Kamba Ramayanam – 5178
Tormented by thick waisted Rakshasa women, she sat there*;
Like a fine herb growing by the side of a hard rock
never getting a drop of water, languishing in misery,
rest of her body too thinned down like her narrow waist.
* Asoka Vanam, where Sita was held captive by Ravana.
வல் மருங்குல் வாள் அரக்கியர்
நெருக்க, அங்கு இருந்தாள் :
கல் மருங்கு எழுந்து, என்றும் ஓர்
துளி வரக் காணா
நல் மருந்துபோல், நலன் அற
உணங்கிய நங்கை,
மெல் மருங்குல்போல், வேறு உள
அங்கமும் மெலிந்தாள்.
This verse is in the sequence where Hanuman first sees Sita in Asoka Vanam. He finds her in sorrow, surrounded by thick waisted harsh Rakshasa women, who were tormenting her to accept the proposal of Ravana. Her whole body had thinned down like her narrow waist. It was like a fine herb growing by the side of a hard rock not receiving even a drop of water and drooping down. She was languishing in misery as her captors had taken her away from Rama, who was her life.
Kamban contrasts the thick and narrow waists to differentiate harshness / daintiness of Rakshasa Women and Sita. This objectification doesn’t go well with modern sensibilities. All I can say is he was the product of his times.
வல் – thick
மருங்குல் – waist
வாள் – harsh
அரக்கியர் – Rakshasa Women
நெருக்க – tormented
கல் – பாறை – Rock
மருங்கு – side
எழுந்து – grew
நல் மருந்து – fine herb
நலன் உற – health spoiled / misery
உணங்குதல் – suffer / languish
மெல் – soft / thin
வேறு உள அங்கமும் – other parts of her body / rest of her body
Old Tamil Poetry 