will be highly inappropriate to marry and go back to the life of a householder. In this
context, refer to the following verses of Ram Charit Manas—(a) Baal Kand:-- (i)
Chaupai line nos. 2-6 that precede Doha no. 57; (ii) Chaupai line nos. 7-8 that
precede Doha no. 58; (iii) Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes Doha no. 75—to Chaupai
line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 76; and (b) Aranya Kand:-- (iv) from Chaupai line
no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 43—to Doha no. 44 (where Lord Ram explains to sage
Narad why the former prevented the latter from getting married).
It is not expected even from human beings that once they have renounced the
world and declared that they will live a life of a hermit or ascetic, they go back on
their vow and re-enter a householder’s life by marrying and living with a female
partner. If an ordinary human is not expected to do so because it is violative of the
sanctions of the scriptures, then how someone as exalted and honourable as Lord
Shiva is expected to do so? It will be a highly unacceptable act.
This being the situation, how do we justify the position that Lord Ram is not
giving Shiva a wrong advice or instruction that violates the scriptures by telling him
to marry Uma? Well, the answer is this: Firstly, Shiva had taken a vow that he will
have nothing to do with Sati in her present body because she had unfortunately
assumed the form of Sita, Lord Ram’s consort (refer: from Chaupai line no. 7 that
precedes Doha no. 56—to Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 57). But that
does not mean that Shiva would not accept Sati with a new body, in her new life that
had nothing to do with her previous life. The sin that Sati’s body committed was
burnt with the body of Sati. The Atma or the soul is eternal and incorruptible. So, the
Atma of Sati was not tainted by the sins committed by her body. When her Atma
assumed a new body of Uma, this new form had no links with the tainted body of the
previous life; that body had been ‘burnt to ashes’ (refer: Chaupai line no. 8 that
precedes Doha no. 64). This fact is alluded to by Lord Ram when he tells Shiva that
his vows of not accepting Sati as his wife is already fulfilled, and thus Shiva should
now honour the Lord’s words of marrying Uma (refer: Chaupai line no. 6 that
precedes Doha no. 77 herein below).
Secondly, Shiva is also an exalted senior God, one of the Trinity Gods. This
being the case, it is obligatory upon him to fulfil the wishes of his devotees who do
Tapa to please him. There are countless instances in the Purans and other scriptures
that when someone did Tapa to please Lord Shiva, the latter appeared and granted the
worshipper his desired boon. Therefore, Shiva just could not refuse this privilege to
Uma when she did Tapa to have him as her husband.
We have already read that Sati had burnt her body which had become tainted by
her assuming the form of Sita, and so all her sins were burnt along with that body.
Uma’s Tapa had further purified her of whatever traces of past sins that may have
dogged her into her new birth. She had reiterated her loyalty towards Lord Shiva by
single-mindedly pursuing Tapa to attain the Lord, and inspite of provocatory
statements made by the Sapta-rishis who had come to test her sincerity and loyalty, he
had remained steadfast in her vows to be loyal to Lord Shiva and accept him as her
husband no matter what happens.
Thirdly, Uma had already got the blessing of Brahma, the creator, when he
appeared before her upon completion of her Tapa to grant her the wish that she would
marry Shiva (refer: Doha no. 74 along with its preceding Chaupai line no. 8).
Brahma’s words cannot go wrong because he is the one who determines the fate of all
living beings; Brahma’s words have to be kept.
Shiva regards Lord Ram as his revered deity and Lord, and therefore it is
obligatory for him to obey the latter. This is why Shiva says “that Lord Ram’s words
must be honoured without asking any questions”. A similar idea is expressed in Ram
Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1-4 that precede Doha no. 177 in
relation to Bharat accepting the principle that one should always obey his seniors
such as parents and guru (moral preceptor and teacher).
kiana
(Kiana)
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