Episode 01 - Chapter 7 - Slaying of Thadaka.

CHAPTER 7 – CANTO ON THE SLAYING OF THADAKA தாடகை வதைப் படலம்

 

The three of them – Sage Viswamitra, Rama and Lakshmana, travel by foot across Kosala and into the adjacent Anga Desa: As a postscript to Selection 16, I had given maps of ancient India. You would see Anga Desa marked as the south-west part of the present Bengal, corresponding possibly to the dry and famine-prone Purulia district of West Bengal. “Anga” is derived from the famous anecdote of Lord Siva scorching Manmadha into ashes with his third eye.  This country was where Manmadha’s body fell and burned into ashes; Manmadha became “Ananga” - person without a body. Sage Viswamitra keeps relating these stories to the two young princes and also clarifies several queries from these eager, quick-learning, new disciples.

 

We saw, as we started in this venture, Kamban go overboard with his description of மருதம் “marudham”  – alluvially rich, river-fed plains. We now see him use his hyperbole to effect in describing பாலை “paalai” – desert land:

 

பருதிவானவன் நிலம் பசை    அறப் பருகுவான்

விருது மேற்கொண்டு உலாம்    வேனிலே அல்லது ஓர்

இருது வேறு இன்மையால்.    எரி சுடர்க் கடவுளும்

கருதின். வேம் உள்ளமு;    காணின். வேம் நயனமும்.

 

பருதி  வானவன் நிலம் பசை அறப்பருகுவான் (paruthi vaanavan nilam pasai aRap paruguvaan) -  the Sun God, setting forth to scorch the land and blotting it off totally of moisture;    விருது மேற்கொண்டு உலாம்  (virudhu mERkoNdu ulaam)  - victoriously riding the sky; வேனிலே அல்லது  இருது  வேற  இன்மையால் (vEnilE allathu irudhu inmaiyaal)  - (that land) did not have a season other than scorching summer;  எரிசுடர்க்  கடவுளும் கருதின்   (eri sudark kadavuLum karuthin)   - even Agni, the God of Fire, should he contemplate about this scorching, burning heat ;   உள்ளமும்   வேம்  (uLLamum vEm) -  his (Agni’s) own mind would be scorched;    காணின்   நயனமும்   வேம் (kaaNin nayanamum vEm) - If he looks down at this scorching desert, his eyes would be scorched too. இருது (iruthu) – Thamizhisation of “Rithu” i.e. (six) seasons. பசை அறப்பருகுவான் – The sun drinks off the surface moisture without a trace of it. எரிசுடர்க்  கடவுளும் கருதின் – Even the God of Fire, Agni, would get scorched, inside, if he contemplates the desert-heat; would have his eyes scorched if he as much as dared to look down the desert land!

 

Look at the hyperbole: As the Sun rides the sky with a wanton wish to blot this land totally devoid of moisture and takes pride in so doing, even if Agni, the God Fire, himself, contemplates this land, his own mind would be scorched; if he dares as much as to look down on this land, his own eyes would be scorched too. Lord Agni himself is getting scorched by this desert land’s heat, inside out!

 

படியின்மேல் வெம்மையைப்    பகரினும். பகரும் நா

முடிய வேம்; முடிய மூடு இருளும்    வான் முகடும் வேம்;

விடியுமேல். வெயிலும் வேம்; மழையும்    வேம்; மின்னினோடு

இடியும் வேம்; என்னில்.    வேறு யாவை வேவாதவே?

 

படியின்மேல்  வெம்மையைப் பகரின் (padiyinmEl vemmaiyaip pagarin)  -  even if you venture to speak about this desert land’s heat; பகரும்நா முடியவேம் (pagarum naa mudiya vEm) – the tongue that speaketh would be completely scorched;  முடிய மூடு இருளும் வான்முகடும் வேம் (mudiya moodu iruLum vaan mugadum vEm) - the night clothed in pitch darkness would be scorched and the sky with its zenith will be scorched; விடியுமேல் வெயிலும் வேம் (vidiyumEl veyilum vEm) – after day-break, the sun’s rays would be scorched.  மழையும்வேம்  மின்னினோடு  இடியும்  வேம் (mazhaiyum vEm, minninOdu idiyum vEm) – clouds and their rains would be scorched; lightning and the thunderbolts would be scorched too. என்னில்  வேவாதவை யாவை  (ennil, vEvaadhavai yaavai?) –if that is the lot of all these, what else would remain   untouched by this scorch?

 

Hyperbole continues: Even if one ventures to speak out about the desert’s scorching heat, his tongue would be scorched completely; the nightfall enveloped in pitch darkness would be scorched; the day-break and the sun’s rays after the dawn would be scorched too; rain-clad clouds, the showers therefrom, lightning and the thunder-bolts would all be scorched; if these have such a fate, what else would be spared from the scorching?  Gets a bit carried away, doesn’t he?

 

 Kamban is apparently absorbed quite deeply in this desert land’s scorching appeal.  Invests a few more verses to bring out his empathy with the desert land. In order to move on, we leave him with his scorching emotions, but  I thought we would make an exception to the following verse, for its lilt and rhyme (reminding us of Sri Villipuththuraar’s Mahabharatham).

 

கண் கிழித்து உமிழ் விடக்   கனல் அரா-அரசு கார்

விண் விழித்து ஒளிரும் மின்    அனைய பல் மணி. வெயில்

மண் கிழித்திட எழும் சுடர்கள்.    மண்மகள் உடல்

புண் கிழித்திட எழும்    குருதியே போலுமே.

 

 The desert sun and its scorching severity are likened to the brilliance issuing forth from the dazzling rubies on the thousand heads of the serpant-king (of the nether world), resembling tongues of fire and lightning betwixt many clouds (the thousand hoods) and to blood oozing from the deep wounds caused to the body of Mother Earth (the deep cracks).

 

The desert mirage is called “பேய்த்தேர்” in Thamizh.

 

This week, we see Sage Vishvamitra teaching the great invigorating peerless mantra twins, balaa and atibaala, known to have emanated from no one other than Brahma himself; the sage describing to the two princes Thadaka and her history.

 

நோக்கினன் அவன் முகம்; நோக்க. நோக்குடைக்

கோக் குமரரும் அடி குறுக. நான்முகன்

ஆக்கின விஞ்சைகள் இரண்டும் அவ் வழி

ஊக்கினன்; அவை அவர் உள்ளத்து உள்ளினார்.

 

அவர்  முகம் நோக்கினன் (avar mugam nOkkinan) – Sage Viswamitra looked at the (faces of) the two princes ; நோக்க. நோக்குடைக் கோக்குமரரும் (nOkka nOkkudaik kOkkumararu) – As he looked at them, the two princes comprehending the intent of that look ,   அடிகுறுக (adi kuRuka) – paying obeisance at the sage’s feet நான்முகன் ஆக்கிய விஞ்சைகள் இரண்டும் –(naanmugan aakkiya vinjaikaL iraNdum) – (selecting the two rare skilla (mantras) that he gained from Brahma himself   The reference here is to the two special vigour mantras – Bala and Athibala.)அவ்வழி   ஊக்கினன்  (avvazhi ookinan) – communicated through their eyes and thus taught these to them;  அவை  அவர் உள்ளத்து   உள்ளினார்(avai avar uLLathtu uLLinaar) – the two princes received, absorbed and internalized those two skills (mantras)..

நோக்கின் வழி ஊக்கினன் (nOkkinan vazhi ookinan) – communicating the mantras through the eyes is known as  நயன தீட்சை (nayana deekshai).

 

As could be seen from the following relevant slokas in the Adi Kavya, Sage Valmiki brings in the teaching of the two mantras as they reach the banks of the river Sarayu – far ahead of when Kamban brings this up (after reaching the ritual grounds just before encountering Thadaka).  As Mr.Raghavan has underscored last week, there is a carefully thought out, constructive,  purpose behind the poet’s occasional divergences from the Aadi Kavya.  In this instance, as would be seen from the Kamban’s verse that follows, the potency of the two mantras is immediately demonstrated as Rama and Lakshmana receive them: the harsh and intimidating desert terrain becomes an oasis உள்ளிய காலையின் ஊழித் தீயையும் எள்ளுறு கொழுங் கனல் எரியும் வெஞ் சுரம். தெள்ளு தண் புனலிடைச் சேறல் ஒத்தது;

 

Sage Valmiki narrates the teaching as the formally prescribed routine – after due water ablutions in Sarayu. But Kamban chooses “nayana deeksha”, a rare concept.

 

गृहाण वत्स सलिलम् मा भूत् कालस्य पर्ययः || १-२२-११

मंत्र ग्रामम् गृहाण त्वम् बलाम् अतिबलाम् तथा |

 

gR^ihaaNa vatsa salilam maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH || 1-22-11

maMtra graamam gR^ihaaNa tvam balaam atibalaam tathaa |

 

 "Dear Rama, Lakshmana, do the water ablutions and receive from me the rare mantras – Bala and Atibala, before the sun sets. (Veda mantras are not to be recited or studied after sunset)..

 

न श्रमो न ज्वरो वा ते न रूपस्य विपर्ययः || १-२२-१२

न च सुप्तम् प्रमत्तम् वा धर्ष इष्यन्ति नैरृताः |

 

na shramo na jvaro vaa te na ruupasya viparyayaH || 1-22-12

na ca suptam pramattam vaa dharSha iShyanti nairR^itaaH

 

"On receiving (and internalizing) these mantras you shall not be affected by tiresomeness, fever or any other ill effects of the body nor mind. No demons  can harm you or challenge you – whether you are awake or asleep.  [1-11-12b, 13a]

 

(For those who might be curious about these two mantras, a transliterated version is given at the end of this post with a rough English translation of its operative part.)

 

Sage Valmiki addresses the issue: if Sage Viswamitra knows, as a trikaala jnaani as exalted sages like him were, that he is having with him no less an entity than the Purushothamaa – Sriman Narayana – Himself, of what good would these mantras be to Him? Viswamitra para phrases thus: You have all these abilities and powers and more already, but these could also help.

 

உள்ளிய காலையின் ஊழித் தீயையும்

எள்ளுறு கொழுங் கனல் எரியும் வெஞ் சுரம்.

தெள்ளு தண் புனலிடைச் சேறல் ஒத்தது;

வள்ளலும் முனிவனை வணங்கிக் கூறுவான்;

 

As Rama and Lakshmana internalized and meditated upon the two mantras received from the sage as “nayana deeksha” (according to Kamban), the involuntary invocation instant converts the harsh, smouldering desert into a cool oasis, and it felt like wading through crystalline, cool, water. (The poet wants to demonstrate the potency of the two mantras, not just internally for the invoking persons’ mind and body, but for the whole environment. Now, Rama, curious to know the circumstance why this land turned into such a harsh waste, enquires of the sage the reason.

 

‘சுழி படு கங்கைஅம் தொங்கல் மோலியான்

விழி பட வெந்ததோ? வேறுதான் உண்டோ?

பழி படர் மன்னவன் பரித்த நாட்டினூங்கு

அழிவது என்? காரணம். அறிஞ! கூறு’ என்றான்.

 

 

Sage Viswamitra responds saying all this is the handiwork of Thadaka and proceeds to narrate her history, her personality, her looks (resembled the God of Death), her strength and abilities (she, according to the sage, had the physical strength of a thousand elephants) in a fit of temper, was capable of digging out the whole of this earth, demolishing into powder the whole of the sky and emptying  and drying the seven seas.)

 

We see, in the verse just discussed, Rama’s concern for His father’s administration of his vast land and its subjects including not just the animate and the inanimate, the ecology as well. Anga Desa was a princedom subject to the sovereignity of emperor Dasaratha  and hence Rama imputes responsibility for his father for the waste and destruction he witnesses here. A highly nuanced perception of our poet!

 

balaatibala mantropanishad

________________________________________

balaatibalayoH viraaT puruSha R^iShiH | gaayatrii devataa | gaayatrii chandaH | akaara okaaramakaaraa biijaadyaaH | kShudhaadi nirasane viniyogaH |klaamityaadi ShaDa~Nga nyaasaH |klaam a~NguShTaabhyaam namaH | kliim tarjaniibhyaam namaH | kluum madhyamaabhaamnamaH | klaim anaamikaabhyaam namaH | klom kaniShTikaabhaam namaH | klaH karatalakarapR^iShTaabhyaam namaH ||klaam hR^idayaaya namaH | kliim shirase svaahaa | kluum shikhaayaivaShaT | klaim kavacaaya hum | klom netratrayaayavauShaT | klaH astraaya phaT | bhuurbhuvassuvaromiti digbandhaH |

|| dhyaanam ||

amR^ita karatalaardrau sarva sa~njiivanaaDhyaa avaghaharaNa sudkShau veda saare mayuukhe |

praNavamaya vikaarau bhaaskaraakaara dehau satatamanubhave'ham tau balaatiibaleshau ||

________________________________________

om hriim bale mahaadevi hriim mahaabale kliim catur vidha puruShartha siddhi prade tatsavitur varadaatmike hriim vareNyam bhargo devasya varadaatmike | atibale sarva dayaamuurte bale sarva kShud bhrama upanaashini dhiimahi dhiyoyonarjaate pracuryaa pracodayaatmike praNava shiraskaatmike | hum phaT svaahaa || evam vidvaan kR^ita kR^ityo bhavati | saavitryaa eva salokataam jayati || iityupaniShat ||

May I constantly realize (through meditation), the great deities presiding over the Balaand Atibala mantras, holding a pot of nectar in their hands, rich in the power of restoringall beings to life,(avagha harana sudkshau)proficient in removing all sins, (Veda saaremayookhe; mayookha is brilliance of rays)shedding bright rays of knowledge, revealingthe essence of Vedas, with their forms evolved out of and replete with Pranava, and withtheir bodies wearing the brilliant aspect of the Sun.

 

Om Hreem, maha deyvee, hreem mahabalay

Om! Hreem! Oh great Goddess Bala, Hreem Oh Mahabala!]

 

Kleem chaturvidha purushaarthe siddhi praday,

Kleem! Oh bestower of the power of accomplishing the four aims of human existence,viz, Dharma (righteous conduuct), Artha (affluence), kama (gratification of all desires) and Moksha (Liberation).

 

________________________________________

|| shaanti paaTha ||

om aapyaayantu mamaa~Ngaani vaakpraaNashcakShuH shrotramatho balamindriyaaNicasarvaNi | sarvam brahmaupaniShadam | maaham brahma niraakuryaam maa maa brahma niraakarot | aniraakaraNamastu aniraakaraNam me'stuH tadaatmani nirate ye upaniShatsu dharmaaste mayi santu te mayi santu || om shaantishshaantishshaantiH |

 

***

Rama asked Sage Viswamitra – Apart from Lord Shiva annihilating Manmadha with his third eye (and scorching this land along with that), is there another reason for this devastation? He proceeds to articulate his personal concern – how could this devastation happen in a land that is under the governance of my father, Emperor Dasaratha, spotless and blemishless in governance? We also noted Rama’s concern – not just for humans and other creatures but for the ecology as well.

 

Sage Viswamitra proceeds to narrate that other reason with life histories that lay behind this devastation, concluding with the central object of his procuring the help of these divine princes – the destruction of Thadaka.

 

Ramayana is replete with side stories not only defining and relating the lives and personalities of the countless sub-actors as they arrive into the epic, but also as illustration of the values that crop up along the way. Sage Viswamitra would be found to narrate for Rama and Lakshmana several such anecdotes and stories including the genesis of the Holy River Ganga, taking them through the Sagara kumaras, Bhagiratha, the descending of Ganga from the heavens, ending up in Lord Shiva’s matted hair, getting released from there, and following Bhagiratha to the nether world to accord salvation for the Sakara kumaras lying in ashes there. We would find, as we move on, similar narrative about Ahalya.

 

But for the present context, the sage tells the two princes the story of Thadaka and her nearly invincible two sons – Subahu and Mareecha.

 

Sukethu was a righteous and pious Gandharva, troubled by his not having been blessed with progeny. He did ascetic, rigorous, meditation seeking the blessings of Brahma. Admiring his single-minded, rigorous, meditation upon Him, Brahma materializes and asks him his wish. On hearing his wish for progeny, Brahma says that he would beget a child but it would be a girl, not a son.

 

That progeny, blessed by Brahma, was Thadaka. (She was born a Gandharva.) She grew into a very beautiful maiden and Sukethu gave her in marriage to Sundha, another Gandharva. They live off their marriage in ecstatic joy. They beget two male children – Maareecha and Subahu. These were not just super-handsome, as Gandharvas are reputed to be, but vied with each other in invincible valour and martial arts.

 

(“இயக்கர்” (Iyakkar) is the Tamizhisation of Yaksha. While Gandharwas are mostly peace-loving and benevolent, Yakshas fall on either side. We all know the famous Mahabharatha Yaksha parable – a Yaksha testing the Pandavas and Yudhistra alone matching his wits and coming out of this test unharmed and securing his brothers’ lives as well.)

 

As destiny would dictate, Sundha, in a state of intoxication, visits the hermitage of Sage Agasthya and causes wanton devastation there. Enraged, the sage, with just his fierce scorching sight, (தழல் எழ விழித்தனன்,) burns him into ashes.

 

Upset over her husband’s fate at the hands of Sage Agasthya, Thadaka accompanied by her two valourous sons, visits the sage’s hermitage and raises a ruckus – so troubling and fierce that the sage was upset and curses the lot to become raakshasas.

 

That was how Thadaka and her sons became raakshasas. The trio seeks refuge in Sumali, the grandsire of the raakshasa clan in the nether world. He accepts them as part of the clan and extends support to them He also advises Thadaka to seek the patronage of Ravana and takes the trio to the dasakanta. Ravana embraces them as part of his family and provides them suzerainty over a small country adjacent to the confluence of river Sarayu with Ganges. (That is how Mareecha and Subhahu become Ravana’s uncles.)

 

Not forgetting and unforgiving of what sage Agasthya had done to her husband and to her and her sons, Thadaka, now a Rakshasi, makes it her life purpose to harass rishis and destroy their rituals with rains of blood and flesh – As Sage Vishwamitra had complained to Dasaratha when he arrived in Ayodhya.

Let us now come back to Kamban and see how, in his words, Thadaka is described to Rama and Lakshmana by Sage Vishwamitra:

 

உளப் பரும் பிணிப்பு அறா உலோபம் ஒன்றுமே

அளப்ப அருங் குணங்களை அழிக்குமாறுபோல்.

கிளப்ப அருங் கொடுமையை அரக்கி கேடு இலா

வளப் பரு மருத வைப்பு அழித்து மாற்றினாள்;

 

Even as one single adverse quality in a mind – a resolute miserliness – could undo and eraze all the other good virtues of the mind, Thadaka converted what was once a very rich, lavishly endowed, fertile marudham (river plains) land into this devastated, scorching, perilous, inhospitable, desert land.)

 

We should appreciate the allegory used by Kamban. One evil virtue, (he cites “resolute miserliness” )  a wicked thought, a bad scheme in the mind could undo everything else that the mind could have possessed as good virtues and values. The reference is to miserliness of the resolute, wanton variety. It is also noteworthy that the poet uses “marudham” in narrating the riches of which he scales new heights of hyperbole (naatup padalam), to underscore the extent of devastation.

 

‘முன் உலகு அளித்து முறை நின்ற உயிர் எல்லாம்

தன் உணவு எனக் கருது தன்மையினள்; மைந்த!

என் இனி உணர்த்துவது? இனிச் சிறிது நாளில்

மன்னுயிர் அனைத்தையும் வயிற்றின் இடும்’ என்றான்

 

“Even as your father, Dasaratha takes so much care to see that every life under his reign is well-protected and nourished, this Thadaka considers all of them meant to be her feed and would eventually gobble all of them devoured in her stomach; what else can I say, son?” lamented sage Vishwamitra. .

 

It is interesting to find the close nexus between good and evil as the narratives in the ancient epics unfold: given below is the lineage of both Rama and Ravana: see how closely they were related!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRAHMA

MAREECHI**(SON OF BRAHMA)		PULASTHYA**(SON OF BRAHMA)
; ; ;	AGASTHYA (ANOTHER SON OF PULASTHYA)	VISRAVAS (ONE SON OF PULASTHYA) )
; ;		ILAVIDA + KAIKASI (TWO WIVES)	KAIKASI WAS THE DAUGHTER OF SUMAALI; SUMAALI WAS BORN TO  MALYAVAN AND MALI
MANU IKSHWAKU RAMA		KUBERA (SON FROM ILAVIDA) KUBERA HAD ONE DAUGHTER  -  RAMBA – AND ONE SON NALAKOOBARAN	RAVANA, KUMBAKARNA, SOORPANAKA AND VIBHISHANA (CHILDREN FROM KAIKASI)

** Mareechi and Pulasthya were amongst the Saptha Rishis of the First Manuvanthara, the others being Atri, Angirasa, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasishta.

(The Saptha Rishis of the current Manuvanthara (which is Vaivaswata) are Kashyapa, Atri, Vasistha, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bhadwaja)

 

We found Rama asking Sage Viswamitra – Apart from Lord Shiva annihilating Manmadha with his third eye (and scorching this land along with that), is there another reason for this devastation? He proceeds to articulate his personal concern – how could this devastation happen in a land that is under the governance of my father, Emperor Dasaratha, spotless and blemishless in governance? We also noted Rama’s concern – not just for humans and other creatures but for the ecology as well.

 

Sage Viswamitra proceeds to narrate that other reason with life histories that lay behind this devastation, concluding with the central object of his procuring the help of these divine princes – the destruction of Thadaka.

 

Ramayana is replete with countless side stories not only defining and relating the lives and personalities of the countless sub-actors as they arrive into the epic, but also as illustration of the values that crop up along the way. Sage Viswamitra would be found to narrate for Rama and Lakshmana several such anecdotes and stories including the genesis of the Holy River Ganga, taking them through the Sakara kumaras, Bhagiratha, the descending of Ganga from the heavens, ending up in Lord Shiva’s matted hair, getting released from there, and following Bhagiratha to the nether world to accord salvation for the Sakara kumaras lying in ashes there. We would find, as we move on, similar narrative about Ahalya.

 

But for the present context, the sage tells the two princes the story of Thadaka and her nearly invincible two sons – Subahu and Mareecha.

 

Sukethu was a righteous and pious Yaksha, troubled by his not having been blessed with progeny. He did ascetic, rigorous, meditation seeking the blessings of Brahma. Admiring his single-minded, rigorous, meditation upon Him, Brahma materializes and asks him his wish. On hearing his wish for progeny, Brahma says that he would beget a child but it would be a girl, not a son.

 

That progeny, blessed by Brahma, was Thadaka. (She was born a Yaksha.) She grew into a very beautiful maiden and Sukethu gave her in marriage to Sundha, another Gandharva. They live off their marriage in ecstatic joy. They beget two male children – Maareecha and Subahu. These were not just super-handsome, as Gandharvas are reputed to be, but vied with each other in invincible valour and martial arts.

 

As destiny would dictate, Sundha, in a state of intoxication, visits the hermitage of Sage Agasthya and causes wanton devastation there. Enraged, the sage, with just his fierce scorching sight, (தழல் எழ விழித்தனன்,) burns him into ashes.

 

Upset over her husband’s fate at the hands of Sage Agasthya, Thadaka accompanied by her two valourous sons, visits the sage’s hermitage and raises a ruckus – so troubling and fierce that the sage was upset and curses the lot to become raakshasas.

 

That was how Thadaka and her sons became raakshasas. The trio seeks refuge in Sumali, the grandsire of the raakshasa clan in the nether world. He accepts them as part of the clan and extends support to them He also advises Thadaka to seek the patronage of Ravana and takes the trio to the dasakanta. Ravana embraces them as part of his family and provides them suzerainty over a small country adjacent to the confluence of river Sarayu with Ganges. (That is how Mareecha and Subhahu become Ravana’s uncles.)

Not forgetting and unforgiving of what sage Agasthya had done to her husband and to her and her sons, Thadaka, now a Rakshasi, makes it her life purpose to harass rishis and destroy their rituals with rains of blood and flesh – As Sage Vishwamitra had complained to Dasaratha when he arrived in Ayodhya.

 

Let us now come back to Kamban and see how, in his words, Thadaka is described to Rama and Lakshmana by Sage Vishwamitra:

 

உளப் பரும் பிணிப்பு அறா உலோபம் ஒன்றுமே

அளப்ப அருங் குணங்களை அழிக்குமாறுபோல்.

கிளப்ப அருங் கொடுமையை அரக்கி கேடு இலா

வளப் பரு மருத வைப்பு அழித்து மாற்றினாள்;

 

Even as one single adverse quality in a mind – a resolute miserliness – could undo and eraze all the other good virtues of the mind, Thadaka converted what was once a very rich, lavishly endowed, fertile marudham (river plains) land into this devastated, scorching, perilous, inhospitable, desrt land.)

 

We should appreciate the allegory used by Kamban. One evil virtue, (he cites “resolute miserliness”)  a wicked thought, a bad scheme in the mind could undo everything else that the mind could have possessed as good virtues and values. The reference is to miserliness of the resolute, wanton variety. It is also noteworthy that the poet uses “marudham” in narrating the riches of which he scales new heights of hyperbole (naatup padalam), to underscore the extent of devastation.

 

‘முன் உலகு அளித்து முறை நின்ற உயிர் எல்லாம்

தன் உணவு எனக் கருது தன்மையினள்; மைந்த!

என் இனி உணர்த்துவது? இனிச் சிறிது நாளில்

மன்னுயிர் அனைத்தையும் வயிற்றின் இடும்’ என்றான்

 

“Even as your father, Dasaratha takes so much care to see that every life under his reign is well-protected and nourished, this Thadaka considers all of them meant to be her feed and would eventurally gobble all of them devoured in her stomach; what else can I say, son?” lamented sage Vishwamitra. .

 

சிலம்புகள் சிலம்பிடை செறித்த கழலோடும்

நிலம் புக மிதித்தனள்; நெளித்த குழி வேலைச்

சலம் புக. அனல் தறுகண் அந்தகனும் அஞ்சிப்

பிலம் புக. நிலக் கிரிகள் பின் தொடர. வந்தாள்.

 

Anklets have a unique place in Thamizh literature. One anklet inspired an incomparable epic – SILAPPADHIKARAM. Kamban presents a most grotesque form of this normally lovely ornament that is reported to create a hauntingly pleasing musical sound as women make their dainty walk. Thadaka’s anklet completes her terror-striking image to a perfect “T” – whole hills strung along to make the anklets and their earth-shattering noise fit in into the scene.

 

Consider mountains following her in her wake! Why?  Her physical displacement and velocity of movement cause such a powerful vacuum and motive, suction power!  A phenomenon of physics to contemplate over!

 

Kamban repeatedly reminds us what a peerless dramatist he is – chiselling the background, the character, the sound effects and the shuddering, mind-splitting, impact (even God of Death taking cover in a hole!).

Thadaka arrives just as Rama enquires of Sage Viswamitra about her whereabouts and would she be seen.

 

Thadaka is bemused to see the two young kids more than seeing the sage. She is already salivating! Wonders aloud: I had cleaned up this place quite some time back. Did you arrive just to make a more interesting meal for me? Rama seemingly disregarding the horrific scene of her arrival, her ear-shattering rumbles and her taunts, is focussed on his own internal dilemma – for he know why Sage Vishwamitra has gotten him and Lakshmana here and that task exercises his mind – nothing else.

 

அண்ணல் முனிவற்கு அது    கருத்துஎனினும். ‘ஆவி

உண்’ என. வடிக் கணை    தொடுக்கிலன்; உயிர்க்கே

துண்ணெனும் வினைத்தொழில்    தொடங்கியுளளேனும்.

‘பெண்’ என மனத்திடை   பெருந்தகை நினைந்தான்.

 

பெருந்தகை.  பெண் என மனத்திடை  நினைந்தான்  (perunthagai, ‘peN’ ena manaththidai ninaiththaan) – the large-hearted, highly compassionate, Rama thought: ‘but, she is a woman’ .

Though the evil character and destructive capabilities of Thadaka were as clear to Rama as was what was Sage Vishwamitra’s purpose in getting him and Lakshmana over to this place, his basic core trait of compassion and core value of doing the right and fair things only, overwhelmed the logical thoughts: he said to himself, ‘but, she is a woman!’

 

What would Sage Vishwamitra say to Rama? All he needed to do was to tell Rama, ‘yes, I know, but I want you to kill her.’ And, Rama would have complied without a second thought or word. He was then seing the sage in the place of his own father and obeying the father was the upper-most core value for Rama. But the sage chose a well-designed, well-articulated, clinching, convincing, argument to win over Rama’s thoughts.

 

 Thadaka presents herself to the trio – Sage Viswamitra, Rama and Lakshmana – as only she could: in an earth-shattering manner and wildly appreciating what she thought was some delicious meal for her. Rama and Lakshmana ignore her – her frightening demeanor, her rants and her queries. They realize that Sage viswamitra’s intent in getting them to go with him, the core task, is presenting itself to them. The quarry is clearly set. But, Rama, with His innate dhaarmic core coming to the fore, is asking himself: But, this is a woman? (How can I harm this creature?) பெண் என மனத்திடை  பெரும் தகை நினைந்தான் (“PeN” ena manaththidai perunthagai ninaiththaan) – “But, this is a woman” Rama says to himself, in an internal query, but one that is writ large on his face.

 

Sage Viswamitra understands the dilemma in the young prince’s mind, the hesitation and query writ large on his face and responds with several rationalisations:

 

தீது என்றுள்ளவை யாவையும் செய்து. எமைக்

கோது என்று உண்டிலள்; இத்தனையே குறை;

யாது என்று எண்ணுவது? இக் கொடியாளையும்.

மாது என்று எண்ணுவதோ? மணிப் பூணினாய்!

 

Oh! bejeweled Prince Rama! This one before you has been doing everything in the book of evil deeds: she has spared us, sages, as unfit, tasteless, bland as her meal. What would one describe this as? Would you consider “this” as a “woman”?

 

Sage Viswamitra proceeds to buttress his case: In front of Thadaka, men become impotent; she has all the attributes of a man; (therefore, the appellation “woman” would not fit her).

 

The Sage proceeds to provide some more rationalisations from past history: Indra was defeated by her and ran for his life. The Devas were vanquished by her along with their armies. How can this one be a “she”?

 

The Sage cites several precedents that would answer Rama’s doubt, precedents where females were gotten out of the way of dharma and that was considered a dharmic act:

 

When “Kyadhi”, wife of Sage Brigu, illicitly sought to protect Asuras and facilitate their vanquishing Devas, Lord Vishnu thought this was unacceptable and took her life.

Indra had to kill “Sumati” who was drunk with her spiritual powers and was causing the three worlds untold harm – so much harm that she was called “Kumati” (evil-minded woman) instead of Sumati (gentle-minded one).

 

Sage Viswamitra points out that no blemish or blot had attached to Lord Vishnu nor Indra by these acts of killing entities in the form of women but who were threats to the world. And underscores Rama’s duty as a descendant of Raghu and Kakusta, to relieve humanity of evils such as this.

 

(Sage Brigu of course curses Maha Vishnu: the He shall descend to the Earth ten times: resulting in the “dasavathara” as per puranic notes.)

 

Sage Viswamitra further tries to clarify to Rama that his having to ask Him to destroy Thadaka was not the result of his anger that she was causing him impediments (in his rituals) but because that was the right thing (dharma) to do. ஆறி நின்றது அறன் அன்று: அரக்கியைக் கோறி! (aaRi nindRathu aRan andRu: arakkiyaik kORi) – it is not dharma to stand passively; kill this demon.

 

ஐயன் அங்கு அது கேட்டு. ‘அறன் அல்லவும்

எய்தினால். ‘’அது செய்க!’’ என்று ஏவினால்.

மெய்ய! நின் உரை வேதம் எனக் கொடு

செய்கை அன்றோ! அறம் செயும் ஆறு’ என்றான்.

 

ஐயன்  அங்கு அது கேட்டு-(ayyan angu adhu kEttu) -  Rama, the exalted one, hearing Sage Viswamitra’s command,  அறம் அல்லவும் எய்தினால் (aRam allavum eithinaal) – even if it be that what transpires (from your command) is not right (dharma)  அதுசெய்க   என்று ஏவினால் (adhu seyga endRu Evinaal)  -  if you command me to do such a thing; மெய்ய! நின்  உரைவேதம்  எனக்கொடு (meyya! Nin urai vEdham enak kodu) – Oh Sage! The personification of Truth, I shall take it as the command from the Vedhas;  செய்கைஅன்றோ  அறம் செய்யும் ஆறு என்றான்(seyvadhu andRO aRam seyyum ARu’ endRaan.) – Isn’t complying with such command (even if it be not right not dharma) the right (dhaarmic) way for me? Said Rama.

  

Both the Adi Kavi and Kamban note in this context that Dasaratha had bid Rama to implicitly obey sage Viswamitra’s commands, deeming them to be his own. And, Rama, intensely committed to obey Dasaratha’s commands, now elevates the sage’s command to that of his father and quits worrying about the dharma – adharma dilemma, proceedings to accomplish the sage’s bidding.

 

There is a brief battle between Thadaka and Rama. Rama’s arrow destroys the “soolam” and several rocks thrown at him. Then Thadaka is killed:

 

சொல் ஒக்கும் கடிய வேகச்   சுடு சரம். கரிய செம்மல்.

அல் ஒக்கும் நிறத்தினாள்மேல்   விடுதலும். வயிரக் குன்றக்

கல் ஒக்கும் நெஞ்சில் தங்காது.   அப்புறம் கழன்று. கல்லாப்

புல்லார்க்கு நல்லோர் சொன்ன   பொருள் என. போயிற்று அன்றே!

 

Rama’s arrow aimed at Thadaka sped, like the words of hurting curse from the lips of ill-tempered people and pierced through the hard, diamond-rock-like chest of Thadaka, not getting blocked by or harboured in that hard place but speeding through her back – like the words of wisdom conveyed by good wise people to illiterate evil-minded men. (The words are lost in no time; so did the arrow disappear through Thadaka’s hard chest!)

 

Thadaka is slain.

 

The fall of Thadaka is noted as a first bad omen for Ravana.

The slain Thadaka bleeds causing rivers of blood in the forest – like the setting sun bloodying the sky. Devas rejoice.

 

Her sons still remain – let us see what happens to Mareecha and Subahu.

 

As Thadaka is slain, the devas applaud and shower Rama with flower petals. They commend to Sage Viswamitra to issue to the young divine princes more astras (battle weapons). வில் கொண்ட மழை அனான்மேல் பூமழை பொழிந்து வாழ்த்தி.    விண்ணவர் போயினாரே

 

Rama resembled a magnificent, lovely rain-cloud, holding a bow; the devas showered flower petals on him and left.

 

விண்ணவர் போய பின்றை.   விரிந்த பூமழையினாலே

தண்ணெனும் கானம் நிங்கி.    தாங்க அருந் தவத்தின் மிக்கோன்.

மண்ணவர் வறுமை நோய்க்கு    மருந்து அன சடையன் வெண்ணெய்

அண்ணல்தன் சொல்லே அன்ன.    படைக்கலம் அருளினானே.

 

விண்ணவர் போய  பின்றை (viNNavar pOya pindRai) – after the Devas had left விரிந்த பூ  மழையினாலே  ‘தண்’ எனும் கானம் நீங்கி  (virindha poo mazhaiyinaalE thaN enum kaanam neengi) – they left the forest that had been pleasurably cooled by the shower of flower petals  தாங்க  அரும்  தவத்தின்  மிக்கோன் (thaanga arum thavaththin mikkOn) – the sage whose spiritual power would be weighing down other mortals; மண்ணவர் வறுமை நோய்க்கு  மருந்து அன சடையன் வெண்ணெய்   அண்ணல்  சொல்லே  அன்ன ( maNNavar vaRumai nOikku marundhu ana sadayan veNNai aNNal )  – like the words of succor by Sadayappa VaLLal of Thiruvennainallur whose philanthropy was like medicine for poverty of humanity   படைக்கலம்  அருளினான்  (padaikkalam aruLinaanE)  - the sage bestowed on Rama and Lakshmana countless weaponry (or mantras generating them) (i.e. the grant of weaponry was like the unlimited bounty of philanthropy by Sadayappa VaLLal of Thiruvennainallur.

 

We chose this verse just to underscore the penchant of Kamban to celebrate his benefactor – Sadayappan of Thiruvennainallur – whenever he saw an opportunity to do so. (Thiruvennainallur is a small town on the banks of South Pennar, in proximity to Villupuram and Cuddalore.)