There is an interesting story of Rama and a squirrel, which we all know.
Setu bandan was in full swing.
A small squirrel was seeing this huge effort, and he too wished to help. He thought for a moment, and then started collecting small pebbles lying on the shore, and dropped them in the ocean. After a while, he was too tired to even carry those pebbles, but still wanted to participate. He ran to the edge of the water, and, after rolling in the sand, ran to the water and washed himself. He ran back to the shore and rolled again, and more sand got stuck to him, since he was now wet. Again he ran to the water to wash himself. The small grains of sand which stuck to his body were all he could contribute to the massive task of building a bridge across the ocean!!
Rama then turned to the squirrel and said softly, “My dear squirrel, thank you for the help you have rendered to me."Saying this, he gently stroked the back of the squirrel with his fingers, and three lines appeared where the Lord’s fingers had touched it.
Thus did the squirrels get the 3 stripes on their backs, as a blessing from Lord Rama, to remind us that no task, however small, is unimportant! Every task should be looked upon as service to the lord, and his blessings will always be with us.
This story is not found in Valmiki are Kamban's version, but is more popular in Tamilnadu.
The article of Mu.Raghava Iyengar refers this in his Research.
Thondaradippodi Azhwar refers this story in one of his songs in 4000 divyapprabandam and compares him with that squirrel. ( The Alwarthough variously dated but defenetlybefore 10thC)
Hi Sankar sir, How we should take the stories which were not found in the original versions? Such stories are the development of later poets/writers though these might be older. But sometimes these stories are so imbued within our lives that we start thinking that it might be in the original versions itself. Now if we consider Ramayana as a real event and fact of history then all the stories which are created around the original work will be considered as work of fiction simply because it is not mentioned in the original version.
Not necessarily. There are many such stories built around the real history.
For example we all believe that Gandhiji uttered "Hey Ram" when he was shot but history tells that it is not true.
Since Ramayana is so old and gone so deep into the culture - In TN we have Ramayana references right from Sangam poetry - which confirms that Ramayana is much older.
Whether it is history or myth is not the subject of this series.
What i am attempting is to bring out facts that Ramayana is deep routed in Tamil culture.
Also in this series i dont want to write any of my personal views and rather want every one to have their own based on the facts.
In this series my job is only to bring the various facts
( At times i have written some opinions but in the final version will remove all that stuff and it will be for the reader to form his opinion)
Provoking comment on last words on andhiji's lips.
Mr.Shankar I am not sentimetal about wbether he said any thing at all. But why people are making such fuss. It is nothing but their Ego that comes up than even Trajedy of the entire drama of Gandhi being drilled with bullets. .
By the way, have you not heard, the aaged and tired old people, when they yawn and heave , amma! appa!, or say Rama ! Shanmuga! Easwara!