Incarnation of Dharma

In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord proclaims the function of His

avatars thus: “Whenever dharma seems to wane under the

power of adharma, I incarnate in the world to protect the

good, destroy the evil and restore dharma. I discharge this

function from Yuga to Yuga.” Rama avatar fulfils all the required functions of incarnation, and Valmiki is keen to emphasise that in executing this tremendous task, Rama

emerges as the very dharma incarnate, pointed out Srimati

Jaya Srinivasan in a discourse.

In the Ayodhya Kanda, there are many observations on

dharma by different people when Rama’s Pattabhishekam is

cancelled. Though Rama is strongly dissuaded by Lakshmana, Kausalya and by Dasaratha himself from accepting Kaikeyi’s orders, He stays rooted in His dharma and says: “Dharma, artha and kama, the first three of the four Purusharthas are to be followed by men, bearing the objective of dharma in mind. That karma which is aligned to dharma has to be initiated and followed.”

Kausalya is distraught at the thought of Rama spending

life in the forest and of being separated from Him. But after

due counselling by Rama, she reconciles herself to His departure and expresses her feelings in the form of the most

praiseworthy of benedictions. She prays that no evil should

befall Rama during his stay in the forest. She invokes the

grace of the benign gods and deities in all the quarters to

protect Him from a whole range of likely dangers. It is an exhaustive list comprising the rakshasas, pishachas, etc, as

well as by insects such as scorpion, cockroach, ants and

worms. Finally she says, “Go to the forest and uphold the

path of our forbears. That dharma which you uphold at all

times will certainly come to your protection.”  In all the fourteen years, Rama is protected by the benediction

and prayer for protection by Kausalya.