Sloka 12
The help of the trees to the Swan during its flight south
Meaning:
My dear friend! On your way to LankA, you will experience enjoyable changes in you due to the help of the trees below your flight path. The red hibiscus flowers blossoming at the same time like a group reaction from closely related ones as it were will spread the wind-loosened red dust of pollen and paint your white body red all over (pavana calitai: parAgai: te paryAptam angarAgam kuryu:). That red coating will make you resemble the crescent Moon on Siva’s matted locks, which have the admixture of both the red dye from the feet of Paarvati and the white foam from the river GangA.
Lord Siva has both the river GangA and the crescent Moon on His matted locks of hair. During the UDal stage (PraNaya Kalaham), Siva places His head at His devi’s feet to calm Her and at that time the red dye from Paarvati’s feet (acala tanayA pAda lAkshA) leaves its imprint on the white crescent Moon. The white foam from the AkASa GangA (svarNadI: phena:) also joins the crescent Moon to present a beautiful picture of white and red. SrI Raaman says that the white Swan’s hue will be admixed with the red pollen dust to resemble the white crescent Moon painted with the red dye from the feet of Paarvati. The spraying of the foam from AkASa GangA will make the crescent Moon (cUDA candra:) look like a Full Moon (pUrNa candran).
Sloka 13
The help of the clouds to the Swan en route to LankA
Meaning:
Oh Raaja Hamsam! Please listen to the additional upacArams that you are going to receive. As You fly, the wind will blow and push the summer season clouds (SAradA: vAri vAhA:) behind you. Those clouds will look like white umbrella held over Your head (bhavata: nabhasi cchatrAyeran). When the narrow beams of Sun (sUkshmAkArai: dinakara karai:) fall on these clouds, it will look like the golden spokes (kalpita anta SalAkA:) of that umbrella made of clouds. Now that the rainy season is over, there will be only small portions of the rain bow (Satamakha dhanu:) left. Those pieces of rain bow will attach themselves to the edge of the clouds to give an appearance of decorative silk knots (kunjalams) at the end of the golden spokes. Under these cloud umbrella, few rain drops will fall and cool You off and reduce Your fatigue.
English Commentary by Sri Oppiliappan Sadagopan
Courtesy: Smt Jayanthi Sridharan (Carnatic vocalist)
