ShrIrAmanavamI information

[Ravi Mayavaram]

namaskAram

rAma nAmamE nAmamAyiram

(Mean the same as shrI rAma rAma rAmeti rame rAme manorame)

As Govind pointed out kamba rAmAyanam is revered in TN. It is one of
the longest epics in tamizh. In this version of rAmAyanam, shrI rAmar
is not treated like mortal at any place. As an avatar of Lord vishhNu
is rightfully revered throughout the text.   In this avatar, even
though shrI rAmachandra mUrthi puts on the act like a mortal, the fact
that he is the Ishwara who has incarnated  to establish dharma is
emphasized by kambar.

>From hearsay information I gather that vAlmiki does not offer such a
position to shrI rAma. I do not have a first hand knowledge on this.

Few years back shrI M.S.Subbulakshmi released a cassette/CD with 50
verses from kamba rAmAyanam. Even though it was rendered by her at a
very old age, it is a delight to hear. Originally kAnchi paramAcharya
told her that he will pick the verses, latter to due to failing health
he asked Judge M.M.Ismail ( an authority of kamba rAmAyanam) to pick
the verses on his behalf. And the verses in the cassette are so
delightfully  devotional. Especially I like the verses

Azhi nI analum nIyE ...

annai nI attan nIyE ..

which the vaRuNa addreesses towards the Lord, when he threatens to
burn down the sea. Like a normal human being, Lord offers prayer to
sea god, before building the bridge. But the delay of approval  makes
him angry. I think this one of the places he expresses his anger.


Most of us from TN are taught many verses from
this rAmAyanam in schools and some verses had to be memorized too.
The one I typed below is the first stanza, which is called the
kaDavuL vAzhththu  (in tamizh kaDavuL mean God, literally one who has
transcended the mind, uLLaththai kaDanthavar).

shrI rAmajayam

--
Ravi


ulagam yaavaiyum taamuLavaakkalum
nilai peRuttalum nIkalum nIngalA
aLaviLA viLaiyATTuDaiyAr avar thalaivar
annavarkE charaN nAngaLE
                                kambar
                                        (from memory, will have typos)