Episode 01 - Chapter 3 - Canto on Hanuman locating Sita.

Chapter 3 – Canto on (Hanuman) locating Sita - காட்சிப் படலம்

 

The Aadhi Kaavya presents a Hanuman who is flustered, filled with widely swinging emotions and apparently clueless  (as does Kamban) – and in a firm demonstration of his character and commitment to his divine mission, Hanuman offers obeisance to and invokes the blessings and support of all gods – including the ones he had not seen or heard:

Seized by fright and anguish, Hanuman visualizes several ways in which Sita could have lost her life or ended it herself:

 

“she might have fallen off (from Ravana’s air-craft) enroute."

 

" due to the great speed of Ravana and due to the torture by Ravana's shoulders, that noble one with wide eyes might have given up her life."

 

“while being flown over the ocean, Seetha must have fallen into the deep waters while wriggling(free)."

 

“Or, has Seetha been eaten by Ravana, the evil-minded one, while she was trying to protect her chastity without any help near her."

 

“She may have been eaten by the wives of Ravana."

 

“The daughter of Videha, Sita, wailing “O Rama!' O Lakshmana!' O Ayodhya!', may have given up her body."

 

Then Hanuman visualizes the all-sweeping domino effect of his returning to Kishkinta with the bad news – Rama would die, Lakshmana would die, Bharatha would die, Satrugna would die, the royal mothers would die, and the whole of Ayodhya would perish; in Kishkinta, Sugreeva would die, Ruma would die, Tara would die, Angada would die and all the vanaras – without exception – would take their lives in ways that they know. And, that frightening thought makes him believe that he would rather not go back and – as taking his own life was a blemished thought – he would live here – just live – as a hermit.

 

 

 

“To let know (Rama and others) becomes a grave blunder; not to let them know becomes an mistake too – (as it would be hiding the truth from them); how does one perform his duty? For me this is a most dire situation.”

 

 "I will not return to Kishkinta. I am not capable of seeing Sugreeva without (news about having seen) Sita."

 

 “If I stay here and not go back (to Kishkinta), those virtuous ones, those great warriors - those two - Rama and Lakshmana, might (continue to) live by hope."

 

 Bhahavah dOshaah vinaashE: jIvaan pashyati bhadraaNi – “There are blemishes in dying. The living ones are those who see auspicious things.”

 

 

इति चिन्ता समापन्नः सीताम् अनधिगम्य ताम् ||

ध्यान शोका परीत आत्मा चिन्तयाम् आस वानरः |

 

iti cintaa samaapannaH siitaam anadhigamya taam ||

dhyaana shokaa pariita aatmaa cintayaam aasa vaanaraH

 

Hanuman, perturbed like this, was engulfed in mental anguish and despair.

 

Then he prays:

 

वसून् रुद्रामः तथा आदित्यान् अश्विनौ मरुतो अपि च ||

नमः कृत्वा गमिष्यामि रक्षसाम् शोक वर्धनः |

 

vasuun rudraamH tathaa Aadhityaan ashvinau maruto api ca ||

namaH kR^itvaa gamiShyaami rakShasaam shoka vardhanaH |

 

“Salutations to the eight Vasus, Rudras and Adityas, the two Aswinis, seven Maruts, I will (now) go to increase the grief of Rakshasas."

 

नमो अस्तु रामाय सलक्ष्मणाय |

देव्यै च तस्यै जनक आत्मजायै |

नमो अस्तु रुद्र इन्द्र यम अनिलेभ्यो |

 

 

 

namo astu raamaaya salakShmaNaaya |

devyai ca tasyai janaka aatmajaayai |

namo astu rudra indra yama anilebhyo |

namo astu candra arka marud gaNebhyaH ||

 

Salutations to Sri Rama together with Lakshmana, also to that daughter of Janaka, who is divine. To Rudra, Indra, Yama and Vaayu; To Chandra, Surya and all the Marut GaNas."

 

सिद्धिम् मे सम्विधास्यन्ति देवाः सर्षि गणाः त्व् इह ||

ब्रह्मा स्वयम्भूर् भगवान् देवाः चैव दिशन्तु मे |

 

सिद्धिम् अग्निः च वायुः च पुरु हूतः च वज्रधृत् ||

वरुणः पाश हस्तः च सोम आदित्यै तथैव च |

 

अश्विनौ च महात्मानौ मरुतः सर्व एव च ||

सिद्धिम् सर्वाणि भूतानि भूतानाम् चैव यः प्रभुः |

 

दास्यन्ति मम ये च अन्ये अदृष्टाः पथि गोचराः ||

 

 siddhim me samvidhaasyanti devaaH sarShi gaNaaH tv iha ||

brahmaa svayambhuur bhagavaan devaaH caiva dishantu me |

siddhim agniH ca vaayuH ca puru huutaH ca vajradhR^it ||

varuNaH paasha hastaH ca soma Aadhityai tathaiva ca |

ashvinau ca mahaatmaanau marutaH sarva eva ca ||

siddhim sarvaaNi bhuutaani bhuutaanaam caiva yaH prabhuH |

daasyanti mama ye ca anye adR^iShTaaH pathi gocaraaH ||

 

“Devas, together with ascetic sages, will secure success for me here, Brahma and devas and Agni and Vaayu, Devendra wearing the Vajrayudha and Varuna, Yama with Pasha in hand and the Sun and the moon and the aswinis. The great Maruts and Eshwara may secure success for me. Whoever is the lord of all living beings and others who might be unseen (anye adR^iShTaaH pathi gocaraaH) may secure success for me as well."

 

 

 

With these wide and sweeping salutations, prayers and invocations, Hanuman rises with a new resolve – his mind completely decluttered and swept clean of the depression and anguish that engulfed it.

 

Underscoring the manner in which Hanuman retrieves himself from his deep mental anguish and depression, elders commend the recital (parayana) of this Canto in Valmiki (Canto 13) for deliverance from our similar mental anguish, depression and confusion in our day-to-day lives. Kamban seems to have missed this vital content in his otherwise exhilarating epic.

 

HANUMAN ENTERS THE ASHOKA VANAM.

 

Kamban presents Sita as she is imprisoned in Ashoka Vanam. This one segment of the epic is aglow with poesy of riveting beauty and unmatched pathos – a small, stand-alone, epic by itself: Sita wilts, emaciates, despairs and languishes in her seemingly never-ending and terror-stricken captivity in Ashoka Vanam:

 

 வன்மருங்குல் வாள் அரக்கியர் நெருக்க, அங்கு இருந்தாள்;

கல் மருங்கு,எழுந்து என்றும் ஓர் துளி வரக் காணா

நல்மருந்துபோல், நலன் அற உணங்கிய நங்கை,

மென்மருங்குபோல், வேறு உள அங்கமும் மெலிந்தாள்.

 

Like a herb of high medicinal value wilting in a totally parched, inhospitable, rock-like ground, Sita, with the heavy-hipped Rakshasis terrifyingly crowding her, emaciated in body and limbs  - like her very slender waist.

 

 

துயில் எனக் கண்கள் இமைத்தலும் முகிழ்த்தலும் துறந்தாள்;

வெயிலிடைத்தந்த விளக்கு என ஒளி இலா மெய்யாள்;

மயில் இயல்,குயில் மழலையாள், மான் இளம் பேடை

அயில் எயிற்றுவெம் புலிக் குழாத்து அகப்பட்டதன்னாள்.

 

 She had forsaken sleep – having given up even winking her eyes; presented herself like a lamp lit in the midst of the blazing sun; with her natural peacock-like gait and koel-like captivating speech, she resembled a very young deer-calf captive in an ambush of tigers.

 

விழுதல்,விம்முதல், மெய் உற வெதும்புதல், வெருவல்,

எழுதல்,ஏங்குதல், இரங்குதல், இராமனை எண்ணித்

தொழுதல்,சோருதல், துளங்குதல், துயர் உழந்து உயிர்த்தல்,

அழுதல், அன்றி,மற்று அயல் ஒன்றும் செய்குவது அறியாள்.

 

 Sita, in that hopeless despair of her captivity, could only roll on the ground, groan, flail, fume, rise, piteously pine, thinking of Rama, offer him her prayers, flop, tremble, sigh with grief, wail – and she knew no other exertion.

 

அரிய மஞ்சினோடு அஞ்சனம் முதல் இவை அதிகம்

கரிய காண்டலும்,கண்ணின் நீர் கடல் புகக்  கலுழ்வாள்;

உரிய காதலின்ஒருவரோடு ஒருவரை உலகில்

பிரிவு எனும்துயர் உருவு கொண்டாலன்ன பிணியாள்.

 

Sita looked the embodiment of the illness of the grief of separation - உரிய காதலின் ஒருவரோடு ஒருவரை உலகில் பிரிவு எனும்துயர் – of two rightfully loving young ones. Whenever she countenanced anything resembling the dark complexion of Rama, like the dark clouds, the kohl, she would pine, tears streaming down to the seas.

 

 துப்பினால் செய்த கையொடு கால் பெற்ற துளி மஞ்சு

ஒப்பினான்தனைநினைதொறும், நெடுங் கண்கள் உகுத்த

அப்பினால்நனைந்து, அருந் துயர் உயிர்ப்புடை யாக்கை

வெப்பினால்புலர்ந்து, ஒரு நிலை உறாத மென் துகிலாள்.

 

In endless thoughts about Rama, thinking about his cloud-like complexion and coral-red hands and feet, her tears bathed her; with the grief-driven fever of the body drying up her clothes that were drenched with her tears. 

 

'அரிது-போகவோ, விதி வலி கடத்தல் !' என்று  அஞ்சி,

'பரிதிவானவன்குலத்தையும், பழியையும், பாரா,

சுருதி நாயகன்,வரும் வரும்' என்பது ஓர் துணிவால்

கருதி, மாதிரம்அனைத்தையும் அளக்கின்ற கண்ணாள்.

 

Resigned that it was impossible to retrieve herself from this captivity nor from the clutches of Destiny, she was, though, confident that Rama, the Lord acclaimed by the Vedhas, would certainly come – mindful of his lineage from the Surya dynasty and the compulsion he had to wipe off the humiliation and blemish – பழியையும் - (on account of Sita’s abduction by Ravana) and with that hope, she would be ceaselessly looking around in all directions.

 

Kamban adduces to Rama here – in the thought train of Sita – the pressure on his valour and duty to reclaim the glory of the Surya dynasty he hailed from and the duty-bound compulsion, as a Kshatriya, to wipe off the humiliation and reputational-stain suffered by him due to Sita’s abduction, as the main reason for him to make a bid for retrieving Sita from Ravana’s captivity.  Sita, in that mental frame, did not grant to Rama, the volition to retake her from her captivity, for the sake of their love or just even mere humane compassion. சூர்ய வம்சத்தின் கெளரவத்தைக் காப்பாற்றுவதற்காகவாவது, வீரனான, க்ஷத்ரியனான தனக்கு, தன்னுடைய வீரத்துக்கு ஏற்பட்ட களங்கத்தைத் துடைப்பதற்காகவாவது நிச்சயம் வருவான்.

 

 கமையினாள்திரு முகத்து அயல் கதுப்பு உறக் கவ்வி,

சுமையுடைக் கற்றை, நிலத்திடைக் கிடந்த, தூ மதியை

அமைய வாயில்பெய்து, உமிழ்கின்ற அயில் எயிற்று அரவின்,

குமையுறத்திரண்டு, ஒரு சடை ஆகிய குழலாள்.

 

Sita’s naturally lustrous tresses got matted – Caressing the two cheeks of Sita, her long and naturally lustrous tresses flowed down to the ground all around her – in a hopelessly matted condition – recalling the engulfing of the lovely full moon by the dark Raaghu – the serpent. (Artists portaiting Sita in Ashoka Vanam often capture this pose).

 

ஆவி அம் துகில் புனைவது ஒன்று அன்றி வேறு அறியாள்;

தூவி அன்னம்மென் புனலிடைத் தோய்கிலா மெய்யாள்;

தேவுதெண் கடல்அமிழ்து கொண்டு அனங்கவேள் செய்த

ஓவியம்புகையுண்டதே ஒக்கின்ற உருவாள்.

 

 Sita, in her captivity, had but just one garment covering her. She did not bathe. She had constantly to wrap her single garment tightly around her as she was famished, and her body continuously shrunk – causing the need to tighten the garment constantly.  In that lustre-shorn condition, she resembled a great portrait of unmatched beauty expertly chiseled by the God of Love with the very nectar from the Thirupparkadal, but one which was dimmed of its resplendence, by smoke settling on it. “புகையுண்ட ஓவியம்” is a popular allegory to denote lovely women immersed in despair or grief.

 

Kmaban reads for us the train of dark and frightening thoughts flowing through the Piratti’s mind, sleepless, motionless and speechless in her captivity – speculating on why there is no deliverance yet from her captors.

 

'கண்டிலன்கொலாம் இளவலும் ? கனை கடல் நடுவண்

உண்டு இலங்கைஎன்று உணர்ந்திலர் ? உலகு எலாம் ஒறுப்பான்

கொண்டு இறந்தமைஅறிந்திலராம் ?' எனக் குழையா,

புண் திறந்ததில்எரி நுழைந்தாலெனப் புகைவாள்.

 

“Is it possible that Lakshmana did not get to meet Rama who had pursued the illusory golden deer? Is it possible that they – the two of them – do not know that Lanka is in the midst of wave-swept seas? Is it possible that they are not informed that Ravana, the punitive one, had brought me down to Lanka?” Sita would lament thus – wincing as if flames would hurt the open wounds all over her.

 

மாண்டுபோயினன் எருவைகட்கு அரசன் மன்; மற்றோர்,

யாண்டை என்நிலை அறிவுறுப்பார்கள் ? இப் பிறப்பில்

காண்டலோ அரிது'என்று, என்று, விம்முறும்; கலங்கும்;

மீண்டு மீண்டுபுக்கு எரி நுழைந்தாலென, மெலிவாள்.

 

“Jatayu must have died. Who else would let Rama and Lakshmana know about my plight? Would I get to see them in this life again?” Thoughts that made her feel the scorching burn of fire repeatedly all over her. (Sita is firm in her belief that Jatayu was killed in his battle with Ravana – she did not entertain any hope that he would have survived to inform Rama of the abduction.)

 

'என்னை, நாயகன், இளவலை, எண்ணலா வினையேன்

சொன்னவார்த்தை கேட்டு, "அறிவு இலள்" எனத்  துறந்தானோ ?

முன்னை ஊழ்வினைமுடிந்ததோ ?' என்று, என்று, முறையால்

பன்னி, வாய்புலர்ந்து, உணர்வு தேய்ந்து, ஆர் உயிர் பதைப்பாள்.

 

“Would Rama have discarded me, given me up – for the mindless accusations uttered

 

by me against his sibling – Lakshmana? Have all my bad karma decided to avenge me for those?” Repetitively assailing herself and her fate, Sita, with her mouth drying up, with her consciousness weakened, felt tortured alive.

 

"வன்கண் வஞ்சனை அரக்கர், இத்துணைப் பகல் வையார்;

தின்பர்; என் இனிச் செயத்தக்கது ?" என்று, தீர்ந்தானோ ?

தன் குலப் பொறை தன் பொறை எனத்  தணிந்தானோ ?

என்கொல் எண்ணுவேன் ?' என்னும் - அங்கு, இராப் பகல் இல்லாள்.

 

‘Would Rama have concluded that the (cannibalistic) Rakshasas would not leave me alive for so long without making a meal of me and therefore given up on me – my retrieval? Would he have since concluded that it was his duty to assume the reign of Ayodhya and gone back there, giving up on searching for me? (Or, is he invoking the forbearance for which his lineage is reputed and not provoked enough to seek my retrieval?). What could I conclude?” Sita was counting day and night alike in her captivity.

 

பெற்ற தாயரும், தம்பியும், பெயர்த்தும் வந்து எய்தி,

கொற்ற மா நகர்க் கொண்டு இறந்தார்களோ ? குறித்துச்

சொற்ற ஆண்டு எலாம் உறைந்தன்றி, அந் நகர்  துன்னான்,

உற்றது உண்டு'எனா, படர் உழந்து, உறாதன உறுவாள்.

 

 Sita’s flights into possible dark happenings that explained her Lord not coming forth to get her from this prison, continue unabated.

 

 “Did Bharatha and the royal mothers come back (to Rama) and persuaded him to go back with them? But Rama would not think of returning to Ayodhya till all those stipulated years (14) had been spent (in the forests). Rama’s peril seems to be greater.” Sita would suffer mental anguish and pain – thus and in several other imagined and deduced ways – that no one else has had to endure.

 

SITA WORRIES ABOUT RAMA – HOW WOULD HE COPE WITH LIFE WITHOUT HER?

 

'அருந்தும் மெல் அடகு ஆர் இட அருந்தும் ?' என்று அழுங்கும்;

'விருந்து கண்டபோது என்  உறுமோ ?' என்று விம்மும்;

'மருந்தும் உண்டுகொல் யான்கொண்ட நோய்க்கு ?' என்று மயங்கும் -

இருந்த மா நிலம்செல் அரித்து எழவும் ஆண்டு எழாதாள்.

 

 “How would he (Rama) have his simple meal (மெல் அடகு – soft, leafy meal) served to him? When he has to receive guests, what embarrassment and pain would he endure (without me by his side to play hostess)?” Sita would lament thus and wonder if there was any remedy or cure for her acquired illness. She was seated there on the ground, almost static, as termites built their mounds around her.

 

 NOW, SITA RECALLS AND REMINISCES NUGGETS FROM HER LIFE WITH RAMA – RIGHT FROM THE WEDDING DAY, APPARENTLY TRYING TO INFUSE OR CLUTCH AT SOME HOPE AND CHEER IN THE MIDST OF THE HOPELESSNESS, DESPAIR AND ANGUISH SHE WAS IMMERSED IN:

 

'தெவ் மடங்கிய சேண் நிலம்' -- கேகயர்

தம் மடந்தை --'உம் தம்பியது ஆம்' என,

மும் மடங்குபொலிந்த முகத்தினன்

வெம் மடங்கலைஉன்னி, வெதும்புவாள்.

 

Sita reminisces: When Kaikeyi told Rama that the crown was for his brother Bharatha, Rama received that message, with his face brightening three-fold with happiness. He was a young lion universally loved.

 

'மெய்த்திருப்பதம் மேவு' என்ற போதினும்,

'இத் திருத்துறந்து ஏகு' என்ற போதினும்,

சித்திரத்தின் அலர்ந்த செந்தாமரை

ஒத்திருக்கும்முகத்தினை உன்னுவாள்.

 

Sita recalled Rama’s countenance, face in particular: When he was informed that he was to be crowned and later that he was to renounce that very crown and go (forest-bound), on both occasions his face resembled a portrait of freshly blossomed lotus – expressing the same cheer and happiness. (The real lotus would bloom in the day and wilt with sunset. The portrait one would be in full bloom, perpetually. That is the poetic nuance here.)

 

தேங்கு கங்கைத் திருமுடிச் செங்கணான்

வாங்கு கோல வடவரை வார் சிலை,

ஏங்குமாத்திரத்து, இற்று இரண்டாய் விழ

வீங்கு தோளைநினைந்து மெலிந்துளாள்.

 

 

 

Sita recalls with agonizingly elevated pain of separation from Rama, the scene when he picked up the Siva Dhanus to his handsome, rising shoulders, as Janaka and others in the assembly were expectantly looking on, and the moment when the Siva Dhanus broke into two. (The allegory is that the bow broke into two as it reached Rama’s rising shoulders.)

 

இன்னல் அம்பர வேந்தற்கு இயற்றிய

பல் நலம்பதினாலாயிரம் படை,

கன்னல்மூன்றில், களப் பட, கால் வளை

வில் நலம்புகழ்ந்து, ஏங்கி வெதும்புவாள்.

 

Sita recalled – Rama’s unmatched valour when he single-handedly, equipped just with his bow that he drew and bent with the help of his toes, decimated the fourteen thousand-strong forces of Ravana’s brother and lieutenant Kara – in just three naazhigais – (one naazhigai is 20 minutes; i.e. in just an hour.)

 

ஆழ நீர்க்கங்கை அம்பி கடாவிய

ஏழை வேடனுக்கு,'எம்பி நின் தம்பி; நீ

தோழன்; மங்கைகொழுந்தி' எனச் சொன்ன

வாழி நண்பினைஉன்னி, மயங்குவாள்.

 

Sita recalls with pride, Rama telling the tribal Guha, with unalloyed sibling love “my younger brother, Lakshmana, is your younger brother too; Sita, my wife, is your sister-in-law.”

மெய்த்ததாதை விரும்பினன் நீட்டிய

கைத்தலங்களை,கைகளின் நீக்கி, வேறு

உய்த்த போது,தருப்பையில் ஒண் பதம்

வைத்த வேதிகைச்செய்தி மனக் கொள்வாள்.

 

Sita reminisces through the wedding celebrations. When Janaka, with the insight that Rama was Paramatma incarnate and also in terms of the conventional wedding rituals, sought to hold Rama’s feet for washing them, Sita recalls, Rama would, bashful and modest, - also mindful that Janaka was a great seer, a Raja Rishi, stop him and instead planted his feet on Dharba grass for the ritual. தருப்பையில் ஒண் பதம் வைத்த வேதிகைச்செய்தி

 

 பரித்தசெல்வம் ஒழியப் படரும் நாள்,

அருத்திவேதியற்கு ஆன் குலம் ஈந்து, அவன்

கருத்தின் ஆசைக்கரை இன்மை கண்டு, இறை

சிரித்த செய்கைநினைந்து, அழும் செய்கையாள்.

 

 Sita mulls, muses over a rare incident when Rama laughed involuntarily – when he, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana, was leaving Ayodhya, abdicating the crown, he gave a lot of cows to a an avaricious Brahmin – Thricadan – and seeing that Brahmin unsatisfied and craving for more, laughed involuntarily – seeing that act of avarice in a Brahmin. That recall – of Rama’s rare, captivating, involuntary laughterwas, though, accompanied by her increased crying and tears.

 

ஏக வாளிஅவ் இந்திரன் காதல் மேல்

போக ஏவி, அதுகண் பொடித்த நாள்,

காகம் முற்றும்ஓர் கண் இல ஆகிய

வேக வென்றியைத்தன் தலைமேல் கொள்வாள்.

 

 Sita recalls with pride the Kakasura incident, in Chitrakoota – when Jayanthan aka Kakasura, son of Indra, misbehaved with Sita and earned Rama’s wrath. The one arrow that Rama released to punish him chased him around all the worlds and with the wrong doer took refuge in Piratti’s feet, she pushed his head towards the feet of Rama where the refuge really lay. And Rama saved Jayanthan’s life but as the arrow cannot go without exacting a target, it took one of his eyes. Cited as reason why the entire specie of crows can use only one of its eyes.

 

வெவ்விராதனை மேவு அருந் தீவினை

வவ்வி, மாற்றஅருஞ் சாபமும் மாற்றிய

அவ் இராமனைஉன்னி, தன் ஆர் உயிர்

செவ்விராது,உணர்வு ஓய்ந்து, உடல் தேம்புவாள்—

 

Sita ponders over the Viraatha’s deliverance at the hands of Rama – despite having earned that despicable birth due to curses, despite his battling with Rama and Lakshmana, Rama granted Viraatha moksha not just from his curses but from his continuing births as well. Sita muses, Rama, such an epitome of compassion, why would he not invest some of it for his own dharma-patni? Has she caused him such unpardonable umbrage?

 

WE FIND THAT THESE MUSINGS ARE NOT CHRONOLOGICALLY SEQUENCED. DID THE POET LET GO OF HIS EXCEPTIONAL SENSE OF ORGANISATION AND ORDER? WE PRESUME NOT. ACTUALLY, THE PRESENTATION IS CLEVER AND FOLLOWS THE REASONING – THESE ARE MUSINGS NOT ON ONE DAY OR IN ONE GO – AS A CONTINUING STREAM; THESE ARE MUSINGS THAT GET HOLD OF SITA IN THE MIDDLE OF HER BOUTS OF DESPAIR OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AND EACH RECALL MUST HAVE HAD A RELEVANT CONNECT WITH THAT MOMENT’S LAMENT OR GRIEF.

 

 SITA’S CAPTIVITY – SURROUNDED BY FIERCE AND UGLY-LOOKING RAKSHASIS THE SOLE CONSOLING EXCEPTION BEING THE GOOD-NATURED TRIJATA:

 

 இருந்தனள்;திரிசடை என்னும் இன் சொலின்

திருந்தினாள்ஒழிய, மற்று இருந்த தீவினை

அருந் திறல்அரக்கியர், அல்லும் நள் உறப்

பொருந்தலும்,துயில் நறைக் களி பொருந்தினார்.

 

 Sita was (in that prison, in Ashoka Vanam). With the sole exception of Trijata, the good-natured one endowed with a pleasing speech, all the others were terrifying and huge Rakshasis, who slipped into slumber as midnight arrived.

 

ALL ABOUT CELEBRATION OF WOMANHOOD!

 

Hanuman has his prayers – to the Almighty and all gods, big and small, seen and unseen – in this selection. Your narrator’s prayers to the mighty YOU?

 

Sita, surrounded by fierce-looking Rakshasis, who were under instructions from their Lord and Master, Ravana, to “condition” her, had to endure desolation and despair of indescribable proportions in her incarceration in the Asoka Vanam.

 

The Aadhi Kaavya presents Asoka Vanam in its elaborate, enchanting, nearly divine, glory. Kamban found that narration fit to skip.

 

Just as Huanuman finds Asoka Vanam and enters it, Sita seems to have intuitively perceived – felt it in her bones - the arrival of good tidings for her:

 

'நலம் துடிக்கின்றதோ ? நான் செய் தீவினைச்

சலம் துடித்து,இன்னமும் தருவது உண்மையோ ? --

பொலந் துடிமருங்குலாய் ! - புருவம், கண், முதல்

வலம்துடிக்கின்றில; வருவது ஓர்கிலேன்.

 

“Are the past good deeds of mine coming alive and tugging to reach me? Or, is there more traction for my past misdeeds and they would cause me more hurt? Oh, the slender waisted one! (addressing Trijata), my shoulder and eyelids do not throb on the right side – the side that heralds bad tidings; I am clueless to what lies ahead.” (The poet has Sita first note that the fluttering did not happen on the unwelcome side, sounding a bit tentative; he proceeds to have her assert it was indeed the welcome side.)

 

Sita, while missing the typical bad omens – the fluttering of the right shoulder and the right eye which are regarded as forebodings for females – recalls the occasions she had had both good and bad omens in the past – as a reference, now confirms that she has indeed had the good omens – the fluttering on the left side, ceaselessly:

 

 

'முனியொடு மிதிலையில் முதல்வன் முந்து நாள்,

துனி அறு புருவமும்,தோளும், நாட்டமும்,

இனியன துடித்தன;ஈண்டும், ஆண்டு என

நனிதுடிக்கின்றன;ஆய்ந்து நல்குவாய்.

 

“As Rama, the only life support for me, arrived in Mithila in the company of Sage Viswamitra, my  left shoulder and left eye fluttered, heralding good tidings for me. Right now, exactly like on that occasion, those parts of me are fluttering. Consider this and let me know what you think.”

    

'மறந்தனென்; இதுவும் ஓர் மாற்றம் கேட்டியால்;

அறம் தரு சிந்தைஎன் ஆவி நாயகன்,

பிறந்த பார்முழுவதும் தம்பியே பெறத்

துறந்து, கான்புகுந்த நாள், வலம் துடித்ததே.

 

“I forgot this! Listen to this one more incident. When my lifelike Lord, the one engrossed in thoughts of Dharma incessantly, abdicated the crown in favour of his younger brother (Bharatha) and left for the forests, on that day, on that occasion, I had my right shoulder and right eye fluttering.”

 

நஞ்சு அனையான், வனத்து இழைக்க நண்ணிய

வஞ்சனை நாள்,வலம் துடித்த; வாய்மையால்

எஞ்சல; ஈண்டுதாம் இடம் துடிக்குமால்;

"அஞ்சல்" என்றுஇரங்குவாய்! அடுப்பது யாது ?' என்றாள்.

 

Sita reminisces more: “When the poison-like Ravana was scheming to cause me distress, then too I had my right-side pulsating. But, now, the fluttering I feel is on the left side. You are the (only) one who is compassionate and comforts me “do not fear”. What (do you think) would come next?”

 

என்றலும்,திரிசடை, 'இயைந்த சோபனம் !

நன்று இது ! நன்று!' எனா, நயந்த சிந்தையாள்,

'உன் துணைக்கணவனை உறுதல் உண்மையால்;

அன்றியும்,கேட்டி' என்று, அறைதல் மேயினாள்.

 

As Sita thus addressed her, Trijata exclaimed: “You do indeed have auspicious things coming your way. That is great. It is certain that you shall rejoin your beloved Rama. Please listen to this as well.”

 

உன் நிறம் பசப்பு அற, உயிர் உயிர்ப்புற,

இன் நிறத் தேன்இசை, இனிய நண்பினால்,-

மின் நிறமருங்குலாய் !- செவியில், மெல்லென,

பொன் நிறத்தும்பி வந்து, ஊதிப் போயதால்.

 

(I too see some good omens for you). “Oh Sita! The one with a lovely slender waist! I see a bumble bee droning a sweet-sounding message in your ear predicting an end to your ( pallor,  pale patches known as தேமல் – extensively used in Thamizh literature to connote an affliction following separation of lovers) pallor and you regaining your natural liveliness.”

 

“பசலை” – an affliction of the love-lorn in Thamizh literature:

 

யந்தவர்க்கு நல்காமை நேர்ந்தேன் பசந்தஎன்

பண்பியார்க்கு உரைக்கோ பிற. THIRUKKURAL - INBATHTHUPPAAL

 

அவர்தந்தார் என்னும் தகையால் இவர்தந்தென்

மேனிமேல் ஊரும் பசப்பு. THIRUKKURAL - INBATHTHUPPAAL

 

சாயலும் நாணும் அவர்கொண்டார் கைம்மாறா

நோயும் பசலையும் தந்து. THIRUKKURAL - INBATHTHUPPAAL

 

ஊருண் கேணி யுண்டுறைக் தொக்கபாசி யற்றே பசலை காதலர்தொடுவுழித் தொடுவுழி நீங்கிவிடுவுழி விடுவுழிப் பரத்த லானே”.  (குறுந்தொகை.399-பரணர்)

 

Like the greenish mass covering the water surface in a well due to disuse, this disease – பசலை – disappears as the beloved touches me and reappears as he leaves me.

 

’கன்று முண்ணாது கலத்தினும் படாது

நல்லான் றீம்பா னிலத்துக் காஅங்

கெனக்கு மாகா தென்னைக்கு முதவாது

பசலை யுணீஇயர் வேண்டும்

திதலை யல்குலென் மாமக் கவினே’’

 

Like the cow yielding its milk that would not reach either the calf or the collecting vessel but drains to the ground – wasted, my lovely body had lost its luster and my waist had lost is attractiveness, as I suffer from separation,  with whitish patches spreAadhing all over my body, depriving love and pleasure to my beloved.

 

Trijata expounds the message from the bumble bee, to Sita:

 

'ஆயது தேரின், உன் ஆவி நாயகன்

ஏயது தூது வந்துஎதிரும் என்னுமால்;

தீயது தீயவர்க்குஎய்தல் திண்ணம்; என்

வாயது கேள்' என,மறித்தும் கூறுவாள்.

 

“Listen again to me! Seeing that bumble-bee, it looks as if that its message really was that your Lord’s messenger would be here; and it is certain that the wicked and the evil-minded would meet their nemesis.”

 

'துயில் இலை ஆதலின், கனவு தோன்றல;

அயில்வழி அனையகண் அமைந்து நோக்கினேன்;

பயில்வன பழுதுஇல, பழுதின் நாடு என;

வெயி்லினும்மெய்யன விளம்பக் கேட்டியால்.

 

Trijata would continue her narrative, loaded with positivity for comforting the despairing Sita, who is still unsure of her deliverance: “You do not sleep. Therefore, you do not dream. But I do sleep and I dream. I had all these dreams. Those dreams shall happen true, for this evil-laden country, Lanka. I shall lay them out for you. Listen.”

 

எண்ணெய்பொன் முடிதொறும் இழுகி, ஈறு இலாத்

திண் நெடுங்கழுதை பேய் பூண்ட தேரின்மேல்,

அண்ணல் அவ்இராவணன், அரத்த ஆடையன்,

நண்ணினன்,தென்புலம் - நவை இல் கற்பினாய் !'

 

Trijata’s dreams are frighteningly ominous and some sound grotesque:

 

“I saw Ravana, wearing blood-coloured clothes and smeared head to foot with oil, riding a chariot drawn by donkeys and ghosts and bound southwards, evidently on a ‘no-return’ journey.” (Having an oil bath or seeing someone having one in a dream foretells the proximity of death – according to our dream superstitions.)

 

'மக்களும்,சுற்றமும், மற்றுளோர்களும்,

புக்கனர் அப்புலம்; போந்தது இல்லையால்;

சிக்கு அறநோக்கினென்;