bow's story - post 12

[Guest guest]

Post 12

 

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In the comments and elaborations given by smt. Jayasree saranathan

she raised a question "What are these bows called? Which then is

Kothandam, which we usually associate with Rama?". I earlier

replied "this a difficult question to answer". But it appears, the

question has become more difficult to answer for -- read below.

 

In aaraNya kaaNdam we see the following.

Raamaa with lakshmaNa and seethaa visits sage agasthyaa's aasramam.

He was received by the sage's sishyaas, and then sage comes and meets

raamaa. [earlier portion of sage agasthya receiving raama lakshmaNa

and seethaa is not taken up here for the sake of space].

 

Evam ukthvaa phalai: moolai: pushpai: cha anyai: cha raaghavam |

poojayithvaa yathaa kaamam thathO agasthya: tham abraveeth || 3-12-31

 

meaning: Saying thus, agasthya adored raaghavan well with fruits,

tubers, flowers and others according to his ardency, and then, he

said this to raamaa.

 

idham dhivyam mahath chaapam hEma vajra vibhooshitham |

vaishNavam purushavyaaghra nirmitham visvakarmaNaa || 3-12-32

amOgha: soorya samkaasO brahmadhaththa: sara uththama: |

 

meaning: This sacred bow that is decorated with gold and diamonds is

crafted by the divine architect visvakarmaa, pertains to VishNu, and

these unwasteful arrows equalling sun in their blaze are the gift of

Brahma.

 

[we have already seen parasuraama saying "hey raamaa, I heard the

noise of your breaking the siva dhanu which is already broken. You

please note this is a vaishNava dhanu: and string this". That is also

created by visvakarma, the divine architect. Here one more vaishNava

dhanu: is presented to raama by sage agasthyar. Means visvakarma has

created more than one vishNu dhanu: and perhaps only one siva dhanu:]

 

dhaththo mama mahEndhrENa thooNee cha akshaya saayakou || 3-12-33

sampoorNou nishithai: baaNai: jvaladhbhi: iva paavakai: |

mahaa rajatha kosO: ayam asi: hEmavibhooshitha: || 3-12-34

 

meaning: Also these two inexhaustible quivers packed with arrows that

have the blaze of ritual fire, and this sword decorated in gold

together with its sheath made up of excellent golden are once given

to me by Indhran.

 

[again another two quivers with inexhaustible stock of arrows.

Already janaka gave two while giving seethaa, which we saw earlier.

When raamaa asks lakshmaNa to go to sage vasishtaa's aasramam and

bring the 2 bows and quivers]

 

anEna dhanushaa raama hathvaa sankhyE mahaasuraan |

aajahaara sriyam dheeipthaam puraa vishNur dhivoukasaam || 3-12-35

 

meaning: By this bow, oh, raama, once VishNu eliminated horrible

demons in war and brought back radiant prosperity to the celestials.

 

thath dhanu: thou cha thooNi cha saram khaDgam cha maanadha |

jayaaya prathigruhNeeshva vajram vajradharO yathaa || 3-12-36

 

meaning: The bow, these two quivers, arrows, and the sword, oh,

raama, the endower of grace, receive and wield them to triumph over

the demons as Indhran would wield the thunderbolt.

 

Evam ukthvaa mahaa thEjaa: samastham thath vara aayudham |

dhaththvaa raamaaya bhagavaan agasthya: punar abraveeth || 3-12-37

 

Meaning: On saying thus that great resplendent and godly sage

agasthya, gave all of those best weapons to raama, and again spoke to

raama.

 

Now the question of which is `kOthandam' – which vishNu dhanu:? Is a

big point for debate. For sage vaalmeeki is not mentioning this name

whenever raama is using his bow. He merely says dhanu:. So what is

kOthandam and where from this name came is a point. I invite learned

in the group to offer points on this.

 

Dhaasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.

[Guest guest]

I mentioned this in my earlier mail.

 

==========

- The bow given by Sage Agasthya was not used by Rama. This was used by

Lakshmana, in the killing of Indrajit. This is mentioned by Kamban. And here

are the Romanised version of the verses.

 

- Rama hands over this bow to Lakshmana when he starts for the destruction of

Nikumbila. The second verse very clearly mentions that the bow was given by

Sage Agastya.

 

- Rama started using the bow given by Parasurama during the battle with Kara

(Kara-Dhooshana). The bow that he was using until then breaks during the

battle, Varuna appears and hands over the bow given by Parasurama. This is

mentioned in Kamban.

==========

 

I wish to cite Slokas from parallel scenes in Valmiki, which speak about the use

of particular bows by Rama as well as Lakshmana.

 

While speaking about the commencement of battle with Khara, Valmiki says thus:

 

sa sharaiH arpitaH kruddhaH sarva gaatreSu raaghavaH

raraaja samare raamo vidhuumo agnir iva jvalan

(Aranya Kanda, Sarga 28, Sloka 19)

 

Meaning: Rama was enraged when all his limbs were pierced with (Khara's) arrows.

He shone like a flame devoid of smoke.

 

tato gambhiira nirhraadam raamaH shatru nibarhaNaH

cakaara antaaya sa ripoH sajyam anyan mahat dhanuH

(Ibid, Sloka 20)

 

Meaning: Then Sri Rama the exterminator of his foes, strung ANOTHER MIGHTY BOW

which made a deep sound, to bring about the end of his enemy.

 

Note the words 'anyan mahat dhanuH' another mighty bow.

 

Then Valmiki says something more about the bow in the next sloka.

 

sumahat vaiSNavam yat tat atisRiSTam maharSiNaa

varam tat dhanuH udyamya kharam samabhidhaavata

 

Meaning: Raising that excellent and very mighty bow belonging to Lord Vishnu,

that had been gifted by the eminent sage, he darted towards Khara.

 

The word 'maharSiNaa' - great sage - is interpreted as Agastya by some scholars.

However, as we saw in my earlier mail, Kamban mentions this bow to be the one

given by Parasurama. He mentions the name directly. 'paNdu pOr mazhuvaLiyaip

paNbinaal koNda villai varuNan koduththanan.' Varuna (brought and) gave the bow

that Rama (earlier) took from the axe-bearer (Parasurama).' Kamban was himself

a well-versed scholar of Valmiki.

 

Then, about the use of 'another bow' when Lakshmana starts for destruction of

Nikumbila, Valmiki says this:

 

rAgavasya vachah shruthva lakshmanah sa vibishanah

jagraaha kaarmukha sreshtam anyad bhima parAkramah

(Yuddhakanda, Canto 85, Sloka 24)

 

Meaning: Hearing the command of Sri Rama, Lakshmana of redoubtable prowess, who

was accompanied by Vibishana, took up ANOTHER BOW, the foremost of bows.

 

Kamban mentions this as the bow given by Agastya. I have quoted the relevant

verses in my earlier mail.

 

Another thing. This Narayana dhanus came to the hands of Vidura, later. When

the preparations for war was on and when Krishna played the ambassador on behalf

of the Pandavas, Duryodhana was enraged to hear that Krishna was received by

Vidura and chided him. Vidura was vexed. 'sol iraNdu pugalEn,' he said. I

won't change my decision. 'ini samaril nindru vem kaNai thodEn.' I will not

stand in the battlefield, and touch a fiery arrow any more. 'enA' saying thus,

'vil iraNdinum uyarndha vil adhanai,' he took his bow, that was the best of the

two (that is, Siva Dhanus and Vishnu Dhanus) 'vEru iraNdu pada vettinAn,' and

broke it into two. (What I have quoted is a verse from Villi Bharatam.)

 

Anbudan,

Hari Krishnan

 

-

vasudevan m.g.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 9:49 AM

bow's story - post 12

 

 

 

 

Post 12

 

 

Now the question of which is `kOthandam' – which vishNu dhanu:? Is a

big point for debate. For sage vaalmeeki is not mentioning this name

whenever raama is using his bow. He merely says dhanu:. So what is

kOthandam and where from this name came is a point. I invite learned

in the group to offer points on this.

 

Dhaasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.