Tuesday, February 07, 2017

ultimate in equanimity...



दधतो मङ्गळक्षौमे वसानस्य च वल्कले।
ददृशुर्विस्मितास्तस्य मुखरागं समं जनाः॥
काळिदासकृते रघुवंशमहाकाव्ये १२-८
dadhato maṅgaḻakṣaume vasānasya ca valkale|
dadṛśurvismitāstasya mukharāgaṁ samaṁ janāḥ||
kāḻidāsakṛte raghuvaṁśamahākāvye 12-8

मङ्गळक्षौमे pair of auspicious silken garments 
दधतः wearing 
वल्कले bark garment 
वसानस्य adorning 
च too
तस्य his 
समं unchanged or with equanimity 
मुखरागं colour of the face 
विस्मिताः wonderstruck 
जनाः people 
ददृशु saw 
Rama was equnimity personified.. Neither happiness nor adversity did make any impact on his thoughts and action..
The Emperors son Rama was declared as the heir apparent or yuva raja, and the coronation was fixed with pomp and gaiety.. 
On the morning of the festive day, Rama is dressed in the dual silken robe befitting the occasion.. 
Kaikeyi, under the evil influence of Manthara has other plans for Rama, and taking advantage of two boons granted by the king Dasaratha, she manages two decrees from the King,
first that Bharatha would be the next king 
and 
the second that Rama would adjourn to forest and live there as a recluse for fourteen years..
When Rama enters the palace of Dasaratha on the morning of the coronation, fully dressed in silk, the order of the king denying him the kingdom and directing him to adjourn to forest for fourteen years, was awaiting him..
Any person would have been shattered..
But Rama's demeanour did not change even slightly.. 
He removes his silken clothes and adorns himself with bark garments, and emerges out of the palace without any change in the sweet glow on his face.. 
People who watched him all along are struck with wonder..
This situation is describde by the great poet Kalidasa in his Mahaakavyam..Raghuvamsam..
"The people of Ayodhya watched with awe and admiration as they saw that the colour of the face of Rama 
was the same when (he entered the palace) wearing the twin golden clothes befitting the festive occasion 
and when (he emerged out of the same palace ) wearing clothes made of wooden bark ( fit to be worn by people who live in forests)"

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