By Kambar (Kavichakravarthy Kamban)
Translated in English by P. R Ramachander
Kamba Ramayanam-Sundara Kandam 5 (Padalam 13)
13. Ilankai eriyuttu padalam Chapter on burning Lanka and feeding it to fire.
(This chapter describes how the entire city of Lanka was burnt by Hanuman. He hears the Vidhyadharas talking about safety of Sita, goes there and take leave from her.
5943. The cruel fire placed by hanuman on all huge mansions with great security ,Burnt catching hold of flags , burning the roofs , surrounding huge pillars ,And surrounding all the walls and destroyed them completely.
5944. The fire kept by Hanuman at the gates of mansions mSurrounded that pretty building and covered it with fire ,And due to the fire burning it completely , the harried citizens,Were wandering like swing not knowing where to go ,And great sorrow , wailed in a very big voice.
5945. Those mansions had the light due to luster of gems,And with fire burning it with red colour , the ladies wearing pretty bangles,Were not able to know which area was burning and which was not ,And due to that they became very confused and were not knowing what to do,
5946. Due to falling of different type of flowers , which store honey in them,Ladies who resembled peacocks which used play in the forest as they like Seeing the smoke hiding the sky for a long distance , cried loudly,Not knowing the direction by which their husbands went.
5947. The Rakshasas and Rakshasis greatly shouted after seeing the fire,And went on pouring water on those surrounding them and due to,Fire and their red hair resembling each other they were not able to ,Differentiate between hair with fire and areas without fire.
5948. Similar to the great people who want to remove the mixture of illusion,And attain their normal exalted state , The fire that were in the homes of Asuras,Assumed their usual ferocious form, as if they have been freed from control of Ravana.
5949. Similar to Lord Vishnu going to Mahabali and after his giving the land ,For the sake of measuring the three worlds by his steps grew tall with a black bodyAnd like him that hot smoke went up and spread every where.
5950. All those elephants which were black, due to fire falling and burning them,Had their skin removed and became similar to the white Iravatha elephant ,Which was with great rage and belonged to Lord Indra of the east.
5951. That cruel smoke which appeared to be covered by snow ,When surrounded by lustrous and auspicious fire, Scared the cloud like buffaloes making them fall on ponds with water ,Which is liked by them , and making the girls who were playing there ,Run away from there, like very young swans.
5952. When the big sparks which rose from the fire got scattered And fell on all places like a collection of thunder , the ocean,Which produces sound like a bomb got boiled ,The fish living there unable to bear the heat , became exhausted and died.
5953. The fire which drinks away everything spreading and surrounding Started burning the golden mansions by going inside them,The gold got melted and started flowing and when they entered the sea,They became concentrated long bars of gold.
5954. Due to the fire’s capacity to burn the world, faster than hot words of the wise ,The row of mountain like mansions made by gems along with the long and tall gardens,Continued to burn and the earth being golden , it also melted.
5955. Due to the collection of smoke which were stronger than stones ,Spreading everywhere, the golden heavens which have Karpaga climbers ,Became dark and all the chariots which have been decorated by gems,Along with wheels melted and became in to one single mass.
5956. The burning fire entering in to roads with drinking materials ,Drank the alcohol left there after drinking by many Asuras ,Proving the fact that when pure people reach ,the place ,With impure people would make them those who do impure acts.
5957. The fire which was making booming sound around Lanka,Because it was jumping and spreading , the water of the faultless sea,Around that city started boiling greatly and due to more and more,Of the light of the fire spreading , even the clouds of the sky,Having very cool water started boiling.
5958. Those Rakshasis wer suffering due to being burnt all over their body,And those who were trying escape by running through the sky seeing below,That it was river in the forest and when they jumped in to it,They felt in to the hot water running like a ghost’s chariot.
5959. Due to fire catching in the gardens blessed with lot of honey,The bees which were attached to the flowers looking like clouds ,Seeing the flames that entered that garden and also went beyond ,Thought that it is a black forest of lotus flowers , jumped in to it and died.
5960. Some Rakshasi ladies with forehead resembling bent bows ,Thought “Our soul like husbands died because a monkey killed them,And because of that we lost our life and we cannot go outside our homes”And with determination took a decision and fell on that fire and died.
5961. Due to the burning , the flowers became black , the new leaves got burnt ,The leaves and their mid ribs got burnt and became in to charcoal,Branches got burnt and became ash and the trees branches ,And also the roots got burnt in to coal ,and the garden became a heap of coals.
5962. The flame of the fire which rose up and drowned the clouds ,Went up and burnt the golden city of Indra and due to that,The melting gold fell down like rain continuously and ,The entire heaven looked like the hanging roots of dense trees.
5963. The greatly ebbing and rising flame of that fire ,Reached the moon with pleasant and white rays ,Made it greatly melt and due to nectar falling down from there , Some of the dead Rakshasas became alive.
5964. Due the heat of the fire reaching the Sun , all the black clouds,Which were floating in the sky became burnt and became black,And looked like a heap of charcoal and through them,The Sun with light appeared like a melting gold bar.
5965. The fire which burnt the rope tying the legs of horses,Jumped up burnt its neck rope and the poll to which it was tied ,And it also burnt the hairs that were hanging on the faces of horses,They who had curved hoofs and pretty colour became faded and died.
5966. Those Rakshasas who had the strength to even swallow an elephant,To escape from the fire rose up and when they were trying to enter the heaven,Which was golden, due to their being surrounded by swirling smoke ,Becoming not able to breath and having breathed in that smoke ,Fainted like those who have drowned in water ,And fell in to that great raging fire and died.
5967. Those Rakshasa ladies who were wearing golden ornaments and ,Had an ocean like wide hips , when the fire caught their silk,Apparel Kosikam (tied on hips) and spread up to their upper cloth and,Later spread to their scented black hair and they fainted.
5968. Those Rakshasas who had seen the ultimate edge of love tiff,With the Rakshasa ladies who had white teeth making one feel,That even on the leaf of Ilva tree pearls can be produced,And when their moon light like white dress was burnt by the fireWhich made them not able to see the other shore Of joy of love making, they all fell in the sea to quench their heat.
5969. When their pet birds of green colour was burnt along with the cage ,And they were greatly suffering , the ladies whose tears from the eyes with Kajal ,Fell on their breasts like steams , they with anxiety to embrace their elephant like husbands ,Entered in to the smoke following them like a lightning entering the cloud.
5970. When the fire caught the elephant like mansions , The Rakshasis ,Who lived there , with their faultless gold ornaments shining ,Went and climbed in to the sky and were hidden by the limitless smoke there ,And because of that they looked like pretty dolls ,Which were behind the thin curtains made in Kalinga(Orissa).
5971. During the deluge mentioned in the books , the very cruel deathly fire ,Would sip and make dry the oceans where sharks live and the faultless,Good scent of Akil tree and sandalwood tree which blew and covered ,The whole world from the gardens of Lanka , which were destroyed by that fire.
5972. The very ample flame of the fire which spreads like lightning ,Spread in to the entire world and widened and reached all the end of directions,And it was difficult to differentiate the burning gardens with Karpaga trees ,From those karpaga gardens which had not caught fire on its braches. (Karpaga gardens where self luminous.)
5973. Since that smoke of the fire made the clan of fishes becoming,Non existent in the water of the ocean and due to it drinking away,All the surrounding water , The clouds could not absorb any water ,And when without knowing this dashed against the mountain,They were scattered everywhere like the flower of silk cotton tree.
5974. Due to very large smoke covering everywhere , the silver coloured,Kailasa mountain also became black like all other mountains,The white swans became black like crows, the white milky ocean,Became black like all other oceans and there was no difference ,Between the white elephants of directions and the black elephants.
5975. When the cruel fire burnt the body of Rakshasas and made it scalded,They whose skin were peeled off , went and hid themselves in the ocean,So that the heat would come down and due to their spread hair ,Which was red spreading all over the ocean ,Even the sea with blowing tides appeared to be burning due to fire.
5976. With one baby on their waist holding another small baby by hand,Followed by another crying baby following them , the Rakshasa ladies,Along with their relatives went away from their places ,But when their curly hair caught fire they wailed and jumped in to the sea.
5977. With the wooden portion of the bows, spears and throw spears of the armoryBecoming in to fire wood , other iron weapons which were shining like Sun,Melting in that fire , they all became in to one big round sphere of iron,As if they searched for salvation and attained the state of no difference.
5978. When the fire caught and started burning among elephants with mask,They broke the strong heavy chains tying their neck as well as feet, Easily uprooted the big pillars to which they were tied , lifted up their big ears, Lifted their tails tying it to their back side , lifted their trunks , wailed and ran.
5979. Like those seeking protection from the cheats who do not have any mercy and grace The birds being scared to enter the cruel smoke and cross to the other side Fell in to the black and cruel sea and unable rise up from there,Became food to the fishes which is their normal food.
5980. That fire which was rising up after emptying the ocean, lakes and ponds,Spread over the long land and after destroying them , scalded the mountains,And made them look like ember and like the fire at deluge which burns,The Meru mountain destroyed the city of Lanka and entered the home of Ravana.
5981. The deva maidens living in the palace of Ravana and other divine maidens,Were flustered and without knowing which direction they took , dispersed from there.Those who did not run away roamed here and there and were suffering ,Like the day when Ravana the king of Lanka conquered the city of the devas.
5982. ,The musk kept in the palace of Ravana , the scented saffron flowers ,And other food additives , the flowers which opened on the Karpaga trees,Sandalwood , akil pieces which are all scented perfume materials ,Got burnt turned in to smoke and appeared like the big divine clouds ,Which rains scented honey which merged with the natural perfume ,Of the hairs of the Divine maidens who protect the eight directions.
5983. Due to the flame of the fires spreading everywhere , the palace ,Of Valorous Ravana who cannot be approached by any one ,Due to his ocean like anger , which is long and tall and had seven stories Was completely destroyed by the fire which was like fire at deluge.
5984. The palace of Ravana which was tall like a mountain ,Which had long and wide and huge stories ,and due to it,Being made using faultless gold , when it was attacked ,By the fire which spread over it and melted it ,And it looked as if there is a Meru mountain in the south.
5985. When the palace of Ravana was burning like this , Ravana,And the crowd of ladies belonging to him , got in to the,Pushpaka Vimana which was made of gems and went up.All those remaining Rakshasas who did not die ,With the speed of thought went away from there.Since the city of Lanka was situated on a mountain it did not have Such power of thought and it got destroyed.
5986. That greatly valorous Ravana who had the kingship,And who was expert in chariot looked at the Asuras who came with him,With fire like anger asked , “Has the final deluge which burns the seven worlds,Which are one before the other started burning them ?What is the reason for this big fire which burnt the city of Lanka?”
5987. When Ravana asked like this, those strong Asuras who had lost ,Their relations, wealth and valour and were sorrowing for it,Saluting Ravana with folded hands told him, “Oh God like king,Due to the fire we kept on the tail which was larger than ocean with tides,That monkey has burnt the city .” and this made Ravana boil with anger.
5988. ”Today due to the strength of that silly monkey , the city of Lanka ,Got burnt and turned to ashes and it like fire swallowed the city and burped,Seeing this the Devas will laugh at us .Our ability in was seems to be great!,” Said Ravana and due to great ebbing anger laughed.
5989.That Ravana who had won over the Devas ordered,“Whoever sees the fire God, Catch him and bring him here.”
5990. That very angry Ravana ordered , “Go and catch that monkey,Before it goes away and bring him here.”
5991. The charioteers who were near Ravana went,With great speed telling , “We would do that.”
5992. Innumerable valorous heroes and ,People with various responsibilities ,Followed those Charioteers.
5993. The greatest seven among them who were matchless ,Rose up like a Sea full of water, wore the garland for war,And made ready the army that has been prepared well.
5994. They ran and surrounded the sky , as well as Lanka,Which was in the rim of the sea , searched for the great Hanuman,And saw him by their own eyes on one side .
5995. They said, “Catch him, Catch him”,They said “Hit him, Hit him” and ,Surrounded him completely and Hanuman,Who was read looked at them.
5996. Those cheating Asuras who had agreed to catch Hanuman,Surrounded him like clouds and opposed him , using,Their legs, their hands and their spears and Hanuman ,Surrounded them all by using his burning tail.
5997. That Hanuman who had enclosed all the directions,By his tail , uprooted a tree and beat the Asuras with that ,And due to that , the Asuras who had come there with great anger ,Lost all their weapons as well as their souls .
5998. When Hanuman beat them, they became sorrowing,And blood which flowed from their wounds made slush ,And flowed like a river for putting out that red fire.
5999. Those remaining soldiers who were valorous like male lions,Opposed Hanuman and that son of wind god , who had learnt all arts ,Killed them in numbers that were three times more than God of death.
6000. Among those Asuras who had black body like the cloud .Who had huge shoulders as well as great ability ,Fifty thousand of them were killed and all other people ,Went and jumped in to the ocean which was full of water.
6001. Hanuman dipped his tail in the ocean , and,Due to it the sea water boiled and many more Asuras died,Those who did not die thinking that it will bring bad name to them, further fought with Hanuman.
6002. Those heroes riding on a chariot who surrounded,Hanuman , fought with him showing their valour,That cannot be defeated , but Hanuman attacked them,And apart from those who were trying to get,From that fiend also were killed.
6003. Those Vidhyadharas who went up in the sky ,Were telling that the fire from the tail of Hanuman,Did not even make hot the periphery of the garden,Where the Goddess Sita with round breasts was staying.
6004. Hearing what was being told by the Vidhyadharas,The Hanuman who was greatly masculine became happy ,And also surprised and satisfied that escaped from getting bad name ,Rose to the sky from there went and saluted at the divine feet,Of Sita who was wearing good gold bangles.
6005. AS soon as Sita saw Hanuman who was saluting her ,Her body which was boiling with worry about Hanuman, cooled down,And asked him “Is there anything that I need to tell you?”And that Hanuman who was an expert in warfare ,Said to her :My salutations to you” and took leave from her .
6006 .”The very clear headed Hanuman went from there,Thinking , “Those criminal Asuras if they see me ,Would shout at me , catch me and take them with me”,And The fire God who was scared , went and hid himself.
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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.