VIBHEESHANA GITA

Contents

. Introduction

. Vibheeshana

. The teachings of Vibheeshana Gita

. Conclusion

Introduction

Vibheeshana Gita is contained in the Yuddha Kanda of the great Hindu epic Ramayana. The Ramayana is divided into 7 kandas or books which deal with the events that took place in Lord Rama’s life in a chronological order. They are Bal Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkindha kanda, Sundara Kanda, Yuddha Kanda and Uttara kanda.

Yuddha kanda is the book depicting the battle between Lord Rama who was an avatar of Lord Vishnu and King Ravana the powerful and mighty king of Lanka.

Vibheeshana Gita is the discourse between Lord Rama and Vibheeshana when Vibheeshana with concern and love expressed his doubt about Rama’s victory as he was barefooted, had no armour and seemed to be the weaker side while Ravana had a huge army, a splendid war chariot and sophisticated weapons. Rama then reassured him and advised him about the qualities of faith, devotion and right values and how to go through this battlefield of life.

Vibheeshana

Vibheeshana was the younger brother of Ravana the King of Lanka. Though a Rakshasa, he was of noble character and had a Sathwic or pious nature. From his childhood he spent all his time meditating on the Lord’s name. Lord Brahma appeared before him and offered him any boon he wanted. But all Vibheeshana asked for was the boon of constant contemplation of the Lord and prayed to be granted a darshan of Lord Vishnu. When Ravana kidnapped Sita, due to his differences with him, Vibheeshana’s mother advised him to go and serve Lord Rama. Lord Rama accepted his services and Vibheeshana’s knowledge about Ravana’s army and the secrets of Lanka became paramount to the success of Rama’s war with Ravana. Many considered him a traitor but the epic Ramayana stresses that there is no single way out of a moral dilemma and so both Vibheeshana and Kumbhakarna did not stray from the path of dharma. Symbolically Vibheeshana stands for the epitome of devotion to Lord Rama and being a demon devotee shows that the Lord does not care for class, caste, creed or birth just as in the case of the other exemplary devotees like Prahalad and Gajendra. Lord Rama crowned him King of Lanka after Ravana’s death and Lord Vishnu appeared after Rama’s reign on earth and blessed him to live forever and steer the people onto the path of dharma and rule wisely due to which he is considered as one of the seven immortals or Chiranjeevis who live forever spreading the name of the Lord with love and devotion.

Teachings of the Vibheeshana Gita

The epic Ramayana is well known wherein Lord Rama’s wife Sita has been kidnapped by Ravana the King of Lanka and when all measures fail and Ravana refuses to return her honourably back to Lord Rama, war is declared between the two parties. All great warriors, generals and even Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s mighty brother and Indrajit his powerful son have been killed. Ravana then himself comes for battle against Lord Rama well equipped with sophisticated weapons, a war chariot or Yuddha Ratha and armour but Lord Rama except for his bow and arrows has nothing, neither weapons, nor armour, nor chariot, not even shoes.

Struck by this contrast  Vibheeshana is stricken with worry and out of love and concern for Lord Rama asks him how he can conquer Ravana without any of the accessories to which Lord Rama replies that the chariot that is really needed and leads one to victory is a totally different one. It should be the Dharma Ratha or the chariot of righteousness or Dharma which grants victory in any situation in life. The wheels of the chariot should be valour (Sauraja) and fortitude (Dheeraja). Its flag should be steadfastness (dhrdatha) in truth (Sathya) and its banner or Dhvaja pathaka should be good character(Sila).

The horses of that chariot should be care for others (Parahita). Strength (Bala), self control (dama) and discrimination (Viveka). The reins should be made of ropes of forgiveness (kshama), equanimity (Samata) and compassion (Kripa). Devotion to God should be the intelligent charioteer or Sarathi Sujnana. Contentment (santosha) should be the sword and dispassion(virakti) should be the shield. Charity (Daan) should be the axe, understanding or intellect (Buddhi) should be the missile and knowledge of the self (Vijnana) should be the bow.

Lord Rama then goes on to describe the armour and other weapons of the person who rides this Dharmaratha. The quiver should be a pure and steady mind(Amala Achala mana) while the sheaf of arrows should be quietitude (Sama), various forms of abstinence(Yama) and religious observances(Niyama). The most important armour which is impenetrable is Pooja or homage to Brahmins and one’s own preceptor (Guru). This is the main equipment for victory. Lord Rama says that a person who has such a chariot of piety has no enemy or Ripu to conquer anywhere. He can conquer and defeat even the most invincible foe which is attachment to the world.

Conclusion

Overwhelmed with joy on hearing these enlightening words of Lord Rama, Vibheeshana bows down to the lotus feet of the Lord and says that the Lord is an embodiment of grace and bliss and therefore through the metaphor of the Dharmaratha or chariot of Dharma the Lord had given him valuable instructions and guidance for life which he would forever cherish. Thus the Vibheeshana Gita enables us to go through trials and tribulations of life keeping in mind the spiritually ennobling words of Lord Rama to Vibheeshana.