Rama - The story of a history
A look before the leap
Though we have covered almost all the major and minor characters of Ramayana in our study – which are archived character-wise in the index page of this column – there are a few more important characters which remain to be seen. For example, we have not seen much about Dasaratha, Kausalya or Sumitra, though we have spent some time on the study of Kaikeyi. We have not spoken much about the love that existed between the mother and the son – Kaikeyi and Sri Rama - though we have referred to it in passing. This aspect remains to be seen.
Kausalya – as the very name suggests – was the daughter of the king of Kosala. And if that was so, the question arises as to how Dasaratha is described as the king of Kosala. Many are the questions on which the Ramayana is silent. We are left to seek other sources for an answer to such questions. Opinions differ. Professor A S Gnanasambandan says in his ‘Rama from different angles’
(irAman – pan muga nOkkil) that according to Yogavasistha Ramayana and the Buddha Jataka Tales, Dasaratha – and obviously his ancestors from Manu and his descendants Raghu, Kakutstha, Sagara, etc. – where all rulers of Kasi and that this Raja of Kasi, Dasaratha, married Kausalya, the only daughter of the king of Kosala and thus – the father-in-law having not been blessed with a male heir – he inherited the kingdom of Kosala based on custom.
Views differ. There are different opinions. Even Prof Gnanasambandan says that he has ‘heard that this is so’ and does not sound very authentic about what he speaks. Another thing is, when we discuss Valmiki and Kamban, it is not that desirable to follow the Buddha Jataka Tales, a totally different tradition, where the very core of the Ramayana tradition differs, where Rama and Sita are portrayed as brother and sister! There are other versions and variants to this, which we would take up in our study, presently.
Speaking of Sumitra, Right Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastriyar observes that she is the wisest of the three queens. He puts her on a mark above Kausalya. “Sumitra is at the very peak of her wisdom. Of all people around Rama, she is almost the one, if we except Lakshmana, to really understand Rama’s nature, the purpose for which he went to the forest, and the propriety and righteousness of his action.” The deep love that existed between this mother of the twins – Lakshmana and Satrughna – and the son, Rama, remains to be seen.
Apart from these, we have not gone into so many other wonderful characters, Jatayu being one among them. These, we propose to take up together with the study of Rama. A word of caution. What I am endeavouring is a character study and not the narration of the story. There is a sea of a difference between these two. When studying different characters, what we are analysing is the way in which a particular character acts, reacts, responds and develops in certain given circumstances. Of necessity, I have to go through several scenes that have been narrated already. But it may kindly be observed and kept in mind that though the scene may be the same, presented in these pages, the focus is shifting from one character to the other. And, therefore, if it is felt that ‘this scene has already been dealt with,’ let it be assured that it is only the scene that is re-narrated, with all caution and circumspection on not going over the path that has already been covered, and that the discussion on the character
is not repeated, the focus having moved from one to another,.
Even if I have to repeat some scenes or events, it may be observed that I do not repeat the discussion, which are cross-referenced and linked wherever necessary. If this is remembered, it would make my job all the more easy, setting at rest such feelings and complaints of ‘scenes being repeated.’
With this request, my respected readers, we venture into the birth of Rama. And together with him let us explore many of the unanswered questions in the epic and the lovely and wonderful relationship between the main hero of the story and the characters which deserve to be studied, but not yet taken up.
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