as
Manthara. Instigated by this Manthara, Kaikeyi asked for her two boons, viz. (i) Sri Rama be
banished to the forest for 14 years and (ii) Bharata be installed on the throne. Kaikeyi asked for
such cruel boons because a demoness called Nikrti was present in her.

According to these boons, Sri Rama proceeds to the forest. He first meets the Nishada King
Guha. Being honored by him, he proceeds to Chitrakuta. In the meanwhile, Dasharata
dies.Bharata arrives, and completing Pitrkarya, he proceeds to Chitrakuta to persuade Sri Rama
to return. Sri Rama does not oblige him. Bharata returns to Ayodhya with the Padukas of Sri
Rama and lives outside the city of Ayodhya in Nandigrama.

After Sri Rama and Sita lived in Chitrakuta for some time, Indra's son Jayanta appeared in the
form of a crow and injures Sita in the breast. He indulges in this cruel act because a demon called
Kuranga was present in him. Sri Rama throws a grass blade at the eye of this crow and destroys
one eye of all crows. Since then, crows have only one eye. Then Sri Rama entered Dandaka
forest.

In Dandaka forest, a sage called Sharabhanga offered himself to fire in the presence of Sri Rama.
He was very old and was unable to perform even his minimum rituals. Dharmashastra permits
self-immolation for such aged persons.

anushhTAnAsamarthasya vAnaprasthasya jIryataH |


jalAnashanabhR^igvagnimahAprasthAnamishhyate || (Varaha Purana)

A person in Vanaprastha Ashrama who is not able to perform his miniimum rituals to old age
may take to self-immolation by drowning himself in water, observing a fast, falling from the
peak of a mountain, or offering himself to fire. Accordingly, Sharabhanga performed self-
immolation in the presence of Sri Rama. After this event, the demon Viradha confronts Sri
Rama. He tries to kidnap Sita and carries Sri Rama and Laxmana on his shoulders. Sri Rama cuts
his arms and throws him in a pit. His arms were cut because he had obtained a boon from
Brahma that whoever is held by him in his arms cannot escape from it.

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