Guest guest Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, In sreemadh raamaayaNam, the “royal highway†- the 'raaja maargam' is spoken about not many times. What comes to my attention / mind / reference are instances like -- When dhasaratha rules ayodhyaa, how well planned was the royal highway. [baala - Sargam 5], the 'well decorated' people moved in the royal road and in the city – [baala - sargam 6]. when raama's coronation is announced, the description of decorations of the royal road by common people, [ayodhya sargam 5 ] when 'king nominee' bharatha wants to go to forest and its construction [ayodhya sargam 80], when raavaNa comes to assembly hall to hold consultations, [yuddha -sargam 11] when hanumaan searches in lanka, gets caught and brought to raavaNa's durbar [sundhara sargam 49, 50] [May be more mentions are likely, which I miss to list them here. I invite readers of this elite forum to list them out]. When our respected moderator sri sadagopan swamin [VS] gave the krithi 'chakkani raaja margamu' of thyaagaraaja [sT] in raagam – 'khara hara priyaa', my thoughts went into raamaayaNam where this mention of 'raaja maargams' and hence the list is made as above. How this krithi is related to instances in raamaayaNam is the next attempt. In the krithi ST immediately brings 'Sandhu' – 'bye-lane' after raaja maargam. That means what ST wants to describe is about – hey mind, when royal highway is there, why you go into bylanes? Then it must have bearing on some 'great instance' or a story twist and not a simple description of 'raaja maargam and bye lanes' together. When we connect the above 5 instances, then it can be to items 4 or 5 above viz. connected with incidents of hanumaan's 'seethaa anveshaNam' or raavaNa's consultations with his ministers and vibheeshaNa's advices. For other instances are mere descriptions of the nature - 'oh what a scene of the royal highway'. Dear sirs, and madams, by now you may have got it clicked, the raaja maargam and immediately bye-lane. Yes - it is vibheeshNa's advices to raavaNa to return seethaa and get saved, for just then raavaNa received a suggestion to enjoy seethaa by entering in a different route – i.e. instead of going in a royal highway of getting her consent and then enjoy her, go through a bye lane – employ force on her and enjoy her. “enjoy seethaa like how a cock forces himself on the hen again and againâ€. This is what exactly vaalmeeki gives [that ref. Slokam a little later]. As I replied in that essay, 'bharatha doubts raama', vaalmeeki gives a 'straight reporting' in his kaavyam and hence the wordings in this 'advice to raavaNa' may not be so palatable for puritans. RaavaNa comes in the royal highway to his durbar. But receives advice to enter or enjoy in a different route – by force - which is 'bye lane' entry. So vibheeshana advises a course correction - says 'oh raavaNa, my brother, enter your royal highway, of enjoying life with your battalion of wives, and give up seethaa to her husband raama'. Yes – that is the incident or instance which ST conveys in the krithi. Now it is given again – for clarity-- Pallavi: chakkani raaja maargamulu uNDaga Sandhula dhooranEla O manasaa – chakkani Anupallavi: chikkani paalu meegaDa uNDaga chee yanu gangaa saagara mElE - chakkani CharaNam: kaNTiki sundhara tharamagu roopamE mukkaNTi nOTa chelagE naamamE thyaagaraaju iNTanE nelakonna aadhi dhaivamE yiTuvaNTi sree saakEtha raamuni bhakthi yanE - chakkani [this version is as in karnatik.com website, the blue coloured words are the variations]: kanTiki sundaramagu rUpamE mukkaNTi nOTa celagE nAmamE tyAgarAjintanE nelakonnadi daivamE iTuvaNTi shrI sAkEta rAmuni muni bhaktiyanE ] meaning summarised [as given by VS]: O My Mind! When there are fine royal paths, why enter bylanes? When there are condensed milk and cream, why this destestable toddy? What a very beautiful form which is a feast to the eyes! What a name which shines in the mouth of Lord Siva! What an Ancient Lord firmly established in the very house of this thyaagaraaja! O My Mind! when there is the fine royal path called devotion to Lord sree raama of ayOdhyA having these attributes, why enter bylanes? points: 1. Selection of raagam: The following slokam indicates about the selection of this raagam 'khara hara priyaa' - thasyaam sa vaidhoorya mayam priyaaka ajina samvritham | mahat sOpa aaSrayam bhEjE raavaNah parama aasanam || 6-11-17 meaning: RaavaNa, in that hall, occupied a big and excellent throne embedded with jewels (cat's eye gems), covered with skin of deer called 'Priyaaka' and furnished with pillows. Note: See his 'seat cover's name – that deer skin's name - 'priyaaka'. Sitting on 'priyaaka' he is doing 'manthra aalOchanai' – counselling with his ministers, army generals, brothers, and sons – since hanumaan's deeds [as described in sundhara kaaNdam] have given a jolt to him. In the raagam list of classical music, there is no 'priyaaka' – so ST uses 'ka priyaa' or khara hara priyaa – same rule as the 'kata payaadhi' soothram in raagam's 'mela karthaa' identification - of reversing the total number you got when you add the aksharam numbers. Is it a coincidence? or is it such a 'proper and beautiful' selection? Dear readers, you have to decide. Point 2: Also 'ka' means lord vishNu [or raama here] and / or brahma – this ka's [or vishNu's] priyaa is 'lakshmi' or seethaa. Since raavaNa liked seethaa on the advise of SoorpaNakhaa, and abducted seethaa - raavaNa's 'raagam' or his 'aasai' or his desire on seethaa gives an indication or a direction for identification of the incidence in raama's story. So raagam used in krithi is 'khara hara priyaa'. Point 3: It is 'khara hara priyaa' in sanskrit – in tamil 'kara kara priya' because you do not have second kha in tamil and ha is not liked by tamil puritans. “Who is this 'khara hara priyaa?†is the question. 1. Can it be 'soorphaNakhaa' ? 2. or is it seethaa ? 3. or in a little circuitous way – can it be one who is loved or liked by that 'killer of khara' – 'khara's hara's priyaa'? If it is so - then it is obvious that it is seethaa – for khara's hara is raama and his 'priyaa' is 'seethaa'. It can be soorpaNakhaa also for she only gives the twist, required to move the story further - in raamaayaNam by first falling in love for raama, and then sending khara to take on a war with raama [after her ears and nose was sliced off by lakshmaNa - 3-18-22]. Later she was the main instrument in instigating raavaNa to abduct seethaa, finally leading to destruction of raavaNa 3-34-20, 21] But generally a villainous character is not 'acceptable' as the name of a 'karuNaa rasa pradhaana raagam' – a raagam which accounts for 'empathy or symapthy'. So the name 'khara hara priyaa' means – seethaa and raama both. Incidentally this also satisfies the basic tenets of sree vaishNavaas of that 'agalagillEn enRu alarmEl mangai uRai maarbhaa'. Point 4: How this raagam in an 'inlcined manner' indicates 'raavaNa vibheeshaNa' conversation is – while singing this krithi – the first line of pallavi is sung 10 times [VS – am I correct sir ?] wherein vibheeshaNa advises raavNa 10 times to return the wife of raama to him and be saved – re slokams numbers quoted -- dheeyathaam asya maithilee – 6-9-16, 17, 20, [3 times] seethaa pradheeyathaam - 6-9-18 [1 time] vaidhEhee raaghavaaya pradheeyathaam – 6-10-22 [1 time] 'pradheeyathaam dhaaSarathaaya maithilee' 6-9-21, 22, 6-14-3, 4, [4 times] narEndhra puthraaya dhadhaathu maithileem 6-14-21, [1 time] Summing up the five ref. you can see it is 10 times. VibheeshaNa says 'please return seethaa to raama' and accept his friendship or surrender to raama. VibheeshaNa says in yet another slokam “raamasya dhayithaa pathnee na svayam yadhi dheeyathE†– 6-9-19 [11th time]. Point 5: Why this 10 times or 11 times repetition while singing this krithi's pallavi? Since raavaNa has 10 heads, vibheeshaNa thinks – 'hey, if I repeat it 10 times, at least on any one time this good message [or good advise] will enter into any one of the 10 heads and make that elder brother raavaNa allright, thus he can be saved'. ST says - when this raaja maargam of returning seethaa to raama is there to save oneself, 'oh raavaNa or oh mind, why you want to enter a bye lane' [because mind is said to be the 10 headed raavaNa]. Thus ST uses the pallavi while singing the krithi, to deliver a specific clue to identify the section in raamaayaNam. Point 6: The incidence: RaavaNa travels to assembly hall in his chariot - sa nEmi ghOshENa mahaan sahasaa abhi-ninaadhayan | raaja maargam Sriyaa jushTam prathipEdhE mahaarathah || 6-11-10 meaning: That excellently great chariot, [raavaNa's] making noise of the sound of its wheels, soon entered the beautiful royal high-way. So ST's raaja maargam in pallavi of krithi has link to vaalmeeki. Then all his ministers, brothers and sons army generals are seen in the assembly. And raavaNa starts saying how he is perturbed and anguished by hanumaan's acts, and, seethaa not agreeing to enjoy with him. [yudhdha, sargam 12]. krOdha harsha samaanEna dhurvarNa karaNEna cha || 6-12-17 SOka samthaapanithyEna kaamEna kalushee krithah | meaning: raavaNa says, or admits openly in the assembly hall, " I have been polluted by lust and equally by anger and pleasure thus making me pale and I have been ever since [meeting seethaa ?] in grief and anguish. " note: Why this admission by raavaNa – because he is unable to enjoy that seethaa - the fruits of his bad action – that of abducting another person's wife. On hearing, kumbakarna advises raavaNa, saying “this manthra aalOchanai or counselling with ministers, should have been done earlier before 'bringing in' seethaa by force†but that has not been done. In spite of that thoughtless act, kumbakarna says -- ramasva, kaamam piba cha agrya vaaruNeem | kurushva kaarvaaNi hithaani vijvarah | mayaa thu raamE gamithE yamakshayam | chiraaya seethaa vaSagaa bhavishyathi || 6-12-40 meaning: kumbakarna to raavaNa, " Enjoy yourself freely. Drink excellent of wines to the extent of your desire without any anxiety. Raama, having been dispatched by me to the abode of death, Seethaa will be at your disposal forever. " [On this vaaruNee monier williams S.E.D. says 'vaaruNee - a partic. kind of spirit (prepared from hogweed mixed with the juice of the date or palm and distilled), any spirituous liquor MBh. KÄv. & c .] So the suggestion is – as per ST - when raaja maargam is there – in the view of kumbakarna - of killing raama and then enjoying seethaa, why this anxiety, oh raavaNa? Point 7: Now comes 'enter bye lane' route as identified or given by ST - mahapaarsvan advises raavaNa -- yah khalu api vanam praapya mriga vyaalani sEvitham | na pibEn madhu sampraapya sa narO baaliSO dhruvam || 6-13-2 meaning: “That man indeed is a fool, who after reaching a forest inhabited by wild beasts and vicious elephants and having duly found honey, does not drink it.†balaath kukkuTa vriththEna pravarthasva mahaabala | akramyaakramya seethaam vai thaam bhunkshva cha ramasva cha || 6-13-4 meaning: “O, ruler endowed with a mighty prowess! Act in the mode of a cock, forcibly against her. Enjoy that Sita, by charging on her again and again and revel with her.†note: This is what the 'enter bye lane' advise – why so - there is the raaja maargam of enjoying with his own wife or wives [for raavaNa already has a lot of beautiful ladies as wives, ladies of different clan and from different lokams], or as said by kumbakarNa to finish raama and then enjoy seethaa. On receiving this advise of that mode of 'cock', raavaNa reveals about his curse – which he held as secret – that he 'cannot enjoy any lady by force because of curse by brahma, and if he does rape any lady, he will die'. That is what is ST's 'sandhula dhooralEna'. Point 8: In anupallavi – ST says 'chikkani paalu meegaDa uNDaga chee yanu gangaa saagara mElE'. See what advices raavNa received – chikkani paalu meegaDa uNDaga chee yanu sandula dooranEla - so ST asks when milk and cream are available in the form of beautiful ladies like mandodhari, dhaanyamaalini, et al, why to go for seethaa –who is to be rejected as chee -- [ see what vibheeshaNa says on seethaa – not his real intention but to threaten raavaNa and to warn about the danger arising from her] vrithO hi baahvanthara bhoga raaSih | chinthaa vishah susmitha theekshaNa dhamshTrah | pancha angulee pancha SirO~athikaayah | seethaa mahaa histhava kEna raajan || 6-14-2 meaning: vibheeshaNa to raavana, “By whom, O, king, has been wrapped around your neck, this great serpent of gigantic body called seethaa, with heap of expended hoods as her bosom, having poison as her anxiety and with sharp fangs as her sweet smile and with five hoods as her five fingers.†why certain things which are to be rejected as 'chee, chee' - to drink 'vaaruNee', 'madhu' and now seethaa – fei with these things. And that is what vibheeshaNa also points out -- ayam cha raajaa nyasana abhibhoothah | mithraih amithra prathimaih bhavadhbhih | anvaasyathE raakshasa naaSana arthE | theekshaNah prakrithyaa hi asameekshyakaaree || 6-14-17 meaning: vibheeshaNa says to those assembled in the royal durbar of raavaNa, “This king, who is overcome by evil addictions*, is rude in nature and acts inconsiderately. Such a king is being surrounded as a caucus by you, who are his companions, taking the form of his enemies for the ultimate destruction of demons.†*The 7 evil habits to which kings are generally found addicted are: Harshness in speech severity of punishment, extravagance, drinking, love of women, hunting gambling. Point 9: on this ganga saagaramElE – see what vibheeshaNa has to say -- suvaariNaa raaghava saagareNa | prachchhaadhyamaanah tharasaa bhavadhbhih | yukthah thvayam thaarayithum samEthya | kaakuthsa paathaaLa mukhE pathan sah || 6-14-20 meaning: “This RaavaNa, for his part who is going to be enveloped forcibly by an ocean in the shape of Raama – which is full of excellent water (who possesses excellent moral character) and who is about to fall into the mouth of PaataaLam (the nethermost subterranean region) in the shape of Raama, is fit to be rescued united by you.†note: since raama or raaghava is from the land of 'gangaa', ST uses 'gangaa saagaram' to indicate raama, instead of 'raaghava saagaram' of vaalmeeki. Further for the word 'gaá¹…gÄsÄgara Monier williams sanskrit english dictionary gives meaning -- n. the mouth of the Ganges where it enters the ocean (considered as a TÄ«rtha) Hariv. 9524. VibheeshaNa says – hey, raama is the milk [who lives in milk ocean] and the cream is seethaa, [while churning milk ocean lakshmi came out like cream and that same cream lakshmi is now seethaa, but raavaNa says 'chee' - fie to both, and he is likely to fall into ocean 'gangaa saagaramElE' - as vaalmeeki has conveyed in this slokam. Even if see the other way what vibheeshaNa says that he is going to fall into the 'mouth of paathaaLam' as in vaalmeeki – then also usage of 'gangaa saagaram' fits in as per meaning given – since what is to be conveyed is falling inot the mouth of ocean. So it is very clear that ST simply adopted vaalmeeki inhis own style and placed words in his krithi. Further see the meaning of 'chee yanu ganga saagaram' as 'toddy' etc – dear learned readers, see how it is a misfit here. Point 10: in charaNam – it is more a simple praise of raama and seethaa – let it be from vibheeshaNa as in vaalmeeki or ST – the krithi is getting completed. So it is ST's poetic excellence and selection of apt raagam to convey what he wants, in only 'pallavi and anupallavi' in this krithi – in same lines of vaalmeeki. Enjoy the krithi more and more by listening to many artists – i would prefer Madurai Mani iyer which a treat unfailing. Dhasan Vasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009  SrI: Dear Sriman Vasudevan : Your posting is simply brilliant .Tremendous insights and synching with Saint ThyAgarAja's thoughts and the PaaNDityam in Srimad Vaalmiki RaamAyaNam . Please continue to share these unusual insights and hopefully all of these will be housed in the new web site under construction : Sangeetham and Bhakti . NamO SrI RaaghavAya, V.Sadagopan - MG Vasudevan oppiliappan ; raamabhakthi ; tiruvenkatam Monday, November 09, 2009 10:33 PM royal highway Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer, In sreemadh raamaayaNam, the “royal highway†- the 'raaja maargam' is spoken about not many times. What comes to my attention / mind / reference are instances like -- When dhasaratha rules ayodhyaa, how well planned was the royal highway. [baala - Sargam 5], the 'well decorated' people moved in the royal road and in the city – [baala - sargam 6]. when raama's coronation is announced, the description of decorations of the royal road by common people, [ayodhya sargam 5 ] when 'king nominee' bharatha wants to go to forest and its construction [ayodhya sargam 80], when raavaNa comes to assembly hall to hold consultations, [yuddha -sargam 11] when hanumaan searches in lanka, gets caught and brought to raavaNa's durbar [sundhara sargam 49, 50] [May be more mentions are likely, which I miss to list them here. I invite readers of this elite forum to list them out]. When our respected moderator sri sadagopan swamin [VS] gave the krithi 'chakkani raaja margamu' of thyaagaraaja [sT] in raagam – 'khara hara priyaa', my thoughts went into raamaayaNam where this mention of 'raaja maargams' and hence the list is made as above. How this krithi is related to instances in raamaayaNam is the next attempt. In the krithi ST immediately brings 'Sandhu' – 'bye-lane' after raaja maargam. That means what ST wants to describe is about – hey mind, when royal highway is there, why you go into bylanes? Then it must have bearing on some 'great instance' or a story twist and not a simple description of 'raaja maargam and bye lanes' together. When we connect the above 5 instances, then it can be to items 4 or 5 above viz. connected with incidents of hanumaan's 'seethaa anveshaNam' or raavaNa's consultations with his ministers and vibheeshaNa's advices. For other instances are mere descriptions of the nature - 'oh what a scene of the royal highway'. Dear sirs, and madams, by now you may have got it clicked, the raaja maargam and immediately bye-lane. Yes - it is vibheeshNa's advices to raavaNa to return seethaa and get saved, for just then raavaNa received a suggestion to enjoy seethaa by entering in a different route – i.e. instead of going in a royal highway of getting her consent and then enjoy her, go through a bye lane – employ force on her and enjoy her. “enjoy seethaa like how a cock forces himself on the hen again and againâ€. This is what exactly vaalmeeki gives [that ref. Slokam a little later]. As I replied in that essay, 'bharatha doubts raama', vaalmeeki gives a 'straight reporting' in his kaavyam and hence the wordings in this 'advice to raavaNa' may not be so palatable for puritans. RaavaNa comes in the royal highway to his durbar. But receives advice to enter or enjoy in a different route – by force - which is 'bye lane' entry. So vibheeshana advises a course correction - says 'oh raavaNa, my brother, enter your royal highway, of enjoying life with your battalion of wives, and give up seethaa to her husband raama'. Yes – that is the incident or instance which ST conveys in the krithi. Now it is given again – for clarity-- Pallavi: chakkani raaja maargamulu uNDaga Sandhula dhooranEla O manasaa – chakkani Anupallavi: chikkani paalu meegaDa uNDaga chee yanu gangaa saagara mElE - chakkani CharaNam: kaNTiki sundhara tharamagu roopamE mukkaNTi nOTa chelagE naamamE thyaagaraaju iNTanE nelakonna aadhi dhaivamE yiTuvaNTi sree saakEtha raamuni bhakthi yanE - chakkani [this version is as in karnatik.com website, the blue coloured words are the variations]: kanTiki sundaramagu rUpamE mukkaNTi nOTa celagE nAmamE tyAgarAjintanE nelakonnadi daivamE iTuvaNTi shrI sAkEta rAmuni muni bhaktiyanE ] meaning summarised [as given by VS]: O My Mind! When there are fine royal paths, why enter bylanes? When there are condensed milk and cream, why this destestable toddy? What a very beautiful form which is a feast to the eyes! What a name which shines in the mouth of Lord Siva! What an Ancient Lord firmly established in the very house of this thyaagaraaja! O My Mind! when there is the fine royal path called devotion to Lord sree raama of ayOdhyA having these attributes, why enter bylanes? points: 1. Selection of raagam: The following slokam indicates about the selection of this raagam 'khara hara priyaa' - thasyaam sa vaidhoorya mayam priyaaka ajina samvritham | mahat sOpa aaSrayam bhEjE raavaNah parama aasanam || 6-11-17 meaning: RaavaNa, in that hall, occupied a big and excellent throne embedded with jewels (cat's eye gems), covered with skin of deer called 'Priyaaka' and furnished with pillows. Note: See his 'seat cover's name – that deer skin's name - 'priyaaka'. Sitting on 'priyaaka' he is doing 'manthra aalOchanai' – counselling with his ministers, army generals, brothers, and sons – since hanumaan's deeds [as described in sundhara kaaNdam] have given a jolt to him. In the raagam list of classical music, there is no 'priyaaka' – so ST uses 'ka priyaa' or khara hara priyaa – same rule as the 'kata payaadhi' soothram in raagam's 'mela karthaa' identification - of reversing the total number you got when you add the aksharam numbers. Is it a coincidence? or is it such a 'proper and beautiful' selection? Dear readers, you have to decide. Point 2: Also 'ka' means lord vishNu [or raama here] and / or brahma – this ka's [or vishNu's] priyaa is 'lakshmi' or seethaa. Since raavaNa liked seethaa on the advise of SoorpaNakhaa, and abducted seethaa - raavaNa's 'raagam' or his 'aasai' or his desire on seethaa gives an indication or a direction for identification of the incidence in raama's story. So raagam used in krithi is 'khara hara priyaa'. Point 3: It is 'khara hara priyaa' in sanskrit – in tamil 'kara kara priya' because you do not have second kha in tamil and ha is not liked by tamil puritans. “Who is this 'khara hara priyaa?†is the question. 1. Can it be 'soorphaNakhaa' ? 2. or is it seethaa ? 3. or in a little circuitous way – can it be one who is loved or liked by that 'killer of khara' – 'khara's hara's priyaa'? If it is so - then it is obvious that it is seethaa – for khara's hara is raama and his 'priyaa' is 'seethaa'. It can be soorpaNakhaa also for she only gives the twist, required to move the story further - in raamaayaNam by first falling in love for raama, and then sending khara to take on a war with raama [after her ears and nose was sliced off by lakshmaNa - 3-18-22]. Later she was the main instrument in instigating raavaNa to abduct seethaa, finally leading to destruction of raavaNa 3-34-20, 21] But generally a villainous character is not 'acceptable' as the name of a 'karuNaa rasa pradhaana raagam' – a raagam which accounts for 'empathy or symapthy'. So the name 'khara hara priyaa' means – seethaa and raama both. Incidentally this also satisfies the basic tenets of sree vaishNavaas of that 'agalagillEn enRu alarmEl mangai uRai maarbhaa'. Point 4: How this raagam in an 'inlcined manner' indicates 'raavaNa vibheeshaNa' conversation is – while singing this krithi – the first line of pallavi is sung 10 times [VS – am I correct sir ?] wherein vibheeshaNa advises raavNa 10 times to return the wife of raama to him and be saved – re slokams numbers quoted -- dheeyathaam asya maithilee – 6-9-16, 17, 20, [3 times] seethaa pradheeyathaam - 6-9-18 [1 time] vaidhEhee raaghavaaya pradheeyathaam – 6-10-22 [1 time] 'pradheeyathaam dhaaSarathaaya maithilee' 6-9-21, 22, 6-14-3, 4, [4 times] narEndhra puthraaya dhadhaathu maithileem 6-14-21, [1 time] Summing up the five ref. you can see it is 10 times. VibheeshaNa says 'please return seethaa to raama' and accept his friendship or surrender to raama. VibheeshaNa says in yet another slokam “raamasya dhayithaa pathnee na svayam yadhi dheeyathE†– 6-9-19 [11th time]. Point 5: Why this 10 times or 11 times repetition while singing this krithi's pallavi? Since raavaNa has 10 heads, vibheeshaNa thinks – 'hey, if I repeat it 10 times, at least on any one time this good message [or good advise] will enter into any one of the 10 heads and make that elder brother raavaNa allright, thus he can be saved'. ST says - when this raaja maargam of returning seethaa to raama is there to save oneself, 'oh raavaNa or oh mind, why you want to enter a bye lane' [because mind is said to be the 10 headed raavaNa]. Thus ST uses the pallavi while singing the krithi, to deliver a specific clue to identify the section in raamaayaNam. Point 6: The incidence: RaavaNa travels to assembly hall in his chariot - sa nEmi ghOshENa mahaan sahasaa abhi-ninaadhayan | raaja maargam Sriyaa jushTam prathipEdhE mahaarathah || 6-11-10 meaning: That excellently great chariot, [raavaNa's] making noise of the sound of its wheels, soon entered the beautiful royal high-way. So ST's raaja maargam in pallavi of krithi has link to vaalmeeki. Then all his ministers, brothers and sons army generals are seen in the assembly. And raavaNa starts saying how he is perturbed and anguished by hanumaan's acts, and, seethaa not agreeing to enjoy with him. [yudhdha, sargam 12]. krOdha harsha samaanEna dhurvarNa karaNEna cha || 6-12-17 SOka samthaapanithyEna kaamEna kalushee krithah | meaning: raavaNa says, or admits openly in the assembly hall, "I have been polluted by lust and equally by anger and pleasure thus making me pale and I have been ever since [meeting seethaa ?] in grief and anguish." note: Why this admission by raavaNa – because he is unable to enjoy that seethaa - the fruits of his bad action – that of abducting another person's wife. On hearing, kumbakarna advises raavaNa, saying “this manthra aalOchanai or counselling with ministers, should have been done earlier before 'bringing in' seethaa by force†but that has not been done. In spite of that thoughtless act, kumbakarna says -- ramasva, kaamam piba cha agrya vaaruNeem | kurushva kaarvaaNi hithaani vijvarah | mayaa thu raamE gamithE yamakshayam | chiraaya seethaa vaSagaa bhavishyathi || 6-12-40 meaning: kumbakarna to raavaNa, "Enjoy yourself freely. Drink excellent of wines to the extent of your desire without any anxiety. Raama, having been dispatched by me to the abode of death, Seethaa will be at your disposal forever." [On this vaaruNee monier williams S.E.D. says 'vaaruNee - a partic. kind of spirit (prepared from hogweed mixed with the juice of the date or palm and distilled), any spirituous liquor MBh. KÄv. & c .] So the suggestion is – as per ST - when raaja maargam is there – in the view of kumbakarna - of killing raama and then enjoying seethaa, why this anxiety, oh raavaNa? Point 7: Now comes 'enter bye lane' route as identified or given by ST - mahapaarsvan advises raavaNa -- yah khalu api vanam praapya mriga vyaalani sEvitham | na pibEn madhu sampraapya sa narO baaliSO dhruvam || 6-13-2 meaning: “That man indeed is a fool, who after reaching a forest inhabited by wild beasts and vicious elephants and having duly found honey, does not drink it.†balaath kukkuTa vriththEna pravarthasva mahaabala | akramyaakramya seethaam vai thaam bhunkshva cha ramasva cha || 6-13-4 meaning: “O, ruler endowed with a mighty prowess! Act in the mode of a cock, forcibly against her. Enjoy that Sita, by charging on her again and again and revel with her.†note: This is what the 'enter bye lane' advise – why so - there is the raaja maargam of enjoying with his own wife or wives [for raavaNa already has a lot of beautiful ladies as wives, ladies of different clan and from different lokams], or as said by kumbakarNa to finish raama and then enjoy seethaa. On receiving this advise of that mode of 'cock', raavaNa reveals about his curse – which he held as secret – that he 'cannot enjoy any lady by force because of curse by brahma, and if he does rape any lady, he will die'. That is what is ST's 'sandhula dhooralEna'. Point 8: In anupallavi – ST says 'chikkani paalu meegaDa uNDaga chee yanu gangaa saagara mElE'. See what advices raavNa received – chikkani paalu meegaDa uNDaga chee yanu sandula dooranEla - so ST asks when milk and cream are available in the form of beautiful ladies like mandodhari, dhaanyamaalini, et al, why to go for seethaa –who is to be rejected as chee -- [ see what vibheeshaNa says on seethaa – not his real intention but to threaten raavaNa and to warn about the danger arising from her] vrithO hi baahvanthara bhoga raaSih | chinthaa vishah susmitha theekshaNa dhamshTrah | pancha angulee pancha SirO~athikaayah | seethaa mahaa histhava kEna raajan || 6-14-2 meaning: vibheeshaNa to raavana, “By whom, O, king, has been wrapped around your neck, this great serpent of gigantic body called seethaa, with heap of expended hoods as her bosom, having poison as her anxiety and with sharp fangs as her sweet smile and with five hoods as her five fingers.†why certain things which are to be rejected as 'chee, chee' - to drink 'vaaruNee', 'madhu' and now seethaa – fei with these things. And that is what vibheeshaNa also points out -- ayam cha raajaa nyasana abhibhoothah | mithraih amithra prathimaih bhavadhbhih | anvaasyathE raakshasa naaSana arthE | theekshaNah prakrithyaa hi asameekshyakaaree || 6-14-17 meaning: vibheeshaNa says to those assembled in the royal durbar of raavaNa, “This king, who is overcome by evil addictions*, is rude in nature and acts inconsiderately. Such a king is being surrounded as a caucus by you, who are his companions, taking the form of his enemies for the ultimate destruction of demons.†*The 7 evil habits to which kings are generally found addicted are: Harshness in speech severity of punishment, extravagance, drinking, love of women, hunting gambling. Point 9: on this ganga saagaramElE – see what vibheeshaNa has to say -- suvaariNaa raaghava saagareNa | prachchhaadhyamaanah tharasaa bhavadhbhih | yukthah thvayam thaarayithum samEthya | kaakuthsa paathaaLa mukhE pathan sah || 6-14-20 meaning: “This RaavaNa, for his part who is going to be enveloped forcibly by an ocean in the shape of Raama – which is full of excellent water (who possesses excellent moral character) and who is about to fall into the mouth of PaataaLam (the nethermost subterranean region) in the shape of Raama, is fit to be rescued united by you.†note: since raama or raaghava is from the land of 'gangaa', ST uses 'gangaa saagaram' to indicate raama, instead of 'raaghava saagaram' of vaalmeeki. Further for the word 'gaá¹…gÄsÄgara Monier williams sanskrit english dictionary gives meaning -- n. the mouth of the Ganges where it enters the ocean (considered as a TÄ«rtha) Hariv. 9524. VibheeshaNa says – hey, raama is the milk [who lives in milk ocean] and the cream is seethaa, [while churning milk ocean lakshmi came out like cream and that same cream lakshmi is now seethaa, but raavaNa says 'chee' - fie to both, and he is likely to fall into ocean 'gangaa saagaramElE' - as vaalmeeki has conveyed in this slokam. Even if see the other way what vibheeshaNa says that he is going to fall into the 'mouth of paathaaLam' as in vaalmeeki – then also usage of 'gangaa saagaram' fits in as per meaning given – since what is to be conveyed is falling inot the mouth of ocean. So it is very clear that ST simply adopted vaalmeeki inhis own style and placed words in his krithi. Further see the meaning of 'chee yanu ganga saagaram' as 'toddy' etc – dear learned readers, see how it is a misfit here. Point 10: in charaNam – it is more a simple praise of raama and seethaa – let it be from vibheeshaNa as in vaalmeeki or ST – the krithi is getting completed. So it is ST's poetic excellence and selection of apt raagam to convey what he wants, in only 'pallavi and anupallavi' in this krithi – in same lines of vaalmeeki. Enjoy the krithi more and more by listening to many artists – i would prefer Madurai Mani iyer which a treat unfailing. DhasanVasudevan MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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