Sloka 18
Description of the two routes to LankA
Meaning:
Dear Swan Friend! HanumAn had clearly explained earlier to Me about the existence of two routes to LankA (sakhe! hanumatA mama dvau mArgau samyak varNitau). HanumAn named them as the western route (paScima mArgam) and the Eastern route (prAcIna mArgam). Among the two, the western route is beautiful to experience and is shorter but it is not recommended because the skies over that route are full of rain. That makes it very difficult to travel. HanumAn has therefore recommended the Eastern route for easy travel. This route has one negative factor. There are many wondrous things to see, while one travels through this eastern route. You may be easily distracted by these charming sights and these distractions would cause delays for you in reaching LankA. Please think of My sorrowful state and make a special effort not to be distracted by these charming sights below and get to LankA as soon as possible.
Comments:
sarva tantra svatantrar, Swamy Desikan’s deep knowledge of the geography of BhArata desam is amazing. This is the first glimpse of that knowledge. nigamAnta MahA Desikan will be describing these charming sights in the flight path of the Swan in the rest of the First ASvAsam of this kAvyam and will provide copious evidence for His encyclopedic knowledge of geography. The western route that Swamy Desikan refers to is the Western Ghat route over MaharAshtrA and Kerala and the Eastern route is over Andra Pradesh, KarnATaka and COzha-PaaNDya nADu.
Sloka 19
The coming out of the village girls on hearing the sound of the Flying Swan
Meaning:
Dear Swan Friend! As you wing Your way south joyously on your mission for Me, you will be also generating sweet dhvani, which is delectable to listen to (SravaNa subhagam tAvakam Sabdam). The unsophisticated village girls (pAmarI) hear your dhvani and rush out of their houses to identify where that sweet sound is coming from. They look at you without arching their eye brows to focus on you flying way high up. Normally, one has to arch one’s brows to look at a distant object to identify it. The village girls did not have to strain themselves. Their upward glances to identify you as the source of that delectable voice that is most enjoyable to experience. From the formation of your body, the village girls conclude that you are the originator of that sweet sound. You will be flying this way with your voice serving as a beacon to mark your flight progression and cross many land boundaries marked by forests, mountains and rivers (vana giri nadI samvibhaktAn yEtAn deSAn vyatIyA: ).
English Commentary by Sri Oppiliappan Sadagopan
Courtesy: Smt Jayanthi Sridharan (Carnatic vocalist)
