Episode 01 - Chapter 15 - Canto on Reception.
Chapter 13 - CANTO ON ROYAL RECEIPTION எதிர்கொள் படலம்
We now move on to witness a stellar event in the epic – எதிர்கொள் படலம் (Canto on “Reception”) Dasaratha and his humongous entourage being received by Janaka and his courtiers – an army – and how the two monarchs and would be sambandhis take to each other.
‘வந்தனன் அரசன்’ என்ன. மனத்து எழும் உவகை பொங்க.
கந்து அடு களிறும். தேரும். கலின மாக் கடலும். சூழ
சந்திரன் இரவிதன்னைச் சார்வது ஓர் தன்மை தோன்ற.
இந்திரதிருவன் தன்னை எதிர் கொள்வான் எழுந்து வந்தான்.
Excited to see the arrival of Dasaratha, with delight bubbling in him, Janaka, accompanied by forces of powerful elephants, chariots and bridled fine horses, resembling a rising sea, proceeded to receive Dasaratha. Kamban says that it looked like the Moon approaching the Sun in fond reception. Noteworthy is the fact that Dasaratha is a descendant of the Sun dynasty and Janaka is of Chandra’s (Moon’s) lineage. The poet also induces, in his own classically nuanced poetic skill, an understanding of the gap in the respective might and reputation of the two monarchs, with the simile of the Sun and the Moon. The poet also presents Dasaratha as one who possessed all the riches and splendor of Devendra himself. (இந்திர திருவன் தன்னை).
கங்கை நீர் நாடன் சேனை. மற்று உள கடல்கள் எல்லாம்
சங்கு இனம் ஆர்ப்ப வந்து சார்வன போல. சார.
பங்கயத்து அணங்கைத் தந்த பாற்கடல் எதிர்வதேபோல்.
மங்கையைப் பயந்த மன்னன் வள நகர் வந்தது அன்றே.
The two royal armies converge. The army of Dasaratha, presented here as the Emperor of the land of the Ganges (though Ayodhya straddles the Sarayu river, for three reasons Kamban chooses the appellation: “கங்கை நீர் நாடன்” for Dasaratha: Dasaratha’s empire encompasses all the hinterland of the river Ganga, the Ganga is of unquestionably exalted reputation, and the Sarayu is after all a tributary of the Ganges. Here again, the poet inducts, in most-skillful finesse, the difference in the sizes and power of the two armies. Dasaratha’s is presented as the sum of all the Oceans engulfing the earth, nay, like the very Milky Ocean that yielded the Goddess of Lotus( பங்கயத்து அணங்கைத் தந்த); while that of the one is the proud father of the prima donna (Sita) – Janaka - resembled a river confluencing into the welcoming arms of that huge ocean.
The poet uses the same simile – a river confluencing into the ocean – in the next verse as well:” எறி திரைப் பரவைமேல் ஆறு பாய்கின்றது ஓர் அமலைபோல் ஆனதே.” The huge commotion caused by the two armies converging reverberated like the roar of a huge river plunging into an already noisy ocean with ceaselessly tumultuous (and happy) waves.
எய்த. அத் திரு நெடுந் தேர் இழிந்து. இனிய தன்
மொய் கொள் திண் சேனை பின் நிற்க. முன் சேறலும்.
கையின் வந்து. ‘ஏறு’ என. கடிதின் வந்து ஏறினான்;
ஐயனும். முகம் மலர்ந்து. அகம் உறத் தழுவினான்.
Leaving his spectacular army behind, Janaka dismounts his chariot and approaches Dasaratha’s chariot. Dasartha beckons to him with his hands: “Come up to me”. Janaka obliges in a trice. Dasaratha, pleased to meet Janaka in person, embraces him heartily. We noted earlier a litterateur’s opinion that Kamban’s epic conforms to the format of a drama. Let us note and enjoy the drama in this short verse: The entourage of Janaka stays back at a respectable distance. Janaka moves forward towards the chariot where Dasaratha is perched. Dasaratha, in gleeful friendliness, beckons with his hands: “Com on up!”. Janaka obliges in a trice and mounts Dasaratha’s chariot. The two embrace great royalties each other heartily. Should call for “encores” from the discerning audience, shouldn’t it?
இன்னவாறு. இருவரும். இனியவாறு ஏக. அத்
துன்னு மா நகரின்நின்று எதிர்வரத் துன்னினான்-
தன்னையே அனையவன். தழலையே அனையவன்.
பொன்னின் வார் சிலை இறப் புயம் நிமிர்ந்து அருளினான்.
Now Rama approaches the two elders, who arrive into Mithila, engulfed in each other’s welfare enquiries. The poet presents Rama as: the one who is peerless, who could be compared with no one else except Himself (தன்னையே அனையவன்); and the one who graced all these festivities by chording and breaking the reputed Shiva Dhanus – the bow of the one with a complexion of glowing embers, with his priming strong shoulders.
Sri Oppiliappan, the tall and imposing deity in Thiruvinnagar (Oppiliappankoil) is presented by Nammaazhwar as the incomparable one: “தன் ஒப்பார் இல்லப்பன்”
Rama approaches Dasaratha and pays obeisance to him.
காவியும். குவளையும். கடி கொள் காயாவும் ஒத்து.
ஓவியம் சுவை கெடப் பொலிவது ஓர் உருவொடே.
தேவரும் தொழு கழல் சிறுவன். முன் பிரிவது ஓர்
ஆவி வந்தென்ன வந்து. அரசன்மாடு அணுகினான்.
His complexion comparable with that of violet lilies, dark “kuvalai” flowers (fragrant water lilies) and the exotically scented “காயாம்பூ” which is also purple-blue (this flower is called memcylon tinctorium, is endemic in the Indian sub-continent and east of Africa). His glowing, lovely handsomeness that is well-nigh impossible to capture with the highest portraiting skills. The young lad whose feet are adored and prayed at by all the Gods, gave himself into the eager arms of Dasaratha, like Dasaratha’s own previously exacted life was now rejoining him.
There are two exceptional expressions for us to savour in this verse: தேவரும் தொழு கழல் சிறுவன் – this very young lad, whose divine feet are adored and prayed at by all the Gods; the incarnation is hinted here with an antonym-like appellations – “தேவரும் தொழு கழல்” and “சிறுவன்’. The other is the remarkable bond between Dasaratha and Rama, the eldest son. When Viswamitra asks for one of his (two) dark-complexioned sons - நின் சிறுவர் நால்வரினும் கரிய செம்மல் ஒருவனைத் தந்திடுதி‘Dasaatha does not enquire: “Which one?”; jumps to the conclusion that the sage was asking for Rama – the other dark-complexioned one, Bharatha, does not cross his mind’s path at all; and collapses into inconsolable exasperation at the prospect of having to part company with “his own life”. This special bond between Dasaratha and Rama is a common thread that pans out as an emotional denouement throughout the epic.
And, there is little room in this exceptional father’s mind for Rama’s siblings. Here Dasaratha’s first emotion is that he has regained his own very life that separated from him - not the breaking of the Shiva Dhanus, not the oncoming wedding – nothing else. முன் பிரிவது ஓர் ஆவி வந்தென்ன.
On Dasaratha’s command, Rama leads the combined entourage into the city of Mithila, accompanied by his thre e siblings. The poet again asserts that Rama’s beauty cannot be contemplated into a portrait with the best portraiting skills - எழுத அரும் தகையது.
We move on to உலாவியü படலம் – the canto on procession of the entourage in the streets of Mithila.
மான் இனம் வருவ போன்றும். மயில் இனம் திரிவ போன்றும்.
மீன் இனம் மிளிர வானில் மின் இனம் மிடைவ போன்றும்
தேன் இனம் சிலம்பி ஆர்ப்ப. சிலம்பு இனம் புலம்ப எங்கும்.-
பூ நனை கூந்தல் மாதர் - பொம்மெனப் புகுந்து. மொய்த்தார்.
The women of Mithila swarmed and mobbed the entourage – the chariot in which Rama and his siblings were riding in particular. The daintily clad and bejeweled lovely lAadies swarming into the procession resembled a flock of deer charging in, a flock of peacocks strutting around with glittering trains, schools of fish frolicking around and brilliant bolts of lightning in the sky; honey bees buzzing around the flowers adorning the thick and lustrous hair of the women, the anklets ringing musically as the women ran in, these lovely dames with their hair drenched by honey flowing from the flowers they wore, swarmed in into the entourage. “பொம்மெனப் புகுந்து. மொய்த்தார்” defeats me for an equally lilting translation
கண்ணினால் காதல் என்னும் பொருளையே காண்கின்றோம்;
இப்பெண்ணின் நீர்மையினால் எய்தும் பயன் இன்று பெறுதும் என்பார்;
மண்ணின் நீர் உலந்து. வானம் மழை அற வறந்த காலத்து.
உண்ணும் நீர் கண்டு வீழும் உழைக் குலம் பலவும் ஒத்தார்.
Love is an emotion. It cannot be given a material form. These women think that because of their being women and blessed with this opportunity to run into this eye-filling entourage, they are blessed to visualize Love in its most beautiful material form. Their running in to drink in these sights passing in front of them resembled a flock of deer that was shriveling from thirst as the rains failed the earth, on seeing a pool of cool water, scrambling into it to drink and quench.
வீதிவாய்ச் செல்கின்றான்போல். விழித்து இமையாது நின்ற
மாதரார் கண்களூடே வாவும் மான் தேரில் செல்வான்.
யாதினும் உயர்ந்தோர். தன்னை. “யாவர்க்கும் கண்ணன்” என்றே
ஓதிய பெயர்க்குத் தானே உறு பொருள் உணர்த்திவிட்டான்.
The onlooking women, who look at Rama riding through the street in the chariot drawn by the finest of galloping horses, transfixed, winking not a flutter, saw him riding through their eyes into their hearts. In that exalting moment of union with (the hearts of) those good people, Rama, the highest and mightiest of everything, redefined the full import of the truism “He is KANNAN for all of creation”, by an added truism, “He enters the hearts of these good souls through their eyes.” (Eyes = கண்கள்).
“KANNAN” is a unique Thamizh term to define the darling, intimate, touchable, most loving form of Godhood, who is like a precious, most lovable, form that could be possessed, celebrated and doted, even scolded and abused, in a temper of Bhakthi founded on pure love. The term connotes a lot of very endearing things: Andal celebrates Him as கண்ணன் என்னும் கரும் தெய்வம். (Krishna translates as dark-complexioned darling). Periyaazhwar celebrates him like a loving mother, making an emotion-filled detour of all of his immeasurable childhood pranks and pleasures. Nammazhwar asserts: “ கண்ணன் கண் அல்லது இல்லை ஓர் கண்ணே”. (திருவாய் 2.2.1) No other single word fills the coffers of Bhakthi with joyous identity with God, like this one does.
Bharathi celebrates: இணைவாய் எனதா வியிலே - கண்ணா ! இதயத் தினிலே யமர்வாய் - கண்ணா !
Here Kamban straddles two yugas – the Thretha Yuga of the Ramayana period and the Dwapara yuga that was privileged to have Sri Krishna striding this earth.
(தோள் கண்டார். தோளே கண்டார் – தாள் கண்டார். தாளே கண்டார்)
We concluded the last discussion with Kamban equating Rama speeding in his Chariot across the streets of Mithila, and speeding through the eyes and hearts of the huge, humming, swarming, mobbing, congregation of Mithila’s lovely women, with his later yuga incarnation as KANNAN. We also noted that the term “KANNAN” is a uniquely Thamizh invention that connotes numerous emotional perceptions by those engrossed in Krishna and His leelas; Rama and Krishna are exceptional moorthys in the bhakthi universe of Hinduism, combining, in a rare cohesion, the vibhava and archa manifestations of God.
Kannan, amongst these two, dwells deep in the hearts of devout Hindus of the Thamizh-speaking world in His pristine, emotionally engulfing, child form that represents to the bhaktas myriad childhood leelas; His adolescent and youth form, often associated with countless doting gopis and of course, His very special Consort, Radha (Thamizh prabhandam’s own unique version of Radha, Nappinnai, rivals the adoration Radha receives at the hands of highly emotive poets like Jayadeva). In the Thamizh Bhakthi literature, in the prabhandams, a very significant part is devoted to this form and its adorable deeds. Periyazhwar’s complete and deep drench in his adoration of Kannan and his quintessential verses presenting his own emotions as those of a doting mother, would move everyone. Andal, of course, deified Kannan in terms almost matching her father – Periyazhwar in her “Thiruppavai” and “Naachiyar Thirumozhi” the latter an exceptional outpouring of love and longing for her union with her idol.
“KaNNan” is an endearment unrivalled in Thamizh. “¸கண் - kaN” is an eye. He is adored as the apple of the eye of the Bhakthas. The form is worshipped and celebrated by the devotees with the same love and fervour which Gopis showered on Him,.
In the verse in the concluding part of Selection 59, Kamban says that Rama, driving through the streets of Mithila (and through the eyes and hearts of the onlooking women) lives up to His later yuga reputation as “¸ñ½ý”. A poetic inversion of Time and Yugas.
Kamban is all amazement and wonder in contrasting the total sense of loss, disappointment and lament of the countless women lining up the streets of Mithila, having just a split-second fleeting view of Rama’s speeding form and then lamenting that moment being lost to them, and the solidity of Sita’s imprisonment of His form in her eyes.
எண் கடந்து. அலகு இலாது. இன்று. ஏகுறும் இவன் தேர்’ என்று
பெண்கள் தம்தம்மின் நொந்து பேதுறுகின்ற காலை.
‘மண் கடந்து. அமரர் வைகும் வான் கடந்தானை. தான் தன்
கண் கடவாது காத்த காரிகை பெரியளே காண்!’
The onlooking women in Mithila’s streets viewing Rama’s chariot passing them, wonder and lament, why is this chariot speeding past us faster than the mind, a speed that is beyond the mind’s reckoning; why are we so devoid of fortune. However, one remarkable lady, Sita should be an exceptionally great soul, as she was able to imprison Him, the one who measured this huge earth with just one step and the limitless sky with another, in her own yes, making sure he never leaves them.
Kamban compares the dark blue-black colour of the eyes of the congregating women with Rama’s own complexion. He wonders: did His complexion become dark like that of a rain-cloud because it got totally enveloped by the dark eyes of all these women?”
மஞ்சு அன மேனியான்தன் மணி நிறம். மாதரார்தம
அஞ்சன நோக்கம் போர்க்க இருண்டதோ? அறிகிலேமால்.”
Kamban presents women lining up the streets of Mithila, swarming into the chariot cavalcade in which Rama is the cynosure, individually and personally conjuring up visions of their possessing their idol for themselves and when it eludes them and speeds away, how that overpowering possessive love turns into near-hate in some and in a world of hallucination where they believe that they have Him secured for themselves. The few soliloquies presented here are outstanding in their delving the depths of these obsessed women – obsessed with a deep love, that they couldn’t see requited or even acknowledged.
We also see the remarkable phenomenon of the poet implanting for this epic’s hero, stand-offish and respectfully distant from women, other than his own one love, with His immediately successive Avataar when he recompenses that divine universal female love, more than copiously – as Krishna. (Kannan for us in Thamizh land).
One woman in her prophesy asserts: இவன் கண்ணனே! இது கண்டிரும். பின்’(This one is Kannan – you would realize it eventually!). Do these episodes present the female as irrationally possessive?
One woman, hopelessly losing her mind with Rama’s form, is unable to see none of the huge entourage apart from the speeding form of Rama. She wonders: why is Rama going all by himself? மற்று ஒன்றும் காண்கிலாதாள் ‘தமியனோ வள்ளல்? ‘என்றாள்.
Another one thinks that she has devoured her idol through her eyes and effectively imprisoned Rama in her heart and in order that He is not allowed to flee, she would shut her eyes retire to bed. The metaphor is that the form entered her heart through her eyes; and by shutting the eyes, the exit is blocked. ‘நெஞ்சு இடை வஞ்சன் வந்து புக்கனன், போகாவண்ணம், கண் எனும் புலம் கொள் வாயும் சிக்கென அடைத்தேன், தோழி! சேருதும் அமளி ‘என்றாள்.
The following verse produces one of the most popular, and universally celebrated master-piece expressions flowing from Kamban’s poesy
தோள் கண்டார். தோளே கண்டார். தொடு கழல் கமலம் அன்ன
தாள் கண்டார். தாளே கண்டார்; தடக் கை கண்டாரும். அஃதே;
வாள் கொண்ட கண்ணார் யாரே. வடிவினை முடியக்கண்டார்?-
ஊழ் கொண்ட சமயத்து அன்னான் உருவு கண்டாரை ஒத்தார்.
The women viewing Rama’s passing form have only a fractional vision as their eyes are fixated by the riveting attractiveness of that part; they are hopelessly lost in gathering a wholesome view. Those who fixed their sights on His shoulders, stayed with that view and could not move on to other parts. Those who looked at his lotus-like, worshipful, feet, saw only those and nothing else. Those who saw his broad hands, similarly could see only those. The women with eyes capable of killing young minds like swords, who amongst them could see His whole form? Kamban uses a remarkable simile here: they (the women fixated with one part of Rama’s form) were like the followers of different denominations of religion, perceiving the all-pervAading Almighty, in a limited, constricted form and not willing to raise their vision and mind to the real, limitless, Godhood.
Nammazhwar (Thiruvirutham 69) avers: “வணங்கும் துறைகள் பலப் பலவாக்கி மதிவிகற்பால் பிணங்கும் சமயம் பலப்பலவாக்கி அவை அவை தோறும் அணங்கும் பலப்பல ஆக்கி நின் மூர்த்தி பரப்பி வைத்தாய்”
One woman teases Rama: You seem to have a heart of hard steel. You claim to have broken the bow that was like a huge mountain; would you condescend to break the tender sugarcane bow (of the Love God), for the sake of this poor soul.
Kamban relapses into his inversion of Time and Yuga here again:
வண்ண வாய் ஒரு வாணுதல். ‘மானிடற்கு.
எண்ணுங்கால். இவ் இலக்கணம் எய்திட
ஒண்ணுமோ? இது உணர்த்துகின்றேன். இவன்
கண்ணனே! இது கண்டிரும். பின்’ என்றாள்.
One woman makes a remarkable prophecy: C could we think at all of another human to have such riveting, incomparable, lovable handsomeness, other than KANNAN – I swear now; you would all realize its truth later (i.e. when we get to have the real Kannan amongst us – in the next Dwapara yuga). (For making the prophetic assertion, this woman’s mouth is praised as வண்ண வாய் (a mouth that is of coloured attractiveness).
Another frustrated woman accosts Rama with this charge: இவன் கருணை என்பது கண்டு அறியான் பெரும் பருணிதன் கொல்? படுகொலையான்! ‘ The berating of Rama, the epitome of compassion, as படுகொலையான் underscores the anger and frustration of this denied female!
This one is totally bereft of compassion. Is’nt he a woman-hater? Is a heartless murderer! “பருணி” is a term used to connote ascetics who keep off women as a form of seduction to be averted.
Another makes a different charge: ‘நயந்தார் உய்ய.தங்கள் இன் உயிரும் கொடுத்தார். தமர்; எங்கள் இன் உயிர் எங்களுக்கு ஈகிலா வெங்கண். எங்ஙன் விளைத்தது. இவற்கு?
This man descends from a royalty of very high reputation: his predecessors used to give themselves for those who came unto them with supplications; (alluding to famous Kings in Raghu Vamsa like Sibi who offered his own flesh in lieu of the dove which was claimed by a hawk as its prey); this one seems to have taken all our lives and would refuse to give them back to us. How did he acquire this cruel mind? (devoid of the inherited quality of giving.)
One goes as far as alleging that this man (Rama) did not venture to break the Shiva Dhanus prompted by his love for Sita; he did it just to demonstrate his prowess in archery. சேமத்து ஆர் வில் இறுத்தது தேருங்கால் தூமத்து ஆர் குழல் தூ மொழித் தோகைபால் காமத்தால் அன்று கல்வியினால்.
Let us briefly go to the Aadi Kaavya and see what the Sage Valmiki is presenting contextually:
गत्वा चतुर् अहम् मार्गम् विदेहान् अभ्युपेयिवान् |
राजा तु जनकः श्रीमान् श्रुत्वा पूजाम् अकल्पयत् |
catur aham maargam videhaan abhyupeyivaan |
raajaa tu janakaH shriimaan shrutvaa puujaam akalpayat ||
Travelling on a four-day-route Dasharatha reached the fringes of Videha kingdom, and on hearing this, the illustrious king Janaka arranged for welcome ceremonies at the outskirts of the city.
(Valmiki specifies the time – distance of the travel from Ayodhya to Videha; says that the route took four days.)
These formalities are still prevalent in marriage functions, in one way or the other, in India, especially in rural India. The bridegroom's party will be received at the outskirts of the bride's place, then a small function/ceremony will be held laudatory to the bridegroom, and then they are invited to that place of bride like, 'meet a party halfway...' type protocol. This is different from “ baraat” 'matrimonial pageantry...'
ततो राजानम् आसाद्य वृद्धम् दशरथम् नृपम् |
जनको मुदितो राजा हर्षम् च परमम् ययौ ||
tato raajaanam aasaadya vR^iddham dasharatham nR^ipam |
janako mudito raajaa harSham ca paramam yayau ||
Then the king Janaka went into a state of ecstatic elation when he met the elderly Dasaratha and palAadin of people, as the pace for the marriage celebrations gathers momentum with the arrival of Dasharatha (and his entourage).
The two royalties, several sages and the whole congregation of peoples of Ayodhya and Videha – and of course, us - are arriving at the wedding hall திருமண மண்டபம்.
We traversed with Sita, emoting with her distress of separation from Rama after that momentary visual engagement atop her terrace; we found the poet excelling himself in bringing to us that greatly celebrated celestial engagement on this earth, a reunion in fact; we found him scaling even greater heights in bringing to us the distress of Sita, her physical torture by the fever of love and the exceptional endearments she uses to recall Rama in her eyes and in her heart. But, we left Rama alone; we did not consider the agony He endured by the separation; the solitude he had to seek to express that internalized pain of separation from his beloved. This grave omission was entirely the fault of your narrator; (he seeks your indulgence for this remiss.) Not that of the poet. In the inertia that caught up with him while presenting the rather long and gripping history of Kousika aka Viswamitra, to the point when the “raja rishi” accomplishes the appellation “Brahma Rishi” by none other than his bête noir, Vasishta himself, with all side-stories including that of the notorious Trisanku, your narrator missed out on Rama’s agony and suffering.
(Rama, however, would let go of this armour later – e.g. when he loses Sita in DhankaraNya, when Lakshmana is felled by the Brahmastra in the battlefield.)
முனியும் தம்பியும் போய். முறையால் தமக்கு
இனிய பள்ளிகள் எய்தியபின். இருட்
கனியும். போல்பவன். கங்குலும். திங்களும்.
தனியும். தானும். அத் தையலும். ஆயினான்.
After the sage (Viswamitra) and his brother (Lakshmana) retire to bed, with only nightfall and the moon for company, Rama, with an adorable complexion matching the engulfing darkness, “இருட்கனியும். போல்பவன்”. found himself, with only solitude for company, transmuting into Sita.
“தனியும் தானும். அத் தையலும். ஆயினான்” Solitude, Rama and Sita became one – inseparably one. The metaphor recalls what happened in their first meeting – their exchanging their hearts with each other – “இருவரும் மாறிப் புக்கு இதயம் எய்தினார்”
Rama becomes one with his beloved – Sita; indeed the heart is hers. But it called for the privacy and solitude of the night when the world was asleep. for Him to go live through this mental agony – trauma of separation - before finding his love’s identity.
Your narrator finds, though, a much wider, cosmic, metaphysical message in this: “தனியும் தானும். அத் தையலும். ஆயினான்” Paramatma is unity. He Himself asserts: “maam Ekam”. He thus has no company other than solitude. But His creation needed a form, a medium, a preceptor, for it to reach out to Him, seek refuge and reunion in Him. He therefore offers an aspect of Himself in a mother form – compassionate, caring, condoning, comforting, and approachable for everyone – even the worst sinner, all Grace, Loveliness, and Auspiciousness – as piratti; the creation is Her children and She caresses and comforts all of it in its clamour to reach Him and facilitates that path. It is for this reason, your narrator believes, in the visishtaadhvaita thathvaa, the piratti is the apex of the pyramid of the guru parampara , the fulcrum between Him and His creation. He also diffuses Himself all over in archa form for making this path more humanly comprehensible and adaptable. Most of all, He takes residence in every soul. Consider this astonishing assertion by the sruthi:
“Padma kOsa pradheekaasa hrdhayam caapyadhOmukham…..thaSyaa sikhaaya madhyE paramaathmaa vyavasthithah:” (Sri Narayana Suktham.)
He, with piratti for company, uses all His tricks to lure the jeeva back to Him, goes the whole distance, except that one small final one – the jeeva needs to call up Awareness of the Path, Consciousness of the Destiny and Intent to take that one final step.
Your narrator believes that Kamban’s “தனியும் தானும். அத் தையலும். ஆயினான்”reverberates with this magnificent cosmic message for us.
விண்ணின் நீங்கிய மின் உரு, இம்முறை
பெண்ணின் நல் நலம் பெற்றது உண்டே கொலோ!
எண்ணின். ஈது அலது என்று அறியேன்; இரு
கண்ணினுள்ளும் கருத்துளும் காண்பெனால்.
Rama wonders: Did the lightning descend the earth and took Sita’s form? Why else would she be playing hide and seek in my mind?What else could acquire this blinding brilliance? I could see her in my eyes and in my mind as well–(playing hide and seek and tormenting me.)
அருள் இலாள் எனினும். மனத்து ஆசையால்.
வெருளும் நோய் விடக் கண்ணின் விழுங்கலால்.
தெருள் இலா உலகில். சென்று. நின்று. வாழ்
பொருள் எலாம். அவள் பொன் உரு ஆயவே!
“Though she is bereft of compassion (for me), she granted a moment’s deliverance from my frightening affliction of love, by gracing me with one devouring look. (Thanks to that one look of hers), the whole world that is incomprehensible to me (in this state of my mind), everything – the animate and the inanimate as well “சென்று. நின்று. வாழ் பொருள் எலாம்” the moving, immobile and living, everything – seems to transform to be her golden, lovely, form.”
We found Sita entertaining a doubt when Neelamaalai breaks to her the news of Rama breaking the Shiva Dhanus (and thus qualifying to take Sita’s hand), whether the one who broke the bow was the same one who broke into her heart. Neelamaalai’s description – especially that the one who broke the bow was accompanied by his sibling and a sage, rubs that doubt off her mind. But she lingers still with a query: how come this very young lad accomplish what much more powerful, strapping and mighty kings and warriors could not even get past the lifting of the bow. She then tells herself: should the man seeking her hand as a prize for breaking the Shiva Dhanus be anyone other than the one that broke into her heart, she would take her life.
Here, Rama has a different dilemma. What if, the loved one that has been tormenting him playing hide and seek between his eyes and his heart, happens to be a married woman? Would it not be sacrilege for him even to spare a faint thought to a married woman, much less coveting her as his wife? What happens to his having chosen spotless dharma as his life’s purpose? Kamban presents Rama’s dilemma in this great verse:
ஆகும் நல்வழி; அல்வழி என் மனம்
ஆகுமோ? இதற்கு ஆகிய காரணம்.
பாகுபோல் மொழிப் பைந்தொடி. கன்னியே
ஆகும்; வேறு இதற்கு ஐயுறவு இல்லையே!
“Would my mind (ever) go anywhere except the spotless dhaarmic way? The reason why my mind fell for this lovely maiden, with syrupy speech, ought to be that she is an unmarried virgin. I have no doubt at all about it.” Rama has such unshakable faith and confidence in his mind not seeking anything that would be even fractionally jarring from spotless dharma. Look at the power of Rama’s assertion: “அல்வழி என் மனம் ஆகுமோ?”
We saw in an earlier post, one of the frustrated women lining up the streets of Mithila, witnessing Rama driving past them in his chariot, berating Him as “இவன் கருணை என்பது கண்டு அறியான் … படுகொலையான்!” “a heartless murderer devoid of any compassion” – THAT Rama who defined compassion, indeed an embodiment of that great attribute, granting refuge even to those who committed most heinous crimes, crimes against Him and the piratti. Here, Rama, in his moment of love’s torment, calls the piratti, the epitome where all dhaya resides, as bereft of compassion:“அருள் இலாள்” Strange are the minds that are drenched in trenchant frustration and loss.
Thank you all for bearing with me in this detour, reverting you back to மிதிலைக் காட்சிப் படலம்.
We join the main concourse now and shall arrive at the wedding – the most celebrated celestial wedding that happened on this very earth!
SITA KALYANAM
Let us begin with the Aadi Kaavya, in understanding, authentically, what was the wedding profile narrated by Sage Valmiki, contemporaneously relating with the celebrations.
Janaka has this issue in front of him as he lay in his bed with the wedding confirmed and his soul pleased: he has two daughters, but Dasaratha has four sons. What shall he do for a wholesome alliance with the renowned Raghu dynasty? He then thought of his younger brother Kushadwaja, the ruler of Saankaasya, who also had two daughters. He sends for his brother is post-haste, not just for participating in the wedding of his elder brother’s daughters, but in order to seal this matrimonial relation with the Raghu dynasty with none of the four sons of Dasaratha left out. Kushadwaja arrives immediately. With him by his side, Janaka invites Dasaratha, Vasishta and others to his court. When Dasaratha and his entourage arrive, Vasishta presents to the Court the Raghu dynasty and lineage:
अव्यक्त प्रभवो ब्रह्मा शाश्वतो नित्य अव्ययः ||
तस्मात् मरीचिः संजज्ञे मरीचेः कश्यपः सुतः |
विवस्वान् कश्यपात् जज्ञे मनुर् वैवस्वतः स्मृतः ||
avyakta prabhavo brahmaa shaashvato nitya avyayaH ||tasmaat mariiciH saMjaj~ne mariiceH kashyapaH sutaH |vivasvaan kashyapaat jaj~ne manur vaivasvataH smR^itaH"
From the One beyond pramaaNaas, beyond verbal enunciation, “avyakta”, emanated the timeless and changeless Brahma, and from Brahma, Mareechi was born. Mareechi's son was Kaashyapa.The Sun (Vivasvaan) was born to Kaashyapa, and Manu is said to be the "son of the Sun"...
मनुः प्रजापतिः पूर्वम् इक्ष्वाकुः च मनोः सुतः |
तम् इक्ष्वाकुम् अयोध्यायाम् राजानम् विद्धि पूर्वकम् |
manuH prajaapatiH puurvam ikShvaakuH ca manoH sutaH |
tam ikShvaakum ayodhyaayaam raajaanam viddhi puurvakam ||
."Manu is the earliest Prajaapati and Ikshvaaku is the son of Manu, and that Ikshvaaku is the first king of Ayodhya... know thus…….
Let me put the lineage in a linear tree for facility, cutting out the frills of adoration, appellation, reputation, valourous deeds, et al of each which Vasishta recounts during this long presentation:
AVYAKTA BRAHMAM
BRAHMA
MAREECHI
KASYAPA
AAADITYA (SURYA)
MANU(THE FIRST PRAJAPATI)
IKSHWAKU
KUKSHI
VIKUKSHI
BAANA
ANARANYA
PRUTHU (This planet is called “Prithvi” to commemorate this reign).
TRISHANKU
DHUNDUMAARA
YUVANAASHVA
MAANDHAATHA
SUSANDHI
DHRUVASANDHI (AND PRASENAJIT)
BHARATA
ASITA**
SAAGARA**
ASAMANJA
AMSHUMAN
DILIPA
BHAGEERATHA
KAAKUTSTHA
RAGHU
PRAVRIDDHA (AKA KALMASHAPAADA)#
SHANKANA
SUDARSANA
AGNIVARSNA
SHIIGRAHA
MARU
PRASHUSHRUKA
AMBARISHA
NAHUSHA
YAYAATI
NAABAAGA
AJA
DASARATHA
RAMA, BHARATHA, LAKSHMANA, SATRUGNA
Names like Amsuman, Pruthu, Yayaati, Trisanku, Saagara, Bhageeratha, Bharatha, Kakuthsa (and of course Raghu who lends his name to the lineage) carry legends around them and find a place in the various Puranas as well as Srimad Bhagavatam and Maha Bharatham. We find the appellation “Kakuthsa” used for Sri Rama in Thamizh prabhandams “காகுத்தன்”
**King Asita was worsted in battle by his adversaries and had to flee to the Himalayas where he died, leaving behind two wives. One of them was pregnant at the time of Asita’s demise. The other wife, not bearing to see the other woman carrying the royal lineage, feeds the pregnant woman food laced with poison, that was meant to destroy the foetus. Both women seek solace from a sage, who saves the foetus from the toxic poison. A son is born and is named “Saagara”. “Saagara” in Sanskrit means “containing poison”. As Bhageeratha, Saagara’s great-great grandson gets the Ganga down for delivering the remains of all his forebears who were cursed to ashes by sage Kapila, and thus creates the seas – the flooding Ganga filling the humongous dugouts made by three generations of his forbears searching for the remains of Saagara. The seas are thus known as “Saagara”.
THE WEDDING PROPOSAL
Sage Visishta then proposes thus:
आदि वंश विशुद्धानाम् राज्ञाम् परम धर्मिणाम् |
इक्ष्वाकु कुल जातानाम् वीराणाम् सत्य वादिनाम् ||
राम लक्ष्मणयोः अर्थे त्वत् सुते वरये नृप |
सदृशाभ्याम् नरश्रेष्ठ सदृशे दातुम् अर्हसि ||
aAadi vaMsha vishuddhaanaam raaj~naam parama dharmiNaam |
ikShvaaku kula jaataanaam viiraaNaam satya vaAadinaam ||
raama lakShmaNayoH arthe tvat sute varaye nR^ipa |
sadR^ishaabhyaam narashreShTha sadR^ishe daatum ar.hhasi |
“Oh, Janaka: you would realize the spotless, impeccable, sourcing from the very Creator, no less, every successor endowed with exceptional valour and inseparably affiliated to truth and dharma, may I propose that your lovely and very worthy daughters be wed to Rama and Lakshmana?”
Then Janaka’s lineage is presented by Sadananda. We shall see this next week.
In today’s wedding ceremonies, this practice of presenting the lineage of the groom and the bride still persists. The presentation is restricted, however, to three generations on each side and as Vasishta does, only the paternal lineage is presented. (In the formal invitations though, the maternal lineage is also presented.)
Vasishta acclaims: “aAadi vaMsha vishuddhaanaam raajanaam parama dharmiNaam |ikShvaaku kula jaataanaam viiraaNaam satya vaAadinaam”
Spotlessly clean. Followers of the highest dharma. Endowed with great valour.. Speakers of the Truth.. Those born in the impeccable Ikshvaku lineage..
Well.. almost. We found in the long legends surrounding Sage Vishwamitra, , Trisankhu, born in this very lineage, was cursed by Vasishta himself to become a chandala. As Vasishta was making his claim, Vishwamitra, listening in, ought to have smirked and smiled! But no doubting that this line up is full of stellar personalities – Manu, (the very first Prajapati – no less) Ikshvaku, Pruthu, Maandhaatha, Sibi, Sagara, Bhageeratha, Kakuthsa, Raghu, Ambarisha, Yayaati: some like Pruthu were acclaimed to have been aspects of Sri Maha Vishnu Himself.
Vasishta had the most impeccable credentials to present the Ikshwaku lineage: he was the Rajaguru all through - in perpetuity. (Hypothetically, if the Raghu vamsa were to continue today, Vasishta would still be the Rajaguru!).