Taken as one word ‘manisada’ is ‘he in whom Lakshmi resides’. The stanza would then mean, ‘Rama, may you get joy and wealth and unrivalled eminence for many years as you have killed Ravana, the more passionate of the couple, Ravana and Mandodari’.
The commentator quotes Tirtha here. He gives a detailed account of the views of Kataka who opines that in this verse goddess Saraswati is manifested, bestowing auspiciousness on the three worlds. Now the commentator raises a virtual question about the symbolism. Who is the hunter Rama or Ravana? Was Valmiki a non-poet prior to the event of the curse?
According to Kataka, vyadha symbolizes Ravana and the kraunca pair is the enamoured Rama and Sita. Sita, the female kraunca was extremely tortured. He also points out that the spontaneous utterance of this verse reflects the sacred voice of Saraswati made at the beginning of the holy kavya. Tirtha also seems to interpret this sequence the same way.
The commentator refutes these contentions. He says, ‘It is unfair to believe that Valmiki commenced his composition from this point’ since he had already started talking to Narada in the sloka form. There is neither any supporting point nor can one arrive at any other conclusion. One cannot say that this stanza forms the beginning of poetic composition.
The other contention of the commentator is that it is Rama who took the form of vyadha, the hunter as the sage was looking away without heeding him. Rama killed the kraunca which was one of the demons. Rama had known that Valmiki got a detailed account of his virtues from Narada and that the poet would write about his own life. He knew that Valmiki was compassionate. Rama came as a hunter to repeat the event of the curse by Bhrigu and to confirm Valmiki’s kind heart and witness it. As he desired, Rama inspired Valmiki to spell out the curse on the adharmic act. The sage accordingly cursed, saying that you have killed one of the krauncas engaged in amorous sport and, therefore, may you not have the company of your wife for the rest of your life which, after all, was a short period.
As he had killed the male bird it has been forced to part from the female and she is also separated from the male. So he would lose his beloved wife and she would lose him. After Valmiki received the blessings of Brahma and got to know the entire story of Rama from him, it is indicated later that Ravana, one of the couple of Ravana and Mandodari, was a personification of hostility. This hostility is seen only among the demons. The hunter also has no hostility with anybody and when he killed the bird it was for the purpose of food.
The commentator questions himself saying, how did I arrive at this conclusion? He refers to the 24th canto of Padmapurana where the glory of Rama is described in the conversation between Siva and Parvati. The commentator then refers to the Skandapurana where ‘Tirtha’s Rama in Patalakanda – Ayodhyakanda has been depicted. He then quotes from the Yogavasishta where the other curses are said.
The Metre of the Slokas 1.2.18; 1.2.30
Each line of the slokas consists of eight syllables. It conforms to equal number of syllables without variation in their numbers, guru and laghu according to the science of matrics. It can be played on the veena and flute accompanied by the tala of drums and marked by the clap of the hand. It could also be sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments. Let this sad event making me grief- stricken bring me fame’, observes the poet.
The commentator prefers eva asti to eve astu. He agrees also to another reading, eva tvaya which means, in the opinion of Brahma, you have become famous. All that happened as He decided it to be. To the commentator, Rama was an incarnation of Visnu, one of the trinity Rudra, Visnu, and Brahma who form one manifestation. Then how could Brahma take a decision?
The commentator justifies the role of Brahma by saying that he who can cause separation of wives from husbands cannot bring about separation of himself from his wife. Brahma’s curse, in such a case, can bring separation and this event indicates the power of Brahma. Moreover, Brahma advised the sage to take up the composition of the Ramayana in order to teach the truth. Even though one has the kingdom to rule it is better to conquer by means of disciplining one’s desire and those who cannot think of removing their sins against the Lord can atone them by listening to the Ramayana.
Suffering turned into Poetry 1.2.40
(Sokah Slokatvam agatah)
The pupils of Valmiki said, “We believe that your immense sorrow took the form of poetry”. There is utpreksa or hyperbole in this statement. The sequence also evokes the sentiment of pathos. It should be noted here that there is the sentiment of pathos in the verse ‘ma nisada’ etc. which is aroused by the pathetic lamentations of the female kraunca due to the separation from her dear one, which subdued the anger of the poet caused by the hunter. As it was recited repeatedly the sad feeling yielded place to the experience of poetry. This interpretation of Tirtha appears to be very insipid.
The Story of Rama 1.2.43
(Munipranitam Raghuvamsacaritam)
The work has all the components of a literary masterpiece. Being chiefly set to the sentiment of pathos it has madhuryaguna or sweetness and written in Vaidarbha style. It is suggested etymologically that ‘Raghuvara’ means ‘omnipresent’. It is also suggested that listening to and reading of the story of Rama leads to the attainment of the purusarthas. It is possible to get this benefit of listening to or reading the Ramayana until the life of Rama ends with the killing of Ravana. It should be noted that the ‘Uttarakanda’ of the Ramayana is a separate part as Harivamsa is to the Mahabarata. That is why the easterners say that the story of Rama is told by the sage only till the end of the forest life of Sita as detailed in this canto. Some take killing of Ravana also into the meaning of the line. This can be included for the purpose of the continuity of the story of Uttarakanda where Sita is abandoned. When was the Ramayana composed? The story of Rama was composed only after Rama killed Ravana. This stanza also indicates that Valmiki was a contemporary of Rama.
The Sloka ‘manisada’ 1.2.15
Taken as one word ‘manisada’ is ‘he in whom Lakshmi resides’. The stanza would then mean, ‘Rama, may you get joy and wealth and unrivalled eminence for many years as you have killed Ravana, the more passionate of the couple, Ravana and Mandodari’.
The commentator quotes Tirtha here. He gives a detailed account of the views of Kataka who opines that in this verse goddess Saraswati is manifested, bestowing auspiciousness on the three worlds. Now the commentator raises a virtual question about the symbolism. Who is the hunter Rama or Ravana? Was Valmiki a non-poet prior to the event of the curse?
According to Kataka, vyadha symbolizes Ravana and the kraunca pair is the enamoured Rama and Sita. Sita, the female kraunca was extremely tortured. He also points out that the spontaneous utterance of this verse reflects the sacred voice of Saraswati made at the beginning of the holy kavya. Tirtha also seems to interpret this sequence the same way.
The commentator refutes these contentions. He says, ‘It is unfair to believe that Valmiki commenced his composition from this point’ since he had already started talking to Narada in the sloka form. There is neither any supporting point nor can one arrive at any other conclusion. One cannot say that this stanza forms the beginning of poetic composition.
The other contention of the commentator is that it is Rama who took the form of vyadha, the hunter as the sage was looking away without heeding him. Rama killed the kraunca which was one of the demons. Rama had known that Valmiki got a detailed account of his virtues from Narada and that the poet would write about his own life. He knew that Valmiki was compassionate. Rama came as a hunter to repeat the event of the curse by Bhrigu and to confirm Valmiki’s kind heart and witness it. As he desired, Rama inspired Valmiki to spell out the curse on the adharmic act. The sage accordingly cursed, saying that you have killed one of the krauncas engaged in amorous sport and, therefore, may you not have the company of your wife for the rest of your life which, after all, was a short period.
As he had killed the male bird it has been forced to part from the female and she is also separated from the male. So he would lose his beloved wife and she would lose him. After Valmiki received the blessings of Brahma and got to know the entire story of Rama from him, it is indicated later that Ravana, one of the couple of Ravana and Mandodari, was a personification of hostility. This hostility is seen only among the demons. The hunter also has no hostility with anybody and when he killed the bird it was for the purpose of food.
The commentator questions himself saying, how did I arrive at this conclusion? He refers to the 24th canto of Padmapurana where the glory of Rama is described in the conversation between Siva and Parvati. The commentator then refers to the Skandapurana where ‘Tirtha’s Rama in Patalakanda – Ayodhyakanda has been depicted. He then quotes from the Yogavasishta where the other curses are said.
The Metre of the Slokas 1.2.18; 1.2.30
Each line of the slokas consists of eight syllables. It conforms to equal number of syllables without variation in their numbers, guru and laghu according to the science of matrics. It can be played on the veena and flute accompanied by the tala of drums and marked by the clap of the hand. It could also be sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments. Let this sad event making me grief- stricken bring me fame’, observes the poet.
The commentator prefers eva asti to eve astu. He agrees also to another reading, eva tvaya which means, in the opinion of Brahma, you have become famous. All that happened as He decided it to be. To the commentator, Rama was an incarnation of Visnu, one of the trinity Rudra, Visnu, and Brahma who form one manifestation. Then how could Brahma take a decision?
The commentator justifies the role of Brahma by saying that he who can cause separation of wives from husbands cannot bring about separation of himself from his wife. Brahma’s curse, in such a case, can bring separation and this event indicates the power of Brahma. Moreover, Brahma advised the sage to take up the composition of the Ramayana in order to teach the truth. Even though one has the kingdom to rule it is better to conquer by means of disciplining one’s desire and those who cannot think of removing their sins against the Lord can atone them by listening to the Ramayana.
Suffering turned into Poetry 1.2.40
(Sokah Slokatvam agatah)
The pupils of Valmiki said, “We believe that your immense sorrow took the form of poetry”. There is utpreksa or hyperbole in this statement. The sequence also evokes the sentiment of pathos. It should be noted here that there is the sentiment of pathos in the verse ‘ma nisada’ etc. which is aroused by the pathetic lamentations of the female kraunca due to the separation from her dear one, which subdued the anger of the poet caused by the hunter. As it was recited repeatedly the sad feeling yielded place to the experience of poetry. This interpretation of Tirtha appears to be very insipid.
The Story of Rama 1.2.43
(Munipranitam Raghuvamsacaritam)
The work has all the components of a literary masterpiece. Being chiefly set to the sentiment of pathos it has madhuryaguna or sweetness and written in Vaidarbha style. It is suggested etymologically that ‘Raghuvara’ means ‘omnipresent’. It is also suggested that listening to and reading of the story of Rama leads to the attainment of the purusarthas. It is possible to get this benefit of listening to or reading the Ramayana until the life of Rama ends with the killing of Ravana. It should be noted that the ‘Uttarakanda’ of the Ramayana is a separate part as Harivamsa is to the Mahabarata. That is why the easterners say that the story of Rama is told by the sage only till the end of the forest life of Sita as detailed in this canto. Some take killing of Ravana also into the meaning of the line. This can be included for the purpose of the continuity of the story of Uttarakanda where Sita is abandoned. When was the Ramayana composed? The story of Rama was composed only after Rama killed Ravana. This stanza also indicates that Valmiki was a contemporary of Rama.