RamarpaNam-87

File 87.

Dated: July 30, 2012.

Jai Sri Ram.

Distress of Love separation.

Thiru Nedun Thandakam, a master piece of poems from Thirumangai Azhwar, has three segments of 10 verses each.  The first 10 poems are written in a state of Azhwar Himself. The second 10 in a state of a mother speaking out the Heroic feat of the love mate of Her daughter and the third segments of 10 verses in a state of the desolated daughter, longing for the reunion of Her Lover.

A similar situation arises to Sri Rama and Sita here in their first meeting.

Rama on entering Janakapuri had the first opportunity to meet Sita from a distance and exchange sight, the next moment they fell in love and the result is that their hearts changed place between them. There comes the moment of longing for each other, separation causing love distress to both of them. The same is explained superbly by Kambar.

Rama thought for a while as to how His heart longs for a woman whom He didn’t know till the previous moment. He then confessed to Himself that She must be Goddess Laxmi whom He left at Thiruparkadal 12 years back just before His taking birth as Rama and She unable to bear the separation took birth as Sita.  It is no surprise for both of them to have re discovered their love at first sight, born out of eternal relation between them.

Maiyaar karung kaNNi, kamala malar mEl seiyaaL

Befitting the words of Azhwars like this, Rama graced Sita fully and so also Sita of Rama. Rama is dark-blue in colour and Sita yellow-red...  This may be due to the scanning of the body of Rama by the black eyes of Sita and similarly by the lotus eyes of Rama of Sita. 

Vari silai ANNalum, vaat KaN Nangaiyum, iRuvar idayamum maaRi pukku idayam eithinaar

The hearts they exchanged before the incarnation to stay together in separation got re-exchanged now to return to natural state of belongingness of each for both.

Rama followed Vishvamitra leaving His Heart, Eyes and Soul with Sita and that of Sita went chasing Rama behind. Her bashfulness, shyness, modesty, tenderness, beauty unknowing artfulness, acham, naaNam, payirppu, madappam, all the four delightful qualities of a woman, were let lose to follow Rama and Sita hardly could rein-in them.

She turned pale due to love sickness and experienced all the distress that comes with separation from the loved.

PeN pechu, Thaai pechu, Thozhi pechu are the techniques to express the distress of separation from the Hero of one’s heart. Azhwars are the best exponents of such techniques to bring forth their love of God and their longing for His nearness. To reach that height of Bhakthi towards God should be the motto of our life and existence.