 Rama – Dasaratha and Rama
Right to recall…
We were talking about the differences between an arrow and an
astra. One of the most important differences is an arrow shot from the bow cannot be stopped, redirected, recalled. The word slipped from the tongue and the arrow loosed from the bow, can never be recalled. What is spoken is spoken and what is shot is shot. But in the case of an
astra, it is not so. An astra is fired, may be launched from the bow or not, it is fired and the training in an
astra comprises several steps.
First, the Guru does not grant the knowledge of every
astra to every person. All and sundry. He does so only to the selected few. He ensures that the mindset of the person who receives training is proper and correct for training. He should be made of such a metal that he does not misuse the power that he would own. The disciple should pass this test first. And then he has to give an assurance, a promise, to the Guru, not to use the
astra unless and until the situation becomes so bad that the person – and the persons protected by the proposed recipient – are in danger of being killed. One can see Parasurama taking such a promise from Karna when the latter lied to him that he was a Brahmin, but did not fail to assure his Guru to abide by the demand of self-restraint.
In other words, an
astra is to be used only in extremely unavoidable circumstances; and not just like that in any scuffle, brawl and quarrel. The fact that an
astra is to be handled with due fear and respect for life of fellow human beings and creatures and even plant life and the environment as a whole, is driven deep in the minds of the recipient of the training as the very first step. And thereafter, the training commences. The disciple learns the mantra for the specific
astra. Rama learnt so many mantras – since the divine weapons were so many in number, more than a hundred and odd – difficult to learn; difficult to memorise; difficult to retain; difficult to recall, even by gods. “Getting purified (through ablutions, etc.) and sitting with his face turned towards the east, Viswamitra (the foremost of hermits), who was highly delighted imparted to Sri Rama a string of Mantras (sacred texts capable of invoking the missiles) unexcelled by others (in their fields). The Brahmana (Viswamitra) then delivered to Sri Rama (as well as to Lakshmana) the missiles
which could not be easily retained in one’s memory in their entirety even by
gods.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Canto 27, Sloka 22 and 23)
The third stage in the training of an
astra is controlling the direction, limiting its power to specific targets – if required – and changing the course of the missile while it is in flight. One can see Acharya Drona and similar masters asking the disciple at every stage, ‘Have you understood this?’ and the disciple acknowledging that he has understood.
Greatest care was exercised in the training of any
astra, just any astra for that matter, which may not be as potent as the Brahmastra or the Brahma Siras. Training in even divine weapons of a comparatively minor potence included all these steps and one more, and most important step. Which for some reason unknown to us, has not been shown in the text explicitly, as being taught by the Guru, in the case of every student.
You may recall the last act of Aswatthama, of firing the Brahma Siras to efface all the Pandavas from the face of the earth and Arjuna, left with no option but to counter it, fired his Brahma Siras against it. Lord Krishna and Narada held them apart and chided Aswatthama for indulging in an unthinking act. They demanded both to recall their
astras. Arjuna recalled, as his training in that missile was complete in every respect. Aswatthama could not, as he did not learn it from his father, Drona. Or so he said. I am not able to see Aswatthama as a liar. That makes it obvious that the Acharya taught Arjuna something which he did not teach even to his son. And that makes it easier to understand that the Guru was always weighing the level of maturity of the disciple at every step, every stage, and his ability to hold himself, if he were to be endowed with superior power, his ability to restrain himself, not to exercise the power acquired for every little thing. And that’s why Arjuna’s training in this respect was complete, whereas that of Aswatthama, the Acharya’s own son, was incomplete.
One has also to see how Ravana, Indrajit and his likes received the weapons from the Creator. They did not go through all these stages. The weapons and the mantras were handed over and taught. Period. There is not one instance in the entire epic where either Ravana or Indrajit or anyone else (Kumbakarna not being the recipient of any divine missile, excepting a trident, and Vibishana not needing any missile for himself) recalling a divine weapon after it is fired. That clearly shows the lack of their training in this aspect. They did not bother either. What they wanted is destructive power and as far as the missiles destroyed, they were happy and satisfied. What was the need to recall a missile after all!
And then, how about Rama? Did Viswamitra train him in the art of recalling the weapons? If not what did Rama do? And why was he so particular about learning this aspect that several of the distinguished archers ignored!
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