How Ramayana was presented to the world by Valmiki..

How Ramayana was presented to the world by Valmiki..

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From Valmikiramayanam.

Balakandam.. Sargam 3

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Sage Valmiki of great erudition and penance composed the history of Rama in all its detail, and in this process he put to play his expertise and acumen in use of numerous words and usages in the most appropriate manner.

The sage composed twentyfour thousand slokas..

consisting of six Kandams ( Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkinda, Sundara and Yuddha ) and the Uttara Kandam too.

Totally he composed five hundred sargams.

( It may be noted that the present form of Valmiki Ramayanam has seven Kandams and twentyfour thousand slokas, the number of Sargas is 647..may be the epic underwent some rearrangement of Chapters at the hands of future commentators and students.)

The sage of great intellect and intuition composed the whole epic,

in which he could record what was to happen even after the Coronation of Rama,

and also the incidents which were to happen in future,

The thought as to how he would be able to publish and popularise this epic, was engaging his mind.

While the sage of great foresight, was pondering over how he was going to present to the world the epic poem composed by him,

Kusha and Lava.. the twin boys of Sita.. who were growing in his hemitage-- the boys were dressed in the garments of little sages..presented themselve

before him and paid their respects by holding his feet.

The sage was grealy pleased to see the twin boys Kusha and Lava who were the sons of the King (Rama) , who were of great repute, who occupied the hermitage at that time and they were blessed with melodious voices.

The sage knew that the twin children were of great intellect and were well versed in Vedas and were strict aherents of the scriptures and therefore he imparted the knowledge of the entire epic on the young brothers, because that was the best way to spread the epic which entirely reinforced the message of the Vedas.

The sage who was a meticulous scribe of history in all its reality, composed the story of Rama.. Ramayanam..in great detail..

It was verily the great story of Seethaa..

It was also the chronicle of annihilationn of the scion of Pulastya Race.. Ravana..

The kavyam was composed with shlokas

which were sweet to read,

which were sweet to sing..

the kavyam contained compositiosn, in the three paces or kalapramams.

. drutam,

tisram

and vilambam..

consisted of Jati swaras..

all the seven..

Shadjam,

Rishabham,

Gandharam,

Madhyamam,

Panchamam,

Daivatam

and

Nishadam..

it was amenable to the laya and taala of string instruments.. and percussion instruments ( Veena, Mridangam etc)

The nine rasas..

1Hasyam(Humorous, comic),

2Shringaram(to love, eros),

3Karunam(Compassion, sympathy ) ,

4Veeram(Heroic),

5Raudram Fury, anger

6Bhayaanamakam(Terrible, horrifying),

7Beebatsam(disgust ) ,

8 Adbutham.( Marvellous, amazing)

9. Shokam (Pathetic)

were evenly presented in the most appropriate manner according to the situations.

The singers.. the twins Lava and Kusha

were thorughly trained and were experts in the science of music.. gandharva vidya..

they were very adepts in and comfortable in exposition of svarasthaanams.. mantram, madhyam, thaaram.

And they were as attractive as the Gandharavas, if form too.

They were attractive..

Their forms revealed all the Lakshanams of supreme human beings.

They spoke in sweet tones and voices,

and were sweet in manners too..

They looked like two exact images of Rama, who had sprung out of the body of Rama Himself..

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प्राप्तराज्यस्य रामस्य वाल्मीकिर्भगवानृषिः

चकार चरितं कृत्स्नं विचित्रपदमात्मवान्॥१

चतुर्विंशसहस्राणि श्लोकानामुक्तवानृषिः।

तथा सर्गशतान् पञ्च षट् काण्डानि तथोत्तरम्॥

कृत्वाऽपि तन्महाप्राज्ञः सभविष्यं सहोत्तरम्।

चिन्तयामास को न्वेतत् प्रयुञ्जीयादिति प्रभुः॥३

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः।

अगृह्णीतां ततः पादौ मुनिवेषौ कुशीलवौ॥४

कुशीलवौ तु धर्मज्ञौ राजपुत्रौ यशस्विनौ।

भ्रातरौ स्वरसम्पन्नौ ददर्शाश्रमवासिनौ॥५

स तु मेधाविनौ दृष्ट्वा वेदेषु परिनिष्ठितौ।

वेदोपबृंहणार्थाय तावग्राहयत प्रभुः॥६

काव्यं रामायणं कृत्स्नं सीतायाश्चरितं महत्।

पौलस्त्यवधमित्येव चकार चरितव्रतः॥७

पाठ्ये गेये च मधुरं प्रमाणैस्त्रिभिरन्वितम्।

जातिभिस्सप्तभिर्बद्धं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम्।८

हास्यशृङ्गारकरुणवीररौद्रभयानकैः।

बीभत्सादि रसैर्युक्तं काव्यमेतदगायताम्॥९

तौ तु गन्धर्वतत्वज्ञौ मूर्च्छनास्थानकोविदौ।

भ्रातरौ स्वरसंपन्नौ गन्धर्वाविव रूपिणौ।१०

रूपलक्षण संपन्नौ मधुरस्वरभाषिणौ।

बिंबादिवोद्धृतौ बिंबौ रामदेहात्तथाऽपरौ॥११