How the Banana Leaf Got its Form

The battle of Lanka had ended.

Ravana had been killed.

Vibheeshana had been installed on the throne of Lanka.

He had requested Rama to stay in Lanka for some time, but his offer had been politely declined.

The Lord was in a hurry to return home, because the 14 years of vanavaasa were getting over the next day, and the desperate Bharata was waiting anxiously for the return of his dear brother.

Bharata had even taken a vow that if Rama did not return on the promised day, he would jump into the fire and give up his very life!

Now Rama and Seeta along with Sugreeva, Hanuman, Vibheeshana, and hundreds of vanaras were in the Pushpaka Vimana, hurrying to Nandigrama.

Why Nandigrama? Why not Ayodhya?

Because Nandigrama is where the devout Bharata had installed the Rama padukas in whose name he was supervising the kingdom’s administration.

Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Alone%2C_Bharat_worships_the_sandals.jpg

As the Pushpaka Vimana passed by the ashrama of Rishi Bharadwaja, the revered sage invited Rama to visit. Every moment was precious because dear Bharata was waiting, but how to refuse the hospitality of the great seer?

Rama found a way out.

He accepted the rishi’s invitation, but sent Hanuman to Nandigrama, to console Bharata with the news of their imminent arrival, and to explain the reason for the slight delay.

Yet again, Hanuman played messenger. Task completed, he returned to the sage’s ashrama.

Everyone had sat down to lunch, but there was no place for Hanuman, so he was told to please wait, and eat with the next batch.

Would Rama be able to bear this situation? No way!

He beckoned Hanuman to come and sit opposite Him. Using His nail, the Lord of Vaikuntha drew a line along the middle of the banana leaf, inviting His dear devotee to share His meal in the same leaf! That nail which had once destroyed the evil Hiranyakashipu to protect one devotee Prahlada, now became an instrument to create yet another example of the Lord’s affection for this devotee, Anjaneya!

Image: https://devamrutam.blogspot.com/2021/04/rama-shares-his-food-with-hanuman.html

Until then, it is said, the banana leaf was one big leaf without any partition. Thanks to the line drawn by Lord Rama for Hanuman, we now have the typical pattern of the banana leaf with a prominent midrib separating a single leaf into two distinct parts.

This event is described by Tirumangai Azhwar in his composition, the Periya Tirumozhi as he prays to Lord Ranganatha, begging Him to shower this same grace on him!

The Lord of the entire Universe, performed the action of “Sahabhojanam” – sharing His meal – with a mere vanara! How great is His love for His bhaktas! Can we ever manage to sufficiently praise this quality of the Lord – the gunam of “soulabhyam” – the quality of being easily accessible to one and all!

He stayed in a tent for decades, content with the home given to Him, blessing all of us, nonetheless. Today as He is housed in a grand structure and accorded all the respects and glory due to Him, He continues to smile and bestow that same benevolent gaze and grace on all of us.

Image: https://static.toiimg.com/thumb/imgsize-23456,msid-107123172,width-600,resizemode-4/107123172.jpg

Jai Shree Ram! Jai Siya Ram!