Two days back I
completed the translation of Bala
kandam of “Ramavatharamof Kamban” which is a book in Tamil. Though this was the
original name given to the book, over
years people preferred
to call it Kamba Ramayanam.
Earlier I have translated The entire Valmiki Ramayanam from Sanskrit
and the Adhyathma Ramayana from
Malayalam has already been
translated by me. The original
Adhyathma Ramayanam is in Sanskrit and is a part of Brahmanda
Puranam. It is supposed to be written by Veda Vyasa himself.
The Ramayana of
Valmiki is called the Aadhi kavya in Sanskrit i.e. the
first epic. Sage Valmiki who wanted a
great book about a great hero meets
sage Narada who tells
to him the story of Rama in a
concise form. This is the first chapter of
Valmiki Ramayana and is referred
to as “SAmkriptha Ramayana”. Lord Rama
was a contemporary of sage Valmiki .
Possibly due to this Valmiki
wrote the story “Rama the man”
who was known to him. Except in two places Rama is not referred to as God in the entire epic. There are no
prayers addressed to Rama in the entire book. No character including Hanuman refers to him as God. .There
are no references to temples or prayers done in temples. The
only prayer in the entire book is the Adhithya Hrudayam , taught to Lord Rama by sage Agasthya. There are
many stories of several
characters of Ramayana as well
as other Gods in that great book.
Adhyathma
Ramayana or the spiritual Ramayana is supposed to have been written by Veda Vyasa himself as a part of Brhahmanda Purana. .
It seems he was greatly
attracted by the divinity
in the personality of Rama. Unlike
the book by Valmiki, Veda Vyasa
wrote about Rama , the God. . Almost
every kandam (book) of the book has several prayers addressed to Rama .As soon as he is born , Kausalya his mother
prays him . There are prayers of Rama in the book sung by Asura characters like Khara and Khabanda. The bird Jatayu prays to him. Sabari
the woman saint prays him and so
on. Apart from that Adhyathma Ramayana contains the famous “Rama Gita”, which
are teaching of spirituality by Rama to Lakshmana.
Possibly one of
the first books that was translated from
Sanskrit to the different languages
in India is the Valmiki Ramayana.
Most of those who attempted the
translation , did not translate verse by verse
of the original book. Most of
them were not in agreement with sage Valmiki because they were all writing about the God Rama and the Goddess Sita. Most of them were poets of
great standing and wanted to re write
the story using their own
verse. One great scholar is of the
opinion that they should be called as trans-creations rather than translations. As a layman
I tend to agree with this. The most famous among these trans-creations of Valmiki Ramayana are Kamban’s
Ramavathara Kathai in tamil and Thulasidas’s Ramacharitha Manasa in Hindi . Kamban , called Kavi
Chakravarthi (Poet emperor) is a great
poet. He starts with the premise that Rama is the incarnation of Vishnu and Sita incarnation of
Goddess Lakshmi. Though he has mentioned
in the introductory chapter , that his story
is based on Vamiki’s Ramayana , he follows the rules of the grammar of Tamil in writing
an epic. Because of this, the story that
he presents appears different. I have
not read Rama Charitha Manas and I do not know how it is different from Valmiki Ramayana.
Till today I have
translated the Bala Kandam of Valmiki
Ramayana, Adhyathma Ramayana as well
as Kamba Ramayana. I am giving below the
differences that I noticed IN Bala
Kandam of these versions.. I have
listed the major turn of events in the Bala Kandam of each of these and have given a summary of what is written in each of
these great books:-
My translations can
be found in
Bala Kandam
Bala Kandam is
the first book of Ramayana . It mainly
deals with the Puthra Kameshi Yaga of Dasaratha and ends with
the return of Rama along
with his marriage with Sita
to Ayodhya. This is possibly the only book of Ramayana which deals only with happy incidents.
1.Number of verses.
Bala Kanda of
Valmiki consists of 77 chapters with about 2355 verses, The Bala Kanda of
Adhyathma Ramayana consists of only
ten chapters and that of Kamba
Ramayanam consists of 25 chapters with 1311 verses.
2. Beginning of the
epic
Valmiki
Ramayana begins with
the summary narration of sage Narada to sage Valmiki of the story of Rama , When Valmiki decides to write the epic, Lord Brahma tells him that he would be able to see the Ramayana as it happened. Valmiki
decided on the meter to be used by seeing
a hunter kill one of the Krouncha
bird pair. After he composes it, he
teaches it to Lava and Kusha , who go Ayodhya and sing it before Rama.Next two
chapters describe the city of
Ayodhya .
Adhyathma
Ramayana
ADhyathma
starts with the telling of the story of Rama by
Shiva to Parvathi. It tells how Lord Brahma orders a hunter Valmiki to write the story. Then Shiva tells
the story in detail of God Rama.
Kama Ramayana
Kamba Ramayana
starts with a prayer to God. Then
he says , how he is attempting an impossible job.. Tells
about how the original story was
written by Valmiki in Sanskrit.
Then he describes , the river of Ayodhya, describes the
country , describes the city
and finally about the rule
of king Dasaratha.
3,How Dasaratha got sons.
Valmiki Ramayana
Dasaratha calls
his councilors and tells them that he
wants to Aswamedha Yaga to get a son. Simanthra his minister tells him , about
what he heard in Deva Loka that if
Dasaratha performs the Yaga using
the services of sage Rishya Srunga
.Then he tells the story of Rishya Srunga . Dasarathathen brings that sage to Ayodhya. That sage performs the Aswamedha yaga for
Dasaratha, At the end he also performs the Puthakameshti Yaga. Devas request
Lord Vishnu to help them destroy Ravana and other Asuras. He says that he would
be born to Dasaratha as a son and requests
them to be born as monkeys. A great being comes out of the sacrificial
fire and gives some Payasam to be
distributed to his wives. Dasaratha gives half of the Payasam to Kausalya, half
of the remaining to Sumathra and half of
what was remaining to Kaikeyi and
Whatever else was remaining
to Sumathra again. Kausalya
begets Rama, Sumithra begets
Lakshmana and Sathrugna and Kaikeyi begets Bharatha, Dasaratha celebrates and gives charity to Brahmins.
Adhyathma Ramayanam
Dasaratha did not have sons. As per the advice of his Guru Vasishta, he contacts Rishya Srunga
and performs Puthakameshti,The fire God
rises from the sacrificial fire and gave
Dasaratha , the Payasa, Dasaratha gave half the Payasa to Kausalya and half to Kaikeyi . Kausalya and Kaikeyi give half of what they
received to Sumithra,When Rama was born to Kausalya in the form of Lord Vishnu. Kaiusalya [rays to that child and he assumes the baby form. Kaikeyi begets Bharatha and Sumithra
begets Lakshmana and Sathrugna.
Kamba Ramayanam
When Dasaratha
tells his Guru about his sorrow in not having a son, Vasishta recollects how
devas had appealed to Lord Vishnu and how he has promised them that he would be born as a son to Dasaratha. He tells him and advices him to get the aswamedha sacrifice done by Rushya
srunga. He also tells him in detail
about Rushya Srunga. Dasaratha goes and brings the sage to do the Yaga..One
ghost comes out of the sacrificial fire and gives a Pinda to Dasaratha and orders him to distribute to his
wives,DSAsaratha gives A major portion
of it to Kausalya and Kaikeyi and what is left
over to Sumithra. Kausalya begets Rama, Kaikeyi Bharatha and Sumithra
begets Lakshmana and Sathrugna.. Here the story of Deva;s approach to Lord
Vishnu is narrated.Dasaratha does special worship in temples. Gives lot of
money to build them etc.
It is
interesting to note that there is no mention of any temple in Ayodha in Valmiki Ramayana.
Viswamithra and Rama
Valmiki Ramayana
Viswamithra
comes to the court of Dasaratha for requesting him to send Rama along with him to protect his
Yaga. Dasaratha was reluctant. Urged by Vasishta , Dasaratha sends Rama and Lakshmana with Viswamithra.Viswamithra teaches them
Bala and Athibala so that they can ward off
their hunger and sleep. When they
reach God Shiva’s Ashram, Viswamithra
tells them the story of Lord Shiva and the burning of Gpod of love by him. He
also tells him about the story of river
Sarayu. As well as the Yakshi ogress
called Thataka . When Rama was reluctant
to kill THataka , He quotes instances of
Indra and Vishnu killing women for
the good of people. Thataka is then
killed by Rama. Indra requests
Viswamithra to give him some
great weapons which were his ancestors.
Viswamithra gives Rama several divine
weapons. The sage also gives Rama the control
of the weapons which were his ancestors and told their
story. They reached the place where Mahabali did his Yaga. and Vishnu did his
penance. Viswamithra then tells
him the story of Mahabali and Vamana and starts Yaga there. Viswamithra starts his Yaga, For six days and six nights no one comes. Asuras come to spoil the Yaga.
Rama kills Subahu and throws Mareecha for a long distance . Viswamithra completes his Yag. Then Rama along with Viswamithra
starts to Mithila.
Adhyathma Ramayana
When Dasaratha is
reluctant to send Rama along with
Viswamithra, , Sage Vasishta tells about
the story of previous birth of
Dasaratha and tells him that Rama is lord Vishnu himself. Dasaratha sends Rama
and Lakshmana along with sage Viswamithra. Viswamithra teaches them Bala and
Athibala. They reach the forest of Thataka
and kill her. AS soon as she was killed she became a Yakshi and wanted to go back to world of devas.
Viswamithra taught several divine arrows to Rama. They reach Sidhasrama and protect the Yaga of Viswamithra.Rama killed Subahu and
threw Mareecha to a long distance
. Mareecha surrendered to Rama
and became his devotee. There isa mention that Viswamithra told them several stories. Then they
started towards Mithila.
Kamba Ramayanam
Viswamithra comes
to Dasaratha and requests for help of Rama. He is reluctant.
Viswamithra flies in to a rage ,
Vasishta calms him down and
persuades Dasaratha to send Rama along
with the sage, They reach the hermitage
of Kama. Then they all reach a
desert. There is a detailed explanation of desert and its enviorment. Just by
his look that sage taught them two
chants which made the desert cool for them.There they meet Thataka.
Viswamithra tells about her to Rama and
requests to kill him. Rama obeys his
orders and kills Thataka. Indra appreciates
the act of Rama and requests him to give Rama divine weapons. Viswamithra starts the Yaga after giving him those divine
weapons. The asuras come. Rama kills Subabhu
and throws out Mareecha. After
that they start to go to Mithila.
Freeing Ahalya from the curse.
Valmiki Ramayanam
Rama is told about
the Yaga being conducted by Janaka and also about Shiva’s bow possessed by the king. When they take rest, as per the request of Rama, Viswamithra
tells about His forefather
Kushanabha and his family up to his
father Gadhi. He also tells about his
sister Gauthami who is a river. He further tells about river Ganga and her
three branches, the birth of Karthikeya
, King Sagara, And king Bhageeratha who were his forefathers , They
reach the town of Vaishali , where Viswamithra tells them the story of churning of the ocean to get nectar, the
story of Maruths . They reach very near
Mithila , There they see a deserted
hermitage . Viswamithra tells the story of Ahalya. Indra who wanted to
posses her badly came one day taking the form of her husband. Ahalya , whose husband was an old man, made love him inspite of her knowing that it is not her husband. Gauthama comes and
curses Indra, to loose his scrotum and testicles. He also
cursed Ahalya to become invisible and live in that Ashram without
food. Viswamithra tells Rama that if
Rama enters the hermitage Ahalya would
be purified. The devas
graft the testicle of a Ram to Indra . Rama enters the hermitage and
frees Ahalya from her curse and rejoins her with her husband.
Adhyathma Ramayana
Viswamithra takes
Rama to the lustrous hermitage of sage
Gauthama on their way to city of Mithila to see the bow of Shiva which king Janaka has.He tells the story
of Ahalya, the daughter of Lord Brahma
and wife of sage Gauthama. Indra falls
in love madly with her and goes to the hermitage when the sage is removed from
the hermitage by a trick and possessed Ahalya.
The sage curses him that he
would have one thousand generative
organs all over his body. HE cursed Ahalya to become a stone and do
penance. He also told her that when Rama
steps on her , she will regain her form. Rama stepped on the stone and she
regained her form. She then recites a
prayer addressed to Rama. She was reunited with her husband.
Kamba Ramayanam
Rama along with the sage enters the pretty Mithila. Near the gate of the town
they had a strange experience in
giving redemption to Ahalya. Ahalya
was created as the most pretty lady by Brahma and given to sage
Gautama in marriage. Indra fell in love with her. So when the sage was away he came to his hermitage
he made love to Ahalya. She too realized
that it was not her husband but permitted it. Sage Gautama came back , caught
them red handed and cursed that Indra should have 1000 woman’s private parts on his body and Ahalya
would become a stone. When Rama was
walking that way , the dust of his feet
touched that stone and she regained her form.
Sage Viswamithra took Ahalya to
the hermitage of sage Gautama and reunited Ahalya with him. Then they proceeded to MIthila , the capital
of king Janaka.
Marriage with Sita
Valmiki Ramayanam
Viswamithra and
reaches the place where Janaka is performing his Yagna. Viswamithra
introduces the lads to king Janaka, SAthananda the Guru of Janaka , who is
the son of Ahalya tells Rama about the
story of the greatness of sage Viswamithra. Next day king Janaka tells
how he found Sita and also the
the Shiva’s bow. He told them
when he put a condition that those who
want to marry her should break Shiva;s
bow, They are came to fight with him. Since he drove them away there are no good suitors to the hand of Sita. Fifty
hundred strong people drew that bow kept in a cart and dragged the cart to that place. Rama
easily strings the bow and breaks it. Messengers reach Ayodhya and Dasaratha along with his teachers,
ministers and army reaches Mithila.(He did not
bring his queens,) . Next day after his arrival the marriage is celebrated. Before the
marriage Vasishta gives a detailed
account of the clan of Rama to Janaka
and his relatives,. Then king Janaka tells about his clan and about his brother
Kusadwaja. He offers his daughter Urmila
in marriage to Lakshmana and the two
daughters Mandavi and Sruthakeerthi
respectively to Bharatha and Shatrugna. The offer is accepted. Meanwhile the maternal uncle of Bharatha Yudhajit who had gone to Ayodhya to see
Bharatha reaches Mithila. The rites preceding the marriage are
performed by the grooms as well as the brides. Grains are put in earthen pots to sprout. Janaka then
gives Sita in marriage to Rama to travel
with him in the journey of his life like his shadow. Similarly other brides also marry their grooms.
Adhyathma Ramayana.
Sage
Viswamithra takes Rama and Lakshmana and introduces them
to king Janaka. Janaka wishesd that Rama is able to string the Shiva’s
bow and get married to Sita. The tryambaka bow is brought by five thousand
servants. Rama strings the bow and breaks it. Sita is decorated and she places
the garland on the neck of Rama. King Dasaratha is informed about the marriage
engagement.. Dasaratha arrives along
with his queens and younger brother of Rama. Janaka offers Dasaratha his other
three daughters to his other three
sons. Dasaratha agrees to the proposal . Janaka then tells them about the story of
Sita. HE tells them that she is Yoga Maya . Janaka then recites a prayer
addressed to Janaka. After wards Dasaratha
with all his family members starts
to Ayodhya.
Kamba Ramayanam
Viswamithra along with Rama enters Mithila. They pass near the home of royal maids. Sita happens to see Rama and Rama sees Sita
They fall in love. Sita and Rama suffer a lot due to love sickness. Then there
is a very pretty description of the city
of Mithila. Rama and Lakshmana are
introduced to Janaka and his Guru Sadananda who is the son of Ahalya.
Sadananda tells them the story of Viswamithra
and Vasishta. Sage Viswamithra then tells about the clan of Rama. Next day sixty thousand servants bring
the Shiva’s bpw. Sadananda then tells them about the story of that bow . Rama
breaks the bow King Janaka , the sages and Devas become happy. One of the friends of Sita runs
and informs her about the breaking of
the bow. After hearing from her friends , Sita concluded that the person who
broke the bow must be the one whom she loves, Janaka sends emissaries to Janaka
with a proposal off marriage. Then there is a very detailed description of the travel of Dasaratha’s people to Mithila. This contains
detailed description of all the people
as well as the land through which they travelled. The queens
and large number of ladies travelled with Dasaratha. Janaka receives
them. Rama and Lakshmana unite with
their parents. A well decorated Sita meets Dasaratha and his Guru. She is happy that she
is going to marry some one whom she loves. The marriage is fixed for the next
day. Great arrangements are made for the marriage by people of Mithila. Rama gets married to Sita, The rituals that are
followed are that of a south
Indian marriage . There is no mangalya dharana. Rama’s mother was not present during the marriage
. Rama and Sita go and salute them later. Next day the younger brothers of Rama marry
the cousins of Sita. (their names are not
mentioned. After some stay
Dasaratha starts home along with his
family and army.
Destruction of pride of Parasurama.
Valmiki Ramayanam
Sage Viswamithra
leaves to Himalaya mountains to do further penance . Dasaratha
starts with his family towards
Ayodhya. Janaka showers them with numerous presents. They saw that birds
were crying out of fear . All animals went in clock wide direction around them
. Vasishta tells Dasaratha , that omens are bad but would lead to good ending, The fearful sage Parasurama appears before them with his axe as well as a fearful bow. The saints offer him hospitality and he started speaking to Rama. Parasurama
told about his story as well as that of the Shiva bow. He
said Viswakarma made another similar bow and gave it to Vishnu and that was given to his
forefathers.According to him the Shiva bow which was given to ancestors of
Janaka had been damaged. He wanted Rama to
string his bow and shoot an arrow
with it. Dasaratha was scared. Rama easily bends the bow and keeps an
arrow on it. He asks Parasurama whether it should damage his legs or take away the effect of all good deeds done by him Parasurama chooses the later, He then salutes Rama and
goes back to Mahendra mountains.
Afterwards Dasaratha along with his
people reaches Ayodhya comfortably.
Adhyathma Ramayanam
While on his way
back to Ayodhya Dasaratha sees bad
omens, Dasaratha asks Vasishta about them.. He said soon he would be
scared but later he would get over
it. The furious Parasurama makes his
appearance then. Dasaratha saluted him
and also praised him. Parasurama claims that he is a superior Rama and
challenges Rama to bend his Vishnu bow , Otherwise he asks
him to be ready for battle. Rama with humility accepted the challenge , bent the bow and kept am arrow in it and requested
Parasurama to show
the aim to that arrow. Parasurama then tells his story and said that Lord
Vishnu had told that he would be born as Dasaratha’s son . Parasurama
then recites a stotra praising Rama
,He gave all his Punya’s as aim to Rama’s arrow and goes
to Mahendra mountain for penance. Yudhajit the uncle of BHaratha takes
Bharatha and Sathrugna along with their brides to Kekaya. Dasaratha and Kausalya lived happily with their son and
daughter in law.
Kamba Ramayanam
Daratha with his
army and people start to Ayodhya. On the
way , Peacocks went round them in Clock wise direction and crows flew on their left side. The Omen
reader was summoned and he told some thing bad will come but everything will
turn out to be good. At that time Pasurama a saint who has scared all kings came before them. Dasaratha fell at his
feet and requested him not to do
anything bad to Rama. Parasurama had brought the Vishnu’s bow. He told the story of how Shiva’s bow was damaged by Vishnu’s
bow. He wanted Rama to bent his bow
and shoot an arrow. If he was not able
to it, he was required to fight with Parasurama. Rama easily did it and
with Parasurama’s consent made all the
good deeds done by him as its aim. Parasurama
realized that Rama was Vishnu
himself and left that place ,. Rama entrusted
that divine bow to Varuna who had come
to witness the battle. After
Dasaratha and family reaches Ayodhya, BHaratha
and Shatrugna leave to Kekaya country of
their Grand father.
Once I complete the translation of other kandams of
Kamba Ramayana , I proposed to
write comparative reviews and put them before you.
