Page 30 - Bhakthinivedana 2012 January English Magazine.pmd

In Ra:ma:yana, three characters are addressed by declared that the soul will never take rebirth if the
the title “King.” 1) Dasaratha 2) Sugri:va and 3) rites are performed. As Lord Krushna says

Jata:yu. As father of Sri:Ra:ma, Dasaratha desired
to pass on the kingdom to him. Since he himself a: brahma bhuvana:th lo:ka:ha
obtaibed the kingdom from his elders, Dasaratha is punara:varthino:rjuna!

refered to as a king. Though Sugri:va is a va:nara,
he was crowned as king of Kishkindha. Also if the soul reaches any world below the brahma
Sri:Ra:ma considered him as his care-taker. Hence lo:ka, it must come back into a body guided by
Sugri:va is given the title of a king. Jata:yu is a karma. If the soul is not return into the bonds
normal bird. Yet it is addressed as ‘King Jata:yu’. of karma, the performer of the final rites must

be an eligible and an esteemed vaishnava.
The very title given to Dasaratha is also bestowed After completing the ‘apara karma’, rites like
on this bird by our wise elders. Why is it so ? mo:ksho:tsavam are to be performed. Only then,

the sasthra:s declare, that a soul can get into a state
Sri:Ra:ma was born to Dasaratha after a wait of of non return.
sixty thousand years. Even then dasaratha was not
desited to get his final rites conducted by his son We do not know how many fathers get into
Sri:Ra:ma. However Jata:yu was privileged to obtain such a blessed state. However aranya kanda

those rites conducted by Sri:Ra:ma himself. Also of Sri:Ra:ma:yana tells us that Sri:Ra:ma who is
the rites were not performed out of sympathy as if unerring and best among men not ony performed
Jata:yu was a unknown being, rather the final rites the final rites to a brid Jata:yu according to the

were according to the scripture with out missing scripture but also guided the bird to liberation
even a single ritual. by saying “I bestow on you the mo:ksha, never-
to-return- liberation.” Let us now remember this
When final rites are performed by the sons, their Jata:yu who is heroic and large hearted.
parents are liberated from a hell by name ‘Puth’.

“Punna:ma naraka:th thra:yathe: iti puthraha” Ten years of Sri:Ra:ma’s exile came to an end. From
such is the definition of ‘puthra’ or son. If the rites the time they entered the forests, Sri:Ra:ma ,Si:tha
are performed properly by the son, the soul of the and Lakshmana knew no rest. They moved from

fater may get emancipated from the hell. If not one hermitage to other of various sages stopping
performed properly, results of other kinds can be there for a half or less or a day or five days as per
caused. This is because, all the activities are to be requirement and opportunity. From this we can
performed with faith and dedication towards the infer that innumerable holy personages lived in the
Ve:da. They should not be performed name sake. forests of Dandaka:ranya during those days who

As the rites are to be performed with faith, sraddha, spent their time in penance and in desiring welfare
the entire ritual is called ‘sra:ddha’. Having done all of the entire world.
this, the departed soul may be freed from the hell

or he may be led to some other world. It can not be At the end of the ten years, Sri:Ra:ma went to the

30 Bhakthinivedana • Jan 2012