By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam – Bala Kandam 6 (Padalam 21)
21. Kolam kaan padalamThe chapter on seeing the form
(This is a part of the South Indian form of marriage . In Valmiki Ramayana Rama does not see Sita till the day of marriage, as is the case of North Indian marriage . This chapter is also absent from Valmiki Ramayana. In this chapter the poet describes how a bride is dressed up before the wedding. In the later chapter on wedding , this aspect has been left out. Another aspect is that her mother does not come to the hall where this ceremony is taking place .)
1117. Surrounded by the queens who were looking like picture,Dasaratha who was occupying his seat like Devendra,His Guru Vasishta seeing Janaka with faultless white umbrella ,And with the royal staff with great sweetness and told him,“Please bring Sita with deer like eyes to this place.”
1118. When he was told like this That king with joyful mind ,Saluted the sage and told some ladies with chosen ornaments ,“Go and bring the queen of women here.” And those ladies,Who speak sweetly like honey , pushed by their measureless ,Love towards Sita went quickly from there and told the same,To the young lasses who were attendants of Sita.
1119. Not knowing that eye lids which hide are the ornaments for the eyes,Those attendants covered the pretty form of Sita with lustrous ornaments,And like adding sweet taste to the already sweet nectar ,They started beautifying the already beautiful limbs of Sita,For the people of this earth surrounded by tumultuous sea are ignorant.
1120. Like the colour of Lord Vishnu after filling up the mind of Sita,Rose up and from there spread as flags all over the world,Was the hair of Sita and in the middle of that pretty hair ,They pinned up a Chigazhigai , which was a thick round made of flowers,And this appeared like the full moon in between the black clouds.
1121. ,Like as per practice the stars of the sky get attached to the full moon,They hanged a lustrous chutti which looked like stars on her forehead ,And like the cow called clouds licking the calf called moon which it created,They hanged an ornament called lock in the flow of her dark hairs,Which appeared like breeze like locks on her forehead.
1122. ”Is he not that hero who broke the great bow of Lord Shiva Who has ganges on his head, and the lad who went away stealing Her great femaleness and made me almost lose my soul?”When the mind of Sita was wavering like this ,Those friends of hers made her wear the lustrous ear globes which wave.
1123. They also made Sita wear several faultless ornaments which suit her,On the neck of Sita which was like the divine conch of God Vishnu.“Which would be the suitable ornament for the neck of the ladies,When Only the Mangalya of a lady has a prefix of “Thiru(holy)?”
1124. “Should I tell the pearl necklace of Sita worn over ,Several ornaments hovering over her breast as,The one made of taking the stars in the sky and stitching it together?”Or should I say that it was made of cutting in to pieces the full moon?Or should I say that it is the light of shyness in her face as,She had to go and See Rama surrounded by so many people?How would I be able to describe it properly?”
1125. Sita had given red colour to petals of lotus flower,Which were not comparable to her little feet applied with red juice,And also gave the red colour to the pearl necklaces worn over her breasts,Due to their reflecting the red colour of her nectar like body Indicating that those who depend on good people would become good.
1126. The ornamented shoulders of Sita whose waists were getting tired,Due to their lifting her very huge breasts which were like saffron tinsCan be like the Bamboo plants only if they wear , Padmaragha stones,AS well as pearls which make you close one’s eyes due to their luster.One may ask are there such bamboos and the answer is only such bamboos are equal.
1127. The lotus flower like red hands of Sita who wears flower garlands on her unfurled hair,Which were as soft as the new leaves have done penance for being touched by,The tender red hands of Rama and were lovely and thinking that ,Those lotus flower would close down and become like buds at night,They made her wear bangles of Padmaragha stones ,Which had luster like sun so that , they are always open.
1128. On the golden boxes of the breasts of Sita whose hair is decorated in many ways,They drew flower plants , sugarcane the bow of God of love using paste of sandal and musk,And created more pain to the waist of Sita , which made one doubt ,As to whether they are there or not there similar to the concept of God,AS the divine imagination as in several religious books and tenets .
1129. To the hip which never moves away from the thin silk cloth worn by her ,They made her wear a waist belt which shows its prettiness outside ,
And hanged on it a round ornament called “THaraka Chummai”,And to the great luster from gems starting on those ornaments,Along with the lustrous red colour of Sita also became red ,And those friends who were moving round her stood fixed ,There due to the luster of those gems closing their eyes.
1130. Sita who had hips similar to the hood of the snake had her feet ,AS red even without any painting and were as delicate as the Anicha flower.To make those tender feet which were like red lotus flowers,They made her wear anklets which kept on making sounds,Possibly telling all those friends, “I am tender, tender.”
1131. The eyes of Sita were like poison kept inside which was surrounded by nectar ,And were straight , had large number of red lines and were as cool as rain,Without any deceit or wickedness and we are not sure what those friends applied on it,“It could be black kajal or it could be the colour of Lord Rama.”
1132. , Two black lily flowers with bees hovering round it have flowered, In side a lotus flower and like the third crescent of the growing moon,Having a star in between the crescent , they put a thilaka on her forehead ,To that lady who was the thilaka to the maidens of earth, heaven a and serpent land.
1133. With pretty bees , Karumbuus , Minjiru going round ,They kept in proper places loose flowers , Flowers to be attached to hair ,Flowers to be kept on top of the head as well as faultless ears And on the top of them , similar to the shining of young leaves of Karpaga tree ,They applied powder of gold which was like the pollen of punnai flowers.
1134. After making her pretty like this thinking that evil eye would fall on her,They waved a ghee lamp round her and along with water sprinkled flowers,Worshipped the Gods , gave presents of gold to those who are an expert in Vedas,Applied white mustard on her forehead and waved round the red coloured water ,And also protected against evil the lady who was brought up like a peacock.
1135. Like the bees which steal the honey which gives joy from lotus flowers ,Those ladies drinking the beauty of the lady who taught speaking to a parrot,Faltered in their speech and stood giving up their normal feminine qualities,Is not the mind same for those ladies and to the men?
1136. ,Those friends of Sita having hair like that of a black cloud,Seeing Sita with ornamented breasts like that of a full moon,Stood there with joy and enchantment. Each of the body parts of ,The deer like ladies would be desired by several people differently,But if some one sees all beauty in one place , who can stand,Without losing all their mind at that place.
1137. Due to having the divine conch , due to living on the lotus ,And spreading every where and appearing in the minds of people,As per their want , Virtuous ladies like that of Arundathi ,Became equal to lord Vishnu , How can we tell a comparison to her?
1138. With broad waist belt , with anklets with bells,With snake Noopuras , bangles and Tie bells of leg making great sound,Large number friends of Sita who had sweet voice surrounded her while going,Like the dancing ladies of Indra coming surrounding her.
1139. Chinthas,* dwarfs ,, hunchbacks as well as the crowd of her friends,Came near and saluted her feet and then surrounded her ,And the lass started walking under the shade created by gold and gems,Like the young moon proceeding in the sky surrounded by stars. *handicapped people
1140. The earth who gave birth to her who was like a flowery creeper,Fearing that her tender feet would get hurt if she walks on bare earth,Spread new tender leaves as well as large number of flowers ,Which she was wearing in all places where that lass Sita went.
1141. ,lIke the playful swan being defeated by her soft walk which could be saluted by others,Fell down and again got up and like that , with Cowries rotating on both her sides ,That lady came like a peacock with matchless luster towards the hall.
1142. All the ladies of all the worlds came to see the beauty of the lady,Who was a maid and was brought up like the black eyeballs of the eye ,And like the sungod who was the light of Rama’s clan coming down on earth,With great desire Sita came under the shade of one decorated shelter.
1143. Wearing sixteen ornaments made of purified gold of great luster ,With ornamental belt made of gems tied tightly around her hips,With bows held down, swords held up and with shining soldiers,She took steps with her small feet , with great pain on her waist.
1144. She with the luster of her body comparable to the luster of gold,The scent of flowers , the cool of sandal paste and prettiness of lightning,Came walking making swans , the deva ladies and the rare nectar ashamed,And reached the jeweled hall which was in the king’s council.
1145. Since it was not known who made her , she was comparable to the form of Vedas,And seeing her pure body with heavy breasts , men and women ,Who had shoulders like Bamboo neither breathed nor lashed their eye like picture.
1146. Rama who was of the colour of the sea seeing that maid who was like nectar , Had a doubt whether “she was not the lass whom he saw earlier “ and again,“She was the lass whom he saw earlier” and later understanding that it was she only,Struggling with great desire to keep his soul within his body .Became like Indra who saw the nectar rising from the ocean that was churned.
1147. Rama told within his mind that this was the koel with red feathers ,Which had come from the top of the hall of virgins and who was ,Sprayed with nectar like fully matured sweetness of honey,And was like the result of well done matured acts and wondered ,How the koel which was in her mind was wandering outside also.
1148. Vasishta thinking , “due to the penance did by me and other sages Rama ,Who is the Lord Vishnu with big eyes who holds the conch and the wheel, came ,And this girl is definitely the lady who lives on the lotus” and became happy.
1149. That Dasaratha who roams around the world with the only aim to establish Dharma,Who rules the world , seeing the beauty of Sita with heavy dark hair ,Thought “though I have been always been able to rule all the seven worlds,Only today the goddess Lakshmi has reached me , . How great a victory this is?”
1150. When that great lady who speaks in a sweet tone of Nattapadai pan,Came near the hands of others except Dasaratha who had enjoyed the world and great sages Naturally went up their hand in sign of salutation , because , their mind as well as brain,Considered her as God and is not the body controlled by the mind?
1151. Sita saluted first the great sages and then saluted holy feet of that great king,And took her seat in the seat reserved for her by her father who was letting down tears of joy,And it was like Goddess Lakshmi not liking her lotus seat , wanted to enter the palace of kings.
1152. Sage Viswamithra who thought that Sita is the model of all women,Thought , if Rama had known that by breaking the bow he would get ,This lady with the poisonous sharp eyes , He who is like a green mountain,Would not only break the mountain like bow but also seven mountains if there was a need.
1153. Though she had heard about the bending of the bow and breaking it ,From many people . since she was not knowing the full truth ,Now the doubt in her mind was cleared to certain extent ,And she who enjoyed seeing him in the form within her mind ,Saw him in person , due to the shyness preventing her,Saw him by the corner of her eyes, in the guise of repairing her bangles, and he enjoyed it.
1154. The river of her light which flowed from the corner of her black eyes towards Rama,Went and joined the ocean of the body of Rama , And all her doubts were removed,And with the removal of sorrow to her soul she let of several sweet breaths, And that Lady who was wearing rare ornaments , feeling as if,She has consumed the entire pot of nectar became little stout.
1155. That Sita who had black thick hair , understanding that the stealer ,Of her mind was the one who broke the bow , forgot all earlier sorrow ,AS soon as the negative feeling that leads to sorrow vanishes ,Due to the real wisdom arising out of knowledge of philosophy ,She felt that she has reached the endless joy due to salvation.
1156. The emperor who had an elephant army that punishes,Seeing Sage Viswamithra who has reached the other shore of knowledge, said,“Oh great one , please be kind enough to tell , the great holy day ,On which the creeper like Sita with a very thin waist is to get married.”
1157. “Oh king of the country where valai fishes keep springing and jumping,Where kayal fishes in the pond bite the head and back of buffaloes lying in the pond, And the very strong viral fishes jump on the betelnut tree and open its leaf sheathThe proper day for the marriage is tomorrow,” said the great sage Viswamithra.
1158. As soon as this was told Dasaratha , was saluted by all other kings,
with his victorious conch with Diamond decoration booming ,With his golden crown reflecting the early sun light ,Took leave of those great sages went back to his great palace.
1159. The swan like Sita parting from Rama without a mind do it ,And similarly Rama with no mind to part from Sita,Went and reached the great gold like house which was meant for him.The kings who were wearing gems also left that place and reached their places,Great saints also went away and Sun with shining rays and set in Mount Meru.
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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.