Episode 01 - Chapter 18 - Canto on confronting Parasurama.
CHAPTER 18 - CANTO ON CONFRONTING PARASU RAMA
பரசுராமப் படலம்:
Parasurama confronts Dasaratha’s Entourage returning to Ayodhya
We would be witnessing now an event unprecedented in Indian Mythology and unimaginable for the human mind as well: one incarnation (avataara) of the same Supreme Force coming face-to-face with another of His. Sri Parasurama, the Sixth Avataara of Sri Maha Vishnu confronts the Seventh one, Sri Rama. Kamban’s boundless poetic resources are called in in presenting this spell-binding drama to us.
Sage Viswamitra, having accomplished his Divine Mission, takes leave of everyone and goes his way in search of more tapas.
Dasaratha with his entourage, along with the four newly wed pairs, takes leave of Mithila and journeys towards Ayodhya. Like milk, after boiling over, settling down sweetly and serenely, the return journey does not seem to be as tumultuous and reverberant as the onward one – atleast in terms of the space and tone invested by the poet.
தன் மக்களும். மருமக்களும். நனி தன் கழல் தழுவ.
மன் மக்களும். அயல் மக்களும் வயின் மொய்த்திட. மிதிலைத்
தொல் மக்கள்தம் மனம் உக்கு. உயிர் பிரிவு என்பது ஒர் துயரின்.
வன்மைக் கடல் புக. உய்ப்பது ஒர் வழி புக்கனன் மறவோன்.
The virtuous and mighty Dasaratha, after his sons and daughters-in-law paid obeisance to him, began the return journey to Ayodhya in the pleasing company of his now extended family and his subjects, with the great citizenry of Mithila bid farewell, with a tearing heart, as if they were bidding farewell to their own dear lives.
முன்னே நெடு முடி மன்னவன் முறையில் செல. மிதிலை
நன் மா நகர் உறைவார் மனம் நனி பின் செல. நடுவே.
தன் ஏர் புரை தரு தம்பியர் தழுவிச் செல. மழைவாய்
மின்னே புரை இடையாளொடும். இனிது ஏகினன் வீரன்.
Sri Rama’s standout journey: With Emperor Dasaratha keeping the lead, with the hearts and minds of the citizens of Mithila following in the rear (as the Mithila residents could not bear to part with Rama, they let their minds and hearts follow Him on this journey), in the middle, in the company of his siblings matching Him in grace and handsomeness, and with Sita, endowed with a ravishing lovely waist, matching the lightning from the clouds, journeyed Sri Rama.
“மின்னிடையாள்” is a popular term Thamizh poetic literature uses to present the slender wait of young women. We are familiar with the Thamizh Cinema lyricists using this endearment in duets and other lyrics, pathetically with reference to divas endowed with generous girth and non-existing waist.
During the journey, Dasaratha sees some ill omens and is intensely disturbed. He relates the omens he saw to the Court soothsayer (நிமித்திகன்), who comforts him saying whatever impediments confront them, they would overcome all of them without any peril. As he was saying thus, arrives Parasurama, arrives: and how? Kamban creates a Hitchcock-like scaring dramatization of the arrival!
என்னும் அளவினில். வானகம் இருள் கீறிட. ஒளியாய்
மின்னும்படி புடை வீசிய சடையான்; மழு உடையான்;
பொன்னின் மலை வருகின்றது போல்வான்; அனல் கால்வான்;
உன்னும் தழல்விழியான்; உரும் அதிர்கின்றது ஒர் மொழியான்;
Just as the sooth-sayer was resting his case, Parasurama arrived, as if from nowhere, like a blinding bolt of lightning emerging from the dark-clad sky, and that blinding light providing the sliver of glow to his path of emergence. He came forth with his matted, thick flowing hair swirling around him, aglow with the blinding light emanating from him, with his machete held frighteningly aloft. He resembled the golden Meru mountain gaining fleeting feet and treAading this earth, with his breath issuing forth blistering fire, his scorching, ember-like glaring eyes matching that fire, and speech that surpassed the shock of thunderbolts, making everyone wonder who could this be, possessed with such unimaginable fury.
We should imbibe the word-skill and rhythm in the terms:
மின்னும்படி புடை வீசிய சடையான்; மழு உடையான்;
பொன்னின் மலை வருகின்றது போல்வான்; அனல் கால்வான்.
விண் கீழுற என்றோ? படி மேல்கீழ் உற என்றோ?
எண் கீறிய உயிர் யாவையும் யமன் வாய் இட என்றோ?-
புண் கீறிய குருதிப் புனல் பொழிகின்றன புரையக்
கண் கீறிய கனலான் முனிவு - யாது?’ என்று அயல் கருத;
The (inexplicable, or natural) fury of Parasurama, eyes emitting glowing ember-like fury, resembling the gushing of blood from a re-carved wound, made people wonder: did the heavens break asunder and fell on to this earth? Did this earth go topysy turvy and propel itself up heavenwards to hit the upper world? Were the countless creatures of this earth destined to be dispatched in one go into the (insatiable) mouth of God of Death? Why else? Was the wonderment of those who had the mental prowess to contemplate what was happening.
We should note that the extraordinary disasters contemplated – the heavens breaking down and falling to the earth, the earth propelling heavenwards, the lifebreath in all of this creation being delivered to the God of Death in one go, are allegories to underscore the fury of a sage who, chastened and tempered by eons of tapas, should, normally, be serenity personified.
In this verse as well, we should enjoy the rhythmic rapture:
விண் கீழுற; எண் கீறிய; புண் கீறிய; கண் கீறிய.
நிருபர்க்கு ஒரு பழி பற்றிட. நில மன்னவர் குலமும்
கரு அற்றிட. மழுவாள் கொடு களை கட்டு. உயிர் கவரா.
இருபத்தொரு படிகால். இமிழ் கடல் ஒத்து அலை எறியும்
குருதிப் புனல்அதனில். புக முழுகித் தனி குடைவான்;
படிகால் = generation. “ஏழேழ் படிகால் எமையாண்ட எம்மான்”…. தேவாரம்.
Parasurama’s Mission: Because of the unpardonable, unmatched sin of killing His father, Jamadagni, by Kartaviryarjuna, a Kshatriya, Parasurama determined that the entire royalty(Kshatriyas) of this world, because of its affiliation with this unpardonable sin, should be destroyed without a trace and prospect of (even embryonic) survival; the destruction extended to twenty-one generations; and, carried out single-handedly with His machete. Thus weeding out the planet’s entire Royalty without a trace or root, he bathed in the river flow of blood from such gory devastation of royal life.
(The related legend: Parasurama vanquished and killed Kartha Viryarjuna, a staunch devotee of Dattatreya, the King of Mahismati; he was reputed to have had thousand powerful arms and umatched valour and physical prowess.
Drunk with his physical prowess as well as the countless boons he had secured through his long spells of tapas, Kartiviryarjuna became wantonly punitive and boundlessly arrogant and started oppressing everyone, high and low. He even insulted Indra, humiliating him in front of his consort Sasi.
(Inspired by his dominance, the entire Kshatriya class followed suit, and began to oppress the innocent and poor, including learned Brahmins. This infected arrogance, indeed, was the cause of the entire class getting the business end of the wrath of Parasurama)
The oppressed humans and gods made a fervent appeal before Lord Maha Vishnu, who promises to them that he would incarnate as Jamadagni’s son as Parasurama and relieve them of their source of misery.
Karta Viryarjuna in that state of intoxication, confronted Varuna and asked him if there was any match in all the worlds for him. Varana asked him to go and check Parasurama, sage Jamadagni’s son.
Karta Viryarjuna arrived at Jamadagni’s hermitage with his whole army. The sage receives and fetes them all with the bounties provided by Kamadhenu, the divine cow. Impressed by the matchless asset that Kamadhenu would be in his Royal possession, he asks Jamadagni to give Kamadhenu to him. Jamadagni of course refuses. In a state of rage, Karthaviryarjuna hacks Jamadagni’s head. Jamadagni’s wife, Renuka, grieved, beat her breast twenty one times and cried over her felled husband.
Moved by his mother’s sorrow, Parasurama vows to destroy the cause of her distress, without a trace, for twenty one generations.
Parasurama then conftonts Kartaviryarjuna and kills him with his machete and continues to fulfill his vow, bathing only in the pools of blood flowing from his “royal” destruction.
Karta Viryarjuna’s encounter with Ravana would go thus: Karthaviryarjuna was frolicking with his wives in the flowing waters of Narmada; Ravana who was offering prayers to Lord Shiva and making oblations with the river water, found the river flow totally blocked on all his sides, Kartaviryarjuna using his thousand arms to cause this mischief. His prayers obsteructed and enraged, Ravana challenges Kartaviryarjuna who defeats him and humiliates him).
This same epic, Kamba Ramayana, later in the Sundara Kanda. would have Sita remind Ravana of the humiliating defeat he suffered at the hands of Kartaviryarjuna, reminding him further that the vanquisher of that Kartaviryarjuna, Parasurama, was humbled by her husband, Sri Rama; asking Ravana not to make the perilous mistake of counting Sri Rama as an ordinary human and taking him lightly.
"மானுயர்இவர்" என மனக் கொண்டாய்எனின்,
கான் உயர் வரைநிகர் கார்த்தவீரியன்-
தான் ஒருமனிதனால் தளர்ந்துளான்எனின்,
தேன் உயர்தெரியலான் தன்மை தேர்தியால்.(Verse 5302 .. Sundara Kandam of Kamba Ramayanam).
The two Ramas face to face:
பொங்கும் படை இரிய. கிளர் புருவம் கடை நெரிய.
வெங் கண் பொறி சிதற. கடிது உரும்ஏறு என விடையா.
சிங்கம் என உயர் தேர் வரு குமரன் எதிர். சென்றான்.
அம் கண் அரசவனும் இவன் “ஆரோ?” எனும் அளவில்.
The mobbing army of people in Dasaratha’s Ayodhya-bound entourage scattered in panic as Parasurama, with his ember-like eyes and arching brows, with those smouldering eyes spitting fire, with a thunder-bolt like reverberation accompanying him, like an anger-filled lion astride a lofty chariot, arrested Rama’s progress and stood in front of Him. Rama, with his lovely eyes, looked at Parasurama with an enquiring look: “Who could this be?”
Note: While the army of people accompanying Rama scattered with fright, Rama Himself was composed, cool as a cucumber: his calm, lovely eyes made the enquiry of the intruder: “Who could this be?”
Dasaratha, on the other hand, knowing who Parasurama was and knowing his reputed mission of destroying Kshatriyas, was completely overwhelmed with fear. He humbles himself in front of Parasurama and begs and beseeches his mercy. And, reminds him that should he harm his darling son Rama, he woud be responsible for the wholesale life-sacrifice of himself (Dasartha), his family and the whole of Ayodhya – thus appealing to the supposedly innate and forbidding fear of such sin in sages (of causing the life-sacrifice of so many loving innocents.) Implied in this appeal is a reminder for Parasurama, that His avatara purpose was to redeem the oppression of the innocents.) ! எனது உறவோடு. உயிர் உகுவேன்;நிலத்தோடு உயர் கதிர் வான் உற நெடியாய்! உனது அடியேன்; குலத்தோடு அற முடியேல்; இது குறை கொண்டனென்”
First Face-to-Face Conversation between Parasurama and Rama: .
இற்று ஓடிய சிலையின் திறம் அறிவென்; இனி. யான் உன்
பொன் தோள் வலி நிலை சோதனை புரிவான் நசை உடையேன்;
செற்று ஓடிய திரள் தோள் உறு தினவும் சிறிது உடையேன்;
மற்று ஓர் பொருள் இலை; இங்கு இது என் வரவு’ என்றனன் உரவோன்.
Parasurama states the purpose of his arrival there, to Rama:
“I know very well your prowess in breaking the Shiva Dahanus which I happen to know was already a fractured one. I am desirous of ascertaining your real prowess (the power of your golden shoulders). My own shoulders, accounting for the vanquishing of countless Royalty (like you) are also itching for some real test. That is the reason I am here; there is no other purpose.”
(While admonishing Rama that he shall not get drunk with pride (of breaking the Shiva Dhanus – a previously splintered one according to Parasurama), Parasurama himself loses sight of his own pride in making such an assailing challenge to Rama wholly unprovoked.)
‘புறன் நின்றவர் இகழும்படி. நடுவின் தலை புணராத்
திறன் நின்று. உயர் வலி என்? அது ஒர் அறிவின் தகுசெயலோ?
அறன் நின்றதன் நிலை நின்று. உயர் புகழ் ஒன்றுவது அன்றோ.
மறன் என்பது? மறவோய்! இது வலி என்பது வலியோ!
Kamban addresses four vital ethical queries in this verse: What is prowess? What is wisdom? What is fame? And what is valour?
Dasaratha reminds Parasurama thus: “Actions that are criticized/ridiculed by those witnessing them cannot be real prowess, as these do not cause good either for the doer or for the world; And those acts would not be wise; nor would these accomplish any fame; and these would not go by the name valour either. We have surrendered to you. Destroying us would not fit in any of the four qualities of a great warrior like you.”
How does this extra-ordinary confrontation conclude? Next Post.
We witness two high-powered dramas here, that would give us goose-bumps.
One involving the two divine bows, resembling the huge Meru, chiseled by the divine architect, Viswakarma himself, with intent to enact a high-octane drama in the heavens, having one supreme Almighty set up against the other – Sri Maha Vishnu and Lord Shiva, no less! - in order to set at rest the raging controversies in the heavens that recurringly debated who amongst these two was the more dominant divinity.
The other, occurring right now in the current context of the epic, between one incarnation of the same Supreme Force and another – between Bhargava Rama aka Parasurama and Dasaratha Rama aka Sri Rama.
Valmiki presents the stories of the two bows:
इमे द्वे धनुषी श्रेष्ठे दिव्ये लोक अभिपूजिते |
दृढे बलवती मुख्ये सुकृते विश्वकर्मणा || १-७५-११
anisR^iShTam suraiH ekam tryambakaaya yuyutsave |
tripura ghnam narashreShTha bhagnam kaakutstha yat tvayaa || 1-75-1
Parasurama narrates to Sri Rama: "These are the two strong and sturdy unsurpassed super-bows, well-crafted by Vishvakarma, the Divine Architect, and admired by all the worlds... one broken by you, and the other in my hand...
इदम् द्वितीयम् दुर्धर्षम् विष्णोर् दत्तम् सुरोत्तमैः |
तत् इदम् वैष्णवम् राम धनुः पर पुरम् जयम् ||
समान सारम् काकुत्स्थ रौद्रेण धनुषा तु इदम् |
idam dvitiiyam durdharSham viShNor dattam surottamaiH |
tat idam vaiShNavam raama dhanuH para puram jayam || 1-75-13
samaana saaram kaakutstha raudreNa dhanuShaa tu idam |
"This is the second one, the invincible one, which gods gave to Vishnu, and thus. this is named after Him as 'Vishnu's bow...' this is indestructible and vanquishes all citadels of the enemy. And, Kakustha! this is identical in its efficacy “samaana saaram” with the other one – known after Rudra...
तदा तु जृम्भितम् शैवम् धनुः भीम पराक्रमम् || १-७५-१७
हुम् कारेण महादेवः स्तम्भितो अथ त्रिलोचनः |
tadaa tu jR^imbhitam shaivam dhanuH bhiima paraakramam ||
hum kaareNa mahaadevaH stambhito atha trilocanaH |
(When the two Almighty Supremes, Sri Maha Vishnu and Lord Shiva stood confronting each other to test their respe ctive prowess and earn the sobriquet “the Supreme One”), " just by the 'hum' sound from the string of the Vishnu Dhanus, that overpowering Dhanus of Shiva lay splintered, and the three-eyed Mahadeva, stood there frozen and in quiet disgust. “stambhito”
Parasurama proceeds to inform Sri Rama that the Shiva Dhanus was given away by Lord Shiva, in dejection, to Devavrata, the Videha king (the early progenitor of Janaka); the other, Vishnu Dhanus, was handed by Sri Maha Vishnu to Sage Riichika, son of sage Bhrigu, and Riichika in turn gave the Dhanus to his son – the father of Parasurama – Sage Jamadagni.
The following would trace the two controversial divine bows:
Viswakarma constructs two unrivalled, all-conquering, bows:
As the Shiva Dhanus Sri Maha Vishnu hands over
is bested by the Vishnu the Vishnu Dhanus to Sage
Dhanus, Lord Shiva, in Riichika, son of Sage Bhrigu;
dejection, hands it over Riichika hands it over to
to Devavrata, King of his son Sage Jamadagni, father
Videha; Janaka, in the of Parasurama. Parasurama
direct lineage of Devavrata gets to possess the Vishnu Dhanus
comes into possession of as Sage Jamadagni is slain by
the Shiva Dhanus. Karthaviryarjuna.
Let us go back to Kamban:
‘ஊன வில் இறுத்த மொய்ம்பை நோக்குவது ஊக்கம் அன்றால்;
மானவ! மற்றும் கேளாய்; வழிப் பகை உடையன் நும்பால்;
ஈனம் இல் எந்தை. “சீற்றம் நீக்கினான்” என்ன. முன் ஓர்
தானவன் அனைய மன்னன் கொல்ல. யான் சலித்து மன்னோ.”
“Rama! The one in the lineage traced to Manu (மானவ!), it is not befitting of a real hero (like you) to feel proud about having broken a bow that was already splintered. Listen to me! I entertain enmity towards you in terms of a class-conflict “வழிப் பகை”. One who could be compared to an Asura (தானவன் அனைய) and who was from your class (a Kshatriya - Kartaviryarjuna) killed one who had abolished anger from his persona, my father, the blemishless Sage Jamadagni.
‘மூ-எழு முறைமை. பாரில் முடியுடை வேந்தை எல்லாம்.
வேவு எழு மழுவின் வாயால். வேர் அறக் களைகட்டு. அன்னார்
தூ எழு குருதி வெள்ளத் துறையிடை. முறையின். எந்தைக்கு.
ஆவன கடன்கள் நேர்ந்தேன்;அருஞ் சினம் அடக்கி நின்றேன்.
With my machete’s unquenchable thirst to plunge into the flesh of all crowned royalty, I rooted out kings of this world for twenty one generations (மூ-எழு முறைமை = three into seven generations) and with the blood flowing from that carnage, I did the rituals due to my father. With that vengeful mission accomplished, my anger stood doused.
‘உலகு எலாம் முனிவற்கு ஈந்தேன்.உறு பகை ஒடுக்கிப் போந்தேன்.
அலகு இல் மா தவங்கள் செய்து. ஓர் அருவரை இருந்தேன்; ஆண்டை
சிலையை நீ இறுத்த ஓசை செவி உற. சீறி வந்தேன்;
மலைகுவென்; வல்லை ஆகின், வாங்குதி. தனுவை!’ என்றான்.
“Conquering all the world (by rooting out all royalty), I gave away that conquest to the Sage (Kasyapa); after completely eliminating all enemies, I then performed incomparable ascetics, and was resting in the Mahendra Parvatha; then I heard the breaking of the (Shiva) Dhanus by you; and, enraged, I came forth here: if you consider yourself equal to this, battle me, come take this (Vishnu) Dhanus.”
Kamban is engulfed in the thunderous blast made by the breaking of the Shiva Dhanus by Sri Rama and brings it out in several other contexts throughout the epic. We saw Dasaratha, on hearing the narration of the episode by the courtiers from Janaka, acknowledging that he heard that reverberating thunderbolt: “ஏழ் உலகையும் வென்ற மூரிவில் இற்ற பேர் ஒலிகொல் அன்று இடித்தது ஈங்கு” Later, in the Yudhdha Kanda, he has Maliyavan, grand-father of Ravana, counseling his grandson against fighting Rama, reminding him thus: “கங்கை சூடிதன் கடுஞ்சிலை ஒடித்த அக்காலம். உங்கள் வான்செவி புகுந்திலதோ முழங்கு ஓதை?” Did not the thunderous noise that reverberated from the breaking of the terrific Gangadhara’s bow, enter your divine ears, then?”
என்றனன் என்ன. நின்ற இராமனும் முறுவல் எய்தி.
நன்று ஒளிர் முகத்தன் ஆகி. ‘நாரணன் வலியின் ஆண்ட
வென்றி வில் தருக!’ என்ன. கொடுத்தனன்; வீரன் கொண்டு. அத்
துன்று இருஞ் சடையோன் அஞ்ச. தோளுற வாங்கி. சொல்லும்:
Sri Rama, responding to the thunderous, vocal challenge from Parasurama, just smiled and with a glowing resplendent comportment, asked: “Give me that bow, that was powered by the divinity of Sriman Narayana, the all-conquering one!”. Parasurama, yielding, hands that bow to Sri Rama. As he took the bow from Parasurama, the latter entertains an untold, inhibiting, fear. “இருஞ் சடையோன் அஞ்ச”. Resting that bow on his shoulders, Sri Rama would say:
Two subtle, nuanced, inferences: “ஒளிர் முகத்தன் ஆகி” Rama’s facial glow, preceded by his (wry) smile, was more a mock than a delight – a scoff that should have instille an ‘inhibiting fear’ in Parasurama. Rama referencing the bow as “நாரணன் வலியின் ஆண்ட” is an implicit claim that the bow, after all the traversing, is returning to its original master.
‘பூதலத்து அரசை எல்லாம் பொன்றுவித்தனை; என்றாலும்.
வேத வித்து ஆய மேலோன் மைந்தன் நீ; விரதம் பூண்டாய்;
ஆதலின் கொல்லல் ஆகாது; அம்பு இது பிழைப்பது அன்றால்.
யாது இதற்கு இலக்கம் ஆவது? இயம்புதி விரைவின்!’ என்றான்.
Sri Rama’s responding challenge to Parasurama: “You may have killed all the crowned entities of this world; however, you are the son of a highly learned sage (Brahmin), and, you too have resorted to severe ascetics, and present yourself in the form of a sage (Brahmin). Therefore, it is not right for me to kill you. But this arrow of mine shall not go without scoring a target. What shall be that target? Tell me, quickly”
This verse underscores two characteristics of Sri Rama and his famous “Kothandam”: the fabled prowess of Rama’s arrows is that they never return without accomplishing their task; they never go without exacting their target. And, that Rama would not cross the fine line of Dharma and kill an ascetically accomplished Brahmin, even if, as a Kshatriya, he had a rightful responsibility to exact Parasurama’s life as a price for Parasurama rooting out the entire Kshatriya class i.e. even under provoked inimical circumstance. “விரதம் பூண்டாய்” is also interpreted to mean that Parasurama was clad and presented to Rama in the form of a sage/Brahmin, despite his violent, destructive occupation.
Parasurama, humbled, pays obeisance to Sri Rama; saying that overcoming the Shiva Dhanus was an incomplete accomplishment; He shall have the Vishnu Dhanus as well as his trophy. Here he also associates Rama with Sri Maha Vishnu and acknowledges that the Vishnu Dhanus has eventually reached its original owner. He offers a target for Rama’s arrow, strung and ready:
‘எய்த அம்பு இடை பழுது எய்திடாமல். என்
செய் தவம் யாவையும் சிதைக்கவே!’ என.
கை அவண் நெகிழ்தலும். கணையும் சென்று. அவன்
மை அறு தவம் எலாம் வாரி. மீண்டதே.
“Your arrow that is aimed at me from the Vishnu Dhanus, without blotting its reputation of Rama’s arrows, shall destroy all my ascetic accomplishments as its target.’ “செய் தவம் யாவையும் சிதைக்கவே!” Thus, as Parasurama pays obeisance to Sri Rama, the arrow returns to Rama after quarrying all of Parasurama’s ascetic power.
Parasurama, shorn of all his ascetic energy and power that fueled his bloody, class-cleansing mission, now drained of all that vengefulness and pride, enfeebled and humbled, walks into the sunset. The earth heaves an audible, huge, sigh of relief from that blood-curdling carnage that took a near-total toll of the ruling Kshatriya class for twenty one generations.
Sri Rama then consoles and cheers up Dasaratha. Dasaratha, till the concluding scene of this drama, was trepidation personified. He is now immersed in a sea of joy. “இடைக் குளிப்பு அரும் துயர்க் கடல் கோடு கண்டவன் களிப்பு எனும் கரை இலாக் கடலுள் ஆழ்ந்தனன்” The same one who was drowning in a sea of brimming misery, was now, as Parasurama departed, dipping in a sea of pure joy.
Dasaratha’s admiration and adoration of his young lad, Rama:
‘பொய்ம்மை இல். சிறுமையில் புரிந்த. ஆண் தொழில்.
மும்மையின் உலகினால் முடிக்கல் ஆவதோ?
மெய்ம்மை இச் சிறுவனே. வினை செய்தோர்களுக்கு.
இம்மையும் மறுமையும் ஈயும்’ என்றனன்.
“To tell the truth: the unbelievably heroic, very manly, accomplishment of this very young lad, could this be accomplished by all the three worlds combined? It is also the truth, that this young lad shall dispense to every living being its due rewards in this life and the afterlife as well.” Dasaratha alludes to the undoubted divinity emanating from Rama after the episode.
Rama then hands over the Vishnu Dhanus to the rain god Varuna and proceeds to Ayodhya in the company of his father Dasaratha and the entourage.
Dasaratha asks Bharatha to proceed to Kekaya, his maternal grandfather’s place, which Bharatha does.
(This brings us to the conclusion of the first chapter of this great epic: Bala Kanda, which, incidentally is very, very special as it is replete with most of the joyfull episodes/happenings in the epic. We, with great reluctance, shall bid farewell to “Bala Kanda”.)
mangaLam kOsalEndraaya mahneeya kuNapdhayE
chakravarthi dhanoojaaya Saarvabhowmaaya mangaLam
vEdha vEdhantha vEdhyaaya mEgha Syaamaa moorthayE
bhimSaaam mOhanaroopaaya puNya Slokaaya mangaLam.
Pithru bhakthaaya Sathatham bhrathrubhi saha Sitayaa;
Nandhithaakila lOkaaya Ramabhadhraaya mangaLam.