DUAL PERSONALITY

Tirukkottiyur Nambi had sent word to Ramanuja to come single with his Tridanda and Pavitra alone and receive from him secret esoteric teachings, but Ramanuja went with Koorathalvan and Mudalaiyandan and knelt before him. Nambi asked him: "I wanted you to comes alone. Why have you brought these two persons?" The latter replied: "You were pleased to ask me to come with My Tridanda and Pavitra. I have brought these two, as they are my Tridanda and Pavitra? He meant that they were inseparable from him. Likewise, Lakshmana is inseparable from Rama like his own bow. Further, Valmiki declares that Lakshmana is Rama’s right hand. Hence Rama coming with Lakshmana can be characterized as his coming alone. Then, how Rama as appearing in a dual capacity. If we say that the lover arrived with his embracing arms, surely there are no two persons. The present usage that he came with the bow may be taken like that.

If the lover chooses to visit his beloved with his conch, it cannot be considered superfluous or unnatural. Poigai Alwar states in a well known verse in Mudal Tiruvandadi (53) that Adisesha takes various forms to serve his master, Narayana, as an umbrella when He walks, as a throne when He sits, as a pair of sandals when he stands, as His couch when He lies down, besides becoming an auspicious lamp, beautiful raiment and a pillow fit for embracing. As Lakshmana is an avatara of Adisesha, Rama may be considered to have reached his beloved accompanied by his couch. It may be pointed out here that Viswamitra who chanted Suprabhata to Sri Rama by the famous sloka "Kausalya Supraja Rama" did not do so likewise in the case of Lakshmana, though the two were together, Why was this so?