18. RAMA'S WAR AND OUR BATTLES

WITH  THE  GREAT

A satellite view of Rama Sethu (called Adam's Bridge- by the British) by NASA.

18. RAMA'S WAR AND OUR BATTLES

Truth of Ramayana

Rama fought but one war, on one front, with one enemy.

We are fighting many,with many opponents on many fronts. But our biggest enemy has been the UPA govt and the self-styled secular outfits and the English language newspapers.

It has been the belief of all Indians for thousands of years that Ramayana did take place. That is why it is called Itihasa. It is clearly distinguished from Purana, which is mythology, legend, etc. Yet the UPA govt submitted in the court that Rama was not a historical figure.

India as  whole was not governed politically by one single power for long at any period in its history. Even the British did not control the whole country. Yet references to Ramayana and associations with places connected with  it are found in different parts of the country speaking different languages, across centuries. There are many versions. Ramayana is also well known in South East Asia in several languages and versions. Buddhists and Jains too have their own versions.

Rama Sethu

One of the main issues is about the bridge that Rama built- Rama Sethu. Whether it existed? There are historical records to show that it did exist . Rajendra Chola has stated that in his Copper Plates at Tiruvalangadu.திருவாலங்காட்டுச்  செப்பேடுகள். There was actual land traffic between Rameswaram and Talaimannar till 1480 AD. It was disturbed by a tsunami which took place in that year.This is recorded in the Manual of Madras Presidency written by C.D.Maclean in 1902.

These and other details are presented in this book->
This is a book by The Art of Living.
No Hindu can afford to miss this book.

NASA satellite photographs have confirmed such a structure.  It is not for nothing that the rulers of Ramnad who controlled Rameswaram area were traditionally called SETHUPATIS,- guardians or lords of the Sethu.Yet the DMK was eager to disturb the arrangement and interfere with the evidence through the canal project. The UPA govt.simply licked their boots to stay in power. Neither the govt, nor the self-styled secular elements nor the newspapers adopted an objective approach  to investigate the matter scientifically, with all the tools available now- such as was adopted by the West in dealing with and uncovering Homer's Troy.

Another Aerial view.CC BY-SA PlaneMad/Wikimedia
https://commons.wikimedia.org/Wiki/File: Adams_Bridge_Aerial.jpg

Note: The position of the Dravidian outfits has been quixotic.. First they said that Ramayana depicted the spread of the Aryans into the South and conquest of the Dravidians, whose representative was Ravana. Ravana happened to be a descendant of a Brahmin, who by their own reckoning could not be a Dravidian! Then they said Ramayana was an imaginary story. If it was imaginary, where was the question of Invasion and conquest? Any one who reads the Ramayana knows that Rama did not enter any township during his exile, did not take any kingdom on the way: he went straight to Lanka to fight, and returned to Ayodhya straight. But these elements do not want to understand.

There are many references to our itihasas in the old Sangam  and other Tamil literature. No one has cared to collect them and write about it. Alwars are devotees of Rama and one may discount what they say.But what about other sources? One may say they are all religious works. But was not 90%

 of all our literature religious till modern times? These sources are all centuries old- which Tamilians today cannot even read and understand without annotation! Thus:

Alwars:   8th/9th century
Jnanasambandha/Appar    :7th century
Sundarar       : 8th century
Manikkavachaka   : 9th century
Kambar     : 12th/13th century.

Thus we see that the writings are not recent;  they are more than 1000 years old, except for Kambar who is 800 years old!

Sifting history from mythological elements

When the records are mainly oral, it is inevitable that interpolations take place,and additions are made. This happens to all epics all over the world. But there is still a core story. Did Ravana have ten heads? Did Rama &Co travel by pushpak vimana? Did Maricha turn into a deer? Was Tataka or Shurpanaka as described? These are not the core issues. The core story is whether Rama's queen was abducted and there was a war for her recovery? Whether it took place in a Southern kingdom called Lanka? These can be investigated on the basis of available evidence, literary or otherwise. Not only for Rama and Krishna,  or Valmiki and Vyasa,even for far later figures like Tholkappiar, Tiruvalluvar, Avvaiyar, etc we do not have 'historical' records in the modern sense. But where investigated like in Dwaraka and Ayodhya, they have yielded positive results, which our newspapers are not publicising. 

This book discusses the issues connected with the dating of Mahabharata War and allied matters.It presents an overview of the research and archaeological investigations. This is published by Prism Books, Bangalore-70. This is a simple book, presenting matters straight. Only crooks need invent complicated theories.

Controlled by political and other anti-Hindu elements, these parties are not interested in objective investigation or fair reporting. They are thus contradicting  what the best minds of the country had held as truth for centuries. Tiruvalluvar said of them:

உலகத்தார் உண்டென்பது இல்லென்பான் வையத்து
அலகையாய் வைக்கப் படும்.. 

He who denies what the learned people affirm will be considered to be a ghost.

Care: The  word  உலகு'vulagu' here does not mean a large number of people but the elite. The old definition of  

உலகோர்  vulagor is that it refers to the elite. உலகம்  என்பது உயர்ந்தோர் மாட்டே. Even a modern scholar like M.Varadarajan  (Dr.Mu.Va.) agrees with it. உயர்ந்தோர் பலரும்.

Whereas Rama fought with a Rakshasa, we are fighting many ghosts in their modern incarnations!

Arunagirnatha on Rama.

Arunagirnatha comes in the line of Nayanmars and Alwars- a saint who was also a divinely inspired poet. But he exceeded them all in the broadness of his mind and sweep of his poetic prowess. With all their piety, the previous saint-singers had been partisan. They might have mentioned or just tolerated the Deities not their own- they never sang of them wholeheartedly. Arunagiri is different. Though an ardent devotee of Muruga, he sings of other Deities too with great fervour and passion. Rama,Krishna and the Mother  cult- all get wonderful expression in his works, with full-throated praise.

Rama is ஜானகி மணவாளன்- Janaki's husband. What did he do?

நதியுந் திருக்க ரந்தை மதியுஞ் சடைக்க ணிந்த
     நடநம் பருற்றி ருந்த ...... கயிலாய

நகமங் கையிற்பி டுங்கு மசுரன் சிரத்தொ டங்கம்
     நவதுங் கரத்ந முந்து ...... திரடோளுஞ்

சிதையும் படிக்கொ ரம்பு தனைமுன் தொடுத்த கொண்டல்
     திறல்செங் கணச்சு தன்


He fought Ravana and killed him. But who was was this Ravana?

Nathiyum  :  Ganga
Tirukarandai  : green Karandai leaves
Mathiyum    : crescent moon
Sadaikku aninda : wearing on his head
Nata nambar   : lord of dances
Utru irunda :    his stable abode
 Kayilaaya  nakam : Kailas mountain
Am kaiyil pidungum : trying to pluck with his beautiful arms
Asuran    :   Asuran

This Ravana was the Asura who tried to remove the Kailas mountain which was the abode of Shiva, the Nataraja.

Unique cloud formation on the Himalayas! Does this resemble the image of Shiva?
From: You Tube. Uploaded by MastiMania. Feb,4.2015.


Sirattodu angam : head and body
tunga nava ratnam undu  : shining with garlands of Nava ratnas
Tiral tolum    : strong, rounded shoulders
Sithaiyum padikku   : to make them lose shape/ torn to pieces
Ore ambu :  one (matchless) arrow
Mun todutha :   sending in those ancient days
Kondal :   dark like the clouds
Tiral senkan : with strong, red eyes
Achuthan    : Vishnu (Rama)

Rama, dark like the clouds, sent a matchless arrow on Ravana wearing navaratnamala. The arrow tore his strong arms and shoulders into pieces, putting them out of shape (sithaiyum).

See the way Ravana is described. His arms were so strong that he shook Kailas in order to pluck it off the ground.
Shiva is stated as Nataraja here since this Tiruppugazh was sung at Chidambaram.

Arunagirinatha describes this in another hymn:

முனைச் சங்கோலிடு  நீல மகோததி
அடைத் தஞ்சாதஇ  ராவணன் நீள்பல
முடிக்கன்றோர்  கணை ஏவும் இராகவன்


(அனிச்சம்)

In the olden days, Raghavan  dammed (bridged) the blue sea  and sent one arrow that hit the many erect heads of the fearless Ravana.

 Building the Sethu! An old picture.

He continues:


அரிய மேனி யிலங்கையி ராவணன்
     முடிகள் வீழ சரந்தொடு மாயவன்
          அகில மீரெ ழுமுண்டவன்

 Ravana of Lanka had a rare (uniquely strong ) body. Rama sent an arrow which felled his heads. He had also once swallowed the fourteen worlds.

Arunagiri's fascination with Rama is unique.



வீரத் தால்வல ராவண னார்முடி
   போகத் தானொரு வாளியை யேவிய
      மேகத் தேநிக ராகிய மேனியன்



He continues further.

Rama had a dark complexion, like the clouds. He sent one arrow which removed the heads of Ravana, known for his valour.

கொடுங்கைப் பட்டம ராமர மேழுடன்
     நடுங்கச் சுக்ரிவ னோடம ராடிய
          குரங்கைச் செற்றும கோததி தூளெழ ...... நிருதேசன்

குலங்கட் பட்டநி சாசரர் கோவென
     இலங்கைக் குட்டழ லோனெழ நீடிய
          குமண்டைக் குத்திர ராவண னார்முடி ...... அடியோடே

பிடுங்கத் தொட்டச ராதிப 

And further:

Here, several incidents are recorded.

Rama pierced and destroyed the seven strong Palmyra trees, with his arrow.

He killed Vaali who fought fiercely with Sugriva.

He dried up the huge ocean ,so that dust rose there.

Agni burnt up Lanka, causing the Asuras, who belonged to to the clan of Ravana, who usually wander at night, to wail loudly.

Rama, the Lord of Arrows, sent an arrow to completely pluck out the heads of Ravana, who was full of pride and treachery

Vali-Sugriva fight. Bas Relief at Banteay Srei, Cambodia.jpg
CC BY SA 3.0  Wikimedia commons.

சிரமொ டிரணிய னுடல்கி ழியவொரு
   பொழுதி னுகிர்கொடு அரியெ னடமிடு
      சிற்பர்த் திட்பதம் வைத்துச் சக்கிர
         வர்த்திக் குச்சிறை யிட்டுச் சுக்கிரன்
அரிய விழிகெட இருப தமுமுல
   கடைய நெடியவர் திருவு மழகியர்
      தெற்குத் திக்கில ரக்கர்க் குச்சின
         முற்றுப் பொற்றசர் தற்குப் புத்திர
செயமு மனவலி சிலைகை கொடுகர
   மிருப துடைகிரி சிரமொர் பதும்விழ
      திக்கெட் டைக்கக னத்தர்க் குக்கொடு
         பச்சைப் பொற்புய லு




Again.Several events are recorded here.

He tore the head and body of Hiranyakasipu with his finger nails, during that matchless time- which was neither night nor day.

He who could dance skillfully  with his feet, sent Mahabali Chakravarti to his prison in the Patala loka, planting his strong feet on his head.

He took up that huge form to measure the Universe with his two feet, so that people's eyes were strained (watching the sight).

He spoiled the eye of Shukracharya.

He has Lakshmi with him.

He, the son of  the handsome Chakravarti Dasaratha got angry with the Asuras living in the South. With valour and victory, he took up his bow Kothandam.He sent the arrow that cut off the ten heads and the twenty arms of the huge mountain-like Asura.

He thus restored the sovereignty of the eight directions to the Devas.

That is this Rama, resembling the clouds in complexion.

It is impossible to convey the grace and beauty of these verses in English. He blends Ramayana, Bhagavatam and Mahabharata skilfully, for all Avataras are Vishnu for him. He blends devotion to Muruga with devotion to other Forms of God. He blends Tamil and Sanskrit in such a way that neither sensitivity is hurt. We feel so happy and elated, reading these verses.

The battle at Lanka. painting from Udaipur, 1649. Sahibdin.
British Library.

NOTE:

All Tiruppugazh lyrics here pertain to the hymns on Chidambaram.They are taken from kaumaram.com. with their kind permission. My boundless thanks.

11.MAHAA BHAARATHAA !

WITH THE GREAT

Scene at Tirukkazhukkunram. Many of us have seen the eagles being fed by the priest daily around 11.30 am. The eagles are no more coming.  This is a photo of 1906.

11. MAHAA BHAARATAA!

Most Indians have no clear idea of  what ITIHASA means. The popular English usage renders it as 'epic'. Like most English words used to express Indian religious and philosophical ideas, this word too is inadequate. There are many senses in which this English word is used, one of them being old legend or oral history. Modern usage includes  such senses as beyond the usual or ordinary, momentous, great, etc. Even movies are called epics! In the more formal usage, it means a long narrative poem in elevated or dignified language. Its subjects may include legends, historical personalities or mythological stories. Home's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" are the most famous epics of the West. Milton's  "Paradise Lost" is regarded as an English epic, though it is mythological.Till the late 19th century, Homer's epics were regarded as mainly fictional. Since then,extensive archaeological excavations have established that the old city of Troy existed!

Indians have had a distinct sense of usage.Thus we have:

Veda----which means just knowledge. It contains no theology                or philosophy, but plain universal ideas. Any                            number of theological and philosophical systems                    have been derived from it. Veda transcends all.

.Shruti:  What is 'heard'. In Tamil, they call it எழுதாக்கிளவி .
Smriti  : What is remembered. These are rules framed on the basis of the interpretation of Veda.
Itihasa:  History. It is derived as: iti-ha-asa: so indeed it was,                 thus verily it happened.
Purana: Old, ancient, very remote legend,chronicle, oral                      traditions,etc. Many of the stories are clearly                            allegorical.

Thus, Itihas has a distinct flavour. In course of time many things get added, but the core remains the same. 

Ramayana and Mahabharata are our only itihasas.

Under the influence of colonial and foreign elements ( I would not call them scholars) we have tended to treat them as religious stories. True, Rama and Krishna are Avatars- but Avatars that happened in India!

The Ramayana and the Mahabharata contain lot of   astronomical references. 

Both the above from: https://bharatgyanblog.wordpress.com

Thanks.

The Mahabharata alone has more than a hundred references.. If these are analysed with an open mind, we get to learn the precise date of those events. One old Tamil Scholar L.D.Swamikannu Pillai did some such work . With computer technology, more is possible, but our slavish mentality has not left us. The white skin still commands a premium in India!

From: Art of Living. Work of Prof.Narahari Achar, Memphis University, USA.

It is true different scholars may arrive a different dates, based on the system adopted. It is nothing more than two doctors or economists giving different prescriptions, or two judges differing on the verdict.

If Tamilians gave up their fixation with the fabrication of Aryan Invasion, and studied objectively, they would find that the date of submersion of Dwaraka in the sea, and the loss of Kumari Kandam are more or less the same. (c.3100 BC). Recent marine archaeology efforts have indeed revealed the old submerged Dwaraka.

Some of the under-water structures off the coast of Dwarka being investigated in 2007.This picture is taken from The Hindu dated 23 February 2007.Whether it is Ayodhya or Dwarka, or Saraswati, mainline English language newspapers in India do not report much.

Satellite photo Landsat 7 by NASA of the Rama-Setu!

Ancient Tamil literature (Sangam age) contains many references to our Itihas. Though the modern tendency under the Dravidian influence is to suppress these facts, they are there for the serious student to see. As against all the claims that Muruga alone is the God of the Tamils, we find Indra, Varuna, Vishnu (Tirumal) were also worshipped by the Tamils, with separate land areas assigned for them. 

Arunagirinatha has dealt with extensively and delightfully with almost all the important incidents recorded in the itihas, providing his own insights. There are two stunning passages dealing with Mahabharata.

பகைகொள்துரி யோத னன்பி றந்து
     படைபொருத பார தந்தெ ரிந்து
          பரியதொரு கோடு கொண்டு சண்ட ...... வரைமீதே

பழுதறவி யாச னன்றி யம்ப
     எழுதியவி நாய கன்சி வந்த
          பவளமத யானை 

(குகையில் நவ நாதருஞ்) 

Duryodhana was born with enmity, as a burden to the earth.He fought with many weapons in the great war. Seeing this with his Yogic sight (jnana drishti), Vyasa narrated this in the ancient days, so that it would remove the impurities defects  (குற்றம் ) of  the world. This was taken down by Vinayaka on the  big (Meru) mountain with the strong and matchless tusk- that Vinayaka of the red complexion like the ruby, with the face of the elephant. (He goes on to say that Kumara is born as his younger brother.)

பாரதத்தை மேரு வெளீ வெளீ திகழ்
     கோடொடித்த நாளில் வரைஇ வரைஇ பவர்
          பானிறக்க ணேசர் குவா குவா கனர் ...... இளையோனே

( சீர் சிறக்கு மேனி)

O the younger brother of Ganesa! Who, of the golden complexion of the Sun, and riding the rat as his mount, wrote the Mahabharata on the extensive ranges of Meru mountain, with the broken tusk.

( பானிறக் கணேசர் = பானு நிறக் கணேசர்) Ganesa of the colour of the Sun.

These are the words of our Arunagiri who was inspired and ordered to sing by the Lord himself!

Ganesa writing the Mahabharata. Rajasthani painting. Wikimedia Commons.


And now comes the verse which chronicles the entire Mahabharata story,almost!

        சூது பொருதரும னாடு தோற்றிரு
     வாறு வருஷம்வன வாச மேற்றியல்
          தோகை யுடனுமெவி ராட ராச்சிய ...... முறைநாளிற்

சூறை நிரைகொடவ ரேக மீட்டெதி
     ராளு முரிமைதரு மாறு கேட்டொரு
          தூது செலஅடுவ லாண்மை தாக்குவ ...... னெனமீள

வாது சமர்திருத ரான ராட்டிர
     ராஜ குமரர்துரி யோத னாற்பிறர்
          மாள நிருபரொடு சேனை தூட்பட ...... வரிசாப

வாகை விஜயனடல் வாசி பூட்டிய
     தேரை முடுகுநெடு மால்ப ராக்ரம
          மாயன் 


This is so important that it requires a word for word rendering before we see the deeper insights.

Soodhu pore dharma=  Dharmaputra who fought the evil game

Naadu thotra == lost his kingdom

Iru aaru varusham vana vaasam yaetru=  after living in the forest for twelve years, accepting the vanavasa imposed

Iyial thokai yudanum = accompanied by the ever virtuous Draupadi

Viraata rajyam vurai naalil = in the days they stayed in the kingdom of Viraata

Nirai kurai kodu=  stealing the cows

Avar yaeka == they ( ie Duryodhana's group) left

Ethir meettu=  recovering them

Aalum vurimai tharumaaru kaettu = demanding their right to their own rule (kingdom)

Oru thoodhu chela=  matchless Krishna went as their ambassador

Aduval aanmai thaakkuvaen yena= Dhuryaodhana saying "no, I will fight with them and stop their manliness, and kill them"

Meela = Krishna returned

Vaadhu samar dhirutharaana raattira raja kumaarar= the sons of Dhritarashtra , fighting, after the arguments

Duryothananaal pirar= along with them the other kings, for the sake of (on account of) Duryodhana

Maala=  courting death

Niruparodu saenai thoolpada= the whole armies along with the kings getting destroyed (falling to the dust- thool)

Vari chaapa vaagai Vijayan= Victorious Arjuna with the decorated bow Kaandiva

Adal vaasi thaerai mudugu = piloting  fast his chariot drawn by strong horses

Nedumaal= the tall Krishna (Vishnu)

Paraakrama maayan= the valorous, strong Krishna (Vishnu)

What a graphic, step by step description our Master has given! We see the events taking place before our very eyes!

We know that Dharmaputra entered the game of dice, even though he knew he did not know the game well. Arunagirinatha is calling it " soodhu pore" the evil or treacherous war which Dharmaputra entered..

From: ramarajyam.blogspot.in

 But why?

The story is that when the Pandavas were in Indraprasta, Narada visited them once. One day he took Dharmaputra aside and revealed to him a vision he had seen: Dharmaputra would be the cause of destruction of most of the kings in a big war. Dharmaputra was disturbed and enquired when it would happen. Narada told him that he would have a particular dream and in the thirteenth year after that it would happen.  Dharmaputra was upset and determined to prevent it. He called all the brothers and told them about it. And he said that to prevent such destruction, they should not get provoked by anything, no matter how serious it was. They all agreed. That is why we see them standing dumb even when Draupadi was dragged! Dharmaputra agreed for the game as he feared that his refusal would provoke further enmity, while if he agreed, it might please them and col tempers.

Arunagirinatha has packed so much material in just two words: soodhu pore. 
But it requires a thorough study to understand this.

Shakuni rolling the dice!
From:indonesiawayang.com.

There is a reference here to stealing the cows( nirai kurai kodu). In the Hindu system of war, capturing the cows of another kingdom while the graze is an indication of the war intention. It is celebrated in the Tamil Classic Purananooru as aanirai kavarthal. ஆனிரை கவர்தல். . We should remember that the whole of India that was Bharat had one dharma for war, as for weal.

Above all, we see the good intentions of Dharmaputra frustrated. The world is inscrutable. The hand of destiny seems unstoppable. But here, Krishna was there! Men became instruments, and decisions and incidents steps towards the destined end.  As Tiruvalluvar said:

குறள் 380
ஊழிற் பெருவலி யாவுள மற்றொன்று
சூழினுந் தான்முந் துறும்

What is there that is mightier than Destiny? Even if one contrives a plan to overcome it, it forestalls him.

(But who can know in advance what is destiny? As Shakeel Badayuni, the celluloid poet wrote: Manzil pe hoga faisla kismat ke khel ka. Only at the destination we would know what was the destiny!)

Arunagirinatha does not  just narrate the story. He recreates it before our eyes!

An 18/19th century painting. Public domain.

NOTE:

Tamil text of Tiruppugazh taken from kaumaram.org.Gratefully acknowledged.