MONDAY MUSINGS Ep. 6 – Enthusiasm is the might

100th sargam of Ayodhya Kandam is long and insightful one and thus this single sargam contributed to the first 5 episodes. Let us move forward to Kishkinda Kandam for another interesting leadership lesson.

 

Kishkinda kandam starts with grief. Rama in his pursuit to regain Seetha, abducted by Ravana from the forest, reaches Pampa Lake with his brother Lakshmana. Rama visualizes Pampa Lake as a heavenly abode and narrates to Lakshmana his grief due to the separation from his beloved wife Seetha, i.e., the departure of innate soul from the Supreme. It takes exactly 113 slokas for Valmiki to describe the beauty of Pampa Lake and Rama’s grief. Lakshmana consoles Rama to enthuse him to come out of lamentation to action in this 121th sloka.

 

aarya = oh, noble one; utsaahaH balavaan = anyone possessing enthusiasm, is a mighty one; utsaahaat param balam naasti = there is no might without enthusiasm; saha utsaahsyaH hi = with enthusiasm; lokeSu kimchit api durlabham = nothing is impossible in this world.

 

Utsaha, Sanskrit word has multiple meanings. Enthusiasm, Zeal or being cheerful is the most apt meaning in this beautiful Sanskrit sloka. Right translation of the word durlabham is `Difficult to attain’.

 

Lakshmana advises Rama to come out of grief and get into action. Lakshmana says “An enthusiastic person is a mighty person.  There is no might without enthusiasm, however strong the person may be, Nothing is impossible to attain in this world for an enthusiastic person”.

 

Very next sloka is also an interesting one

Lakshmana continues “Enthusiastic people never get disheartened and thus never abandon their efforts in the face of difficulties. Enthusiasm only can help us to get back Sita. Self-pity is not going to help us to get back Sita”.

 

This golden advice is ever relevant and there is an interesting doctrine here. Lord preached Bharatha in Ayodhya Kandam. What is the need for someone else to preach to Lord Ram? After all, Lord knows everything.  Does it require someone else to teach the Lord?

 

Rama is the avatar of Lord Vishnu who is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Lakshmana is the incarnation of adisesha, who is a faithful servant of Lord Vishnu.  What is the need for the Lord to learn this simple truth from Lakshmana, his servant?  Two possible reasons why Valmiki wrote this. Rama lived the life of an ordinary human being. He wanted to be a role model and show to the society that human might have to face adversaries, encounter miseries, and have to develop courage to fight the challenges cheerfully. He won against all these challenges as a normal human without resorting to any supernatural power. ‘Listening and Learning’ is vital for all human, however powerful they might be. Second, Valmiki probably wanted to show to the world that useful learning can come from any quarter, even from a junior and lower rank. Rama listened to Lakshmana and came out of dejection.

 

I remember this thirukkural which gives nearly the same meaning, great men think alike! This is a `tongue twister’ kural with four இடும்பை coming within 7 words.

One who is enthusiastic and brave cannot be cowed down by any challenge.  They are capable of bringing despair to the challenge itself instead of getting despaired.

 

 

 Picture courtesy: Ms. Hema Rajagopalan