By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam-Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 10)
10. Palli padai padalam
Chapter on the cremation.
(The messengers travelling for seven days reach Bharata and without telling the news v brought him back. Bharata isa shocked to see the sorry state of Ayodhya, While he was searching for his father, the maid of Kaikeyi informs him to meet his mother. When Kaikeyi informs the bad news Bharata shouts at her.Later he goes and meets queen Kausalya. After clearing her misunderstandings, When he starts the process of cremation of body of Dasaratha, Vasishta informs him that since Dasaratha has disowned him, he cannot do the cremation. The cremation is done by Shatrugna. The sixty thousand wives of Dasaratha enter the fire along with Dasaratha. The councilors approach Bharata and request him to become the king. Valmiki Ramayana tells that Bharata sees a dream of ill omen about his father’s death, before messengers reach him. The leave taking from his maternal grand father and uncle are not mentioned in Kamba Ramayana. According to Valmiki Ramayana Bharata reaches Ayodhya in six days. The detailed path he takes is also mentioned there. Bharata himself goes to Kaikeyi’s palace unlike Kamba Ramayana ,Instead of cursing himself to suffer if he has done the evil deed, In Valmiki Ramayana , he curses , the person who was responsible for it. Bharata performs the funeral rites in Valmiki Ramayana and is not stopped by sage Vasishta. The wives of Dasaratha do not jump in fire but give water oblations to their lord. On 13th day in Valmiki Ramayana Vasishta talks about inevitability of death . ON the same day Shatrugna tries to torture Mandhara and is stopped by Bharata.)
2102. Those matchless emissaries who were wedded to truth,Drove throughout night and day without stopping,Reached the place of Bharata and said ,“Hey, security at the gate, tell about our arrival to our king.”
2103. When they informed “Emissaries with words ,Of your father has come “, Bharata with happy frame of mind,With love told them ,”send them here” and they entered, saluted him,And he asked” Are there any problems to the king ?”
2104. When they told , “ he is OK” , Bharata became happy ,And further asked , “does my Lord Rama along with,The well ornamented Lakshmana live with wealth of,Absence of tiresomeness and anxiety” and when,They replied “Yes” Bharata saluted the direction of Rama ,With both his hands held over his head,
2105. Afterwards he enquired about welfare of his relatives ,In the order according to tradition and after becoming happy,And then the emissaries told him, “Oh Lord with prettiness,That cannot be drawn in a picture , here is the divine message”
2106. ,As soon as they told like this , he praised and saluted it,And with his matchless long arms in which he wore gold ornaments ,Received it , with a very sentimental mind he kept,It on his head which has been decorated by flowers,
2107. After keeping that letter on his head which had sandal paste on it ,And after breaking the lac mud seal , he opened and saw .The letter written on palm leaf and to those emissaries ,Who brought it gave wealth beyond one crore as gift.
2108. With his mind becoming happy at the prospect of seeing his brother ,A smile like a lustrous moon appeared on his face , With hairs all over his body standing up straight , with ebbing flow of affection,He offered mentally flowers at the holy feet of Rama.
2109. He then reached his palace and ordered his army to start ,Saluted his grand father who was the king of Kekaya country,He got up in the chariot drawn by horses along with his brother,Without bothering to see whether the date and time where auspicious.
2110. Elephants surrounded him , chariots made great sound,Many kings accompanied him , the soldiers armed with sword,Surrounded him , the conches boomed and the huge drums ,Made great noise like the ocean which was filled with fish.
2111. The flags came near him , the decorative hangings surrounded him,Ladies with long eyes like tender mango and young she elephants ,Marched very near to him and the luster of the ornaments,Worn by those ladies shined like lightning with thunder everywhere.
2112. The carts were going spreading themselves everywhere,Many musical instruments gave sound which was like the thunders of cloud,On the garlands worn by people the bees made sound,And the horses which remain on the circular ground went behind him.
2113. The sound of the Vedas were broadcast through the pipe with holes ,The horses with bent face which shook their heads ,Which had the strength to travel even in skies and Which were capable of travelling over the sea came there.
2114. Those who were experts in using the bow , experts in sword war fare .Great wrestlers , experts in throwing small knives,Those who were experts in throwing spears and tridents to kill,Ands very experienced drivers of elephants came surrounding him.
2115. The buffalo crowd which threw one against the other,Many male animals , cocks which can obey one’s signs,The Kaudari bird with long hairs on its body and the people ,Who were experts in warfare intended to protect also came near.
2116. ,Those people who are close due to knowledge in their mind,Were anxious and wanted to fly back to Ayodhya , like,Devas born in the world by curse who were anxious,To go back to their places, once they realize that they are devas.
2117. The song of the royal flatterers mixed with honey ,Entered the ears and spread up to the sky and ,The sound of drums , like the soul which is merged with,The body with blood , Merged with the sweetness of that song.
2118. The muted sound of songs of blessing chanted by Vedic scholars,Was greater than great sound released by Drums beaten by short stick ,And the sound of praise was much stronger than ,The thunder like sound of valour raised by valorous soldiers.
2119. Bharatha after travelling for seven days in which he crossed,Rivers, forests and huge mountains and afterwards , reached ,The Kosala country where the jaggery syrup from sugarcane factories ,Breaks open the bunds and flowing through canals and ,Irrigate the fields in which the best of the seedlings are planted.
2120. The fields were not having ploughs , the shoulders,Of young lads were not having garlands , the cool fields ,Did not have crops of paddy , there were no lotus flowersAnd the goddess of the lotus flower had gone out of that country.
2121. The juice of sweet fruits came out as there was none to pluck it,And this went to great water bodies which were completely spoiled.The lustrous flowers due to absence of people to pluck them and use them,Came out of their stalks , fell in the ground and got dried up.
2122. The red paddy , due to the absence of cultivator who knew ,The proper time to harvest it , got deteriorated andDue to the toddy produced by the skin of mango fruits ,Bent town , got broken and again grew up in the land.
2123. Those farmer ladies who by their pretty noses defeated,The pretty flower of Gingelly , appeared to have in side quarrel, With the husbands whom they loved and did not bother,To weed the fields and they were lying listlessly.
2124. ,The parrots also had stopped talking , the ladies with long hair, Did not go and meet their friends whom they loved very much,Those birds did not carry their message and did not come back,The big drums were not raising any sound and in those ,Golden avenues processions of celebrations did not go.
2125. ,The Flutes stopped producing music , the dancing stages. Stopped having dances ,water bodies stopped having bathing,The head stopped decorating by flowers and the mansions,With moon lit courtyards stopped singing auspicious songs.
2126. The lustrous face of the people did not have smile,The mansions did not have smoke from Akil ,The lamps with stands did not have flames going upward,And the hairs of ladies lost the honey dripping flower clusters.
2127. The luxurious fertile paddy crop which was below ,The very wide pond , due to water not coming from the pond ,Dried like the beggars who stand near the door,Of the cruel misers getting faded .
2128. That blessed wealth land whose prosperity cannot be,Adequately described , looked as if the goddess of wealth,Who sits on the lotus flower has gone to a long distance ,Had lost its beauty and was like a body without soul.
2129. Seeing his country in such a state , Bharata became very sad,And as he was not aware of the happenings in that place ,Thinking that there is a bad news which is waiting for him,Hesitated , got very much tired and left a painful breath.
2130. That Bharata who was the great son of the kingWhose ornament was truth, further proceeded and,With his mind travelling much faster than the chariot ,With serious thought looked at the tall doors of the city.
2131. Seeing the lustrous Sun God who has one thousand rays,“You have roamed all over the world and so stay in our town,And go after taking food “ once said the flags of the city which touched the sky,Which appeared as if trying to stop him on his way ,And Bharata was not able to see the forest of such flags.
2132. The great sound of the huge drums which seemed to call people and say,“Take away all the wealth we have earned so that we can win great fame,And so please come quickly and receive them”, was not heard by him.
2133. ,That Bharata who wore flower garlands from which bees ,Were drinking honey did not see the royal flatterers ,The musician who sing on auspicious musical instruments ,The crowd of she elephants , wealth and all those ,People who used to get gifts and take them away like thieves.
2134. That Bharata who was born to the king who protected the world,Did not see Brahmins, The devas of earth getting as charity ,Horses , cows , elephants with flowing rut and Great wealth attracting love from the kingdom.
2135. Due to musician groups and the bees that go round them ,As well as musical instruments with strings were not ,Singing songs based on seven notes and due to that,And was looking like the hair of young peacock like women.
2136. Without Chariots, horses , elephants , palanquins, and carts on which people travel,Due to people who travel and drive not being there , the roads of Ayodhya,Were like river with white sands without incoming water and were not pretty.
2137. That great Bharata who was appreciated by very great people,Saw the city which was in such a state and looking at his brother told ,“Oh brother , Does this Ayodhya look like the prosperous townRuled by Dasaratha ? What is this state for this city?”
2138. ”This town has lost its prettiness like the town of our enemies,Who are different from us. And it is looking like the huge ocean of milk,Deserted by Lord Vishnu who is like huge black pregnant cloud,And Goddess Lakshmi who had broad eyes similar to kayal fish.”
2139. That Shatrugna who was like a young king lion and ,Who was wearing various gem studded ornaments ,Saluted his brother folding both his hands “the sorrow,That has occurred is not a simple one for it seems,Goddess of wealth has forsaken this city which would be there up to deluge.
2140. When they were talking like this crossing with speed of thought ,The long auspicious streets with mansions having flags tied at their entrance ,Were crossed by the son of the emperor and ,He reached the palace where his father normally stays.
2141. Bharatha who had high shoulders that put mountains to shame,Due to desire reached there speedily but was not able to see ,The king with great strength in normal places that he lives,And became sad thinking that it is a surprising news.
2142. At that time when Bharata was searching for his father ,To salute him with his hands , one maid servant of Kaikeyi,Who has shoulders like bamboo told him,“Your mother has called you and so please come here.”
2143. He went there and saluted his mother’s feet,And she hugged him with all her heart and asked,“Is it all right with my father , brother and sisters?”And that Bharata with matchless good said, “yes.”
2144. ”Due to great love , I have come to salute,The lotus feet of my father . My mind is disturbed and is shaking.Where is the king who is great among men and wears a long crown?”He said to his mother saluting her with his two folded hands.
2145. ,When he told like this , she whose mind is never disturbed,Said, “That Dasaratha who wears the flower garland from which honey drips,And who had a great army which destroyed the power of Asuras ,Has reached the heavens , with the devas saluting him on the way. Please do not be sad”
2146. As soon as these harsh words which were like a spear,Entered his ears , that Bharata who has hair which was like steps,Fell like a huge Maramara which was hit by a great thunder Falling on the earth and lost his senses as well as breath.
2147. With his face loosing his luster with tears falling like a stream,From his eyes which were like the just opened lotus flower,He told his mother “Would anybody else speak the words ,Which were like keeping the raging fire on the ears?”
2148. Bharatha who was as pretty as lord Subrahamanya fell down,Became sad and again fell down , sobbed , let out hot breath,With a destroyed mind prattled , wailed and then started talking like this .
2149. ”Oh God like king , you , after cutting off the root of Dharma ,After killing grace and made the great feeling of your mercy dark,You are now dead and by that you have forgotten justice,And is there a wrong act to do than this?”
2150”. After cutting off anger which is your enemy ,After putting off the fire of passion from your mind,And after completely removing all bad character which are enemies,You were walking in the path agreeable to all, Oh charitable one ,Is walking in the way that you want , a good character?”
2151. ”Oh Lord Dasaratha, who made the great stories Of the first one of our clan and others known all over the world,How did you go away leaving Rama who powdered the strength ,Of the bow of Lord Shiva who had a eye in the forehead?
2152. “Oh lord ., who rotated the wheel of kingship properly,Realizing that there are no body who wants anything from others,Did you go away searching for people with wants?Do such people exist in other world?”
2153. ”Oh emperor who had broad shoulders which made wrestling disappear,Leaving out all those beings who were living under the shade ,Of your white royal umbrella and making them wilt without shade ,Did you go to the land of devas desiring the scented shade of Karpaga tree.”
2154. ,”Oh Sir , possibly there are other asuras in the land of devas,Who have an army like that of Sambarasura and because of that ,Due to the trouble from the asuras , devas having lost their world ,Have perhaps surrendered to you and that is why perhaps you have gone there.”
2155. ,Due to kings who were having armies where musical instruments,Are densely distributed were defeated by you and were paying ,Huge amount of wealth to you and you have given them to ,Brahmins who are experts in Vedas as well as ceaselessly conducted ,The Aswa medha Yaga as well other yagnas for benefit of devas,Would you be able to be in heaven doing nothing?
2156. ”Oh Lord of elephants in rut having seven body parts above ,Possibly seeing that Rama was not doing anything , you ,Have given the wheel of kingship to him, which were looked after ,By your powerful pretty shoulders and have gone to heaven.
2157. You being one without any desire have given the entire earth to Rama ,Who was son whom you got as a result of great penance , and have gone away,Without being able to see with your own eyes, Rama becoming king as per custom ,And celebrating the take over of the kingdom by the crowning ceremony.
2158. Bharata who was able to tolerate the sorrow caused by the death,Of the king , told such words several times and in several ways ,And after shedding tears like a mountain stream , somehow consoled,Himself and then He who had a strong bow like god of death told.
2159”. Rama with great character is my father , mother , godAs well as my elder brother and so unless I salute ,His feet this great sorrow would not part from me “, he told.
2160. As she heard these words , Kaikeyi who was capable ,Of telling thunder like words again told Bharata,“Oh son with a bow that can kill enemies , Rama,Along with his wife as well as his younger brother,Who are two in number has gone to the forest.”
2161. Hearing her words that “He is in the forest”, Bharata,Thought and thought about it and became like one who has swallowed fire,And told himself ” still what other bad fate is in store for me?”,And further told “How much more sorrow news I have to hear?”
2162. That great one who was very sad and greatly upset asked,“Did that great one wearing heroic anklets, go to the forest,Because , “he did harm for others” or is it due to the,“great anger of Gods “ or is it due to bad fate ,Which is above these or due to some other reason?”
2163. “If Rama himself has done some evil deed ,it must be,AS an act of a mother to look after all the beings on the earth,But please tell me whether Rama went to the forest ,Before the death of my father or after it”, he asked.
2164. Kaikeyi replied , “it is not because he found fault with elders ,Nor due to very great pride nor due to any of the Gods ,And he went to the forest , when the Sun like king was still alive.”
2165. ,BHaratha again asked ,”if Rama did not do any crime,And if some of his enemies had not got angry with him,And if it is not due to ills done to the Gods , even when,His father was alive , what is the reason for him to go to forest?Please tell me clearly so that I can understand.”
2166.”Due to the boons that Dasaratha gave me by words,I sent my son(Rama) to the forest and then made this earth ,Belong to you and because he was not able to bear it,That king who was the ruler , gave up his life.”
2167. His hand that was held in salutation closed both his ears ,Even before Kaikeyi finished her words completely ,His eye brows bent and travelled up and down,From his breath flames of fire came out ,And both his eyes became blood shot.
2168. His cheeks throbbed and from his hair pores fire came out,On all sides and the smoke that came out covered all sides ,His mouth was folded tightly and his hands , which were ,Used to charity like rain , hit with each other and huge sound was produced,
2169. When the feet of that very angry Bharata were alternatively kept on earth,The earth as well as Mount Meru started wavering like a ship carrying an elephant ,With a matchless mast which was hit by by a huge hurricane while travelling in sea.
2170. The devas got scared and many asuras died because of fear ,The elephants of directions which were in rut , got the holes of rut closed,The Sun set and the normally angry god of death , closed his eyes.
2171. That very angry Bharata who was like a lion,Did not think that Kaikeyi who had done cruel deeds is his mother,But fearing that Rama would get angry if he kills her,Started telling words which are as cruel as a thunder.
2172. ”My father is no more due to your cruel trick,And my brother has undertaken great penance ,But I have not torn your mouth that asked such boons ,And me who am stil alive after hearing these words,Would be blamed by the world that it is due to my desire.”
2173. ”You are still alive and I am standing before you doing nothing,And did not beat and make you fall by the time one can say “A”,And the reason for this is that my mother like brother would get angry ,And not because you are being called as “my mother.”
2174. ”One king was prepared to die because of your cruel words,One male , left the country which he has to rule ,And goes away to the forest and to rule this earth there is Bharata,And when things are like that , it seems Dharma is not affected.”
2175. “Except making people saying later that “once Bharata ,Due to cruel tricks of his mother changed the traditionOf his clan and had earned a bad name “, Is there ,Anything else that was done by your action.”
2176. ”After destroying the limitation that was imposed by virtue ,You have completely uprooted and destroyed Dasaratha ,Who held a spear sharpened well and had also kept you ,Within his mind , by asking these boons and you are similar,To the python that swallows whatever is available,What else are you going to achieve in future?”
2177. ”You have drunk the soul of your husband , you are not a disease ,But you are a devil and still you continue to be alive as you would not die,And you had suckled me when I was a baby , as you are definitely my mother.What else are you planning to give to me from now on.”
2178. ”You ate away the king who never lied , by asking these boons,And you have earned a bad name which would be there till world ends,And you were happy when he died thinking you would enjoy all his wealth ,And how was it possible for you to be away from Rama , Please change your idea.”
2179. ”My father fearing that bad name would come,Due to the boon granted by him has died, and his son,Thinking that it is the only proper dharma went to forest,By leaving the kingship and Bharata who was born with him,Would rule over the earth due to the trick played by his mother.”
2180. “Rama who was supposed to rule did not think ,That his father would die if he goes to the forest.And thought the differing thought of Kaikeyi .Was due to me and this one would truly rule the earth And gone to the forest, otherwise he would have returned.”
2181. That Dasaratha who belonged to the famous ancient clan,Whatever he might have of thought otherwise but to make Rama think,“This Bharata whom I thought would always work for me,Had thought about this cruel idea “, Is not the boon that my mother got sufficient.”
2182. ” When my brother who was born before me is eating leaves,Kept on the leaf held in his hand , I who am cruel ,Am still alive and not only that , In a very good vessel,I am eating the sweet rice mixed with ghee which is like nectar ,And would not people who see it , think ill of me.”
2183. ”The good king as soon as it was told to him that,“Rama who holds the bow on his shoulder has gone to cruel forest”Died immediately but I did not kill her who is like poison,Nor did I die and am crying like one who loves him ,As I am one who has not been affected by a very bad name.”
2184. “The people of this earth would not agree for it ,nor,Would I. by protecting my own life , accept the very bad name,But the bad name that you have created would not go away ,However much I try , The goddess of wealth will not stay in this city.With whom did you consult and who told you this idea,And why did you completely uproot Dharma?”
2185. ” Using your murderous words I have murdered my father,And not only that , I have sent my elder brother to forest and ,I am now readying myself to rule the earth ,. Is there ,Any bad name for you and would the bad name for me go away at any time?”
2186. ” Other people who do not know me are going to see what I do,And people on this earth without seeing that would laugh at me ,You have a bad name and I am standing thinking of a proverb that,“the poison that you have not taken cannot kill you “,Otherwise I would not continue to live.”
2187. ”Due to the great unending sin of my being bornFrom your sinner’s stomach, to get rid of my sorrow ,With god of Dharma himself as witness , with ,The three worlds seeing me , I am going to do great penance.”
2188. ”I have told you that good advice that would be given by great people,If you forget all the acts that you did and give up your soul which does not go,You would be considered as pure by this world and you would ,Also realize the need for being born in this world .And I do not think there is any way to get rid of your bad name” , he said.
2189. After telling such words like this deciding that ,He would not stay any more with this cruel minded sinner,For the sake of consolation from his sorrow , he decided that,He would go and salute the golden feet ,Of his mother Kausalya and went away from there.
2190.That best among the men went from there and reached ,The home of Kausalya and saluted her by falling on the ground,Making it break and with his pretty long hands ,Caught hold of the lotus feet of Kausalya and wailed.
2191. Making even the devas cry , since they were not able to bear it,“ In which world is my father there?” “Where is my elder brother?”Did I come back to see this sorry state? Please console me.”Bharata said.
2192. He rolled in the earth , making the dust , coat his shoulders saying,“I was not able to see the feet of my lord , is he who is the king of the world,The one who goes away from this city , possibly you did not ,Stop him while going and is it possible for you to live further?”
2193. “I would destroy all those who made him go to the forest,And what is the use of telling about it now , I should only do it ,And then I who am bad and took birth from that cruel lady ,Would also die , so that my great sorrow would end.”
2194. That Bharata who had a shoulder like emerald mountain said,“This ancient clan which was lit by the sun who by crawling ,In his chariot puts an end to all darkness ,Has now got a bad name which is called “Bharata”.
2195. Bharata who is the personification of Dharma and who had,Long arms which would touch his thighs wailed that,“With Dasratha who had an army armed with sword living in heaven,And with his matchless elder son reaching the forest, this country is blind,”
2196. Kausalya with great heritage , virtue as well as patience ,Seeing Bharata who was sorrowing saw his depression by her mind,And concluded that he was not the one who wanted to rule the country,And that his mind was pure and becoming greatly sad,For her previous impressions told him as follows.
2197. Kausalya thought that he is one who does not have dirt in his mind and does not,Have any sinful thoughts but honest one and became clear about it and looking at him told,“Possibly you did not know the cheating done by the daughter of king of Kekaya.”
2198. Bharatawho had fallen at her feet, as soon as he heard these words,Started crying like a lion which has been caught and making Dharma ,AS well as the God of death shiver started telling ,The following words of great oath by his toungue.
2199-2202 .”He who tried to destroy Dharma , He who does not have mercy in mind,He who lived depending on others , he who got angry at others,He who eked out his living by killing innocent beings,He who willfully caused trouble to sages with great penance ,He who killed the great elders and ladies with his sword,He who had gone to war along with the king ,But retreated with his enemies seeing his back ,He who beats the beggars and steals their earnings,He who told that Lord Vishnu who wears the cool thulasi garland as not God,He who lives make using the ability of Brahmins,He who is a devil who instead of protecting the faultless Vedas says that it is all lies ,The sinner who fills up his stomach while his mother starves to death,And who after seeing his king die in the battle field , saves his own life,Would all go to the burning hell , but let me go there before them.”
2203. , Let me fall in that hell from which there is no freedom,Where the person who fearing for his life ,Gives away to the enemy , one surrendered at his feet,And also the one who forgot Dharma.
2204. ”Let me speedily fall in to that truly cruel hell , where,Those who tells false witness , those who go to war with valour but return,Those who hide and make their own the material given for protection,And He who troubles others , in the same place where they are in trouble fall.”
2205. ”Let me also fall in that terrible hell which causes great pain,Where the one who sets fire to the houses of Brahmins,The one who kills small boys , the one who gives biased judgment,And the one who berates and abuses Gods go.”
2206. ”Let that hell where the one who kills the calf ,By taking away all the milk of the cow and drinks it,One who hides the properties of others and usurps it,And one who is an ungrateful bitter one goes.”
2207. ”Let me get the same fate as those who run away with their life ,When dacoits are torturing , the maids with sweet words who came with them,And he who eats food seeing others nearby are hungry and are suffering for food.”
2208. ”Let me also fall in the same hell as he who salutes .His enemies in the battle field where weapons are thrown,To save his own life and those who due to desire of long ,Wealthy life usurps the property of those who earn according to Dharma.”
2209. ”Let me become that fallen one like one who gets ,The power to rule and under impression that he can do anything,Forgets the Dharma which is with him for several generations,And goes in such a path that will bring bad name to him.”
2210. ”When the citizens come and request for protection,If the king makes them run away with great confusion in their mind,And if due to his avarice for land wages war with the enemy kings ,And later concede victory to the enemies and let me go that way.”
2211. ”Let me go that hell which would be attained by ,The one who wishes to rape an unmarried girl,The one who looks at his teacher’s wife with bad intention,The one who drinks toddy and one who earns wealth by dishonest means.”
2212. ”Let me go to that hell which would be attained by ,Who eats when hungry that which should not be eaten like dog,Who is talked by the world as neither a male nor female ,And who is not ashamed by it , who is not bothered about good advice,And who always keeps on babbling about bad acts done by others.”
2213”. Let me go by that path by which one who tells imaginary faults,About ancient families which do not have fault , one who throws out ,The little food of poor ones during a famine and one who eats good food,Making others get water in their mouth , without sharing it with them.”
2214. ”Let me become one who wastes without need the valorous deed,And one who for the sake protecting this temporary body eatrs the food thrown,By those enemies who had got angry at him.”
2215. ”Let me also share a part of that horrible hell of the god of death,Of one who is a big sinner who makes the people who request for something,Wander to and fro by telling “not there” , when he really has ,And when it is there by not giving him at that time.”
2216. “Carrying the small knife which would cut into pieces,The enemies in his long hands and protecting this bad smelling , body,Which is the base of all diseases, let me salute the enemies whom I should conquer,In front of ladies who have a smile like pearls.”
2217. ”Let me stand blinking before my enemies who do not like me ,With pulling legs due to metal chains in the legs , after saving my life,When the enemy conquers my country surrounded by pretty fields of,Paddy , sugar cane and great forests on all sides.”
2218. Kausalya after hearing these pure words from her son,Felt as if Rama who has gone to cruel forest had come back,And with great happiness hugged Bharata with same love as she had towards Rama.
2219. Kausalya who understood the good mind as well as acts Of Bharata,As well the bad character and bad acts of Kaikeyi from the words of Bharata ,Started sobbing and sobbing with her thick breasts expelling milk.
2220. Thinking and thinking with a torn mind Kausalya sobbed,“King of kings none of your ancestors who ruled this kingdom ,Before you were equal to you.” And thus she blessed him.
2221. The younger brother Shatrugna , with a crying and weeping mind,Fell at the holy feet of Kausalya , talked to her in the same fashion as Bharata,And later fainted and at that time sage Vasishta came there.
2222. Bharata fell at feet of sage Vasishta who came there and asked,“Please tell me where my father is?” with great pain and fainted.That great sage who was not knowing what to tell , hugged Bharata and cried.”
2223. ”Oh stain less son , It is already fourteen days since ,Your very strong father expired and soon please do,The rituals needed to be performed by a son “ Told ,Kausalya who was already drowned in sorrow.
2224. When the mother ordered , he saluted her feet And went along with the great sage with long matted hair,And saw the ancient form of Dasaratha who sacrificed himself,To save Dharma and who himself is the form of Dharma .
2225. ,He fell on the earth wailed and lost his consciousness,And he made the gold like pretty body of that king of earth ,Which was lying in the oil , bathe in the stream of his tears and made it drown.
2226. Brahmins who were experts in all the four Vedas ,Along with love and kindness took the body by their hands,And with the valorous drum playing sound of victory,They made it mount on a great Vimana made of gold.
2227. The people of the city, like the ocean which builds its own bank,With great sound wailed a lot , went round the ocean of kingsMaking their soul greatly disturbed and saluted him,And the body was taken from there on a elephant wearing a thread of beads.
2228. Conches , drums , flat drums and horns normally played at death,Were blaring forth from all sides making all those who heard it sad ,And that clouded city was like ladies wailing with beating their eyes.
2229. Along with horses elephants , chariots , kings ,Groups of Brahmins going in front of the body of the king,Surrounded by his queens reached Sarayu river with clear tides.
2230. The Brahmins reached there and after completing all the rituals,As mentioned in the books , after properly preparing the fire pot,Placed the body of Dasaratha on the pyre and looking at Bharata told,“Please do your duty to your father which is according to Vedas.”
2231. At that time when Bharata rose up to perform his duty,The sage Vasishta told him, “due to the cruel deed done,By your mother , even when he was alive the king had told,That you are not his son and so you do not have right to do the ritual.”
2232. Vasihta further said “Due to your being born, this dharma ,Of this dynasty has been broken and so your father ,Gave you up as a son and died and what we see here,,May be a son who has lost his identity ,it seems.”
2233. Like the cruel serpent hearing a great thunder retreats,With great fear, Bharata fell on the earth and with ,A very sorrowing mind which cannot be consoled by any,Sobbed and with his mind tottering and told like this.
2234. ”I am not lucky enough to get the right to do,Death rituals to any of my forefathers in the clan of the sun,
And I am also not suitable to perform responsibility of rulingAnd who else is there among the great kings like me.”
2235. ”Oh Vasishta , who is the son of Lord Brahma who sits on lotus,All my faultless ancestors due to their dharma and justice , became gods,Alas after birth , even when I am a boy , I have been wasted like this.”
2236. ,In the dead bunch of coconuts borne by a coconut tree,With a huge wide base , I have become an empty coconut,And see what great help has my mother who gave birth to meAnd protected me, has done to me , alas.”
2237. Vasishta who stood by the rules formulated by the four Vedas , And who had the habit of doing everything perfectly made ,Shatrugna who was the younger brother of the greatly sorrowingAnd flower garland wearing Bharata , to all the needed rituals.
2238. The wives of Dasaratha who were like the faded flower branches,With gold necklaces, pearl necklaces and hip belts shining,Drowned in that fire like the crowd of mountain peacocks ,Drowning in the forest of leafless lotus flowers.
2239. With their faces which were like lotus and the full moon,Getting more divine luster , feeling that fire was cooler than cool water,Getting rid of their sorrow , they reached that world of ,Ladies who follow their husband in death.
2240. After the death rites as per Sage Vasishta were got done ,By Shatrugna to that emperor Dasaratha , Bharata,Who was in the ocean of illnesses which was caused ,By getting the king’s wealth by an evil act reached his home.
2241. That son who was lying in the ocean of sorrow,Completed all the rituals as mentioned in ancient books,Which lasted for ten days , which appeared like eon to him .
2242. That victorious sage after providing help so that,All needed death rituals are completed, along with,Brahmins wearing the sacred thread following him,Reached the palace of Bharata and started telling ,Him who completed the death rituals and who held a victorious spear.
2243. ,The councilors of that country along with its wise people ,Feeling that “ It is not proper for a country to be without a king”,With a determined mind came and assembled there.
Download PDF (Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 10)
Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 10) – Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 10)
Download PDF: Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 10) in English PDF
Read More :
Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 10)
Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 11)
Kamba Ramayanam: Ayodhya Kandam 4 (Padalam 12)
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.