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Raghuveera Gadhyam: Aaranya Khaandam--Part 4

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • November 17, 1996 


DhyAnam

RaamEthi varNa dvayamaadharENa 
sadhaa smaran mukthim upaithi janthu : I
kalou yugE kalmasha MaanushaaNaam 
anyathra dharmE kalu naadhikaara : II

( By uttering and meditating on the two lettered
name Raamaa ( Taaraka Namam ) ,
all creatures attain mukthi .
In this kali yugam , when the righteousness is
fast vanishing , there is no other dahrmam 
(practice suitable to us ) . 

Dear Bhakthaas of Raghuveera ;

I will conclude the observations of the remaining 
two salutations of Swami Desikan  onAaranya Khaandham 
in this and the next  posting.

GS 40 : klapitha vibhudha  bhaava kabhandhaaabhinanditha !
              Jaya ! Jaya !
(meaning) : Hail to Thee, O Lord who was eulogised by the asura 
Kabhandhaa , who regained his  erstwhile celestial form as 
as a result of your severing his arms . 

(Background ) :Kabhandhanwas an erstwhile Deva , who incurred the displeasure 
of his master, Indra. Latter hit him with his Vajra weapon on the head and
that led to his head and neck  being sunk inside his torso. Later a sage by the
name 
of sthula Siras cursed Kabhandhaa for an apachAram and latter became 
an Asura roaming the forest of Dandakam with no head, neck, 
thighs or legs , but just a trunk with mouth and eye in his chest . 

Rama was travelling in that AaraNyam in  a south westerly 
direction in search of His consort. Kabhandhaa confronted Rama 
and LakshmaNaa and snatched them with
his eight mile long hands. Kabhandhaas prowess rested in his hands. Therefore
Rama and LakshmaNaa severed the ogre's hands at the shoulder level .
Rama cut off the asura's right hand and LakshmaNa took care of the left.
The ogre writhed in pian and  fell on the ground under the feet 
of Rama. Then he inquired Rama as to who he is and where 
he came from. LakshmaNaa briefed the fallen Kabhandhaa .
Hearing that the one who maimed him was none other than
Sri Rama , Kabhandhaa was ecstatic , since the curse could only
be lifted by Rama's hand. The asura begged Rama to creamte him 
so that he can regain his body as a Deva and then help the brothers 
with his supersensous knowledge as a Deva about the whereabouts 
of kidnapped Sita .The brothers threw the body of Kbhandhaa in a
pit and creamted him with due ceremony. At the end of the creamation,
Kabhandhaa transformed into his original celestial form and counseled
the brothers that They should cultivate friendship with the monkey king
Sugreeva to succeed in their efforts to reunite with Sita Devi. Kabhandhaa
consoled the grief stricken Rama and asked him to hasten to Sugriva's
hiding place on the  banks of Pampaa lake near Rishyamukha hill .
Prior to his departure from this world as a  celestial being , Kabhandhaa
showed the brothers the way to Sugrivaa's abode and gave them 
information about the hermitage of Sage Matangaa and took leave of
the brothers. 

Raama naama cha sadhaa smaraNeeyam
leelayaa bhava jalam taraNeeyam 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan