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Post 7

 

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

We are studying sage vaalmeeki's `andha raama soundharyam' in

conjunction with kamban, basing that on the krithi by poet

aruNaachala kavi, wherein we have hanumaan's description of raamaa's

physical features. In the previous slOkam hanumaan said `raama has

proportionate limbs'. `What are the details?' is given in the next

slOkam.

 

thri sthhiras thri pralambascha thri samas thrishu cha unnatha: |

thri thaamras thrishu cha snigdhO gambheeras thrishu nithyasa: || 5-

35-17

 

thri sthhira: - strong in 3 places (chest, wrist, knee)

thri pralamba: cha - long in 3 features (eye brows, arms, testicles)

thri sama: - equal in 3 features (hair ends, knee, testicles)

thrishu cha unnatha: - in 3 features outstanding (stomach, naval,

chest) viz. raised

thri thaamra: - red in 3 features (eyes, nails, foot)

thrishu cha snigdha:- in 3 features smooth (foot, hair, male organ)

thrishu gambheera: - strong in 3 features (speech, stride, valiance)

nithyasa: - always

 

meaning: raama is strong in 3 features, long in 3 features, equal in

3 features, outstanding in 3 features, red in 3, smooth in 3 and

always strong in 3 features.

 

Point: In fact this and the next 3 slOkams are the inspiration for me

to write this series, coupled with the raama naataka krithi `andha

raama soundharyam'.

 

In the commentary of govindaraja, it is stated

a. one who has this `thri sama: - equal in 3 features' is

a `bhoo pathi' – the king - husband of the earth – husband of

seethaa – that seethaa, who is born from earth.

b. according to varaaha mihira, the noted astrologer, one who

has `thrishu unnatha: - in 3 features outstanding (stomach, naval,

chest) viz. raised' he is a `king'. Yes – raama is THE king ultimate,

no doubt.

c. On the 3 strong features – speech, stride, and valiance –

gambheera: - it is difficult to understand such a person. Or it is

the marks of a person of good health – arOgha:

 

On this `raised' and strong chest, kamban says

 

poruvaru maragathap polankoL maal varai

veruvuRa virindhu uyar vilangal aagaththaip

pirivu aRa nORRanaL ennin pinnai ath

thiruvinin thiru uLaar yaavar dheivamE – 46 uruk kaattup padalam

 

meaning: poruvu – oppu - comparison

varai – malai – hill or mountain

aru - uruvam illaamai - figureless

veru – achcham – fear

vilangal – malai - hill or mountain

aagam – maarbu - chest

maal – mayakkam – giddy

 

summary: oh my god, who has that amount of wealth of wealth goddess

for a non separation from that chest – thiruvin thiru aagam - for she

has undertaken the fast of non-separation from that `chest' of the

lord [raama's] – that green gem mountain chest, which has nothing for

comparison, a look at the broad raised hill like chest creates a

featureless fear in the mind of the onlooker.

 

Point: just recall `thiruvukkum thiru aagiya selvaa, dheivaththukku

arasE' of thirumangai aazhvaar while singing thEr azhundhu(m) oor

emperumaan – kamban also says same – thiru ath thiruvinin thiru

aagaththaip pirivu aRa nORRanaL enin pinnai ath thiru uLaar yaavar

dheivamE? Oh, what a great verse?

 

`virindha maarbukku iNai bhoomi aghalam kaaNum' saya aruNaachalak

kavi – the earth's spread is the real comparison for the chest – yes –

he is `mahee dhara:' as per sree vishNu sahasra naamam – so when he

has to bear the mahee – bhoomi – the earth on his chest, then it has

to be spread to that extent to support it – broad, raised, strong, et

al.

 

Now the next slOkam of sundhara khaaNdam –

thri valeemaan thrayee anatha: chathu: vyanga: thri seershavaan!

chathu: kala: chathu: lEkha: chathu: kishku: chathu: sama: || 5- 35-

18

 

thri valeeman - with 3 folds (in the stomach and neck)

thrayee anatha: - with 3 depressions (breast, nipple, foot)

chathu vyanga: - with tapered 4 features (neck, male organ, back,

knee)

thri seershavaan - with 3 circles in His hair on the head

chathu: kala: - with 4 lines on the bottom half of thumb

chathu lEkha: - with 4 lines on His forehead

chathu kishku: - 4 cubits height ie. 8 feet tall

chathu sama: - with similarity in 4 features (hands, knees, thighs,

cheeks)

 

meaning: raama has 3 folds, 3 depressions, 4 tapered features, 3

circles in his head, 4 lines on thumb and forehead, 4 cubits ie. 8

feet tall and similar in 4 features.

 

Kamban on the `hair' says

neeNdu kuzhanRu neiththu iruNdu neRindhu seRindhu nedu neeLam

pooNdu purindhu sarindhu kadai suruNdu pugaiyum naRum poovum

vENdum alla ena dheiva veRiyE kamazhum naRum kunji

eeNdu sadai aayinadhu enRaal mazhai enRu uraiththal izhivu anRO?

57 uruk kaattup padalam

 

meaning: is it not a disgrace if we say the hair is like rain – for

the hair is

§ long,

§ in whirls or circles

§ well oiled

§ in black colour

§ in a regular style [ well combed or dressed]

§ well grown [all over the head]

§ long enough

§ well divided on all sides

§ flowing

§ ends well curled

§ do not need smoke of `agil' [an incense to give good smell]

and flowers to give smell

§ has its own charecteristic divine smell

and such hair has become the crown on the head.

 

paruththa thirumudi vENiyum vENiyil pasum-thuLava malar haaramum –

says aruNaachalak kavi for the hairdo – see here he adds the hair has

thuLasee garland instead of the usual chest. That is a variation.

 

Now I get a doubt - Is it because this kaaNdam describe raamaa's

beauty – soundharyam of raama - in such detail that the kaaNdam is

called `sundhara kaaNdam'?

 

Let us continue to enjoy the beauty of raama in next post also.

 

Dhaasan

Vasudevan m.g.