Jain Journal 1971 01

SR No.: 520021
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1971
Total Pages: 54
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 36

130
JAIN JOURNAL
Out of greed my men may deviated this way or that Or may have discarded humanity under sheer pressure. (p.35-36)
So Rama decided to go out incognito to verify the correctness of the report. Unfortunately, everywhere the theme of conversation was the same—Sita's stay at Ravana's capital and Rama's acceptance of her. This was rendered particularly distasteful because of his personal involvement. Rama heard the conversation of the elderly people, of the ladies in the household who are wont to indulge in all loose talks, and ultimately, the washerman and his wife, everywhere the same theme : *Do not follow Rama and Sita as ideal.' (p. 38). And ultimately comes the people's verdict : 'How does the earth survive such acts of sinfulness.' (p.38). Rama could listen no more and covered his ears with fingers. People were forecasting the near advent of Kali-Yuga (Iron Age) wherein, as per the Sastric predictions, there would be devaluation of values and demoralisation of morals. Rama was pinpointed by the elders as the herald of the coming age. The climax was, however, reached in the conversation of the washerman with his wife who had gone out on a mission of adultery and was refused admission into the home. The lady readily cited the example of Sita who after having spent quite a few months in the demon-capital was duly re-installed in Rama's palace (pp. 41-44). Rama could bear no more but turned his steps to come back to his own rest house. It was no more possible to resist a decision however cruel, which ultimately resulted in the banishment of Sita. The conspiracy which started in the plot of Sita's co-wives and gradually poisoned public against the king and his consort came thus to a fulfilment. Agni-parikşā based on the Jaina sources, gives a more complete account of the conspiracy than any from the Hindu sources, including that of Valmiki, and imparts a naturalness to the cruel decision which is virtually unpreceded. This would at least absolve Rama of a shortsightedness and failure to do justice to his wife, which would otherwise establish hold on the reader's mind, unless a complete picture of the plot is provided. This wide lacuna is now got rid of.
A counter question may arise as to what Rama did to absolve Sita of the baseless scandal of which public opinion had made her a victim. Rama had his own conviction, supported by the counsel of the leading personalities around him—Laksmana, Sugriva, Vibhisana and Hanumana but public opinion was too powerful against which nothing would stand. So against all counsel of wisdom, even against his own conviction, Rama's hands were forced, particularly when the great honour of the great line was at stake. The following words are put by the poet into Rama's mouth :