seethaa raama kalyaanam 15

December 28, 2007

Post 15

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

In previous posts we saw how the first three and part of fourth paasuram of 'vaaraNamaayiram' padhikam of aaNdaaL, matchingly describe 'raama's marriage with seethaa' or aaNdaal's dream thinking about her marriage goes in lines of 'seethaa kalyaaNam'. We also saw how UV swamy's points as per 'grhya ratnam' goes in line with raama's marriage with seethaa.

On this phrase of 'poo punai kaNNi punidhan' of aaNdaaL, I thought 'why this is not applicable to raama' and then my thoughts went like this – each of the 4 words have beautiful meanings and when combined should give fantastic meaning to identify with raama.

poo – flower – lotus flower?

punai – vinai echcham -

– punaidhal means 'kavidhai ezhudhudhal' – to write poetry

– punaidhal means 'alankariththal' – to decorate

– punaidhal means 'kattudhal' – to bind together

– punaidhal means thoduththal – to tie as a garland – poo thoduththal

– punaidhal means – aNidhu koLLudhal – to wear [dress?]

– punaidhal means – mudaidhal seidhal – like making a basket out of reeds of bamboo

– punaidhal means – noolinaal kattudhal – to tie with thread

– punaidhal means - ozhungaaga amaiththal – to place in some order

– punaidhal means – pugazhnthu koorudhal – to praise a person

– punaidhal means – kaRpiththu kooRudhal – to educate and then make him tell

– punaidhal means - uRpaththi seidhal – to produce something

kaNNi – thalaiyil aNiyum maalai – a garland or a head gear,

kaNNi - mudichchu or surukku - a knot

kaNNi - a girl who has good looking eyes – am kayal kaNNi –angayaRkaNNI – name of meenaakshi in tamil

kaNNi – a type of poem in tamil – like 'kiLikkaNNi' of subrahmanya bhaarathi

kaNNi – poonkoththu – a bunch of flowers or a bouquet

kaNNi – arumbu – a bud

kaNNI – kayiRu – a rope

kaNNi – yilaik kozhundhu – the tender leaves or a sprout of leaves

punidhan - that holy person

Now cobine all words together – pooppunai kaNNi punidhan – and select one, which suits raama, by using a permutation and combination

it can be -- that holy person who has a small rope tied in his hand – that kaappu naaN – raama waiting at the yagna vaatam - as we have seen - about to proceed to the marriage hall

kaNNi poo punai punidhan – that holy one who has a garland of flowers decorated on his head

that holy person raama who has lotus flower bud eyes about which poems can be composed - puNdareeka visaala akshou – says vaalmeeki whenever he wants to describe raama --

why this – raama has that kaappu naan already tied in his hand – ready or about to do that for seethaa – 'enthannaik kaappu naaN katta' says aaNdaaL.

Continuing – the 4 points stated by UV swamy are – to repeat for easy recollection –

1. both ankurArpaNam and pratisara bandham take place for the bride and the bridegroom 1

st,

2. then the bridegroom's party goes to the bride's place to seek her as the bride for the groom,

3. after the elders of the bride give their consent, the bridegroom starts towards the bride's place in a procession,

4. the bride's party comes forward to welcome the bridegroom.

point 1 is over – that is what we have seen

now see what vasishTa says to janaka – point 2 here --

1-73-10b-11. prose order:

bhagavaan + vashiSTaH = godly, Vasishta;

vaidhEham + Ethya = to Videha king, on going to;

idham + abraveeth = this, said [to Janaka];

nara + vara + srEshTa = oh, people, among best ones, best one;

raajan = oh, king;

raajaa + dhasharathaH = king, Dasharatha;

krutha + kouthuka + mangaLaiH = having performed, marriage-thread, auspicious ceremony; putraiH = with sons;

dhaathaaram + abhikaankshathE = for donor, looking ahead.

Meaning: Then that godly sage Vasishta on going [from Vedic-ritual hall to marriage hall,] said this to Janaka, " Oh, best one among best people, oh, king Janaka, having performed the auspicious marriage-thread ceremony, Dhasaratha along with his sons, is looking ahead for the donor [of the girl] [1-73-10b, 11]

Now see point 3 – the other side offering the bride and asking why are you delaying

1-73-13, 14.

ithi + ukthaH + parama + udhaaraH = thus, said, unreservedly generous [Janaka];

vasishTEna + mahaa aathmanaa = by Vashishta, right honourable;

prathyuvaacha = replied;

mahaathEjaa = definitely valiant;

vaakyam = sentence;

parama + dharma + vith =profound, probity, knower of.

14. kaH + sthithaH = who, is there;

mE = my;

prathi + haaraH = against [entry,] preventer [doorman];

kasya + aaj~naa + sam pratheekshyathE = whose, for order, you [all] intently, towards, seeing [waiting with bated breath];

sva + guhe = in own, house;

kaH + vichaaraH + asthi = what, hesitancy, is there;

idham + raajyam + thava + yathaa = this, kingdom, yours, as good as.

Meaning: Janaka is not just a decidedly valiant king but he is the profound knower of probity also, besides being an unreservedly generous king, [hence he has already made all arrangements,] and he replied this sentence to that right honourable Vasishta - " Who is that doorman that prevents your entry? Or, for whose orders you all await with a bated breath? Or, you hesitate in your own house, or what? This kingdom is as good as yours... isn't so...[1-73-14]

1-73-15, 16.

muni srEshTa = oh, eminent-saint;

mama + kanyaa = my, daughters ;

sarvasvaa = absolutely;

krutha + kouthuka [mangaLaa] = having performed, marriage-thread, [auspicious ceremony]; vEdhi + moolam = Altar [of Ritual-fire,] at its base;

upaagathaaH = arrived near;

dheepthaa + vahneH + iva + archishaH = radiant, fire's, like, [irradiant] jets of flame.

16. sadhyaH [sajjaH]= already [ready];

aham = I am;

thvath + pratheekshaH + asmi = for you, waiting, I am;

vEdhyaam + asyaam + prathishithaH = on Altar, this one, remaining;

a + vighnam = without, impediments [unimpededly];

kuruthaam = [everything] be done;

raajaa + kim + artham + hi + vilambyathE = king, what, for, indeed, dawdling.

Meaning: Janaka to vasishTa - Oh, eminent-saint Vashishta, on absolutely performing the auspicious ceremony for the marriage-thread, [and thereby tying thread-band at wrists] my [daughters] - maids have arrived, and they are at the base of the Altar of Fire, like the irradiant jets of flames of radiant fire... [1-73-15] " I am ready... and I am awaiting you remaining at this Altar of Fire... let everything be done unimpeded, indeed, what for the king Dhasaratha is dawdling... " [so said Janaka to Vasishta.] [1-73-16]

Point: since janaka said 'hey it is your kingdom, your house, so what for you are waiting perhaps point no 4 became a dull affair – because if all are relatives – the bride's side and groom's side – there is no room for any friction – or no 'sambandhi sandai' – 'quarrel' – so the entry of raama into the marriage hall was a smooth affair.

1-73-17.

thath + vaakyam + janakEna + uktham = that, sentence, by Janaka, said;

sruthvaa + dhasarathaH + thadhaa = on hearing, Dasharatha, then;

pravEshayaamaasa + suthaan = started to enter, sons;

sarvaan = all [the four];

rishi + gaNaan + api = sages, assemblages, even.

Meaning: Then on hearing that sentence of Janaka, Dhasaratha started [towards marriage hall, and] then he started to enter his sons, [four in all, one by one, into marriage hall along with] the assemblages of sages. [1-73-17]

To look at that 5th paasuram of aaNdaal –

kadhiroLi dheepam kalaSam uDan Endhi

saDir iLa ma~ngaiyar thaam vandhu edhir koLLa

madhuraiyaar mannan aDi nilai thoTTu e~ngum

adhirap pugudhak kanaak kaNDEn thOzhi! naan

All these proper receiving would have been there but vaalmeeki chose not to describe that – perhaps he is also in a hurry to write on that 'paaNigrahaNam'.

So raama walked into the hall smoothly – no applicability of 'adhirap pugudha' of aaNdaal in raama's maariage – that 'grandeur' was there but the 'extravaganza' was not there.

Perhaps we have to wait for the 'paNi grahaNnam' till next post since length of post applies a small brake.

dhasan

-- Vasudevan MG