Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Vali Vadham 19

From the Bhakti List Archives

Hari Krishnan • December 11, 2002 


Go through seven

Rama bent his bow and shot his arrow and we know that it bore through all the seven trees.  Sugriva asked him to shoot an arrow through a single sal tree.  Rama shot a single arrow that went through all the seven trees and it returned to the arrow case by itself.  

Kamban adds his own touch of humour.  'Go through all the seven,' ordered Rama when shooting the arrow.  It went through all the seven trees, and the seven under worlds also.  That caused fear in the minds of all groups of seven - the seven seas, seven hills, seven sages (Rishis), seven maidens, etc.  They were afraid that since seven was the target for the arrow, it might wipe them off too!  

For the first time, we see happiness in the face of Sugriva.  When Kamban chose to reverse the order of events - that is, the tests that Sugriva held - and started with Sugriva's request to shoot through the tree, the need for the other test - kicking of the mortal remains of Dundhubhi - does not arise.  But the Poet decides to portray that event as well.  He does so in a different way.  Kamban shows the team seeing the massive skeleton of Dundhubhi lying in their way, while they come back after the sal tree event.  Rama enquires about the heap of bones that is lying there and Sugriva narrates the entire incident and tells Sri Rama that this carcass of Dundhubhi was kicked by him to this distance. 

'kEtanan amalanum kiLandhavaaru elaam.'    Rama heard the story as it happened.  'vall thozhil iLavalai, idhanai maindha nee Ottu ena,' He turned towards Lakshmana and told him, 'kick this away, child.'  'avan kazhal viralin undhinaan.'  Lakshmana kicked it with his toe.  'adhu virinjan naadu utru meendadhE.'  That (skeleton of Dundhubhi) rose up into the sky and fell down.  

Now, the very same incident is utilised to demonstrate the prowess of Lakshmana.  Any lesser poet would have either skipped it or overplayed it by making Rama undergo this test.  Architectonics of Kamban.    He has reconstructed the entire structure, without in any way altering the essential elements, without compromising on characterisation, without going astray from the main story and without in any way affecting the beauty of the original.  In fact, he has added to its beauty.  

Now that Sugriva regaining his composure, he remembers something very important that did not occur to him at all.  Sita, when she was carried away by Ravana spotted these monkeys moving down on the ground, from the Pushpaka vimana, wrapped her jewels in a piece of cloth and dropped the bundle to fall close to them.  Sugriva orders that bundle to be fetched from their hideout.  

Once again, the order of this event is repositioned.  This happens right in the first scene in Valmiki Ramayana, immediately after solemnisation of friendship between Sri Rama and Sugriva before fire.  That is, the bundle of ornaments was presented before Rama was put to test.  Kamban has, on purpose reordered the events and makes his Sugriva show the ornaments, *after* Rama went through the test.  

There must be some purpose behind this.   Let's discuss this in our next instalment.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/