Auspicious signs

Rukmini wrote a letter to Krishna, asking Him to rescue her from the marriage that had been arranged for her. Krishna set off in His chariot. As the chariot neared Vidarbha, Krishna blew His conch, to assure Rukmini that He had reached. When Krishna shook His tulasi garland, the fragrance of the garland reached Rukmini’s quarters in the palace. Tulasi by itself is fragrant, but its fragrance is enhanced when it has adorned the Lord. Rukmini experienced auspicious signs, said V.S. Karunakarachariar, in a discourse. Her left thigh quivered. It is said that in a woman, if the left thigh, or the left eye quiver, then she can expect good tidings. In a man, the opposite is true. If his left eye twitches, then he is in for trouble.

This belief is expressed by Valmiki beautifully. Rama is looking for Sita, and decides to enlist Sugreeva’s help. A bond is struck between them, and when the monkey king and Rama begin to converse on friendly terms, twelve distant eyes react! Whose are these eyes? What is the reaction? Sugreeva’s friendship with Rama is going to lead to Hanuman discovering where Sita is, and this will ultimately lead to the killing of Ravana and the rescue of Sita. This being what Sita desires, Her left eye twitches, indicating that something good is soon going to happen.

Sugreeva wants Vali killed, something Rama is going to do. So Vali’s left eye twitches, which in a man is a bad sign. And the ten left eyes of Ravana twitch too, for his days are numbered. Valmiki, describing Sita’s eyes, compares them to lotuses. Vali’s left eye, and Ravana’s ten left eyes which glow like fire, indicate to them that their end is near. It is no wonder that Vedanta Desika considered Valmiki a poet beyond compare, for so rich are his descriptions.