Kooratazhvan, in his Atimanusha stava, speaks of Lord Narayana’s amazing deeds during His avataras, said Elayavilli Sriram, in a discourse. He asks Rama how He could have believed that a golden deer existed. After Sita was abducted by Ravana, Rama could not locate Her. And yet, He gave moksha to Jatayu. How could Rama, who had taken an avatara as a human being, grant moksha to anyone? An incident in the life of Nampillai shows that this was a question asked on another occasion too. Nampillai had many sishyas. Naduvil Thiruveedhi Pillai Bhattar was envious of Nampillai’s following.
One day Thiurveedhi Pillai Bhattar went to the king’s court, expecting some gifts from him. The king asked him a question. He wanted to know how Rama could grant moksha to Jatayu. Did He do it as a human being, or as God? Thiruveedhi Pillai Bhattar did not know the answer. Present with him in the court was Pinbazhagiya Perumal Jeer, a disciple of Nampillai. Thiruveedhi Pillai Bhattar asked him how Nampillai would have answered the king’s question. Pinbazhagiya Perumal Jeer replied that Rama always spoke the truth. When such a person gave his word, his words would come true. So Rama granted moksha as a human being. His adherence to truth was enough to make His promise to Jatayu materialise.
While Lord Rama needed no one’s help, He sought the help of Sugreeva. At least if He had asked Vali for help, it would have been understandable, for Vali was powerful and was the king. But Sugreeva was not as strong as Vali. Moreover, Sugreeva was not sure of Rama’s strength and Rama had to prove to him that He was more powerful than Vali. Was all this necessary, wonders Kooratazhvan. The answer, of course, is that Vali had strayed from the path of dharma, and so Rama did not seek his help.
