Perhaps it is the lightening of the skies, or the chirping of the stirring birds, but now, the rishi wakes from his reverie.
Gently, he calls,
“Kausalya supraja Rama, Kausalya supraja Rama….”
And finds himself about to slip into a trance again….
Using the immense power of his tapas, the rishi finally pulls his eyes away and manages to complete what he was trying to say.
“Kausalya supraja Rama poorvaa sandhyaa pravartate,
utthistha narashaardoola, kartavyam daivamaanhikam!”
“O good son of Kausalya, the dawn is approaching in the east. Wake up, O tiger among men, it is time to perform the daily ritual duties!”
This is Brahmarishi Vishwamitra waking up Rama whom he has brought into the forest to protect his yagna.
Vishwamitra marvels at the great fortune of Kausalya who got to bear this divine child. He wonders how much tapas that mother must have done to be able to glance at this radiant face and wake up this dear child every day.
If he recognizes the divine identity of the young prince, why then is the rishi exhorting Him to perform the daily ritualistic duties? What duties does the Supreme Lord have to perform, and why?
The simple answer is – to set an example for us. Humans tend to look up to great people and emulate their actions. Rama is addressed here as “narashaardoola” – tiger among men. That means He is definitely a great man whom the world will hold up as an ideal for centuries to come.
By performing the nitya anushthaana, Rama must set an example for us to follow.
As Krishna aptly explains in the Bhagavad Geeta,
yad yad acarati sresthas, tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute, lokas tad anuvartate
Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
- Bhagavad Geeta, 3.21
The acharyas also give another reason for Vishwamitra waking up Rama thus. Perhaps he is saying, “O Rama, You have taken this human form to annihilate the evil asuraas and rakshasaas. Now is the time for You to wake up from Your life as Dasharatha’s son, and begin to take steps to fulfil the promise given to the devaas!”
If we look closely at Vishwamitra’s call, we realize that he’s calling out to Rama alone. Why not Lakshmana? Because he didn’t see Lakshmana at all!
Well, Lakshmana never left Rama’s side, then where was he when Rama was sleeping?
Actually, this is the form that Vishwamitra saw….
Rama sleeping ON Lakshmana !
The Lakshmana who was none other than Adishesha!
Look at this beautiful form. Is it any wonder that Vishwamitra was so fascinated?
And once you come out of your reverie of gazing on this divine Lord, perhaps you will want to go back and yourself say those words uttered by Vishwamitra.
“Kausalya supraja Rama poorvaa sandhyaa pravartate,
utthistha narashaardoola, kartavyam daivamaanhikam!”
And just in case you haven’t recognized it yet, and are wondering why this sounds so familiar, it’s probably because you’ve often heard M. S. Subbulakshmi singing it as the first verse of the Venkateshwara Suprabhatam!
Look at this beautiful form. Is it any wonder that Vishwamitra was so fascinated?
And once you come out of your reverie of gazing on this divine Lord, perhaps you will want to go back and yourself say those words uttered by Vishwamitra.
“Kausalya supraja Rama poorvaa sandhyaa pravartate,
utthistha narashaardoola, kartavyam daivamaanhikam!”
And just in case you haven’t recognized it yet, and are wondering why this sounds so familiar, it’s probably because you’ve often heard M. S. Subbulakshmi singing it as the first verse of the Venkateshwara Suprabhatam!
