Episode 01 - Chapter 9 - Canto on Ajomukhi.

Chapter 9 - Canto on “Ajomukhi” - அயோமுகிப் படலம்

 

Kamban invests a whole canto on this short episode of Lakshmana encountering a female demon a la Thadaka or Surpanaka who gets infatuated with Lakshmana.  The AAadi Kaavya disposes of this episode in six slokas. Much of the canto is, though, about Rama’s intense pangs of separation from Sita.

 

தேன் உக அருவி சிந்தி, தெருமரல் உறுவ போல,

கானமும், மலையும், எல்லாம் கண்ணின் நீர் உகுக்கும் கங்குல்,

மானமும் சினமும் தாதை மரணமும்,மைந்தர் சிந்தை,

ஞானமும் துயரும் தம்முள் மலைந்தென, நலிந்த அன்றே.

 

Warring thoughts and emotions in the minds of Rama and Lakshmana presented by the poet:  as the night fell, the streams dripping honey with cool water, seemed to sympathise with  the grief of the two, shedding those tears. The nightfall and its darkness combined to create in the minds of the two grief-stircken, tiring divine princes, a strange internal battle of emotions – sense of shame as they were deprived of Sita due to the trickery of the Rakshasas; the unquenched anger that welled up in consequence; the grief from the demise of the father-like Jatayu, especially as he laid his life in their cause; the sage realization that all these were wrought by destiny and the sorrow and self-pity,  that they had to bear the blame for this themselves.

 

தே மரு தெரியல் வீரன் கண்  எனத் தெரிந்த செய்ய

தாமரை, கங்குற் போதும், குவிந்திலாத்  தன்மை என்னோ?

 

How come? Even with the nightfall, the two lotus flowers that were Rama’s eyes, could not close their petals in?

 

இமைத்தில, இராமன் என்னும் புண்ணியன் கண்ணும், வன் தோள் தம்பி

கண் போன்ற அன்றே.

 

Even as Lakshmana never winked as he committed himself to the service and safety of Rama, now Rama’s eyes did not also have a wink – because they were grief-stricken.

 

'வண்டு உளர் கோதைச் சீதை வாள் முகம் பொலிய வானில்

கண்டனென்' என்று, வீரற்கு, ஆண்டு ஒரு காதல் காட்ட,

தண் தமிழ்த் தென்றல் என்னும் கோள் அராத் தவழும் சாரல்,

விண்தலம் விளக்கும் செவ்வி வெண் மதி விரிந்தது அன்றே.

 

 

As if to tease Rama, (falsely) proclaiming that it saw Sita’s effervescent beautiful moon-like face lighting up the sky, the full moon rose over the horizon; just aggravating that painful tease, the cool southerly – (the poet calls it “தமிழ்த் தென்றல்” pouring his heart out and demonstrating his love of Thamizh) – like a snake that never misses its mark, enveloped and tortured the love-lorn Rama.  (The southerly is uniquely attributed to the hills abounding the southern tip of India called the “Podigai” பொதிகை; as Thamizh was a language that Sage Agastya gifted to the literary world, and as “Podigai” is believed to the sage’s abode, the association is apt and celebrated.)

 

                      உலகம் எங்கும் விளக்கிய நிலவின் வெள்ளம்,

நளி இருள் பிழம்பு என்று, ஈண்டு, நஞ்சொடு கலந்த நாகத்

துளை ஏயிற்று ஊறல் உற்ற தாம் எனச் சுட்டது அன்றே.

 

Night-fall and darkness are tormentors of the love-lorn and are known as aides of the god of love who is cruelly fond of inflicting grief and longing on lovers separated. The full moon that flooded the earth appeared to Rama as dense and dreadful darkness; it was like the never-failing-to-kill poison that is pumped by a snake that hits to kill.

 

Rama, sleepless and weltering in thoughts of Sita, laments, wondering what she might have expected from him as she was abducted by Ravana:

 

“‘வாங்கு வில்லன் வரும் வரும் ‘என்று இரு

பாங்கும் நீள்நெறி பார்த்தனேளா?

 

“Would she have looked on either side of the course (in which she was being carried), expecting me, with bow on the ready, to appear (and rescue her)?

 

மின் இனைந்த எயிற்றின் விலங்கு அனான்

‘நில் நில் ‘என்று நெருங்கியபோது அவள் என் நினைந்தனேளா? “

 

The (terrible) one with huge, curved dentures that resembled forked lightnings, when he approached and accosted her, what (frightening) thoughts would have coursed Sita’s mind?

 

பூண்ட மானமும், போக்க அருங் காதலும்,

தூண்ட நின்று, இடை  தோமுறும் ஆர் உயிர்,

மீண்டு மீண்டு வெதுப்ப, வெதும்பினான்,

'வேண்டுமோ எனக்கு இன்னமும்  வில்?' என்பான்.

 

His mind tortured alternately by the sense of insult (as he was found inadequate to keep Sita safe) and the boundless love he had for her, Rama had his life’s torments visiting him endlessly. In sheer disgust he fretted: “Should I still need this bow?”

 

(The epic would be interspersed with Rama’s bow being accosted or acclaimed, as the context might find appropriate, as a symbol of helplessness or of invincible valour.)

 

வில்லை நோக்கி நகும்;  மிக வீங்கு தோட்

கல்லை நோக்கி நகும்;  கடைக்கால் வரும்

சொல்லை நோக்கித் துணுக்கெனும் - தொல் மறை

எல்லை நோக்கினர் யாவரும் நோக்குவான்.

 

Rama, the one who was acclaimed as the paramatma by all those who had thoroughly learnt and comprehended the ageless vedhas, would ridicule his bow (for having been useless in protecting Sita); would ponder over his rock-like two shoulders and would laugh at them; and, at the end, as he contemplated on the blame that would descend on him for not having been able to protect his own wife, he would be startled no ends.

 

'நின்று பல் உயிர் காத்தற்கு நேர்ந்த யான்,

என் துணைக் குல மங்கை ஓர் ஏந்திழை-

தன் துயர்க்குத் தகவு இலென் ஆயினேன்;

நன்று நன்று, என் வலி!' என, நாணுமால்.

 

“I am supposed to have responsibility for protecting all of life; but, I was incapable of protecting my own spouse, the one with peerless virtuosity, a vulnerable female.Great! Great! Great is my prowess” bemused Rama with a stinging sense of shame.

(Rama must have been reminded of the grandiloquent vow he made to the sages and hermits of Dandakaranya, when he lamented now :

 

     "சூர் அறுத்தவனும், சுடர் நேமியும்,

    ஊர் அறுத்த ஒருவனும் ஓம்பினும்

    ஆர் அறத்தினொடு அன்றி நின்றார் அவர்

    வேர் அறுப்பென்; வெருவன்மின் நீர் என்றான்.

 

(“Even if Skanda, the commander of Devas – who destroyed Soora Padma, if that great Sri Maha Vishnu wearing the brilliant Sudarsana of His, and Sankara who incinerated all the worlds, come in support of whoever stands against Dharma, I would root that entity out. Please donot fear.”)

 

“சாயும்; தம்பி திருத்திய தண் தளிர் தீயும்;”

 

The cool and comfortable bed of tender leaves made for Rama by Lakshmana would singe

as Rama reclined on it, as He was burning with that sweltering fever of separation from Sita.

 

'திறத்து இனாதன, செய் தவத்தோர் உற

ஒறுத்து, ஞாலத்து உயிர்தமை உண்டு, உழல்

மறத் தினார்கள் வலிந்தனர் வாழ்வரேல்,

அறத்தினால் இனி ஆவது  என்?' என்னுமால்.

 

“If the soft-natured, ascetically highly accomplished, sages would suffer pain and indignities, the evil ones punishing such harmless sages, destroying good life on this earth, and bereft of dharma, would flourish, and these go unchallenged, of what purpose is Dharma?”

 

வெள்ளம் சிலம்பு பாற்கடலின் விரும்பும் துயிலை வெறுத்து, அளியும்

கள்ளும் சிலம்பும் பூங் கோதைக் கற்பின் கடலில் படிவாற்கு,

புள்ளும் சிலம்பும்; பொழில் சிலம்பும்; புனலும் சிலம்பும்; புனை கோலம்

உள்ளும் சில் அம்பும் சிலம்பாவேல், உயிர் உண்டாகும் வகை உண்டோ?

 

(சிலம்பு = “silambu” connotes the pleasant noises at dawn, like bird call and the sound of flowing streams heard through the clear early ozone-filled atmosphere)

 

“Forsaking the comfortable reclined posture on Thirupparkadal, preferring the sea of virtuosity that is Sita with bumble-bees hovering aroundher floral garlands and honey dripping from them marking a pleasant wake-up call, now deprived of that too, His grief is shared and empathized by the early morning calls of birds, the gentle rustle of groves, the tingling tunes of the cascAading silvery streams.  Unless Rama rose in battle attire and the countless, destructive darts in his quiver do not make a battle-cry, would life remain on this earth?”

 

மயிலும் பெடையும் உடன் திரிய, மானும் கலையும் மருவி வர,

பயிலும் பிடியும் கட களிறும்  வருவ, திரிவ, பார்க்கின்றான்;

குயிலும், கரும்பும், செழுந் தேனும், குழலும், யாழும், கொழும் பாகும்,

அயிலும் அமுதும், சுவை தீர்த்த மொழியைப் பிரிந்தான் அழியானோ?

 

“Looking on as a male-female pair of peafowl wander around immersed in their love, stag and hind engrossed in their passion for each other, young he-elephant cavorting with his female, Rama, hurt deeply with the scorching pain of separation of Sita, the one with a voice that rivaled the cooing of koel, the sweetness of cane, ripened honey, (mellifluous notes flowing from a) flute, from the string instrument “yaazh”, rich candy, the devine nectar that everyone cherishes, appears to be perishing in his relentless grief.”

 

முடி நாட்டிய கோட்டு உதயத்து முற்றம் உற்றான் - முது கங்குல்

விடி நாள் கண்டும், கிளி மிழற்றும் மென் சொல் கேளா வீரற்கு, 'ஆண்டு,

அடிநாள், செந் தாமரை ஒதுங்கும் அன்னம் இலளால், யான் அடைத்த

கடி நாள் கமலத்து' என அவிழ்த்துக் காட்டுவான்போல், கதிர் வெய்யோன்.

 

The blazing sun, rising over the horizon, seemed to remind Rama that he (the sun) did not find amongst the lotus flowers that he helped close their petals the previous sunset, the lovely swan (that Sita was) that would swim around them, as he helped them open up and blossom again with his rise, thus aggravating Rama’s distress.

 

Overwhelmed by a debilitating set of emotions but steadfast in their pursuit of Ravana and the task of retrieving Sita from his abduction, Rama and Lakshmana continued their southward trek. As they covered 18 yojanas (one yojana = 9 miles and 18 yojanas would have been about 160 miles), they encounter harsh environments. They looked around for some water to quench their thirst. Not finding any on the way, Lakshmana offered to go and search for a water-source. He is accosted, enroute, by a terrifying, grotesque female demon who answers Lakshmana’s query that she was “Ayomukhi”.

 

Ayomukhi instantly gets infatuated with Lakshmana and solicits his very masculine company for herself; offers to spend a whole life-time with him cavorting in boundless romance.

 

The female demon Ayomukhi completes her terrifying and repulsive appearance by wearing

accoutrements that went with her physical grotesque features – snakes for her bangles, heads of lions for her ear-rings, tigers strung together and worn as garlands, “yaalis” for her ‘mangal sutra’.

 

As Lakshmana ignores her calls to romance with her, she gets hold of him and envelops him in an embrace, and using a “romance-mesmerism” மோகனை, she clasped Lakshamana and rose into the sky.

 

Understanding Lakshmana’s errand – searching a water-source – Ayomukhi offers to bring even the Ganges to him, should he only accepts her and said “do not be afraid”. அங்கையினால் எனை, "அஞ்சலை" என்றால், கங்கையின் நீர் கொணர்வென்

கடிது (For a demon given to fierce beastly rage and devastatingly destructive attribute, Ayomukhi is shorn of those beastly qualities including her irrepressible anger, as she falls for the irresistible maleness of Lakshmana.

 

ஆங்கு அவள் மார்பொடு கையின் அடங்கி,

பூங் கழல் வார் சிலை மீளி பொலிந்தான்;

வீங்கிய வெஞ்சின வீழ் மத வெம் போர்

ஓங்கல் உரிக்குள் உருத்திரன் ஒத்தான்.

 

As Ayomukhi embraced Lakshmana and clasped him unto her huge bosom, Lakshmana, totally enveloped by this demonic clasp, shone like the dazzling Lord Shiva covered by the hide of an elephant.

 

As this forced romance keeps Lakshmana from completing his errand and returning to Rama, Rama begins to worry about him:

          'அம் சொல் கிளி அன்ன அணங்கினை முன்

வஞ்சித்த இராவணன் வவ்வினனோ?

நஞ்சின் கொடியான் நடலைத் தொழிலால்,

துஞ்சுற்றனனோ,விதியின் துணிவால்?

 

As Rama’s thoughts still hover around Sita’s abduction by Ravana, he begins to worry about harm coming to Lakshmana through the same souce – Ravana: “Did Ravana abduct Lakshmana as well? Did he take the life of Lakshmana, with destiny aiding him? (The presumption is that without destiny co-consipring, even Ravana could not harm the heroic Lakshmana.)

 

என்னைத் தரும் எந்தையை, என்னையரை,

பொன்னைப் பொருகின்ற பொலங் குழையாள்-

தன்னை, பிரிவேன்; உளென் ஆவதுதான்,

உன்னைப் பிரியாத உயிர்ப்பு அலவோ?

 

“I had lost my father; had been taken away from my mothers; had been separated from Sita as well. If I am still surviving those great misfortunes and am still living, is it not only because you were with me?” – Rama cites the company of Lakshmana, his sagacity, his sage counseling, his unremitting love for him,  as the only reason he had not taken his life when those misfortunes hit him.

 

கமையாளொடும் என் உயிர் காவலில் நின்று

இமையாதவன், இத் துணை தாழ்வுறுமோ?

சுமையால் உலகூடு உழல்தொல் வினையேற்கு,

அமையாதுகொல் வாழ்வு? அறியேன்' எனுமால்.

 

“You stood solidly protecting Sita, the one with limitless patience and fortitude, and me, without winking even once, why would you be gone for so long? Does this mean that I could not bear this life, bear all the blames that seem to be getting attached to it.”

(Lakshmana is known also by the sobriquet – “the winkless one” 'உறங்கா வில்லி' )

 

அறப் பால் உளதேல், அவன் முன்னவன் ஆய்ப்

பிறப்பான் உறில், வந்து பிறக்க' எனா,

மறப்பால் வடி வாள் கொடு, மன் உயிரைத்

துறப்பான் உறுகின்ற தொடர்ச்சியின் வாய்,

 

As the wait for Lakshmana becomes unbearable, Rama decides to take his life with his sword, uttering the dying declaration:

 

“If I had earned some good merits in my life, let Lakshmana be born ahead of me in the next life” Thus swearing, Rama draws his sword with the intent to do away with his life.

 

(The poet once again presents Rama with a very vulnerable mind, given to take self-pitying to extents that he was really intent on taking  his life out, not finding the life’s challenges bearable or manageable. We found that the poet used a term கைத்த சிந்தையன் – one with an embittered mind in the canto on the demise of Jatayu.)

 

பேர்ந்தான், நெடு  மாயையினில் பிரியா;

ஈர்ந்தான், அவள் நாசி பிடித்து, இளையோன்;

சோர்ந்தாள் இடு பூசல் செவித் துளையில்

சேர்ந்து ஆர்தலுமே,  திருமால் தெருளா,

 

Laskhmana, releasing himself from Ayomukhi’s mesmerized hold, punished her by cutting off her nose. The thunderous yelling of Ayomukhi reached the ears of Rama – as he is preparing to end his life – and provided him with the comforting answer to his worry  - that Lakshmana is safe; this scream is from a Rakshasi that he had punished and got rid of.

 

'பரல் தரு கானகத்து அரக்கர், பல் கழல்

முரற்று அரு வெஞ் சமம் முயல்கின்றார், எதிர்

உரற்றிய ஓசை அன்று;  ஒருத்தி ஊறுபட்டு

அரற்றிய குரல்; அவள் அரக்கியாம்' எனா,

 

Rama consoles himself, hearing this female scream: “This is not the clamour from (Lakshmana) battling with Rakshasas. This is the loud scream of a female demon whose sensitive parts (nose, ears, breasts) have been cut off (by Lakshmana).”

How did Rama deduce thus?

 

Rama rises and hurries towards the source of the loud peal of scream, wanting to be with Lakshmana just in case he needed his help.

 

ஒருங்கு உயர்ந்து, உலகின் மேல், ஊழிப் பேர்ச்சியுள்

கருங் கடல் வருவதே அனைய  காட்சித் தன்

பெருந் துணைத் தம்முனை நோக்கி, பின்னவன்,

வருந்தலை வருந்தலை வள்ளியோய்!' எனா,

 

As Rama rose like the dark seas during the deluge and approached Lakshmana, the latter comforts him: “(All is well with me) Do not despair.” “வருந்தலை வருந்தலை”

 

தழுவினன் பல் முறை; தாரைக் கண்ணின் நீர்

கழுவினன், ஆண்டு அவன் கனக மேனியை;

'வழுவினையாம் என மனக் கொடு ஏங்கினேன்;

எழு என, மலை என, இயைந்த தோளினாய்!

 

Rama embraced Lakshmana several times and washed him with his tears. “I was worried that you had lost yourself.”

 

'மூவகை அமரரும், மும்மை உலகமும்

மேவ அரும் பகை எனக்கு ஆக மேல்வரின்,

ஏவரே கடப்பவர்?  எம்பி! நீ உளை

ஆவதே வலி; இனி, அரணும் வேண்டுமோ?

 

“Even if the Trimurtis and all the three worlds confront me as enemies, who could get the better of me? When you are by my side as my sole strength? What further security would I need?”  - தம்பி உடையான் படைக்கு அஞ்சான்

 

Rama suffers an enveloping delusion – seeing Sita everywhere and wondering if this is part of the trickery of the Rakshasas:

 

'மானவள் மெய்  இறை மறக்கலாமையின்

ஆனதோ? அன்றுஎனின்,  அரக்கர் மாயமோ? -

கானகம் முழுவதும்,  கண்ணின் நோக்குங்கால்

சானகி உரு எனத் தோன்றும் தன்மையே!

 

“Is it because I could not take my mind off the lovely, doe-like Sita? Is this a trickery of the Rakshasas? How is it that I see her all over the forest?”

 

'புண்டரிகப் புது மலரில் தேன் பொதி

தொண்டைஅம் சேயொளித் துவர்த்த வாய் அமுது

உண்டனென்; ஈண்டு அவள் உழையள் அல்லளால்;

கண் துயில் இன்றியும் கனவு உண்டாகுமோ?

 

“I could experience drinking deep the honey-sweet drips from Sita’s very red lips!  She is not found anywhere around here. Can one dream while still wide awake?”

 

We leave Rama engrossed in those bitter-sweet sojourns of his mind and conclude this canto.

 

We need, however, to note that “Ayomukhi” as a character brings out from Kamban one more puzzling divergence from the Aadi Kaavya:

Valmiki does swift work of the Ayomukhi – Lakshmana encounter in just three brief slokas and the concluding one says – she went the same way as she came – but screaming with her nose, etc. cut.

 

कर्ण नासे निकृत्ते तु विस्वरम् विननाद सा |

यथा आगतम् प्रदुद्राव राक्षसी घोर दर्शना || ३-६९-१८

 

karNa naase nikR^itte tu visvaram vinanaada saa |

yathaa aagatam pradudraava raakshasii ghora darshanaa || 3-69-18

 

When her nose and ear are cut off that demoness of hideous mien yelled highly in a high voice, and she rushed off as she had rushed in at Lakshmana.

 

There are no embellishments like the demon using “romance mesmerism”, clasping Lakshmana and rising into the sky, offering to procure the Ganga, etc. In fact, the AAadi Kaavya has no mention of Lakshmana leaving Rama and going in search of a water-source. The encounter happens just as the two trek – Lakshmana ahead of Rama – but Ayomukhi grabbing Lakshmana possibly because he was the fair-complexioned one!

 

What caused Kamban’s flight into all this contrived embellishment?