WOMEN IN EPICS 8.

URMILA
VINAYAM Urmila was daughter of Janaka, king of Mithila. She was a woman of good character, a great scholar, and a talented painter. Urmila has been described as an incarnation of silence and she has been in unconsciousness state just after the beginning of the journey to the forests by Lakshmana who followed his elder brother Rama instantly. She could not spend even few days with Lakshmana after she got married. Lakshmana left Urmila for 14 years, as his brother Rama was asked to go on exile by their father Dasaratha and he felt that he could not leave his brother till such period. It is learnt that Urmila took all the tiredness of Lakshmana, who was serving Rama and Sita without sleep for fourteen years. Urmila spent 14 years by just in front of oil lamp and feeding oil in the lamp continuously to keep flame burning, till Lakshmana returns. When Urmila was requesting Lakshmana that she will accompany him in forest, he has not agreed. But Lakshmana was busy throughout serving Rama in exceptionally good service, without any fear or concern over safety of Urmila. Later ,they had two sons, Angad and Dharmaketu.

VIVAHAM Rama and Lakshmana led by Viswamitra set out journey to Mithila. In Videha, the princess saw the wonderful bow. Janaka said that the bow was given to king Devavrata, his forefather by Gods. During ploughing the field for sacrifice, he saw a girl baby, and he named her as Sita. She was then brought up as his own daughter. He has taken a vow to marry her to one, who strings the ancient bow. Rama broke the wonderful Shiva Danush . Then Janaka sent an invitation to Dasaratha to come to Mithila, and started making preparations for wedding of Sita with Rama. Janaka's brother Kushadhwaja had two daughters named Mandavi and Sruthakeerhy. Janaka's second daughter is Urmila. Vasishta then had consultations with Kushadhwaja and decided the wedding of his two daughters to Bharatha and Satrugna. For Urmila ,Lakshmana was proposed as bridegroom. These developments gave much joy and caused tears out of joy (Anandakkanneer ) to Janaka. Thus wedding of Urmila with Lakshmana along with her sister Sita with Rama, and her cousins with Bharatha and Satrugna took place in a grand scale. Urmila after her wedding, one day, she was just making an art of painting a scene of Rama's coronation for sending the same to her father. Lakshmana accidentally came there in some angry mood with a mind on Kaikeyis orders for Ramas exile. But Lakshmana decided then to go with Rama and Sita to the forest. This resulted a great shock to Urmila and caused toppling canvas of art and spilling of colors. Urmila lamented much first on the fate of spoiled picture. But Lakshmana coolly said as he was responsible for this spoiling, and Kaikeyi responsible for ruining coronation of our Rama. VANAPRASTHAM

Lakshmana simply said as himself and Sita are going to forest with Rama . As her sister Sita is going to forest with her husband, she was just thrilled as she goes to serve Rama. Urmila was not insisting her following Lakshmana , like sita. As objective of Lakshmana's exile is for the sake of serving Rama and Sita in the forest, Urmila only prayed for successful com pletion of the same without any hindrance throughout. She asked not to worry or not even to think of her during this period. Urmila considered Rama will think Ayodhya without Sita, as only a forest. She suggested Lakshmana to forget Ayodhya totally and treat the forest itself as Ayodhya, as Rama is there. (Raman irukkum idam Ayodhya). This tremendous encouragement to Lakshmana by Urmila is something extraordinary. Urmila told as Rama and Sita will be his father and mother in forest and serving them faithfully to be the main concern for him. As Ideal daughter in law, Urmila consoled Kousalya not to grieve much for separation from son and to give encouragement to him as they are going together fulfilling the desire of their parents. Urmila may therefore be called as Graha lakshmi or Dharmapathini as she stood for her husband's righteousness. As Urmila sacrificed Lakshmana was able to pay more attention to Rama, even more than Sita. Rama declared in many times that his wife Sita was not so high in his affection to his brother Lakshmana. Rama says as "A wife quite the equal of Sita, may be found immediately, if we make a thorough search. But a brother like Lakshmana supreme in war, it will be very difficult. (vi.49.6).In another occasion, Rama said Dese dese kalatrane dese dese cha bandhavaa Tham thu desam na pasyami yatra bratha sahodara "wives are easy to get in in many part of the world. Dear relations may be seen anywhere. But I dont know any region of earth, where a brother like Lakshmana can be had". Such praises were possible only because of Urmila's support to her husband. VAIRAGYAM When Lakshman swooned in battle, Rama asked Hanuman to bring Sanjeevini plant. Hanuman then uprooted the entire mountain and carried to Lanka .But Bharatha saw Hanum an and shot at him, suspecting him as Rakshasa. Hanuman then said that he was taking the mountain to save Lakshmana from its herb as per Ramas orders. Bharatha, immediately informed this to Urmila, Sumitra and Kausalya about this. Hanuman also conveyed this news to Urmila. But Urmila did not show any trace of fear or worry and said as Lakshmans heart is filled with the name of Ram . So he will have a perfect sleep. Rama only may have pain or sorrow. There is no danger to Lakshmana and he will be safe for ever with the grace of Rama. Thus Urmila lived Vanaprastha life which caused Lakshmana later to kill even Indrajit. After 14 years, when Rama reinstated in throne, Sita only reminded Lakshmana to visit his wife urmila. When Lakshmana visited Urmila, she mistook him as somebody else. Later Lakshman cleared her doubt and both joined together. Urmila told as how could Ravana kidnap Sita, when a man like Lakshman courageous as a lion was present. Thus Urmila stood as example of Sthithapragnar. VAINAVAM The best among Vaishnava doctrine of saranagathis is only of Lakshmana, because he was incarnation of Audi sesha. Dwaya mantra SrimanNarayana Saranou saranam prabathye , and Nammazhwars Agalagillen iraiumendru Alarmel mangai urai marba stress the presence of Lakshmi in any Saranagathi. Lakshmana has not requested Rama about his accompanying him, before Sitas stern decision of joining him in forest. This is because Laksmana felt services to both Rama and Sita together is always good, similar to principle of srivaishnavites in surrendering to both Maha Lakshmi and MahaVihnu. Further his saranagathi , sacrificing all pleasures in Ayodhya in Royal family, and leaving newly married Urmila for 14 years is therefore considered as most significant one. Urmila is therefore considered as person instrumental for Saranagathi tatwam. ARUMBULIYUR JAGANNATHAN RANGARAJAN