By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam – Bala Kandam 7 (Padalam 23)
23.Parasurama PadalamThe chapter on Parasurama
(Parasurama the son of Jamadagni is also considered as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu., He comes with Vishnu’s bow and challenges Rama to bend it , The story of the destruction of pride of Parasurama is narrated here . The story told here and in Valmiki Ramayana almost matches without any major differences. The only difference appears when bad omens are noticed by Dasaratha. In Valmiki Ramayana , Dasaratha consults sage Vasishta but here, he consylts one expert on omens.)
1263. When Sita daughter of Janaka and Rama enjoyed all pleasures,As per the incarnation that they have taken, Viswamithra the sage who knew rules of life,After blessing the groom and bride as per the Vedic law ,Travelled towards the north and reached Himalayas to do penance.
1264. During one of those days when Dasaratha sweetly told ,”Let us start along with army to the pretty city of Ayodhya “And when the crowd of kings along with elephants with trunks ,Came near his feet , He got in to his matchless chariot ,like a very strong one with heart full of joy.
1265. The very strong Dasaratha , after being saluted by his,Sons and daughter in laws and they were all seen following him,With other princes and the people coming near him,Making the old residents of Mithila , with a melting mind ,Entering in to a ocean of sorrow similar to soul leaving the bodyReached the path which was leading to Ayodhya.
1266. Dasaratha who was wearing a large crown as per tradition ,Was going in front , With the mind of all people of Mithila coming behind him,And the valorous Rama with his brothers who were like him in prettiness ,Accompanying him , along with Sita who had a waist like streak ,Of Lightning went along with the army.
1267. When they were going like this some birds like peacock ,Went round them on the right side and some birds like crow,Flew round towards the left side , trying to stop their progress,Dasaratha who walked like an elephant thought ,“There seems to be some problem to happen on the way”And stopped walking and along with his huge chariot he stopped there itself.
1268. Dasaratha then summoned one person who knew well about omens,And told him , “Would this lead to good, or would this lead to bad, please tell me ,Without exaggeration “and that omen reader who stood before Dasaratha,Who had mountain like shoulders said, “Some problem would come,But very soon that problem would will be solved and good will come.”
1269. As soon as the omen reader told like this , Making the darkness ,Of the sky to vanish and shine lustrously and light spreading everywhere ,One person with matted hair who was holding an axe ,Who was like a gold mountain which was walking , who was breathing fire,Who could rotate his eyes to any direction he wants and One whose voice made even the thunder scared came there.
1270. With the world and all beings confused and scared like ,A boat caught in the torrential sea with great waves,With elephants in eight directions becoming like pillars with out movement,With oceans bubbling up and dividing themselves ,With devas clearing that place and running away scared,He who tied a string to a gold like bow and was searching ,For those arrows with very sharp tips , came .
1271. The anger of that great sage was like the stream of blood ,Which comes out when one is wounded and tore open his eyes and came out,And it made people think that it may be , for making heavens to fall on earth,Or it may be for Earth should go up and join with the heavens,Or it may be for giving all the beings of earth to God of death .
1272. There was smoke in the tip of his matchless axe , which he raises in case of war,And even sun God who travels in the chariot with one wheel,Scared of his great anger changes his usual route,And even Vadavamugani which burns over water ,Prefers to move on the earth seeing the flame coming out of his body.
1273. With his very powerful shoulders going beyond boundaries ,And reaching the top , With the tie on his hair touching the sky ,And with the moon appearing just near the tie of his hair,With sea water , fire wind , earth and sky trying to ,Make themselves at deluge like the dancing Shiva , he came.
1274. He is the one having axe as a weapon using which,He cut off the one thousand shoulders who used to walk ,Through all the world which is surrounded by sand all by himself,Who had a very strong army and who is like the THilaka ,Of all the valorous kings and who stood like a tree before him.
1275. When the guilt stuck to all the kings who ruled the earth,Using his axe he killed all the members of them twenty one times,And thus weeded the earth of kings and in the rising sea,Of their blood , he used to take bath immersing his full body.
1276. He has Done great penance which is the form of patience ,And the anger which seems to be personification of raging fire.And he has matchless sharp arrows which can make holes in Krouncha mountain,To provide swift way to the weakened female swan who has lost its way ,While it was on its way to the very holy manasa lake.
1277. That holder of axe who could make obey the ocean whose tides can even,Drown the mountain in its base and could destroy, the pride of the Krouncha mountain, Embraced by clouds and make it obey his orders came before them .Dasaratha who had given Rama to the world seeing that thought ,“For what purpose has this cruel one come here” and let out a hot breath.
1278-1279. ,When Parasurama due to his anger scared the army which was going happily,With his eye brows going down and up , With his cruel eyes spitting fire,And with anger which was like the speedily falling thunder, Just like,A lion coming on a huge chariot and stood before Rama,That Rama who was having pretty eyes asked Dasaratha “who he is?”And then that emperor Dasaratha came in between them,And with sweetness worshipped Parasurama as honoured guest ,Fell at his holy feet on the ground but that Parasurama,Who was not able to find the other shore to the ocean of his anger,Like the Vadamukagni which appears at the time of final deluge ,Told Rama the following words in a sound resembling the drum.
1280. ”Even before this time I know about the greatness of the bow you broke,And now I want to test about the strength of your pretty golden shoulders.I also have the desire to fight with my great and huge shoulders,And this is the only reason that made me come here.” Said the strong Parasurama.
1281. As soon as Parasurama told like this , the emperor Dasaratha,Getting depressed told him, “Oh Sir who won all the world,And then gave it as charity to sage Kashyapa ,Lord Shiva,Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma are no match to you and how can a small man,Matter to you? Now my soul and this lad are seeking your protection.”
1282. ”Oh sir who holds as weapon , the lustrous axe which spits fire,Those who get angry should only get angry at those who like to do sinful acts,Are there any ills done by this Rama towards you due to his pride or power?What is the use of strength of a strong one against one who has the capacity to fight?”
1283. ”Oh saint with great penance , who gave the entire world to sage Kashyapa,Saying “Take it” and due to that having your fame spread all over the world ,With seven islands , Please avoid this anger against us at this time.You forsook anger against kings who protect the earth surrounded by ocean,Taking great mercy on them. . Is it proper for you to get angry again?” said the king.
1284. ”What is the use of great strength which makes you ,Stand not in a just fashion and makes others berate you?Is it a wise deed? Can it be considered as a matchless deed?What is described as valour is standing as per dharma ,Travel in its path and firmly stand in that path itself ,And living with great fame is specially considered as valour.Oh valorous one , this act of thinking of destroying us who have surrendered to you,Is neither just nor according to Dharma .Just by saying “strength” , will it become strength?”
1285. ”My son Rama never keeps enmity, and if his soul goes away from body,Oh Saint with very strong shoulders, I along with my relations as well as,My citizens would sacrifice this life and would go to heaven .Oh tall one , I am lying at your feet surrendering myself to you.,Please do not destroy me with my entire clan., and ,I am submitting this humble request to you.”
1286. When Dasaratha told like this and fell at his feet,Without bothering about him , With fire spitting eyes,He stood before Rama who was wearing a golden yellow cloth ,And Dasaratha understanding the cruel state of Parasuram,And Realizing that he cannot do anything about it,Became depressed attained great pain like,The cruel snake affected by lightning.
1287. But Parasurama seeing the fainting state of Dasaratha who was crowned ,And the one whose only ornament was respectability and without realizing .That his fate has decreed that he would be attaining such a state soon Told Rama, “ the bow that reached on that day to the consort of Shiva,Who rides on the bull is defective and so you broke it,And I will tell you the real story of how the bow came about.”
1288. It seems the makers of sculpture of Devas Viswakarama ,Created two matchless bows which shined like the sun,Who travels in one wheeled chariot , which cannot be destroyed,Which had the strength the northern meru mountain over which clouds hover And which cannot be even approached by the Gods in the early ages.
1289. One of those bows was being used by the consort of Uma ,And the other was taken by Lord Vishnu who measured the world by his feet,And the devas came to know about it they asked Lord Brahma ,“Which of these two is more stronger” during those days.
1290. That Brahma who lives on scented lotus flower thinking,That this thought process of the devas is good Using a suitable plan , using the cause of those two bows,Created quarrel among those two great Gods who were one ,And who were greatest among all gods.
1291-1292. Both of them readied both the bows by tying the string,Making the seven worlds scared with all the directions shiver,With harsh and great fire rise and when they were ,Fighting further the bow of Lord Shiva who burnt the three cities,Broke , that Lord Shiva became very angry ,And when the war commenced again , devas prevented it ,And the three eyed Shiva gave that bow to the king of devas ,And the black lord Vishnu who was winning gave that bow,To sage Rishika who was my grand father who wasdoing great penance.
1293. Rishika then gave it to my father and this is the same pretty bow,That was given by my father to me, and if you are able to bend it easily ,Oh Son, I would agree that there are no kings in the world equal to you,And I would not continue the war which I wanted to fight with you,And please also hear further from me.
1294-1295. It is not proper to consider breaking of a broken bow as a great act,Oh one born in Manu clan, Please hear from me further.I am one who has enmity with you and all those born in royal family,My father who never did anything wrong and one who has controlled his anger,Was killed by a king who was like an Asura some time back and being mentally upset,I did obsequies to my father as per rules in the pond of blood,Collected by uprooting twenty one generations of crowned kings,By the blade by the hot weapon called axe and ,Then only I was able to get rid of my anger.
1296. ,After that I gave all the world to sages in charity ,Controlled all my major enmity , did very great measureless penance ,And was living on the matchless Mahendra mountain,Since the sound of your breaking the bow reached me there,I came here seething and suppose you are one who is strong,Bend this bow, for I am going to fight with you.
1297. When he told like this , Rama smiled and with a shining face ,Told him , “Give me the bow used by Narayana who achieved victory with it”,And Parasurama immediately gave that bow and Rama after taking the bow,Making Paasurama having close knit matted hair scared,He bent that bow up to his shoulders and told Parasurama.
1298. ”Though you have killed all the kings who ruled over this world,Apart from being the son of one great sage who like the seed of Vedas protected them,You are also doing great penance and so I am not supposed to kill you .Since this arrow that I have taken cannot go without doing a job,Please tell me the thing that it should hurt.Tell me quickly”, told he.
1299. ”Oh just one, do not get angry , I know that you are,The first among this world the Lord Vishnu who wears the thulasi,Oh Brahmin , the bow of Lord Shiva who wears the crescent ,Can only be broken by you only as you only possibly can hold it.”said Parasurama.
1300. ”Oh lord who has a pretty feet and wearing victorious anklets,If it is true that you are lord Vishnu who holds the lustrous wheel,How can there be sorrow now to this world?Even the bow of yours which I have given you now ,Would never be suitable to your great strength now.”
1301. ”I request you to aim at all the penance I did ,To the arrow that you are having and destroy it all,So that the arrow is not wasted.: when Parasurama told this,Rama’s hand twitched and that arrow went ,And brought all the penance done by Parasurama and went back to his quiver.
1302. ”Oh Rama who is having the colour of the cleaned blue gem,Oh Lord who wears the pretty Thulasi garland ,Oh Lord who is the home of all beings of the three worlds,Let all that you wished to do be completed in a swift manner..Iam taking leave of you”, saying this Parasurama saluted him and went away.
1303. After he went away after losing his pride, That stainless one ,Saluted Dasaratha who has lost feeling of all his five sense organs,And who was sorrowing after his soul got pained, and with his ebbing love ,Stood before his father and made him climb to the shore from the ocean of sorrow.
1304. Dasaratha who had the army of elephants , who after becoming his normal self , With all his sorrows removed, who had seen the other shore of the ocean of sorrow ,In which he was earlier drowned, Got drowned in the shore less sea of joy.
1305. He then hugged his son who received the bow,From Parasurama who had a mind devoid of any mercy,And had given him a matchless bad name , smelled his head,And bathed him with his tears which were flowing like a stream.
1306. ” Is it possible to do this heroic act To be done in this faultless young age ?This boy is the one who gives wealth and salvation,To people who do blessed and sinful deeds.This is definitely the truth”, he told.
1307. Seeing Varuna who holds a horrifying spear ,Among those devas who had come to shower flowers on him,Rama gave that bow to him and told him, “Look after this great bow.”.And then when his army shouted with joy , he departed,With them and reached the very fertile city of Ayodhya,
1308. After all of them reached Ayodhya and were enjoying life,That king who was full of manly qualities and had an army ,Which was having a huge collection of drums saw Bharata ,And told him some thing that no one imagined to him to tell.
1309. ”Oh young one , as per the strong wish of your grand father ,I understand that he has great desire to see you and so ,Oh Bharata , who has ornaments all over his chest ,Start to Kekaya country where conches boom in all water reserves”
1310. When the king ordered like this Bharata went and saluted,The flower like feet of Rama and since he did not have a soul,That is separate from Rama and went away like,The body separately going from the soul .
1311. In the chariot drawn by horses with widely scattered manes,Accompanied by Yudajith , who owned an army where conches boomed,Along with his brother Sathrugna , he reached ,In seven days , the fertile Kekaya country blessed with water resources.
1312. After Bharatha went away , the king of kings Asoka Was continuing his faultless rule and we would tell,In the forgoing chapters the results of the great penance ,Done by the devas and other happenings.
Bala Kandam comes to an end
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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.