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| Tara and Rama as imagined by Copilot Designer |
Kishkindha is a liminal world, a world between humans
and gods, a world of monkey-like creatures that think and behave like humans.
The Vanaras are said to be born of gods to assist Rama in his mission. But I
have come across many interpretations in which a Vanara like Hanuman serves an
allegorical function to teach us how to channel our untamed, primal instincts
towards righteousness and higher goals. The moment we bring supernatural
intervention (like animals specially created by gods to play a major role in
the plot), a plethora of interpretations flow in. We can find any number of
symbolic and allegorical meanings in the Vanara kingdom.
Friendship is a major theme in this
section of the epic. There is a friendship of convenience, a friendship that is
more of a political strategy, between Rama and Sugriva. There is deep devotion
which goes far beyond friendship in the relation between Hanuman and Rama. We
will discuss Hanuman later (under letter H in this series).
Is Sugriva a genuine friend?
Sugriva became Rama’s friend because
both of them had a common grief: loss of spouse. Sugriva’s wife, Ruma, was
forcibly taken by his brother Vali. Rama’s wife was abducted by Ravana.
Vali was the Vanara King in
Kishkindha. One day the demon Mayavi challenged Vali and their fight took place
in a cave. Sugriva, Vali’s brother, stood outside the cave. After a while,
blood flowed out of the cave and Vali didn’t come out. Assuming that Vali was
killed, Sugriva closed the mouth of the cave with a boulder and returned to the
palace. He not only crowned himself the king but also married Tara, Vali’s
wife. It was customary in some cultures for a man to marry his dead brother’s
wife in those days.
Vali was not dead, however. He
returned, defeated Sugriva in a fight, and married Ruma, Sugriva’s wife. Too
many men (and a few gods too) are after the wives of other men in the Ramayana.
Sugriva lived in the constant fear of
imminent death at the hands of his brother. That’s when Hanuman, his minister,
brings Rama to him. Hanuman is aware of Rama’s divine origin and superhuman
powers. A friendship is forged between Rama and Sugriva, a bond of convenience,
a political strategy: You help me and I will help you.
Rama helps Sugriva to kill Vali, not
without employing some deception. Sugriva now becomes the king of Kishkindha,
marries his brother’s wife Tara, and forgets his promise to Rama. But Rama
knows that the kind of friendship he has struck with Sugriva requires more
diplomacy than devotion. In the meanwhile, Tara and Hanuman manage to convince
Sugriva of his duty to fulfil his commitment to Rama. He does give his best
after that.
Tara emerges as a heroine in
Kishkindha.
When Sugriva challenges Vali to a
duel, Tara warns Vali not to accept the challenge hastily because her feminine
intuition smells something amiss. Sugriva will not have the courage to
challenge Vali, Tara knows, unless there is a crooked strategy behind. “No one
returns from the forest without a plan,” she cautions her husband, “Sugriva
must have found a strong ally.” Vali is too proud not to pick up the gauntlet
thrown on his face. One’s destiny cannot be stopped.
Tara accepts her destiny too and
cooperates with Sugriva even to the extent of becoming his wife, after Vali is
killed by Rama for Sugriva. She stands out as a female voice of reason in a
male-dominated narrative. She embodies the ideal of wise counsel –
compassionate, courageous, resilient, and clear-sighted. Even Valmiki admired
her beauty and grace, wisdom and foresight, eloquence and persuasion, emotional
depth and composure, and political acumen. She questions Rama too.
“Whose maryada, moral code,
did Rama follow? Kishkindha’s or Ayodhya’s?” She asks. Rama was mute before the questions put to him
by the dying Vali too. “Animals hunt for food, or mate, or territory,” he told
Rama. “Why did you hunt me?” [This is not from Valmiki Ramayana, but the south
Indian folk Ramayana which I find more intelligent.] Writing about this in his
book, Many Ramayanas, Many Lessons, Anand Neelakantan says, “Rama is
thus imposing the human moral values of Ayodhya society on Bali’s [Vali’s] kingdom
of Kishkindha.”
Should Rama Rajya be thus imposed
everywhere?
I’m still trying to make sense of the
epic and hence such questions arise in my mind as I go on with my study of the
epic. Those who know the answers are requested to post them in the comment
space below.
Eventually the Vanara Sena puts in
their best for the sake of Rama, a man with whom they had nothing to do.
Who was whose friend in Kishkindha? Everybody
was a friend; at least, everybody could have been. Even Vali.
The dying Vali tells Rama (as quoted
in Neelakantan’s book), “I am the king, and I would have rendered you justice.
You have come to my kingdom as a mendicant, not an invading prince. The right
thing would have been to come to the king and ask for help. I would have given
you justice. Instead, you decided to perpetrate an injustice.”
Some friendships are forged
expediently. And some are missed because of our negligence.
PS. I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. This series looks at the Ramayana
from various angles.
Tomorrow: Golden
Deer: Illusions
Previous Posts in this series:
As you said, friendships are of different kinds, some true and enduring, some others forged our of pure convenience. The murder of Vali by Rama has always been a point of contention in the epic.
ReplyDeleteI hanve often wondered whether Valmiki was trying to tell us that even gods are helpless sometimes and even they have to resort to deception occsionally. Or, at least, they make mistakes.
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteAnd here we find the unavoidable matter of diplomacy (Rama), detente (betweent the brothers), and deception (Sugriva). I could draw a direct analogy to the current British PM, who is seen as someone trying so hard to not step on any toes and avoid conflict, whilst still seeking to gain the best for his own (the nations's) ends...and seeming like a pawn as a result... but that may be stretching things, rather! One does find oneself considering the sanctioned assassinations that have taken place over more recent times - whilst short term gains may have arisen in terms of peace and objectives, there can never really be justification.
Alliances are a fact of wider society, however. Sometimes they work for us, and sometimes against. We are seeing immediate evidence of this, globally. It has ever been thus. Is it then, so strainge to find such depiction in the soap opera reading? Are we not surrounded by those in power saying if you are not my friend you are my enemy? The impossibility of being 100% "right" when taking sides is what is represented.
For the seeker of higher understanding the scene is set to make us question our ability to read fully any situation, to understand motivations, and to assess whether means justify ends. YAM xx
That's the most intelligible interpretation of this whole episode, I think.
DeleteThis part of the epic left me quite disturbed. But then I always console myself that this is fiction. But why on earth would a great poet, a sage, a seer, put his protagnist in this sort of a situation? You have the most acceptable answer.
I visited Kishkinda in January this year and was told this story by the historian accompanying us. We were also shown the places where a lot of exchanges took place. Fascinating read! Mayuri
ReplyDeleteHow much of this is history and how much myth is something we may never know.
DeleteI too wonder at the complex nature of dharma and the righteous people. I just feel that everyone has Achilles Heels!
ReplyDeleteYes, everyone including divine incarnations has flaws.
DeleteFriendships are like people. Flawed.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteFriendships have always been about convenience, I guess ! And I do not think imposing anything is ever wise in the long run. It is not even sustainable. Even Ram Rajya got perished in due course of time. And about Bali's death, I think each incarnation (be it Rama or Krishna) is flawed just like the death of Abhimanyu in Mahabharata which and Krishna let it happen !
ReplyDeleteThe sad end of Rama Rajya is something that I have hinted at again and again in this series. Is contemporary India justified in seeking that sort of a political system? Of course, there are other interpretations like Rama Rajya is about dharma rather than politics. But what we around is adharma and they call it Rama Raya!
Delete'vazhakkadu mandram' is a literary court in Tamil literary tradition where justice is sought. A well known judge was Ko. Sathiya Seelan of Trichy who passed away in recent years. Typically one side will presents few complaints with evidence. The opposing side will offer justifications. The topic of 'testing Rama's dharma' about vali's killing was famous one. 'Vali vadam' is also a concept of debate in my own home. Your post discusses Tara. I need to go behind this lead. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteVali murder is indeed a problem vis-a-vis Rama's righteousness. I plan to raise this issue once more under the letter T which will be about Tara, who is another heroic woman in Ramayana.
DeleteVali murder is indeed a problem vis-a-vis Rama's righteousness. I plan to raise this issue once more under the letter T which will be about Tara, who is another heroic woman in Ramayana.
Delete