The Kamba Ramayana

by P.S. Sundaram (Translator), N.S. Jagannathan (Editor)

A masterly translation of the Tamil version of Ramayana The epic story of Rama, which is part of the Indian collective consciousness, has been retold in many regional languages. Pre-eminent among the many vernacular retellings of the Ramayana is the twelfth-century Tamil version by Kamban. The son of a temple drummer, Kamban is reputed to have had an impressive mastery of Tamil and Sanskrit classics. Fascinated by the lore of Ramayana, he immersed himself totally in it. Though Kamban acknowledges his indebtedness to the Sanskrit version of the Ramayana by Valmiki, his is an independent work, enriched by various religious, philosophical and literary influences. The Kamba Ramayana differs from Valmiki’s in significant ways. Though cast in the heroic mould of a Purushotama or ‘the best among men’, Valmiki’s Rama is still a man. Kamban, on the other hand, never allows the reader to forget the godhood of Rama. His Ravana too, though flawed, is a heroic figure. While Valmiki’s diction is sparse and direct, Kamban’s exuberant prose sparkles with wit and inventiveness. Translated into English by the late P.S. Sundaram, this edition has been abridged and edited by his long-time friend N.S. Jagannathan. Though pared down from the original six volumes to a single one, this translation retains the magic and poetry of the original.

Genres: Mythology, India, Religion, Hinduism

418 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Kiran Bhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about this version of the Ramayana that makes it so compelling. Maybe it's the changes to the plot that Kambar took, that makes Rama seem more grandiose, but also more megalomaniacal. Maybe it's the translator, who really made me feel the betel nut or jasmine or sandalwood whenever it was mentioned. Maybe it's because it's much shorter than the Sanskrit version, and thus easier to digest.

Regardless the Kamba Ramayana is a classic, and a must read for anyone who is interested in classical Indian literature.

[Jaideep Khanduja · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspo...

Book Review: The Kamba Ramayana: A Grand Treat For Eyes Heart And Mind

Written by: Kamban (originally in Tamil)
Translated by: P.S. Sundaram
Edited by: N.S. Jagganathan
Penguin has done a great job by publishing this unnoticed and hidden gem not known to many a people due to language barrier. The translation in English has opened its door not only to the non-Tamil knowing people in India, but to all people interested in Indian Culture, epics and history. The translation is neat to understand the minutest of the drum beat tried to be told in Kamba Ramayana.

Originally written in 12th century in Tamil by the son of a drummer of a temple, whose name was Kamban, and who had a good mastery over Tamil and Sanskrit. The two versions of Ramayana one written in Tamil by Kamban and the other written in Sanskrit by Valmiki are state of the art respectively but though the theme of the epic remains the same, the two versions have many differences. Main is that Valmiki Ramayana presents Lord Rama as a simple ordinary man whereas the Kamban Ramayana emphasizes on the godhood of Lord Rama.

The book becomes a must read for all as it brings into light many instances not so far known or read anywhere else. Otherwise also it is written and translated so well that it becomes a treat for eyes, heart and mind.

http://blogapenguinindiaclassic.blogs...

[Arvind Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read the original one by Kamban, so I believe the authors to the best of their knowledge have translated and captured the core essence and flow of the story. This rating is purely for this translated story and I felt there was more emphasis on language than story itself. More emphasis is given on metaphors and analogies for events which makes it difficult to stay focused on the events in the first place. Coming to the story, as mentioned earlier in the transcript, many writers interpret various scenarios and events in their own way and this story is very much close to Valmiki one in terms of plots and drastically differs in way the story is portrayed. Overall apart from tedious writing, the story of Rama is evergreen and always makes it a pleasure to read it.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dripping with descriptive similes and metaphors, Kamban's retelling captures the grandeur of the beloved epic.

This is a decent translation of the same - there are a couple of typos, and places where the "flow" seems off, or too stilted.

Ultimately, I prefer Valmiki's more grounded version of Ramayana.

[Ravi Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A retelling of the Ramayana story of Indian mythical culture. Rama pursues his abducted wife to the Island of the great King of the demons, Ravana.

To be honest, I didn't think it differed much from the usually accepted telling of this tale, oh well, anyhow...

[Lulu]

12th CE but author born c. 1180

[Shruti · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a fast read for the most part, loved the colourful, poetic language, but got kind of draggy in the last 100 pages-mostly comprising of Yuddha Kand.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Translated by R.K. Narayan, Kamban’s Rāmāyana presents a captivating retelling of one of Southern Asia’s most culturally prevalent stories through the lens of the Hindu Vaisnaviite tradition. As a fundamental text in the religious traditions of South Asia, the Rāmāyana must taken as more than a story of exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. It is important to understand that each character and action must be realized at a level deeper than face value or of simple cause and effect.

Whether it be social duty (dharma), religious piety, or the ultimate cosmic destiny, each character symbolically embodies deeper ideals that accompanies their actions. For instance, Rama acts according to his societal duty when he accepts his fourteen-year exile in the jungle because he understands that this action is in accordance to dharma. Although Rama’s father presents him with an argument to embody the kingship, Rama responds with a teaching of a more higher and more-just dharma that explains why he must adhere to his father’s wife’s demand. This action can be extended to the concept of varnashrama dharma within Indian culture and the idea that everyone has a certain place or class within society and must act accordingly in order to fulfill their societal duty.

Bharatha exemplifies the ideal of religious piety by showing reverence to Rama and offering to return the throne to him once he returns. This action, on the part of Bharatha, shows acknowledgement of Rama’s superiority to himself in the area of kingship and rule. Also, since Rama is an avatara of Visnu, in a way, this example shows his reverence to the power of the gods.

The idea of an all-pervasive cosmic destiny arises through a goddess found meditating in a deep cavern by Hanuman and his search team. Initially mistaken for Sita, this goddess had fallen from grace and had been condemned to live underground, in a perfect city devoid of any other inhabitants. She explains that she had been condemned to meditate until that precise moment when she was found, a moment of cosmic destiny that illustrates the inter-relatedness of all things. The importance of Rama ridding the jungle of Ravana and all traces of rakshasas and adharma is also explained as cosmic destiny. This action relates to Visnu’s cosmic role as the preserver and upkeeper of dharma and all that is right.

Thus it can be seen that the characters of Kamban’s Rāmāyana reflect an idealized image of society where central characters follow societal duty and practice religious piety, and these actions determine cosmic destiny. Social duty, religious piety, and cosmic destiny are depicted very well through these characters. Each character is more than a personality, they are a symbol that represents a greater cosmic reality, or truth. As metaphors, the characters accurately reflect an idealized image of society and the cosmos according to the Hindu Vaishnavite tradition. Social duty, religious piety, and cosmic destiny are depicted very well through the charecters found in Kamban’s Rāmāyana.

[PTS Books Club]

The Ramavataram or Kamba Ramayanam of Kamban is an epic of about 11,000 stanzas as opposed to Valmiki's 24000 couplets. The Rama-avataram or Rama-kathai as it was originally called was accepted into the holy precincts in the presence of Vaishnava Acharya Nathamuni. Kamba Ramayana is not a translation of the Sanskrit epic by Valmiki, but an original retelling of the story of the God Rama. The poetic work is well known for its similes.
In this edited edition, it was not easy for the translator late P.S. Sundaram, his long-time friend editor N.S. Jagannathan, to pared down from the original six volumes to a single one.

[P.S. Sundaram, who took his Master’s degree in English Language and Literature from Madras University (1930) and, later, from Oxford (1934), had a long and distinguished career as a professor of English at Lahore, Cuttack, Bareilly and Jaipur.]

[Sasikumar]

Good book