Rama Vs Krishna - மனத்துக்கினியான்
மனத்துக்கினியான்
Rama is the one who is Eka patni vrathan; who cries when the spouse was abducted; who was loving and caring for SitA.
Rama never ever wished to kill the enemies. From the very first thaatakai, he hesitated to kill her as she was a woman; He let Maareecha go away; while he killed subaahu; He even wished to forgive Ravana and gave ample chances for him to surrender.
kaRpaar raamapiraanai allaal maRRum kaRparO?- asks NammAzhwAr.. why would anyone learn anything but Rama?
This also echoes AndAL’s calling Rama as mantthukkuinyaan.
Sri Kodai Nachiar pays a rare tribute to Sri Rama in Sri Tiruppavai- She calls Him ‘Manatthukku iniyAn’, a sobriquet She doesn’t use with regard to any other avatArA, though several have been alluded to in Tiruppavai.
it must have been a question of Honesty. An honest person endears himself to us much more than one who is not.
When we think of Sri Rama, what comes to our mind immediately is the upright figure, who would rather give His life, than speak untruth.
‘RamO dvir nAbhi bhAshatE’ says Sri Valmiki, confirming the Prince’s penchant for adhering to His word, irrespective of the travails they may land Him in. Further, as He himself confirms, ‘anritam na uktapoorvam mE na cha vakshyE kadAchana’(I have never told an untruth in the past, nor shall I ever do so).
In comparison, Sri Krishna emerges a professional fibber, right from childhood. No wonder Sri Andal characterises Him as ‘ElA poygaL uraippAn’(Master fabricator of untenable lies). Thus, vis a vis the dishonest Sri Krishna, Sri Rama’s honest ideals shine, making Him a paragon of virtues, and the personification of ‘Dharma’ or righteousness.
Even His sworn enemies admit this, as is proved by MarIchA’s words, ‘RamO vigrahavAn dharma:’ Nobody in their right mind would ever accuse the Prince of Ayodhya of any moral turpitude, however slight. It is impossible not to love such a person.
In contrast, Sri Krishna is admittedly described even by His staunch admirer Sri Periazhwar as a ‘dharmam ariyA kurumban’ (a mischief-monger sans any appreciation of rights and wrongs), and Sri Andal herself adds, ‘puram pOl uLLumkariyAn’(black of heart as of the body).
when it comes to a question of marital fidelity, Sri Rama outshines Dwarakanatha.
Prior to marriage, we do not have any record of Sri Rama’s emotional entanglements, and after wedlock, His devotion to Sri Janaki is legendary, His grief at Her separation intense enough to prompt Him to speak of taking His own life.
Another fourth reason for the sobriquet ‘manatthukkiniyAn’ must be Sri Rama’s unquestioned valour, which is ever on display. His arrow is as straight as He is, and as effective on His enemies. And the wars He fought were all above-board, role models of ‘dharma yuddha’. Sending back an un-armed, battle-weary Ravana to come better prepared the next day, was indeed an act of incomparable courage.
He is thus the ‘tOlAda taniveeran’ sung by Swami Desikan.
As far as appearances go, Sri Dasarathi was infinitely handsome, and capable of stealing the hearts andsights of not only women, but of men too- (PumsAmdrishti chittha apahAriNam). Even Sri Periazhwar, that avowed votary of Sri Krishna, reluctantly admits the superiority of Sri Rama’s looks and His splendour resembling a thousand Suns shining at their peak simultaneously- ’Kadir Ayiram iravi kalandu eritthAlottha neeN mudian-ediril irAman’. The words, ‘ediril iRaman’(the incomparable Rama) are significant, for Sri Raghunatha was the perfectly ‘manatthukku iniyAn’. Valmiki-’ Sama: sama vibhaktAnga: snigdha varNa:pratApavAn’.
And lastly and perhaps most importantly, Sri Krishna only preached while Sri Rama also practiced. For prapannas like us, Sri Rama is infinitely dearer to the heart, for His whole life was devoted to Saranagata Rakshanam, as borne out by Sri Vibhishana Saranagati and others portrayed by Srimad Ramayana.
The reasons adduced by Sri Rama to the vAnara veerAs for granting refuge to Sri Vibhishana are a classic enunciation of the Doctrine of Saranagati. So much so that Sri Sita refers to Him as ‘SaranAgata Vatsala:’
And Sri Rama belongs to a line of Emperors, for whom SaragAgata Rakshanam was a kula dharma, as the episode of Sipi Chakravarty and the stray pigeon would indicate to Sri Goda devi that there is none other than Sri Rama who qualifies for the endearment ‘manatthukku iniyAn’
Rama is the one who is Eka patni vrathan; who cries when the spouse was abducted; who was loving and caring for SitA.
Rama never ever wished to kill the enemies. From the very first thaatakai, he hesitated to kill her as she was a woman; He let Maareecha go away; while he killed subaahu; He even wished to forgive Ravana and gave ample chances for him to surrender.
kaRpaar raamapiraanai allaal maRRum kaRparO?- asks NammAzhwAr.. why would anyone learn anything but Rama?
This also echoes AndAL’s calling Rama as mantthukkuinyaan.
Sri Kodai Nachiar pays a rare tribute to Sri Rama in Sri Tiruppavai- She calls Him ‘Manatthukku iniyAn’, a sobriquet She doesn’t use with regard to any other avatArA, though several have been alluded to in Tiruppavai.
it must have been a question of Honesty. An honest person endears himself to us much more than one who is not.
When we think of Sri Rama, what comes to our mind immediately is the upright figure, who would rather give His life, than speak untruth.
‘RamO dvir nAbhi bhAshatE’ says Sri Valmiki, confirming the Prince’s penchant for adhering to His word, irrespective of the travails they may land Him in. Further, as He himself confirms, ‘anritam na uktapoorvam mE na cha vakshyE kadAchana’(I have never told an untruth in the past, nor shall I ever do so).
In comparison, Sri Krishna emerges a professional fibber, right from childhood. No wonder Sri Andal characterises Him as ‘ElA poygaL uraippAn’(Master fabricator of untenable lies). Thus, vis a vis the dishonest Sri Krishna, Sri Rama’s honest ideals shine, making Him a paragon of virtues, and the personification of ‘Dharma’ or righteousness.
Even His sworn enemies admit this, as is proved by MarIchA’s words, ‘RamO vigrahavAn dharma:’ Nobody in their right mind would ever accuse the Prince of Ayodhya of any moral turpitude, however slight. It is impossible not to love such a person.
In contrast, Sri Krishna is admittedly described even by His staunch admirer Sri Periazhwar as a ‘dharmam ariyA kurumban’ (a mischief-monger sans any appreciation of rights and wrongs), and Sri Andal herself adds, ‘puram pOl uLLumkariyAn’(black of heart as of the body).
when it comes to a question of marital fidelity, Sri Rama outshines Dwarakanatha.
Prior to marriage, we do not have any record of Sri Rama’s emotional entanglements, and after wedlock, His devotion to Sri Janaki is legendary, His grief at Her separation intense enough to prompt Him to speak of taking His own life.
Another fourth reason for the sobriquet ‘manatthukkiniyAn’ must be Sri Rama’s unquestioned valour, which is ever on display. His arrow is as straight as He is, and as effective on His enemies. And the wars He fought were all above-board, role models of ‘dharma yuddha’. Sending back an un-armed, battle-weary Ravana to come better prepared the next day, was indeed an act of incomparable courage.
He is thus the ‘tOlAda taniveeran’ sung by Swami Desikan.
As far as appearances go, Sri Dasarathi was infinitely handsome, and capable of stealing the hearts andsights of not only women, but of men too- (PumsAmdrishti chittha apahAriNam). Even Sri Periazhwar, that avowed votary of Sri Krishna, reluctantly admits the superiority of Sri Rama’s looks and His splendour resembling a thousand Suns shining at their peak simultaneously- ’Kadir Ayiram iravi kalandu eritthAlottha neeN mudian-ediril irAman’. The words, ‘ediril iRaman’(the incomparable Rama) are significant, for Sri Raghunatha was the perfectly ‘manatthukku iniyAn’. Valmiki-’ Sama: sama vibhaktAnga: snigdha varNa:pratApavAn’.
And lastly and perhaps most importantly, Sri Krishna only preached while Sri Rama also practiced. For prapannas like us, Sri Rama is infinitely dearer to the heart, for His whole life was devoted to Saranagata Rakshanam, as borne out by Sri Vibhishana Saranagati and others portrayed by Srimad Ramayana.
The reasons adduced by Sri Rama to the vAnara veerAs for granting refuge to Sri Vibhishana are a classic enunciation of the Doctrine of Saranagati. So much so that Sri Sita refers to Him as ‘SaranAgata Vatsala:’
And Sri Rama belongs to a line of Emperors, for whom SaragAgata Rakshanam was a kula dharma, as the episode of Sipi Chakravarty and the stray pigeon would indicate to Sri Goda devi that there is none other than Sri Rama who qualifies for the endearment ‘manatthukku iniyAn’
posted by ஜயராமன் at 9:18 PM
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