ON RAVANA & MORE……..

ON RAVANA & MORE……..

The post by ‘Viji’ on ‘Ravana’ made an interesting reading. Say what you may, there is always something for every one in our Epics, Puranas, legends, mythology and the like. One can derive moral lessons or look the other way from the obvious. If as the author says, Ravana’s character shows that ‘piety without virtue is useless’ and highlighted the ‘danger of lust and ego’ I am intrigued at the character TRIJATA an amiable Raakshasi who befriended Sita when she was the captive of Ravana in Lanka, which seems to say that one needn’t get labeled as cruel or virtuous merely because one is born and brought up in not so conducive an environment. Trijata is also called Dharmajna (the meaning is obvious). We are told that Trijata is a kind-hearted ogress who has been standing by the side of Vaidehi ever since she was brought into Ashoka Vana. The poet Kamban refers to her with epithets like 'thaayinum iniyaaL,' one whose love is deeper than the love of one's mother, 'karuththal il sindhayaaL,' one whose mind is not given to dark-thoughts, etc. Trijata, the old demon-lady narrates to her colleagues in Ashoka vana of the dream (that too in the early hours of the dawn which would mean it is bound to come true) that she had in which Rama takes away Sita and Ravana is paraded on a donkey.
"What is the need for you to shed idle tears, O Sita, when I have told you already about my dream?" asks Trijata. 'MunnE sonnEn kaNda kanaavin mudivammaa,' Did I not tell you of my dream earlier? Did I not tell you that this Ravana and his lot would be razed to the ground and that Rama and Lakshmana - the twin lions that I saw in my dream - would emerge victorious? 'pinnE vaaLaa pEdhuruvIrEl pizhai,' If you continue to shed tears for no reason, no. It's wrong. You are not to worry. Not to weep”.
The narration of the dream of Trijata in Valmiki's (Canto XXVII- verse 6—swapno hi adya mayaa drishtah daaruno roma harshanah- meaning --a dream which makes my hair stand on end etc etc….) is relevant. In Kamban's version as well, it says 'I saw Mahalakshmi holding a lamp in her hand, walking from Ravana's palace to the palace of Vibishana,' she says. 'And it was at that time that you woke me up.' 'annayE adhan kurai kaaN endru aayizhai, innamum thuyilga endru iru karam kUppinaaL.' Sita is thrilled. She pleads to the ogress,
"Please go back to sleep. Please resume your sleep and let the rest of the dream appear again, o mother mine!" she tells her with folded hands. But the moving account above - Sita pleading with her to resume her sleep so that the rest of her dream continues - very clearly establishes the kind of relationship that existed between the two of them. Sita stands before her with joined palms and addresses her (the ogress!!) as 'annayE'. Mother mine.
In a later scene, when the war was on, Indrajit (after all he was an expert in sorcery) kills an illusory Sita in the presence of Hanuman. Rama is in the grips of sorrow, crestfallen at the news. At that time Vibishana sees through the grand design of Indrajit. Assuring Sri Rama that nothing untoward could have happened to her, he assumes the form of a bee and reaches Ashoka Vana to come back with the good news. The account of Vibishana to Sri Rama on the safety of Sita contains a reference to Trijata. "I saw her alive in the Ashoka Vana," he tells Rama and continues, 'thIrppadhu thunbam yaan en uyirodu endru uNarndha sindhai,' (I heard her saying) All my sorrow would come to an end only when I die. 'pErppadhu sem solaaL ath thirisadai pEsap pErndhaaL.' But she was relieved of her sorrow as Trijata spoke gentle words, restoring her to her own self.
Trijata plays the role throughout, standing by the side of Janaki whenever the sky darkens. And some say that Trijata was the daughter of vibhishana!!!


Warm regards
V V R
13th Aug 06.