Musings on Raghuveera Gadhyam --Part 8 (Bala Khaandam )

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GS 13 : KUSIKASUTHA KATHITA VIDHITA

NAVA VIVIDHA KATHA ! jAYA ! jAYA !

 

O Raghuveera who heard many a novel story

told by Sage Viswamitra as you walked with

him to protect his Yajna and also on your

way to Mithilai ! Hail to Thee !

 

Here Swami refers to the many stories that the

Sage told to the brothers so that they did not feel the strain

of the journey through the forest . You heard those novel

stories with great intensity and desire . Sage told stories

on the origin of Manmathan , history of Tatakaa, Sriman Narayana's

incarnation as Vamana to curb the pride and arrogance of

Maha Bali and the history of Siddhaasrama ,

Siva Dhanus (Bow) in King Janaka's possession ,

his( sage Viswamitra's ) own lineage ,

the birth of Subramanya and the story of the sons of

Sakara and the birth of Ganga .

 

14. MYTHILA NAGARA SULOCHANAA LOCHANA

CHAKORA CHANDRA ! JAYA ! JAYA !

 

O Lord who is the life-giving moon to the beautiful eyes of

the women of Mythila known for the beauty of their

eyes ! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee !

 

As Lord Ramachandra entered the city of Mithilai ,

the beautiful women feasted on your beauty just as

the legendary chakora birds feast on the rays of moon ,

their only food. These women felt that the fruits of possessing

eyes were realized that day .

 

Valmiki Ramayanam does not dwell on how the women

of Mithilai feasted on the beauty of Sri Rama with their

comely eyes. Poet Kamban however dwells on the scene

that Rama and lakshmana saw on the streets of

the city of Janaka.He describes the beautiful women

and the youth of the city as seen by the brothers .

Kamban describes at length the

way in which the eyes of Sita and Rama met and how

each were affected deeply by each other's beauty .

 

AruNachala Kavirayar describes the wonder and bafflement

of Sita seeing the divine beauty of Rama from

the balcony of her palace ( " YarO Ivar YarO "

Yenna perO ariyneh ") in his Rama Naatakam.

This is the famous piece tuned in Raga Bhairavi by

Sangeetha Ratnaakaram Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar .

 

GS 15 : KANTA PARASU KOTHANDA PRAKAANTA

KANTANA SOWNTA BHUJA DHANDA ! JAYA ! JAYA !

 

Here ,Swami Desikan pays tribute to the mighty

shoulders of Rama and their valor in breaking the powerful

bow of Siva . Hail to Thee O Raghuveera , who

effortlessly broke into two the mighty bow of

Siva through your matchless strength and heroism !

 

It took five thousand men to draw the bow resting in its case

to the court of King Janaka for the competition to string the

bow. The winner in that competition was promised

beautiful Sita's hand in marriage by king Janaka..

All the kings assembled for that Svayamvaram failed

miserably in the contest. Sri Rama at the behest of

Sage Viswamitra lifted the bow effortlessly

and broke it into two ,when he tried to string it. Such

was the power of his mighty shoulders( SOWNDA

BHUJADHANDA ) ! .

 

GS 16 : CHANDAKARA KIRANA MANDALA BODHITHA

PUNDARIKA VANA RUCHI LUNDAAKA LOCHANA !

JAYA ! JAYA !

 

The poetic skills of Swami Desikan are revealed here .

He suggests that the Lord's eyes stole the beauty

of the fully blossomed lotuses that responded to

the welcoming rays of their friend , the Sun . This

DINAAKARA KAMALA KULA DIVAAKARAN had

a special relatonship to the lotuses .

 

The Siva Dhanus was broken by now. Sri Rama was

assured thus of recieving Sita Devi's hands in marriage.

Sri Rama's joy knew no bounds. His eyes shone with a special

beauty over the thought of being united with His Devi .

On that occasion , the beauty of His eyes mirrored the joy of

His " soul " as it were and defeated the beauty of the just

blossomed forest of lotus flowers (PUNDARIKA VANA RUCHI ) .

 

GS 17 : MOCHITA JANAKA HRUDHAYA SANKAATANKA !

JAYA ! JAYA !

 

O Raghuveera who banished the worries that resided

in the heart of King Janaka about your power to

string the Siva Dhanus and win in the Svayamvaram

and fulfill your avathara kaaryam ! Hail to Thee ! Hail to Thee !