Mahakavi Kamban

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

 

I've heard my grandparents and some elders quote Kamban's story as

reference to the saying that "who says what is as/more important than what they

are

saying," and would explain that even though Kamban said the most beautiful

words about the Lord, since his character was in question even in the day,

his words were never given scriptural reverence. Of course, i have no idea

whether this allegation against Kamban's character is true or not, and

have no bias one way or the other. I just wanted to throw this out since i

have heard my grandfather and some other elders use this example.

 

Adiyen,

Naresh Ramarajan.

[Guest guest]

--SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

Deear Sri Naresh,

I am sorry, you are misled into believe something for which if

published in the Tamil print media, you would be greatly admonished.

Kindly harbour no such notions about Kamban.

Kamban had many detractors even in his times who wanted to criticise

him at the drop of the hat. One such person wanted to find fault with

his Tamil.

Kamban used a word 'thumi' for 'thooL' (a very fine particle). That

word was not known to many then. But Kamban took his critic to the

village side where they heard the folks use this word in conversation.

Kamban's knowledge and involvement in poetic endeavours was such

that that he is rightly called as 'kavi chakravarthy' and as

one "kamban veettu kattu thariyum kavi paadum'.

 

Even the criticism about the arangEtram and the so-called lack of

humility in him are unwarranted. For he wrote the epic at the behest

of the king, Kuloththungan and it naturally flows that he has to

declare his write-up in his presence in the august gathering of co-

poets.He also had to get it approved by them as was the practice

then.

 

The main apprehension about kamban must have stemmed from his not

being declared an azhwan.

I think this is an off-handed / delebreartly cooked up idea to

somehow find fault with Kamban.

Any one well acquainted with the form and import of aruli cheyal and

the kind of aura around the ahwars, will be the last ones to think

about giving azhwar-hood to kamban. Each of them have done immense

service to Bhakti movement and literature in their own style. That's

all I can say.

 

jayasree sarnathan.

 

 

 

 

- In bhakti-list, Naresh Ramarajan <ramaraj@f...> wrote:

>

> Hello all,

>

> I've heard my grandparents and some elders quote Kamban's story as

> reference to the saying that "who says what is as/more important

than what they are

> saying," and would explain that even though Kamban said the most

beautiful

> words about the Lord, since his character was in question even in

the day,

> his words were never given scriptural reverence. Of course, i have

no idea

> whether this allegation against Kamban's character is true or not,

and

> have no bias one way or the other. I just wanted to throw this out

since i

> have heard my grandfather and some other elders use this example.

>

> Adiyen,

> Naresh Ramarajan.

[Guest guest]

> I am sorry, you are misled into believe something for which if

> published in the Tamil print media, you would be greatly admonished.

> Kindly harbour no such notions about Kamban.

 

Actually, Kamaba Raamayanam and Villiputthurar's Bharatam is highly

appreciated in the Sri Vaishnava sampradayam. Here I am quoting HH Srimad

Andavan of Poundarikapuram, Sri Gopala Desika Mahadesikar. HH is the

seniormost acharyan in the Sri Vaishnava sampradayam and is hailed as

"AnusthAna Chakravarthy", "Vamadeva" and "Vasisthar". No doubt that he is

one of the senior most authorities on the Sri Sookthis of our sampradayam.

 

HH released a book titled "Ramapiranai Karpom". More details can be found

here:

 

/message/1189

 

It is interesting to note that HH quotes from several works, not only that

of Kambars but even from the puranAnooru which is considerd a Shaiva work.

 

Regards,

 

Malolan Cadambi

 

[ puRanAnUru is not considered a Saiva work. In fact, it is not a

religious work at all but a secular collection of poems,

mostly of various Tamil bards honoring kings. Please see George

Hart's and A.K. Ramanuja's monographs for the themes of the

ancient Tamil poems. -- Moderator ]