Episode 02 - Chapter 1 - Canto on Slaying of Viratha.

Chapter 1 – Canto on Slaying of Viratha - விராதன் வதைப் படலம்

 

After Bharatha leaves Ayodhya-bound, crowning his head with Sri Rama’s Paadhukas, Rama decides to move further south, deep into the forests, apprehending more people from Ayodhya, not able to bear the separation from Rama, could keep visiting Chitra Koota, disturbing the life equilibrium thereabouts.

 

 “குன்றினில் இருந்தனன்” என்னும் கொள்கையால்,

நின்றவர் நலிவரால், நேயத்தால்” எனா,

தன் துணைத் தம்பியும் தானும் தையலும்

தென் திசை நெறியினைச் சேறல் மேயினான்.

 

(Kamban skips that part of the Aadi Kaavya where Sage Valmiki notes  reasons for Rama and Co. deciding to leave Chitrakoota and move down south to Dandakaranya – reasons other than the one Kamban cites. Sage Valmiki notes;

त्वम् यदा प्रभृति ह्य् अस्मिन्न् आश्रमे तात वर्तसे |

तदा प्रभृति रक्षांसि विप्रकुर्वन्ति तापसान्

tvam yadaa prabhR^iti hy asminn aashrame taata vartase |

tadaa prabhR^iti rakShaa.nsi viprakurvanti taapasaan

 

An elderly sage, apparently speaking on behalf of the other ascetics in the area, spoke to Rama thus:

 

“Ever since you arrived here, Rakshasas have been tormenting the sages in a variety of ways.”

“Khara, the head of this terrible band, might harm you as well. We have therefore decided to leave here and move elsewhere. Come with us.”

 

Rama, compassion personified, was shaken by this – that poor sadhus had had to suffer torments at the hands of Rakshasas on his account;  reflecting on this feedback, he considered that continuing to stay there (in Chitrakoota) did not offer any comfiture. He noted a few other reasons to leave as well:

 

•        It was here that Bharatha and the mothers with the large entourage had come and met him. If he continued to stay there, that memoery would keep haunting him.

•        The lovely, pristine groves and the hermitage in it got terribly soiled by the arrival and stay of the huge paraphernalia of Bharatha, what with multitudes of horses, elephants leaving their refuse and the place had lost its allure. )

 

Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, pushing further down south from Chitra Koota, towards the dense forests of DandakaaraNya, arrived at the hermitage of Sage Atri. (Sage Atri is one of the Saptha Rishis (seven sons of Brahma); the gothra after him is “Athreya”. His wife was Anasooya, who is celebrated as the epitome of women’s virtue. There hangs a tale:

 

Narada went to the three spouses of the Trimurtis and, the tease that he always was, was singing the praise of Anasuya as the most exalted pativrata – with an intent to provoke the Devis. Envy enveloped the three Goddesses – Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati. They implored with their husbands, the Trimurtis, to do something and demolish this reputation of Anasuya. The three came down to Sage Atri’s hermitage when he was away; as ascetics, they asked for food. But they stipulated one condition. They said that Anasuya should serve them the food in the nude. Nonchalantly, Anasuya sprinkled some water on the three and converted them into little toddlers and served them food.

As the husbands did not return, the three Devis went to Atri’s hermitage only to find their toddler husbands. Completely taken aback and ashamed, they sught deliverance from Anasuya, who, with a gracious heart, granted them their husbands, back as adult Gods. In appreciation, the three gods promise Anasuya that they shall be born to her as her child(ren). Thus was born the three-headed Dattatreya, representing the Trimurtis, as her son.

 

Sage Durvasa was another (in)famous son of Atri and Anasuya).

Sage Atri welcomed them and expressed his pleasure thus: “அமரர் யாவரொடும் எவ் உலகும் வந்த அளவோ? எமரின் யார் தவம் முயன்றனர்கள்? ‘‘ Your arrival here is even more exalted than the arrival of the entire heavens; who could have been more blessed than us?.” They stayed the night at Sage Atri’s hermitage, enjoyed the hospitality of Anasooya and at day-break, moved towards Dandakaaranya.

அன்ன மா முனியொடு அன்று, அவண் உறைந்து, அவன் அரும்

பன்னி, கற்பின் அனசூயை  பணியால், அணிகலன்,

துன்னு தூசினொடு சந்து, இவை சுமந்த சனகன்

பொன்னொடு ஏகி, உயர் தண்டகவனம் புகுதலும்,

 

“அவன் அரும் பன்னி, கற்பின் அனசூயை  பணியால், அணிகலன்,

துன்னு தூசினொடு சந்து, இவை சுமந்த சனகன் பொன்”

பன்னி = morph for PATHNI i.e. spouse.

 

By the affectionate command of Anasuya, the celebrated spouse of Sage Atri, Sita (சனகன் பொன்) put on the jewellery, and matching clothes and smeared herself with frangrant sandal.

 

(The Aadhi Kaavya, for a change, takes us through the arrival of the trio in Dandakaranya with one whole Sarga of 23 slokas, rapturously narrating the natural beauty of the forests and the neatly laid hermitages, their proximate, well-manicured thresholds (on all sides) densely populated by deer and birds; and the simple, ascetically highly evolved sages praising Rama from their hearts. Let us look at just one of these:

 

ते वयम् भवता रक्ष्या भवद् विषय वासिनः |

नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा त्वम् नः राजा जनेश्वरः

 

te vayam bhavataa rakShyaa bhavad viShaya vaasinaH |

nagarastho vanastho vaa tvam naH raajaa janeshvaraH

 

“You alone should protect us as we are your subjects: may you be in the capital or in the forest .. you are our king and protector.”

 

Indeed, through this AaraNya Khanda, Sri Rama is portrayed as involved in “Dheena jana rakshana” (protecting simple, vulnerable sadhus); in the following Kishkinda Khanda he is portrayed as involved in “Mitra jana Rakshana” (protecting friendly people.)

 

VIRADHA CONFRONTS THEM ON THE WAY:

 

எட்டொடு எட்டு மத மா கரி,  இரட்டி அரிமா,

வட்ட வெங் கண் வரை ஆளி  பதினாறு, வகையின்

கிட்ட இட்டு இடை கிடந்தன செறிந்தது ஒருகைத்

தொட்ட முத் தலை அயில் தொகை, மிடல் கழுவொடே.

 

(Viradha was HUGE: he had strung through the “Trisool” he was carrying,  sixteen large elephants, lions twice that number (32) and another sixteen “YAALIS” (a seemingly extinct large carnivorous that was supposed to have been half-lion and half-elephant; this is widely presented in the temple architecture throughout India)

 

(Some “YaaLi” characterisations in temple architecture in South India – notice the finely chiselled granite ball trapped inside the YaaLi’s mouth (right – second row).

Kamban presents Viradha in fourteen verses that would impute, proportionally as it were, his physical enormity, chillingly terrifying attributes and in the same scale his intimidating deportment. We would pick just two more of these:

 

செஞ் சுடர்ச் செறி மயிர்ச் சுருள் செறிந்த செனியன்,

நஞ்சு வெற்பு உருவு பெற்று இடை நடந்த தென, மா

மஞ்சு சுற்றிய வயங்கு கிரி வாத விசையில்

பஞ்சு பட்டது பட, படியின் மேல் முடுகியே.

 

Here is another of Kamban’s searing metaphor: “நஞ்சு வெற்பு உருவு பெற்று இடை நடந்த தென” As if (the world’s collection of) poison took the shape of a mountain that took to legs.

 

With orange-tinged blaze-like hair flowing around his head, like (the world’s entire collection of) poison took the form of a mountain and walked, as this cloud-crowned mountain walked, he (it) sucked into his(its) forceful wake, hills that were pulverised into smithreens like cotton.

 

குன்று துன்றின எனக் குமுறு கோப மதமா

ஒன்றின் ஒன்று இடை அடுக்கின தடக் கை உதவ,

பின்றுகின்ற பிலனின் பெரிய வாயின்ஒரு பால்

மென்று தின்று விளியாது விரியும் பசியொடே.

 

Viradha was feeding his enormous cave-like mouth with a continuing supply of huge elephants with his hand; these got masticated and eaten through one side of the mouth; his appetite would not be sated.

 

Viradha got hold of Sita with one of his hands and rose heavenwards.

Rama and Lakshmana, stunned, gathered their wits and challenged Viradha – “Stop! Where are you going? Come back here.”

 

 

‘ஆதி நான்முகன் வரத்தின் எனது ஆவி அகலேன்;

ஏதி யாவதும் இன்றி, உலகு யாவும் இகலின்,

சாதியாதனவும் இல்லை; உயிர் தந்தனென்; அடா!

போதிர், மாது இவளை உந்தி, இனிது’ என்று புகல

 

“With Brahma’s boon backing me, I am indesructible; I am equipped with no armour or weapon, but there is nothing in this world that I cannot conquer. Let me grant you your lives: flee from here with your lives intact leaving this woman with me.”

Viradha uses the appellation “அடா!” which conveys his arrogance and audacious disrespect to the seemingly small, frail, vulnerable, ascetic men – Rama and Lakshmana.

 

There is a wonderfully constructed, different, almost opposite meaning to the phrase, that would impute what would actually follow in this confrontation: உயிர் தந்தனென்; அடா! போதிர், மாது இவளை உந்தி, இனிது’ உயிர் தந்தனென்; அடா = I had lived a life filled with evil deeds ! அடா = unacceptable.  உயிர் தந்தனென்; I shall now forfeit my right to live; போதிர், மாது இவளை உந்தி, இனிது’= leave here and proceed, with peace and harmony, taking this woman with you.

Rama, unruffled, smiling, mused: “This one does not know what warfare is.” He strummed the chord of his Kothanda bow. The thunderous reverberation shook up the three worlds.

 

Viradha, provoked, advanced towards Rama, leaving Sita down.

He threw his Trisoolam weapon on Rama. The two got locked in combat.

The huge hillocks that Viradha threw at Rama got splintered by Rama’s darts and rebounded to hurt Viradha extensively. “விட்ட விட்ட மலை மீள, அவன் மெய்யில், விசையால் பட்ட பட்ட இடம் எங்கும், உடல் ஊறு படலும்” The alliteration, rhyme and metre would exhilerate even those who have just faint acquaintance with Thamizh.

Viradha just shook off the powerful darts of Rama: விசையின்

தைத்த அக் கணை தெறிப்ப, மெய்  சிலிர்த்து, உதறவே

In order to put an end to this prolonging combat, Rama and Lakshmana climbed on to the huge torso of Viradha and severed his two shoulders.

Viradha would not be vanquished. He rises into the sky with the two divine warriors still astride him.

Sita is seized with terror, seeing her Rama in the vice-grip of Viradha and sky-bound. She calls out to Viradha: “அன்னையே அனைய அன்பின் அறவோர்கள் தமை விட்டு என்னையே நுகர்தி” “Leave them alone; come! Take me!”.

Lakshmana chastises Rama thus: “தேவி துயர்கூர விளையாடல் தொழிலோ! பழுது” This is not right! You should not be playing around (with Viradha) while Sita is in such deep anguish.’

 

Rama called up the game: kicked Viradha with his foot that made Viradha fall dead. The two divine princes then bury the remains of Viradha.

 

Delivered from his curse, as Rama’s feet touched him, Viradha appears above in the sky and prayed to and praised Rama, with a rare insight that brings out what he saw Rama truly to be.

 

VIRADHA’S PRAYERS, PRAISE AND ADORATIONOF RAMA FROM HIS GAINED INSIGHT AS HE WAS DELIVERED OF HIS CURSE – NEXT WEEK.

 

SELECTION 87

 

•        வாராதே வரவல்லாய்! – The purport of the whole Isavasya Upanishad encapsulated by Kamban in these two words; would accommodate myriad interpretations and would still leave you querying. Metaphysically, philosophically, spiritually or even just in terms of pure physics, this two-word conundrum walks away with its mystique.

 

•        Kamban soars high - to the very frontiers of vedanta, through Viradha.

 

•        Kamban deviates from Valmiki – again – this time the venture produces a brilliant little garland of glittering vedanta gems, following the more elaborate, equally brilliant one through Viradha.

 

Viradha brings out in his praise and prayers, the mystique of the Almighty, inclding the tantalisingly elusive metaphysical tatvas. Some are mind-blowing – and ranked alongside three other such adorations of Rama as Paramatma incarnate: by Kabhanda, Indra and Brahma, at three other situations in this epic.

 

 

வேதங்கள் அறைகின்ற உலகு  எங்கும் விரிந்தன உன்

பாதங்கள் இவை என்னின்,  படிவங்கள் எப்படியோ?

ஓதம் கொள் கடல் அன்றி, ஒன்றினோடு   ஒன்று ஒவ்வாப்

பூதங்கள்தொறும் உறைந்தால், அவை  உன்னைப் பொறுக்குமோ?

 

If just these feet of yours permeate through all the worlds, (as Trivikrama),  how shall one comprehend your whole form? If you are manifest in all the elements – some antagonistic with others (e.g. fire and water, hard and soft, cold and hot, visible and invisible), how come they bear your might (in harmony)?

 

“உலகு  எங்கும் விரிந்தன உன் பாதங்கள் இவை என்னின்,  படிவங்கள் எப்படியோ?” Kamban recaptures, in this line, the acclaim in Sri Purusha Suktha:

“PaadhOsya viswaa bhoothaani, thripaathasya (a)mritham dhivi”

“Just a fraction of You (Brahmam) is manifest as this whole Universe; the rest of you is established infinitely beyond.” உறு துயரால்‘அடுத்த பெருந் தனி மூலத்து  அரும்பரமே! பரமே! ‘என்று எடுத்து, ஒரு வாரணம் அழைப்ப,  நீயோ அன்று ‘ஏன்? ‘என்றாய். Tormented by the deadly vice-grip of a crocodile when that elephant called you – “Oh! The Beginning of All! Oh! Almighty!” wasn’t that you who responded instantly?  புறம் காண அகம் காணப் பொது முகத்தின்   அருள் நோக்கம் இறங்காத தாமரைக் கண் எம்பெருமாஅன்!   இயம்புதியால்;

அறம் காத்தற்கு, உனக்கு ஒருவர் ஆரும் ஒரு   துணை இன்றி,

கறங்கு ஆகும் எனத் திரிய,  நீயேயோ கடவாய்தான்?

 

“Oh! My Lord! The One who stands above all bias and confer Your Graces without remit, with your lotus-like eyes! Tell me! Permeating the interior and exterior of everything in this creation, haven’t you vowed to yourself to protect Dharma all by yourself, without any other being to help you, traversing the worlds like a lose kite!’”

The Sruthis hail Him thus: “Idham Vishnu VicakaramE” – the one who keeps traversing all the time.

 

பனி நின்ற பெரும் பிறவிக் கடல்   கடக்கும் புணை பற்றி

நனி நின்ற சமயத்தோர் எல்லாரும்  "நன்று" என்னத்

தனி நின்ற தத்துவத்தின் தகை  மூர்த்தி நீ ஆகின்

இனி நின்ற முதல் தேவர் என் கொண்டு,  என் செய்வாரோ?

“For fording the forbidding, fearsome sea of births and deaths, several denominations of faith commend you as the peerless One God! What shall the place be for the other (Prime) Gods?”

 

நீ ஆதி பரம்பரமும்;  நின்னவே உலகங்கள்;

ஆயாத சமயமும் நின் அடியவே; அயல் இல்லை;

தீயாரின் ஒளித்தியால்; வெளி நின்றால் தீங்குஉண்டோ?

வீயாத பெரு மாய விளையாட்டும் வேண்டுமோ?

 

You are the Earliest One! The entire universe is yours! The endlessly enquiring faiths all end up with praise of Your Feet! None different. Why shall Ye conceal Yourself like a criminal? Would there be harm if you made Yourself apparent? Why is this endless sport (of Maya) of Ye necessary?”

 

தாய்தன்னை அறியாத கன்று இல்லை; தன் கன்றை

ஆயும் அறியும்; உலகின் தாய் ஆகின், ஐய!

நீ அறிதி எப் பொருளும்; அவை உன்னை நிலை அறியா;

மாயை இது என்கொலோ?-  வாராதே வரவல்லாய்!

 

“No calf is unaware who is its mother. And no mother cow is unaware which is its calf. (That is the unalterable rule of this creation.) Pray! You are the Mother of all of this creation. How come then, (while You know each one – animate or inanimate – here)  the beings would not know you, how you are established? Why is this  (inscrutable) sport? You can sure arrive without arriving, couldn’t you?”

 

?-  வாராதே வரவல்லாய்! is a weighty metaphysical conundrum for us to contemplate over. The Almighty is manifest in everything. There is nothing in this creation, in this whole Universe, and beyond if there is a beyond,  where he is not already present. How do we then expect Him to arrive? Isn’t he already there with us? But then, He does arrive, when called, doesn’t He?

 

What is intended to be conveyed is that He is within us, He is an integral inalienable part of this creation, permeating everything and manifest everywhere. But, He is not just apparent to us, He does not appear to us. For Him to arrive – present Himself to us, one ought to contemplate on Him with single-minded application of thought and He shall materialize for us – from within us. He did not arrive but yet He has materialized for us – right from within ourselves.

ISAAVASYA UPANISHAD  (its shanti mantra is the famous -Om poornamadah poornamidam poornaat poornamudachyate Poornasya poornamaadaaya poornamevaavashishṣyate - presents a baffling proposition thus:

 

ईशा वास्यम् इदं सर्वं यत् किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।

तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥

 

īśā vāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |

All this (perceivable Universe) is enveloped by the Supreme Being (Ishvara).  (That Supreme Being is something that cannot be divided into parts, which is infinite in its nature, which is existing everywhere to such an extent that it may appear that it is the only thing existing.)

 

अनेजद् एकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन्पूर्वमर्षत् ।

anejad ekaṃ manaso javīyo nainaddevā āpnuvanpūrvamarṣat

 

anejad = (It is) immobile; ekam = (Because it is the only) One.

Manaso javiyo = (But it is) speedier than the Mind; nainaddevā = The Gods (or in another sense, the senses) cannot reach It; Because it  already reaches there ahead!

How do we reconcile the affirmation that It is Immobile and It is the Speediest One? Try this allegory – we are sitting in one place – immobile; but the mind wanders through – even to the BrahmalOka, in a trice.

 

But in the sense of imputing this to the Supreme Being, though It is permeating everything and is everywhere, It is not a static force; It is the most dynamic energy and moves ahead of everything. That is how It can arrive without moving! வாராதே வரவல்லாய்.

 

(This inference – imputing to this phrase the message in Isavasya Upanishad, is your narrator’s; he has not seen any commentaries on these lines; this could be debatable; a debate is welcome!)

 

Nammazhwar celebrates Him thus in Thiruvaimozhi:

வந்தாய் போலே வாராதாய். வாரா தாய்போல் வருவானே,

செந்தா மரைக்கண் செங்கனிவாய் நால்தோ ளமுதே. எனதுயிரே,

சிந்தா மணிகள் பகரல்லைப் பகல்செய் திருவேங் கடத்தானே,

அந்தோ. அடியேன் உன்பாதம் அகல கில்லேன் இறையுமே. Aaraam Pathhu (9)

Periyavaachaan Pillai, in “Eedu” interprets the first line as – The One who, after making the jeevan give up hope that He would never arrive unto Him, does arrive when the jeevan least expects.

 

Viradha continues his tributes to Rama:

 

ஒரு வினையும் இல்லார்போல்  உறங்குதியால் உறங்காதாய்!

(You are reclined in a wakeful sleep, (உறங்குதியால் உறங்காதாய்) as if you have no care in the world, have nothing to do – though you bear the whole universe, its creation, sustenance and its end, by Your Sankalpa)

 

அன்னம் ஆய் அரு மறைகள் அறைந்தாய் நீ; அவை உன்னை

முன்னம் ஆர் ஓதுவித்தார்? எல்லாரும் முடிந்தாரோ?

பின்னம் ஆய் ஒன்று ஆதல்  பிரிந்தேயோ? பிரியாதோ?

என்ன மாமாயம் இவை?-ஏனம்  ஆய் மண் இடந்தாய்!

 

Oh Lord! The One who, manifesting as a Boar, delivered Mother Earth from her watery doom! Manifesting Yourself as a Swan You brought out the Vedhas and instructed them to Brahma. Who instructed the Vedhas to You? Are they all gone? Are you a divisible multiple or are You an aggregated One? What is this perplexing sport of yours?

 

“Who instructed the Vedhas to You?” Consider the audacity! Reminds one of the sage who, in the NasAadiya Suktha, assails the Brahmam Itself:

 

Iyam vistIryata AbhabhUva yAadivA dadhE ya di van a;

yO asadhyakshah paramE vyOmantso anga vEdha ya di van a vEdha?

 

Whence all creation had its origin, He, whether He fashioned it or whether he did not, He, who surveys it all from the highest heaven, He knows: Or, maybe even He does not know!

 

Viradha concludes: You wiped off all my accumulated sins with your Lotus Feet. The Peerless One who emerged out of Your snake-bed in Thirupparkadal and delivered me from the cycle of birth – possibly due to the merits gained by me with ascetics in the past. (Viradha gives credit to himself and his ascetics for his deliverance and credits Paramatma for being the instrumentality!)

 

Then Viradha spoke briefly narrating his whole life:

 

“I attained this evil form coming unto this world: I was earlier in Kubera’s heavens; I then bore the name THUMBURU. Due to my excessive indulgence with the heavenly maindens, Kubera cursed me to be born in this Earth as a Rakshasa. On my pleAading with Kubera, he spelt out the later deliverance from the curse - through the touch of your Lotus feet.

 

“And, possessed as I was with only carnal pleasures, I did not have the discerning mind to differentiate between good and bad and lived a life exclusively of wicked deeds. Please bear with me, with my ignorantly daring you and offending you. I seek refuge in you now” So saying Viradha departed heavenwards.

Rama, Lakshmana and Sita (Sita regained her own composure and rAadiance as she was relieved of the scare that Viradha had caused.) then departed to move further southwards.