Gandhi Jayanti

Dry day has come and gone, the movie Gandhi has been telecast dutifully in one channel or the other, a few statues have been garlanded in another year of remembering Gandhi.

There is a wide range of criticisms against Gandhi - from those with potentially devious intentions, to the ridiculous, to the high intellectual. We are probably the only nation with such wide spread disrespect for the so called Father of the Nation.

I have in the past quite vociferously commented about some of his practices yet I am much stuck by the importance of some of his writings in today's world. A very interesting documentary on "How Cuba survived peak oil"  brought it home further. In the documentary they talk about the hardships Cuba underwent after the fall of the Soviet Union, but most importantly the shift in Cuba's thinking from highly industrialized, import/oil dependence to small community based self reliance. And I kept thinking about Gandhi's vision for the village republic. Granted, his was too idealistic a view, but the Cuba situation seems to show the validity of his arguments.

In this petrol guzzling, big company driven, consumerist age, as we collectively realize [er.., some of us at least] the colossal harm we are causing the environment and to our health, Gandhi's views seem more relevant. He was not backward  insisting every ancient tradition is great, nor was he opposed to modern tools that can be used as long as the fundamental characteristic of non exploitation is maintained. Non exploitation need not be limited to human beings, it can be extended to every living breathing thing, the resources, the very earth. He simply believed in the power and sustainability of small community based production, his famous quote saying it all - "not mass production, but production by the masses".

How relevant when you think of that Washington Apple that seems to have found its way to the neighborhood store and the cost that went into its production - not just the economics, but the cost to the earth.

It is worth taking a few minutes to read a few letters or essays he has written on the subject. 

Tataka

[Valmiki Sarga 24-30, Kamban Tatakai padalam, Velvi padalam 1-5]

Valmiki

The adventure begins - it is part field trip, part trek, part on the job training as Vishwamitra take the young princes into the forest describing the origins of Sarayu. The geography and science deserves a separate post. Verse 15 of 24 for example lists a number of trees - other than Bilva I didn't know any - shame! Vishwamitra as part of explaining the origins of the forest starts with Vritra - Indra seems to be unjustly stained after the killing of the demon Vritra just because he was a brahman.

puraa vR^itra vadhe raama malena samabhiplutam || 1-24-18

kSudhaa caiva sahasraakSam brahma hatyaa sam aavishat |

Indra was never a favorite character so I didn't feel particularly bad, but I did to read what happened to Tataka.

Tataka is described as an epitome of beauty - ruupa yauvana shaliniim [1.25.18] that was before she tried to take revenge for the death of her husband. One could even argue that she was acting in self defence to protect her son Mareecha. I felt it was thoroughly unfair and chauvinistic of Agastya to not only curse her son to become a demon, but also make her look ugly. Why should she be deformed I could not understand - he seems to be responsible for creating a demon when there really was none.

bhakshaartham jaata sa.mrambhaa garjantI saa abhyadhaavata |

aapatantIm tu taam dR^iSTwaa agastyo bhagavaan R^iSiH || 

raakSasatvam bhajasva iti maariicam vyaajahaara saH | [1.25.11]

Rama's puzzled question of why they were all so terrified of a Yakshi remains, though Vishwamitra goes to some length in justifying to Rama that it was alright to kill a woman under the certain circumstances.

It is not revealed whether Rama thought it was justified. The young boy responds quite politely that he will do whatever it takes to fulfill his father's words. A promise is a promise and if I have to do this deed of killing a female I will do so, he seems to say. With hindsight, I thought this was a significant episode. Rama is definitely conscious of his duty and in a case of conflict he seems to fall back to his duty rather than pursuing his dilemma.

so.aham piturvacaH shrutvaa shaasanaad brahma vaadinaH |

kariSyaami na sa.ndehaH taaTakaa vadham uttamam || [1.26.4]

And then in a wonderful gesture that signifies his fair mindedness, he makes a thunderous noise from his bowstring warning Tataka.

evam uktvaa dhanurmadhye badhvaa muSTim arindamaH |

jyaa ghoSam akarot tiivram dishaH shabdena naadayan || [1.26.6]

Tataka puts up a fight, Rama still reluctant hurts her, mutilates her but does not seem to bring himself to kill her. And with a final push in the form of Vishwamitra's advise he kills her. The episode seemed like a great test of character - Rama thinks for himself, he questions, he even at the heat of the battle is brave and tries still not to do what he perceives as wrong. Yet, when he sees her might, when he realizes her capacity to destroy the sages, he does not shun away from killing her. Ability to question and an ability to change.

Lakshmana I know from my knowledge of Ramayana is going to make a habit of cutting off women's noses and ears. Though to be fair Rama seems to have put the idea in his head. 

saumitriH akarot krodhaat hR^ita karNaagra naasikaam || [1.26.18]

Now that Rama has done his job, he is rewarded with weaponry  - a long list of missiles litter the verses. Sanjay said - 'poor chap, Lakshmana, he didn't get any'. We scoured the text but couldn't find anything that implies Lakshmana too gained some weapons.

Again Rama shows intelligence and asks for knowledge on the destruction of the missiles. This was quite interesting. Was Rama just asking knowledge of defense ? That is, is he trying to improve his chances by knowing how to protect himself against an enemy who might employ similar astras? Or, even better, is he asking for knowledge to destroy an astra after deploying. If that is so, it is an uncommonly insightful question coming from a twelve year old boy.

gR^ihiita astro asmi bhagavan duraadharSaH suraiH api |

astraaNaam tu aham icChaami sa.mhaaram munipu.mgava || [1.28.2]

Sanjay was particularly impressed with the hymns Rama is taught. Not for the hymns themselves, but for tapasaa sa.mbhR^ite ca ete bahu ruupe bhaviSyataH | [1.28.19] -if you practice, if you nurture then no one can equal you.

The Sarga on Vamana   brought forth the same question I have always had about Mahabali, what evil deeds did he really do? I learnt to my surprise that he was the grandson of Prahalada. Same family bringing about two avatars!

Kamban


With a brief description of the grove they spend the night in, Kamban moves the scene to a desert landscape.   Talk of atmosphere! I felt the heat as I read the verses.  [1.7.5 - 1.7.10]

Venile allthor ruthu verinmai - no season other than summer,
karuthin vem ullamum kaanin vem nayanamum - to think of this desert your heart aches, to see your eyes burn,
manamamani ilanthu anjinar nenju pol and many more gems. The poet even describes a mirage.

One point I was curious about was the lack of mention of sand. Palai does not necessarily translate to desert and it possibly in this context means the dry harsh landscape that one can see even today during the summer months in south Tamilnadu.  Tatakai in this version is as beautiful as Mahalakshmi - poomida mayilinai poruvum porpodum [1.7.25]- tragic really that here too Agastya curses Tatakai and her children to become demons.  Tatakai does seem to have become a complete demoness in further descriptions a few more notches compared to the earlier version. Perhaps Kamban too felt there wasn't a strong justification in the original version?

1.7.45 is very visual. Rama asked shaking his head, 'so where does she live?' I wonder if the shaking head is equivalent to modern shrugging.

Tatakai is more confrontational, she arrives in fiery form and taunts them. She asks if they came to provide her with sweet meat. She initiates the battle so to speak. Despite her actions, despite Vishwamitra's views, Rama hesitates because she is a woman. Vishwamitra is more convincing. Ikkodiyalai mathendrennuvatho?  He goes to say who is as masculine as her. Lists all her evil deeds.  eeril nallaram parthisaithen [1.7.65] 'I have weighed the pros and cons and am not saying this lightly'

Rama's response is intriguing and to some extent indicative of the kind of man Rama is or will be.

Aiyanangathu kettranallaavum
eithinaalathu seigavendrevinal
meiya ninnurai vethamenakkondu
seigai yandro varancheu marendran. [1.7.66]

'Even if it weren't fair, whatever you command I would execute' Rama is supremely conscious of his duty, of why his father had sent him with Vishwamitra. He has his views, he does not state he agrees with Vishwamitra, the poet doesn't explain if he was convinced. But to me the response clearly indicates he isn't. It is a ' a man's got to do what a man's got to do' response.

Kamban repeats the word "thee" in . Theeyanai, theembunal, theeyathan, theeyodu.. [1.7.67]somehow reinforcing the evil with the usage.

Kamban sparkles in the description of the battle between Rama and Tatakai. He knows the drama of the scene - Rama's first battle and his first victory against the demons.

Valiyai thottathum kuniththaum kandilar, 
soola matrana thundangal kandanar. [1.7.69]

They didn't see him touch or set the arrow all they saw was Tatakai's weapon broken. How spectacularly fast and efficient Rama is.


Sollokkum kadivegachuducharan kariya chemmal
Allokku niruthinanmel viduthalum vayirakundra
kallorkku nenjil thanga thapparng kazhandru kallap
pullarkku nallor sonna porulena poyitrandre. [1.7.71]

How arrow was faster than a word - essentially faster than the speed of sound- Mach 1. I especially liked the 'Kariya chemmal' The dark lord.  Dark is the color of the hero, the supreme lord. The weapon pierced her and went past her like the way a good advise goes past a fool.

Tatakai dies staining the ground with her blood, like an incongruous evening sky in land and everyone rejoices.

Rama gets his weapons. The weapons rejoice that they are now Rama's. 1.8.2 has a line describing the underlying philosophy of karma that Kamban subscribes to.

Theriya manaththan seitha nalvinai payangalellam 
mariya pirapir thedi varuva pol vantha vandre 

Like the way the fruits of good deeds from one birth automatically come to you the next, the weapons reached Rama.  Weapons are anthropomorphic.

The young princes move on to more adventures.

Groundhog Day

I have always wanted a groundhog day - I should actually be horrified at the idea of repeating the same day over and over, but somehow the idea seems inviting to me. It is sort of like the world pauses while you get to do whatever you want. In the movie, Phil masters the piano, probably gets to watch all the movies he had wanted to, reads hundreds of book all while he was still getting paid.

Coleridge may have lamented  "And I, the while, the sole unbusy thing, Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing" But I personally would have welcomed the idea.

I have finally woken up to the fact there is no groundhog day coming my way and no one is going to pay me for doing whatever I want. So I have bitten the bullet, so to speak. I am officially on a break whatever that means.

I am now in the mode of watching sundry TV programs and walking about rather aimlessly and eating salty snacks but once I get this out of my system I might actually enjoy doing nothing or enjoy not getting paid for what I want to do.

National Prozac

Last week while I was walking, a neighbor asked if I was joining the march to show our solidarity for Anna Hazare and team. I cringed as soon as the words, 'I have some reservations,' were out of my mouth. I realized more than the bill and the means to it, the way we as a nation have reacted to it is more interesting.

This is certainly a feel good, anti-depressant protest.

Television coverage, marching with candles, politician bashing etc. obviously makes one feel good, heck elevated even. It was not like someone is shooting the marchers down or even their livelihood was at stake. It gave us a sense of purpose, was time bound and had an escalated sense of urgency thanks to the fast. No wonder we gobbled it up.

And then thinking calmly, one starts wondering about the details - about the existing vigilance commissions and their effectiveness or lack thereof and one wonders if we can't find a single person of integrity in the parliament, with so many controversies surrounding some of the activists how are we going to find people to appoint as Lokpal and Lok Ayukta. As a nation did we have honest, intellectual debates? No.., no.., no.. We either reduced most of it to sound bytes, bent our knees to fasts, or better still made ad hominem attacks. [An occasional print media article was a rare exception]

Anyway - now that the Arab spring has come and gone, Lokpal bill part 1 has come and gone, we will have to deal with the withdrawal symptoms.

I get reminded of Tom Friedman's words - more steroid and less muscle building, that's what this is all about.

Unfortunately it is a complicated world, solutions wont be simple.

Birth and youth

[Valmiki Sarga 18 -23, Kamban 5 (contd.) and 6 ]


Valmiki 

Not many surprises in the birth of Rama and his brothers - except that twelve months pass between the ritual and the birth. Naturally he is of sarva lakshana,  lohita aksham [1.18.20],- the lotus eyed and long limbed.

Events unfold in quick succession and before we know it the princes are growing up. Rama is not as nerdy as I imagined and is portrayed to be quite athletic, riding chariots and elephants, champion in archery etc.

gaja skandhe ashwa pR^iSTe cha ratha charyaasu sammataH || 

dhanur.hvede cha nirataH pituH shushR^ISaNe rataH | [1.18.27]

We also see a bond developing between Rama/Lakshmana and Barata/Shatrugna.

Vishwamitra arrives [almost a Kamban like poem] like rain on a drought affected land , like regaining a lost treasure. I was quite intrigued about this verse since Vishwamitra seems to have arrived with unreasonable demands. Sanjay felt that it is appropriate since this arrival gives way to the momentous actions later on.

athaa amR^itasya sa.mpraaptiH yathaa varSam anuudake || [1.18.50]

yathaa sadR^isha daareSu putra janma aprajasya vai |

praNaSTasya yathaa laabho yathaa harSo mahodaye || [1.18.51]

tathaa eva aagamanam manye svaagatam te mahaamune 

Vishwamitra quite boldly suggests Dasharatha send his darling sons to battle. Poor Dasharatha promptly swoons.

sa tan nishamya rAjendro vishvAmitra vacaH shubham || [1.19.20]

shokena mahataa aaviSTaH cacaala ca mumoha ca |

labdha sa.nj~naH tato utathaaya vyaSiidata bhayaanvitaH || [1.19.21]

Despite the gravity of the situation and being a thoroughly distraught parent being asked to send his twelve year old boy to battle,  Dasharatha is not comfortable rejecting Vishwamitra's demand for fear.  I found that the emperor of a powerful state, who has incidentally done a ashwamedha few years ago is still afraid of Vishwamitra. The part where he negotiates offering his army, himself, asking questions about the demons, explaining how young Rama and his brothers are are nice details that plays like a modern novel.  'He is just a boy, what does he know - he has to assess the enemy, he has no expertise in warfare,' reasons the distraught parent. Sanjay was particularly impressed how despite knowing the circumstances of Rama's birth, Dasharatha still lets his parental concerns overwhelm him.

baalo hi akR^ita vidyaH ca na ca vetti balaabalam |

na ca astra bala sa.myuk{}to na ca yuddha vishaaradaH || 

na ca asau rakSasaa yogyaH kuuTa yuddhaa hi raakshasaa | [1.20.7]

'Its not like the demons would play fair,' he bemoans. Here is where I felt Dasharatha is true to his character as a loving parent. 

prati shrutya kariSye iti uk{}tam vaakyam akurvataH |
iSTaapuurta vadho bhuuyaat tasmaat raamam visarjaya || [1.21.8]

is a precursor to what is going to happen later. If you promise something you must keep it at all costs - this message is going to haunt Dasharatha again.  Dasharatha is duly consoled and reassured and he sends Rama and Lakshamana with him. Vishwamitra does teach them some clever skills on the first day itself. I liked the final poem of sarga 22, though they slept on grass beds  tR^iNa shayane, they were quite happy - sukham iva vibabhau. 


They get ready the next morning -samhR^iSTau- with a great deal of enthusiasm which I felt was so true to the character of two barely teen-age boys out for an adventure. 


Kamban 






Except for a mention of possible anemia - mathiyamodoppa [1.5.100] during the pregnancy, the detail oriented Kamban too glosses over the pregnancy and childbirth.  The poets were male and this was clearly a female domain.  Odinar Arasan maattu [1.5.108] the nursemaids rushed to the emperor to tell the news and the emperor after a ritual bath, went with Vashishta to see his sons Komagarthirumugam kurugi nokkinan  [1.5.111]. Pregnancy and childbirth are reduced to a message through the maids and then the subsequent show of joy. The story is told, at least so far in a very male point of view. I wonder if it will change after Sita or remain the same.


Kamban attributes praise-worthy deeds to Dasharatha - upon hearing the good news of the birth, he decrees many measures - no tax for seven years, release of political prisoners, renovations of temples etc.


Alayam pudukkuga vanthanaalartham
salaiyum chathukkamunchamaikka santhiyum
kalaiyum malaiyun kadavularkani
malaiyum theepamum vazhangugaendranan [1.5.114]


I felt Kamban's more inclusive and socialist leanings are quite apparent in this series of poems. It reflects a more complex governance.


The citizens of the country are in equal celebratory mood. Already Dasharatha's great affection - body and soul - for Rama is articulated -
Kaviyamolirtharu kamalamumenave
Oviya eliludai oruvanaialathu or 
avaiyum udalum ilathena varulin
mevinanulagudai venthartham venthan [1.5.124]


This verse also briefly touches upon the dark beauty of Rama. After presumably their studies with the sages, Rama and his brothers spent the evenings with the citizens. Adding this to their rigorous athletic activities, they are the ideal princes. Kamban spares a couple of lines of details - 'What do you do? Are you well? And your family?" asks Rama to the citizens he meets and they praise his stewardship. It is an interesting line in Kamban when they say  Ninai ematharasanena udaiyem [1.5.135] - he  is not really their king yet, but they say how could we not be well when you are our king.


The episode with Vishwamitra is a separate padalam in Kamban titled 'Kaiyadai padalam' - the hand-over chapter. This chapter is one of the closest between the two versions.  The title itself portends things to come. When Vishwamitra arrives, the mighty king - kadithezhunthu adi thozhuthan [1.6.2] - stood up immediately, clearly telling who is important. There is a small side story about Sambasuran that was new to me. Killing asuras and helping Indra is something not new to Dasharatha. Vishwamitra recounts this perhaps with ulterior motives. Vishwamitra asks for Rama and here comes  most  poignant words describing Dasharatha's feelings. Kannilan petrilandhan [1.6.11] Like his life was in balance, like fire in a battle wound and then the most drastic - like a  man blind from birth gaining vision and then losing it. Vishwamitra's anger is very dramatic in Kamban. Vashista calms both of them down and persuades the king to send his son.


1.6.17 is a poem with beautiful sounds -
Vantha nambiyai thambi thannodummunthai
nanmarai munikku kaatti nalthanthai nee, 
thanithayunee ivarkkuenthai 
thanthananiyaintha seigendran


'I am handing them over to you, you are their mother, father, do what you can,' says Dasharatha. Did he say this with complete faith thanks to Vashishta's counsel or with a lot of worry. Kamban doesn't say.Off they go past picturesque scenes to a grove. The padalam finishes with Rama asking whose grove it was.