To the shore of river Tamasa
Went Valmiki on that day
Like the heart of a good man
The stream was flowing full and pure.
The shore of the river on that morning serene
gorgeous shapes of waves of Tamasa
The tirtha looked pleasing and peaceful
The winds were pleasant and slow.
Those creepers allied to trees
The species of animals rapt in movement
The profusion of clusters of fruits and flowers
Amazed radiating beauty of nature.
Listening and enjoying to the full
The sounds melodious of the birds
Moving in that deep forest
Forgetting time and morning ablutions.
Forgotten Valmiki in joy extreme
On seeing a bird couple
Ecstatic in each other’s company
On the branch of a tree nearby.
Meanwhile a nasty hunter
Aimed an arrow at the couple
And hit one of the birds
Fell a bird Krauncha drenched in blood.
On seeing the male bird fallen on the earth
The female wept in great misery
On noticing the agony of the bird
The sage’s heart turned sad.
When the Rishi raised his head
Fell in his eye the evil hunter
The sage’s sorrow turned into anger
A curse issued out of his anger.
“In the couple playing in union
You killed one, oh, sinner!
Notoriety is yours and your life is short.”
Proved the sage’s words true and swift.
The sage’s sorrow turned into wrath
The wrath turned into curse and caused hunter’s death.
Most compassionate Valmiki’s
Sorrow became Sloka in sudden
Thus it came out of his mouth
Thus was born the first sloka.
The beginning of literature worldly
The first sloka was born like that
As the mystery of first kavya
The first song was born like that.
The Sanskrit voice symmetrical
Issued thus spontaneously
The great sage reached ashrama
emerged the meaning of sloka into his soul.
“Slaying the evil soul wrought by lust
Attained glory Sri Rama Chandra! “
Thus appeared a new meaning of sloka
Remembered the tale told by Narada.
The moon of Raghu dynasty ,
The taker of Sita after breaking Shiva’s arrow
Saw the sage Rama as ‘Bala ‘ (child)
Saw Valmiki kalyan Rama.
Stood before the sage
The hero “Ayodhya” Rama
Going to forest accompanied by his brother
and Sita to fulfill his father’s desire.
Stood before the sage Sri Rama
who destroyed the demons to rescue rishis
comforted the brother Bharata
searched the “Aranya ‘ (forest).
Stood before the sage Sri Rama
Who reached the shore of Pampa
Crowned Sugriva the king of “Kishkinda”
Sent Hanuman and others in search of Sita.
Saw the Wise on the shores of the sea
Most beautiful Rama’s brightness
The great shape of idea of nature and man
Miracle bound “Sundara” Mantra.
Stood before Valmiki “Pattabhi” Rama
Who killed Ravana , took Sita to Ayodhya
Cajoled Bharata.
***
Reverberated repeatedly in Rishi’s heart
Miraculous ‘Ma Nishadam”
He felt most amazing experience
As if it gave some message.
Appeared Brahma before
Rishi in contemplation.
“Happy am I at your words tasty
Impressed by your perspective kind
You lit the “light of truth” to usher in Sankranti
Shaped Universal sloka in your heart.
Man of life momentous!
You became Adi Kavi
By blessing great of mine
Write the epic tale of Rama
The man of pure fame
The giver of four Pususharthas
And the most handsome form in universe.
That epic would live forever
Purges the sins, famous in universe
Your sentences would be true
Oh, Valmiki!
Your merits would multiply
From nectarine steam of story of Rama.
The koel of Valmiki sings
Ramayana of sweetness
It perches pleasantly on the branch
Of Sanskrit poetry and sings ‘Rama’.
Put Maharshi his head
At the feet of lord of Vani
The lotus-born Brahma of compassion full
Blessed the Rishi and turned invisible.
(‘Sudhansu’ Jandhyala Lakshmi Narayan Sastry was born in1933. He was the eldest son of Mallayya and Krishavenamma of Kommuru village in Guntur Andhra University
Interesting. Can you post the original for this as well as other translations that you are posting here?
ReplyDeleteregards,
nagaraju