Episode 01 - Chapter 8 - Canto on the building of the sethu.

Chapter 8 – Canto on the Building of the Sethu - சேது பந்தனப் படலம்

 

(We saw, the previous part of the narrative, a very interesting character - Varuna. For one who was being tormented and was under grave peril with the Brahmastra in pursuit, he showed cleverness - clever and a half? - and presence of mind that would speak volumes about the strength of his will. Virtually ablaze, with his body roasted, he presents himself to Rama with great communication skills. He has the temerity to suggest that Rama was using a hammer to swat a fly. Once earning the reprieve and confident that Rama would do no further harm to him, he seeks to have the yet to be launched dart of Rama get rid of his own adversaries. And, as Mrs.Jalaja Prasanna had pointed out in her summary on this selection, he offered no tangible help to Rama - even going to the extent of pleAadhing ignorance about the ‘depth and width’ of the sea thereabouts, though these were his own domain - condescendingly so.

 

Rama’s darts are supposed never to fail and gain their targets. How, then, did Varuna escape this one - and the Brahmastra at that? Swami Desikan, in his incomparable opus - “Paadhukaa Sahasram” would give this very interesting explanation:

 

SLOKA 219:

samBhidhyamAnathamasAsarayUpanIthaI:

samvarDhithasthava shuBhaIr aBhiShEka thOyaI:

manyE bhaBhUva jalaDhir maNi pAdha rakshE!

RAmAsthrapAvakashiKhABhira shOShaNIya:

 

Meaning: I daresay, oh Paaduka! It was because the ocean had drawn waters from the Tamasaa and Sarayu rivers into which your holy Abhisheka waters had flown, that the ocean could not be dried even with the fire-emitting arrows of Sri Rama.)

 

****

 

We are at the Project Site. Sugreeva takes command:

 

அளவு அறும் அறிஞரோடு அரக்கர் கோமகற்கு

இளவலும் இனிது உடன் இருக்க, எண்ணினான்,

விளைவன விதி முறை முடிக்க வேண்டுவான்,

'நளன் வருக!' என்றனன்-கவிக்கு நாயகன்.

Sugreeva (கவிக்கு நாயகன்  - the Lord of the Vanaras), in the company of Vibheeshana, contemplated on the task ahead and the means of accomplishing it. And, he called up Nala - a descendant of the celestial architect Viswakarma and by himself known as the vanara architect. (Varuna had commended Nalan’s name as the best resource to conceptualise, plan and oversee the dam project.)

 

வந்தனன், வானரத் தச்சன்; 'மன்ன! நின்

சிந்தனை என்?' என, 'செறி திரைக் கடல்

பந்தனை செய்குதல் பணி நமக்கு' என,

நிந்தனை இலாதவன் செய்ய நேர்ந்தனன்.

 

The vanara architect – Nalan - arrived and enquired of Sugreeva: ‘Oh! King! What is on your mind?’ Sugreeva bade him: ‘Our task is to dam the roaring wave-swept sea.’ - and Nala set about the task right away.

 

காரியம் கடலினை அடைத்துக் கட்டலே;

சூரியன் காதல! சொல்லி என் பல;

மேருவும் அணுவும் ஓர் வேறு உறாவகை

ஏர்வுற இயற்றுவென்; கொணர்தி' என்றனன்.

 

 “Oh! The darling of Surya! What is there to say? I shall have this built - with no distinction showing between the Meru-like rocks and the tiny atom-like grain of sand. Have them all brought down.”

 

The poet distils here the high-riding confidence on the part of both the person commanding the task and the person commanded - Sugreeva makes the task sound simple and Nala responds in kind.

 

'இளவலும், இறைவனும், இலங்கை வேந்தனும்,

அளவு அறு நம் குலத்து அரசும், அல்லவர்

வளைதரும் கருங் கடல் அடைக்க வம்' எனத்

தளம் மலி சேனையைச் சாம்பன் சாற்றினான்.

 

Jambavan takes the job of the crier. “Excepting Lakshmana, Rama, Vibheeshana and Sugreeva, all else come hither! For damming the conch-yielding dark sea!” commanded Jambavan addressing the crowds of the vanara army.  வம் - come down.

 

கரு வரை காதங்கள் கணக்கு இலாதன

இரு கையில், தோள்களில், சென்னி, ஏந்தின,

ஒரு கடல் அடைக்க மற்று ஒழிந்த வேலைகள்

வருவன ஆம் என, வந்த வானரம்.

 

The vanaras spread out far and wide and pulled out all the hills and mountains, carried them on their shoulders, hands and heads and converged (into the dam site). The vanara flow resembled the flow of all the other six oceans as if in confluence with this (seventh) one.

 

பேர்த்தன மலை சில; பேர்க்கப் பேர்க்க, நின்று

ஈர்த்தன சில; சில சென்னி ஏந்தின;

தூர்த்தன சில; சில தூர்க்கத் தூர்க்க நின்று

ஆர்த்தன; சில சில ஆடிப் பாடின.

 

The action drama:

 

Some (vanaras) uprooted the hills; as they went on uprooting some others pulled them aside; some lifted them over their heads; some filled the sea with the uprooted hills;  as they filled out, some others sang (the praise of Rama) and danced around.

 

காலிடை ஒரு மலை உருட்டி, கைகளின்

மேலிடை மலையினை வாங்கி, விண் தொடும்

சூலுடை மழை முகில் சூழ்ந்து சுற்றிய,

வாலிடை, ஒரு மலை ஈர்த்து, வந்தவால்.

 

Some (vanaras) kicked along the uprooted hills with their legs; some carried them on their hands. And some pulled humongous lofty hills that reached into the sky, clad with rainclouds, just with their (mighty) tails.

 

 முடுக்கினன், 'தருக' என, மூன்று கோடியர்

எடுக்கினும், அம் மலை ஒரு கை ஏந்தியிட்டு,

அடுக்கினன்; தன் வலி காட்டி, ஆழியை

நடுக்கினன்-நளன் எனும் நவையின் நீங்கினான்.

 

The project site presented:

 

Nala, the vanara architect and the site engineer rolled into one - yelled out: ‘come on, bring them all!’ to the three crore vanaras engaged in the project and receiving with one hand and constructing with the other, he made the sea tremble with this frenetic activity, demonstrating his skill and might.

 

மஞ்சினில் திகழ்தரும் மலையை, மாக் குரங்கு,

எஞ்சுறக் கடிது எடுத்து எறியவே, நளன்

விஞ்சையில் தாங்கினன்-சடையன் வெண்ணையில்,

'தஞ்சம்!' என்றோர்களைத் தாங்கும் தன்மைபோல்.

 

As the vanaras threw the huge hills brought in by them at Nala, he received all of them with his hands - by himself, his divine skill in evidence and full flow - as the philanthropic noble  Sadaiyappa of Thiruvennainallur would receive and nourish those who sought his help.

 

(Through his rendering of this great epic, Kamban pays tributes to the great philanthropic noble whose court Kamban seems to have adorned - in preference to the mighty royal court of the Cholas - and whose philanthropy and hospitality were proverbial - Sadaiyappan - Sadaiyappa Vallal (Vallal - the irrepressible donor) of Thiruvennai Nallur (this is a small town in Villupuram District, between Villupuram and Cuddalore.) Folklore has it that, originally Kamban sang about Sadayappa Vallal in every hundredth verse of his epic; some in the court thought that this was one too many. Kamban is reported to have riposted: “You all think that this man is not just one a hundred, but one in a thousand. So be it.” and cut down the reference to once every thousand verses. As a crowing tribute to his wealthy mentor, Kamban would bring him in in the very pinnacle of the epic - Sri Rama Pattabhishekam - thus;

 

அரியணை அனுமன் தாங்க, அங்கதன் உடைவாள் ஏந்த,

பரதன் வெண்குடை கவிக்க, இருவரும் கவரி வீச

விரைசெறி குழலி ஓங்க வெண்ணெயூர்ச் சடையன் தங்கள்

மரபுேளார் கொடுக்க வாங்கி வசிட்டனே புனைந்தான் மௌலி.).

 

 Back to the epic:

 

The frenzied and massive movement of rocks and hills for the dam by these crores of mighty vanaras caused a world-wide clamour and tremulous reaction even by the elements.

 

A delightful allegory:

 

சிந்துரத் தட வரை எறிய, சேணிடை

முந்துறத் தெறித்து எழு முத்தம் தொத்தலால்,

அந்தரத்து எழு முகில் ஆடையா, அகன்

பந்தர் ஒத்தது, நெடும் பருதி வானமே.

 

As the vanaras pulled out and threw huge hills with herds of elephants and all, as the countless pearls spilled forth from the fall of these heavy objects into the sea, spraying, as it were, into the open sky and covering the cloud-clad sky, with the Sun dominating it – the heavenly canopy looked like a grandly lit huge pandal that was richly embellished.

 

தேன் இவர் தட வரை, திரைக் கருங் கடல்-

தான் நிமிர்தர, இடை குவியத் தள்ளும் நீர்-

மேல் நிமிர் திவலை மீச் சென்று மீடலால்,

வானவர் நாட்டினும் மழை பொழிந்தவால்.

 

As the torrent of hills and rocks was falling into the sea, the waters of the sea, in a skyward shower, caused rains in the celestial domain.

 

அசும்பு பாய் தேனும், பூவும், ஆரமும், அகிலும்,மற்றும்,

விசும்பு எலாம் உலவும் தெய்வ வேரியின் மிடைந்து விம்ம,

தசும்பெலாம் வாசம் ஊட்டிச் சார்த்திய தண்ணீர் என்ன,

பசும் புலால் நாறும் வேலை பரிமளம் கமழ்ந்தது அன்றே.

 

The sea, that normally emits a putrid fleshy odour (because of the decaying fishes), now threw up a pleasant fragrance right into the sky - like sacred waters in a pitcher with added fragrant agents - as the hills carried with them plentiful flows of honey, fragrant flowers, sandal and akhil wood (Eagle Wood - agar agar).

 

தேம் முதல் கனியும் காயும், தேனினோடு ஊனும், தெய்வப்

பூ முதலாய எல்லாம், மீன் கொளப் பொலிந்த அன்றே,

மா முதல் தருவோடு ஓங்கும் வான் உயர் மானக் குன்றம்-

தாம் முதலோடும் கெட்டால் ஒழிவரோ, வண்மை தக்கோர்?

 

As the hills got uprooted (by the vanaras) and got thrown into the sea, the rich scrumptious fruits and other edible things along with honey and fragrant flowers fit for the celestials, these provided copious feed for the fishes of the sea, reminding us of the adage - high-born men even when they meet their end - root and branch - would not cease giving.

 

The generosity of the high-born is now contrasted with misers - the very same hills!

 

மண்ணுறச்  சேற்றுள் புக்கு சுரிகின்ற   மாலைக் குன்றம்

கள் நிறை போதும், காயும், கனிகளும், பிறவும், கவ்வி

வெண் நிற மீன்கள் எல்லாம், வறியவர் என்ன,-மேன்மேல்

உள் நிறை செல்வம் நல்காது ஒளிக்கின்ற உலோபர்ஒத்த.

 

Those hills which plunged into the slushy bottom of the sea, carried with them all the riches - honey-filled flowers, edible vegetables, fruits - as if denying all those riches to the greatly expectant fishes that yearned for food – like the lowly misers who would hide their wealth from the needy.

 

கறங்கு எனத் திரியும் வேகக் கவிக் குலம் கதுவ வாங்கி,

பிறங்கு இருங் கடலில் பெய்த போழ்தத்தும், பெரிய பாந்தள்,

மறம் கிளர் மான யானை வயிற்றின ஆக, வாய் சோர்ந்து,

உறங்கின-கேடு உற்றாலும், உணர்வரோ உணர்வு இலாதார்?

 

As the vanaras - weaving back and forth like so many kites - uprooted, transported and threw great hills into the sea, the pythons, having devoured huge elephants and overcome with drowsiness (with the huge feed), falling into the sea along with the rocks and still immobile and asleep, did not realise their nearing end. Mindless men? Would they know when end nears them?

 

Would pythons really devour elephants? Here is some corroboration:

 

கரிய மா முகில் படலங்கள் கிடந்து அவை முழங்கிட களிறு என்று

பெரிய மாசுணம் வரை எனப் பெயர்தரு பிரிதி எம் பெருமானை…

Thirumangai Azhwar’s Periya Thirumozhi.  பிரிதி = திருப்பிரிதி Nanda Prayagai. or Joshi Mutt ?

 

Mistaking the huge rain clouds overhead to be tuskers and the thunders as their trumpeting, huge pythons reached into the sky seeking to devour them

 

இழை எனத் தகைய மின்னின் எயிற்றின, முழக்கம் ஏய்ந்த,

புழையுடைத் தடக் கை ஒன்றோடு ஒன்று இடை பொருந்தச் சுற்றி,

கழையுடைக் குன்றின் முன்றில், உருமொடு கலந்த கால

மழை எனப் பொருத-வேலை மகரமும் மத்த மாவும்.

 

The huge ‘makara’ fishes (whales?) with their fearsome teeth fought fiercely with the large tuskers that fell into the sea along with the hills – ‘hand-to-hand’ – causing thunder-like clamour, resembling an intense, thunder-filled, monsoon rain.

 

கூருடை எயிற்றுக் கோள் மாச் சுறவுஇனம் எறிந்து கொல்ல,

போருடை அரியும், வெய்ய புலிகளும், யாளிப் போத்தும்,

நீரிடைத் தோற்ற அன்றே?-தம் நிலை நீங்கிச்சென்றால்,

ஆரிடைத் தோலார் மேலோர், அறிவிடை நோக்கின் அம்மா?

 

Because they were caught up in hostile territory - the sea - the fierce killers on land - the lions, maneater tigers, Yaalis - were defeated and killed by sea life like sharks with killer teeth. Should even the mighty leave their zones of comfort and enter territories unfriendly to them, they are sure to be bested.

 

துள்ளின, குதித்த, வானத்து உயர் வரைக்குவட்டில் தூங்கும்

கள்ளினை நிறைய மாந்தி, கவி எனக் களித்த,மீன்கள்.

 

Fishes, consuming the pristine honey flowing from the top of the hills that the vanaras were throwing into the sea, got drunk and reveled like vanaras do.

 

கவி - monkey(s).

 

 The dam takes shape:

 

விண்தலம் தொடு மால் வரை வேரொடும்

கொண்டு, அலம் கொள வீரர் குவித்தலால்,

திண் தலம், கடல், ஆனது; நீர் செல,

மண்தலம் கடல் ஆகி மறைந்ததே.

 

As the energetic and powerful vanaras, straining every nerve, uprooted and brought in lofty hills and threw them into the sea, the yawning sea waters disappeared and got converted into flat earthy surface.

 

அய்யன் வேண்டின், அது இது ஆம் அன்றே-

வெய்ய சீயமும், யாளியும், வேங்கையும்,

மொய் கொள் குன்றின்முதலின, மொய்த்தலால்,

நெய்தல் வேலி குறிஞ்சி நிகர்த்ததால்!

 

The sea-front land ( நெய்தல் ) resembled a hilly terrain (குறிஞ்சி), as the sea bed got filled with hills together with their forests and the forest-living killer animals like fierce lions, yaalis and tigers.

 

நிலத்திணைகள்

 

Thamizh society of yore understood its nature - land and land-supported flora and fauna in FIVE distinct categories - these were collectively called நிலத்திணைகள். Of this, நெய்தல் (Neythal) was sea-front and adjacent land; மருதம் (Marudham) was fertile cultivable land (usually irrigated by river systems); முல்லை (Mullai) was forest and bush country; குறிஞ்சி (Kurinji) was hills and hilly regions; பாலை (Paalai) was desert or land that was not habitable/cultivable.

 

 'யான் உணாதன இங்கு இவை' என்னவே,

தீன் உணாதன; என் இது செய்யுமே?

மான் உணாத திரைக் கடல் வாழ்தரு

மீன் உணாதன இல்லை விலங்குஅரோ.

 

The feed systems of both the fauna which were thrust into the sea and the sea-living fishes got completely perverted. The deer could not find anything fit for them to eat and therefore starved. So did even carnivores which were not used to consume fish. என் இது செய்யுமே - What could they do? But, lo! the fishes, on the other hand, got to feast on all kinds of animal life that they were not normally endowed with.  மீன் உணாதன இல்லை விலங்கு.

 

வவ் விலங்கு வளர்த்தவர்மாட்டு அருள்

செவ் விலங்கல் இல் சிந்தையின் தீர்வரோ-

'இவ் விலங்கல் விடேம்' இனி என்பபோல்,

எவ் விலங்கும் வந்து எய்தின வேலையே!

 

Should wards happen to lose their guardians, would they cease loving them? The animal life in the hills that got transferred to the sea (by vanaras) seemed to be obstinate in clinging on to their habitat that nourished them, oblivious of the life-threat that obstinacy meant. (Casabianca?)

 

கனி தரும், நெடுங் காய் தரும், நாள்தொறும்-

இனிது அருந் தவம் நொய்தின் இயற்றலால்,-

பனி தருங் கிரி தம் மனம் பற்று அறு

முனிவரும் முனியார், முடிவு உன்னுவார்.

 

The ascetics and sages who were deprived of their sources of vegetables and fruits, their source for cool shade for engaging in ascetics, did not vent any anger at the vanaras who were causing this havoc to them, as they saw through the ultimate design in this activity - the annihilation of the Rakshasas.

 

According to the Aadhi Kaavya the Sethu got constructed in the following time-frame:

 

Day 1 - Fourteen Yojanas (1 Yojana is 8 (or 9?) miles x 14 = 112 miles)

Day 2 - Twenty Yojanas (with speed and productivity picking up) - 20 x 8 = 160 miles

Day 3 - Twenty One Yojanas (progression is maintained) 21 x 8 = 168 miles

Day 4 - Twenty Two Yojanas (      do.                  ) 22 x 8  = 176 miles

Day 5 - Twenty Three Yojanas (project completion)      23 x 8 = 184 miles     (100 yojanas or 800 miles). We need to grapple with these hyperbolic, geographically improbable numbers.

 

Kamban has a different set of numbers – next week!!!

 

SELECTION 190

 

Canto on Damming the Sea (across the sea) - சேது பந்தனப் படலம்

 

(We missed one very interesting nugget of legend that the Aadhi Kaavya would lead us to in the previous canto (Selections 187 and 188) -  We saw that Varuna pointed to the Asuras - his adversaries - populating a region called Maru Kantaaram. (Kamban also uses the same name but seems to suggest that this was an island in the far away seas.) Commentaries on the Valmiki Ramayana dealing with this place seem to suggest that this place was in western Rajasthan and Eastern Punjab (Now Pakistan). “Kaantaaram” is a term that conveys ‘uninhabitable terrain’ - used alternately for harsh forests or deserts.

 

E.g  bahu doSham hi kaantaaram vanam iti abhidhiiyate ||  Oh, Sita! Let your thought  about (going with me to the) forest be given up. It is indeed said that (the) forest with its wilderness is fraught with many dangers." (Rama to Sita) Ayodhya Khandam 2.28.5;

 

idam durgam hi kaantaaram mR^iga raakshasa sevitam siitaam ca taata rakShiShye tvayi yaate salakShmaNe - this impassable forest is the favoured habitat of predators and Rakshasas; I could look after Sita, in case you and Lakshmana need to go out. (Jatayu to Rama). Aranya Khandam 3.14.34

 

But the pithy part of this anecdote is this:

 

As Rama asked Varuna to show the chorded dart  a target it must have, Varuna with great presence of mind and cleverness points to a domain in his vast watery empire and its people that are defiant of his reign: “To the north of here is a region of mine called Drumakulya, far-famed like you for its beauty. It is infested with fierce and wicked thieves. They do nefarious deeds and drink my waters. Their deadly sinful contact is intolerable for me. Shoot your great missile at them"

 

The epic then brings in another place name - Maru Kaantaaram:

तेन तन्मरुकान्तारम् प्^इथिव्याम् किल विश्रुतम् ||

विपातितः शरो यत्र वज्राशनिसमप्रभः

 

tena tanmarukaantaaram p^ithivyaam kila vishrutam || 2-22-35

vipaatitaH sharo yatra vajraashanisamaprabhaH

 

The place where the arrow ( whose splendor was akin to that of  (Indra’s) Vajrayudha), descended,  that place is indeed famous as the desert of Maru on this earth.

 

 

विख्यातम् त्रिषु लोकेषु मधुकान्तारमेव च || २-२२-३९

शोषयित्वा तु तम् कुक्षिम् रामो दशरथात्मजः |

वरम् तस्मै ददौ विद्वान्मरवेऽमरविक्रमः

vikhyaatam triShu lokeShu madhukaantaarameva ca || 2-22-39

shoShayitvaa tu tam kukshim raamo dasharathaatmajaH |

varam tasmai dadau vidvaanmarave.amaravikramaH ||

 

That desert of Maru became famous in the three worlds. Rama, made that cavity dry  up and gave a boon to that desert of Maru.

 

A fresh water source named Pushkar surrounded by Marukantara was created.

 

CONJECTURAL CONCLUSION: The place that Varuna pointed as the target for Rama’s dart lay due north east of the present Runn of Kutch - well into the Thar. It was a derelict salt-water waste, peopled by the tribe ’Abhiras’ (mentioned in the epic). Rama’s Agneyastra blasted this whole water body and punched a deep cavity and brought forth fresh, sweet waters, that are now celebrated as the Pushkar (Lake) - surrounded by the (Maru) desert.

 

A corroborative comment:

“Probably the territory on the western bank of Indus (Sindhu) was known as Sindhu, whereas the territory on the eastern bank was inhabited by Sauviras and to their east and west os Sarasvati River and north of Sarasvata Samudra known as Drumakulya to Valmiki in c.600 b.c., lived the Abhiras. The area was sea earlier as known both to archaeology and trAadhition. …

 

… Encyclopaedic dictionary of vedic terms.

 

Moving on to the current canto:

 

புலையின் வாழ்க்கை அரக்கர், பொருப்பு உளார்,

தலையின்மேல் வைத்த கையினர், சாற்றுவார்,

'மலை இலேம்; மற்று, மாறு இனி வாழ்வது ஓர்

நிலை இலேம்' என்று, இலங்கை நெருங்கினார்.

 

Kamban would have us understand that the huge hills and mounts that the vanaras pulled out for the dam were home not only to wild animals; these  also had other human entities residing there. We found earlier that there were ascetics and sages doing a  ‘tapas’ (who did not get ruffled by the great disturbance, looking to the ultimate devine purpose of it and did not frown on the vanaras); we now find that there were Rakshasas having this habitat as their home and they were thrown out into the sea along with the hills. The poet presents their flight/plight:

 

The Rakshasas living in those hills, the sinning and wicked ones, with their hands on their heads, screamed: “We lost our hills. We have lost our living steads.” Thus crying they fled - Lanka-bound.

 

(People in distress are known to place their hands on their head in helpless apathy. The poet brings that picture to us: தலையின்மேல் வைத்த கையினர்)

 

முழுக்க நீரில் புகா, முழுகிச் செலா,

குழுக்களோடு அணை கோள் அரி, யாளிகள்,

இழுக்கு இல் பேர் அணையின் இரு பக்கமும்

ஒழுக்கின் மாலை வகுத்தன ஒத்தவே.

 

The herds of  large wild animals that fell off from the hills - the fierce lions, the huge elephants, Yaalis - half submerged and lining up the two sides of the dam under construction, like an ornamental parade aligning the great dam.

 

பாரினாள் முதுகும் நெடும் பாழ்பட,

மூரி வானரம் வாங்கிய மொய்ம் மலை

வேரின் ஆம் என, வெம் முழையின்னுழை

சோரும் நாகம் நிலன் உறத் தூங்குமால்.

 

As the vanaras pulled out numerous hills, hurting the spine of Mother Earth as it were, the countless reptiles dangling from the base of the hills that the vanaras uprooted and brough to the damsite resembled the deep-reaching roots of those hills.

 

அருணச் செம் மணிக் குன்று அயலே சில

இருள் நற் குன்றம் அடுக்கின, ஏய்ந்தன-

கருணைக் கொண்டல், 'வறியன் கழுத்து' என

வருணற்கு ஈந்த வருண சரத்தையே.

 

Another delightful allegory:

As the hills were arranged to make the dam - by Nala the aesthetically ingrained architect - with the ruby-like red hills adjacent to the bluish dark ones - it looked like a grand garland that Rama reciprocally presented to Varuna, who had bared his neck by offering his garland to Rama. கருணைக் கொண்டல், - the raincloud of compassion that Rama was; வறியன் கழுத்து - the vacant (ornamentless) neck (of Varuna).

 

ஏய்ந்த தம் உடம்பு இட்ட உயிர்க்கு இடம்

ஆய்ந்து கொள்ளும் அறிஞரின், ஆழ் கடல்

பாய்ந்து பண்டு உறையும் மலைப் பாந்தள்கள்,

போந்த மா மலையின் முழை, புக்கவே.

 

Like Sidhdha yogis who had mastered the skill of leaving their bodies and returning to them, the huge pythons that were displaced in the malee of hills being uprooted and them being thrown out of their own holes and den, falling into the sea, manage to find their earlier burrowed homes in the very same hills.

 

The vanara commanders, beginning from Hanuman, participate in the ‘throwing melee’

 

Hanuman:

 

சேதுவின் பெருமைக்கு இணை செப்ப, ஓர்

ஏது வேண்டும் என்று எண்ணுவது என்கொலோ-

தூதன் இட்ட மலையின் துவலையால்,

மீது விட்டு-உலகு உற்றது, மீன் குலம்?

 

The huge hill that Hanuman pulled out and threw into the sea - participating in the dam building - caused the whole sea spray right into the sky, with the entire fishes also reached the heavens (with that spray). Why should there be any need to have a comparison with this great dam-building?

 

Neelan:

 

நீலன் இட்ட நெடு வரை நீள் நில

மூலம் முட்டலின், மொய் புனல் கைம்மிக,

கூலம் இட்டிய ஆர்கலி கோத்ததால்,

ஓலமிட்டு எழுந்து ஓடி, உலகு எலாம்.

 

As Neelan threw a huge hill into the sea, it plunged deep into the bosom of the earth and the waters flowed breaching the embankments, the sea seemed to wail (with that pain), running all over the earth.

 

 ANGADA

 

இலக்கு வன் சரம்ஆயினும், ஏன்று எதிர்

விலக்கினால், விலங்காத விலங்கலால்,

அலக்கண் எய்த,-அமுது எழ ஆழியைக்

கலக்கினான் மகன்-மீளக் கலக்கினான்.

 

Angada, son of Vaali who churned the Thirupparkadal (all by himself and let the divine nectar be had by the celestials), churned this sea by throwing into a humongous hill that might have not yielded even to the all powerful dart of Lakshmana.

இலக்குவன் சரம் = The dart of Lakshmana; this could be interpreted also to mean

இலக்கு வன் சரம் = the targeted fierce dart.

 

JAMBAVAN

 

மருத்தின் மைந்தன் மணி நெடுந் தோள் எனப்

பெருத்த குன்றம், கரடிப் பெரும் படை

விருத்தன் இட்ட விசையினின், வீசிய

திருத்தம், வானவர் சென்னியில் சென்றதால்.

 

As the elder Jambavan pulled out a huge hill resembling the mighty shoulder of Hanuman, and threw it into the sea, the waters spraying from that impact reached and sprinkled the crowns of the celestials. திருத்தம் distortion of தீர்த்தம் - sacred waters.

 

KUMUDAN:

 

குமுதன் இட்ட குல வரை கூத்தரின்

திமிதம் இட்டுத் திரியும் திரைக் கடல்

துமி தம் ஊர் புக, வானவர் துள்ளினார்-

அமுதம் இன்னம் எழும் எனும் ஆசையால்.

 

As Kumudan pulled out and threw a huge hill, the sea seemed to danced around (with the churn) and as the spray reached the heavens, the celestials jumped in joy, expecting that divine nectar would follow (the churn and spray). துமி தம் ஊர் புக = as the droplets of spray fell in in their abode (heavens).

 

‘துமி’ hereabouts carries an anecdote about Kamban. As Kamban composed a verse that included this word - to mean துளி, the other pundits in the royal durbar where this was presented objected saying that this was an inaccurate term not admitted in the grammar of Thamish. Kamban refuted it and asserted that the women of shepherd households casually used that term. Challenged to prove it, Kamban took them to the nearest house of a shepherd where the lady of the house was churning butter. As the party of pundits went in, the lady was heard to admonish a child who was reaching to her thus: ‘கிட்ட வராதே! எட்டி நில்! மோர்த் துமி படும்.’ . The pundits returned, flabbergasted. It transpired that Goddess Saraswati herself arrived on the scene to prove Kamban right. Proving the then prevailing belief: Goddess Sarasvati was obliging to Poet Ottakkoothar (a contemporary and rival of Kamban) but she was a SLAVE of Kamban.

 

NALAN GIVES FINISHING TOUCHES TO THE DAM, WITH HIS DEXTEROUS HANDS: A PEERLESS ARTIST IN FULL FLOW:

 

 குலை கொளக் குறி நோக்கிய கொள்கையான்,

சிலைகள் ஒக்க முறித்துச் செறித்து, நேர்

மலைகள் ஒக்க அடுக்கி, மணற் படத்

தலைகள் ஒக்கத் தடவும், தடக் கையால்.

 

The impeccable artist that he was, Nala, with unwavering concentration, broke the rocks into compatible pieces, stacked the hills symmetrically, used sand fills and with his large hands would finish the final surface.

 

மலை சுமந்து வருவன வானரம்,

நிலையில் நின்றன, செல்ல நிலம் பெறா -

அலை நெடுங் கடல் அன்றியும், ஆண்டுத் தம்

தலையின்மேலும் ஒர் சேது தருவ போன்ம்.

 

The crores of vanaras, with headloads of huge hills lining up to the sea, themselves resembled another Sethu adjacent to the one that was taking shape.

 

ஆய்ந்து நீளம், அரிது சுமந்தன

ஓய்ந்த கால, பசியின் உலர்ந்தன,

ஏந்து மால் வரை வைத்து, அவற்று ஈண்டு தேன்

மாந்தி மாந்தி, மறந்து, துயின்றவால்.

 

The vanaras carrying those burdensome headloads, looking ahead at the way yet to cross, felt weak in their legs, had their tongues dry with thirst and hunger; and seeking relief from the copious honey flow from the hills that they carried, losing their purpose momentarily, they got drunk and sleepy.

 

The Aadhi Kaavya refers to a rare engineering tool being used in the construction:

 

समुद्रम् क्षोभयामासुर्निपतन्तः समन्ततः ||

सूत्राण्यन्ये प्रगृह्णन्ति ह्यायतम् शतयोजनम्

 

samudram kshobhayaamaasurnipatantaH samantataH ||

suutraaNyanye pragR^ihNanti hyaayatam shatayojanam

 

The rocks falling on all sides perturbed the ocean. Some (vanaras) drew up strings a hundred Yojanas long (in order to keep the rocks in a straight line.)

 

 The poet creates the construction site clamour:

 

போதல் செய்குநரும், புகுவார்களும்,

மாதிரம்தொறும் வானர வீரர்கள்,

'சேது எத்துணைச் சென்றது?' என்பார் சிலர்;

'பாதி சென்றது' எனப் பகர்வார் சிலர்.

 

Those vanaras who, having unloaded were returning to fetch more (of the hills for the dam) and those who were just coming in, to the site, filling all the directions, some would enquire (of those returning from the site) - How much is the dam done? And some (those returning from the site) would respond - Half done.

 

குறைவு இல் குங்குமமும், குகைத் தேன்களும்,

நிறை மலர்க் குலமும், நிறைந்து எங்கணும்,

துறைதொறும் கிரி தூக்கின தோய்தலால்