By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam-Bala Kandam 2 (Padalam 7)
7. Thadagai vadhai padalamChapter on killing of Thadga,
(Initially Lord Viswamithra describes the garden where Lord Shiva did penance and later a desert like place. He tells that Rakshasi Thadaga was responsible for it becoming a desert. The sage teaches them a manthra to get rid of their fatigue in the desert Thadaga makes her appearance. When Rama hesitates because she was a lady , Viswamithra convinces Rama about the need to kill Thadaga. Rama kills Thadaga by hitting her chest with an arrow, There is no description of a desert in such a vivid manner in Valmiki Ramayana,. There is no mention of the sage teaching Rama a manthra to get rid of the fatigue in the desert. Also Rama and Lakshmana cut both hands of Thadaga before killing her.)
339. ” When the God of love shot an arrow at Lord Shiva carrying a crescent here,And when due to very great ebbing anger , from the eye on forehead which spits fire,Fire came out and when the his body resembling silk cotton flower wasCompletely burnt the God of love , He became Ananga , the one without body.”
340”. Oh Rama who lives in the Vedas , on the day Shiva covered himself with elephant hide ,Got angry with god of love , since his burnt body which lost all its moisture fell here,In to various pieces , All this land is called Anga(body) country .And due to that this hermitage also was called Kaman(god of love) hermitage.
341. ”if that great lord Shiva, who leads the great sages , who have completely lost,Attachment to things and due to that have completely got cured of the birth death cycle,Anfd got salvation has himself done penance here, can the holiness of this place be measured?”
342. When this was told to them by the Brahmin, Rama and Lakshmana were surprised, And stayed at that place along with the great sage who travels in the right path,Started from there when the Sun with broad rays , went above the hill and reached a desert.
343. Due to the fact that the Sun God was victoriously marching above that land,With an intention of taking the moisture from there, except summer there is no other season there,And due to this even if the fire God thinks about the heat of that place ,Even his heart would be burnt and if the eye sees it , it would also be burnt.
344. Even if some one tells about the heat of this desert, his toungue would be burnt,Even the darkness which covers everywhere and top of sky would get burnt,.After sun rises, even its rays would get burnt, the clouds, thunder and lightning would get burnt ,And so is there anything that this desert is not capable of burning?
345. This heat of the desert would never get cool like the mind of,Defeated warriors , who have lost their respect by the deceitful imprisonment ,By the tricks of deceivers and not by hit of the arrow and spear on their chest,Which would be like the downpour of torrential rain.
346. The mature trees of cactus are split open by the heat ,like the splitting of the Body of the ghost with the little pieces of black Akhil pieces in it were spreading out,The dry bamboo plants without leaves dries and splits throwing out white pearls,And due to the heat the snakes get dried and spits out Rathna gems which spread out.And all these were strewn all over that desert,
347. Due to the heat of the desert , the land there cannot run away ,As it has the nature of not moving from its place ,The Goddess Kali of that desert does not run away , as God cannot leave one in trouble,The chariot of the sun God with its weakened horses also cannot run away ,The black cloud above cannot run away and The blowing wind does not go there.
348. Due to the heat of the Sun splitting the ground, the king of the snakes,Who has fire in his eyes which tears the eyes and comes out ,
Sent out light from his heads which was similar to lightning from black clouds ,And with that reddish light the body of the goddess earth seemed to be wounded.
349. That big snake which was rolling on the desert due to hunger giving rise to heat,Which has opened its big mouth so that it can swallow those whom it sees against it,Felt wounded in its mouth by the hot sun but the elephants which trumpet ,Enters its mouth while seeking shade in that desert.
350. In the desert where the horrifying fire was ruling,The crows as well the elephants got burnt and became ash,And due to the very horrifying fire called Vada mukhagni ,The clouds in the sky also was burnt and appeared to have fallen down.
351. Due to more heat rising inside the desert would run away,And rise up to burn the sky , the god of water taking pity on the devas,Sent the mirage down , which is the chariot of ghost in that cruel desert,So that the heat from the desert does not travel upward.
352. That chariot of ghost (mirage) which makes its appearance .On the fire like burning desert appeared like a crystal throne , Which had legs of pure gold and was supposed to be meant,For the king called summer who protects that desert,Where everything which was there appeared to have burnt.
353. The minds of sages which would try destroy the good and bad Karma Which were jumping and coming, after crossing the security of the three enemies* of life,And attain salvation as well the mind of prostitutes who sell their body for gold,Would be extremely dry without emotions , and like that this desert also is dry. *Passion , anger and ignorance
354. That desert where the small stones fried by heat lie scattered,Had split and because these very big splits go down even up to Patala,The world of serpents of the snake king who has gems and golden colour,Was also made very hot by the rays of the hot sun.
355. As soon sage Viswamithra reached this very and cruel desert,He thought that even if these princes are very powerful,Since they have a body which is softer even than the flower,They would suffer a little and then he saw those princes.
356. Sage Viswamithra looked at the faces of those princes,And seeing that , those princes saluted his feet,And he transferred two great knowledge given to him,By Lord Brahma to those princes and encouraged them to receive it,And those princes also made those two great knowledge set in their mind.
357. When those two princes mediated on those manthras,The travel through desert which was more harsher than the fire at deluge.And even though they were going through the great fire that seem to burn ceaselessly,They felt as as if they were going though clear and very cool water ,And then Rama saluted the sage and started telling him.
358. ”Oh great seer who knows everything , was this place burnt,By the forehead eye of Lord Shiva who carries the ganges,And wears the ixora flower garand? Or is there any other reason?What is the reason that this area which is under ,The good rule of my stainless father being destroyed thus? Please tell.”
359. When he asked like this sage addressing Rama told,“Please hear about the news of a lady who has ,The strength of thousand elephants and looks of God of death ,And is engaged in roaming and killing of all beings.”
360. ”Suppose she wishes , she is capable of carrying the earth with anger,Or taking all the water of the sea or capable of hitting the clouds.She is personification of the minor sins done by the mind,And larger sins done by the body and has the form of a lady.”
361. If there is a sea which has two mountains as its breasts,With poison like eyes , with a loud voice like thunder,With hair like fire at deluge and is like union of two crescents,It would be similar to her body which makes every one scared.
362. ”Oh Rama who if seen by males would be attracted ,By your lady like shoulders, That cruel one holds a spear ,And wears snakes as hand ornaments , lives in this forestAnd is well known by her name as Thadaga.”
363. ”The only bad character of the mind that never vanishes,Is the character of greed , which has the quality of,Destroying all measureless good qualities and like that,This Rakshasi who has unspeakable cruel behavior ,Has eaten away everything of this faultless,Cultivated land and has made it in to a desert.”
364. ”She as per the orders of the king of Lanka with her animal strength,Creates road blocks and does not allow me to carry fire sacrifice ,Oh Rama who is like the cloud with garland , That Rakshasi ‘s only job, Is destroying all the people of this area along with their clan.”
365. ”Oh son of Dasaratha who protects all the life of this world,She thinks that all such protected life are her food,I have only one thing to tell you , in another few days,She would swallow all the beings left alive in this world.”
366. When that great god like teacher told all this ,Rama,Who holds the matchless bow in his hands that holds the conch,Shook his head decorated with scented flowers having honey,And asked him, Where does this Rakshasi who does these cruel deeds live?”
367. Hearing the words of Rama who was like a mountain with trunk ,And who was like a bull, That sage who controls five sense organs by his mind,Said, “Oh Rama , this is the mountain where she lives” and before he could point out,That Thadaga came looking like fire on the top of the black mountain.”
368. Thadaga came wearing anklets on which mountains were studded,With sea water filling up the step mark of her feet, which made earth go down,With the God of death who has a burning fire like eyes hiding in caves ,And with all the mountains on the earth following her.
369. Thadaga who had the end of the her eye brows were throbbing greatly ,Had the crescents of her teeth which were exhibiting the end of the row outside,Had a folded mouth which looked like cave and who was Rakshasi,Who has crossed the limits of the limit of the Vedas,And who was looking like the Badavagni has split in to two,And appeared as if it has grown up from the full sea,And she stared at Rama and others like fire.
370. That Rakshasi who wore a garland made of one trunk of an elephant,Tied to the trunk of another elephant and had a moving waist because of that,Shouted in so loudly that the places of devas as well as the seven worlds ,As well as all directions shivered and making all beings shiver and faint.
371. She who was like a thundering cloud , looking at them ,Laughed angrily making every one scared,After showing her sharp edged trident which was like God of death,Gnashed her teeth and opened her big cave like mouth said as follows.
372. “This is the place under my control , where no one can enter,I have destroyed everything that was here and possibly,Thinking That it is difficult to get me tasty meat orDue to the powerful push of fate for your destruction ,You have come here, Please tell me why you have come here.”
373. Staring so that even clouds get broken and getting agitated ,And kicking on the mountain from which she came so that it shook,Gnashing the teeth which looked like the hard part of the moon,Holding her spear and saying , I would throw this to hit you”,She came before them and in great anger and screamed.
374. Though it was the decision of the great sage to kill that Rakshasi,Rama did not send the arrow with an order , “go and take her life”,For though she was a murderer making all the beings shiver ,And though she had started an action that was evil,That great one in his mind thought , that she was a lady.
375. Even when that Thadaga with evil smell and red hair ,AS well as white teeth saing “I will kill” took hold of the spear,Understanding the thought process of Rama who was wearing a dense flower garland ,That Brahmin who was an expert in four Vedas started telling.
376. ” Though she has done all that can be considered as evil ,She has not eaten us because she thought we are without juice,And this is the only shortfall in all the evils that she did,What can we think about her who is like this?Oh Rama who wears auspicious ornaments,Is it proper to think about such a one as a lady?”
377. ”If we trouble ladies with shyness , others would laugh at us,But in this case the strength of shoulders of men who are experts in weapons,Would get defeated if her name is heard by them , please think,About who will posses the fearless character of males ?”
378. ”Indra was defeated by her , Asuras and Devas ,With their army was scattered by her and ran away,And if her shoulders are like the Mandara mountain,Where is the difference between her and masculinity?”
379. ”Oh great one who has been born in the clan of those,Who rotated the wheel of their rule and protected the world,Does she , who sinned against great people and killed ,All the beings of the world and destroyed Dharma , need a make form?”
380. ” Oh valorous one holding a spear and is equal to God of death,Apart from as per fate thinking about the passing of age ,Thinking about Dharma and going to heavenIs there a god of death in this world , are there other gods,Of death like this one who sensing the smell ,Kills and eats them .”
381. ”Is there a greater evil than taking beings in hand full Putting them in her mouth and eating them like this Rakshasi,Oh Lord , in spite of that , thinking her who is with low flowing hair ,As one who has a merciful heart and a lady is indeed not to be appreciated.”
382. ”I have told all this after seeing the deathless Dharma,And I am not telling this out of anger at her and ,So You who belong to the family of kings Standing patiently like this is not good in spite of knowing this ,”And then that Brahmin told “kill her.”
383. Then the lord hearing the words of the sage told him.“Even if you order me to do a work which is not Dharama,Taking your words as Vedas I would do it ,Oh great one,Who never slides from truthful behavior,For your words are Dharma to me.”
384. The fire like Thadaga observing the opinion of Rama,Who belonged to the Kosala country where the sweet water of Ganges flows,Took in her red hand the horrifying fire like spear andAlong with fire raining from her eyes threw it on them.
385. Thrown by her who was like the new God of death with great anger,That spear with three leaf like points which was similar to horrifying fire,Came towards Rama who was standing there as per orders of the saint,Like the planet Rahu coming to eat the full moon in the sky.
386. The Rama who was lord Vishnu immediately took the bow,Bent his pretty bow , which was not percieved by the devas .Or the saints in the earth but they all saw was the the spear,Which was sent by her and which had the form of god of death ,Crushed and strewn as several pieces and falling on earth.
387. That Thadaga who was black like the rain falling at night ,Even before a word was uttered went on throwing stones.By picking them by her hand and which were sufficient to fill up the ocean ,And they were all removed away by rain of arrows by that great hero.
388. An arrow which had speed of the curse words of people ,Was sent by that Great pretty one who was black , And the lady who had the colour of the night and That arrow not stopping at the diamond like hard chest of hers,Went through her and went out of her back and it went,Like the knowledge taught by good people to the bad people who were not intelligent.
389. That arrow which had dots on its front side which had the nature ,Of the very tall golden Meru mountain , like the speed gale at deluge ,And as soon as it blew caused rain with thunders to fall from the sky ,And she fell like the thunder emanating from the cloud of final deluge.
390. That Thadaga with a fat body , protruding teeth and cave like mouth ,When she fell filled that forest which had lot of dust with the flowing blood,And was possibly indication of the future when the Rakshasa ,With ten heads and each head having a crown would be destroyed.And she was like the flag of victory which is going to fall on earth that day.
391. The blood that flowed from the hard chest of that Rakshhasi due to that arrow,Made the forest turn itself in to an ocean and in the late evening ,When the sky turned red , it appeared as having some connection with earth.
392. The God of death who was hiding , shivering and wandering ,Fearing to take the life of the members of the clan of AsurasWho were armed with sword and other weapons of war,On seeing the debut war of Rama who belonged to the Kakustha clan,And who was wearing ornaments made of gold and gems,As per the orders of Viswamithra who was equal to lord Brahma,Who liked to sit on the lotus flower with scent , slightly tasted the war.
393. Those devas told the great sage Viswamithra that,“We have reached the place of our residence and you,Yourself will not face any trouble from these Asuras, And so Give that prince , great weapons of divine origin “And afterwards they rained flowers on the cloud like Rama and went back.
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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.