By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam-Ayodhya Kandam 3 (Padalam 7)
7. Guha Padalam
Chapter on Guha
(Near Ganges they are met by the hunter king of Sringaberipura. He became theitr devotee and slave. When Rama and Sita were sleeping on the grass, Guha and Lakshmana stood guard without shutting their eyes. Guha helps them to cross River Ganges an tells them , that he would come with Rama declines the offer and starts walking towards Chithra koota mountains. In Valmiki Ramayana there is a scene in which Guha helps Rama , Lakshmana and Sita make their hair matted.Sumanthra and Guha take leave of Rama at this time.)
1953-1961. At that time , the leader of one thousand boats ,Who is an expert in war named Guha, who has,Been running boats in Ganges for a very long time,Who has mountain like soldiers and who has a bow which kills enemies,Who has a drum called “Thudi” , who maintains hunting dogs ,Who has a huge feet covered by slippers made by leather,Who is very black like the darkness of night ,Who is followed by his large army and has a thunder like spear,Who has an army which has horn like musical instruments ,The drum called thuthari , conch , the high sounding drums , a drum called Parai.Who has an red coloured arrow which is like an emerging leaf ,Who is head of boats , who is surrounded by relatives ,Who are as strong as elephants in rut , who wears on his thigh a dress called Kazham,Who is the great fame of one who knows the depth of Ganges ,Who wears a red hanging dress tied to his hips ,Who has tied on his hips a chain made of the tail of tigers ,Who wears a chain made of shells(chogi) like the teeth ,Who has a heroic anklet which appears like stones arranged together ,Who has hair which looks like darkness stitched together,Who has eye brows which are like the well dried fruit of Aali plant,Who has very long straight hairs on his forearm which are as black ,Like the piece of palm wood , Who had a very wide chest resembling stone,Who has a black body similar to the night applied with oil, Who has lustrous blood stained sword tied to his waist,Who has a look of the eye similar to poisonous snake which makes others shiver,Who talks with out proper sequence like mad people ,Who has a strong hip that is like the Vajrayudha of Indra,Who has eaten meat and fish which increases his strength and has a face bereft of smile,Who looks like a piece of fire even when he is not angry,Who has a very loud voice which makes even Himalayas scared,And who lives in a town called Srungiberapura which is on the banks of river Ganges,Came to see Rama carrying along honey as well as fish and reached there,
1961. After making the hunters who came with him stand aside ,After keeping away the bow and arrow which kills enemies,After removing the sword from his hip and with ,A very truthful and very pure mind and with love towards Rama ,Guha reached the entrance of the saintly hermitage.
1962. Even before Guha announced himself Lakshmana reached near him,And asked ,”who are you?” and Guha saluted Lakshmana with love,And said “Oh God , I am your slave like dog who is a hunter ,Who drives boats to cross river Ganges and I came to salute your holy feet.”(Guha is under the impression, that Lakshmana is Rama)
1964. That younger brother told him, “wait here” and entered the hermitage,And after saluting the great Rama said, “Oh king , to see you a man has come,Who is pure in mind , who has more love than the mother ,Who is the lord of boats that travel in Ganges with lashing waves ,And his name is Guha and he has came along with large crowd of relatives.”
1965. Rama liking Guha said “Oh Lakshmana , please bring him near me”.And that cultured one said to Guha “Please come” and he with great love ,Entered speedily and became happy on seeing the pretty eyed Rama ,Saluted him with his black hair touching the earth and stood there,Bending his body and hiding his mouth with his palm.
1966. Rama told him, “please take your seat here” but he did not sit,Due to innate humility and with great love told Rama that,“I have brought for your food honey as well as cleaned fish,What may be you intention?” and Rama with a soft smile,Saw all the sages with great penance and started telling him.
1967. ”They are valuable and are giving me happiness and ,Have been brought with great love in the mind and so,They are even superior to the nectar of the great devas.And anything that is brought with love are definitely pure.And they are suitable to receive by us who do penance,And please coinsider that I have eaten them sweetly.”
1968. That Rama who is like a lion further told him,“We would stay in the hermitage for night and would like ,To cross river Ganges tomorrow and so you go back to your town,Along with your relations , spend the night there happily .And please do come tomorrow morning with your boats.”
1969. When this was told by Rama who is the colour of cloud,Guha who had very great love for him told .
“Oh Lord who owns the entire earth and rules there ,I am only a thief who has not uprooted my eyes,After seeing you like this and I am not able to go away from you,After seeing you in this state and so I will be here and do you service.”
1970. Rama who had a bow wearing the garland of victory heard ,The opinion of his and after looking at Sita and also after,Looking at the face of his brother and said , “he has everlasting love to me”,And with eyes opening with mercy told , “Oh friend, Who is sweeter than all things, stay here with me.”
1971. Guha saluted his feet with ebbing joy and summoned ,His army which was as wide as an ocean and after ordering them,To provide security to the hermitage , held in his hand his strong bow,Tied the sword and also holding very sharp arrows ,Shouted like the thunderous clouds and stood protecting them.
1972. When Guha asked Lakshmana , “Oh Sir , please tell me ,The reason for you to leave Ayodhya.” And when the sorrowful,Lakshmana explained to him and Guha became greatly sorrowful,On hearing it and with both eyes shedding tears like a stream he said,“Alas , though the great lady earth did penance to be ruled by Rama,She was not lucky to get it “ and later he went out of the hermitage and stayed there.
1973. King Dasaratha who chased away his enemies who were like darkness,Who won over all directions , who stayed at the top and ruled all over the world,And established his fame , who stayed in the minds of all daily and showered his grace ,Who was dead and who was a great hero in war , Lord Sun disappeared.
1974. In the evening time of the day, after completing their evening rituals,The heroic Rama and Sita who was like the nectar taken from ocean of milk,Slept on the earth , in the bed made of grasses and their brother ,Till it became morning without shutting his eyes and holding the huge bow,Went on giving constant protection to both of them.
1975. The chief of the boats Guha with a group of hunters who were like elephants ,With his bow properly stringed and arrow ready to be shot ,Stood there with a mind burning out of very great sorrow ,Without sleeping for the entire night and watched the brother ,Who was standing guard the entire night without any sleep ,And also seeing the way Rama slept on the bare earth, like a mountain, with a stream of tears.
1976.The Sun who was never born like telling the numberless people on earth,That death is certain for all of them , had set the previous day evening,And next day as if telling them that , the birth has to take place this way rose up.And reminded them that pleasure of heaven are not permanent and should be forgotten.
1977. Seeing the white rays of Sun, who comes riding on his chariot ,The red lotus flowers which were born in red slushy mud opened up.And the lotus like face of Sita who was red and like the Vanchi climber,Opened up on seeing the black sun who was different from the red one.
1978. Rama who carried the extremely fearsome bow on his shoulders,After completing all the morning rituals with great satisfaction,Went followed by Brahmins and looking at Guha who loved him,Like a friend who is his slave told him “Please speedily,Bring the boats of good quality so that we can depart.”
1979. After hearing the words of Rama , Guha with the constant flow,Of stream like tears , with a trembling soul and unable to part ,From the holy feet of Rama , fell down and saluted Rama,Of the colour of blue lotus, Flower of Poovai , sea as well as the clouds ,Along with Sita and started telling all his thoughts.
1980”. Oh Rama who wears the flower garland trimmed by scissors,My people do not know deceit and our home is only this forest ,We do have any shortages , we also posses great strength,And we would do service to you in the most proper way.Please think us who are your devotees as your relations at this time,And please stay here happily here for a very long time.”
1981. “We have honey , millet flour , we have meat which even devas would eat,And our soul is purely meant to do you service and you have time,To play with the goddess and spend your time, Ganges is there for playing water sports,And as long as I am alive you can stay here with joy and happiness.”
1982. ”We have leather cloth as soft as cotton cloth , we have very many varieties of tasty food,We have cots looking like cradles which are made of ropes, we have storage racks ,We have huts to live , we posses strong legs to get you anything you need with speed,We have strong arms which hold bows which can kill all those who stop us,And we would bring anything you need , even if it is in the sky above.”
1983. ”I have hunters holding the bow who are stronger than Devas ,Who obey all my orders who are five lakhs in number,And Rama if you stay even one day in our huts , we would,Not have better days in our lives and all of us would have won.”
1984. Rama after hearing all that , with great mercy smiled with white luster ,And said to him, “Oh valorous one , we would take bath in several sacred waters,And salute and serve pure sages and before the time limit of our life in the forest,And would come sweetly back and be with you for some time.”
1985-1986. Guha who understood his mind , speedily went away from there,And brought long boats and Rama , the lotus eyed one looked at,All the sages and Brahmins and said, “give me leave” and after their reply ,Along with Sita with forehead like crescent and his brother , got in to the boat,Told Guha” now row it fast “ and he who was like the body and soul of Rama,Rowed speedily the boat , in the Ganges with breaking waves ,And that boat went speedily like a swan , making those sages on the banks sad Who melted with emotions like a wax melts in a raging fire.
1987. Sita with milk like voice , Rama who was like the Sun,Went in the boat breaking that holy water , sprayed water,At each other and played and that boat went speedily ,Like a crab with big legs , with the huge oars having leather fronts pushing it forward
1988. That high ganges with sand hills which appeared like huge breasts ,Over which sandal paste has been applied, with the gems in it throwing luster,With her long hands , which are its clear waves which were shining ,With the luster of red scented lotus flowers , carried the boat safely to the other shore.
1989. The Lord after reaching the other shore looked at Guha and asked,“Please tell me the way to Chithrakoota.” And Guha who due to his devotion,Even was prepared to give his soul to Rama , fell at the feet of Rama ,And told, “ oh great one, this dog wants to tell you something.”
1990. ”If I who am like a dog is blessed to be permitted to come with you ,I would be able to make the way very proper for you. I have the strength ,To bring you, very good vegetables, fruits and honey , very properly.I would be able to make you places to live wherever we go and,Without leaving you even a second, I would be able to protect you.”
1991. ”I would chase and make the evil things on the way to four directions ,And I would be able to point out forests where only pure animals live.I would search and bring anything that is required by you at any time,And I also have the strength to do all the jobs that you command me to do.Apart from that I have the capacity to walk in the forest path even at mid night.”
1992. ”Oh Rama who has huge shoulders which make you capable to do wrestling,I would dig the mountain and make it into a path and I would dig out good eatable roots,I would be able to travel in hard paths and bring life giving water from places where it is there,I have an army with bows to assist me and I would not be scared of anything ,And I would live with you always not parting from your flower like feet.”
1993. ”Oh Rama who has a matchless chest , if it is agreeable to your mind,I can bring my army also with me and would be able to live with you always .If some enemy who wants to harm you approaches, I would fight with them,Even before you do and give away my life after killing them all .I would not earn any bad name and I would definitely come with you.”
1994. The pure one after hearing all the words told by Guha said in reply,“”You are like my soul and Lakshmana is your younger brother ,And this Sita who has this pretty forehead is your sister in law,And this world which is surrounded by the sea is all yours,And I am also one who would obey all your commands.”
1995. ”Pleasure would come only if there is sorrow and that pleasure Would be there after this parting, which is definitely a sorrow.Do not think and worry that in between there is a parting like this.Earlier we were only four brothers and we who are in endlessly,Growing love , have from now on , become five brothers.”
1996. ”Oh Guha who has lustrous greatly sharpened spear ,Your brother Lakshmana would be there always with me ,To see that I do not get any sorrow and so you go back,To your country and rule it , like I would rule it ,And when I am again coming to the northern direction,I would come to your place and I would never fail in my words.”
1997. ”Your younger brother Bharata is looking after Ayodhya and other places,And if you come with me who is there to protect your town and people ?please tell.When you say your relatives , are they not my relatives also?So do not become greatly sad and look after these relatives of mine properly.”
1998. Guha who cannot go against the orders of Rama , with others telling,“He has become greatly sick due to parting with Rama, “ took leave,And Sita who was as pretty as peacock wearing ornaments , Rama ,And his younger brother went for a long distance , in that forest dense with trees.
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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.