Miscellaneous General Topics

Dear ILites,

I attended a Divine Discourse on Kambar Ramayanam recently. There I came across life of Agaligai after she was given rebirth by Lord Rama.

As you all aware, when the Sage Viswamithra took Rama and Lakshmana to the forest to safeguard his yagna, the series of happenings like Thadagai's killing, Agaligai Saapam etc. When a dust particle from Lord Rama's feet hit the stone which was on the road side, the stone became a woman known to be Agaligai. Sage Viswamithra explained Lord Rama that she is the wife of Sage Gauthama and she has been turned into a stone by his curse, where she was unknowingly cheated by Indran.

The speaker mentioned that Agaligai is a woman who is cursed twice before she could understand her guilts.

So, we all know that she was given a new birth by Lord Rama relieving her from the curse of her husband.

What happened to that Agaligai later on in Ramayana?

When Rama was ruling Ayodhya - after His killing Ravana, after Seetha entered the fire, after returning to Ayodhya, after His incarnation as the king of Ayodhya - Rama and Seetha left out to meet the Sage Gauthama and Agaligai in the forest. As usual the ladies where chatting inside the hut, while Rama asked Gauthama to come for a walk outside.

Now the ladies inside, Agaligai and Seetha were conversing. Agaligai treats Rama as her Father since He gave her a new birth. So with all curiosity she asked Seetha to explain what all happend in the forest during their 14 years of forest life, then about Ravana and his ten heads, about how Rama killed Ravana with a zeal and with an extreme respect to Rama in her mind. Atlast she came to the point of Seetha entering the fire. She asked Seetha that why did she enter the fire. Seetha as a Pathivratha without any hesitation said that she entered the fire on Rama's saying.

Taken aback, in a moment Agaligai forgot all what Rama did to her, she with a furious voice asked Seetha "Did he say that?". When she uttered these words she lost all the respects that she had for Rama.

By the time Lord Rama and Sage Gauthama returned to the hut. Rama called Seetha to come out. Seetha followed Him obediently.

After they left from the Sage Gautham's eyesight, Sage Gauthama turned towards Agaligai - there again she became a stone.

That was the poor story of Agaligai. She has been cursed before she could realize her mistake.

Ramayana has great meanings which is a guide even for today's world. It has got Science, Mathematics and what all we need for our entire life is abundant in Ramayana.

I would like to come out with more intricacies if you all wish to read and share.

hi Vanaja,

Thank you for narrating this incidemt from the Ramayana. Please do share more such intricacies with us. Recently, I found another Yahoo group discussing Ahlaya Pavane (the pure Ahalya). There it was mentioned that following Gauthama's curse, she became a ball of ash- without form and substance. Her crime being that she committed her crime knowingly.

I do read Ahalyakrita SreeRama stotram. It is quite nice.

regards
Vidya

hi vidya,

thank you very much for your words. what you have shared is also new to me. next time i shall come out with one more teaching from Ramayana.

regards,

Vanaja

Dear ILites,

When Indrajit son of Ravana used his powerful weapon - Brahmaasthram - against Lakshmana, everybody in the battlefield including Lakshmana, including the soldiers on both sides fell unconscious.

Firstly - What is Brahmaasthram and what it does when it is used?

Brahmaasthram is a weapon offered by Lord Brahma when He is pleased with the Thapas of the seeker. The job of Brahmaasthram is nothing but just to make people unconscious and breathless for hours together. It doesn't wound anybody. You all know what happens if we lay unconscious and breathless for hours together. That was the state of Lakshmana then.

Secondly - Why Lakshmana alone fell unconscious, why not Rama, Vibhishana, Hanuman, Jambavan?

The day before the battle, Vibishana informed Rama that Indrajit is going to fight next day and he would definitely use Brahmaasthram. So one has to stay away from the battlefield to save others who were all affected. So Rama and Vibishana did not go to the battle field at all that day.

Hanuman too fell unconscious, since He is a Chiranjeevi (Deathless) the Brahmaasthram did not work on him for too long. He got up after sometime. Regarding Jambavan - Jambavan is incarnation of Lord Brahma Himself. So it will not affect Him too. Apart from these people everybody fell unconscious including Sugreevan, Vanaras and Rakshasas.

When Lord Rama came to the battlefield and saw Lakshmana, He hugged Lakshmana and cried that He doesn't need Seetha instead He wants His beloved brother back and ordered everybody to stop the battle immediately.

That time Jambavan asked Vibishana to find out for Hanuman. Vibishana got annoyed at Jambavan saying that He had shown his Bear's mind (Karadi Buddhi) searching for Hanuman when Rama is suffering.

Jambavan said that only Hanuman can save Lakshmana and others now. So Hanuman appeared before Rama who was in the other side of the battlefield. Jambavan told Hanuman to get the Herbs meant for this illness which is available in the Sanjeevi Hill before Sunrise. Hanuman immediately flew towards the Hill.

Now Hanuman is infront of the hill. But for a moment He worried seeing the Sun rays that the time given by Jambavan has been elapsed and it is already Sunrise. But recollected that in that particular place (North Pole) Sun never sets and felt happy that He was on right time. Even now when you go towards that North Pole you can observe that there is no sunset. Here again one can notice the Discovery of Science and Geography in Ramayana which happened millions of years ago.

But Hanuman seeing the mountain could not recollect that what type of herb it was since everything looked light and dark green there. Then he used his Buddhi and lifted the whole mountain (thus Buddhivan and Balavan) and flew towards the battlefield. As soon as the fragrance of the herbs prevailed all over the battlefield Lakshmana got up including Rakshasas and Vanaras.

What happened to this Sanjeevi hill later on? Was it kept in the Lanka itself? Was there any necessity of that Herbs later on?

The hill was kept back at the same place by Hanuman that night itself though He carried it from a long distance, He never said to Rama that He was tired and would keep it later. The necessity of the herbs came later on and people felt that it would have been very nice if the mountain was here so that it would be easy for Jambavan to identify the herbs.

But Hanuman said this time He knew and could identify the herbs very well and could get them immediately.

Note : Even when Hanuman had to cross Sea, Land and Mountains to get the Sanjeevi Hill He got it using His Buddhi. Also, He never showed the sign of tiredness by keeping the hill in the same place that night itself which was at a very long distance.

But we people could not manage to keep the things that we take and use at the same place within our house premises. Should we not change ourselves by learning from this incident in Ramayana.

Dear Vanaja,

Another interesting episode. I hope you will share more.

regards
Vidya

hello

Firstly - What is Brahmaasthram and what it does when it is used?

Brahmaasthram is a weapon offered by Lord Brahma when He is pleased with the Thapas of the seeker. The job of Brahmaasthram is nothing but just to make people unconscious and breathless for hours together. It doesn't wound anybody. You all know what happens if we lay unconscious and breathless for hours together. That was the state of Lakshmana then.

the lord Brahma pleased with the tapas...

it is said that the power to use brahmaasthram
comes from reciting the
gayathri mantra in reverse
several thousand times a day
for a mandala


and u get the power to use it

i have read this sometime back in a feb issue of astrological magazine from bangalore.. cant remember which year..

sathya

Dear vanaja,very nice post,u r doing a gr8 job,v'll get to know more abt ramayana,our elders told all this story in ouyr childhood,but v r not telling this stories to our kids,theyr interested in cartoon networks & reading abt spider man,superman like that only...pls keep them coming...
one more info abt this sanjeevi hill,recently our scientist in india found out sanjeevi herbs tree,that tree don't need water for more days but it won't die.,if we pour it'll grow up higher.so what our scientist have planned is test the tree,how it is live without water & all the things...so that they'll use the source from the tree & inject to other plants & tree,so it'll be mainly helpful for rice fields,becoz of water scarcity our farmers r suffering more,so scientist r in research.

Hi Vanaja,

Very very interesting thread ! My queries on Ramayana, maybe u can explain ??

1] I've heard that Sita was actually Ravana's daughter in her previous birth & thro' some mishap she perished ... which grieved Ravana so much ; and that is the main reason he came (disguised as a Sadhu) to take her away, as her father and not coveting her ???

2] What happened to Luv / Kusha ?? Who are their descendants ??
In fact, why Sita had to leave the palace & stay in a hermit's cottage , and give birth & raise her sons , unknown to Rama ?

Dear Kute Kiddo,

I am jumping between you and Vanaja. Just for the fun of it. Vanaja will give you the right answer, mine is just what I have heard here and there.

1) I think that Seetha is daughter of Ravanan and Bhoomi Devi. When Hiranyan (the earlier incarnation of Ravanan) started oppressing sages and Mother Earth, he rolled earth into a mat and dived into the oceans. I understand that the trembling of Mother Earth during this violation, resulted in a daughter Seeta. Seeta was discovered by JanakaMaharaja in an agricultural field in a trench. The trench is actually called Seet, hence the name Seeta. In Valmiki Ramayanam, Ravana pulls Seeta by her hair, his hand is on her upper leg etc. But Kambar gave it a regional propriety. He made sure that Ravana did not touch Seetha. he uprooted the entire pranasalai and abducted Seetadevi. In Ananda Ramayanam also, I think Seetha is spoken as Ravana's daughter.

2) True- what really happened to Kusha-Lava? One theory is that they both had mighty sons who raised their own empires. The Gujjars of Maharashtra are supposed to be their descendents. Also, there is a scet called Valmiks who follow Valmiki Maharshi and worship the Ramayan. Kusha Lava are the founders of that too, they were the first disciples of Valmiki.

BTW, just learnt from another Yahoo group that Drona belonged to a group of Brahmins who practised archery, called Mahipals. They became a separate sect during Parashurama Avatar. Actor Sunil Dutt was a Mahipal.

Interesting, how our sages and princes give rise to people who may actually be our neighbours!!!

I wonder why Varalotti does not answer here. After all he is the accredited expert on all matters spiritual, on all texts sacred in Madurai and everywhere.

hi kute kiddo,

even i have heard that sita is ravana's daughter in previous birth. since i am following kamba ramayanam purely (at present) this is not mentioned in kambar's words. moreover kambar had sung ramayana only till his incarnation as the king of ayodhya. the part of luv & kush comes much later which is not present in kamba ramayana but present in valmiki ramayana.

as far as i know, sita had to leave the palace on rama's order to lakshmana. once a spy whose duty was to report the king whatever happens in the city told rama about a washerman's saying. He said, "Of course all subjects praise you, except a washerman. actually dhobi's (washerman) wife quarreled with him and went to her mother's house and later she was left back by her parents at her husband's house. on seeing her back dhobi angrily said, "I am not rama to take back the wife who had gone away".

Hearing the spy's word rama though knew that sita is pure had to depart sita for perople of ayodhya. he ordered lakshmana to leave sita in the forest since she has the desires of visiting hermitages. that she was left in forest.

regards,

Vanaja