023 Gandhiji's love for Ramayana

I reproduce below, a post made by me at my ramayana blog click to go to ramayanayb.blogspot.com with more than 100 posts, as I feel that it is equally relevant about Gandhiji, and today's India.

Verse 6-128-74 i.e. Volume 6 Yuddha kanda - Book of War
Sarga 128 i.e. Chapter 128 and slOka 74 i.e.verse No. 74

sahasra shatam ashvAnAn
dhenUnAM cha gavAM tathA
dadau shatan vriiShAnpUrvan
dvijebhyo manujarShabhaH 6-128-74

CONTEXT
The hero Rama killed the demon Ravana. Returned to his own city Ayodhya. His coronation was the occasion.
The whole chapter 128 dealt with Rama's coronation.

GIST
Rama first gifted a hundred thousand horses to Priests. He then gave another 100,000 cows, and cows with calves. Thereafter, he gave them another 100 bulls.

ybrems
Father of India 'Mahatma Gandhi' was very fond of quoting Ramayana everywhere he spoke. Gandhiji used to appeal to men to emulate Rama and women to emulate Sita. It was probably his strategy to motivate people for the freedom struggle. I do not find fault with Gandhiji. We cannot, at the same time, ignore facts.

ONE EXAMPLE QUOTE FROM THE COMPLETE WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI,
CONTEXT
Gandhiji was addressing the untouchables of Purulia, West Bengal. Date: Sept. 13, 1925.

You might be acquainted, if you have known Tulsidas's
Ramayana, with the fact that Ramachandra, Sita and Lakshman had
very affectionately embraced the untouchable Guha and I want to see
the same repeated once again in India.

ybrems
1. It was good that RSL embraced the untouchable Guha very affectionately. But for what purpose? They had work with him. He had to lend his boats for crossing the River Ganga. He was not an ordinary guy. He was capable of mobilising even 500 boats. This clearly shows that respect comes from necessity. Respect generates itself if the other person is powerful. Ms. Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Vadhera, her children, Rahul Gandhi will also embrace dalits and dalit leaders if there are elections nearby and votes at stake.
Added on 15.9.2014. The same will be the case with Mr. Narendra Modi or with Mr. Amit Shaw.


2. After returning back from the exile into forests, Rama was kind enough to invite vAnaras for his coronation ceremony, whatever be the motive of the invitation (use them against Bharata, if he revolted). Valmiki, the poet took care to project Rama as a person of great gratitude.

3. Having gifted hundreds of thousands of horses, cows, and cows with calves, Rama was also projected as very benevolent to Brahmins. So far, so good.

4. But why did he forget to invite Guha? Guha's dwelling was not far away. Horses can reach there in half a day. (How much time did Sumantra, take on his chariot to transport RSL from Ayodhya to Ganga River bank for handing him over to Guha?)

5. It was not lack of time for Rama or Valmiki. The chapters 127 and 128 contain so many superfluous descriptions. The reason is very simple. Rama had no work with Guha; just as Rahul Gandhi or Advani or Mayavati will have no work with a small dalit leader.

6. For Rama, priests and brahmins were important. For Mayavati also, Brahmins (ie. Brahmin votes) are important.

7. AFTER CORONATION, Rama was said to have ruled for 11,000 years. Did he ever invite Guha and embrace him? He had time to perform a 100 horse sacrifices.