Poets seldom use words at random, and they have a reason for putting certain words in certain places.
Tamil poet Kamban, for example, began his description of Rama’s appearance with the Lord’s shoulders. Usually, when describing a deity, one begins with a description of, and salute to, the deity’s feet and ends with a salutation to the deity’s head. But why did Kamban begin with the shoulders?
He thus started because it was His powerful shoulders that enabled Him to lift Lord Siva’s bow and break it, explained Sengalipuram Rama Dikshitar, in a discourse.
Adi Sankara, in his Rama Bhujanga , says that even as a child, Rama broke Siva’s bow, and Adi Sankara marvels at Rama’s strength.
Adi Sankara says he offers his salutations at the feet of Rama, the One who is Master of the Universe. His feet are the ones that brought Ahalya back to life. In fact, Adi Sankara says it is the dust on Rama’s feet which rid Ahalya of her curse. If even the dust on His feet can do this, is it any surprise that worshipping His feet grants salvation? Those who chant His name have nothing to fear. All the five elements have come out of Him, says Adi Sankara.
He says Rama’s bow will remove all fears. Rama is the God not only of humans but also of the celestial beings. He is the One who is always served by Janaki and Lakshmana. Rama is the One who is adorned with flower garlands, which draw bees to them; He is the One who wears the Kousthubha gem, and whose feet are adorned with anklets. Rama is the embodiment of eternal bliss (Ananda).
Adi Sankara offers his salutations to Rama, who is the father and mother of the universe, the Creator and Destroyer of the universe.
Is there anyone else capable of killing the ten-headed demon Ravana, along with his sons and his friends, except Rama, asks Adi Sankara. He says he does not fear death because he is always chanting the name of Rama. He salutes Rama, who is respected by the son of Sumitra, Lakshmana, and by the son of Kaikeyi, Bharata, and who is the friend of the monkey king Sugreeva.
