Sri Raghava Yadaveeyam

Sri Raghava Yadaveeyam

Sanskrit is a rich language. Sages like Valmiki
and Vyasa have produced the two great eternal
Epics, Srimad Ramayana and the Mahabharata
respectively in that language. Impelled by Sage
Narada, Sri Veda Vyasa composed Srimad
Bhagavata, which sets out the glory of the
supreme Lord and His descents into the world. It
is often said that it requires a profound scholar
in Sanskrit to understand and convey the
meaning of Srimad Bhagavata. Philosophers like
Sri Yamunacharya, Sri Ramanuja and Sri
Vedanta Desika used Sanskrit to the best
advantage to posit the Visishtadvaita
philosophy. Coming in the tradition of Sri Desika
was Sri Venkatadhvari, a poet of the 17th century
(1590 1660 CE). He has a distinguished
genealogy. His grandfather Sri Srinivasa Dikshita
(also known as Appayyaguru) was the nephew of
the great Panchamata Bhanjana Tatadesika. Sri
Venkatadhvari was a master of poetry, rhetoric
and dramaturgy. Many works are attributed to
him, but quite a few are unfortunately lost. One
of his works is Raghava Yadaveeyam.
This is an unusual composition of just thirty
verses, but simultaneously narrating the story of
the Ramayana when read in the composed order.
When read in the reverse order (commencing
from the end of the second line), the episode in
Srimad Bhagavata of Sri Krishna fetching the
Parijata tree from Indras svarga-loka is narrated.
In view of the difficulty in grasping the dual
meanings of the words (in the original and
reverse orders), the author himself has provided
a commentary pointing out the salient features in
the verses. Based on this commentary, the
translations of the verses and the highlights
thereof are given below, along with the verses in
original Sanskrit and transliteration in English.
Since both stories (Srimad Ramayana and
Srimad Bhagavata) are familiar, readers may find
the text easy to understand. But, more than
anything else, this work is bound to enthuse
lovers of Sanskrit literature.


 
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I pay my obeisance to Lord Sri Rama, who with

his heart pining for Sita, travelled across the
Sahyadri, returned to Ayodhya after killing
Ravana, and sported with his consort, Sita, in
Ayodhya for a long time. 1

[The loss and rescue of Sitadevi are highlighted

here. These are linked to the purpose of Sri
Ramas incarnation. The term sreetam means
having obtained Sree, which means not only
Goddess Sri (Sitadevi) but also royalty and
prosperity. (Refer Uttara-rama-charita 4-6:
dasarathasya gruhe yathaa sreeh)]

I bow to Lord Sri Krishna, whose chest is the

sporting resort of Sri Lakshmi who is fit to be
contemplated through penance and sacrifice,
who fondles Rukmani and his other consorts,
who is worshipped by the Gopikas, and who is
decked with jewels radiating splendor. 1a
[The term maaraamoraah is to be split up as
maa + aaraama + uraah, meaning with a Chest
(uras) where Goddess Lakshmi (maa) indulges in
delightful sports (aaraamah). Significantly, the
term sreetam is also used here to show the
identity of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna.]

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On the earth was the city of Ayodhya, named

otherwise as Saketa, foremost among the
famous cities, was the place of abode of King
Dasratha, son of King Aja, which city was
invincible even to the Gods, which displayed the
pageantry of the Gods, who had assembled to
partake the oblations offered in the sacrifice
conducted there, which city was shining with all
splendor with the Brahmins and merchant
community.2

[Dasaratha, the son of King Aja, is called Aaji

here. The term aajeeta means inherited by
Aaji. Reverence by the celestials is denoted by
a double negative adevaa dyaah avisvaasaa. It
also means that the celestials had no hope of
conquering it. Hence, the city came to be
called Ayodhya. It is always mentioned first
among the seven sacred cities (Ayodhya,
Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika and
Dvaraka). The citizens of the city excelled in their
respective vocations, learning, industry,
warfare, etc.]

The city Dwaravathi or Dwaraka, noteworthy

among the cities, was in the midst of water, that
city which abounded in horses and elephants,
which was the battleground of the debating
erudite scholars, which city had as her master,
Sri Krishna, whose consort was Radha and
which city was the greatest of the seats of
learning. 2a

[The phrase deepraa vidyaa means radiant

knowledge or Brahmavidya.]

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The city of Ayodhya abounded in huge

mansions, which were the repository of immense
wealth and splendor, deep walls and the cooing
sounds of the Sarasa birds. The city was full of
people, who were filled with a deep sense of love
and affection.3

The raised pials in the houses of Dwaraka were

filled with Brahmins. There were many huge
lotuses and impeccable mansions. The city
Dwaraka, which was indescribable, was in the
midst of mango groves.3a

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Ayodhya interspersed with clusters of trees and
mansions had not seen the light of stars. It was
full of festivities and joy. It warded off all sins. In
its splendor, it equaled the Sun. the majestic
luster in the form of Rama pervaded its whole
atmosphere.4

The liberal hearted Sri Krishna, the Lord of the

Yadavas, the source of all light, the Lord of
cows, the repository of unbounded splendor,
was the protector of Dwaraka.4a

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The great Sage Vishwamitra, son of Gadhi,

desirous of unfettered performance of sacrifices,
secured the aid of the protector of sacrifices (viz:
the calm and famous Sri Rama) from the
destructive elements.5

The famous sage Narada, the greatest among the

Brahmins who instills a sense of courage among
the warriors and who is a great musician
approaches singing, Sri Krishna, who is born for
the welfare of humankind and the world. 5a
[In this verse, the letter haa (which means
alas), which stands alone, indicates that this
visit of Narada forebode some disturbance.]

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Sita, whose words are a source of immense joy,

who is equal to Mother Earth, who is
compassionate to those who bow before her,
who was born out of the earth, obtained
(married) Sri Rama, who possessed a graceful
splendor and was the consort of Lakshmi, and
had taken the human form.6

Lakshmi, born as the daughter of a King, was

married to Sri Krishna. Rukmani (Goddess
Lakshmi in the human form), who is the
protector of the Gods, and who is free from all
faults and the bride of Sri Krishna, took the
resplendent flower Parijata from Sri Krishna,
given by the Sage Narada. 6a
 
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Sri Rama, who was glowing with a luster like that
of the Sun, but at the same time, was easily
approachable, who always sympathized with the
woe begotten, who vanquished the demons
harassing the sages, who was endowed with all
the wealth, became kind-hearted when
Parasurama, son of Renuka, bowed before him.7

[In Srimad Ramayana, the sequence is that Sri

Rama killed the demons who interfered with
the sacrifices performed by Vishwamitra and
other sages, acquired Sitadevi as His Queen,
confronted the arrogant Parasurama and
condoned his behaviour, after showing His
superiority. All these are dealt with in the Bala-
kanda. Then, at the commencement of Ayodhya-
kanda, Sri Ramas qualities are vividly described
by the citizens of Ayodhya. All these are
condensed in a single verse but the sequence
interchanged to permit the use of reversible
words to convey the other story of Sri Krishna.
Obviously, this is poetic license at its best!
However, one can see that all the principal
qualities of Sri Rama have been mentioned in
this verse, such as His approachability
(saulabhya), compassion (daya), valour (virya),
lordship (aishwarya) and concern for the sages,
which was the hallmark of His life, whether in
Ayodhya or in the forests.]

Rukmani had lost all flair for the flowers growing

on the earth, which produced a faint pleasure,
Rukmani , with that Parijata flower obtained
while on the Raivathaka mountain, was glowing
with a new luster in the company of Sri Krishna,
as if she had assumed a new body.7a

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Sri Rama, who quickly sapped the energy of
Asuras (demons), who was the abode of safety,
sported with Sita in the abodes of Ayodhya.8

Rukmani who possessed the Parijata flower,

which was like a necklace of pearls, and a
repository of all welfare, and who was not afraid
of her co-wives, reached her abode with Sri
Krishna. 8a


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In this Ayodhya, the earth (kingdom) was
secured for her son (Bharata) by the middle
(second of the three) queen, the jealous
Kaikeyi.9

[It will be seen that there are enough words in

this verse emphasizing the negative aspects like
anger, emotion, fault, etc. Kaikeyi is referred to
by the word madhyamaa for reasons of
protocol to show that she was ranked senior to
Sumitra.]
Satyabhama, the slender hipped, who attained a
glorified position with her richness of wealth,
became quickly possessed with anger and fear
(due to the Parijata given by Sri Krishna to
Rukmani).9a

[In both versions, the respective queens are

seized by fear and anger at the prospect of being
relegated to a secondary position by their
husbands actions. Both felt that they were
entitled to be in the premier positions at all
times. King Dasaratha, by intending to make Sri
Rama the Crown prince, and Sri Krishna, by
handing over the Parijata garland to
Rukmanidevi, had confirmed that the respective
queens Kaikeyi and Satyabhama are secondary
(madhyamaa) only.]

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Kaikeyi, who became emaciated due to sorrow at
the thought of coronation and who had lost all
pleasures and had ceased to attend on the
comforts of the old King Dasratha, objected to
the coronation of Rama and made Rama proceed
to the forest.10

Satyabhama, who was exceedingly agitated, had

bolted the doors to prevent entry of her maids
into her abode, where the peacocks used to live
and sport. The beautiful-faced Satyabhama was
under the influence of grave anger, which was
like the forest fire.10a

[Both Kaikeyi and Satyabhama, who feared the

consequences of their husbands actions,
reacted in different ways to tackle the situations
they found themselves in. While, in the
Ramayana, Kaikeyi is said to have entered her
sulking chamber, Satyabhama went one step
further and did not wish to have any company,
not even that of her maids, in her moment of
anger. The poet uses the expression taanavaat
apakaa umaabhaa, which means thinning or
emaciation due to loss of comfort and lustre to
describe Kaikeyis state of mind and the reverse
expression bhaamaa kopaa davaanataa to
convey the state of anger in the case of
Satyabhama.]
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The glorious and courageous Rama, with great

devotion to his revered father, who felt ashamed
at discarding the valued truth, (Dasrathas
predicament in fulfilling his vow to Kaikeyi,
resulting in the banishment of his beloved son to
the forest) started to go to the forest, bereft of all
adornments.11

[The entire verse shows Sri Ramas

determination. He was, in no way, connected to
the two boons given by his father earlier to
Kaikeyi. However, due to the extraordinary
respect He had for His father, He cheerfully
decided (sthiradheerah) to honour the latters
words. Leaving without ornaments is intended
to indicate removal of all vestiges of royalty
before He left for the forest. He was clothed in
tree-barks and carried only His bow and arrows.
The poet says aho to convey his sense of
wonder at Sri Ramas cheerful and spontaneous
sacrifice.]
In Dwaraka, the brave Krishna, who was attached
to his wife, endowed with a flair for music, who
had been ashamed by his own action (of giving
the flower to Rukmani) approached as if with fear
the abode of Satyabhama.11a

[Hree means bashfulness, shame or

embarrassment. The poet seems to convey that
Sri Krishna perhaps thought that He could have
avoided this embarrassment, had He acted
differently and more carefully. The phrase
bhaasvarah sthiradheerah used to denote Sri
Rama has been reversed to read dheerasthira
svabhaavah to indicate Sri Krishna.]

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Sita, the daughter of Mother Earth, who bestows

the gift of faultless knowledge of Sastras, to
those who resort to her aid, became ashamed
and agitated and entered the forest with great
anger. Yet she did not lack luster.12
[The words who grants faultless scriptural
knowledge to those who resort to Her (yaa
nayaana agha dheetaadaa) has been placed in
such a position as to apply to both Mother Earth
and Sitadevi. Obviously, they pertain to Sitadevi
only, for She is the Incarnation of Goddess
Lakshmi, Who is the preceptor next to the
supreme Lord in the Srivaishnava
guruparampara. However, it could be taken to
apply to Bhudevi also, for it was she who made
the Lord spell out His plan for liberating bound
souls through the Varaha charamasloka. Then, in
the text, the poet refers to Sitadevi as
hreesataapaa i.e. embarrassed and agitated and
explains it by his later comments naayaka
raajya vighna lajjaa sanjaata vishadetyarthah,
implying that She was upset due to the obstacles
placed in the way of Her Lord getting the
kingdom. But Sage Valmiki has stated in the
Ramayana that Sitadevi joyfully went along with
Sri Rama to the forest and that She was not too
much concerned at the denial of the kingdom to
Him. This needs a deeper analysis.]

The resplendent Krishna, the protector and

bestower of wealth, who had the celestial bird
(Garuda) as his carrier, was not even looked at
by Satyabhama, who was slighted by Krishnas
fault (of giving the flower to Rukmani).12a

[The crux of this verse lies in linking the three

words dheeghanayaa, vedayaanah and
alokee. Strung together, the sentence means
He who has the mobile Vedas (Garuda) as His
vehicle, was not even looked at by her, who was
weighed down by knowledge. Perhaps, the poet
intends to convey that Satyabhamas knowledge
did not take her far enough to recognise Sri
Krishna for who He was. On this point alone,
Rukminidevi scores a point over Satyabhama, as
was seen from the dialogue between
Rukminidevi and Sri Krishna when He jocularly
teased Her for choosing Him over many princes
vying for Her Hand.]

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Sri Rama, who vanquished the horde of wicked,

proud and impassioned enemies, got tired while
walking through the forest and approached the
self-controlled Sage Bharadwaja.13

[After meeting Guha, the ruler of Sringaberapura,

on the outskirts of Ayodhya, Sri Rama, Sitadevi
and Lakshmana rested for the night on the
northern banks of the Ganges. While Sri Rama
and Sitadevi slept peacefully, Lakshmana stood
guard over Them and lamented over the turn of
events. Next morning, Sri Rama decided to cross
the river and commandeered a boat for the
purpose. He sent back a most reluctant
Sumantra to Ayodhya and crossed over to the
southern banks to enter the kingdom of the
Matsyas. Seeking the shade of a large tree to
take their forest meal and rest for the night, Sri
Rama fondly recalled his father and rued over
the latters plight. He feared for the safety of His
mother Kausalya, who would be treated unkindly
by Kaikeyi for the mere fault of being His mother.
He advised Lakshmana to return to Ayodhya and
provide comfort to Kausalya and his own mother
Sumitra. Lakshmana consoled Sri Rama and
added that he would not care even to enter the
portals of paradise if Sri Rama was not there
with him. Sri Rama was delighted to hear
Lakshmanas words and composed Himself to
sleep.
Apparently, the short interlude of grief, which
overpowered Sri Rama, is referred to by the poet
through the words aayaasee. The double word
ha ha brings out the poignancy of Sri Ramas
mental state. The royal Exiles then called on the
exemplary sage, Bharadwaja, who directed Them
to Chitrakoota, a little further away. The sage had
strictly observed all the vows and penances and
had full knowledge of the three phases of time.]

Satyabhama did not utter a word to Sri Krishna

out of anger nor did she listen to the utterances
of Sri Krishna. However, Satyabhama became
immensely pleased with Sri Krishna when he
told her that He would undertake the burden of
bringing the great Parijata tree and started to
converse with Him.13a

[In the earlier verse 12, the poet conveyed the

poor state of Satyabhamas awareness of the
greatness of Sri Krishna. He continues to dwell
on the fact in this verse also. She was so far
gone in her anger that she did not even deign to
speak to Him or reply to His words. However, the
moment Sri Krishna mentioned His plans to
bring the Parijata tree to her, she readily
responded to His words. The word ha ha, in this
context, refers to astonishment (aascharya),
while, earlier, it referred to poignancy.]

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Sri Rama who had valorous splendor like the

Kubera and who had the distinction of
vanquishing the big array of demons
(Rakshasas), with his faultless gait, reached the
region known as Chitrakoota, which was like the
heaven, where the cool breeze was being wafted
along.14

[Chitrakoota is described as a beautiful spot in

Srimad Ramayana (Ayodhya-kanda, chapters 55,
56 and 98). Bharata praises Mount Chitrakoota
saying that it is fortunate to offer a dwelling
place to Sri Rama, who is like Kubera (ibid 98.12:
subhagaschitrakootosau giriraajopamo girih,
yasmin vasati kaakutsthah kubera iva
nandane.).]
The cloud hued Sri Krishna, as an atonement for
the displeasure caused to Satyabhama, started
on a pilgrimage to the Swarga the heavenly
abode of the God, which possessed an
auditorium adorned by Rambha and others, to
bring the Parijata tree of divine pleasure.14a

[Sri Krishna sought to assuage the feelings of

Satyabhama by bringing the tree, which bore the
celestial flowers, hoping that their fragrance will
cool her tempers. He ascended His chariot and
flew to Indras world. The poet deliberately uses
the word pilgrimage (yaatraa) to indicate that
the journey was in expiation of an offence by
Sri Krishna.]

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The self-controlled Rama, who had overcome

Bharagava Rama (Parasurama) the destroyer of
the big line of Kshatriya, reached the Dandaka
forest. Rama, the Lord attainable only by the
Nitya Suris, by having taken the human form
also became attainable to the ordinary mortals of
the world.15

[Parasurama, the son of Sage Jamadagni, was

incensed at the mindless killing of his father by
an arrogant king. He took a vow to exterminate
all Kshatriyas and carried it out systematically.
However, when he met Sri Rama and challenged
the Latter, it was he who got defeated by Sri
Ramas superior prowess. Sri Rama not only
humbled Parasurama, but also deprived him of
his acquired divine powers and sent him to a
distant land. The term hata, which ordinarily
means killing, is taken to mean putting to
shame here. Next, though attainable only by the
ever-free souls (nityasuris) in Srivaikuntha, Sri
Rama met many inhabitants of the forest and
was accessible to one and all during His
Incarnation. The poet says that Sri Rama seemed
to prefer the company of pure, devoted sages of
the Dandaka forest to that of the nityasuris. So
happy was He in the forest.]

The great leader, the possessor of remarkable

magnificence, Sri Krishna, reached the
Nandanavana the celestial garden, which gave
supreme pleasure to Indra.15a
[Sri Krishna was the Abode of all splendour and
munificence. There was nothing He did not
possess or could not get. The Parijata tree,
which He sought for Satyabhamas sake, was in
the celestial world of Indra, who was known for
his waywardness. The poet refers to Indras
clandestine visit to Sage Gautamas hermitage,
coveting the sages beautiful wife, Ahalya. While,
in the earlier original version, Sri Rama entered
the (terrifying) Dandakaranya and spread His
saulabhya around, in the reverse version here,
Sri Krishna is seen to enter the (pleasant
arboreal) nandanavana to dispossess Indra of
one of his prized possessions, the Parijata tree.]

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The faultless Rama, the enemy of ignorance,

wearing the dress of bark, killed Viradha, the
tormentor of all beings. Then Sri Rama went to
Sage Agastya, whose voice was resounding with
the Vedic hymns.16
[Verses 16 to 22 of this work contain the events,
which are related in the Aranya-kanda of Srimad
Valmiki Ramayana. Soon after Sri Rama entered
the Dandakavana, He passed through the
hermitages of the sages and then encountered
the cannibal Viradha, who was invulnerable to
weapons. He was a willful killer of all moving
objects and a terror to all living beings in the
forest. After some terrifying moments, when the
demon first carried away Sitadevi, dropped Her
and then lifted Sri Rama and Lakshmana on his
huge shoulders, he was pounded, mutilated and
buried alive by them. The demon met his end at
the Hands of Sri Rama but not before he directed
Him to meet Sage Sarabhanga, who was awaiting
Him. After meeting Sage Sarabhanga and then
Sutikshna, Sri Rama met Sage Agastya and
obtained from him divine weapons for His future
use. Mention of the Viradha episode and Sri
Ramas meeting with Sage Agastya conveys the
commencement of the fulfillment of the purpose
of His Incarnation on earth.]

Indra, the bestower of water to the earth and who

was enjoying the pleasure of hearing different
kinds of music and who possessed valor
capable of vanquishing the Asura (demon)
named Jambha, got frightened on hearing the
news of arrival of Sri Krishna in Swarga.16a

[Indra had once sent down a torrent of rain on

Gokula when Sri Krishna was a boy. He got
offended when young Sri Krishna had stopped
the cowherds worshipping him and had diverted
their worship to the Govardhana hill, the cows
and Brahmins. Child Krishna had lifted the hill,
kept it aloft by His divine powers, and saved the
entire clan of cowherds. Indra accepted defeat
and sought pardon from Child Krishna. Indra had
not forgotten this embarrassment and hence was
afraid of Sri Krishnas visit to his kingdom. His
misdemeanours were many and hence he was
not sure for which of those actions Sri Krishna
had come to punish him. Indra concluded that
Sri Krishnas visit bode no good; hence his fear.]

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Sri Rama, the protector of the sages immersed in

the lore of the Vedas, was adored by Jatayu. Sri
Rama was then implored by Surpanakha, the
ugly sister of Ravana for his union.17

[On His way to Panchavati, Sri Rama espied a

huge vulture seated on a large banyan tree, who
introduced himself as Jatayu and a friend of
Dasaratha. Sri Rama embraced Jatayu as His
fathers friend even as the latter offered his
respectful felicitations to Sri Rama and
volunteered to watch over Sitadevi while Sri
Rama was away. Later, at Panchavati, Sri Rama
had an unusual visitor in demoness Surpanakha,
the sister of Ravana. She was bewitched by Sri
Ramas demeanour and wanted to wed Him. It is
significant that the poet has brought together, in
the same verse, a friend and foe of Sri Rama, the
former assuming the role of a protector and the
latter a harbinger of dire consequences.]

Lord Sri Krishna uprooted the Parijata tree on

Indras refusal to part with it. Consequently,
Indra, though a friend of Krishna, made up his
mind to fight with him.17a

[According to Srimad Bhagavata (X.59), Sri

Krishna scored a victory over demon Narakasura
and recovered from his palace many a jewel of
immense value, besides several objects. Among
them were the earrings of Indras mother, Aditi,
and the white silken umbrella of Varuna. Sri
Krishna went to Indras world to hand over these
articles to him in response to his earlier request.
During that occasion, Sri Krishna took out the
Parijata tree from Indras garden, apparently
after an unwilling Indra refused to part with it.
Indra is shown in a poor light here, as he
appears to be seen as ungrateful towards Sri
Krishna despite getting his mothers earrings
through His help.]

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Lakshmana, the lieutenant and aid of Sri Rama,
and the dauntless, cut the nose of Surpanakha.
The demonic Surpanakha, who had lost her
nose, vowed vengeance on Rama, the
descendant of the God Sun.18

[When her advances were rejected by Sri Rama

and Lakshmana, Surpanakha sprang at Sitadevi
Who, she felt, was the stumbling block to her
attaining Sri Rama. Thereupon, on Sri Ramas
orders, Lakshmana lopped off Surpanakhas
nose and ears and she fled from the hermitage
howling in pain and vowing vengeance on the
Brothers whom she had sought earlier. Here,
Lakshmana is referred to as goramasreedah,
which means one who lends strength to Sri
Rama, Who is dear to the earth (goramah)
because He rules it.]

Indra, who overwhelmed the Asuras, and who

was surrounded by the Gods and who had
smothered the mountains, and who had his
splendor and valor slighted, addressed Sri
Krishna with polite words.18a

[Indra held a position none of the other deities

possessed, i.e. ruler of a vast empire, had all the
comforts in the world, had very little
responsibility as compared to other senior
deities, had plenty of lesser deities to carry out
his bidding, who mostly kept the marauding
Asuras under check and who had immobilized
the mountains, felt slighted at Sri Krishna
picking up the Parijata tree. He did not, for a
moment, think who Sri Krishna was. Had he but
done so, he would have realized that He was
none other than Kesava, from Whom Brahma
and Siva originated and that He held sway over
heaven and earth and all intervening space.
However, without picking up a fight
straightaway, Indra used soft words to dissuade
Sri Krishna from taking away the tree. To that
extent, good sense prevailed, says the poet.]

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Though Sri Rama destroyed the demon Khara
and his army after a bitter fight, he was
unostentatious and remained unscathed. His
fame spread everywhere (reached the farthest
corners of the earth and the heaven).19

[After being disfigured by Lakshmana,

Surpanakha fled to her brother, Khara, and
reported to him the treatment meted out to her
by Lakshmana. There she spoke words of praise
about the illustrious Brothers, sufficient enough
for Khara to engage in battle against Them. Sri
Rama killed the three demons, Khara, Dushana
and Trisiras, besides fourteen thousand
rakshasas in just over an hour (Aranya-kanda
30.30: ardhaadhika muhoortena). The
destruction of the demons was but childs play
for Sri Rama. At the end of the battle, the sages
of Dandakaranya, who had witnessed the
prowess of Sri Rama, honoured and lauded Him
to the skies. So did the celestial beings, who had
gathered around in the skies and showered
flowers on Him, accompanied by divine music.
More than these was the welcome given by
Sitadevi to Sri Rama when She embraced Him
twice (ibid. verses 40 and 41). This is one of the
very few moments of intimacy of the divine
Couple mentioned in Srimad Ramayana. The
esoteric meaning of this embrace is that the
individual soul emerges from the confines of the
material body and joins the supreme Brahman
after He destroys all hurdles in the way of the
souls attainment.]

Oh! Sri Krishna! Possessor of prowess capable

of destroying the valor of the Gods, You who
have celestial bird (Garuda) as your conveyance,
dispenser of wealth, please do not carry the
celestial tree Parijata to the earth.19a

[Indra makes an impassioned appeal to Sri

Krishna not to deprive the celestial world of one
of its treasures, the Parijata tree. Scholars
commenting on this verse say that Indra
appealed thus out of ignorance. It was not
sincere, but born out of ego and
possessiveness. He had no thought that Sri
Krishna was the supreme Lord and the ultimate
Possessor of every object in the universe and
that it was up to Him to decide where every
object should remain and for how long.]

:
, ]:20
] ,:
20a
Ravana, the Lord of Lanka, who was surrounded
by Rakshasas, the wicked and mean, made up
his mind to conquer Sri Rama, who had
destroyed the horde of demons.20

[After the destruction of Khara and other

Rakshasas, Akampana escaped from
Dandakaranya and reported to Ravana all that
had happened in the forest. It was Akampana
who suggested that Ravana should abduct
Sitadevi, in which event, Sri Rama will cease to
exist (Aranya-kanda 31.31: tasyaapahara
bhaarthaam tvam tam pramathya pahaavane,
seetayaa rahito raamo na chaivahi bhavishyati.).
For Sri Rama was unconquerable even by the
combination of Deva and Asura forces (ibid.
31.27: na tam vadhyamaham manye sarvaih
devaasuraih api). Ravana then approached
Maricha, who dissuaded him from embarking on
such a foolish and dangerous venture.
Subsequently, when Surpanakha met him and
incited him to bring away Sitadevi, Ravana could
not resist the temptation and, making up his
mind to do so, sought Marichas help again.
Ravanas mind was clouded by the death of his
cousins, Khara and others. Then Akampana and
Surpanakha played upon his weakness and
instigated him to abduct Sitadevi. Sage Valmiki
says that, after hearing the two, Ravana retired
to his chambers without taking the counsel of
his ministers (ibid. 35.1: sachivaan
abhyanujnaaya kaaryam baddhvaa jagaama ha).
This is indicated by the poet in the two
expressions asaaradheeh and haahaa.]

Indra, the Lord of the Gandharvas and who was

shining just like the God Sun, became afflicted
with sorrow the sorrow, which has the
sickening effect of blunting the sense of
discretion and ordered the capture of Sri
Krishna. 20a

[Indra should have known better than to

encounter Sri Krishna in a fight. He was earlier
worsted in his plans to inundate Brindavana
through incessant rains, when Sri Krishna saved
the village and its people by His divine Power.
Yet he was hurt at the loss of the Parijata tree,
which he should have himself offered to Sri
Krishna in gratitude for all that He had done for
him earlier. While, in the case of Ravana, his
intellect was clouded due to his coveting
Sitadevi, Indra lost his balance when he found
that he was being deprived of one of his prized
possessions.]

%D:
#, 21
,
#
D% 21a
Sri Rama, the utterance of whose name makes
one rid of all sins, shone brilliantly by killing
Maricha, the son of Tataka. Sita, without her
Lord, lost her composure and became
protectorless (destitute).21

[Maricha carried out his evil designs at the

instigation of and after being threatened by
Ravana. Taking the form of a beautiful deer,
which Sitadevi wished to possess, Maricha lured
Sri Rama far away. When Sri Rama killed
Maricha, the latter loudly cried, Ha Sita! Ha
Lakshmana! in Sri Ramas voice, to give the
impression that Sri Rama was in distress.
Hearing the cry, Sitadevi was unnerved. Though
Lakshmana tried to assure Her that Sri Rama
could be in no danger, Sitadevi sent an unwilling
Lakshmana to go to the help of Sri Rama. Thus
She Herself contributed to Her lack of protection,
which led to disastrous consequences.]

Indra, who could destroy the wings of the

mountains and could overcome Pradyumna, with
the rain of his arrows, could not follow Sri
Krishna, who accompanied by Pradyumna, was
wandering around the abode of Gods, the
Swarga.21a

[According to a Puranic version, Sri Krishna was

accompanied by Pradyumna when He went to
Indras kingdom to bring the Parijata tree.
Pradyumna had an old score to settle with
Jayanta, the son of Indra. Obviously, both Father
and son had come prepared for a fight to
possess the Parijata tree. When Sri Krishna
discarded the plea of Indra not to take away the
tree, Indra chose to obstruct Sri Krishna in
carrying out His designs and had therefore
ordered his men to capture Him. Indra first sent a
shower of arrows, preventing Pradyumnas free
movements.]

I_ %G`22
`G% _
I
:22a
The adorable Vaidehi (Sita), who was an
incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, was carried
away by the deceitful and mean-minded
Ravana.22

[Attired as a mendicant, Ravana sought alms

from Sitadevi, who was alone in the hermitage
after Lakshmana had been sent away by Her to
help Sri Rama in the mistaken notion that He
needed assistance. Unaware of the evil, which
would befall him, Ravana abducted Sitadevi,
which act was witnessed by the deities of the
forest in silence.]

Pradyumna was defeated by Indra who was

desirous of protecting the frightened and fleeing
Gods and who was aided by the Brahmin named
Pravara (Pradyumna fell down unconscious).22a

[According to Harivamsa, Pravara chanted some

incantations, which rendered Pradyumna
immobile. However, as would be seen later, this
had only a temporary effect.]

,
:
IGY:23
YGI
,23a
Sri Rama, who was shining like the beautiful
cloud, and who was separated from his wife, was
met by the faultless son of Vayu Sri Hanuman.
The consort of Rama, Sugreeva, who had lost his
power and fame and had thereby lost all his
happiness, met Sri Rama.23

[Since the sequential events in Sri Ramas

travels in search of Sitadevi are well known, it
suffices here to point out that Sri Rama first met
Hanuman, the purest of pure souls (anagha
vaayujah) and then Sugreeva, who was bereft of
name and fame due to the loss of his kingdom
(apetaamodah asaarajnah rumaa mahitah).
Readers will also not fail to notice that the poet
describes Sri Rama as possessing magnetic
brilliance despite losing Sitadevi
(haaritoyadabhah raamaaviyogah).]

The youthful Pradyumna, who was overcome by

the Gods, regained his consciousness as the
cold breeze blew over him and became his active
self. He struck at the enemies, vanquished them,
and became praiseworthy.23a

[Temporarily eclipsed in fame by Pravaras

chants, Pradyumna regained his powers and
struck at Indras men, scattering them away.]

<T,24
,T<

:24a
The lotus-eyed Sri Rama, whose splendor was
adored by the splendor of God Sun, killed Vali,
the son of Indra.24

[During His incarnation as Sri Rama, the Lord

destroyed not only the prime source of all evil,
viz. Ravana, but also all those who were directly
or indirectly associated with him. The Lords
earlier incarnations as Lord Varaha, Lord
Nrisimha and Lord Vamana Lord Trivikrama
were to destroy and make powerless
Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakasipu and Mahabali
respectively. He did not have to punish others.
As the Yugas advanced, the evil forces tended to
expand and draw others to their fold; hence He
had to deal with them also. This trend is seen
from His incarnation as Parasurama. Now, Vali
had deviated from the rightful path in many ways
and hence he had to be eliminated before
destruction of Ravana. It is to be noted that Sri
Ramas splendour continues to be stressed even
in the background of the loss of Sitadevi.]

Sri Krishna, who had belittled the splendor of

Sun with his own splendor, and who had
slighted the prowess of Ishwara; protected
Garuda, his devotee, who with the breeze born
out of his wings was wreaking havoc on the
enemies.24a

[That Sri Krishnas victory was a foregone

conclusion is emphasized in this verse. He who
had rendered Siva powerless cannot but be
victorious sin His fight with Indra and his men,
who were definitely of a lower calibre than Siva.
Hence, Sri Krishna merely got His aide and
friend, Garuda, to do the needful and drive away
the celestial army with the power of his wings.]

IO
T
<,25
,<
TOI25a
In Sri Rama was born a new kind of magnificent
splendor, which derived its strength from the
invincible army provided by Sugreeva. The
glorious victory (Jaya Lakshmi) which presaged
cutting off the head of Ravana came to Sri
Rama.25

[Sugreeva placed the entire might of his Vanara

army at the disposal of Sri Rama. They were but
the representatives (offspring) of the celestials
sent down to earth under the orders of Brahma
to assist Sri Rama during His incarnation in the
task of destroying the demon Ravana (vide Bala-
kanda 17.37: samaavrutaa raamasahaayahetoh).
Destruction of Vali presaged the eventual
elimination of Ravana and his men.]

Sri Krishna, who was capable of enduring the

onslaught of an array of missiles, was
approached by victory (Jaya Lakshmi), who had
natural splendor of her own and had vanquished
the Gods. (Sri Krishna defeated the Gods in the
battle).25a

[Sri Krishna had recently emerged victorious in

His battle with Narakasura and knew the art of
warfare in which various types of missiles were
used. Indra and his men were no match for Him.
Sri Krishna overcame the gods in no time.]

TT :
I#+26
+#I
' TT26a
Sri Rama, the renowned protector whose valor
had excelled the valor of Indra, and who did not
tolerate the glory of the Asuras met the famed
Sri Hanuman, who had crossed the ocean, and
shone brightly as he reached the Sahyadri and
the shore of the ocean.26

[Sri Rama, whose valour far exceeded that of

Indra, could have easily defeated Ravana. Yet, in
this incarnation as a human being, He took some
different steps such as enlisting the support of
other beings for obvious reasons. But for Sri
Ramas incarnation, there would not be a
Hanuman who is the most celebrated and deified
among His devotees. He waited for Hanumans
return and reached the shores of the ocean.]

Sri Krishna, who was much pained at the attack

directed by Indra towards Pradyumna, gained
victory and secured the Parijata tree, the pride of
the abode of Gods Swarga.26a

[While Sri Krishna had apparently come to

Indras abode to get the Parijata tree, He was
doubly determined to do so to teach Indra a
lesson for resorting to deceit (with the help of a
Brahmin) and defeating Pradyumna. It may be
recalled that Sri Krishna had brought the
earrings of Indras mother and given them to
him. So He expected some token words of
gratitude from Indra and definitely not waging a
war.]

' B G :
'
27

':
GB'27a
Sri Rama glowed brightly protecting the army of
the valorous monkeys, which was treading its
path on the newly built bridge across the ocean,
which presented an obstacle in the form of a
vast sheet of water and with innumerable
creatures under the water.27

[At the suggestion of Vibhishana, Sri Rama

observed a vow to seek the help of the Ocean-
king. When the latter did not oblige, Sri Rama
threatened him with extinction, after which he
appeared and pacified Sri Rama with the idea of
constructing a bridge across the ocean on which
the Vanaras could walk. The poet says that Sri
Rama obtained what He wanted. Throughout this
narration, the poet makes us feel that Sri Rama
took the help of Sugreeva and his army just for
forms sake and in order to protect them.]
A man praises Sri Krishna is blessed with the
power to defeat the enemies. He who does not
praise Sri Krishna not only becomes possessed
with defeat but also loses all his luster. Sri
Krishna, got hold of the Parijata tree.27a

[Indra could have shown better discretion in

dealing with the matter. He could have meekly
submitted his wishes to have the Parijata tree
restored to him after sometime or appealed to Sri
Krishna to find a way out by which He could
satisfy Satyabhama and also not disturb the
arrangement in Indras garden but he chose the
wrong way of fighting for his rights and hence
courted certain defeat.]


%GG:
I

T.28
T.I
GG%
28a
Sri Rama who dealt a fatal blow to the
adventurous and valorous Ravana, the Lord of
Lanka, secured his consort Sita, the daughter of
Mother Earth; Sri Rama, who warded off the
sorrow of Vibhishana, was adored by all the
Gods.28

[In this verse, the poet links Sri Ramas actions

to Mother Earth. First, He got rid of Ravana, who
was not a good ruler, but only an adventurer who
was harassing good people on earth. Then He
recovered Sitadevi, the daughter of Mother
Earth, who was held captive by Ravana. Thirdly,
He made the pious and righteous Vibhishana the
ruler of Lanka in place of Ravana and later made
Sitadevi cast Her glances on Lanka to restore the
ravaged city to its original prosperity. Sri Ramas
all-round efforts won appropriate praise from all
the gods, Brahma downwards.]

With the welfare of Pradyumna, who struck at the

Gods, in view, Sri Krishna very quickly shattered
the foes in the Swarga, and boasted of Iravatha
(the elephant). The victorious Krishna thus
merited the praise and returned to the earth.28a

[Since Pradyumnas defeat was rankling in Sri

Krishnas mind, His victory over Indra calmed
Him somewhat. His return to His city Dwaraka on
earth brought happiness to all, including
Rukmini, Pradyumnas mother.]
b
,
< G
29

G <
,b29a
The city of Ayodhya became the fitting abode of
Sri Rama the opponent of Ravana, with its
magnificent and attractive mansions surrounded
by coconut trees.29

[Though Ravanas terror did not affect the

peaceful life in Ayodhya, his actions cast a long
shadow over it. Sri Rama remove the source of
this shadow and freed Ayodhya from the very
thought of Ravana looming large elsewhere. In
ancient literature, a coconut palm is considered
as a complete tree and a symbol of prosperity of
the land it grown in.]

The best city of Dwaraka, the abode of victorious

elephants, glowed with the divine tree Parijata
and Sri Krishna, who disported with the Gopis in
the full moon-lit nights.29a

[In this verse, Sri Krishnas sporting with the

Gopis in Vrindavana is referred to. This is to
portray Him as One who fulfils the desires of His
devotees and never lets them down, whatever be
the cost even to Himself. However, nothing is
impossible for Him. The skirmish in the celestial
world of Indra could have been avoided, had the
latter been more graceful in his behaviour.
Dwaraka was a city built by the divine architect,
Vishwakarma, and was a veritable fortress in the
midst of the vast western ocean (refer Srimad
Bhagavata X.50). Like Ayodhya of earlier times,
Dwaraka also boasted of a superior breed of
horses and elephants. The city lasted for the
duration of Sri Krishnas incarnation on earth
and was finally devoured by the sea.]

2<:
T M 
30

M T
<230a

The Lotus-seated Lakshmi entered the opulent

and bright city of Ayodhya. The victor (of foes)
Rama acquired the great wealth of the
kingdom.30

[The coronation of Sri Rama and Sitadevi was

the culmination of Their incarnation in this
world. Never before in the two yugas, Krita and
Treta, was evidenced such prosperity as what
followed during His rule (rama-rajya). This is
indicated by the term sugaraajabhaa, the final
word in this verse, which is also the last word of
this work. It is interesting to note that the first
word of the first verse was vande aham.
Combining these two, one gets the meaning I
worship the prosperity ushered in by Sri Rama.]

The Parijata with the unfading flowers found a

foothold in the threshold of Satyabhama. With
the luster shed by the divine flower,
Satyabhama, appeared to shine more brightly,
and pleased with the celestial gift and sported
with Lord Sri Krishna.30a

[On seeing the coveted tree brought by Sri

Krishna from heaven, Satyabhamas former ill-
temper vanished without trace. She forgot her
jealousy of Rukminidevi and showed by
happiness by sporting with Sri Krishna. Here
also, in the reverse order of the verse, we cannot
fail to notice the link between the first word of
the first verse (seevaadhyeyah) and the last word
of this (last) verse (agryasaa). Taken together,
we get the meaning by penance and sacrifice
can be acquired the highest knowledge. We can
find many such instances (connection between
the beginning and end of the work) in Svami
Desikas stotras. Sri Venkatadhvari, being an
ardent worshipper of Svami Desika, has adopted
this technique in this short work also.]

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