RAma's wedding celebration--shlOkham and song

[mahakavi]

Sometime back one of our forum members "sahvig" sent me a multiple caraNam kriti (in Thamizh) and asked me to translate it for him. The author/composer's name (other than what appears as Ramakavi) was not mentioned. I am giving below the whole sAhityam followed by the meaning I wrote, for the benefit of our members.

rAmakavi's rAmAshTapadi on the description of the wedding of rAma and sIta.
ShlOka
>janaka rAjadAniyil kUDiyirunda attanai makkaL uLLangaLilum orE oru ASaittAn. adu SrIrAmanin tirumaNakkOlam kANa vENDum enbadudAn! inda pudiya ASai avargaL ellOraiyum ATkoNDuviTTadu. mangaLa nigazhcikku avaSiyamAna managaLap polivuDan niRkiRAn SrIrAman. (ANukku alangAram edaRkku indRu evarum ninaikkavillai). dEvi sItaikku ivvaLavu aNigaL alangArangaL SeydirundanarO adaRkku ciRitu kUDa kuRaiyAmal SrIrAmanukkum kirITam, kEyUram, angadam, mArppilE rattinattilE AbaraNangaL aNivittarundanar. AgAyattil dEvadundubigaL muzhangina. UduvAttiyangaL, tandi vAttiyangaL, muzhavu vAttiyangaL ellAm muzhangina. dEvamAtar inimaiyAga mangaLa gItam pADinAr. ulagamE tiraNDu vandu anda unnadamAna mangaLa nigazhcciyai kANak kUDiviTTanar.

>pallavi

>SrI rAmanai kalyANa kOlattil kanavilAvadu alladu tavamirundu SrIrAmanuDaiya karuNai malarndu ninaivilEyAvadu eppOdAvadu darSanam Seydu viTTa puNNiyavAn tAn maRupaDiyum ASaiyODu adai ninaittup pArttu magizha muDiyum! eppaDi irundAr avar?

>caraNam 1

>gOdAnam mudaliya mangaLa karmAkkaL Seydu muDittu vivAham Seytu koLvadu endRa sangkalpattuDan kaiyil ma~ncal kayitRRil ma~ncal tuNDu kOttu pratisarabandam kaTTik koNDiyirukkiRAr SrIrAmar. jAnaki tan iniyavanukku kastUri kungkumappU kalanda pannIril kuzhambAkkiya candanattaic catumba pUSugiRAL. adu SrIrAmanuDaiya dIkshAvastiram endRa ma~ncal vastirattil paravi gammendRa maNam vISugiRadu. angavastiram maDippuk kalaiyAmal tOLil tavazhugiRadu.

>caraNam 2

>SrI rAman kalyANa mEDaiyil amarndirukkiRAr. avaruDaiya panduvargangaL ellOrum angu maNamEDaiyil SrIrAman arugil amara ASaippaDugiRargaL. AnAl maNamEDaiyil SrIrAman arugil maharishigaL amarndu vEdam OduvArgaL. avargaLai appuRappaDutta muDiyAdE adE mAdiri aDuttaDutta kalyAna mEDaigaLil baradan, latchumaNan, Satrugnan, mUvarum kAlyANakOlam pUNDu santOshamAga amarndu SrIrAmanai eTTi eTTip pArkkiRargaL(avargaLukku, tamakkum tirumaNam endRa ninaivE illai).

>caraNam 3

>pazhutta sumangaligal ovvoruvarAgap paccaip poDi cuttRi tangat tAmbAlattil navarattinac cimizhgaLil mangaLa dIpam EttRic cuttRi varugiRArgaL. indak kATciyai kANkindRa janakarukku orE Accariyam Sivan villai nANEtRRupavarukkut tAn peNNaik koDuppEn endRu paNayam vaittuviTTuadai niRaivatRRa evarAlum muDiyAmaRpOga tamadu arumaik kumArikku tagunda varan kiDaittu avan villai nANEtRRit tirumaNam naDakkumA endRa Ekkattil mUzhgik kiDandavarukku anda malai pOndRa kavalaigaL ellAm pani pOla nIngi indat tirumaNam ivvaLavu vaibavamAga naDakkkiRadE endRa Anandam karai puraNDu perugiyadu.
>
>caraNam 4

>SrI rAmanarugE matRRat tOzhamai nATTu araSargaL ellOrum mAppiLLait tOzhargaLAga pakkattil amarndu maNamakkaL innum nerungi uTkAra vENDum endRellAm inba amaLi purigiRargaL. vaidEgiyin uLLattil niRaindu viTTa malarcciyaic collimALAdu. avaLukku mutRRilum EtRRa mikac ciRanda kaNavarallavA kiDaittu viTTAr?

>caraNam 5

>ivvARu jAnakI, iragupati tirumaNam muRaippaDi kaNkoLLAk kATciyAga niRaivEtRik koNDirukkiRadu. ovvoru nigazhcciyin pOdum AgAyattilirundu dEvargaL pUmAri pozhikinRanar. nAradar, tumburu iruvarum iraTTai vINaik katcEri. anaittup pakka vAdyangaLum viNNulagattOrE iNaindu vASikka sunAdamAna mangaLa sangItam muzhangugiRadu.

>caraNam 6

>SrI rAmaruDaiya tirumArppilE puttampudiya kastUri kungkumappU kalanda naRumaNac candanam pUsappaTTu anda SiyAmaLat tirumEni miLirgiRadu. AgAyattilE nIruNDa karumEgam. adan mIdu muzhunilavu paravi oLi pAyccinAl eppaDi irukkum? appaDi irundadu.

>caraNam 7

>mangaLat tirumaNam muDindu pandukkaLum nanbargaLum mandirigaLum perumakkaLum nerungi vandu tamadu kirIDangaL SrI rAma caraNangaLil tOya vaNanguginRanar. pArATTukindRanar. vegumadi aLikkinRanar. amaidi vanda piRagu indiran manaivi SacidEvi, pArvati, sarasvati, lakshmi enRa dEvigaL, ellOrum mAniDa uruvil gaurI kalyANam pADi mangaLa Aratti eDukkinRanar. janangaL kannattil pOTTuk koNDu AmOdittu Anandak kaNNIr perukkukinRanar.

>caraNam 8

>ivvARu miga vimariSaiyAga naDanda sItArAmat tirumaNa vaibavattai rAmakavi enRa koDuttu vaitta mahAn pADugiRAr. inda gItattai pAdugiRavargaL uLLangaLilum enRum mangaLa mahOtsavangaL naDaipeRum.

ShlOkam:

There was only one desire in the minds of all the citizens of Mithilai (the kingdom of Janaka). That was to witness the wedding ceremony of Rama. This desire overwhelmed them all. For the ceremonial activities, Sri Rama appeared very resplendent. (Nobody thought like why should there be a dressing-up for a man). Whatever ornaments they fixed on Sita dEvi, they did so to the same extent on Rama including the diadem, shoulder ornaments, and precious chest ornaments. The skies sounded the celestial drums. Trumpets, string instruments, and drums sounded too. The celestial women sang auspicious songs. The whole world turned out to witness such an auspicious incident.

pallavi:

Only those who dreamed the scene of Rama’s wedding or those meritorious souls who did lot of penance to witness the incident in real life can reminisce the whole scene all over again with great pleasure.

caraNam 1:

After gifting cows to deserving people, with a determination to marry Sita, Rama takes a yellow string and beads a turmeric root in it and keeps it ready. Sita, for her part, mixes musk, saffron, and sandal powder in rose water and applies the paste on Rama. That paste spread over the upper garment of Rama and radiates its fragrance all around. The upper garment (uttarIyam) stays folded on Rama’s shoulders.

caraNam 2:

Rama is sitting at the wedding dais. All his relatives desire to sit on the same dais close to him. But there are so many rishis sitting at the dais chanting vedic hymns. One can’t ask them to vacate. Likewise in the adjoining daises bharadan, lakshmanan, and satrugnan are also sitting in their best dresses with all happiness but keep glancing at Rama ( they don’t seem to be aware that the wedding is celebrated for them too).

caraNam 3:

Old women (in all their married splendor = sumangali) do the traditional greetings with cooked rice balls colored red. They use cups made of precious stones as lamps and place them in a gold plate and go around Rama. When Janaka sees this he is so happy and amazed. When he declared that whoever strings the Sviadhanus and mounts an arrow in it will get his daughter’s hand and when nobody could achieve that feat he was so heart-broken that nobody would be able to marry his daughter. Such a burden of worries lifted in no time like the dew on the grass disappears at the sight of the morning sun. He was gloating so much that the wedding is finally taking place with all splendor.



caraNam 4:

By the side of Rama there are so many friendly princes and kings who assume the role(s) of best man. They clamor for Rama and Sita to move closer to each other. It is difficult to describe the upswell of happiness in vaidEhi’s heart. Didn’t she get a husband who is the best possible match for her?

caraNam 5:

Thus the wedding between Rama and Janaki is taking place according to prescribed procedures. At every segment of the ceremony the celestials are showering down flowers at the couple. Narada and Tumburu are doing a duet veeNA concert while all the accompanying instruments are being played by the celestials. It was one great auspicious music concert.

caraNam 6:

With the musk/saffron/sandal paste on his body, Rama’s chest was sparkling radiantly. It resembled the moonlight shining on the water-bearing dark clouds in the sky.

caraNam 7:

When the wedding was over, all the relatives, friends, ministers, and other gentlemen come close to Rama and prostrate before him with their crowns touching the feet of Rama. They praise him and give him gifts. When everything settles down, Indra’s wife, Sashidevi, goddesses pArvati, saraswati, and lakshmi come in human form and sing “gauri kalyANam vaibOgamE” and do the traditional Aratti. People acknowledge that by tapping on their cheeks with their hands and tears of happiness roll down their cheeks.

caraNam 8:

Such a glorious Sitarama wedding is sung by Ramakavi who is so fortunate to describe the event in musical form. Those who sing this song will always be blessed with good fortune.

Lakshman:
Do you know who this Ramakavi is?

[Lakshman]

Ramakavi was the guru of Appiah Dikshitar. He wrote a book called rAmASTapadi.

http://www.dlshq.org/saints/appayya.htm#contemporaries

[mohan]

Thanks for posting this informative composition! Is there an audio version available?

[mahakavi]

mohan:
I don't have a clue if an audio is available. If "sahvig" is still active in this forum he might respond.

[mohan]

The lines are really long - can someone list them as they should be broken up? I am interesting in tuning this piece but not too sure how the lines are to be split.

[mahakavi]

OK, I will try in a while.
Here, Mohan, I tried to keep the individual sentences (describing each action) apart from each other. As you see this is mostly a prosaic rather than a poetical description of the wedding. So the whole thing can be tuned thinking it is a long vruttam since the entire narration seems to fit a lecture.

Intro:
janaka rAjadAniyil kUDiyirunda attanai makkaL uLLangaLilum orE oru ASaittAn.

adu SrIrAmanin tirumaNakkOlam kANa vENDum enbadudAn!

inda pudiya ASai avargaL ellOraiyum ATkoNDuviTTadu.

mangaLa nigazhcikku avaSiyamAna managaLap polivuDan niRkiRAn SrIrAman. (ANukku alangAram edaRkku indRu evarum ninaikkavillai).

dEvi sItaikku ivvaLavu aNigaL alangArangaL SeydirundanarO adaRkku ciRitu kUDa kuRaiyAmal SrIrAmanukkum kirITam, kEyUram, angadam, mArppilE rattinattilE AbaraNangaL aNivittarundanar.

AgAyattil dEvadundubigaL muzhangina.

UduvAttiyangaL, tandi vAttiyangaL, muzhavu vAttiyangaL ellAm muzhangina. dEvamAtar inimaiyAga mangaLa gItam pADinAr.

ulagamE tiraNDu vandu anda unnadamAna mangaLa nigazhcciyai kANak kUDiviTTanar.

pallavi

SrI rAmanai kalyANa kOlattil kanavilAvadu alladu tavamirundu SrIrAmanuDaiya karuNai malarndu ninaivilEyAvadu eppOdAvadu darSanam Seydu viTTa puNNiyavAn tAn maRupaDiyum ASaiyODu adai ninaittup pArttu magizha muDiyum!

eppaDi irundAr avar?

caraNam 1

gOdAnam mudaliya mangaLa karmAkkaL Seydu muDittu vivAham Seytu koLvadu endRa sangkalpattuDan kaiyil ma~ncal kayitRRil ma~ncal tuNDu kOttu pratisarabandam kaTTik koNDirukkiRAr SrIrAmar.

jAnaki tan iniyavanukku kastUri kungkumappU kalanda pannIril kuzhambAkkiya candanattaic catumba pUSugiRAL.

adu SrIrAmanuDaiya dIkshAvastiram endRa ma~ncal vastirattil paravi gammendRa maNam vISugiRadu.

angavastiram maDippuk kalaiyAmal tOLil tavazhugiRadu.

caraNam 2

SrI rAman kalyANa mEDaiyil amarndirukkiRAr.

avaruDaiya banduvargangaL ellOrum angu maNamEDaiyil SrIrAman arugil amara ASaippaDugiRargaL.

AnAl maNamEDaiyil SrIrAman arugil maharishigaL amarndu vEdam OduvArgaL.
avargaLai appuRappaDutta muDiyAdE!

adE mAdiri aDuttaDutta kalyAna mEDaigaLil baradan, latchumaNan, Satrugnan, mUvarum kAlyANakOlam pUNDu santOshamAga amarndu SrIrAmanai eTTi eTTip pArkkiRargaL(avargaLukku, tamakkum tirumaNam endRa ninaivE illai).

caraNam 3

pazhutta sumangaligal ovvoruvarAgap paccaip poDi cuttRi tangat tAmbAlattil navarattinac cimizhgaLil mangaLa dIpam EttRic cuttRi varugiRArgaL.

indak kATciyai kANkindRa janakarukku orE Accariyam Sivan villai nANEtRRupavarukkut tAn peNNaik koDuppEn endRu paNayam vaittuviTTuadai niRaivatRRa evarAlum muDiyAmaRpOga tamadu arumaik kumArikku tagunda varan kiDaittu avan villai nANEtRRit tirumaNam naDakkumA endRa Ekkattil mUzhgik kiDandavarukku anda malai pOndRa kavalaigaL ellAm pani pOla nIngi indat tirumaNam ivvaLavu vaibavamAga naDakkkiRadE endRa Anandam karai puraNDu perugiyadu.

caraNam 4

SrI rAmanarugE matRRat tOzhamai nATTu araSargaL ellOrum mAppiLLait tOzhargaLAga pakkattil amarndu maNamakkaL innum nerungi uTkAra vENDum endRellAm inba amaLi purigiRargaL.

vaidEgiyin uLLattil niRaindu viTTa malarcciyaic collimALAdu.

avaLukku mutRRilum ERRa mikac ciRanda kaNavarallavA kiDaittu viTTAr?

caraNam 5

ivvARu jAnakI, iragupati tirumaNam muRaippaDi kaNkoLLAk kATciyAga niRaivEtRik koNDirukkiRadu.

ovvoru nigazhcciyin pOdum AgAyattilirundu dEvargaL pUmAri pozhikinRanar.

nAradar, tumburu iruvarum iraTTai vINaik katcEri.

anaittup pakka vAdyangaLum viNNulagattOrE iNaindu vASikka sunAdamAna mangaLa sangItam muzhangugiRadu.

caraNam 6

SrI rAmaruDaiya tirumArppilE puttampudiya kastUri kungkumappU kalanda naRumaNac candanam pUsappaTTu anda SiyAmaLat tirumEni miLirgiRadu.

AgAyattilE nIruNDa karumEgam. adan mIdu muzhunilavu paravi oLi pAyccinAl eppaDi irukkum?

appaDi irundadu.

caraNam 7

mangaLat tirumaNam muDindu bandukkaLum nanbargaLum mandirigaLum perumakkaLum nerungi vandu tamadu kirIDangaL SrI rAma caraNangaLil tOya vaNanguginRanar. pArATTukindRanar.

vegumadi aLikkinRanar. amaidi vanda piRagu indiran manaivi SacidEvi, pArvati, sarasvati, lakshmi enRa dEvigaL, ellOrum mAniDa uruvil gaurI kalyANam pADi mangaLa Aratti eDukkinRanar.

janangaL kannattil pOTTuk koNDu AmOdittu Anandak kaNNIr perukkukinRanar.

caraNam 8

ivvARu miga vimariSaiyAga naDanda sItArAmat tirumaNa vaibavattai rAmakavi enRa koDuttu vaitta mahAn pADugiRAr.

inda gItattai pAdugiRavargaL uLLangaLilum enRum mangaLa mahOtsavangaL naDaipeRum.