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ISL MINGGU 15

Universal Brotherhood ()

To demonstrate his vision of universal brotherhood, Kampan drew examples from rAman's own

family as well as from that of rAvaNan. After rAman's departure to the forest, Bharathan, who

was away at the time, returned to ayOdhya and found out what happened. Along with his step

mother, KOsalai, Bharathan decided to follow rAman and plead with him to return. Kuhan, thehunter, helped Bharathan and his retinue to cross the river in his boats. Kuhan bowed towards the

magnanimous lady in the boat and asked Bharathan who she was. In Bharathan's reply Kampan

packed deep emotions, remorse and brotherly love in three short sentences: "She is the seniorwife of the King of kings, Dasarathan and the unfortunate mother of the great rAman, a treasure

which she has lost because I was born."

, , .(64)

rAman's friendship knew no boundaries and did not discriminate between friends or enemies. He

did not even exclude members from the monkey family or the demon family if his friendship was

sought with sincerity. He first embraced Kuhan () , who was an illiterate belonging to alow caste; then he embraced SugrIvan (), the monkey King who was ill treated by hisbrother, VAli (); finally he accepted VibIdaNan (), the brother ofRAvaNan. To make it more effective, Kampan made these words come directly from rAman

when VibIdaNan () sought refuge with him. rAman said: " In my family therewere four brothers; with Kuhan we became five; when SugrIvan, the King of mountains joinedus we became six; now you have come to us with great love and affection so that we are now

seven. Our father will certainly be proud of us".

, ,.

Going to rAvaNan's camp, one finds the same kind of deep attachment of the two brothers,

VibIdaNan and KumpakaruNan () both of whom tried their utmost to putsome sense into their brother's head in vain. VibIdaNan tries his best to persuade KumbakaruNan

to leave rAvaNan and join RAman in the name of virtue. In a few moving passages, Kampanpacked all the emotions associated with the conflicts in their values namely: their helplessness in

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ISL MINGGU 15

correcting their brother's sinful actions; their acceptance of the inevitable situation gracefully;

finally their parting from each other, realizing at the same time, that this is going to mark the end

of their brotherly relationship.

In responses to VibIdaNan's plea, KumpakaruNan, who was himself a very learned man said, "

In order to enjoy the transient worldly pleasures, I have been brought up by our brother, who fedme, clothed me and prepared me for the war; my duty therefore is to be on his side; I would

rather die on his behalf instead of fleeing to the other side; my dear brother, do not worry about

me; please go and join rAman as quickly as you can".

,.(155.)

KumpakaruNan then becomes philosophical and says " When the time comes, everything has tocome to an end no matter how badly one may cherish it; there is no one who appreciates this

truth more than you; please do not feel sorry for me".

, , ,, ?,.

In the following poem, the parting embraces of the two brothers, the hesitating slow retreat of

VibIdaNan, his eyes full of tears, leaving his brother with 'a longing lingering look behind' are

described. The thought that this would mark the end of his brotherly relationship ran throughVibIdaNan's mind.

,,,, , , ( 166-167)