EXCERPTS FROM KAMBA RĀMĀYANAM: TRANSCRETION

Oh, the beauty of Sarayū that flows in Kosala

Where the arrows of five senses and damsels’ eyes

Don’t distract us away from the righteous path.

The clouds one sees in those skies are often white

With their beauteous trail as they gently glide,

They look like the sacred ash on Shiva’s forehead.

Those white clouds when they drink water from the sea

Turn utterly blue, like Mahāvishṇu’s own hue.

Seeing the Himalayan range  warmed by solar rays,

And clouds rising from  the sea falling on tall  mountains.

The waters reaching their peak is truly awesome !

Those showers of rain on that mountain

Are very like thin argentine  wires.

The clouds, they often pour down waters

On the huge amounts,  as if to show

Their steadfast and limitless generosity,

Not unlike the fame of a great monarch

Who adheres to the  laws of dharma,

Very much like the Lord Manu himself,

And surely also  resembling us no less

Of the awesome gifts received by great rishis.

Who acquired all the wisdom of the Vedas.

The  torrents  that fall as rain from above

Are not unlike women who sell their bodies,

Clasping the head and chest and legs of men

And then promptly leave them

After obtaining a price for their service.

Those waters too, after embracing the mountain

From head to foot flow away smoothly

After soaking lots and lots of wealth.

They also  bear comparison to merchants

In that they take away in their flow

Enormous quantities of things,

Like, gold, gem-stones, peacock feathers, 

Ivory tusks, logs of sandalwood trees,

And indeed much more than all this.

The downpour was like the rainbow,

Reflecting  the colors of flowers and gold,

Rock-bits and  even the saliva of elephants.

It was all like a track on damp terrain.

There were  uprooted trees and leaves,

Impediments to the smooth water flow.

There were flies and wasps all around,

Drawn by all the odor, and  reminding one

Of the drunk belching men who are

Oblivious of  heritage, honor, and status.  

The loud resounding sound of the torrent

Was like herds of elephants and other beasts

All marching in the neighborhood.

It was as if the deluge was getting ready

For a fierce battle with the royal Sea.

This river had absorbed over time

The stature of the Solar Dynasty’s kings.

It had always nourished like maternal breasts,

Many creatures in a sea-bound world.

Its fragrant waters came from powders

Prepared by women of the hill-region.

It had saffron, koshtam-herb, cardamom,

Sandalwood, cassia, silk, medicinal herbs,

And lots of other similar substances.

Now and then gushing Sarayū flooded,

And the hamlets of hunters were ruined,

Just as invading armies always bring

Enormous agony to their victims,

Causing womenfolk to beat themselves

In their unexpected pain and suffering.