Rama – Eminently Divine in His Humanity

Rāma, an avatāra of Lord Viṣṇu, is an enigma to the curious mind. Unlike the other avatāras where divinity is explicit and līlās are obviously supernatural, the Rāmāvatāra is starkly different. The persona of Rāma described in the Śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇa is endearingly mortal. Divinity lies, not so much in the supernatural līlās displayed, but in the endeavor for human perfection when faced with trying circumstances. In essence, the Rāmāvatāra focuses on the perfecting of human values, and by so doing, highlights that man is capable and born, in order to attain perfection. It is the pinnacle of perfection attained by arduous human effort that is glorified as godly or even Godhood, verily. The tradition thus believes that the Rāmāvatāra serves two purposes – one, it provides a paradigm for the ideal man, and two, it teaches mankind of bhakti – a relationship with a personal God. In the Rāmāvatāra, we witness the unraveling of the travails of a mortal prince in an exceptionally trying world of injustice and jealousy, and the triumph over the seemingly insurmountable travails with grace and endurance. Essentially, the ideal man is pitted against odds, and an ideal path to overcoming these odds is exemplified. In the process, this avatāra sheds light on the path to mastery over life with grace, thus teaching mankind the crux of human endeavor. The grace the ideal man in Rāma exudes under the direst of circumstances, excites such love and loyalty for him, that a personal relationship cannot but be forged. Devotees find themselves besotted with the virtues displayed and the lessons learned, that a plethora of flavors arise under the one umbrella of bhakti, or love for a personal God. The foremost amongst the twelve Śrivaiṣṇava saints, Nammāzhvār, presents in a nutshell, what Rāma stood for, in exclaiming, ‘does one learn, but from Rāma?’! Amazed by the virtues of the crown prince of Ayodhyā, the Āzhvār is left speechless. Sage Vālmīki yields not even to Nammāzhvār in his admiration of the virtuous crown prince. He pays homage to the scintillating nobility of Rāma by eschewing to a large extent, overt proclamations of divinity, and instead highlighting the perfection of humanity in Rāma. One of the greatest testimonies of Vālmīki’s admiration for Rāma can be found in the section of the Rāmāyaṇa where he describes the prince defending Bharata against Lakṣmaṇa’s vitriol. When Lakṣmaṇa recognized Bharata approaching Rāma’s hermitage in the forest, flanked by the mighty army of Ayodhyā, he is enraged. Presuming that Bharata had arrived there to make trouble, he draws his bow and spews venom. He vows to annihilate Bharata along with his treacherous army, before they have a chance to harm Rāma. Rāma who had been ousted from his rightful throne and exiled in ignominy due to Kaikeyi’s desire to see Bharata crowned, is however, not suspicious of Bharata. He is, on the other hand, quick to defend Bharata and poses, ‘how has Bharata harmed you in the past, that you should harbor fear today, O’ Lakṣmaṇa?’. Silencing Lakṣmaṇa with these words, Rāma states further, ‘if you should utter such words today, desirous of attaining the kingdom, I shall command Bharata to offer you the kingdom, and only an unhesitant word of acquiescence will leave his lips!’ Fierce loyalty to his brother and trust in Bharata’s innocence until proven otherwise, capture Vālmīki’s heart here. Vālmīki yet again breaks into paeans of rapture through the words of the aggrieved Tārā. Faced with the taunting challenge of Sugrīva, Vālī finds himself incensed. Determined to crush Sugrīvā in battle, he rushes forth, disregarding Tārā’s words of wise counsel. Much to his chagrin, Vālī is felled by the swift shaft of Rāma’s invincible bow, and Tārā is left devastated. She finds her beloved Vālī lying on the ground, covered in dust and bathed in blood. Instead of erupting into vituperative fulminations, Tārā elaborates Rāma’s sense of fairness and justice, in what can only be described as an ode. She proclaims, त्वमप्रमेयश्च दुरासदश्च जितेन्द्रियश्चोत्तमधार्मिकश्च। अक्षय्यकीर्तिश्च विचक्षणश्च क्षितिक्षमावान् क्षतजोपमाक्षः॥ tvamaprameyaśca durāsadaśca jitendriyaścottamadhārmikaśca| akṣayyakīrtiśca vicakṣaṇaśca kṣitikṣamāvān kṣatajopamākṣaḥ|| Ruddy-eyed One, you are beyond measure, unassailable, a master of your senses and a savant of dharma. You are of undying fame, wise and endowed with forbearance that is a peer verily to that of (mother) earth. It must be borne in mind here, that Tārā speaks not of one who enthroned her dear husband, but of one who razed him to the ground. It is in the light of this recognition that Rāma’s sense of dharma can be truly appreciated, as can Valmīki’s adulation of him. Yet another fitting tribute to Rāma’s virtues is paid by the Śrīvaiṣṇava saint, Tirumangai-Āzhvār. Himself a chieftain, Tirumangai-Āzhvār or Kaliyan, as he was otherwise called, finds himself captivated by the simplicity and affability of Rāma. The disparity in status, wealth, nobility of birth, and education melt away into oblivion, as Rāma embraces Guha, the huntsmen chief, and welcomes him like he would his own brother. Enraptured by the love the crown prince of Ayodhyā bore Guha, Kaliyan surrenders his heart. He quips in the Periya-Tirumozhi, “Disregarding that he is penurious, lowly of birth and not bound to you by blood, you showered your grace upon him. To him you (pointed) the doe-eyed (Sītā out) and said ‘she is your friend’. You added, ‘(Lakṣmaṇa) is your brother (and only then) mine.’ You uttered, ‘You are my dear friend’ and drew him close. Those words assail my heart and stay with me. O’ blue-hued one, who reclines in the beautiful town of Tiruvaraṅga, unto your feet I attain1.” 1ஏழை ஏதலன் கீழ்மகன் எண்ணாது இரங்கி மற்றவற்கு இன்னருள் சுரந்து மாழைமான்மடநோக்கி உன் தோழி உம்பி எம்பி என்னொழிந்திலை உகந்து தோழன் நீ எனக்கு இங்கொழி என்ற சொற்கள் வந்து அடியேன் மனத்திருந்திட அழிவண்ண ! நின் அடியிணை அடைந்தேன் அணிபொழில் திருவரங்கத்தம்மானே! – Periya-Tirumozhi, 5.8.1 As King Śudraka states in his play, Mṛcchakaṭika, it is indeed virtues, that are endearing. Rāma the avatāra, used nobility and his endeavor for perfection both as a tool to ingratiate himself with his devotees, as well as to establish a paradigm of an ideal man. His eminent mortality strikes at the hearts of devotees, igniting in them love for him, as well as the desire to rise to the pinnacle of human perfection he did. गुणः खलु अनुरागस्य कारणम् guṇaḥ khalu anurāgasya kāraṇam It is Virtue indeed that engenders love Mṛcchakaṭika

Rama – Eminently Divine in His Humanity

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