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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 Guha, with the simplicity of the hunter that he was fell at the feet of Bharata, as a mark of respect to the royal personality. Undoubtedly, Guha was the elder of the two. It was not unusual for a king on tour to be greeted this way by his subjects and others - excepting scholars, sages and others holding positions of very high authority, irrespective of the age.
If Guha was that humble, Bharata was even more humble. As we have been discussing, Bharata valued and respected this person for he was Rama’s ‘friend’ as Sumantra introduced him and as such he represented nothing less than Rama to him.
Let’s see the first two lines again. ‘vandhu edhirE thozhudhaanai vaNanginan.’ He paid his obeisance to he who came before him and he fell at his feet. ‘malar irundha andhaNanum thanai vaNangum avanum avan adi veezhndhaan.’
He who is worshipped even by He who is seated on the Lotus (Brahma) fell at his feet.
One comes with folded hands and the other receives him and falls at his feet. The second line makes it clear.
‘malar irundha andhaNanum thanai vaNangum avanum avan adi veezhndhaan.’ The legend is, Brahma the Creator emerged from the lotus that blossomed forth from the navel of Lord Vishnu and therefore, it can be inferred that ‘the one who is worshipped by Brahma himself’ is none other than Bharata - that is as far as this scene is concerned. The verse says avanum avan adi veezhndhaan.’ It can be seen beyond doubt that it is Bharata who is referred to in this line.
And in the third line the Poet says, ‘thandhayinum kaLi koorath thazhuvinaan thagavu udayOr sindhayinum senniyinum veetru irukkum seerththiyaan.’ He, whose glory is fit to be celebrated by highly venerable persons, took him up in his hands and embraced him as happily as does a father, his son. He took him up and embraced him (as he fell at his feet) like a happy father embracing his son.
And it is once again the long attribute that is found in the third line that is misread. These scholars are not ready to give Guha the highly renowned position. ‘Whose glory is fit to be celebrated by venerable persons.’ The argument is that Guha doesn’t have that kind of glory. It is Bharata who enjoys such glory and therefore, this third line should be interpreted to mean ‘Guha fell at the feet of Bharata and Bharata took him up in his arms, embracing him (Guha) as a happy father would embrace his son.
 It sounds quite possible and even plausible. But though Kamban has chosen to play on the pronouns, ‘he, his and him,’ he has very clearly indicated which ‘he’ stands for whom. If it is Bharata who is referred to as ‘one who is worshipped by Brahma,’ in the second line, then naturally the person indicated in the third line is none other than Guha. Let’s think of the appropriateness of the attribute or otherwise later. Or if the second line stands for Guha, one has to accept a still greater attribute ‘of being worshipped by the Creator,’ to Guha.
But the trouble with all the scholars is that they stop with this particular verse. ‘The trouble with the realist,’ said Jawaharlal Nehru once, ‘is that he is not able to see beyond the tip of his nose!’ It should be remembered that the Poet is just describing an event, which would spill over to the next verse and that he would have given the right clue in the verses that follow!
More follows...
Hari Krishnan
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