Him thereby building Bhakti.
Yesterday, I wrote about how He gave aBaya to Vibishana without questioning.
This is an instance where He cares for their wellbeing.
Rama and his team of vAnarAs have reached Lanka and are in discussions. Similarly, Ravana and his ministers 2
are inspecting their opponents and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.
Upon seeing Ravana, Sugriva who has become a devout bhakta of Rama, cannot bear the sight of someone who has kidnapped Sita causing immense anguish to his swami (Rama). 3
He leaps in the sky, reaches Ravana and wrestles with him fiercely, causing immense embarrassment in front of his ministers, grabs his crown and places it at Rama’s feet.
Meanwhile, Rama became so concerned as He couldn’t find Sugriva and becomes happy once he’s back.4
இதானீம் மா க்ருதா வீர ஏவம் வித மச்சிந்தித்தம்
த்வயி கிஞ்சித் சமா பன்னே கிம் கார்யம் சீதையா மம
பரதேன மஹா பாக லக்ஷ்மனென யவீயசா
க்ஷத்ருக்னேன ச க்ஷத்ருக்ன ஸ்வஷரீரேன வ புன:
Rama is known for speaking what He really thinks, and doing what He speaks. He never ever makes an 5
ostentatious statement.
He tells Sugriva not to perform such activities as any loss of a single strand of hair (த்வயி கிஞ்சித் சமா பன்னே) in Sugriva’s body is not worth retrieving Sita. This is so important as Rama is concerned more about his bhakta’s 6
welfare than His and to achieve that, He’s willing to sacrifice Lakshmana, Bharata and lose Himself in this process.
This is so profound considering that it’s same Rama that was asking every tree in the forest if they have seen Sita and was enquiring about Her. 7
This is a classic behaviour of Bhagawan.
In Srimad Bhagavatham, Ambarisha upakyanam, He says
nAhaM AtmAnaM asAsE mat bhataHi sADuvirvinA - My bhaktas are more important to me than even Vaikuntam or Mahalakshmi 8
Similarly, to Uddava, He says that neither Brahma nor Rudra nor Balarama nor Rukmini as much as you’re.
This Bhagawan behaviour is consistent across all His avatars and can be seen in all these episodes.
This is why Rama stands out among all the avatars.
Jai Sriram.