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Re: Identity of Kshtrabandhu

From the Bhakti List Archives

Badrinarayanan Seshadri • December 8, 1995 


Jaganath asked:

* Is the Kstrabandhu referred to by Swami Desikar in the RTS the
* person who went on to become Valmiki?

He is a king, perhaps mentioned in puraanaas, but also mentioned by
thoNdar adippodi aazhvaar in thirumaalai.

moyththa valvinaiyuL ninRu
 moonRezhuththu udaiya pEraal,
kaththirappanthum anRE
=================
 paraankathi kaNdu koNdaan,
iththanai adiyar aanaarku
 irankum n^am arankan aaya
piththanaip peRRum anthO!
 piRaviyuL piNanku maaRE!   (4)

According to the thamizh language custom, kshatrabandhu becomes
kaththirappandhu. periya vaachchaan piLLai, in his commentary,
expounds upon how even kshatrabandhu, apparently a lowly character
due to his actions, achieved moksha due to the grace of the Lord
and how people, in spite of the presense of such a kind God (a mad
person - piththan - in fact, for He goes out to help even the most
ingrateful men), are caught up in this seemingly endless births and
deaths without realising Him.

I will go home, look at the book and mail in the details. I am not
really sure if this was Valmiki. If it was the case, piLLai would
have certainly mentioned this and I would have certainly remembered
that.

--badri

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S.Badrinarayanan 
Graduate Student
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Cornell University
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