AdaiyaLam Sonneno Kabandhanai POle
Below is the translation to Veda Paati's story, narrated in tamil, available in below platforms:
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Was I able to share identitiy like Kabandha?
THIRUKOLUR PEN PILLAI RAGASIYAM - 17
Am I able to guide like Kabandha did?
Dear children, don’t you agree that in the last story, Thirukolur Pen Pillai opened our eyes to the Divine auspicious qualities of Maya Kannan? Are we not excited to learn more? The little child was still very convinced that she did not deserve to remain in the divine town of Thirukolur. “Am I able to guide the Lord like Kabandha did?”, she went on as Ramanuja, just like us eagerly awaited her story.
During the era of Lord Rama lived a Gandharva called Dhanu. Dhanu had a good-looking son called Kabandha. Unfortunately, the beauty that he carried was only evident in his external appearance, and hardly in his nature. He was so ill natured that he would change his form to become a Rakshasa and torture everyone. Rishis were unable to do their Yagnas, and one such Rishi cursed Kabandha that he would always be in the form of a Rakshasa. Petrified by the curse, Kabandha apologised to the Rishi. “Very well Kabandha, however you would only be relieved from your curse when Lord Rama cuts off both your arms” said the Rishi to the worried Kabandha.
Kabandha then performed a severe penance on Lord Brahma. Thus, he earned the boon that he could not be destroyed by any weapon and that he would live a very long life. With the overconfidence that nothing could bring him down, he waged a war against Indra. Indra easily attacked him with his Vajrayudha, thus pushing his head into his chest and his thighs into his stomach. Aghast with his beastly appearance he cried to Indhra “Devendra! How would I live a long life with such an ugly form? I cannot see anything, not walk anywhere! Please help me!” Indra then created a big red eye in Kabandha’s chest, and a mouth in his stomach. Indhra also gave him really long arms, one mile each! Kabandha was then in a single place in a forest. He would stretch his arms as far as he could, grab what he could grasp and then eat what he got. Animals and people were all afraid to go anywhere near Kabandha and avoided the area completely.
Meanwhile in the 14th year of Rama’s exile, Devi Sita was abducted by the evil King Ravana. While searching the forests, Lord Rama and Lakshmana chanced upon an area in the forest that was devoid of any life. They then realized it was due to the devilish looking creature that seemed to have long arms and grabbing anything around it for consumption. This was none other than Kabandha.
Kabandha grabbed Lord Rama in one hand and Lakshmana in the other. To escape his hold, both brothers chopped off one arm each of Kabandha. Having lost his arms, Kabandha realized that Lord Rama was here, he finally had a chance to regain his lost form. “Oh Rama! You are finally here, how long I have awaited you! Please dig a hole, push me in and burn me. I will then regain my form. As a reward, I will tell you the way out of your misery.”, whimpered Kabandha. The brothers did as per his instructions, and Kabandha finally regained his original form. He told the brothers his entire story and reflected that beauty should not only exist on the outside but also on the inside, in one’s nature.
“Dear Rama and Lakshmana, I am ever grateful to you. Please proceed in this direction till you reach the Pambai river. Then you will see this big mountain, Rishyamukha mountains whose formation looks like the face of a Rishi. There you will meet a monkey who is in a similar situation as you, called Sugreeva. Sugreeva was chased from his Kingdom by his brother, Vali. If you help him regain his kingdom, he too will help you with his army of monkeys to get Sita Piratti back.”, advised Kabandha. Sugreeva was waiting for help for a long time and the assistance of Rama and Lakshmana was much needed for him.
“Dear Swami, please tell me now. Was I or am I able to guide one to the right path like Kabandha did? He guided the Lord Himself to unite with His consort! Am I even close in comparison? I must leave this town”, lamented the little girl of Thirukolur.