Wednesday, August 03, 2011

who are the two boys?

इमौ कुमारौ भद्रं ते देवतुल्यपराक्रमौ।
गजसिंहगती वीरौ शार्दूलवृषभोपमौ॥
पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षौ खड्गतूणीधनुर्धरौ
अश्विनाविव रूपेण समुपस्थितयौवनौ॥
यदृच्छयैव गां प्राप्तौ देवलोकादिवामरौ।
वरायुधधरौ वीरौ कस्य पुत्रौ महामुने॥
भूषयन्ताविमं देशं चन्द्रसूर्याविवाम्बरं।
श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे बालकाण्डे॥५०--१७-२०॥
imau kumārau bhadraṁ te devatulyaparākramau|
gajasiṁhagatī vīrau śārdūlavṛṣabhopamau||
padmapatraviśālākṣau khaḍgatūṇīdhanurdharau
aśvināviva rūpeṇa samupasthitayauvanau||
yadṛcchayaiva gāṁ prāptau devalokādivāmarau|
varāyudhadharau vīrau kasya putrau mahāmune||
bhūṣayantāvimaṁ deśaṁ candrasūryāvivāmbaraṁ|
śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇe bālakāṇḍe ||50--17-20||

Sage Viswamitra had taken the young boys Rama and Lakshmana to the forest to protect a vedic sacrifice.  On the successful conclusion of the mission, the sage has certain other plans for the children. It was the talk of the town at that time that King Janaka had a very beautiful daughter of marriageable age, and with a view to find out the most suitable groom for her, the king had arranged for a show of valour by the prospective grooms. There was a very heary bow belonging to Lord Shiva which was kept in Janaka's palace at Videha. The condition for the marriage was that the groom should be able to lift the bow and tie the string to it.  For months at a stretch many suitors had reached Videha(Mithila) but no one could even lift the bow.  Visvamitra knew the right person for the job was none other than Rama.  So he led the two attractive boys to the country of Janaka.  When the trio made appearance in the main streets of Mithila and the citizens had a glimpse of them they were overcome with awe affection and admiration.  It looked as if Lord Shiva himself was entering the city in the company of Kumara, his son... the difference in this case was that there were two beautiful boys to equal Kumara (Skanda). 
King Janaka on hearing about the arrival of the sage Visvaamitra ran to the street and prostrated before him.  He could not conceal his curiosity about the identity of the two childre who appeared like  the Sun and Moon walking on the street of Mithila in all their splendour. Valmiki though the queries of Janaka describes the complete attractivness of the two boys. (According to the chronology of events in Ramayanam the children should just entering the teenage at that time)
Janaka pays obeisance to the sage, and eagerly asks him.
" Sire, be pleased to tell me who these two wonderful boys are..even at the first sight they appear to be equals to the gods in valour. One has the majestic gait of an elephant (Rama) and the other is so ferocious like a lion ready to jump at the prey (lakshmana).. The pair resembles a Tiger and an Bull.  Both have eyes resembling the large petals of a fully bloomed lotus.  Both wear arms like sword, quivers filled with arrows and matching bows. They look more like the twin ashwin gods who have by a rare chance appeared on this earth to make it bereft of maladies.  They appear to have mastered the launching of all great weapon.  May I be told about the parentage of these children?  They have landed up in my country making it shine forth as if the moon(ramachandra) and the sun (lakshmana) have reached there at the same time"

The pen-picture given by the primordial poet is incapable of any improvisation by anyone.  Both the devotees of Rama and his younger brother, and those who worship aristocracy, noblity and beauty would have the treat of their life reading this.
Later on, Viswamitra tells Rama to see the bow of Shiva, and with an efforless lift by Rama's left had the bow is lifted and when it is bent to tie the string, the bow gets broken and the swayamvaram of Sita follows, Rama marrying Sita, Lakshmana marrying Urmila the daughter of Janaka and bharatha and shatrugna marrying  Mandavi and Shrutakeethi respectively , the daughters of Kusadwaja, the younger brother of Janaka.
 I am editing this entry incorporating the comment by  my learned and respected friend :
Sivasubramanian Perinkulam said...
kasya putrau mahāmune||

I would appreciate,if the above question of Janka is retained in the transliteration.It is so meaning full,natural.
During my childhood,occasionally, when I visit my father's village, his friends used to ask me,'nee aarodu pulliai, appa ?"

'Why do they ask this question?' I used to wonder.
Now I admire that way of asking.


Love and regards,
sperinkulam 

thank you mama. Namaskarams. 
--
।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

2 comments:

  1. kasya putrau mahāmune||

    I would appreciate,if the above question of Janka is retained in the transliteration.It is so meaning full,natural.
    During my childhood,occasionally, when I visit my father's village, his friends used to ask me,'nee aarodu pulliai, appa ?"

    'Why do they ask this question?' I used to wonder.
    Now I admire that way of asking.


    Love and regards,
    sperinkulam

    ReplyDelete
  2. yes mama, kasya putrau mahamune.. is of very great importance. Every person realises the meaning of his existence in the world when the whole world praises his children. That great identity, that great bond.. is simply beyond words. I hope you would permit me to edit this entry incorporating your rejoinder. Namaskarams

    ReplyDelete