Kamba Ramayana as a study!

  The study states that Kamban was the son of a priest, Athavan! VVS Aiyar says there are many stories about Kamban and it is difficult to separate the facts from fiction! Kamban had difficulty in gaining acceptance but finally did recite his poem in an assembly and was honoured as kavichakravarty by a king.

Aiyar's observation that our epics have not been literally translated into other Indian languages is significant! They all are adaptations of the story and as he says, even Valmiki got it from Narada and Brahma, Vyasa sang about the events that took place before his eyes. It seems no one owned these stories and others were free to narrate them as they wished, but he does say that Kamban has followed Valmiki very closely and gives us a short compass of the main incidents of the story.

The story begins with Lanka, which was much larger than today's island, inhabited with Rakshasas, huge and often misshapen giants, strong and powerful and more energetic than the race of men. Ravana was their king, the most feared Rakshasa, invincible as he was blessed with boons from both Shiva and Brahma. Immensely troubled by him the gods implored Vishnu, the protector of the universe and he responds to their prayers and promises to rid the universe of Ravana and Rakshasas forever. As it happens, Ravana in his arrogance had not included men and monkeys when he sought protection. So Vishnu decides to come down to earth and commands gods to be born as monkeys, apes and bears. (In V Ramayana it is Lord Brahma who asks gods to take birth as vanaras!)

Aiyar's study quickly deals with the birth of Rama, incarnation of Vishnu to Dasharatha and his three brothers Lakshmana, Bharta and Shatrugna. They grow up learning the princely arts. But Bharata and Shatrugna were more mild in temperament. All three brothers vied with each other in their love for the valiant, the sweet souled, the serene Rama.

Sage Vishwamitra appears and wants Rama to accompany him to guard his sacrificial fire from pollution by the evil Rakshasas. Dasharatha is unwilling and it is sage Vashista who counsels him to accede to the request and send Rama with the sage. Rama accompanied by Lakshmana goes with the holy man.

V Ramayana:The ire of sage Vishvamitra is shown at king Dasharatha. To pacify sage Vishvamitra, sage Vashishta intervenes and convinces king Dasharatha to send Rama with sage Vishvamitra. While doing so, sage Vashishta enumerates the capabilities of sage Vishvamitra, his knowledge of weaponry. Vashishta also suggests that all those weapons will be given to Rama, if Rama is dispatched with Vishvamitra. At last, Dasharatha agrees to send Rama.