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Ananada RaamAyaNam (AR)

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V. Sadagopan • June 28, 1997 


Dear Srimathi KalyANi KrishNamAchAri :

I agree with the observations of both Professor 
VasudhA NarAyaNan and Sri Sudarshan . 
Thanks to your introduction , I came to know 
more about  AR and the many beautiful verses
composed by the author , whether he is Sage Valmiki 
or otherwise . The literary scholars establishing 
the authorship of particular slokams in 
Srimadh RaamAyaNam are still having trouble about 
interploated slokams . 

I agree with Sri Sudarshan in that  it  does not really matter ,
whether AR was composed by Sage Valmiki or not. 
The enjoyment of Rama Charitham as told by this 
Rama BhakthA is the most important thing as long as 
the author's rendering is suffused with Bahkthi . The variations 
on the theme can be taken as this BahkthA's rasAnubhavam .
NammAzhwar's observation in Thiruvaimozhi , " KaRpAr 
IrAmapirAnai allAl MARRUM karparO --" , is a testament 
to the glory of this PurNAvathAram , that has enchnated
many minds from time immemorial .

Regarding discrepancies from Adi Kavi's version in the story line 
Swami  Desikan composed Hamsa SandEsam , which has 
no connection to any incident found in Srimadh RaamAyaNam . 
Saint ThyagarAjA similarly composed an opera known as    
NowkA Charithram dealing with Sri KrishNA's pranks that 
has no connection to Srimadh Bhagavatham . In a similar
vein , the twists in the story line of AR are perfectly within 
the accepted norms of the poet 's freedom to take off from
ancient texts.  The "twists and turns " in AR and its variance with 
Sage Valmiki's version can be understood from this context .

Inview of all these points , I do not think that you should 
feel depressed over your efforts to study AR and share with 
the rest of us passages and slokams that you found inspiring .
Please do continue your " labor of Love " and we look forward 
to learning more about another Rama BhakthA's tribute to 
Sri RamachandrA as enshrined in AR .

Best Wishes ,
V.Sadagopan