Kaushalyaa : A story of a perfect mother, a perfect wife- yet neglected by her husband

Please welcome back guest writer* Gyanendra Narayan, who enchanted us last year with his perspective on ideas of physical beauty as it appears in the ancient texts.** Today Gyan brings to our notice a mother who perhaps hasn't got her due as compared, say to Yashoda or Kunti. We all know who she is, but how much do we really know about her? Read on, comment, share your views. You can follow Gyan and interact with him on Twitter @Gyan_ 

Kaushalyaa :  A story of a perfect mother, a perfect wife- yet neglected by her husband

Raamaayana, when compared against Mahaabhaarata, comes out to be an epic where things are ideal and perfect. Maryaadaa Purushottam Raama gives us a world which is ideal and perfect. Mahaabhaarata walks away with prize of having all the emotions of human world, but Raamaayan also has grey shaded of human life. In this series, I have picked up a thread of conversation by Queen Kaushalya-  a perfect mother, a perfect wife but neglected half of King Dasharatha.

Read more to find out how neglected Kaushalyaa seeks the anchor of her life in Lord Raama.

Context:

Kaikeyi has asked for her 2 boons which were due with King Dasharatha. First being exile of Lord Raama in forest for 14 years and another being coronation of Bharata. Raama has been informed of this decision and now he has come to meet his mother Kaushalyaa. Queen Kaushalya ,always neglected because of beautiful Kaikeyi and affinity of Dasharath towards Kaikeyi,  was at the verge of realizing her dream of getting due respect ,is shattered again and opens her heart threadbare to lord Raama.

Shlokas have been taken from Vaalmiki Raamaayana, Ayodhyaa Kaanda, Sargah 20.

Shloka 37

Eka Eva hi Vandhyaayaah Shoko Bhavati Maanasah|

Aaprajaasmeeti Santaapo Na Hya-anyah Putra Vidyate||

Roughly it means: A woman without a child (Vandhyaayah) has a grief(Shoka) in mind (Maanasah). I would have had this grief that I don’t have a child but I would not have had any other grief.

Comment: Notice the feeling of bereavement with which Kaushalyaa is going through. Letting her son go, like this, is much more painful than being without a son.

Shloak 38

Na Drishtapoorvam Kalyaanam Sukham Vaa PatiPoureshe|

Aapi Putre Vipashyeyamiti Raamaashtitam Mayaa||

In the glory of my husband (PatiPoureshe) I could not see ( Na Drishta) earlier (poorvam) happiness (Kalyaanam Sukham ). (Hopin that ) However(Aapi), in the glory of Son (Putre) it would be seen( Vipashyeyamiti) by me (Mayaa)

Comment: Kaushalyaa was never happy being “one of the wives” of King Dasharatha. However she had consoled herself that in the era of her son she will get her due. Now the years of patience, craving for respect turns out  be crumbling with 2 boons of Kaikeyi.

Shloka 39

Saa Bahoonyamanogyaani Vaakyaani Hridayachidaam|

Aham Shroshye Sapatneenaamavaraanaam Paraa Satee||

I will hear ( Aham shroshye) many (Bahooni) things which will pierce my heart ( Vaakyaani Hridayachidaam) from my co-wives despite being the eldest wife(Patneenam Varaanaam).

Comment: Kaushalyaa is worried that like before she will keep hearing heart piecing words from co-wives of King Dasharatha (Particularly Kaikeyi)

Shloka 40

Aato Dukhataran Kim nu Pramadaanam Bhavishyati|

Mama shoko Vilaapashcha yaadrishoayamanantaakah||

It seems my grief, bereavement ( Mama shoko Vilaapasha) has not foreseeable end( Yaadhrishoayama-anantaakah).What will be(Kim Bhavishyati) worse grief than this grief (Aatao Dukahataran)

Comment: Look at the importance she has given to this grief. Seems sometimes bearing the co-wife is worse than being childless.

Shloka 41

Twayi Sanihiteapyevamahamaasam Nirakritaa|

Kim Punah Proshite Taata Dhruvam Marannameva hi||

Despite you being near to me (Twayi Sanihite-api) I am being neglected( Ahaam aasam Nirakritaa) (by co-wives). Once you again go to far lands ( Punah Proshite) then my death is a definite ( Dhruvam Marannameva hi) .

Comment: Raama has just returned from his education from Ashram. Kaushalya somehow managed to pass this time. She is fearful of the same fate if Raaama leaves him alone. In Raama kaushalya finds an anchor of her life.

Shloka 42

Atyantam Nigriheetaasmi Bhartunirtyamasammataa|

Pariwaarenna Kaikeyyaah Samaa waapyathawaawaraa||

I have always been neglected (Atayntam Nigriheetasmi) , always dishonored by my husband ( Bhartunirta-asammataa). With Kaikeyi, in our family ( Pariwaarenna Kaikeyyah) I will be as good as her slaves or even worse than that.

Comment: It put Kaikeyi in very poor light. People hate her for her two boons. But as we can see from what Kaushalyaa is speaking, Kaikeyi was a pathetic personality even otherwise too. Perhaps this is the reason we do not name our daughters with the name “ Kaikeyi”

Shloka 43

Yo Hi Maam Sevate Kashchidapi Vaapyanuvartate|

Kaikeyyaah Putramanvikshya Sa Jano Naabhibhashate||

Whosoever (yo hi) provides any service (maam Sevate)  to me or even  tries to follow me ( Api anuvartate), after seeing Kaikeyi’s son ( kaikeyyah Putram- Anviskhya)  they ( sa jano) do not talk(Naabhibhashate) to me.

Comment: This shloka does not give so rosy picture of Bharata. The ideal Bharata is respectful of his mothers and his brother. Either Kaushalyaa has a deep fear of kaikeyi or it is truth or it may be a bit of exaggeration. But, still it remains a worthy point to ponder.

Shloka 44

Nityakrodhatayaa Tasyaah kathaam nu kharavaadi Tat|

Kaikeyyah wadanam drastum Putra Shakshyaami Durgataa||

My son!! Always in anger (Nityakrodhataa), thus peaking harsh words (kharwaadi tat), The kaikeyi--how will I see her(Kaikeyyah Wadanam Drastum)  in mine dire status(Durgataa).

Comment: Kaikeyi while not asking for her boons, otherwise too was in fact very rude and full of anger. Kaushalyaa dreads the thought of seeing her.

This whole episode gives us the vortex of emotions which Kaushalyaa is going through. Layers of emotions of a mother, a wife, a queen, a co-wife, a neglected member of palace, all find place in this episode.  It is painful but still wonderful to read this in Raamaayana. And, much more to find out in Vaaalmiki Raamaayana.

* I may or may not agree with the view of guest writers, but I respect their right to be heard
** You can read Gyan's earlier pieces here:

http://all-about-sanskrit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/representations-of-human-beauty.html
http://all-about-sanskrit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/representation-of-human-beauty-physique.html
http://all-about-sanskrit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/in-guest-writer-series-please-welcome.html

Of Caste and Outcaste – Attempt to diagnose the roots of oppression

Please welcome guest writer* Saiswaroopa Iyer. In this passionately written piece, she examines the interstices between caste and power, and ponders on the instrumentality of the varna system in systemic oppression today. You can follow and interact with her on Twitter via her handle @Sai_swaroopa. A Venture analyst by profession, Sai is a dreamer at heart and an aspiring author. She is enthusiastic and passionate about Indian epics, history, literature and classical music. She dreams of a life where reading, writing and singing form the way of life.  

We got rid of the caste system, but not caste-ism” This was an anguished admission of a dear friend of mine whose views generally clash with mine. Yes, in today’s world of hurried and forced labels, one can call him a ‘liberal’ and me, a ‘conservative’. The context of the conversation was based on the electoral dynamics where certain castes end up being the vote banks. I often wondered if I was among the finite minority that cringed every time electoral results are analyzed on TV screens with caste dynamics over riding the real issues. (May be, one could get philosophical and argue about what is real and what is not!)

 My liberal friend and I share a view in common, that we would like to see these lines of caste disappear in our respective ideal worlds. Yes, discrimination is a disease, a disease which requires the medicine of social reformation.  But here I come to the point where I would differ from my friends on the other side of the imaginary line of liberalism. The point is about the diagnosis of the disease. Much of the literature on the social dynamics lays blame on the Hindu fourfold Varna system.  I find the famous line of purusha sukta being quoted with a lot of zeal to prove that discrimination existed right in Vedic texts.

The ones that lay the blame do conveniently forget the openness of the interpretation that the Vedic texts have. My spiritual guru, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba had advocated many times that service to the lowest strata of the society is the real ‘pada puja’ made to the universal Lord.

Interpretations and politics apart, I think that the much blamed chaturvarna system died a long while ago. I call it a dead system as the social dynamics of the Varna system had long turned porous and post the dark ages and before the invasions from the middle east, we do have many instances of new dynasties being founded independent of the ‘four-fold’ sanction. The Mauryas, the Guptas, the Shatavahanas, the Kakatiyas and many such empires made a mark in the history defying the much blamed sanction. May be there was no strict sanction and power dynamics redefined the sanction? I would leave it to the historians and period scholars to determine it. The founding of a new empire was often based on pulling down another empire where mostly the King had turned oppressive and unpopular. Empires used to reach the peaks of glory when they balanced the expansion of land with administrative reforms that left the citizens happy. They often reached their peril due to oppressive rule that galvanized a revolution or due to strategic mistakes which gave their rivals an upper hand.

Oppression in such cases in my opinion shifted to power dynamics. Those who wielded power (excluding the heroic kings and reformers who we all remember with reverence) oppressed those who were ideologically opposed to them or presented a threat. That is the reason why I feel blaming the purusha sukta for oppression serves no real purpose and is rather a lazy diagnosis of a serious social problem. The ones doing so probably are not accountable to give a solution so can command the luxury of such lazy diagnosis. But it is important for the ones looking for real solutions to get to the real roots of the problem. When I hear of inhuman practices that prevail among India’s lesser accessible areas, my belief is further strengthened. Though not proud of my knowledge of scriptures, I am yet to come across any such inhuman doctrines which forbid the ‘lower’ class from using the common wells in the village and advocate violent things.  

Oppression is always the language of power maniacs and not of the system writers. As repetitive as I might sound with this sentence, I would want the readers to realize this and more. If one throws the blame of oppression on Hinduism, one has to realize that the defying discrimination also belongs to Hinduism more than the imported idealist theories. I refer to the Bhakti movement and the scores of reforms that were achieved by the likes of Mahatma Basaveshwar, Madhvacharya, the Nayanmars of Tamilnadu and the scores of composers who have denounced all forms of birth based discrimination. My personal favourite is the one in Telugu, “Brahmamokkate” by Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya. Those interested can find the complete lyric and meaning here (http://www.karnatik.com/c1107.shtml). There are more compositions of his decrying discrimination and oppression.

One needs to observe that Bhakti movement scored above the recent movements against caste in one thing – restoring the dignity and in preaching universalism that brought the people of various strata together. Sadly the modern movements though rooted in progressive ideals have done little more than casting the oppressed classes into political toys through reverse discrimination. This is the reason why we see clans and communities aspiring for ‘backward’ tag for reservations and other short term benefits. Sadly, this is the greatest harm that the social engineers of the last century have done to our system. I can only hope that the next wave of reformers would take inspiration from those movements which have advocated the oneness and inherent human merit across the divisions rather than those which have capitalized on mutual hatred and reverse oppression.

* I may or may not agree with the views of the guest writer, but I respect their right to be heard.