Miscellaneous - Religion   

Challenges of life

CHENNAI: The perennial relevance of the Ramayana is embedded in the fine shades of human emotions and the values of life that surface as the characters react and respond to the dilemmas and challenges they confront during their lifetime. The event, Vibhishana Saranagati, gains tremendous significance since it happened at a time when important military decisions were being discussed in Sugriva’s camp prior to the war on Ravana, pointed out Dr. Sudha Seshaiyan in a lecture. The plight of Vibhishana was awkward since he stood in the most vulnerable stage of being easily misunderstood. He had been driven out of Ravana’s court when he advised Ravana to be cautious and return Sita to Lord Rama. He warned Ravana not to treat Lord Rama slightly on the basis of His human form.

The poet Kamban sang the Hiranya Padalam in this context to highlight the similarities between the two valiant adversaries of the Lord. Vibhishana pointed out that even Hiranya, who had chosen immunity from death with such precision when he obtained the boon from Brahma, ultimately fell a prey to the Lord’s anger and headed to his destruction from a pillar he himself had built. In Ravana’s case, neither the boon he obtained had any such impeccable protection (since he had ignored human beings in his list), nor was he free of faults (since he abducted Sita). Though fully aware of these truths, his hubris was his arrogance, and this turned into anger against Vibhishana to the extent of chasing him away from his presence.

When the news of Vibhishana ‘s arrival with four other demons was brought to Lord Rama’s notice, the Lord allowed a debate on the pros and cons of accepting an important person from the enemy camp. Sugriva, Jambhavan and others expressed objection, fear and doubts about Vibhishana’s motives and intentions.

Hanuman, when asked by Lord Rama to give his views on the matter, pointed out the quality of Dharma inherent in Vibhishana that he had witnessed in Lanka. Vibhishana had restrained Ravana from issuing the order for killing him, drawing attention to the dharma of kingship that prohibits killing a messenger.

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