By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam-Aranya Kandam 2 (Padalam 5)
5. Soorpankai padalam
Chapter on Soorpanakha
(Soorpanakha the sister of Ravana who happened to see Rama , falls in love with him. Rama refuses to marry her. She happens to see the pretty Sita. Thinking she was the reason for Rama not marrying her, Soorpanakha tries to carry away Sita when Rama had gone to his morning ablations. Lakshmana who was guarding Sita , catches her and cuts off her nose , ears and tips of breast . Soorpanakha again appeals to Rama to marry her. Rama and Lakshmana drive away Soorpanakha who goes to meet her cousin Khara .In Valmiki Ramayana Rama tells Soorpanakha that he is with his wife and asks her to approach Lakshmana , who cuts off her nose etc.)
2732. That river Godavari which added beauty to earth like ornament,Used to bring great things and make the land feel fertile,And with many watering centers which were spread over ,On the five types of land , was with clear water ,Was with running cool water and was like the Poems of with very wise and great people,And was seen by those valorous heroes.
2733. That very divine Godavari with fully open lotus flowers over which bees stayed ,Looked like a smiling , welcoming and lustrous face , with blue lotus flowers ,Which used to spread perfume , seeing with its lustrous eyes and face andWith moving clear tides of the river resembling the hands appeared ,To offer these flowers at the divine feet of Rama and saluting him .
2734. That river Godavari with its moving and running waters seeing ,The sorry state of the faultless and truthful sons suffering,Due to great love for them looked like taking deep tortured breath,And looked like shedding tears from the eyes of the just opened blue flowers and crying.
2735. That Rama with a long bow saw the Chakravaka birds with closed eyesLiving on the bed of lotus flowers with stalks , Rama saw the breasts of Sita ,And she who was wearing suitable and proper ornaments looked at,The shoulders of Rama who was elder and the best among men ,And felt like she was seeing hills made of blue gem stones ,.
2736. The great Rama who saw the swans walking , looked at,The walking of Sita and slightly smiled and she who saw the walk ,Of the male elephant returning after drinking water ,Also broke to a new type of sweet smile.
2737. That valorous Rama with long arms who was a great expert in archery , Seeing the waving flags on the Godavari river with great deal of water ,Looked at the waist of Sita , that Sita seeing the well flowered lotus flower,With large number of petals in the middle of dark row of blue flowers ,Looked again on the dark body of her great lord.
2738. Near that pretty big Godavari river which ran like a filled up stream,They reached the cool divine Panchavati which was a perennial garden ,And a matchless place and started staying in the,Very pretty and sweet hermitage which was built by Lakshmana.
2739-2741. A Rakshasi called Soorpanakha who had the strength of uprooting ,And destroying Ravana who was black like a blue gem by her vile tricks,Who was like the cruel disease which was born earlier with life ,And was with the soul waiting for the proper time to destroy that soul,Who was having dense hair on her head with the red colour of copper,Who had a huge fat body which has limitless growth and full of passion,Who was capable of causing unparalleled destruction to the devas ,And to those sages who had done great penance And who was having a cruel cause for revenge and was living,Alone in the forest because of that and had the strength ,To move around al the world with great speed.Reached the garden in Panchavati where Rama was staying .
2742. That Soorpanakha who would be the cause of the destruction ,Of all her relatives saw Rama , who when the great devas ,Who were troubled greatly troubled by the asuras,Approached him , left of his yogic sleep on the serpent,Called Adhisesha and had taken an incarnation in this earth.
2743. She thought”The form of the God of love who is in the mind of all is no more there,Indra has one thousand eyes , Lord Shiva has three lotus like eyes andVishnu who created all the worlds out of his belly has four hands and so he is none of them.”
2744. Then she thought that the god of love who was destroyed ,By Lord Shiva with pretty matted hair using this eyes on his forehead,Possibly did great penance from the time he lost his body ,Till the present time had got a pretty body, and he is that one.
2745. She thought that his long arms reaching up to his knee ,Are very pretty , trees are not comparable to them ,Mountains are inferior to them and only the tusks ,Of the very strong elephants which carry earth were comparable.
2746. “The mountains made of mere stones were not comparable,To the heroic shoulders of this one who is an expert in battle with bows ,And only an old pretty mountain made of blue gems can be compared to it,And definitely not the Meru mountain which is golden in colour.”
2747. ”He has lustrous eyes which are comparable to the petals ,Of lotus flower standing out of the pond due to its long stalk,And he resembles a mountain and if we see continuously ,From one of his shoulders to other, my eyes are not long,And also my chest is wide and flat” she said.
2748. ”Is the face of the pretty one , which shines due to excessive light ,Comparable to the lotus flower that has just opened out of its bud?IWE cannot compare it to the moon with light because ,The light of moon diminishes daily and still if we compare ,We see it is not comparable because there is a stain on face of moon.”
2749. ”For what purpose is he doing penance when he has a beauty,That gives pleasure, making his body suffer unnecessarily ?And what type of penance was done by his ancestors so that ,He has eyes which are like lotus flower and creates newness?
2750. ”The femaleness of lady earth who has a pretty form and,The gait of a female elephant and who is dressed in water of the ocean,Is indeed great because the the grasses grown on her ,Due to the touch of his feet stands erect as if she has horripilation.”
2751. She said with sarcasm “it appears that Sun the lord of light,Has not seen the light of the body of his, who has teeth like lustrous moon light?For from very large distance he is emitting some little light ,And without any sense of shame ,moving about in the sky?”
2752. “It there any thing in this world which can be compared ,To the beautiful lips of his, who has huge shoulders .Which are taller than the difficult to cross big mountains?And I would say that they are greatly superior to corals.”
2753. She thought , “Possibly the bark of wood which goes round,The waist of this male , who shines similar to the full moon ,Has done great penance and possibly the faultless ,Golden cloth has not been able to do this much penance.”
2754”. If he had not worn his black matted hair which are comparable ,To the row of groups of rain bearing clouds which have come down,Then the souls of all the ladies would be completely destroyed.”
2755. ”If good looking lustrous ornaments are worn over his body,Would his prettiness increase?” and she further thought ,“Would the greatness of Kausthuba which is the best among gems,If it wears yet another gem, would its luster increase further?”
2756. ”That four headed one who has placed in his body ,The best of everything has been berated because ,The Devendra who wanted to have the greatness ,Of the holy dust of the feet is ruling over the three worlds?”
2757. With her flood of love , making the sky as well as water of the ocean,Look small and making her wisdom getting drowned in that ,Like the fame of one who does not give charity when the people who want it praise him,And continue to protect his wealth , she was having a diminishing chastity.
2758. With a faded and jaded mind like a picture of a lady whose picture ,Has been drawn on the sky , she fixed her eyes on the lustrous ,And very pretty shoulders of Rama and had lost her usual strength.
2759. That Soorpanakha who was staring at shoulders of Rama thought,”I would go and embrace the great flat chest of Rama and if I am not,Able to do that , even if I eat the nectar of devas , I would die,And there is no other go for me “ and started thinking,How she could go near him and stand before him.
2760-2761. That Rakshasi who had cruel protruding teeth and who also had ,A pot like belly filled with all types of beings , thinking that he may not ,Accept her with that form , thinking that if she can take a form like a peacock ,With a voice that lisps like Koel and having red lips like the Kovvai fruit,And try to hug him , it would be better, she meditated on Goddess Lakshmi,Who sits of a lotus flower and chanted her root chant which she knew,And due to that assumed a pretty form with a face that was better looking than the moon,And came out like a shining form that descended from the sky.
2762. She had small feet which made the red cotton and the best among new growth of leaves,Shy in its beauty and tenderness and was like the pretty and young peacock ,Like the vanchi creeper and like the swan and that deceiving cruel Soorpanakha ,Came before Rama like a very cruel poison.
2763. She had the prettiness of Goddess Lakshmi who lives in a golden lotus flower,She had a pretty flower like face with her eyes shining alternately like swords ,Which were less prettier than her face and was having the beauty of a young girl ,And came down on a well decorated chariot with screens from the sky.
2764. She had a body like the Kamavalli creeper produced by the scented Karpaga tree,Developed a well perfumed honey like sweet voice, which were more and more passionate ,Assumed a beauty which was sweet to the eyes, had a matchless sight of a deer ,And came walking like a peacock and looking like a peacock.
2765. With the sound of anklets, the sound produced by ornaments of the waist ,With sound of ornaments threaded in a chain and the humming of bees which hovered round ,The flowers which decorate the black sand hair of hers heralding the arrival of a lady,That son of a king looked at that direction from which the sound was coming.
2766. Like the matchless sweet nectar given by the land of devas ,When she was coming near him with waist getting tired due to the heaviness of her breasts ,Rama who was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu who using his grace removes the ignorance ,In the mind of his devotees , Looked at her with both his eyes.
2767. Seeing that tender matchless female form which cannot be found ,In the land of the great serpents , in the heaven as well as in entire earth,Rama thought “Where can one see this beauty? Is there a limit to her beauty?.And who among the females of this world can match her beauty?”
2768. That Soorpanakha with great desire for Rama in her mind ,Seeing the handsome face of Rama , saluted his holy feet by her pretty hands,Threw her cruel glances from her long spear like eyes ,Slightly moved on one side like a deer and with shyness stood there .
2769. Then Rama the root of all Vedas told her , “Oh Goddess like lady,Who is red in colour , Let your visit became an auspicious one ,Your coming is an auspicious one for me .Which is your place?What is your name? Who are your relatives?”
2770. She said ,”I am the daughter of the son of the son of Lord Brahma,I am the sister of Khubera with red hands ,Who is the friend of Lord Shiva who drives a bull and burnt the three cities,I am the younger sister of Ravana who could uproot ,The silvery Kailsasa mountain and who has the powerTo protect the three worlds and I am a maid called Kamavalli.”
2771. Hearing those words the mind of valorous one was filled with doubt ,And believing that her words were not stain less and thought that it is proper,To ask her and know more about it and asked her , “If you are the sister ,Of the cruel Ravana with red eyes, be pleased to tell me , how you got this pretty form.”
2772. When Rama with a pure conduct , asked her like this , tirelessly ,She replied, “Since I did not respect their habits of illusion and cruelty,And due to having a thoughtful mind , wanting to travel in path of Dharma ,Did penance to get over my sins and due to the grace of Gods became like this.”
2773. ”Oh lady, If you are the younger sister of the ruler of the three worlds ,Under whom the king of Indra is doing a menial job , You are not to be seen ,With the pride of great wealth and what is the reason for you to come without assistants?”
2774. As soon as that valorous one told these words, That lady who was not truthful,Said, “Oh faultless one , I do not join with those Rakshasas without culture ,But have joined with best of the sages and devas, and I have come to see you,I have a business to be completed with your help.”
2775. ,As soon as she told like this the lord thinking that “The thoughts of ladies ,With pretty foreheads do not go in the right path andThey are difficult to be understood by males and they may know about it later ”Asked her , “oh lady who wears bangles on shoulders, For what purpose have you approached me?Please tell me about it and if it is proper for me to do it , I would do it.”
2776. Then she said , “it is not proper for ladies of good families,To tell about the nature of their passion , themselves to others,But as my soul is paining and since I have nobody to tell to others,About it , Please stop the cruelty of God of love towards me and save me.”
2777. After that lady whose vision travelled to a long distance ,And had returned back , with her sword like eyes which had,Turned in to various shades and assumed the black colour of night ,And were filled with red lines and with a well ornamented chest Told like this , Rama concluded that she is shameless , very base and not a good one.”
2778. ,Not understanding Rama who was silent , That lady who had assumed,A false form with bees humming around her black hair , Started swinging with thoughts as to ,whether he had a desire in her by seeing her eyesOr whether he feels that I should not have a desire for him , again told him.
2779. ”Oh lord who has prettiness which cannot be made in to a picture ,Since I did not know that you have come here and since I was completing ,The jobs requested by sages who knew everything and due to the fact ,That my faultless feminine qualities and youth was being wasted,My days were passing without achieving any purpose .”
2780. Hearing that, Rama concluded that she is a despicable Rakshasi,And one who does not have just behavior and felt that she had come ,There to do another bad act and told her “oh pretty one ,I am born in a royal family and you are a girl from a Brahmin family ,And this alliance is against the normal ancient rules of marriage.”
2781. ”Oh Lord, whose job is fighting are and who has a pretty spear ,My father is a Brahmin learned in Vedas and my mother is a lady,Who has virtue like Arundathi and is the daughter of Sala Sadanga,A king who ruled the world and if this is the only reason ,For your not accepting me , then my soul will not go and I would not live” Said Soorpanakha
2782. When she who desired him told like this, with a smile arising in his pure mind ,That Rama who was like the rain bearing cloud wanted to play a game ,“Oh lady, the learned and wise people say that a human being ,Getting married to a Rakshasa clan who do not have sorrow is not proper.”
2783. ”Oh Lord , who is like Lord Vishnu sleeping on the serpent ,Not understanding my good aspects due to absence of devotion with sincerity , indicating,That you would not marry me because I am the sister Of Ravana,Has happened because of your ignorance, for due to my penance to devas ,I have got rid of the degradable birth in Rakshasa clan ,And I had informed about this earlier also to you.”
2784. ”Oh best among ladies, one of your brothers is the undisputed king,Of all the three worlds , another great one is Khubera , the lord of wealth,And if one of them gives you to me I would accept you but,If you yourself choose me , then I would scared.” Said he and she told again,
2785. “ Oh Lord , who has shoulders like golden mountain , for the man and woman,Who are passionately in love with each other there is marriage method called Gandharva,And it is a marriage method formulated by Vedas and if this marriage happens between us,It would be agreeable to my elder brothers also and there is also another news.”
2786. “My brothers have great enmity towards all sages and are not bothered,About justice and Dharma and you are living alone in this forest and ,This would be a trick for you to get friendship of those Rakshasas,And once you marry me you can set up your kingdom in the land of devas,And then they would start loving you and obey all your orders”, said Soorpanakha.
2787. Then that Rama with a shoulder carrying a huge bow said to her ,“I have got grace of Asuras and I am also getting the pleasure of getting you ,And along with you I will get the wealth which will never go from me at any time ,And not only that , by the penance I did after leaving Ayodhya ,It looks like I am getting all these ,” saying this he laughed showing his lustrous teeth.
2788. At that time from the scent wafting hermitage, near Rama , who was ,Like the light of eye to people in the heaven and earth as well as Gods like Brahma ,And who had a lustrous eyes , Sita who was like the queen among all ladies ,And one who looked like the vanchi creeper from the gems born in this world,Came out for the sake of fulfilling the boons given by Lord Vishnu to devas.
2789. That Large mouthed Soorpanakha whose body has faded ,Due to the fire of passion , noticed the huge lustrous light,That emerged from the form which came out of the hermitageAnd realized that she is the fire like chastity which has come out ,To destroy the forest of Rakshasas who fought ,With everyone in the land of devas as well as those in earth.
2790. She thought , “He would nor bring this lady with scented hair to forest,There are no ladies here who are as pretty as her , and perhaps,She is Goddess Lakshmi who left her lotus in heaven,And has come to earth and standing with both legs here,”And then she stood perplexed at that same spot.
2791. Soorpanakha after staring well as Sita for quite some time and thought,“She is an example to those who create beauty , there is no limit of the prettiness they can createOnce an eye sees her, it will not see anybody else ,And even if it is mind , it would not go searching any one else.If this is my thought , what would some body who is born as a male think?”
2792. Soorpanakha who was greatly astonished on seeing Sita ,Looked at Rama , who was an expert in war and thought ,“There is no further need to think about it and the God sitting on the lotus ,Must have matchlessly thought deeply about the matching person ,For a male and female , and this is the real ultimate result of his efforts.”
2794. “Oh valorous one with good conduct , this lady is an expert in illusion,And she is a Rakshasi who is an expert in cheating and her thoughts cannot be understood,It is not proper for you think that she is a good lady for her prettiness is not truth,I am scared at seeing her who eats flesh and lives and so,Drive her away from here and prevent her from coming near you.” She said.
2795. ”oh lady who is like streak of lightning , Your intelligence is very bright ,Who can deceive you and disappear? It is surprising to know that ,She is a thief and a cruel Rakshasa girl, Please see her carefully.”Saying this he laughed showing out his pearl like white teeth.
2796. At that time , she who has come out like nectar with ,The great chastity of Arundathi , sweet words and pretty bamboo like shoulders,And Soorpanakha asked , “Oh Rakshasi lady , why did you come in between us ?”And that enraged Soorpanakha who had cheating thoughts like fire.
2797. Seeing her coming near her Sita was greatly scared ,That scared one like a swan with her lightning streak like waists rocking,Shivering due to the pain her cotton like feet paining ,And like the red coral creeper in between the dark black clouds ,She hugged the shoulders of Rama who was like a valorous elephant.
2798. Rama realizing that a sport of teasing with Rakshasas.With bent cruel teeth would only lead to evil and said to her,“Do not do anything which causes sorrow to us for if he knows,My younger brother will get angry at you and so ogh lady, go away quickly.”
2799. Then that Rakshasi who had assumed a pretty form told ,“Those who live on lotus , sea of milk as well as on Kailasa mountain,As well as God of love and other Devas are doing penance to marry me.What is the reason that you are desiring this Rakshasi,Who does not have , good and bad in mind and berating me?”
2800. Rama thought , “Though I do not have any relation with ,This hard hearted lady, she is capable of telling further cheating cruel words .”And that pure hearted Rama like the cloud going ahead of lightning ,Along with the gold like daughter of the king of Mithila ,Went inside his hermitage in that very pretty garden.
2801. After they left , She who did not have knowledge that” it is gone”,She who had the soul that has gone of the body , stood breathless,Thinking, “He has got angry with me , who loved him and has ,Not done any help to me and he has firm love with the lady with black kajal like hair.”
2802. Without standing there , she thought about her sweet life ,With Rama and deciding that, “If I do not hug his chest today,I would leave my life “ She crossed the garden with densely planted,Devadaru trees and reached a garden with a crystal rock ,And at that time the sun set and the sky turned red,
2803. Like the cruel poison flowing from the lustrous poison fang ,Of the serpent climbing up to her head, from a destroyed mind ,The tired Soorpanakha The passion mentioned earlier burnt in flames furiously.
2804. Like the sharp arrow of Rama who was the king of men Piercing the big chest of the very cruel Rakshasi ThadagaThe arrows of the god of love went and pierced the mind of Soorpanakha,In that war of passion and she became scared and very sad.
2805. Soorpanakha wanted to eat that God of love with a great bow,With the full moon with sixteen crescents as the side dish,But when the southern breeze from Podigai mountain hit her,Like the very long spear of the God of death , she became still.
2806. When the body which gave her pain became pacified without sound,She had an idea of drying the mountain clusters using her palms But when the full moon appeared in the sky gave a widely,Scattered cool moon light , became weak and started sorrowing.
2807. She became angry and decided that I would break, All the gardens in this earth and make all the flowers in them dry in to dust,But Hearing the happy sound of Andril bird living with its mate ,Her strength diminished and she started shivering.
2808. Becoming very angry she decided to run and bring Rahu and Kethu ,The serpents so that they would completely swallow the full moon,But when the cool breeze wafts over her thick , tender and sweet breastsHer dear soul would bake in the fire of her passion and she would be sad.
2809. She using her two hands picked the very cold pieces of ice and placed it,On her lustrous young breasts to sate her fire of passion,But due to power of the spreading strong fire of passion,They were destroyed like putting butter on a very hot stone.
2810. Getting scared seeing the fire that burnt her body ,Which was protected by love with her , she started taking bath,In cold water but that water started boiling and she became shy,And decided that it was a proper place to hide the God of love.
2811. That Soorpanakha whose body was so hot due to ,The fire of passion made the cool big moon stone break,Started saluting if she sees a pillar of blue gem,Or a black cloud on the sky with folded hands.
2812. She went and reached mountain cave where a poisonous,Cruel serpent lives so that the pretty full moon , the cool winds ,Or the god of love cannot reach there and recognize her.
2813. At that time the southern breeze blew with great heat ,And made her suffer three times more than earlier ,And due to that when her breasts became hot and was emitting fire,Without knowing what to do, she rolled on young golden coloured leaves.
2814. When she thought about the form of Rama in her mind ,The Cruel Rakshasi feeling as if she was seeing his black cloud like body,Would become shy and suddenly shiver,But when the form disappears she would be caught in fire of passion.
2815. Thinking that black cloud was the body of Rama ,She would catch it and hug them to her breasts.And when she sees the clouds being destroyed ,Due to the heat of her body she would wail.Is there any end to the sickness of passion?
2816. Due to passion she felt as if she was in middle of fire of deluge,And with the desire that she could live with Rama of the colour of the sea,And this medicine of hope , people said , kept her alive.
2817. Her body shivered like the one who licked poison with toungue,And imagining Rama said, “Oh mountain of black , please take mercy on me,And enter in to my cruel and cheating mind and destroy my danger.”
2818. That lady who was not prepared to leave the love on Rama ,Even if she suffers death thought that “ his wife whose eyes are ,Like blue flower or Kayal fish is more pretty than Goddess Lakshmi .And so he would never look at me who is a sinner.”
2819. She further thought that that pretty lady is the very chaste,Goddess Lakshmi who sits on the lotus flower and that the if we love,A man then that sickness of desire would destroy ,And it has mingled with our body and makes it hot like burning fire.
2820. When that lady was suffering due to excessive love she had ,The Sun rose like the birth of Rama for removing the great darkness,Created by the Rakshasas , who could close down all the three worlds. Some writers feel that Soorpanakai Padalam ends with this, And a new chapter called Mookari (cutting of nose.) padalam starts from her)
2821. AS soon as it became dawn Soorpanakha saw her own body and her soul,And thought that till that matchless lady is near him , he would not see me,And so I would run quickly lift her up and then hide her with speed,Then the best thing would be to live with her darling happily.
2822. She came and searched for Sita in the hermitage and saw that,Rama had gone from there to the river and was doing his morning rituals,But did not see his younger brother who had a crescent like forehead,Guarding Sita in the sweet scented garden filled with great darkness.
2823. ,Thinking that Sita is alone and her thought has achieved victory,And there was no need for any more delay and thinking of some other way,And that cruel , hateful angry Soorpanakha followed to catch,The peacock like Sita and this was seen by Lakshmana from ,That garden which was amply laden with fruits.
2824. That Lakshmana shouted, “Hey stop there” and speedily ,Approached her thinking that she is a lady and without ,Taking his bow pulled her by catching the red hair on her head,By his red hands , kicked her and made her fall down ,And took his lustrous sword from his scabbard .
2825. But Soorpanakha thought that with great ease, she could ,Take him also and fly in the sky and rose up but Lakshmana pushed her down,Easily , said to her “do not do this cruel deed” and cut off her ,Nose ears and the cruel big tips of her breasts , one after another ,And then after leaving his anger , left her hairs also.
2826. The wail that was made by Soorpanakha at that time spread,In all directions and also went in to ears of Devas in the heaven,Now what else need to be told about what happened there?The blood that flowed from her nasal holes made the entire world wet.
2827. That good time when with luster full cruel sword , the breasts,Where cut and her raised up nose was cut which was like cutting ,The tips of huge mountains and was like the inaugural ceremony ,For cutting ten heads of Ravana wearing gem studded crowns.
2828. That Rakshasi when she kept her shaking feet with alarm,And wailed , it looked like that the asuras like Khara, Who had shining spear wealth , like the God of death Were preparing for their death in the cruel angry war ,And Soorpanakha stood erect and it looked like,The black dark clouds were giving rise to rain of blood.
2829. That Soorpanakha born in an ancient asura clan , which has ,Never been approached by sorrow , raised up in the sky,Due to great sorrow, fell on the earth , and cried lying there,Became tired, crushed her palms and then rotated ,Fainted , woke up from that faint after some time,And muttered , ”This sorrow is because I was born as a girl.”
2830. She rubbed the nose that was bleeding , let out hot breath,Like that from the bellows of the black smith , beat with her hand on earth,Caught her very big breasts and stare at it , sweat all over,Ran around with her powerful legs and after running,And then due to too much of bleeding got tired.
2831. That Soorpanakha who was wandering in the blood slushy mud created by,The blood which was flowing like a stream from her, being unable to bear the pain,Shouted and wailed hearing which even devas were scared and started running away,And she started calling the names of people for her clan, whom even God of death were scared.
2832. “oh mountain like elder brother who lifted Kailasa which is the abode of Shiva,Who holds the fire in his hand, when you exist in this world with the stable fame,Is it not insult to your fame that people who do penance carry the bow and walk?Is it proper for you to stand scared without lifting your head before Devas. Please see me.”
2833. “Oh mighty Ravana who is more powerful than the trinity who do not get weakened ,At the deluge as well as all devas as well as Asuras, Is the saying that ” when the mother tiger Is nearby Its tiger calf cannot be caught by others and tormented” which the people.Of this earth , surrounded by the sea , false?.Would you not come to see my present suffering?”
2834. ”Oh Ravana , who fought with Indra who came to war driving his elephant,And came shouting helped by all devas , you destroyed him in war and made him,Run away showing his back to you becoming greatly jittery and scared?Would you not come to see my present suffering?”
2835. ”Oh Ravana, who took the sword Chandra hasa when it was given by hands of Shiva,You made the God of wind , the god of water , the God of fire, the cruel God of time Yama,Sky , the planets doo menial jobs for you as per your order. Have you become ,Powerless to fight with these two men and have changed your strength?”
2836. ”Oh Ravana who could keep his twenty shoulders erect and have a strength ,To fight war , who produced streaks of fire when he is walking ,Who broke the tusks of the eight elephants carrying the world and who could ,Powder the mountains, even if a person is like God of love who lost ,His body due to the anger of Lord Shiva , they are like the dust below your sandals,Would you not get angry at such people?”
2837. ”Has the Ravana and his brothers who are blessed with the power of destruction,Of the devas who wear the Karpaga flower garland with the scent of honey ,Lost that power and has that power gone and settled down among men,Who have blood running in their body and are feed for the Rakshasas. This is strange.”
2838. ”Does this indicate the power and strength of the sages who live hiding,In this dense forest scared of Rakshasas or does it indicate the weakening ,Of the power of Rakshasas?.Is he lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu or Lord Brahma ?Oh Khara who is always powerful, would you not bother about my sorrow?”
2839. “In your palace where Indra and Lord Brahma and all devas ,Are obeying your orders and attending to menial jobs , Where ,The consort of Indra is singing “Long live song” , Where all people ,On earth salute you and praise you and where you are sitting,Under royal white Umbrella , how can I come without shame ,And show you my face in which the nose and ears have been cut off.”
2840. ”Oh Brother who uprooted the mountain on which Lord Shiva sits.Is it proper for me crying because that man pushed me down,Making my chest crush and roll and has cut off my nose ,And is proudly looking at his own shoulders making me ,Support less and lonely ? Is this not the forest where.Khara rules? Is it proper for me to attain this state ?”
2841. Oh Ravana , who has waged a restless war against the elephants ,That are in the eight directions and has broken their tusk,Oh Ravana who has a shoulders which are shining with your fame ,When I have lost my nose due to passion and have attained ,Shamelessly bad name , Would not your fame also get stained?”
2842. Oh my nephew Indrajit who destroyed with roots the Vidhyadharas,Who imprisoned Indra who conducted one hundred Aswamedha Yagnas,And who made the devas do his menial jobs, when in these forest two men ,Have cut off my ears as well as nose together , Is it all right,That I who am a sinner should die here alone due to shame?”
2843. Oh Indrajit , once upon a time when all the seven worlds together Waged a war against you , you drove all of them in all directions by your single bow,And chained their king Indra on both his legs ,Would you not come to see the strength of these men?”
2844. Oh Khara and Dhooshana who were born in the clan of Rakshasas,Who wear Gems which removes darkness , who are strong and have long hand,And who have weapons which can even break a stone , are you also sleeping,Like Kumbhakarna who has weapons sharpened by black smiths,And due to that are you not able to hear me when I call?
2845. When that Rakshasi was crying and wailing in various ways,And rolling on the dusty floors of the hermitage in various ways Rama holding a huge bow , who had huge shoulders and ,Who was like an emerald mountain , after completing ,The rituals in river Godavari came walking back to the hermitage.
2846 .When he came there , Soorpanakha beat her stomach with her hands,Making the mud slushy with the tears she shed and the blood flowing out from her,Said, “Oh Lord , oh sir for the crime of my desiring your pretty body,See what has happened to me , and then fell before him.
2847. Rama with his matchless great heart understood that she who had ,Kept her hair scattered all around has done some cruel deed,And also understood that only his younger brother had cut off ,Her long nose and ears and he asked her “Who are you?”
2848. Hearing that she asked , “do you not know me ? I am the sister ,Of Ravana , who has abolished enemy talk from all the three worlds,Who is short tempered and carries a cruel spear which is like a leaf.”
2849. And then Rama asked her , “Why did you leave the famous place of RakshasasAnd have come here where we have come to do penance after walking a long distance?And for doing what activity have you come here ?” and then she replied,“Oh Lord who is the medicine for cruel passion like the coal burning in the fire,And makes us all suffer? Did I not come yesterday also “
2850. When Rama asked her “were you the person with long black eyes ,Resembling the kayal fish looking like Goddess Lakshmi,Sitting on lotus flower with the scent of honey ,Who came yesterday to see me ? and she replied ,“If the breasts , the ear wearing ear globes and the flag like nose ,Are cut off, Oh king of beauty who has very pretty eyes,Would not any great beauty be destroyed ,oh king.”
2851. ,That Lord Rama , after breaking in to a smile , looking at the face ,Of his heroic brother asked, “Oh valorous one, What crime did she commit,So that you have cut off her dropping ear and long nose” and thenThat valorous Lakshmana saluted the holy feet of Rama and started telling.
2852. , “ I do not know whether she was searching for eating something with her long teeth,Or whether a group of cruel Rakshasas were near her but I knew not the reason why,She with her evil eyes spitting fire and with an anger which others cannot realize,She came running looking at Sita “ told Lakshmana.
2853. Before Lakshmana with a big curved bow could complete ,What he was saying , That Rakshasi who had enmity with him,Said, “Oh lord who has watering places in his kingdom,In which a pregnant she frog seeing her mate sitting on a conch,Developed a great love tiff and was stirring violently the water ,If a lady sees the other wife of her husband would not her mind burn?”
2854. Hearing her words Rama told her “We came here searchingFor the cowardly Rakshasas who were experts in wars of illusion,By which they were able to search and destroy huge complex of people,And so do not tell these cruel words and march towards destruction,And run away from this forest where sages of truth are living ,”And hearing all thrse words of Rama , she started replying.
2855. ’If I tell that the devas like Lord Brahma who do not develop ,White hairs and folded skin , who are very many in number ,Are paying tribute to my brother and are citizens under his ruleIt would not be proper , as any action done in haste is not good.If you have sufficient wisdom to keep on staying alive ,I have some thing to be told to you individually.”
2856. Ravana who has ten heads would cut off the tongues,Of those who tell him that , “the nose of your sister has been cut “,Is not one who is very modern and would say . “ by cutting the nose ,You have cut off your clan and so there is no way for you to escape.Have you not made the forests wet by dropping of blood there.”
2857. If you protect me and save my life , I would save you from Ravana,And if you do not do so , my brother Ravana would completely eliminate you .And there is no one among devas who protect the heavens ,Or among those kings who protect the earth or the kings who protect The serpents for they would only to try to protect their head being cut ,And would not protect your body and would try not to die.”
2858. ”Normally those ladies who are imprisoned in the fence,Of chastity would not say about their greatness themselves,In spite of that I am telling it to you , because my love towards you,I am the sister of Ravana who is much stronger than devas,And I am stronger than every one in this world ,Would you not tell this to your brother”
2859. ”I would protect you in big wars.I would be able to carry you ,Through the path of sky to any place that you would desire to go,I am capable of bringing many types of fruits which are as tasty as meat,Why do you hate and want to destroy ,all those who guard you,I would be able to give you anything that you desire by mind,And I am not able to understand how this flower like lady would be useful to you.”
2860. ”Due to birth in a high clan , due to culture of doing good,Due to my ability to bring anything that is wanted by you ,Due to intelligence , Due to innocence and due to my beauty,All the people of earth as well as heaven , would not be able ,Tell any other lady that they know as one equal to me .”
2861. ”You have cut off my nose , what did I lose by that ?If you accept me within a second I would be able to remake it ,I would also gain lot of beauty and I would also get your merciful habit,After that would there be any short coming to my feminineness,Is it not true that high and long nose is common to ladies?”
2862. “Is it not true that those who are needed are not liked,And if your mind loves me , would not my soul become yours?Is not the beauty which is desired by all , a type of poison ?Would you not accept me ,when I take the form which is liked by my husband?”
2863. Oh Lord who was formed by the joining of Shiva, Brahma who sits on the lotus , The great Vishnu and the Indra with Vajrayudha and has a very pretty form.Because the God of love is troubling the souls of every one ,Using his flower arrows and is not merciful ,Like your younger brother , is he also your younger brother?”
2864 . “Oh Lord who wears heroic anklets made of gold ,Is there any reason for cutting off my nose and making it in to a big hole?I would take the sweet and pretty form that I had before,My nose was cut and then go away from there .and if you had cut my nose ,Thinking that I would not go anywhere and no body would look at me ,You have done a great mistake and It is due to my knowing the truth ,My love to you got doubled. Am I one who is not wise enough?”
2865. When those Rakshasas who are boiling with anger and having a long spear ,Come to know of this cruelty done to me and look at you with anger ,And due to that would completely destroy all the world and so,Remembering your Dharma the people who are with great families .Please do not do any deed that would bring bad name to them,And so avoid doing this act which will bring bad name to you ,And be kind enough to live with me.” Said Soorpanakha and saluted him,
2866. ”Oh cruel Rakshasi , I am still having the arrow which killed Thadaga ,Who is the mother of your mother and you being one who caused ,The world unbearable harm also , know that I have been born in this world ,To do penance and destroy the Rakshasas who have great strength ,Of shoulders and densely formed flower garlands and who have ,Enmity with me and so leave these cruel habits and run away .”
2867. Rama again told , “We are the sons of Dasaratha who ruled the world,And have come in obedience to the words of my step mother To this forest which is scented and as per the desire of those ,Who chant the Vedas and those who do great penance ,We want to completely uproot all the Rakshasas along ,With their big army and would go back to the city of Ayodhya,Which has houses which are similar to the great mountains ,Please think about of all these and understand it properly.
2868. ”Without standing in front of Rakshasas who do not follow good habits,The devas who lived for a long time were all defeated and ran away ,If you are intelligent do not consider both of us as after all only men,If you bring , those Rakshasas wearing garlands and holding spears ,Those Rakshasas who have won victory over Yakshas and others ,And all those whom you consider as strong , we would kill them in front of you.”
2869. Then she said, “Oh person of Kosala country which produces lot of paddy,Due to its having good water resources , Without finding fault on me as one,Whose teeth of upper palate are long and protruding outside and one having a large mouth,Please show your grace and mercy on me and then you can kill Rakshasas,You can understand their acts of illusion even before , you can win over all the kings,You can get over the black magic acts of theirs and you can get over,All the cheating acts of Rakshasas with my help . “ said that Rakshasi called Soorpanakha.
2870. “I understand that you would not part with your wife ,Who has bamboo like shoulders and would I also be a great burden,If you are interested in fighting a war with the strong Rakshasas who cheat ,I would understand their tricks that they use by their five sense organs ,Which are cheating which lead to senselessness and prevent them,After all they say the feet of one serpent is only known to another.
2871. “If you say that you have one lady who likes you and want to marry you,And if you think of waging a war against Asuras , Me , you and your brother ,Would fight with them and make that battle field in to a tank of blood,And gain victory and if you think that this event is not likely to happen,Then make me live with your brother “ said the sister of Ravana,Who once waged a war and imprisoned the sun and moon.
2872. ”On the day that you all go back to Ayodhya , the city of festivities,I would assume a form you like and even if your brother is one ,Who has anger that never goes away and even if he tells,That I would not live with one who has a cut nose and ears ,Oh Lord, Have you not lived for a long time with one who has no waist.”
2873. Looking at that Soorpanakha who told like this, Lakshmana ,After looking at his spear with a shape of a leaf and asked Rama“If I do not kill her here itself then she would greatly sorrow,What is your order regarding this?” Rama said,“The words you said are proper and if she does not go away,Do accordingly “ And Soorpanakha understood that , they would,Not agree to her proposals and that she would lose her life.
2874. ”Would I patiently continue to live with my long nose ,Two ears and my two breasts which were making me pretty being cut off ?What I have been doing here was only an act of cheating , to make you understand,I would now itself bring Khara who is more powerful than wind as well as fire ,Who is very cruel and who is the God of death who is going to kill you all”Saying like this with great anger which had not cooled down , She went away.
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About Kavichakravarthy Kamban
Historians place him in the 9th century CE, But surely Kamban belongs to the third great wave of Tamizh literature that started with the Sangam period (dated before the Common Era), followed by the widespread impact of Bhakti literature of the Alwars (vaishnavite saints) & Nayanamars (shaivaite saints). Kamban Authored Ramanaya in Tamil…Known as Kamba Ramayanam..
Kambar has been the milestone for the Tamil scholars that none had reached. He was also known as “Kamba Naatazhvar” at his time. Many Tamil authors from the modern world have written the books on the poet Kamban.
FAQs
Kambar or Kavichakravarthy Kamban (1180–1250) was a medieval Tamil poet and the author of the Ramavataram, popularly known as Kambaramayanam, the Tamil version of the epic Ramayana.
Valmiki Ramayana and Kamba Ramayanam are two versions of Ramayana written in the Sanskrit and Tamil languages respectively. … Kamba Ramayanam is originally called as Ramavataram. Although Valmiki Ramayana is the original version of the story of Rama, Kamba Ramayana is believed to be based on the work by Valmiki.
The Kamba Ramayanam, is a Tamil epic that was written by the Tamil poet Kambar during the 12th century. Based on Valmiki’s Ramayana (which is in Sanskrit), the story describes the life of King Rama of Ayodhya.
The book is divided into six chapters, called Kandam in Tamil. The Kandams are further divided into 123 sections called Padalam (படலம்) in Tamil. These 123 sections contain approximately 12,000 verses of the epic.