Miscellaneous - Religion   

Law of Karma

CHENNAI : The action done by a person follows him like a shadow and is infallible in giving result. This is the basis of the law of Karma, from which no one can escape. Karma thus is the seed of future births and hence an individual has to work out all the Karma he has acquired to be liberated from the shackles of worldly bondage.

In case of severe transgressions of Dharma, the resulting sins can be mitigated only by divine grace. The Ramayana illustrates this truth through the manner in which Ahalya was redeemed from her husband Gautama's curse, by which she was transformed into a stone.

In his discourse on the Kamba Ramayanam, Sri M.K.Ramanan said the sage had indicated when she sought his pardon that she would regain her original form when the dust of the feet of Rama fell on her. When she was restored to her human form as foretold, Viswamitra told Gautama to take back Ahalya. Rama paid His respects to the sagely couple and the merit of His action of bringing together Gautama and Ahalya was a precursor to His marriage to Sita. From their hermitage Viswamitra escorted Him to Mithila saying, "After Your incarnation, no being has suffered. Instead, all beings in this world have been relieved of their afflictions... When You fought with Thatakai, I saw the glory of Your hands. Here I have seen the glory of Your feet."

Kamban differs from Valmiki in his portrayal of their entry in to Mithila by resorting to poetic licence to introduce a different type of marriage (Gandharva). He says, "When Sita stood on the balcony of the palace, Rama gazed at Her and She gazed at Him... Where was the need to exchange words, when Lord Tirumal and Goddess Lakshmi, separated from the dark serpent-bed on the ocean of milk, reunited here as Rama and Sita?" Thus the condition laid by Janaka to give Sita in marriage to one who could string Siva's bow in his possession would be fulfilled was a foregone conclusion. Kamban brings Rama's divine nature to the fore in such important junctures.

Sage Sadananda then related the glory of the bow of Siva and how it came in to Janaka's possession, and also why he had stipulated this condition for Sita's marriage. Kamban depicts Rama's might effectively by saying: "They just saw Rama taking the bow in His hand and instantly heard the sound of the breaking of the bow!"

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoon
The Hindu Crossword No. 8576
Solution to Puzzle No. 8575
Law of Karma
dated April 13, 1956: New Premier of Ceylon
dated April 13, 1956: "One mother will do"
Weather

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu