Bhakti List Archives

Musings on Raghuveera Gadhyam --Part 8 (Bala Khaandam )

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • Tue Oct 01 1996 - 05:57:27 PDT 


GS 13 : KUSIKASUTHA KATHITA  VIDHITA
NAVA VIVIDHA KATHA ! jAYA ! jAYA !

O Raghuveera  who heard many a novel story 
told by Sage Viswamitra as you walked with 
him  to protect his Yajna and also  on your
way to Mithilai ! Hail to Thee !

Here Swami refers to the many stories that the 
Sage told to the brothers so that they did not feel the strain
of the journey through the forest . You heard those novel
stories with great intensity and desire . Sage told stories 
on the origin of Manmathan , history of Tatakaa, Sriman Narayana's 
incarnation as Vamana to curb the pride and arrogance of 
Maha Bali and the history of Siddhaasrama  ,
Siva Dhanus (Bow) in King Janaka's possession  ,
his( sage Viswamitra's ) own lineage , 
the  birth of Subramanya and the story of the sons of 
Sakara and the birth of  Ganga .

14. MYTHILA NAGARA SULOCHANAA LOCHANA 
CHAKORA CHANDRA ! JAYA ! JAYA !

O Lord who is the life-giving  moon to the beautiful eyes of 
the women of Mythila known for the beauty of their 
eyes ! Hail to Thee! Hail to Thee !

As Lord Ramachandra entered the city of Mithilai ,
the beautiful women feasted on your beauty just as
the legendary chakora birds feast on the rays of moon ,
their only food. These women  felt that the fruits of possessing 
eyes were  realized that  day . 

Valmiki Ramayanam does not dwell on how the women
of Mithilai feasted on the beauty of Sri Rama with their 
comely eyes. Poet Kamban however  dwells on the scene 
that Rama  and lakshmana saw on the streets of 
the city of Janaka.He describes the beautiful women
and the youth of the city as seen by the brothers .
Kamban describes at length the 
way in which the eyes of Sita and Rama met and how
each were affected deeply by each other's beauty  .

AruNachala Kavirayar describes the wonder and bafflement 
of Sita seeing the divine beauty of Rama from 
the balcony of her palace ( " YarO Ivar YarO " 
Yenna perO ariyneh ")  in his Rama Naatakam.
This is the famous piece tuned in Raga Bhairavi by 
Sangeetha Ratnaakaram Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar . 

GS 15 : KANTA PARASU KOTHANDA PRAKAANTA
KANTANA SOWNTA BHUJA DHANDA ! JAYA ! JAYA !

Here ,Swami Desikan pays tribute to the mighty 
shoulders of Rama and their valor in breaking the powerful
bow of Siva . Hail to Thee O Raghuveera , who 
effortlessly broke into two the mighty bow of 
Siva through your matchless strength and heroism !

It took five thousand men to draw the bow resting in its case
to the court of King Janaka for the competition to string the
bow. The winner in that competition was promised
beautiful Sita's hand in marriage by king Janaka.. 
All the kings assembled for that Svayamvaram failed 
miserably in the  contest. Sri Rama at the behest of 
Sage Viswamitra lifted the bow effortlessly 
and broke it into two ,when he tried to string it. Such 
was the power of his mighty shoulders( SOWNDA 
BHUJADHANDA )  ! .

GS  16 : CHANDAKARA KIRANA MANDALA BODHITHA 
PUNDARIKA VANA RUCHI LUNDAAKA LOCHANA ! 
JAYA ! JAYA ! 

The poetic skills of Swami Desikan are revealed here .
He suggests that the Lord's eyes stole the beauty 
of the fully blossomed lotuses that responded to
the welcoming rays of their friend , the Sun . This
DINAAKARA  KAMALA KULA DIVAAKARAN had
a special relatonship to the lotuses .   

The Siva Dhanus was broken by now. Sri Rama was  
assured thus of recieving Sita Devi's hands in marriage. 
Sri Rama's joy knew no bounds. His eyes shone with a special 
beauty over the thought of being united with His Devi .
On that occasion , the beauty of His eyes mirrored the joy of 
His " soul " as it were and defeated the beauty of the just 
blossomed forest  of lotus flowers (PUNDARIKA VANA RUCHI ) . 

GS 17 : MOCHITA JANAKA HRUDHAYA SANKAATANKA ! 
JAYA ! JAYA ! 

O Raghuveera  who banished the worries that resided 
in the heart of King Janaka about your  power to
string  the Siva Dhanus  and win in the Svayamvaram 
and fulfill your avathara kaaryam ! Hail to Thee ! Hail to Thee !