[Advaita-l] Re: "Dog story" in the Ramayana

[G. Kameshwar]

>   13. Re: "Dog story" in the Ramayana (sriram)

> On Fri, 10 Dec 2004, S Jayanarayanan wrote:
>
> > I'm trying to locate the "Dog story" in the Ramayana,
>
> In my edition (from Nirnayasagara press) there is a note 
by the editor,
> Pt. V. L. Panshikar after the 59th sarga of the 
uttarakanda that "here
> some read the story of the dog and the vulture and the 
owl (grdhraulakau)
> however the author of the Tilaka [commentary, included in

this edition]
> has not commented on it so it is to be regarded as 
interpolated
(prakshipta).
> > If anyone has a ready reference of the Ramayana, please

let me know if
> > the version of the story that follows below is 
accurate. Thanks.
> >
> > The reason I believe the translation to be incomplete 
is that it does
> > not explain why a person who serves others in a 
religious capacity (and
> > performs his dharma immaculately to boot), had to be 
reborn as a dog!
> >

From: sriram <srirudra at md3.vsnl.net.in>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] "Dog story" in the Ramayana
To: advaita <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
Message-ID: 
<NGBBKHPLMLLCNLJKFJCPIEBKCAAA.srirudra at md3.vsnl.net.in>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

>Dear Member
>Namaskarams.To my best of knowledge and having attended 
>pravachanams by
>eminent scholars like Sengalipuram Anantharama Dikshithar 
>there is no story
>of a dog in the Ramayana.It is said that a referance is 
>found in the Uttra
>Kanda.When one goes through the account given one can 
>asily cast it out.

Sir,

The questions posed by Sri Jayanarayan were:

- Is the story a part of Ramayana
- What is the reason a Kulapati is reborn as a dog.

The dog story is a part of Uttara Kanda of Srimad Valmiki
Ramayana. It is included as a Prakshipta (interpolation) in
the critical edition of Valmiki Ramayana that I have ( by A
Narayanswami, First published 1933,  foreword by S
Kuppuswamy Sastry, republished in 1958...standard edition
available in South India)

As regards the second question: 

The operative verse where the dog prescribes the punishment
to be given to the Brahmana is (the dog tells Lord Rama):

kaulancarE mahArAja kaulapatyam pradIyatAm
EtatchrutvA tu rAmENa kaulapatyEbhiSetitah ||

In the brilliant English translation of Ramayana by Sri N
Raghunathan (Vighneshwara publishing house), the rendition
of this verse reads as:

"...make this Brahmana a kulapathi (a teacher of Shakti
cult), O sustainer of the earth. Give him this for he
followed the left-hand practice.'

Rama on hearing this, had the Brahmana annointed as the
'Ruler of a Kula'"

****

One of the meanings of the word kula as well as Kaula
refers to worship of Shakti as per left hand rituals (kaula
maarga). 

The implication of the punishment is that one who heads
such a practice shall be reborn as a dog.

****

The dog adds: "..the Brahmana who succumbs to anger, ceases
to adhere to his Dharma, addicted to the wronging of
others, irascible, cruel, harsh, ignorant and unrighteous -
such a Brahmana degrades his ancestors and his descendents
for seven generations before and after."

Such a man as this, was sentenced to become a "kulapati" 

:)

***

Best Regards






		
__________________________________ 
Do you Yahoo!? 
The all-new My Yahoo! - Get yours free! 
http://my.yahoo.com