Teesta Review: A Journal of Poetry, Volume 1, Number 2. November 2018. ISSN: 2581-7094
Finding the Mother
Finding the mother
(H.H. Sage Valmiki's Sri Sundarakanda in English Verse)
by Mahathi, Authorspress,
New Delhi, ISBN: 9788172739690, Pp.: 358, Price: Rs.995.
---
Reshma Ramesh
Finding the mother (H.H. Sage Valmiki's Sri Sundarakanda in
English Verse) by Mahathi is a Maha Kavya. In this age with technology taking
over every aspect of our lives, literature and the love for reading dwindling,
let alone reading, it is impossible to write a mythological story. In such
times we are blessed with the phenomenal ''Finding the Mother ''. My knowledge
and experience is minuscule to comment about this great epic. All I can do is
admire and be spellbound.
It is said that translation is one tricky but necessary aspect of literature where the beauty and the essence of the original text could be lost during the process. But in this endeavor, it is not so and it stays in tune with the basic essence of devotion, love, narration, description and of course the action, so much so that you tend to forget it is a translated work. This book is translated from Sri Sundrakanda, the fifth Canto of Srimad Ramayan, the story of Shri Rama by Sage Valmiki dating back to 7000bc.This classical work is in metrical verses with rhymes and flows so smoothly that after a while it seems all so natural and for one who loves sonnets it is such a treat.
Though this is an epic, the author
didn't follow the traditional English epic format. This is more like an Indian
Kavya. Ralph T.H. Griffith, an Indologist, who translated most of Indian
works, including the four Vedas had composed the entire Ramayana in long epic
poems of iambic tetra meter. Sri K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar in unrhymed quatrains
translated SUNDARA KANDA with the title EPIC BEAUTIFUL.
But Mahathi chose different forms right
from free verse, couplets to sonnets, canzones and many other forms, in
accordance with the context, to suit the given emotions and sentiment. The book
reads so much Indian, and even English sounds like Sanskrit with 'nava rasas'
liberally sprinkled all over the Kavya.
The descriptions especially sound so
Indian with all-Indian imagery, similes and metaphors, which a non-Indian
reader may take with great surprise and joy.
After the abduction of queen Sita, Sita ma or Mother Janaki as Hanuman fondly calls her this story drives Hanuman to Lanka to find Sita and the journey to and fro is so beautifully narrated.
The mighty mount mahindra was radiant with
rocks
in lucent white, opaque, yellow, crimson and blue
with pines, cedars and sals touching the skies and flocks
of birds carolling mystic tunes of great allure
in lucent white, opaque, yellow, crimson and blue
with pines, cedars and sals touching the skies and flocks
of birds carolling mystic tunes of great allure
The whole book is
filled with such beautiful description of the Lankan city countryside, Ashoka
park, Ravana's court, mountains, sea; painting scenes that flushes colours all
over the canvas of your mind.
This
book cannot be called as a mere translation or trans-creation. Every word in
this book exhibits the author's devotion or Bhakti towards the protagonists of
this story, Viz. Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. He tried to bring out the
sanctity of the original Sanskrit text into English too. For example Jaya
Mantra (42:6) astoundingly sounds like a real Sanskrit hymn. And read this poem
from his PRAYER with repetitive sounds of 'Om'.
This
tome, a song of holy om;
a
roaming soul’s journey along
the
yonder dome, ov’r ocean foam
to
reach the home, we all belong.
The description of
Mother Sita is just so beautiful with so many emotions that she goes through
during her abduction and confinement in Ravana's Ashoka Park and the
conversation between Hanuman and Sita when they meet each other is narrated so
well and is very endearing.
Her moon like face assumed a blush of peace
her cloudy hair floated with tender breeze
drizzled the morning dew, ensnared in there.
For once she felt as heaven that demon's lair.
her cloudy hair floated with tender breeze
drizzled the morning dew, ensnared in there.
For once she felt as heaven that demon's lair.
With shivering limbs she held that ring in
hands.
Through glassy tears she read the letters RAM.
Her eyes widened, her face had blossomed in bands
of rainbow hues of scintillating charm.
She sighed, exclaimed and wept ''Hey Ram! Hey Ram!"
as she felt the warmth and manly touch
of Ram and blushed with wild muliebrile clutch.
Through glassy tears she read the letters RAM.
Her eyes widened, her face had blossomed in bands
of rainbow hues of scintillating charm.
She sighed, exclaimed and wept ''Hey Ram! Hey Ram!"
as she felt the warmth and manly touch
of Ram and blushed with wild muliebrile clutch.
The description of Sri
Rama, rakshasas, Ravana and especially Hanuman is so brilliant that you fall in
love with this ape's devotion, innocence, strength and valor. My favorite part
of Ramayana when I was a child was Hanuman's tail being lit up with fire and
Hanuman lighting the whole Lanka on fire in turn. Mahathi has recited the same
with such enthusiasm that my childhood excitement was revived in this part of
the story.
The Mighty Hanuman with burning tail
was looking like a golden nimbus cloud
holding the lightning sword, on cosmic sail
about to burst on demons, wild and loud.
was looking like a golden nimbus cloud
holding the lightning sword, on cosmic sail
about to burst on demons, wild and loud.
His
language always switches from formal to informal to colloquial depending upon
the person conversing, their characters, statures and also according to the
situation.
He
has though strictly followed the original Sanskrit text of sage Valmiki, he
didn't hesitate to expand the narrative at some points and abridged at places,
without affecting the original story, characterisation, flavour and the beauty
of original. Some of extensions seem to be informative especially for those who
are new to Indian epics and some seem to be out of sheer passion and devotion.
His expansion of the concept of the three Guna's (55:6&7 ), a brief eulogy
of Jambavan by Angada(61:3) and insertion of few dohas from Hanuman Chalisa
(57:7) exhibit the kind of care the author has taken to reach this work even
laypersons and his narrative skills.
My personal favorite verses from the whole
book is from Madhuvanam
The more and more the apes did crave,
the more and more that garden gave.
No tree said no, no bough did spurn...
behind, before, beneath and top
of every fruit they plucked, they won
one more of juicy, sugary sop.
All
praise to the Lord and his blessings to M V Sathyanarayana for giving him a
soul to feel the need to write such a great historic epic poem in English
language which is universal so that this great story reaches all over the
world. All praise to the man himself who modestly says he was chosen, but it
indeed is a great feat what he has achieved with regards to producing this
brilliant piece of work and the man he has become in the process.
For all lovers of poetry and Indian epics this book is a must read.