As Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana walk through the forest, an asura called Virata confronts them.
He is ferocious in appearance; from his spear hang elephants, which he plans to eat later. Virata himself has the strength of one-and-quarter lakh elephants.
Tigers, lions, wolves and deer are also seen impaled on his spear and will form part of his meal later.
He sees Rama and Lakshmana and laughs at their appearance. They are dressed in bark like sages, yet they carry bows and arrows. Then he notices Sita and remarks on her beauty.
He says it is his fortune that Rama has come to the forest, for otherwise he would not have been able to see the lovely woman, whom he plans to make his wife.
So saying, he lifts Sita. Rama should have been angry at the asura. But He says to Lakshmana: “The wish of Kaikeyi that Sita and I should be separated has at last been fulfilled.”
It was Rama who had instructed Bharata not to ill-treat Kaikeyi. He had told him that he was to treat Kaikeyi worshipfully. When Lakshmana had criticised Kaikeyi, Rama had reprimanded him.
Why then does Rama blame Kaikeyi for Virata's act of capturing Sita? And how can He forget His instructions to others to treat Kaikeyi well?
V.S. Karunakarachariar, in a discourse, explained that this, too, was play-acting on the part of Rama. Through such an outburst against Kaikeyi, He shows us that we, as human beings, are prone to commit mistakes.
Whatever our resolve or advice to others, when it comes to following our advice to others, we fail. This is His way of warning us to beware of such slips on our part.
Lakshmana asks Rama why He is bothered about Kaikeyi at a moment when He should be thinking of saving Sita from the clutches of the asura.
Rama then shoots an arrow at Virata and when the asura falls down, the Lord presses down on him with His foot. But as the Lord does so, Virata begins to shed his demonic qualities.
Thus Virata is slain, but not before the Lord shows how we tend to advise others, but fail to lead by example.
courtesy;
http://www.thehindu.com/
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