By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam-Ayodhya Kandam 1 (Padalam 1)
(This is the second book of Ramayana. It starts with Dasaratha wanting to make Rama the king of Ayodhya and ends with the sandals of Rama ruling Ayodhya from a village called Nandigrama. Characters like Mandhara the hunchback, Guha the hunter , Bhardwaja the saint are introduced in this book. The other main characters are Dasaratha himself, Vasishta, Sumantra the charioteer, Kaualya, Sumithra and Kaikeyi the three queens of Ayodhya, the other sixty thousand wives of Dasaratha , Rama, Sita, Lakshmana , Bharata and Shatrugna. The wives of Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrugna do not make their appearance in this or in other books that are to follow.)
Kadavul Vaazhthu
(Praising to God.)
(Like all other books of Ramayana written by the emperor of poets Kamban, this book also starts with a prayer to God.. A brief summary of the book is given in this verse.)
Oh Rama who wears the heroic anklets, due to the cruel deeds,Of the hunchback and the younger queen mother ,You left the kingship , crossed the forest as well as sea,And by killing Ravana,, solved the problems of Devas ,And the wise men say that you are spread ,Like soul in the body and sensations in bodies,In all the beings made of five elements without any limits.
1.Mandhira Padalam
(Chapter on Royal council)
(In this chapter Dasaratha called for a meeting of the royal council and tells them that he wants to crown Rama as the king and go to the forest to do penance . The royal council approves the proposal . Rama is summoned and told about this proposal . After his acceptance Dasaratha fixes the next day as the auspicious day for the coronation. The city starts celebrating the upcoming event in a grand manner. Ayodhya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana starts with the departure of Bharata and Shatrugna to their uncle’s place , The meeting of all citizens, kings and sages is called. Dasaratha proposes that Rama be made as the hunior king(yuva Raja). He sends for Rama and makes arrangements for the coronation. Valmiki Ramayana drops hints that Dasaratha wanted to avoid Bharata and Shatrugna ‘s and their uncle’s presence during the coronation.)
1314. Dasaratha who owned the angry royal elephant which has been beautified,With the series of big drums blaring forth like the clouds,With cowries made of the hair of the musk dear being rotated,Reached the hall of the royal council , where aspects are thought about.
1315. After Dasaratha reached the council hall ,as per his humble request,His relations and friends left that hall , andProtecting the world with people who are equal to him there,Like Lord Vishnu who holds the wheel of Yoga becomes alone.
1316. That Dasaratha who ruled the earth and whose white ,Gem studded Royal umbrella touching the clouds ,Summoned the elders of the royal council,Who were like the Guru of Indra , the king of devas.
1317. ,In the rule of that matchless king who wore ,Pretty heroic anklets , The sage Vasishta who is considered ,As the fourth after the holy trinity , Who is searched by devas and sages andWho like the god can order the king came.
1318. Many with greatness due to high birth ,who were trained in all arts,And who had great knowledge due to experience and its implications came,They were people who spoke without bias in spite of problems caused to them,And they also had no pride which is the root of anger and supported Dharma.
1319. They were people who could guess the future by knowledge of past,And were having the ability to change it if bad results come due to fate ,They were elders who belonged to great families and had the knowledge from rare great books,And when we consider respectability , they were like musk deer.
1320. They were the great people who increase the political dharma ,Who could take decisions after understanding proper place and time, After gathering methods for implementing them,And after Comparing it with knowledge in great books of justice ,And after praying God and they were those who gave All good results to their king after scientific understanding .
1321.They were prepared to accept the harsh results of the anger of the king,And advice him properly when he is angry , even not bothering for their life ,They would never deviate from proper dharma and were capable ,Of understanding past , present and future and tell truth and nothing else.
1322. They like doctors who were only bothered about good of their patient,And who were not bothered about the likes and dislikes , were capable of advising the kingWere only bothered for his good and not bothered for his preferences,And they were those who help the king when unexpected evil effects befall him.
1323. They were all wealthy and though they were sixty thousand in number,They were one, when the good of their very masculine king , and those ministers ,Who were difficult to obtain like the waves of ocean that folds filled the council hall.
1324. They came according to their rank and after saluting the sage,Who knew everything from beginning to end and after saluting their king,Got up in to their seats as per their rank and also received the grace ,Of their king who knew the way to speak as per the situation.
1325. When those ministers were sitting there,Receiving the grace of their king , Dasaratha also,Saw their faces as per their importance and told them,“ I have seriously thought about an important decision,And you know my feelings and you may listen to it carefully.”
1326. Without altering in any way the rule of ,All the great kings of the dynasty of the king ,Due to your good cooperation , I have been,Carrying this earth for past sixty thousand years on my shoulders,
1327. Like the maids protecting their virtue which is proper for them,I have been ruling the earth due to the God of Dharma ,And have been doing all possible good to all beings,And I have now decided to the good suitable to my soul.
1328. I who have reached the desired stage of kingship since a long time,And like the Adhi Sesha with great head , the elephants in different directions,And like the eight heritage mountains who are lifting the earth,I am not able to lift even a little the burden which I have been lifting till now.
1329. The great ones who were born in our clan who were far away from offenses,After entrusting the job of ruling the country to their sons , used to go to the forest,And destroyed the attractions due to their five senses and attained salvation.I am trying to count the number of such greats and see no end to it.
1330. I who have won over all my great enemies in this earth surrounded by water ,In the worlds in heaven and the worlds below occupied by serpents,Do not want to live with fear to the enemies within me, like passion and others.
1331. When Kaikeyi who has soft new leaf like feet painted by juice of red cotton,Was driving the chariot , I had won over ten chariots driven by very angry asuras,Would I, who has a contended mind , not be able to easily defeat,These five chariots of the mind being driven by devils?
1332. Those who have opposed enemies who threaten in the battle field and kill them,And those who have attained great wisdom and have understood life,Realize that “Wealth is useful only in this world” and forsake it ,And attain salvation and except these who are all capable of attaining salvation?
1333. Is there a greater evil then repudiating the fact that,All those born in the world have to die , and except for ,Giving up attachments there is no other help,To cross this very huge ocean of birth and death.
1334. The very great action of giving up the world and ,Getting the knowledge of truth that would lead to it ,Are the two great wings that would help us,To cross this big prison of birth,Is there anything sweeter than crossing that prison?
1335. By catching hold of the soul called five senses which bring sorrow,Moving away from those crimes which come due to great undefeatable enmity,If the mind is engaged in ruling over the world of salvation, Then it would be considered as sweet and will it think about the rule of this world?
1336. , Due to my getting you all as senior advisors , I was,Able to rule over this world by giving it proper care,And do several acts of Dharma and you all thus helped me,In spreading my fame in the entire world,And you should now help me to a comfortable other world.
1337. ,One who wants to cross all those old karmic deeds,Can possibly get it only through very great penance ,And is it proper not to touch a vessel of nectar like food,And instead of that drink very strong poison?
1338. The life under the sweet shadow of the white umbrella,And the peacock feathers tied on a pretty elephant in rut is not stable.And will keeping on eating that already tasted food, give more pleasure?
1339. I was sorrowing for a long time because of absence of sons,And Rama was born to me to relieve of this long standing pain,And I just thought of making that Rama suffer this kingship,So that I can escape from it and get salvation.
1340. Instead of being told by others that , this father of Rama ,Did not sacrifice his life in the battle field and even after ,Becoming very old , he did not adopt the life of salvation,It is better that I hear that I was never born in this world.
1341. After seeing that the gem of males Rama was born to me as my son,And that the great one got married to Sita who is like Goddess Lakshmi,I want now to see that rare son marries the Goddess earth,Of very great qualities and greatly enjoy that experience.
1342. I want that the honourable lady called earth ,Who is fully lady like and the lady who sits on the red lotus,Should marry and live happily with the husband that they love,And I do not want to postpone this result of my penance.
1343. ” So I want to give this kingship to Rama and start,The great penance to remove this sickness called birth,And for this I have decided to reach the forest.What is your opinion,” said he to them.
1344. When the king who had huge shoulders told like this ,Those advisers with joy greatly ebbing out of their mind,And at the same time thinking of the pitiable state of parting with the king,Were like the cow which was not able to leave both its calves.
1345. , Then in spite of that thinking that the king does not,Have any other option other than doing like that and also,Considering that there is no better king to all the beings that live,Due to the force of fate agreed to the decision of the king.
1346. Vasista the son of Lord Brahma with four heads , after analyzing,The opinions of the ministers who have assembled there andThe thoughts of the king and the good that is likely,To happen to all beings of the world told like this.
1347. ”Oh king , Oh suitable person , several kings in your clan,Have rolled this wheel of kingship and had attained great fame.Who can be there who do not appreciate Rama?To you who have learned all great books and have understood them,This is the only action that you can take and this is the Dharma,That remains to be done. You have thought properly.
1348. Oh great one , who has done fire sacrifices for the good of all,You can now do great penance and the earth who wears pretty waist belt,After parting from you , would be not made feel bad for loosing contact with you, As the son Rama born to you , who wears the heroic anklet would not allow her do it.
1349. Except telling that Rama is the personification of Dharma ,And is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in this world ,What other thing can be told by us at this time?That very strong one would even correct the trinity ,Who look after creation, upkeep and destruction of the world.
1350. Oh strong one , Goddess Lakshmi who creates beauty and the lady earth,Consider that Rama is their sweet help for life , and if they say ,“That he is their help who is like their soul “, it would not be wrong,He who is good to you , who have given birth to him,Would also be good to all the beings that live on earth.
1351. ”Oh Valorous one , due to the fact that if someone,Chants the name of Rama daily all his problems would go away,All the Brahmins who recite Vedas and others are considering him, As the result of all the good deeds done by all of them.When this is so, what can we tell about their love towards him?”
1352. ”As for the very famous Janaki , she is better than earth,In her patience and in beauty she resembles Goddess Lakshmi,In wisdom she resembles Goddess Saraswathi and in efficiency ,She resemble the Goddess who rides on the deer,And her husband Rama is better than even our eye.People who have learned and not those not learned consider him,Better that the water we take to live and the soul of the body.”
1353. ”Oh king , among those who protect humans, devas and all others,Sweet souls of this world , no one is better than Rama in protecting them.When the greatness of Rama is like that , when we see the great deed,That you propose to do , there is nothing other than godly penance .” said Vasishta.
1354. When Dasaratha heard the words of sage Vasishta , he became more happier ,Than the day that he had his son , the day when Rama broke the bow of Lord Shiva,And the day when the sage with an axe was defeated by Rama.
1355. ,After becoming greatly happy like that , with tears of joy in his eyes,He saluted the lotus like feet of that sage Vasishta as per ritual and told him,“Great sir, you told me words which are sweet to my ears and my mind,Was I not able to rule this earth alone , because of grace on me,Would not Rama also be able to rule it like that with your aid?”
1356. “Oh sage who is like my father, because of your advice to them,The kings of my clan established endless fame that can never be destroyedIn this world , completed several yagas and won over their good and bad fate And I also got that great luck,” said he to that great sage
1357. That faultless sage of penance did not reply anything to this,And due to the sign made by face of the great council members ,Who were capable of great thought and deep thinking,To suit the great Dasaratha , Sumantra stood before , saluted and told.
1358. The words that you told that “Kingship to Rama is suitable”,Makes us happy but your intention to go away makes us very sad,It is not proper for you to leave out that Dharma which was done .Without forgetting by the leaders of your clan and what can be the thing,That can be more harsher than Dharma. What is it?”
1359. With the minds playing due to joy like drum, for the kings who had ,Huge army of elephants, for the people of the city , for the oldMembers of the council and to the great sages like Vasishta ,He told, “Perform as per ritual the coronation of your gem like son Rama,And then you take action to get detached with this world as per you wish.”
1360. ,When these words were softly told by Sumantra , the king told,“You told properly. After celebrating the crowning of Rama,We will do necessary things later. So you , yourself go with great speed,And bring that husband of Goddess Lakshmi here.”
1361. ,That Sumantra who knew the mind of the king then saluted him,Travelled fast in the king’s avenue where mountain like buildings were there,With as much joy , as if he has himself got the world,And with a golden chariot entered the home of Rama.
1362. Lord Rama was sitting there along with young Lakshmana who was holding ,The cruel bow which is always with him and along with Sita,Who was like sweet nectar among ladies , was sweetly sitting near him .Sumantra with his eyes and mind which were like bees saw ,That very sweet combination with great joy.
1363. ,He saw them , saluted them and said to Rama,“Oh Lord , The king who owns this earth which is surrounded by ocean,Told me, “There is a matter to tell and so bring Rama quickly.”Then the lotus eyed Rama suddenly got up and like a black cloud,Got in to the huge chariot of Sumantra , on which a flag was flying..
1364. With drums in a row raising huge sound like a unified cloud,With the conch bangles from ladies falling down with sound,With devas shouting, “ all our problems have been solved”,And with surrounding the flowers on his head , He got in to the chariot. 1365.When Rama entered the road lot of musical instruments were played,The flower arrows of God of love increased , the strings of bow made sound,And the great waters of the thought of Rama, broke the dam called,Control of mind of the ladies and they left off shyness and ,Filled up the entire street like female deer.
1366. In the gates of big buildings with long pillars , its moon lit courtyards,Several lotuses flowered with ear globes and untied hair ,They flowered in the windows of those buildings and appeared as if,Swords getting mixed with blood stained spears and bees and fishes.
1367. On the flower garland lying on the mountain like chest of Rama,Who had round moon like face and black cloud like colour and,Who was the lord of Devas , the fish like eyes of ladies who had red lips ,Followed their characters like shyness and settled along with bees there.
1368. With their dresses going down along with their cloud like hair,The flowers fell down, With their cool eyes making groups of pearls,There were flowers which they threw and also there were dried flowers,As they had to come through the ornaments worn over their youthful breasts,And besides from the star filled sky the devas also threw well opened flowers.
1369. As soon as they saw Rama, they removed the lustrous sword like eyes,From the eyelid like scabbards , came carrying their moon like faces with great effort,And they who were looking like golden horns had sweat on their tender coconut,Like breasts and on that they had brown golden patches with gingelly like spots ,Which were both indicating their love sickness towards Rama.
1370. When such things were happening there, all males who saw Rama,Became happy like the cows seeing their calves , and he along with,His pure brother rode on the chariot of Sumantra and .Reached the council hall with the happy Dasaratha and entered there.
1371. As per the traditions that were followed, after Rama saluted the sage,He saluted the lotus like feet of Dasaratha who was an expert in sword fight.When he saluted like that, Dasaratha with ebbing love towards him.With eyes shedding tears of joy hugged tightly to his chest, That Rama who was consort of Sita who had fruit like cheeks.
1372. Dasaratha hugged his son who is personification of all good,So that he wanted to measure his ability to rule the earth surrounded by water,By measuring the mountain like shoulders of Rama and his garlanded chest ,Where Goddess Lakshmi lives with his own shoulders as well as chest.
1373. After making Rama sit near him with great joy and after seeing him with joy he told,“Oh master with long shoulders who destroyed the fame of he , who has an axe to fight, There is something that I need from you as one who has given birth to you and brought you up.”
1374. ”Oh Master , I have become greatly tired, the old age which is difficult to bear ,Has crept in to my body and so I need your help to get out of the great prison,Of the heavy responsibility of ruling this very wide country , which is sorrowful,And allow me to lead a life leading to salvation by travelling in the matchless path.”
1375. ”The great ones give birth to a son who has all responsibilities ,Get away from sorrow and enjoy life in this world and the other,And it is not proper for me who have begot a son who isDharma personified to get tired and so if you wish ,To obey my useful words and help me do what I should.”
1376. ”Oh son , the great crowned pretty kings of our clan ,For the sake of their sons to become kings and protect this broad land,Destroyed the three enemies(anger , passion and confusion) which were made by five senses,Completely and attained salvation and their number cannot be estimated.
1377. ”Due to the good that we do in previous births and by the,Yagnas(fire sacrifices) that I did in this life , I begot you as my great son,And suppose I continue in this sorrow of kingly life ,When would I able to get fulfillment got by begetting you.”
1378”. I who am suffering due to the burden of the kingdom , like,A bull drawing a cart with heavy burden on one side and being lame on the other side,Want to get rid of that sorrow and attain the limitless joy of wealth of salvation,And oh master , you have to help me in fulfilling my desire.”
1379. “Once upon a time the matchless Bhagiratha , due to his ancestors ,Not having the character of travelling in the right path , for the sake of their salvation,Brought the river Ganges from the feet of Lord Vishnu , who is the deity of our clan,In to this world and made his fathers climb in to the world , where there is no return.”
1380”. In this world those who have come out of great sorrow are notThose who live as kings or those who are like Indra living in heaven ,And wearing golden heroic anklets or those who have done great penances But those who beget children who follow what they order.”
1381. ”Because of that do not think that the king gave me the heavy burden,Of kingship which causes lot of sorrow in a deceitful manner but,Wear the crown which this king wears and make grow the dharma of just rule ,And I only request you to agree to my humble demand.”
1382. When his father told him like that , the lotus eyed Rama ,Did not think that he had got the kingship nor did he berate ,It , saying it is sorrowful but he thought that being a king is his duty,And he would have to obey whatever has been ordered by the king to him ,And that accepting kingship by him is the only just action ,And decided to accept the kingship that was offered to him.
1383. Dasaratha with white royal umbrella understanding mind of Rama,After telling him, “give me this boon” hugged him as if he merges with his soul,And surrounded by his council members who were like veda ,Reached his palace which did not have anything comparable to it.
1384. Rama with high and pretty shoulders along with great Brahmins, Many kings of great character , the lads of Ayodhya who were happy to see him, And ladies surrounding him on all his sides reached his great palace.
1385-1386. ,Dasaratha in his letter head with the seal of Garuda , which ,Brought him greatness sent gold letters to all victorious kings and ,Said to great Vasishta , “oh great one , please arrange all that is needed,To Crown Rama with the great crown which is made artistically ,As per need and as per tradition.” And then that sage of great penance ,Said , “great” and with joy got in to a great chariot and,Went along with crore of Brahmins and told the kings there,“Oh kings , as per royal tradition , the wealth and country ,That is being given to Rama are as great as his consort Sita.”
1387. Those kings who had drunk the sweet words told by Dasaratha ,Did not stand normally but got drowned in that water of joy,And since the joy in their mind had crossed its limits,And appeared at the bottom oh hairs all over their body .Became like souls which leaves the body and reaches heaven ,And felt as if they have all reached this heaven along with body.
1388. Those kings having same thought and being happy ,Each thinking that the other became king like him and becoming happy ,Came row by row and saluted Dasaratha who had white Royal umbrella,And softly told their opinion “your thought is really great.”
1389. They told “Let the world belong to Rama , who destroyed the pride,Of Parasurama who destroyed our families for the past twenty one generations,Using his very sharp axe,” and “This decision is according to Dharma.
1390. All kings who did not have any difference of opinion told like this,And Dasaratha keeping these deep in his mind and not showing out ,His inward joy , told this to know about the measure of their opinion.
1391. ”Did you tell this after being confused by the love towards my son,Or the words told by you was done after hearing my thoughts ,And has been done because of real joy of your mind,I would like to know from you , which of them?”
1392. When Dasaratha told like this to them , those kings told ,“oh great one , please hear with joy the love ,That people of different parts of this country,And other countries , have on your son.”
1393. ”Oh king born in dynasty of Manu , like we tell that ,The wealth of kingship without any drawback should come to Rama ,He already has permanently charitable nature and very good behavior ,Great understanding of truth , the nature of looking after elders.”
1394. ”Who are there in this world who would like to prevent,,The public water body to be filled up or trees to grow healthy ,So that they can be useful to all or clouds rain in proper season ,Or the river that irrigates the fields always has adequate water
1395. Oh king who has elephants who have trunks as big as ,The palm tree , similar to all beings who had nature of loving you Rama also has similar and same type of love to all of them,And they also are having love towards him.
1396. When Dasaratha heard the council members tell like that ,The entire mind of that king was completely filled with joy,And all his sorrows vanished from his mind , and he ,Became one who expresses joy and ,Started having his eyes filled up with tears of joy.
1397. Dasaratha told the kings ,”Oh kings who are firm on,Lack of bias , good activities , the dislike to bad deeds ,From now on Rama is the son of you all and instead ,Of telling “my son” , I will tell “your son”.And entrust him to you. Please look after him.”
1398. After the council ended, That king who ruled ,Taking with him an expert who knew astrology ,Went inside a mountain like hall ,For finding the auspicious day for the coronation.
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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.