Episode 01 - Chapter 10 - Canto on the slaying of Kabandhan.

Chapter 10 - Canto on the killing of Kabandan - கவந்தன் வதைப் படலம்

 

•        The poet brings out Rama’s quandary – that he was ENTRUSTED by Janaka his precious and virtuous daughter; and she was the epitome of what a good wife should be. And yet Rama could not, as the husband, provide her with one of a husband’s basic duties i.e. giving protection to her – honour that entrustment. How was Rama going to explain to Janaka his default of that entrustment?

 

•        It seems to be a timeless truth that a man’s izzat gets heightened when he has to be dealing with his in-laws!

 

•        ..Lakshmana then proceeded to get some better sense into Rama’s thoughts and helped him retrieve himself from that debilitating spell of self-pity and helplessness. Another of his redoubtable ‘battle-front’ motivation speeches.

 

•        In your narrator’s humble view, Kamban expressing himself through Kavandhan’s adoring peroration extolling the Almighty, on being relieved of his curse, collectively together with those from Viradha in a similar context, from Indra as he meets Rama at the threshold of Sage Sarabhanga’s hermitage and the exceptional one that Vali would proffer when he is killed by Rama, would, head and shoulders, stand with the selective best amongst the “Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam” with a strong resonance with the metaphysical content of Thiruvaaimozhi of Nammazhwar.

 

******

Rama and Lakshmana, after cremating Jatayu’s remains and getting over a very unpleasant interception en route by the female demon Ayomukhi, trekked further southwards in search of Sita and her abductor. They unwittingly slipped into the domain of another unspeakably grotesque demonic entity – Kavandan - who had abominable features of anatomy and who thrived by devouring all living beings that happen to get sucked into the very wide arc of miles-long arms of his – without him having to move an inch! And, he is legless!

 

இருந்தே நீட்டி எவ் உயிரும் கையின் வளைத்து வயிற்றின் அடக்கும் கவந்தன் வனத்தைக் கண்ணுற்றார்.

 

தேமொழி திறத்தினால்,  அரக்கர் சேனை வந்து

ஏமுற வளைந்தது என்று,  உவகை எய்தினார்;

நேமி மால் வரை வர நெருக்குகின்றதே

ஆம் எனல் ஆய, கைம்  மதிட்குள் ஆயினார்.

 

Rama and Lakshmana walk into Kavandhan’s trap of long-reaching arms and as the arms close in on them, they were really excited that the battle that they were planning to engage in with the Rakshasa army – in order to have Sita relieved of her captivity – had confronted them so soon – mistaking Kavandan’s encircling arms as them being encircled by a Rakshasaka army. The arms that were closingin on them resembled, according to the poet, the ramparts of an enemy citadel. The poet uses an interesting allegory here: “நேமி மால் வரை வர நெருக்குகின்றதே” – Puranic lore has it that there is an encircling humongous mountainous barrier between the perceptible Universe (lighted) and the limitless darkness beyond. நேமி மால் வரை = chakravaalam mountain.

 

Your narrator is fond of drawing inspiration from the Rig Veda (Sri Purusha Sooktha)

wheneve this allusion of what lies beyond the perceptible Universe comes up:

 

etāvān asya mahimā-ato jyāyāgṃśca pūruṣaḥ |

pādo’asya viśvā bhūtāni tripādasyāmṛtaṃ divi |

tripādūrdhva udait puruṣaḥ pādo’asyehābhavāt punaḥ |

 

Such is His greatness, and the Perfect Being is indeed much greater than this. The manifest universe is only his one fourth (a quarter of that Being); His three-fourths, which is limitless and without a beginning and without (possibly a projected) end, lies  heaven-wards.That one-fourth appears (disappears) and reappears repeatedly.

 

What Is Dark Energy?

More is unknown than is known. We know how much dark energy there is because we know how it affects the universe's expansion. Other than that, it is a complete mystery. But it is an important mystery. It turns out that roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 27%. The rest - everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all of our instruments, all normal matter - adds up to less than 5% of the universe. Come to think of it, maybe it shouldn't be called "normal" matter at all, since it is such a small fraction of the universe.

 

(Courtesy .. NASA Science)

 

Dark Matter and Dark Energy

 

The visible universe—including Earth, the sun, other stars, and galaxies—is made of protons, neutrons, and electrons bundled together into atoms. Perhaps one of the most surprising discoveries of the 20th century was that this ordinary, or baryonic, matter makes up less than 5 percent of the mass of the universe.

 

The rest of the universe appears to be made of a mysterious, invisible substance called dark matter (25 percent) and a force that repels gravity known as dark energy (70 percent).

 

Courtesy: National Geographic

 

Amazing that astrophysical propositions that are still in the realms of studied conjectures were so precisely propounded in the ageless storehouse of Vedhic wisdom.  There are two possible interpretations for the term used in the Sooktham: “pAdhOsya” – literally this word means one-fourth and that fits – well, almost – the conjectured ratio of “dark energy” in the total sum. The word is also interpreted often to mean a “fraction” which would fit the conjecture that the perceptible universe is just about 5% of total sum of energy. The ratios are truly in the realm of conjectural physics as there has been no quantification of the matter that lies within what could be defined as the perceivable Universe. At best, the “dark energy” could fit the term “limitless” – “amrtam”.

 

Nammazhwar hazards a guess and gives up:

சூழ்ந்து ஆழ்ந்து உயர்ந்து முடிவில் பெரும்பாழேயோ = All enveloping, deep, tall, in the end a limitless ‘waste’! (the Azhwar uses the term “பெரும்பாழேயோ” to connote, in communicable terms, what cannot be fitted in a material description. )

 

இளவலை நோக்கினன் இராமன், 'ஏழையை

உளைவு செய் இராவணன் உறையும் ஊரும், இவ்

அளவையது ஆகுதல் அறிதி; ஐய! நம்

கிளர் பெருந் துயரமும் கீண்டது ஆம்' என,

 

Rama and Lakshmana, still going by their (erroneous) conclusion that the clamour that

they perceived around them because of the encircling arms of Kavandhan, was the rumblings of battle with the Rakshasas that they were encountering, proceeded further with that flawed assumption. Rama told Lakshmana: “Ravana’s domain should be as big as this. If it is indeed that domain, our anguish and grief shall end with this.”

 

முற்றிய அரக்கர்தம் முழங்கு தானையேல்,

எற்றிய முரசு ஒலி,ஏங்கும் சங்கு இசை,

பெற்றிலது; ஆதலின், பிறிது ஒன்று ஆம்' எனச்

சொற்றனன் இளையவன், தொழுது முன் நின்றான்.

 

Lakshmana, always the alert one, the smart one, the keenly observant one, the one that would not jump to hasty conclusions, would correct Rama’s diagnosis: “We do not hear the sounds associated with an army’s march – like the drum-beats, the conch/bugle sounds, etc. This is something else (not a confrontation with Ravana’s forces).”

 

என்று இவை விளம்பிய இளவல் வாசகம்

நன்று என நினைந்தனன், நடந்த நாயகன்;

ஒன்று இரண்டு யோசனை உள் புக்கு, ஓங்கல்தான்

நின்றென இருந்த அக் கவந்தன் நேர் சென்றார்.

 

Accepting Lakshamna’s observations, Rama walks with him a couple of “yojana”s (about 18 miles!) – still within the encircling arms of Kavandhan who, legless, was “seated” like a mountain set down on the earth.

 

வெயில் சுடர் இரண்டினை மேரு மால் வரை

குயிற்றியதாம் எனக் கொதிக்கும் கண்ணினன்;

எயிற்று இடைக்கு இடை இரு காதம்; ஈண்டிய

வயிற்றிடை வாய் எனும் மகர வேலையான்.

 

Kamban tries to bring us a pen-picture of this indescribable monstrosity: “The eyes looked like two blistering suns set in the midst of a huge mountain; the gap between his two teeth extended to about TWENTY MILES! He had his mouth, as large as a sea, set in the middle of his proportionately large stomach! காதம் = 10 miles.

                                     

இந்துவைத்

தீண்டிய நெடு வரைத் தெய்வ மத்தினைப்

பூண்டு உயர் வடம், இரு புடையும் வாங்கலின்,

நீண்டன கிடந்தென நிமிர்ந்த கையினான்.

 

His arms were as long as the churn rope – Vasuki the divine serpant – that encircled the Mandhara mountain that was used to churn the Milky Ocean.

 

வேத நூல் வரன்முறை விதிக்கும் ஐம் பெரும்

பாதகம் திரண்டு உயிர் படைத்த பண்பினான்.

 

He was not wrought with the normal five elements; he was the personification of all the five evils defined by the Vedhas – kaama, krOdha, lobha, madha, mascharya.

 

His Mouth:

 

சூர் புகல் அரியது ஓர் அரக்கர் தொல் மதில்

ஊர் புகு வாயிலோ இது?

 

Is this the huge gates in the impregnable (even by the Devas) ramparts of Rakshasas?

 

As the creatures that get sucked into the encircling arms of Kavandhan are crushed together and swallowed by his huge mouth, the mouth resembled the entry-door of the God of Death from where there was no retrieval.

 

தோகையும் பிரிந்தனள்; எந்தை துஞ்சினன்;

வேக வெம் பழி சுமந்து உழல வேண்டலேன்;

ஆகலின், யான், இனி, இதனுக்கு ஆமிடம்;

ஏகுதி ஈண்டுநின்று, இளவலே!' என்றான்.

 

Rama offers to feed himself unto Kavandhan with this disconsolate reasoning:

“I got separated from Sita; my father-like Jatayu died (in my cause); my culpability for these losses is something I am unable to bear and continue to live. (Therefore), I shall feed myself into this demon’s mouth, you please leave from this peril,  my younger one.” ஆமிடம்; is the close transliteration of “Aamisham” in Sanskrit – meaning feed.

 

"இல் இயல்புடைய, நீர் அளித்த, இன் சொலாம்

வல்லி, அவ் அரக்கர்தம் மனை உளாள்" எனச்

சொல்லினென், மலை எனச் சுமந்த தூணியென்,

வில்லினென், செல்வெனோ, மிதிலை வேந்தன்பால்?

 

Amongst several of Rama’s worries about his blameworthiness in having lost Sita to Ravana’s abduction, this one seems to stand out: “Janaka gave me his illustriously virtuous daughter in marriage. I had absolutely no excuse or grounds to let her be separated from this wedlock. When I have to meet Janaka, how would I tell him that the most virtuous and illustrious daughter of his is now in the home of Rakshasas? And still be carrying this quiver of mine that is weighing me down like anything?” The poet brings out Rama’s quandary – that he was ENTRUSTED by Janaka his precious and virtuous daughter; and she was the epitome of what a good wife should be. And yet Rama could not, as the husband, provide her with one of a husband’s basic duties i.e. giving protection to her – honour that entrustment. How was Rama going to explain to Janaka his default of that entrustment?

 

It seems to be a timeless truth that a man’s izzat gets heightened when he has to be dealing with his in-laws!

 

The AAadi Kaavya also presents Rama as worrying about his mother Kausalya, following his own decision to end his life and feed into Kavandha’s cavernous mouth:

 

सीता निमित्तम् सौमित्रे मृते मयि गते त्वयि |

कच्चित् स कामा सुखिता कैकेयी सा भविष्यति || ३-५८-७

 

siitaa nimittam saumitre mR^ite mayi gate tvayi |

kaccit sa kaamaa sukhitaa kaikeyii saa bhaviShyati || 3-58-7

 

"When I am dead for the sake of Seetha and when you get back to Ayodhya all alone, and when Kaikeyi's wishes are accomplished thus, oh, Soumitri, would she feel having accomplished her wishes?” [3-58-7]

 

स पुत्र राज्याम् सिद्ध अर्थाम् मृत पुत्रा तपस्विनी |

उपस्थास्यति कौसल्या कच्चित् सौम्येन - सौम्य न - कैकयीम् || ३-५८-८

 

sa putra raajyaam siddha arthaam mR^ita putraa tapasvinii |

upasthaasyati kausalyaa kaccit saumyena - saumya na - kaikayiim || 3-58-8

 

"Kaikeyi is with her son, with a kingdom, and further her (ulterior) purposes would be achieved,' oh, gentle Lakshmana, but then, would my austere mother Kausalya, would she be thrown into a subservient position and would she have to take up servitude of Kaikeyi, because she had lost her own son (myself)? [3-58-8]

 

Lakshmana debunks Rama’s offer of venturing into Kavandhan’s trap – because he had a few strong reasons to see his life end thus - and asking Lakshmana to retrieve atleast himself from this peril:

 

ஈண்டு, யான், உன்பின் ஏகியபின், இவ் இடர் வந்து

மூண்டால், முன்னே ஆர் உயிரோடும் முடியாதே,

மீண்டே போதற்கு ஆம் எனின், நன்று என் வினை!

 

“Having followed you thus far in your abdication and when this peril confronts us, for me to let you offer yourself as its prize and go back to Ayodhya – would be just laughable.”

 

மானே அன்னாள்தன்னொடு தம்முன் வரை ஆரும்

கானே வைக, கண்துயில் கொள்ளாது அயல் காத்தற்கு

ஆனான்; என்னே!" என்றவர் முன்னே, "அவர் இன்றித்

தானே வந்தான்" என்றலின்,  வேறு ஓர் தவறு உண்டோ?

 

“Having kept constant, sleepless, (கண்துயில் கொள்ளாது) protective company with my elder brother and the doe like Sita all through the harsh forest sojourn so far, while that dedication is applauded by the world, right in front of the same world, if I return (to Ayodhya) without the two of you, would anything be more ridiculous?”

 

'என் தாய், "உன்முன் ஏவிய யாவும் இசை; இன்னல்

பின்றாது எய்தி, பேர்  இசையாளற்கு அழிவு உண்டேல்,

பொன்றாமுன்னம் பொன்றுதி" என்றாள்; உரை பொய்யா

நின்றால் அன்றோ நிற்பது வாய்மை நிலை அம்மா?

 

“My mother, Sumitra commanded me thus: Obey your elder Rama and do what he commands; protect him from peril; should he come to harm, before he is hurt, you should give your life. Should I not conduct myself in a manner that would lend truth to her command?” பேர்  இசையாளற்கு = to Rama, the one with peerless reputation.

 

We recall what Sumitra commanded Lakshmana when she bade farewell to him as he was departing for the forest with Rama (Ayodhya Khandam):

 

 

                                                                                   தம்பி

என்னும்படி அன்று; அடியாரினில் ஏவல் செய்தி;

மன்னும் நகர்க்கே இவன் வந்திடின் வா; அது அன்றேல்

முன்னம் முடி;

 

Then Lakshmana brings out the implicit incongruity of Rama offering his life as feed for Kavandhan, Kamban bringing out – once again – the Paramatma identity of his hero.

 

'ஓதுங்கால், அப் பல் பொருள் முற்றுற்று, ஒருவாத

வேதம் சொல்லும் தேவரும் வீயும் கடை வீயாய்;

மாதங்கம் தின்று உய்ந்து இவ் வனத்தின்தலை வாழும்

பூதம் கொல்லப் பொன்றுதிஎன்னின் பொருள் உண்டோ?

 

“To tell the truth, Rama, when everything in this vast universe meet their end, when even the Devas, deathless as they keep reciting the Vedhas come inevitably to perish, (at the point of a Yuga Pralaya) you (alone) shall not see an end. Is there any meaning in your proposition that this demon, which devours lowly things like the elephants and just surviving in this forest, it will eat you to cause your end?” (How could a lowly creature like Kavandhan cause the end of the endless Almighty Himself?)

 

Lakshmana then proceeded to get some better sense into Rama’s thoughts and helped him retrieve himself from that debilitating spell of self-pity and helplessness. Another of his redoubtable ‘battle-front’ motivation speeches.

 

கேட்டார் கொள்ளார்; கண்டவர் பேணார்; "கிளர் போரில்

தோட்டார் கோதைச் சோர் குழல்தன்னைத் துவளாமல்

மீட்டான் என்னும் பேர் இசை கொள்ளான், செரு வெல்ல

மாட்டான், மாண்டான்" என்றலின்மேலும் வசை உண்டோ?

 

“Whoever gets to hear your determination (to end your life by offering yourself to Kavandhan as his feed), would not comprehend it; those who happen to witness it would not approve of it; “The one who (we expect) should confront and battle (with the Rakshasas) and redeem the lovely, grandly garlanded Sita, the one with lustrous tresses, without any harm or distress to her and earn approbation from the whole world, instead, gave up his life without doing that battle and winning it – would there be any worse blot on your reputation than this?”

 

Lakshmana then provides the ultimate comfort to Rama, with a confidence that was just Lakshamanesque:

 

                             விடத்தின் கனல் பூதம் -

பிணிக்கும் கையும், பெய் பில வாயும் பிழையாமல்

துணிக்கும் வண்ணம் காணுதி; துன்பம் துற'

 

“Quit your anguish. You shall see that I shall sever these encircling arms and the deep gorge-like mouth of this despicable demon.”

 

என்னா முன்னே, செல்லும்  இளங்கோ, இறையோற்கு

முன்னே செல்லும்; முன்னவன், அன்னானினும் முந்த,

தன் நேர் இல்லாத் தம்பி தடுப்பான்; பிறர் இல்லை;

அன்னோ! கண்டார் உம்பரும் வெய்துற்று அழுதாரால்.

 

So saying, Lakshmana went into the inner recesses of the demons enormous clutches, ahead of Rama, the elder one (and the most ancient of all); and Rama, not to be left behind, was trying to beat Lakshmana in this perilous march into the demon’s menacing precincts; Lakshmana would try and keep Rama from overtaking him. There was no spectacle more remarkable than this. The Devas, witnessing this perilous venture of the divine siblings, were moved into tears. The poet ends this verse with his own sympathetic “அன்னோ” = ஐயோ!

 

The duo severed the two arms of Kavandhan – one from each side.

 

'அழிந்துளார் அலர்; இகழ்ந்தனர் என்னை'  என்று அழன்றான்;

பொழிந்த கோபத்தன்; புதுப்பொறி மயிர்ப்புறம் பொடிப்ப,

'விழுங்குவேன்' என வீங்கலும், விண் உற, வீரர்,

எழுந்த தோள்களை வாள்களால் அரிந்தனர், இட்டார்.

 

Kavandhan was infuriated anew by the two young men, oblivious of his potent peril and accosting him, approaching him; he swore aloud at them that he shall swallow them. Just then, Rama and Lakshmana severed Kavandhan’s two brimming arms and threw them down. (Kavandhan bristled into a new fury – he was always brimming with ill-temper – seeing two meek-looking youth pretending to assault him.)

   

Delivered from his curse with him coming into contact with Rama, the Paramatma, Kavandhan rose heavenwards and starting adoring and praising Rama.

 

•        In your narrator’s humble view, Kamban expressing himself through Kavandhan’s adoring peroration extolling the Almighty, on being relieved of his curse, collectively together with those from Viradha in a similar context, from Indra as he meets Rama at the threshold of Sage Sarabhanga’s hermitage and the exceptional one that Vali would proffer when he is killed by Rama, would, head and shoulders, stand with the selective best amongst the “Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam” ” with a strong resonance with the metaphysical content of Thiruvaaimozhi of Nammazhwar.

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'ஈன்றவனோ எப் பொருளும்? எல்லை தீர் நல் அறத்தின்

சான்றவனோ? தேவர் தவத்தின் தனிப் பயனோ?

மூன்று கவடு ஆய் முளைத்து எழுந்த மூலமோ?

தோன்றி, அரு வினையேன் சாபத் துயர் துடைத்தாய்!

 

“You came down to me and provided that rarest of rare sight of you. You wiped off all my accumulated woes and curses. Oh! My Lord! Aren’t you the One who created every animate and inanimate thing (in all the worlds)! Aren’t you the ever standing witness to Dharma! Aren’t you the cumulative, incomparable yield of the ascetics of all the Devas! Aren’t you the One that stand as the seemingly differentiated but in fact unified Triad – Brahma, Vishnu and Siva!”

 

'மூலமே இல்லா முதல்வனே!  நீ முயலும்

கோலமோ, யார்க்கும் தெரிவு அரிய கொள்கையவால்;

ஆலமோ? ஆலின் அடையோ? அடைக் கிடந்த

பாலனோ? வேலைப் பரப்போ? பகராயே!

 

“Oh! My Lord! The One without a beginning! The various forms and appearances you take are inscrutable for any one – nor the underlying true form of yours! Are you the banyan tree that defied the deluge? Or, are You the infant that lay in resplendent joy on that banyan leaf – during the deluge? Are you, then, the deluge itself? Tell me!”

 

(Kamban, once again, brings up the inscrutable riddle of the source or form of the Almighty. Human mind can comprehend a cause and an effect. It fails miserably to comprehend the Truth about the Almighty – that He is the one that has no cause and no effect, no beginning and no end. The allegories bring forth this classic conundrum – the banyan tree must have had a cause – its seed; the infant must have had a cause, a parenthood. But the Almighty defies all that logic doesn’t He?.

 

Nammazhwar is fond of startling us with such conundrums:

 

மேவித்தொழும் பிரமன் சிவன் இந்திரனாதிக்கெல்லாம் நாவிக் கமல

முதற் கிழங்கே = The first root! A root presupposes a plant that yielded it! But this one pre-existed the plant, everything!

 

முற்ற இம்மூவுலகும் பெருந்தூறாய் தூற்றில் புக்கு முற்றக் கரைந்தொளித்தாய் என் முதல் தனி வித்தேயோ = He is the first and unique seed – a seed that did not come from any fruit, etc.!

 

'காண்பார்க்கும் காணப்படு பொருட்கும் கண் ஆகி,

பூண்பாய்போல் நிற்றியால், யாது ஒன்றும் பூணாதாய்;

மாண்பால் உலகை வயிற்று ஒளித்து வாங்குதியால்;

ஆண்பாலோ? பெண்பாலோ? அப்பாலோ? எப்பாலோ?

 

This verse takes one’s breath away – for the riddle as much as the rhyme.

“You! The Almighty! You are the enabling light for the perceiver as well as the perceived. Though not leaning on to anything in this creation, apparently you are leaning on to everything in that creation. As you securely hold all of the worlds in your infant stomach when the deluge threatened the creation, which gender are you? Are you male? Or, or you female? A transgender? Or transcending gender itself?”

 

Resonates with Nammazhwar – once again:

 

'ஆண் அல்லன் பெண் அல்லன் அல்லா அலியும் அல்லன்;

காணலும்ஆகான்; உளன் அல்லன் இல்லை அல்லன்;

பேணுங்கால் பேணும் உருவாகும் அல்லனும் ஆம்!

கோணை பெரிது உடைத்து எம் பெருமானைக் கூறுதலே'

 

Back to Kamban:

 

'ஆதிப் பிரமனும் நீ!  ஆதிப் பரமனும் நீ!

ஆதி எனும் பொருளுக்கு அப்பால் உண்டாகிலும் நீ!

"சோதிச் சுடர்ப் பிழம்பு நீ! என்று சொல்லுகின்ற

வேதம் முறைசெய்தால், வெள்காரோ வேறு உள்ளார்?

 

“You are the creator – Brahma! And, you are Brahma’s parent as well! (எந்தை தந்தை தந்தைக்கே) If there shall be anything preceding the very first that shall be You! When the Vedhas hail you as the effulgent, resplendent light, would not the other (lesser) gods be ashamed?”

 

Nammazhwar again! In the verse “சூழ்ந்து ஆழ்ந்து உயர்ந்து முடிவில் பெரும்பாழேயோ” he defines the Almighty as சுடர் ஞான இன்பமேயோ.  And, again in these verses:

 

     'முடிச் சோதியாய்! உனது முகச் சோதி மலர்ந்ததுவோ

    அடிச் சோதி நீ நின்ற தாமரையாய் அலர்ந்ததுவோ

    படிச் சோதி ஆடையொடும் பல்கலனாய் நின்பைம்பொன்

    கடிச் சோதி கலந்ததுவோ? திருமாலாய் கட்டுரையே

 

     பரஞ்சோதி! நீ பரமாய் நின் இகழ்ந்து பின் மற்றோர்

    பரஞ்சோதி இன்மையில் படி ஓவி நிகழ்கின்ற

    பரஞ்சோதி நின்னுள்ளே படருலகம் படைத்த எம்

    பரஞ்சோதி கோவிந்தா! பண்புரைக்க மாட்டேனே

 

Usually, the Saiva Sidhdhanta perceives the Almighty in its pure form as an effulgent flame. But Nammazhwar was, of course, all-embracing in his tenets.

 

Back to Kamban:

'எண் திசையும் திண் சுவரா, ஏழ் ஏழ் நிலை வகுத்த

அண்டப் பெருங் கோயிற்கு எல்லாம் அழகுடைய

மண்டலங்கள் மூன்றின்மேல், என்றும் மலராத

புண்டரிக மொட்டின் பொகுட்டே புரை; அம்மா!

 

Kamban uses a rare metaphor in visualizing the abode of the Almighty here.

“The eight directions forming the support walls, the fourteen differentiated worlds adorned with three light sources making them magnificient and beautiful – the sun, the moon and the star clusters – astride all this, the lotus bud that never releases into a blossom, the seed within that resplendent lotus bud – it is your abode.”

   

'நிற்கும் நெடு நீத்த நீரில் முளைத்தெழுந்த

மொக்குளே போல, முரண் இற்ற அண்டங்கள்,

ஒக்க உயர்ந்து, உன்னுளே தோன்றி ஒளிக்கின்ற

பக்கம் அறிதற்கு, எளிதோ? பரம்பரனே!

 

“Oh! The One who outstrides and outshines everything that is magnificient! The peerless One! When the worlds appearing like bubbles from the all-devouring deluge , arise from you at that same moment and  exist in total harmony as they exist, and disappear in you once again – isn’t all of this beyond comprehension?”

                 

'மாயப் பிறவி மயல் நீக்கி, மாசு இலாக்

காயத்தை நல்கி, துயரின் கரை ஏற்றி,

பேய் ஒத்தேன் பேதைப் பிணக்கு அறுத்த எம் பெருமான்!

நாய் ஒத்தேன்; என்ன நலன் இழைத்தேன் நான்?' என்றான்.

 

“Relieving me of this life in illusion, granting me a blemishless body, shored me up from the sea of distress, delivering me from the ignorance and evil-dominated ghost-like, dog-like life, what good did I do in all this life – for your conferring such Graces on me?”

 

Pointing to the delivered, resplendent Kavandhan who strode heavenwards, Rama bade Lakshmana:

 

'பாராய், இளையவனே! பட்ட இவன், வேறே ஓர்

பேராளன்தானாய், ஒளி ஓங்கும் பெற்றியனாய்,

நேர், ஆகாயத்தின்மிசை நிற்கின்றான்; நீ இவனை

ஆராய்! என, அவனும், 'ஆர்கொலோ நீ? என்றான்.

 

“Look at him, after he was killed, he looks very different! Looks all magnificience! He stands there in front of us hovering heavenwards! Why not ascertain who he was.” Lakshmana, accordingly, queried Kavandhan – Who are ye?

 

 “சந்தம் பூண் அலங்கல் வீர! தனு எனும் நாமத்தேன் ஓர்

கந்தர்ப்பன்; சாபத்தால், இக்கடைப்படு பிறவி கண்டேன்;

வந்து உற்றீர் மலர்க்கை தீண்ட, முன் உடை வடிவம் பெற்றேன்;

எந்தைக்கும் எந்தை நீரே! இசைப்பது கேண்மின்! ‘‘ என்றான்.

 

Kavandhan responded: “Oh! Young Warrior! I was a Gandharva by birth with the name “Dhanu”. Because of a curse, I assumed this despicable form. As the two of you graced me with your touch, I got deliverance from my curse and was accorded my original form. You are the parents of everything. Now, listen to me.”

 

– Kavandhan proceeded to give some counseling to Rama and Lakshmana on the task that lay ahead of them:.

 

அழிப்பதற்கு ஒருவன் ஆன அண்ணலும், அறிதிர் அன்றே,

ஒழிப்ப அருந் திறல் பல் பூத கணத்தொடும் உறையும் உண்மை?

 

Even Lord Siva, who could destroy all the worlds, needs to have the “Bhootha Ghanas” with him – for performing his task.

 

ஆயது செய்கை என்பது, அறத்துறை நெறியின் எண்ணி

தீயவர்ச் சேர்க்கிலாது, செவ்வியோர்ச் சேர்த்து, செய்தல்;

தாயினும் உயிர்க்கு நல்கும் சவரியைத் தலைப்பட்டு, அன்னாள்

ஏயது ஓர் நெறியின் எய்தி, இரலையின் குன்றம் ஏறி,

 

“Good deeds flow from throughtfully electing the Dhaarmic path, avoiding the association of the evil-doers and seeking the company of good people for those deeds. There is this Sabari, who confers her motherly affection to all beings around her. Go and approach her. Abide by her advice. Travel across the “Rishiya Mukha” hills…

 

கதிரவன் சிறுவன் ஆன கனகவாள் நிறத்தினானை

எதிர் எதிர் தழுவி, நட்பின் இனிது அமர்ந்து, அவனின், ஈண்ட,

வெதிர் பொரும் தோளினாளை நாடுதல் விழுமிது' என்றான்.

அதிர் கழல் வீரர்தாமும், அன்னதே அமைவது ஆனார்.

 

“Go across and seek the friendship and affiliation with Sugreeva, the son of Surya. It would be wise to go ahead with your search for Sita with Sugreeva’s assistance.” Rama and Lakshmana, assenting, proceeded thenceforth.

 

ஆன பின், தொழுது வாழ்த்தி, அந்தரத்து அவனும் போனான்

மானவக் குமரர்தாமும் அத் திசை வழிக் கொண்டு ஏகி

கானமும் மலையும் நீங்கி, கங்குல் வந்து இறுக்கும் காலை,

யானையின் இருக்கை அன்ன, மதங்கனது இருக்கை சேர்ந்தார்.

 

After this interaction with Rama and Lakshmana, Kavandhan proceeded heavenwards. The young princes from the lineage of Manu, following the directions given by Kavandhan, trekking across forests and hills, reached the hermitage of Sage Mathanga which resembled a grove that was home to elephants, as the night was approaching.