As it has been told that wayang (shadow puppet show) represents a mirror of Javanese. The Dewaruci is a genuine Javanese story, describing the harmonious relation between servant and Lord, represented by Bima or Arya Werkudara and Dewaruci.
The search of Holy Water Prawitasari
Guru Durna told Bima to find the holy water Prawitasari. (Pawita-clean, holy, Sari-essence) i.e. the essence of holy knowledge
Tikbrasara Forest and Reksamuka Mountain
The holy water is in Tikbrasara forest, on the slope of Reksamuka mountain.
Tikbrasara -> Tikbra means feeling of concerned (prihatin), Sara means the sharp of knife. It is a lesson to reach landeping cipta. (landep-sharp) i.e. the sharp of cipta (head of feeling)
Reksamuka, Reksa-to take care, muka-face. That's mean eyes, the sight.
Tikbrasara and Reksamuka can be interpreted:
To reach the essence of holy knowledge thru samadi.
- Before doing samadi, one has to clean/purify his body and soul with water.
- During samadi he has to concentrate his cipta by focussing his sight (paningal) to the peak of his nose. (the mystical term is going to mountain Tursina : Tur means mountain; Sina means a place: a high place)
The paningal is very important in samadi. For a person who has divine blessing, he could see reality among other thru light which comes to him during samadi: in the wayang stories, Resi Manukmanasa and Resi Sakutrem they could go to holy place by joining the holy light.
The giants Rukmuka and Rukmakala
In the forest Bima was attacked by two giants Rukmuka and Rukmakala. Bima killed both giants, which means Bima eliminates the obstacle to reach his goal to achieve succesful samadi.
Rukmuka-ruk damage; muka-face. The obstacle coming from the luxury of tasteful food. (Kamukten). Rukmakala - Rukma-gold; kala-danger. The obstacle coming from the luxury of material wealth a.o. clothes and accessories with precious gems (Kamulyan)
Bima could not do samadi perfectly focussing his attention to holiness, if in his mind he still thinks of Kamukten and Kamulyan. Kamukten and Kamulyan cover his clear cipta. The killing of two giants means: Bima is able to erase the two obstacles.
The ocean and the snake
Bima knew at last that the holy water is not in the forest but in the bottom of the ocean. Without a slight hesitation he went into the ocean. Ocean in Javanese is Samudra. The words Samudra Pangaksama means: a good man must have a large heart like an ocean who should easily forgive the mistake of others.
The snake is symbol of badness. Bima killed the snake in a fierce battle. Bima in search of true reality is not enough only to put aside kamukten and Kamulyan, he has to annihilate also the evil in his heart. He must have attitude as follow:
- Rila :
- he won't be sad, if his wealth decreased
- he is not envy to others. - Legawa : always do a good and correct attitude.
- Nrima : grateful, accepting the destiny consciously.
- Anoraga :
- low profile
- If other people do something evil to him, he would not fight back.
- Remain patient - Eling :
- Know what's right and wrong
- He would be always in the side of goodness and truth. - Santosa :
- To be always in the right track, never stop doing the right thing e.g. samadi.
- To be alert to avoid evil deed. - Gembira : not pleased due to fulfillment of lust, but feeling relieved to forget the
disappointment of past mistakes and loss. - Rahayu : - a wish to do anything for the benefit of everyone.
- Wilujeng : - take care of good health. If the body is sick, cure it.
- Marsudi Kawruh : looking for proper knowledge
- Samadi
- To eat modestly when he's already very hungry.
- To drink modestly when he's already very thirsty.
By choosing not only good, delicious food and drink. - To sleep when he's already very sleepy
No need to sleep on comfortable bed. - To make love not frequently and only with the legitimate partner.
The meeting with Dewa Suksma Ruci
After killing the snake with his magical fingernails Pancanaka, Bima met a tiny god, Dewa Suksma Ruci who exactly looks like himself. Bima went into the inside of Dewa Suksma Ruci thru his left ear. Inside, Bima could see clearly the entire world, he saw also the tiny god.
The spiritual lesson from the meeting was:
Bima was meditating properly, closing his eyes, controlling his breath, concentrating his mind with clear thinking and feeling. (Cipta Hening)
The arrival of Dewa Suksma Ruci was a sign of divine acceptance for Bima 'Samadi, the unity of servant (Kawulo) and Master (Gusti). Inside the paningal (inner sight), Bima could see everything, everything opened (tinarbuka), clear, no more secret. Bima has been given the most important lesson in his life, that in his innermost being, he is at one with the divine, indivisible. He has achieved the true reality. The experience, mystically called "death in life" and thereby also obtained "life in death".
Bima was never so happy before. At first, he didn't want to leave. But he was aware, he had to see his family and carried-out his duties as predestined.
The symbols of Bima's clothes and accessories.
Bima wears clothes and accessories, symbolizing a man who has reached true reality.
The Candrakirana bracelets
On the right and left arms, he wears candrakirana bracelets. Candra-moon; kirana-light. Bima, who is already Tinarbuka (opened), is in command of the bright divine light found in the paningal (sight0
The poleng batik cloth
The four colors of the cloth: red, black. Yellow and white are symbols of lusts: amarah, aluamah, supiah and mutmainah. (see exposing the universe point 41). Bima is able to control his desires.
The big hairpin of Asem wood.
The word asem indicates to sengsem means attracted. Bima is attracted only to seek a way of live perfectness, he is not interested in worldly material wealth.
The golden sign between the eyes.
That's mean Bima does samadi steadily and regularly.
The Pancanaka thumbnails
His fight fisted of bothhand symbolize:
- Bima has gripped strongly the true knowledge.
- The unity of people with good moral is much stronger then the union of irresponsible people.
The Pancanaka thumbnails indicate the magical power and the dignity of a man who has gained true reality.
(Suryo S. Negoro)
