Thursday, May 22, 2014

Kamba Ramayanam –Bala Kandam Padalam 22-23-Sita Kalyanam


22.Katimana  Padalam
(The chapter  on the great marriage)

( The chapter begins with love sickness   of Sita and Rama  and later  in this chapter Rama weds Sita . Though r several common rites of marriage of south India are mentioned, there is no Mangalya dharanam. The poet mentions that the wedding took place on Panguni uthra day, which fact is not there   in Valmiki Ramayana.   Like Valmiki Ramayana , the mothers of Rama are not present   during marriage. After marriage     Rama and Sita go inside the palace     and salute them. The  marriage of brothers of Rama take place the next day  as per proposal of Janaka. Even the names   of their brides   is not mentioned. In Valmiki Ramayana there is a lengthy introduction  to each other of the clan of  Dasaratha and Janaka. The introduction by Vasishta   in Kamba Ramayana is there    as soon as Dasaratha arrives from Ayodhya.
   With this chapter and one   following it  , Bala Kandam comes to an end.)

1160.Due to the great hospitality shown by Janaka   whose fame is wide spread,
Right from kings who owned   elephants who were  showering rut  ,
To the kings   with broad shoulders   and princes   and those ,
Were all in between these      great groups   felt as  if,
They have gone to the city of Indra  along with this body.

1161. Would not  those who are   greatly thirsty and want to drink pure water,
See the source of good water  but  unable to find  steps to approach the water ,
Lose their strength  and would become   sorry as well as depressed,
Similarly   the lady who was like Koel and was wearing golden bangle   attained  that state.

1162.”Oh cruel night  , Are    there people  who deceive and kill,
Feeble   ladies   who do not have any strength whatsoever 
without   any thought  ? AS soon as    the sun rises tomorrow,
My Lord would come near me   and   so please go to the day with speed.”

1163.Oh mind  , you have   gone along with the feet of the black coloured Rama,
And propose    to come back     when he returns but you  have been with me,
From the day I was  born   and wander round me without parting from me ..
Are there people like    you,  who cannot   wait  for  one more day?”

1164. “Oh  Andril bird who lives  on  a palm tree  , when I am trying   to attain,
Rama like the seven seas which  make great sound, due to my bad fate  ,
If the day time   perhaps never comes but  you  without any culture  ,
Are  flying with your mate instead of  flying alone. Why are you doing these bad acts?’

1165.”Oh moon  , Who has  hot  spreading rays  , which hurt like   a sharp spear  ,
And is hot like fire, Please tell whether    any one else   except   you is there,
Who  trouble the tender lasses  whose body is thinning down and  who  do not avenge.”

1166.”Oh  breeze tiger  who lives   in the best big caves of the southern Podigai mountain,
Have  You who are the store house of fragrance   and   coolness .
Started  to eat   ladies like me   with fire like mouth,
Making   the  rays   of moon light     as your  teeth.

1167. “A matchless hero is wandering these    streets ,
And he is not leaving  me  during day and night ,
And how    this   is possible   for him , to be at two places?”
How is it that he   who has   a black body  and  who is  a king by his clan,
Has come   to a lass    who is  alone?”

1168.”Is it this darkness   the hell which the sinners attain?.
While my desire  is running   towards  him who shows no mercy,
And this black darkness is like   a never ending sea,
Whose   shore  I would not be able to find  ,
How many   deluge  time does this  darkness last?”

1169.”The music of the    town seems to be never ending,
And the day time never seems to come and thoughts are  not going away.
This night would never become day, my mental  pains  will never end,
My soul does  not appear  to move away, eyes  do not sleep, Is this  my lot?”

1170”Oh ocean, The conch bangles with you   are falling down  ,
And like me who am very tired   you do not seem to have any sleep,
Are  you an unmarried maid like me? And  are you also,
Agitated   due to the fear of the arrows of god of love?”

1171.Sorrowing   by telling   these   words   several times,
Thinking  of her worries, not able to leave   feminine qualities,
She spent    that entire    night in her palace in darkness,
And now let us see   what is happening  inside the   mind of Rama.

1172”.Due to the great love , having seen her   earlier,
I have drawn her  in the screen of my mind  using the pen of my eyes,
And I have seen her again and  then I could not see  the other  shore  of her beauty,
How can some one who   has  seen a streak of lightning draw it.”

1173.”Her face is  like that of Goddess  Lakshmi  .Oh moon,
You are producing   fruits and allowing seeds of passion to grow.
 What have    you decided   to do  ?
Would   you not   become  my friend   and help me?”

1174,”The   darkness   that   has spread   everywhere and
Stood like the black eye   Of Sita   which  tries to push my soul out,
Instead of   reducing    like the bad name  of  king   who was afraid  ,
Of death by his enemies ,  keeps   on increasing .”

1175.”Oh mind which went away with Sita  who has deer like eyes,
Would you not think about me once? Is the path to return very long  ?
You should   come away from those    who do not   care  about you,
Have    you completely   forgotten  about  me?”

1176.”It seems that it is an old news    that the strongest poison  ,
Is housed in the teeth  of a snake whose  looks can burn,
And now it has been proved   that she   who is always  ,
IN my sight and mind   is giving rise   to only a cool sight.”

1177.”Though she can   play  on artificial hills  , Gardens  with lot of flowers,
Sea beaches   and very many  other  places  of entertainment,
I do not know   Why that lady  whose talk  is much sweeter than nectar,
And who has   thin hairs  , has chosen my mind as the place to play with.”

1178.Since the great king was fully engrossed about the marriage,
Said that the marriage   of that lass  whose hair is  desired by bees ,
Is on the next day   and so    to further beautify    our city ,
Which   in inherently beautified     by lot of gems and flowers.
And he told them to   inform all  his citizens   about it,
By beating the drums which are  carried   on elephants.

1179.As soon as the drums were  played  , the respectable old people.
Youngsters and ladies     who had hair that was scented  ,
Met with each other  and rushed to beautify   their town,
And met their relations discussed about the   wedding of Sita,
 And  waiting to see   it , some how reached the other  shore of the night.

1180.Hearing  the  news  along with the   beating of the drum that ,
Rama who is black like Kajal   and   Sita    who stays in the lotus flower,
Would enter   in to a   faultless marriage     that   day,
The Sun God , came as if he wanted  to see the marriage of the clan member,
On his matchless   chariot   by piercing the night   with   his red rays.

1181.The people of the town were setting up  ornamental pillars in the street  ,
Covering all pillars with cloth  , Keeping filled up pots and decorating them with pretty cloth,
Tying lustrous beads   on tall buildings which seem to touch the sky,
And were  cooking sweet food   to the Brahmins    who would explain Vedas.

1182.The ladies who had the tender walk of the swans  , the lads who walked like bulls,
Were planting banana    and betelnut trees in that  town   not conquered by any,
Were searching and wearing   the best gem   among the invaluable gems that they have  ,
Were dressing with gold ornaments and were also wearing gem studded  ornaments.

1183. Some of them wandering all over the streets sprinkling paste  of Sandal and Akil,
Some were showering fresh  flowers like rain, and  Some  who were decorating  ,
BY hanging   invaluable pearl necklaces  in those tall buildings  already decorated,
Gem studded buildings   which even made    the  rainbows shy .

1184.  With   scented   sheets whose edges were covered by gold ,
Making moon light   as well as    sun light    to come out of them,
With Maikhya gems   giving out light   in the rows   of hall ,
Made  by  crystal stones  , with lamps    that were giving out spreading  light,
Many people   were keeping germinating pots    with sweet cool   sprouts everywhere.

1185 Like    all the groups   of stars   in the  long sky   are   shining together  ,
The front of all multiple storey buildings   which were like  Mandara  mountain ,
The pearls   which are  capable of showering matchless   luster   were  lighting up,
The entire row and because   and because  the sun’s rays   were spreading  .
Some were trying to   erect protecting   tents to prevent that.

1186. In the stages   where  green gems  have been embedded   ,
And surrounded   by diamonds , servant girls brought  ,
Faultless   lamps   and kept them there and  they would  establish,
Flags with golden poles   on the boundary walls which seem to touch the moon  .
And also were seen putting Akil logs    in the burning    fire.

1187.Some were bringing lot of cool flowers in carts,
Some were bringing leaves    and fruits    from the gardens,
Some were   dancing Kuravai   with their ear globes giving out light  ,
And some were putting face mask on the elephants  which take lot of food.

1188.Some were  applying on themselves   the mixture   sandal paste  ,
Some were examining good dresses   with intentions to wear them,
Some were decorating their hair with flowers, some were putting  ,
THilak on their moon like faces  , some were   wearing Chikazhika   garlands,
And some were drawing    on their red lips resembling  Ilavam flowers.

1189.Some ladies who were like peacock  , even when they were putting make up,
Or when they were angry and having a love tiff, became   those  who collected,
Heaps of fallen gems  , gold coins  , conch bangles  ,   and scented powders ,
That are likely   to fall down  , as heaps   and  threw   them out.

1190.For  the sake of the wedding function  , Kings   started   arriving  ,
Brahmins were coming and crowding , Some people were   enjoying  ,
Honey like music  , some were    singing   and wandering, some  ladies were dancing,
And there   were some,   using hour glasses  estimating   the time accurately.

1191.  Ladies who were experts   in dance started    crowding  ,
Some were learning   and practicing   many  of the sixty four arts  ,
And some were coming near the entrance of the   palace of king Janaka,
Where   the gems    from the ornaments   of   very many minor kings,
And  from   the crowns of those kings  dashing   against each other had  fallen like mountains.

1192. With  golden shields reflecting light  , With the tip of spears,
Reflecting light like moon   , With lads walking  like,
Elephants with long tusks which were experts in war  ,
And dancing   for   increasing happiness of ladies ,
And   while they were dancing ,  those ladies,
Smiled prettily and robbed the souls of those lads.

1194.Some were coming in chariots  , some in palanquins,
Some in other types of vehicles , some on elephants  .
Having a mask studded   with lustrous gems  ,
Some were coming on female elephants ,
Some were walking on earth  and some in carts.

1195.Some were wearing ornaments made  of pearls  ,
Some were  throwing out the pearl ornaments  they were wearing earlier,
Some were becoming joyous by wearing more and more  types of ornaments,
Some were wearing on their hair crafted  garlands made   of flower  bunches,
And some   were wearing red silk cloths  where  picture rows were drawn.

1196.Some were having  eyes like poison,  Some with nectar  like voice,
Some having lips like red Netti, , Some who were having white  teeth,
Some who were proud of their wide breasts , Some  who were having,
Peculiar very narrow waists  , Some with gait of  female swans  ,
And some  who walked she elephants crowded there,

1197.It is difficult to see all  the wealth of Mithila in one place  ,
And even to think  of   that amount of wealth   by mind is difficult,
 That marriage day    Of Rama could only be comparable  to the day of crowning,
Of Indra   who rules   the lustrous land   of the sky .

1198.The king of kings Dasaratha    reached   the hall ,
Whose limits were   difficult to find out  ,  whose  roof was made of  Gold,
Which was as tall as mountain  ,Which was    decorated by costly gems,
And where all the auspicious   things   for wedding has been collected  and stored.

1199.With the white royal umbrella   giving the light    of  young moon,
And that  umbrella also  giving out the light of sun jading the eyes,
With bees which bore in to the flowers    singing  ,
And   dust raising due to the hoofs of victorious horses Dasaratha arrived.

1200.At that time   the auspicious sound of wedding drums blared forth,
The   groups of conches also boomed  , Small and big drums raised their sound,
 And the sound    of chanting of Vedas    by those   experts in Vedas,
Matched the  sound of the waves    of   ocean at night, when it will be more.

1201.The wide chariots   elephants and the horses that can fleet,
Came in crowds   and crowds    sorted  in to correct groups,
Those kings who normally salute    Dasaratha    and follow him,
Came along with him like Indra being surrounded by devas,.

1202. Dasaratha who travelled  in that  great manner  ,
Came and sat in a  pretty  golden seat making it more pretty,
Sages and other   kings   as per   their rank occupied their seats,
And Janaka also occupied    the seats along with his relatives.

1203. Due to   kings , sages   , devas of the sky    and  the maidens,
Walking like swans   who were similar to the ladies of heaven,
Crowding that hall  , that matchless   hall of marriage ,
Was looking like   golden Meru mountain  which is circled by   planets.

1204.In that marriage hall which was constructed   by  Maya ,
Properly    embedding gems  , people   who do good,
Without expecting  anything in return were   there,
Shining ladies   were there  ,  matchless   stars were  there ,
Due  to many kings being there  , there   were the clan of nine precious  gems,
Sun and moon were there in the   form of Dasaratha and Janaka  ,
And it looked   like the universe   created   by Lord Brahma.

1205.Great sages   and kings   and with devas  were  kept  inside,
IN   that  marriage hall    and so   it was like the belly of Lord Vishnu,
Who swallowed   earth and heaven and kept it there  during deluge.

1206, All the people   of not only this earth but the   entire universe  ,
Crowded   there  with a wish to  see the marriage  . Should we ,
Separately say about it? Since there  is no need for it ,
We  will tell the acts  of Rama who has left   his bed,
Of Adhisesha    and has come   over to Ayodhya.

1207.With sacred waters  having been brought from the seven sea,
 Where   crowds  of conches are found    and with the ,
Very special holy waters    that have been mentioned  in the Vedas ,
In which the waters   of the sacred   rivers  like Ganga has  been mixed,
As per tradition   Lord Rama    took his auspicious   bath.

1208, After   giving  charity  to  faultless ladies with Kayal fish like   eyes,
Which extended up to their ears  and      to  Great Brahmins  ,
Who were expert   in Vedas , Rama saluted  Ranganatha  ,
Their shining family deity  who  was worshipped  by,
His faultless ancestors   who had done faultless penance.

1209.Like the grace  which  saved penance and  Dharma  
Which  was being destroyed, by Rakshasas   as there was none to protect them
Taking a form of its own  , he who had a form like that of  a  picture,
Took the sandal paste  and applied on himself like   cloud  applying the moon.

1210.Like the moon which is the store  of all auspiciousness 
  Was produced as a flower    by the black sea    with rising waves  ,
Rama wore    Red netti garland , golden garland,
And flower garlands    which were stable   on his wavy hair.

1211.  After Seeing   him suffer the love sickness   during day and night  ,
Similar   to The sun and moon coming  as emissary to Rama  ,
And going near    his ears   to tell   about thoughts of Sita,
Rama wore two shining   ear globes   on his ears.

1212. Like lord  Shiva   holding as axe and having the black poison on his neck,
Rama  wore   the crescent    of the moon at the    tip of his long hair   ,
Rama  also wore   an ornament called  “veera pattigai “ and Thilaka   on his forehead.
Making  the Sun God  think that he would wear all shining  things of the world,

1213.Making people think that this  was  the conch panchajanya   near his wheel,
Rama wore    several white pearl necklaces   , made people think,
That the smile of the   White coloured Sita   having long black hair ,
Has gone inside Rama, occupied everywhere  and has  ebbed out.

1214, With properly embedded  diamonds looking   like  dots  on the hood of the snake,
And   the Manikhya gems having an endless    red colour resembling red coloured   fire ,
The shoulder ornaments    worn on the pretty shoulders   of Rama  ,
Were looking like Vasuki that  was tied round Mandhara  mountain.

1215 .The three  big threads   in which pearls were chained ,
Were   tied   in the centre of the   Wide  hands of Rama ,
Possibly indicating that he     is the Lord of all the   three worlds,
Which is asymbol that has been agreed by    every one.

1216.Like the  karpaga tree  made  bangles   of gold and gems  ,
And tied them on its healthy branches    for   helping    the,
People who come before   it with great desire,
Rama wore    those shining  bracelets on his pretty broad hands.

1217.On the chest where   the Goddess Lakshmi   who sits on,
The honey dripping lotus flower, sits with   great joy  ,
Rama wore pretty    garland that was hanging  with several gems,
And  it was like rain bow  rising   in cloud filled sky with stars.

1218. Like the wisdom   of wise people   that   cannot  be  ,
Approached by ordinary people  , the lustrous upper cloth ,
Was  worn over the      holy chest   of his by Rama,
Who has a form of mercy similar to the luster ,
Of gems worn by Rama   on his neck.

1219.The holy thread   over the chest which was like sun, moon and fire  ,
Is  definitely the great trinity that  even sages  and devas   do not know,
And it   was tied in its end   possibly requesting all to   think and realize this truth.

1220.  The ornament called stomach belt which  is long ,
Which spreads  of  the luster   of the gold   , and  has ,
A large Manikhya gem in    its middle   , looked like,
Another golden lotus  had flowered  on his belly,
So that another Brahma   who created the world  would be born there.

1221.  Rama   wore the white silk  dhothi on his    hips  ,
Which   was similar   to the black sea    which is the birthplace  ,
Of lustrous  Manikhya gems   being hugged   by the  ,
White cool   ocean of milk using its long arm like tides.

1222,The pearls that   are born in the sea   and the lustrous,
Blue Maikhya  gems there  , due to the production   of great light,
By their movement   giving out the luster   of pure Gold,
Resembled the Sun God going    round the  golden Meru,
And like That Rama tied  the glittering sword   to his hip,

1223 With  the showering luster  of  pearls  chained together  in a row,
Tied by Rama   like an ornamented   belt  which was tied  round his waist,
Along with the sword  put in its scabbard  which was shining like Sun,
Rama hung chained pearls  near it and it appeared like the early sun light.

1224,Merging   with luster  of those who see   with  the luster of gems,
Were the Kimpuri which was made by hand  like a mouth of a shark,
And from  the gems which represented the teeth there, the white light emerged,
And Rama   wore that ornament   on his thigh  so that he  can find out distances  to directions.

1225,Thinking how these  feet now would  measure   the world again,
Rama wore the heroic anklets  which had the nature of individually stopping,
And whose   workmanship cannot be understood , even if examined with care ,
So that they would  surround and catch   his lotus like feet.

1226.After getting up from his  bed of Adhi sesha , lighted with gems.
Due to penance   of those  of the devas , and being born as a prince in Ayodhya,
For  the sake of devas  , Rama dressed himself   in this way.
And he was   only comparable to himself     after  that.

1227. He who was   the first  and the  root cause among the   trinity ,
Who was the pleasure of those who cut off  the attachment to this world ,
Who was the father of all, Who is the nectar   of the ocean of milk ,
And who can only be comparable   to himself  was Rama,
How is it possible   to describe the    greatness of what he wore?

1228.Rama   gave  thousands of crowds  of cows and Gold,
Limitless land , and the nine precious gems  to the good people,
And  with the blessing of Brahmins   who had the rare   wealth,
Of the knowledge of Vedas , he came and climbed   in to his chariot.

1229. The chariot of Rama had a huge axel made   of Gold
Had wheels made of silver , the travelling space  made  of Diamond,
And all round it the precious  gems were  set and gave out  light to a great distance,
And was easily comparable to the Chariot of  Sun God with one wheel.

1230. Four horses which were   perfect as described   in the book,
Which had the  ability to look deeply , which were  filled with great beauty ,
And which were  desired by all like dharma, wealth  , passion and salvation,
Were chained to the chariot of Rama  who  could know the nature  of matchless hearts.

1231. In such a great  chariot  , similar   to Aruna being the charioteer,
Bharatha   who had the eyes shedding tears of joy stood as charioteer,
And  took in his hand the stick and Lakshmana  who held the bow that can be bent,
Also accompanied him  as also  his other brothers who were ,
Fanning   him  with a cowries    with   handles  of gold.

1232.All the people   were looking at Rama  without closing their eyes like devas.
I do not know whether this was due to   the prettiness of the body of Rama,
Or  possibly due  their thinking of beauty of Rama only by their patient  minds.
You may please ascribe it to the reason   that you would prefer.

1233,All those devas   who along with  the  crowd  of their ladies,
Who had come   and assembled in the   sky   started dancing  ,
Thinking that   the time  for  destruction of Rakshasas  who were ,
Torturing all the worlds and who were not getting destroyed, has come.

1234.All the ladies of that town showered flowers   and perfumed   dust on Rama ,
They  threw   greatly shining gems  , gold and apparel to others due to extreme joy,
Possibly because    they were with joy , drinking     the great beauty   of Rama.
We are  not able to ascribe any other reason for the acts of these women.

1235. Like giving away all that they have   and telling, “take away all that we wear”,
All those   ladies who saw the great Rama   due   to their great  desire,
Towards Rama, stood there with all their ornaments getting loose   and falling down.

1236.Surrounded by all the kings   , without leaving out any one,
Who were all armed with weapons that can be thrown  ,
And were standing like a crowd of elephants  , Rama reached,
The marriage hall where  king Dasaratha was sitting,
Like  The Sun with red rays of light   approaching   the huge ,
Meru mountain, riding   on his great chariot.

1237. That Rama decorated  by  flowers,  who was  capable of giving boons,
After getting down from the chariot   in that place  , took  the hands,
Of his brothers Bharata and Lakshmana   who were standing  on both his sides
Saluted   the faultless    great sages  , saluted the feet of his father,
Who has taken, “following dharma”    as his penance  , and sat near his father.

1238. Like a  red flower branch of the colour of gold   carrying  the moon.
With a bow   on   whose top were the Kayal fishes, with jasmine buds ,
Slightly opening in the moon  , Sita    appeared   on the eastern corner  of  the chariot,
Which was like   The lady who was born in the ocean with waves  ,
Being born in the earth  and she being born again at the top of the mountain.

1239.All  those devas who were thankful  , addressing Rama told that  ,
“This day when you are  garlanding  Sita   appears to be more pretty,
Than that  holy  day   when you garlanded   the lady with   the scented,
And pretty hair who was born when we   were churning the ocean.”

1240.Because the beauty of this lady   would be greater  than,
All the beauty that can be found  in land of devas  , this earth,
Surrounded by the roaring ocean and land of serpants,
What shall I, who has very little knowledge ,   say,
About   the festival   of her wedding   which   was performed.

1241.To see the beauty   of that bride and groom  .
Devendra   came along  with his wife Sachi on the sky.
Lord Shiva   who wears   the young crescent with his wife,
And  Lord Brahma  who lives in a lotus  came with goddess  of the word.

1242, Surrounded by  Brahmins wearing the sacred   thread ,
And who were experts in Vedas, the great sage Vasishta ,
Came to conduct the wedding as per tradition    along with,
Instruments like plough  that were needed with great joy.

1243.He then spread the sand, kept  Dhurba grass  in proper places,
Created a circular  place as per rules  , poured ghee   with tender flowers,
And lit the sacrificial fire  and proceeded   to  carry out,
The rituals   as per the rules laid down in the  Vedas.

1244. Coming with perfumed materials   and who  sat  on seats for wedding,
And that hero who was victorious  and  that  swan like lady   who was having great love,
 Were   appearing like the great pleasure   and  the Yoga needed to enjoy it.

1245. King Janaka stood before    the son of the emperor   and saying,
“You please   live with stability  like  Lord Vishnu  and Goddess  Lakshmi,
Who sit on the   lotus flower “  and  Poured  pure cool    water ,
On to the  lotus    flower  like   hand  of Rama.

1246.That  time the sound of the blessing of Brahmins   and the songs,
Of “long live”  by the ladies   who were wearing rare   ornaments,
The words of greeting   by   the kings    who were wearing flower garlands  ,
The  sound of blessing of great sages    joined   together,
And the sound from auspicious musical   instruments   roused  a great blaring sound.

1247.With the   rain of flowers  of devas , With gold flower showered by kings,
With   lustrous pure pearls    showered   by all others   and with flowers ,
Which had opened by themselves , the earth was like the   sky with stars.

1248.Then the great  hero Rama  , after  telling the faultless chants thrice  ,
Put   the  offerings in   along with ghee   in to the hot fire  ,
And then held the tender  palms of that lady  with  his hand.

1249.Along with the broad   shouldered  Rama  , for performing,
The rites   on fire , when she   was  walking around the hot fire  ,
Sita with feminine qualities, unlike the soul following  the body ,
In different births  , followed Rama like  the body following the soul.

1250.Then they went round the fire and saluted it  , again came round it ,
Saluted and put in to the fire things like  puffed rice   and other offerings,
Stepped   on the lustrous   grinding stone   and saw ,
Arundathi   who was   very famous    for her stable virtue.

1251. After completing all  other rituals that need to be done,
After  saluting   the vey happy    sages   of great penance  ,
After saluting    the king of kings , holding  the hands,
Of Sita where she was wearing golden bangles ,
He went inside the palace   they were occupying .

1252, The huge drums blared forth  , The   conches boomed ,
The Sound of four Vedas   were heard , The devas made great sound  ,
All the  arts   made great sound, The sound of “long live”   was  heard,
The sound of bees was heard  and the oceans made   great sound.

1253. Then he saluted the   daughter  of the Kekaya king,
With more affection in his mind than towards   his own mother,
Then he    made the feet o f his mother as ornament to his head,
And  then he  saluted the feet of Sumithra  who had a pure mind.

1254.The swan like princess   also saluted   their gold like holy feet,
And they all became greatly happy   and seeing that maid,
Who had virtue like Arundathi  they  told , “To our   good son,
She would become   like  a great ornament  .”

1255, They hugged the Koel like   girl who was wearing  conch bangles ,
And told,” To our dear son with pretty eyes which other girl would be more    suitable “
And with their eyes filled with  joy, filled    their minds also with joy.

1256. Then they said  , “Let her  who is like an ornament for ladies .
 Get measureless    crores   of gold coins,
Numberless    crores  of pretty    rare   ornaments  , crowd of lady assistants,
Several countries and    costly silk apparel  .”

1257.Rama   who was a  sea of mercy  like the black   ocean,
AS per the advice of wise  people who have   read  sea of books,
Along with Sita    who had an ocean of desire   in her mind  ,
Retired  like he normally   takes   rest   in the ocean of milk.

1258.In that day time when it was  Uthra star of Panguni month,
After completing the marriage of  lion like Rama with thousand names,
Sage Vasishta   as per the branches of Vedas   lit the auspicious fire and,
Brought    the marriage    rituals    to an auspicious  end.

1259.Janaka with faultless   victories told  , “Please also marry  ,
The three   daughters of my younger   brother , who are like,
The lotus flowers   flowered in slushy mud  and  who are like Goddess Lakshmi,
To the   younger brothers   of Rama  “ and in consultation,
With Dasaratha   and other relatives   fixed the marriage.

1260. The three daughters   of  Janaka who was   wearing chest full  of Garlands  
Made from harvested flowers, and  that of  Kusadwaja the brother   Of Janaka 
who held a spear   applied   with ghee, were ready     for the  marriage,
And those brothers  married those  with eyes full of Kajal  ,
Who were like  deva maidens    and who had fully come to age.

1261.After they all got married as   per their desire  , the king Janaka,
Nor giving   away  the fame that he had    earned for several years  ,
Gave away all the wealth that   he had earned as per truth and Dharma,
To all those    who wanted   it  and fulfilled all their wants.

1262.King Dasaratha also  like  Janaka gave lot of charity   ,
And   enjoyed endless happiness   and   talking ,
With sages who had the wealth of penance as well as knowledge  ,
Lived for some days in the town of Mithila   and slowly,
The days  passed  and we will tell   what happened now,

23.Parasurama Padalam
The chapter  on Parasurama

(Parasurama  the son of Jamadagni is also considered as   the incarnation of Lord Vishnu., He comes with Vishnu’s bow and challenges Rama to bend it , The story of the destruction  of pride of  Parasurama is narrated here . The story told here and in Valmiki    Ramayana almost matches   without any major differences. The only difference appears when bad omens are   noticed by Dasaratha.  In Valmiki Ramayana  , Dasaratha    consults sage Vasishta  but here, he consylts one expert  on omens.)

1263.  When Sita daughter of Janaka   and Rama   enjoyed  all pleasures,
As per the incarnation that they   have taken,  Viswamithra the sage who knew rules of life,
After blessing  the groom and bride as per   the Vedic law ,
Travelled towards    the north   and reached  Himalayas   to do penance.

1264.During  one of those days  when Dasaratha  sweetly told  ,
”Let us start  along   with army   to the pretty city of Ayodhya  “
And when the crowd of kings along with elephants with   trunks ,
Came near his feet  , He got in to his matchless    chariot  ,
like   a  very strong one      with heart full of joy.

1265.The very strong Dasaratha   , after being saluted by his,
Sons and daughter in laws    and  they were  all seen following   him,
With other princes and the people   coming near him,
Making  the old residents of Mithila  , with a melting mind ,
Entering in to a  ocean of sorrow similar   to soul leaving the body
Reached   the path which was leading to Ayodhya.

1266.Dasaratha who was wearing a large crown  as per tradition ,
Was going in front , With the mind of all people of Mithila   coming behind him,
And   the valorous Rama with  his brothers   who were like him   in prettiness ,
Accompanying him  , along with Sita who had  a  waist like streak ,
Of Lightning    went along    with the army.

1267.When they  were   going like this  some birds  like peacock  ,
Went round them on the right side   and   some birds  like crow,
Flew round towards    the left side  , trying to stop their progress,
Dasaratha who walked like an elephant   thought  ,
“There seems to be   some   problem to happen   on the way”
And stopped walking and along with his huge chariot  he stopped there itself.

1268.Dasaratha then summoned one person    who knew  well about omens,
And told him  , “Would   this lead to good, or would this lead to bad, please tell me ,
Without exaggeration “and that omen reader  who stood before  Dasaratha,
Who had mountain like shoulders said, “Some  problem would come,
But very soon that   problem would will be solved   and good will come.”

1269.As soon as the omen reader told like this  , Making the darkness ,
Of the sky to vanish   and shine   lustrously   and light   spreading everywhere ,
One person with matted hair who was holding an axe  ,
Who was like a gold mountain which was walking  , who was breathing  fire,
Who could rotate his eyes to any direction he wants  and 
One whose   voice  made     even the thunder scared   came there.

1270.With the world and all beings confused   and scared  like ,
A boat   caught  in the torrential sea    with great waves,
With elephants in eight directions  becoming like pillars with out movement,
With  oceans   bubbling up   and dividing  themselves  ,
With devas    clearing that   place  and running away scared,
He  who   tied   a string to a gold like  bow   and was searching ,
For those   arrows   with very sharp tips  , came  .

1271.The anger   of that great sage   was like the stream of blood  ,
Which comes out when one is wounded   and tore open his eyes and came out,
And it made people think that  it may be  , for  making  heavens to fall on earth,
Or it may be for  Earth should   go up and join with the heavens,
Or  it may be for   giving all the beings of earth to God of death  .

1272.There was smoke in the tip of his matchless   axe , which he  raises in case of war,
And even sun God who travels   in the chariot  with one   wheel,
Scared    of his great anger     changes  his usual route,
And even  Vadavamugani which burns   over water   ,
Prefers    to  move on the earth  seeing the flame  coming out of his body.

1273.With his very powerful shoulders going beyond boundaries  ,
And reaching the top  , With the  tie  on his  hair touching the sky  ,
And with the moon appearing  just near the tie of his hair,
With  sea water  , fire wind  , earth and sky    trying to  ,
Make themselves at deluge   like    the dancing   Shiva , he came.

1274.He  is the  one having axe   as a weapon   using which,
He cut off the one thousand shoulders   who used   to walk ,
Through all the world   which is surrounded by   sand all by himself,
Who had a very strong army   and who is like   the  THilaka  ,
Of all the valorous   kings   and who stood like  a tree before him.

1275.When the guilt stuck to all    the kings who ruled   the earth,
Using his axe  he killed  all the members of them   twenty one times,
And thus weeded the earth of kings   and in  the rising  sea,
Of their blood  , he used to take bath   immersing his full body.

1276.He has   Done great penance   which is   the  form   of patience ,
And  the anger  which seems to be personification  of  raging fire.
And he   has matchless sharp arrows   which can make holes  in Krouncha  mountain,
To provide swift way  to the weakened  female swan who has lost its way  ,
While it was on its   way   to the very holy  manasa  lake.

1277.That holder of axe   who  could make obey   the ocean whose tides  can even,
Drown the  mountain  in its base  and could destroy, the pride of the Krouncha mountain, 
Embraced  by clouds  and  make it obey his orders came    before them .
Dasaratha who had given Rama    to  the world   seeing that  thought  ,
“For what purpose   has this  cruel  one come here”  and let out  a  hot breath.

1278-1279 ,When Parasurama   due to his anger  scared  the army which was going  happily,
With  his eye brows going down and up  , With his cruel eyes   spitting    fire,
And with  anger which was like the speedily   falling thunder, Just like,
A   lion coming on a huge chariot   and stood   before   Rama,
That Rama who was having pretty eyes   asked  Dasaratha  “who he is?”
And  then that  emperor Dasaratha  came  in between them,
And with sweetness  worshipped  Parasurama  as   honoured guest ,
Fell at his holy feet   on the ground but  that Parasurama,
Who was not able to find the  other shore  to the ocean of his anger,
Like the Vadamukagni which appears   at the time of final deluge  ,
Told Rama the following  words  in a sound resembling the drum.

1280.”Even before this time I know about the greatness  of the bow you broke,
And now I want to test   about the strength of your  pretty  golden shoulders.
I also have   the desire   to fight   with my great    and huge   shoulders,
And this  is the only reason that  made me come here.”  Said the strong Parasurama.

1281.As soon as Parasurama  told like this  , the emperor Dasaratha,
Getting depressed   told him, “Oh Sir  who won  all    the world,
And then gave it as charity to sage Kashyapa  ,Lord Shiva,
Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma   are no match to you  and how can a small man,
Matter to you?  Now my soul   and this lad  are  seeking  your protection.”

1282.”Oh sir   who holds  as weapon , the lustrous axe which spits fire,
Those   who  get angry should only get angry at those who  like to do sinful acts,
Are there any  ills   done by this Rama towards  you   due to his pride   or  power?
What   is the use of strength  of a strong one   against  one who has the capacity to fight?”

1283.”Oh saint with great penance  , who gave   the entire  world to sage Kashyapa,
Saying  “Take it”   and due to that  having your fame spread all over  the world  ,
With seven islands  , Please avoid this anger    against us at this time.
You forsook   anger   against kings   who  protect the earth surrounded by  ocean,
Taking great mercy on them.  . Is it proper   for you to get angry    again?” said  the king.

1284.”What is the use   of great strength   which makes   you ,
Stand not in  a just fashion and makes    others  berate you?
Is it a wise deed? Can it be considered as a matchless  deed?
What is  described as valour   is standing as per dharma ,
Travel in its path   and firmly    stand in that path itself ,
And living with great fame    is  specially   considered as valour.
Oh valorous one , this act of  thinking of destroying us    who have surrendered  to you,
Is neither just nor according to Dharma  .Just by saying “strength” , will it become strength?”

1285.”My son Rama  never  keeps  enmity,  and if his soul goes away from body,
Oh Saint with very strong  shoulders, I along with my relations   as well as,
My citizens would sacrifice this life  and   would go to heaven  .
Oh tall one  , I am lying   at  your feet surrendering myself to you.,
Please   do not destroy me with my entire clan., and ,
I am  submitting     this humble request    to you.”

1286. When  Dasaratha told like this and fell   at his feet,
Without bothering about him , With  fire  spitting   eyes,
He stood  before   Rama who was  wearing   a golden yellow cloth  ,
And Dasaratha understanding     the cruel      state  of Parasuram,
And  Realizing that   he cannot do   anything about   it,
Became depressed  attained great pain like,
The   cruel snake   affected   by  lightning.

1287.But Parasurama  seeing the fainting state  of Dasaratha    who was crowned  ,
And  the one   whose  only ornament was respectability and without realizing .
That his fate has decreed that  he would be attaining such a   state   soon  
Told Rama, “ the bow that reached    on that day   to the consort of Shiva,
Who rides     on the bull  is defective   and so  you broke it,
And I will  tell you the  real story   of how the bow   came about.”

1288.It seems   the makers of sculpture    of Devas  Viswakarama  ,
Created  two matchless bows  which   shined like   the sun,
Who travels in one wheeled chariot  ,  which cannot be destroyed,
Which had  the strength  the northern meru mountain over which clouds  hover 
And which cannot  be even approached    by the Gods   in the early  ages.

1289.One of those bows   was being used   by the consort  of Uma ,
And the other  was  taken by Lord Vishnu   who measured   the world by his feet,
And the devas came   to know about it they asked Lord Brahma  ,
“Which of these two is  more stronger”  during those   days.

1290.That Brahma who lives on scented  lotus flower  thinking,
That this thought process of the devas is good 
 Using a suitable plan  , using the cause   of those two bows,
Created quarrel among those    two  great  Gods    who were   one ,
And who were    greatest   among   all  gods. 

1291-1292.Both of them   readied   both the bows by tying the string,
Making the seven worlds scared   with  all the directions shiver,
With harsh and great fire   rise   and when they    were ,
Fighting further   the bow of Lord Shiva who burnt   the three  cities,
Broke , that Lord Shiva   became    very   angry ,
And when the    war commenced   again  , devas prevented it  ,
And the three eyed Shiva    gave that   bow to the king of devas ,
And  the black lord Vishnu who was   winning   gave that bow,
To sage Rishika   who was  my grand father  who wasdoing great penance.

1293.Rishika then gave   it to my father   and this is the same pretty  bow,
That was   given by my father  to me, and if you are able  to bend it easily  ,
Oh  Son, I would agree   that there   are no kings in the world equal to you,
And I would not continue   the war  which I wanted   to fight   with you,
And please   also hear   further  from me.

1294-1295.It is not proper   to consider breaking of a  broken bow   as a great act,
Oh one born in Manu clan,  Please hear from me further.
I am one  who has enmity  with you  and all those  born in  royal family,
My father   who never did anything wrong   and one who has  controlled his  anger,
Was  killed by a king who was like an Asura some  time back  and  being mentally upset,
I did obsequies to my father   as per rules   in the pond  of blood,
Collected by uprooting  twenty one generations  of  crowned  kings,
By the blade  by the hot weapon called  axe   and  ,
Then only    I  was able to get    rid   of my anger.

 1296,After that I gave all the world   to sages in charity  ,
Controlled all my  major  enmity    , did very great  measureless penance  ,
And was living on the matchless  Mahendra   mountain,
Since the sound of your breaking  the bow reached  me  there,
I came here seething  and suppose you are  one who is strong,
Bend this bow, for I am going to fight with you.

      1297.When he told like this  , Rama  smiled   and with a  shining face ,
Told him , “Give me the bow  used by Narayana  who achieved victory with it”,
And Parasurama immediately gave that   bow  and Rama after   taking the bow,
Making Paasurama  having close knit   matted hair   scared,
He bent that bow    up to his shoulders   and   told Parasurama.

1298.”Though you have killed   all the kings who ruled over this world,
Apart  from  being the son   of one  great sage   who like the seed of Vedas  protected them,
You are  also doing great penance   and so  I am not supposed   to kill you .
Since this arrow that  I have taken cannot    go without   doing a job,
Please tell me  the thing that  it should hurt.Tell me quickly”, told he.

1299.”Oh just one, do not get angry  , I know  that  you are,
The  first among this world   the Lord Vishnu who wears the thulasi,
Oh Brahmin  , the bow of Lord Shiva   who wears   the crescent  ,
Can only be broken   by you  only   as  you  only possibly can  hold it.”said Parasurama.

1300.”Oh lord   who has a pretty feet    and wearing   victorious anklets,
If it   is true that you are lord Vishnu    who holds the lustrous wheel,
How can there  be sorrow now   to this   world?
Even the  bow of yours   which I have given you now ,
Would never   be suitable    to your great strength  now.”

1301.”I  request you   to aim at all the penance  I did ,
To the arrow  that you are having and destroy it all,
So that the arrow is not wasted.: when Parasurama told  this,
Rama’s hand twitched and that  arrow   went  ,
And  brought   all the penance done by Parasurama and went back to his quiver.

1302.”Oh Rama who is having the colour of the   cleaned blue gem,
Oh Lord who wears the pretty Thulasi garland ,
Oh Lord who is the home of all beings of the   three  worlds,
Let all  that  you wished to do   be completed in a swift manner..
Iam taking leave  of you”, saying this Parasurama  saluted him and went away.

1303 After he went away  after  losing his pride, That stainless one ,
Saluted Dasaratha who has  lost feeling of all his five sense organs,
And who was sorrowing   after   his soul got pained, and with his ebbing love ,
Stood before his father  and made him climb   to the shore from the ocean of sorrow.

1304.Dasaratha  who had the   army of elephants , who after becoming his normal self  ,
 With all his sorrows removed, who had seen the   other shore  of  the ocean of sorrow ,
In which he was earlier drowned,  Got drowned in the shore less sea of joy.

1305. He then hugged   his son who   received     the  bow,
From Parasurama    who had   a mind devoid   of any mercy,
And had given him a matchless bad name  , smelled his head,
And bathed   him with his tears    which were flowing like a stream.

1306.” Is it possible to do this  heroic act   
To be  done in this  faultless  young age ?
This boy   is the one who gives    wealth and salvation,
To people     who do blessed   and sinful deeds.
This  is definitely   the truth”,   he told.

1307.Seeing  Varuna   who   holds a horrifying spear ,
Among those devas who had   come to shower flowers on him,
Rama  gave that bow  to him  and told   him, “Look    after   this great bow.”.
And then when his army   shouted with   joy   , he  departed,
With them and    reached   the very fertile city of Ayodhya,

1308. After  all   of them reached Ayodhya   and were  enjoying life,
That king   who  was  full  of  manly qualities   and had an army ,
Which was having   a huge collection of drums  saw Bharata  ,
And told him some thing  that no one imagined to him to tell.

1309.”Oh young one  , as per the strong wish of your grand father ,
I understand   that   he has great desire   to see  you   and so  ,
Oh Bharata    , who has  ornaments  all over his chest ,
Start to Kekaya  country   where  conches boom in all  water reserves”

1310.When the king ordered  like this Bharata   went  and saluted,
The flower  like feet of Rama  and since he  did not have  a soul,
That   is separate from Rama   and went  away like,
The  body separately going from the soul .

1311.In the chariot drawn by horses   with widely scattered manes,
Accompanied by Yudajith  , who owned an army where conches boomed,
Along  with his brother Sathrugna  , he reached ,
In seven days , the fertile Kekaya country  blessed  with water resources.

1312. After Bharatha went away  ,   the king of kings Asoka    
Was continuing   his faultless    rule  and we would  tell,
In the forgoing chapters   the results  of the great penance ,
Done by the devas     and other   happenings.

                       
  Bala Kandam   comes to an end




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