Sri Valmiki Ramayanam - Bala Kanda ( Book 1) Prose - Sarga 67 to 77

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

                                          

 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 67

 

Rama breaks Shiva's bow when he wanted to examine the tautness of its bowstring. Janaka is perplexed, while others swooned at the blast of breaking bow, and Janaka proposes Seetha to Rama in marriage. On the approval of Vishvamitra to that proposal, Janaka sends his plenipotentiaries to Ayodhya.

 

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On listening to the words of Janaka, the eminent-saint Vishvamitra indeed said to the king Janaka thus as, "let the bow be displayed to Rama..." Then king Janaka indeed ordered his ministers, "bring the divine bow which is decorated with sandalwood paste and garlands...

Thus clearly instructed by Janaka those high souled ministers have gone out from there and entered the palace-chambers, and they came out with an eight-wheeled coffer in which the bow of Shiva is ensconced, and those ministers got it tugged by five thousand tall men of illimitable energy who somehow tugged it very difficultly, and thus the ministers have re-entered there keeping that bow afore of them. On fetching that iron coffer wherein that bow is there, those ministers of the king have reported to their godlike King Janaka.

"Oh king and sovereign of Mithila, here is the select bow that is reverenced by all kings, oh, best king, which you wished to be evincible to the boys, to evince their capabilities...

On listening the announcement of his ministers the king spoke to the noble souled Vishvamitra and to both Rama and Lakshmana too duly making palm-fold.

"Here is that exquisite bow, oh, Brahman, which is held as a time-honoured bow by the lineage of Janaka kings, and with which even the highly forceful kings are rendered inefficient to take aim with it, previously... None in all the assemblages of gods, inclusive of demigods, demons, gandharva-s, yaksha-s, kinnaraa-s, or reptilian demigods, is capable enough to take aim with this bow and all are rendered incapable... and then, in brandishing this bow for a proper grip, or in bracing its bowstring to the other end, or in twitching the bowstring for its tautness, or in placing the arrow on bowstring at a proper place for a proper stretchability, or even in taking a good aim with it... what will be that capability of one from among humans...

"Oh, eminent-saint, such as it is, this nonpareil bow among all bows is brought in, and oh, highly fortunate sage Vishvamitra, let this be displayed to those two princes..." Thus Janaka said to Vishvamitra.

Vishvamitra on listening the sentence of Janaka along with Rama, on his part said to Raghava, "oh, boy Rama... you may see the bow..." Upon the word of the great sage Vishvamitra, Rama on unclosing the lid of that strongbox, wherein that bow is ensconced, saw the bow and said.

"Now I wish to get the feel of this supreme bow, oh, Brahman, and I shall try to brandish it, or even try to take aim with it...

"All Right!" said the saint and king to Rama in chorus, and Rama upon the word of the sage grasping it at the middle handgrip playfully grabbed the bow.

While many thousands of men are witnessing that right-minded Rama the legatee of Raghu stringed the bow effortlessly.

A bow has a definite height and it is a measure of length, from the ages even up to the age Kautilya, who gave many accounts for weights and measures, in his 'Artha Shaastra' a Penguin re-publication. Four aratni-s cubits are one dhanu, a bow-length, where one aratni is 18 inches, thus a bow-length is 6 feet and above, taking the standard size of archer as a six-footer and a little above. The bow's height is the height of the archer plus one measure of his head's height, as the upper end has to tower the archer's head. That being so, this bow belongs to Shiva and its height must be placed more than the human measure of 6 feet, and then it must be some 8 to 10 feet. And 'Rama is no crane-legged boy, as his physique is sad to be of 'medium' size, and then how a boy of, say of 4, 41/2 feet, could catch the upper end of 8-10 feet bow to bend it...' is the objection. An archer has to stand the bow on ground, clutch its lower end under big toe, and with one hand, he has to bend it, while with the other he catches the bowstring to string the other end. He is not supposed to handle it like a holdall or a briefcase. For this objection it is said in a way that the poet is using the adjective mahaatmaa to Rama, ' an unfathomable one with an equally unfathomable soul... inasmuch as his duty is concerned...' The minute he touched the bow, it became a spongy stick and it listened to him and bent as he wished. Other way round, Rama is an ambidextrous archer and furthered is his skill by his possession of some divine missiles as given by Vishvamitra. Hence, his dexterity is now multiplied and he can handle any divine or human bow 'effortlessly...'

Further, that dextrous one has stringed that bow with bowstring and started to stretch it up to his ear to examine its tautness, but that glorious one who is foremost among men, Rama, broke that bow medially.

The bow is not broken by itself because of its oldness or dryness, but let us blame Rama for breaking it, as with any other toy which children are apt to damage in their playing. He stretched the bowstring so long until it broke. Neither his neither mother nor father available here. Otherwise, a 'moral class' would have chanced on him for braking articles in neighbour's houses. The bow is broken in the middle, not at either end, but at handgrip. This shows the strength of his palm to handgrip.

Then there bechanced an explosive explosion when the bow is broken, like the explosiveness of down plunging thunder, and the earth is tremulously tremulous, as it happens when a mountain is exploding.

We can write more words for the above sound as, 'Dhaam, Dhiim, Phut, and DiSkuu...' etc., as long as thesaurus permit. But all that will be nonsensical. An ear-splitting sound has come but it is "OM" the auspicious sonus prima grata, produced once upon a time by Shiva's drum, in order to emanate words through maheshvara suutraaNi, which were unintelligible even for the sages like Sanaka, Sananda, Sanat Kumaara et al., and which were deciphered by Nandi, the Holy Bull vehicle of Shiva, to those sages. Here it is Shiva's bow and name of Shiva and all letters that attaches to Him are sha.m, sha.nkara, sha.mbhava, are peace-making letters, as codified in ˜um nama× þambhave ca mayo bhave ca nama× þaðkar˜ya ca mayaskar˜ya ca nama× þiv˜ya ca þivatar˜ya ca | - rudram - soma s¨kta - yajur Hence the real sound of Om is audible and it is ear-splitting for ordinary audience, since ordinary people cannot possibly face realities, and it is a regularly audible sound for the other four who have not swooned. By the way, it will be impossible for us to listen the chanting of Veda-s, even in these days, in any Vedic school for at least half an hour, as our ears are untuned to their ghana paaTha or jaTa or other sorts of chanting. We feel stranded in some audio studio with fully loaded sound FX.

And the pacemaker Rama lifted the bow of the peacemaker Shiva, where the bow itself is "Om". The legendary Indian bow is composed of three parts, unlike Robin Hood's single-piece bow. The lower bowing part, upper bowing part combined by a grip handle, and the bowstring. The three pieces are comparable to the three letters syllabified "Om" - a u ma, where a is upper bowing piece of bow, u, the lower end, and ma, the bowstring. The painters usually paint this bow-breaking scene, where Rama will be still handling the upper end in his hand, while the lower part will be falling, and the bowstring will be still dangling onto the upper end. The upper part of bow is a and this a is Vishnu akaara artho viSNuH, and the dangling bowstring is ma Goddess Lakshmi, loka maataa maa ramaa mangala devataa, dangling on the Supreme Person through thick and thin, and the detached-un-detached lower end is u, Lakshmana, or any other adherer. A lengthy account of this trilogy is provided in Aranya Kanda, Ch. 11, first verse.

And the pacemaker Rama is marrying the world with peace, by stringing the bowstring of peacemaker's bow, and it is not a mere marriage of some prince charming, with a charmy princess. Thus, this sound is the initial impact, impetus, brunt, or whatever, for universal peace, and that way this marriage attains a legendary significance in peace process, though by force.

Bewildered by that raucous caused by the breakage of bow, all the people swooned, except for that eminent-saint Vishvamitra, king Janaka, and those two Raghava-s, namely Rama and Lakshmana. While the people are being reaccustomed after their undergoing the shock, at that moment that sententious king Janaka, whose discomfiture has completely departed by now has said this to the eminent-saint Vishvamitra with a reverent palm-fold.

"Oh, godly sage, the gallantry of Dasharatha's Rama is evidently seen... and the whys of this boy and wherefores of his stringing that massive bow are unimaginable to me! More so, humans lifting it! How so? This is an unhoped-for incident for me, besides, breaking it! This a is highly wondrous experience for me... My daughter Seetha on getting Dasharatha's Rama as her husband, she will bring celebrity to the lineage of Janaka-s...

This verse explains the advantageous status of Seetha than Rama in her birth and brought up. mama sutaa 'my daughter...' though I have not given her a physical birth, she is godsend to me, and I brought her up as a rarest of rare daughter with all the endowments of Janaka-s lineage which are impeccable... hence she is more than my physical daughter...' siitaa 'a furrow... born a furrow, an unusual non-uterine birth than the uterine birth of Rama from his mother Kausalya... hence Seetha has a plus point... dasharatha aatmajam 'Dasharatha's, son...' a wooable bridegroom... because he is Rama ramayate iti raama 'makes others delightful...' besides this, the saying about an eligible bridegroom is there: kany˜ varayate r¨pam m˜t˜ vittam pit˜ þrutam b˜ndhav˜× þŸlam icchanti s¨pa ann˜m itare jan˜× 'a bride cherishes charming mien, a prince-charming, rather... mother the bridegroom wishes to have money through him... bridegroom's father wants him to be a wise one in dealings with his new wife and old parents... and bridegroom's relatives require of him good demeanour... and other people wish to have dough of cooked pulse-gram, marriage-feasts, rather...' so also my daughter will cherish this boy as his looks are like that of a prince-charming... and the money for his mother, scholarly attitude to his father, good demeanour and feasts etc., to friends and relatives, all he can afford... and on aasaadya reaching Rama... my daughter brings kiirti 'celebrity' to our lineage, which is in singularly unique... because kiirti is said in singular number, it will be singularly unique... hence let this boy not negate my proposal as my daughter has many plus points...'

"Oh, Kaushika, my commitment that she is the bounty of bravery has also come true... and my daughter Seetha who is nurtured well than my own lives is a worthy bride for Rama... Should you give consent, oh, Brahman, my ministers will be hastened to speedily go to Ayodhya in chariots, oh, Kaushika, let safeness betide you, and one and all by this matrimony...

Annex: 'This boy appears to be straight from the shoulder type, and he may now say boyishly, 'no, no, I just wanted to see and feel the bow, but that poor old bow is broken in my hand, but I have never said that I will marry your daughter without the consent of my father... and I am supposed to marry whomever my father ties down my neck...' knowing him to be such, I want to send proposals to Dasharatha at Ayodhya, that too if you say yes...'

"With their observant submissions those ministers will narrate in detail about the sincere endowment of Seetha as bravery's bounty to Rama, and they will lead king Dasharatha into my city that observantly... Those ministers will also tell the king Dasharatha that both the Kakutstha-s, Rama and Lakshmana, are under the aegis of saint Vishvamitra, and thus gladdening that king they will expeditiously usher in king Dasharatha for marriage..." So said Janaka to Vishvamitra.

Vishvamitra said, "so be it," and then that right-minded king Janaka on consulting with his ministers started to send his ministers, plenipotentiaries, to Ayodhya to inform Dasharatha in detail as to what has happened, and likewise to bring him to Mithila.

Thus, this is the 67th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 68

 

Janaka's delegation arrives at Ayodhya and submits its message to Dasharatha. Listening to the tidings that his son Rama not only lifted the bow of Shiva, but broke it as well, Dasharatha is overjoyed and refers the matter of marriage of Seetha with Rama to his ministers and teachers. All of the ministers and sages unanimously agree to that proposal and they are set to travel to Mithila the next day.

 

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Those envoys who are clearly ordered by Janaka entered the city of Ayodhya on sojourning for three nights en route, and whose horses are overtired for they are galloped so fast to loose no time. On going to the palace those envoys are given an audience with the consent of Dasharatha, and when they are conducted into the palace-chambers they have seen the elderly king Dasharatha gleaming like a god. Completely gone is the angst of all the legates on seeing godly Dasharatha, and all of them adjoing palms in reverence said this compliant and mellowly worded sentence to the king.

Because Dasharatha is caught in the tomfoolery of Kaikeyi he cannot be estimated as an inane personality. It is their domestic cold war. He is famous for his achievements and he fought wars on behalf of no lesser gods. Though Valmiki does not narrate Dasharatha's exploits, other scripts say a lot about them. Hence, whenever Rama's daring, dashing, swashbuckling is to be pictured, he will be indicated as 'Dasharatha's son...' That is the reason why the angst of envoys is said in this verse as 'vanished' just by a glimpse of that godly personality, which hitherto haunted them as to how to countenance such a powerful personality.

"Oh, exalted emperor Dasharatha! Janaka, the lineal king of Janaka-s and the present sovereign of Mithila is asking time and time again with mellowly words instilled with friendliness, after the wellbeing and after the unmitigated prosperity of your highness, along with that of your highness' priests and teachers, also that of your highness' subjects, who always precede your highness in convoys in any event, as your highness are the one who ingratiates himself with the Ritual-fires, ever and anon...

"His highness Janaka of Videha, and the sovereign of Mithila, having asked after your highness' wellbeing is sensibly saying this word to your highness, with the indorse of Kaushika... " 'Well-known is the solemn promise of mine that my daughter Seetha is a bounty for bravery... also well-know is that the kings who came to lift the bow turned out as gutless kings, and then they turned out as rancorous kings at me, and it is also well-known that I turned them back with my guts... Oh, Emperor Dasharatha, your young and valorous son who serendipitously arrived at Mithila along with his younger brother Lakshmana, keeping Vishvamitra at his fore, finally carries off this girl, the well-known daughter of mine...

Usually this verse gives meaning that 'two of your valorous sons won Seetha...' because of the usage of plural number viiraiH putrakaiH But this is counted as 'royal we' sort of expression to honour Rama. Hence this ka pratyaya, though used in the verse, will be read as singular. There is another shade of wording for this verse: seyam mama sut˜ r˜jan viþv˜mitrsya þ˜þan˜t | purŸm im˜m sam˜gatya tava pureõa nirjit˜ || which uses only singular for Rama.

" 'Also, oh, highly dextrous king Dasharatha, noble souled Rama wrecked that divine bow, which is a gem of a bow among bows, at its central point before a grand assembly of people... Seetha is the bounty for bravery and I shall have to afford her to the noble-souled Rama, as such it will be apt of you to give your consent as I wish to keep up my solemn promise... Keeping your royal priest Vashishta and other teachers ahead of you, oh, great emperor, I wish you to come apace, let safe betide you, for it will be apt of you to take a look at your ennobled son Rama, and Lakshmana, too... It will be apt of you to make my solemn promise maintainable, and that way you will derive delight on seeing both of your sons...'

'by the by, you will also derive delight in seeing Seetha, for she is also a hyphenated daughter of yours, sutascha sutaa ca tayoH eka sheSaH... with another suffix, in-law...'

"Thus the sovereign of Videha kingdom said these endearing words, abiding by the counsel of Sage Shataananda, and Sage Vishvamitra is also consentient to the proposal..." Thus the envoys conveyed the proposal and paused. King Dasharatha is highly gladdened on hearing that message from the delegates, and said this way to Vashishta, Vaamadeva, and to his other ministers, as well.

"This one Rama, the enhancer of Kausalya's rejoice, is stopping over at Videha kingdom along with his brother Lakshmana, and Vishvamitra is taking care of both these boys... On observing the valour of Kakutstha Rama, noble souled Janaka wishes to gift his daughter as bride to Raghava Rama... If you all favour the tidings from the noble-souled Janaka as to what has happened in Mithila, we quickly proceed to that city, let not the time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha informed his counsel.

The word vR^ittam 'happening' 'history' and it is generally translated as 'the history, legend, and the familial characteristics of Janaka...' But when Janaka already is famous through the bow of Shiva, and that bow itself is broken now, no more 'verification of antecedents' of Janaka is needed, and it is 'what has happened now' i.e., the impossible deed of breaking it.

The ministers along with all of the great sages said in consonance, "Most Welcome..." and then that highly pleased king Dasharatha said to the ministers, "we travel tomorrow..."

The ministers of king Janaka who are gifted with all talents are given grateful hospitality by Dasharatha, and they all dwelt that night in Ayodhya, overjoyed at the successful completion of their august legatine, called Seetha kalyaan...

Thus, this is the 68th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 69

 

Dasharatha arrives at Mithila and Janaka receives him reverentially, as he belongs to a crowning dynasty, called Ikshvaku-s. Then, after the usual exchange of royal pleasantries and protocol, all of them stay in Mithila comfortably.

 

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On the next dawn that heartened king Dasharatha who is with his teachers and his relatives then said this to his minister Sumantra.

"Now let the chancellors of exchequers draw ample riches, gems and numerous other items that are used in the marriage from bridegroom's side, all-inclusively, and let them travel in advance and let them be well-prepared for any exigency... Let the quadruple forces start off in a trice from everywhere at my order, and others shall start with unexcelled vehicles like palanquins, sedan chairs, litters etc., and with those that can be yoked with horses, like cabined-coaches and horse-carriages...

The fourfold army is generally taken as horses, elephants, chariots, and foot soldiers for the word caturanga balam , while some say such an army is moved only when a massive combat is necessary, but not when going to marriages. Thus some say though army is moved, it is as much as required. But this word also qualifies as caturanga balam= dhana, kanaka, vastu, vaahana sampatti, the quadruple opulence, namely 'riches, gold, equipage, and vehicles...' where opulence will be the only show in Indian marriages, either of poor or rich. R. C. Dutt comes near to this when telling in his poetic version: 'Ride in front with royal riches, gold and gems in bright array /

"Vashishta, Vaamadeva, Jaabaali and Kaashyapa, and the long-lived Maarkandeya, and Sage Kaatyaayana... let these Brahmans travel in forefront... and let horses be yoked to my royal-cariole, and as the messengers of Janaka are hastening me arrange for the travel without time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha ordered.

On the word of that best king the fourfold opulence, and even the fourfold forces up to some extent followed rearward of the king who is going after the sages who are going afore of him. Travelling on a four-day-route Dasharatha reached the fringes of Videha kingdom, and on hearing this, the illustrious king Janaka arranged for welcome ceremonies at the outskirts of the city.

These formalities are still prevalent in marriage functions, in one way or the other, in India, esp. rural India. The bridegroom's party will be received at the outskirts of the bride's place, esp. if it were to be a village, then a small function / ceremony will be held laudatory to the bridegroom, and then they are invited into that place of bride like, 'meet a party halfway...' type protocol. This is other than baraat 'matrimonial pageantry...'

Then the king Janaka who is by far gladdened went into a state of ecstatic elation when he met the senescent king and paladin of people, namely Dasharatha, as the pace for the marriage celebrations is quickened because of the immediate arrival of Dasharatha. And the best one among men, king Janaka, gleefully said this commendable sentence to Dasharatha, the best legatee of Raghu, "oh, king, a hearty welcome to you. Oh, legatee of Ragu, your arrival to my city is just by my providence... you will now get delectation on seeing your sons who won accolades just by their valorousness in the act of raising and breaking Shiva's bow...

Though Rama alone broke the bow of Shiva, both Rama and Lakshmana are said to have done it. This is a common unified laudation used for both of them, in view of their insuperable brotherhood, and such a sort of commingling both, for one person's action, can be heard often. For e.g., when Lakshmana misshapes Shuurpanakha, Rama is said to have done, and even both are said to have done that act.

"Providentially bechanced is the arrival of this great-resplendent and godly sage Vashishta, who arrived here with all of these eminent Brahmans, like Indra himself with all gods...

"Providentially my hindrances are overcome by the arrival of godlike sages, and providentially my lineage too is gloried owing to this hymeneal engagement with noble-souled Raghava-s, who are the most valorous among all the valorous people...

"Because you are born in first and foremost Ikshvaku dynasty, hence you are the Indra of Indra-like kings on earth... and hence, it will be apt of you to initiate the celebrations of marriage tomorrow, and the marriage itself after the culmination of the Vedic-ritual in three or four days, and the date and time for the marriage, that which is agreeable to the best sages can be decided, and you can get it performed on that date, through those great sages...

There is controversy about the marriage of Seetha with Rama, insofar as its categorisation. Whether it is one of the eight kinds or not, is a debated point. The eight kinds of marriages are braahma, daiva, praajaapatya, aarSa, asura, gandharva, raakshasa, paishaaca and this topic can be discussed at a later time.

On hearing that sentence of king Janaka the sententious king Dasharatha replied the king Janaka from amongst the sages.

"Recipiency rests with the restitutor... so I have heard earlier. Hence, whatever you say, for you are the knower of probity and nothing goes amiss in your astute thinking, that we will do...

The word restitutor is used instead of 'donor' because Janaka is restoring the estranged divine pair to their togetherness in this mortal world. R. C. Dutt uses 'Gift betokens giver's bounty...' for this expression.

On listening that sentence of that affirmer of principles, namely Dasharatha, that which is conformable to the principles of marriages and familial glory, a thrill of joy came over the king of Videha.

Usually the bridegroom's party will be stiff-necked at least till the marriage is over, which has become a nuisance practice in Indian marriages. Here Dasharatha is telling the opposite, by which his words are viewed as agreeable to righteousness of marriages etc., and for which Janaka is surprised.

Then, on the forgathering of sages from Vashishta's side with the sages of Mithila all the sages have attained extreme joy and they spent that night happily.

Then that most brilliant Rama, keeping Vishvamitra ahead, and strutting in step with Lakshmana, strutted to touch the feet of his father Dasharatha. On seeing his two sons, the super medallists in Raghu's dynasty, King Dasharatha is highly rejoiced and he resided in Mithila with a high contentment, for the reverence of Janaka is that high.

The expression of 'medallists' to the word Raghava-s as above will look odd. So an explanation to this is furnished in the endnote.

Even the great-resplendent Janaka on performing ritual acts according to scriptures for the Vedic-ritual on hand, and the preparatory rituals for handing out both of his daughters in marriage, went into the sleep of the just, with his palm on his chest.

The marriages will be commenced with initial ceremonies called ankura aaropaNa aadi kriyaaH for an unhindered marriage function and for the harmonious family life of the newly wed.

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Epithets in Ramayana

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'The epithets in Ramayana will be extremely boring and tediously repeated statements...' this is when we see at them in an overall superficial and lexical view. But, to the grammarians, prosodists, aestheticians, and the like, they are a head-breaking headache. A lot of verbal warfare is concurrently going on, perhaps even now, as to which belongs to which expression. To cite an example, here the verse 1-69-18 uses just raaghavau 'a pair of Raghava-s...' for Rama and Lakshmana, and it is no uncommon term to them. But, here this word suddenly assumes a different dimension and aestheticians say that word means 'the pair of brothers who are the decorations, embellishments, and the like, of Raghu's dynasty....' because they dared the bow of Shiva to the extent of its breakage, and by their bold feat they are victorious medallists. While the ancestors in Raghu-s dynasty are pro-gods in seeking Ganga to come to earth etc., this boy Rama has gone against that God, in breaking Shiva's bow. Gita Press' English version puts this as 'the ornaments of Raghu's race...' and R. C. Dutt's poetic version has 'Honoured by the saintly Janak, greeted by his children bold / where the 'boldness' is as explained above. And this 'ornaments' or 'bold boys' or 'medallists' cannot be found in the verse, lexically.

There are many who are baffled and bored at these boring and baffling overused epithets and there are enumerations also, as to how many are increased in Aranya Kanda compared to Ayodhya Kanda etc. In Aranya, for e.g., Seetha is variously called as Janaki, alias Vaidehi, alias Mithila... etc., and this chapter can throw some light, or make a difference between an alias and an epithet, on those that available in Aranya, as those epithets in Aranya bear a link with these few chapters. Even then, it will be inconclusive, as nowhere listed are these epithets or their allusions in their true colour. It is unclear for non-Sanskrit readers, even to vernacular Indians, to know as to how many epithets are truly and correctly translatable, without the assistance of ancient commentaries. Even in those commentaries, there are many epithets that are left out, as those commentators were more bothered to their own tenets like 'Rama is god... Rama is human... Rama is the dharma... Rama is Shiva...' etc., than these epithets. And we are presenting as far as we could muster up information about them. Hence, before the total extinction of Sanskrit grammarians and aestheticians, it is necessary to decode these epithets in Ramayana, thus we humbly feel.

Thus, this is the 69th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 70

 

Ikshvaku's bloodline is narrated as custom demands to enquire into the bridegroom's lineage. Vashishta narrates this to Janaka and his brother Kushadhvaja, who is also summoned to participate in the wedding celebrations, and who later has to offer his two daughters to Bharata and Shatrughna. This listing and eulogising ancestors is an adjunctive custom in Indian marriages. Nowadays it is limited to cite only three preceding generations, instead of narrating from the first, since nobody holds his family tree, ready at hand.

 

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Then on the next day morning after getting the ritual liturgies performed through sages, he that articulator Janaka articulated this to sage Shataananda, the royal priest.

"My younger brother renowned thus as Kushadhvaja, a highly self-righteous one and a highly brilliant one is ruling from the auspicious and holy city named Saankaasya, which city is surrounded by River Ikshumati as a natural moat, in which moat bastions of tridents are staked all around... and my brother presides over that city as if he is sitting in the Pushpaka aircraft of richly-rich god Kubera, and as though supping the sugarcane juice-like waters of River Ikshumati...

The words vaaryaa phalaka paryantaam also mean 'that city is surrounded by the plantation of citrus grapefruits that are famous for health keeping.

"And I wish to see him, as he is the nominated benefactor of this Vedic-ritual of mine, and he too shall become a rejoicer in partaking the joyousness of this marriage... " So said Janaka to Shataananda.

Kushadhvaja supplied whole lot of paraphernalia for this Vedic-ritual of Janaka from his auspicious city Saankaasya, and hence he is the benefactor of the ritual.

That way when Janaka asseverated that enunciation in the presence of Shataananda, Shataananda in turn ordered and summoned envoys, and then some alacritous envoys have come, whom Janaka ordered to proceed to his brother. By the order of the king those envoys who have speedy horses have travelled on to city Saankaasya speedily, to lead forth that manly-tiger Kushadhvaja that speedily, which is as good as fetching Vishnu by order of Indra.

On arriving in city Saankaasya those envoys have seen king Kushadhvaja and on submitting what has happened to the king about Rama's breaking of Shiva's bow, and they have also submitted the point of view of Janaka regarding marriages of four daughters.

The viewpoint of Janaka is to offset the problem of marriages of both the daughters of his brother Kushadhvaja. Dasharatha has four sons and Janaka presaged a quadruple alliance with him, where Janaka has two daughters and his brother Kushadhvaja has two.

On hearing that event from the worthy envoys whose speed is praiseworthy, king Kushadhvaja came right away to Mithila by the order of king Janaka. Kushadhvaja addressed himself to the insightful one and a compassionate person in the duty of an elder brother, namely Janaka, and on reverencing sage Shataananda firstly, next he has reverenced his fondly affectionate brother Janaka, and then he sat upon a majestic seat, that which is befitting to kings. Both the brothers of unlimited self-refulgence having assumed their high seats, they who are distinguished for their righteous acts have started to send Sudaamana, the distinguished minister. [1-70-10b, 11a]

"Oh, minister plenipotentiary, Sudaamana, you please proceed immediately to king Dasharatha, the legatee of Ikshvaku-s with illimitable resplendence, and let that invincible king Dasharatha be led hither along with his sons and along with his Vedic-celebrants..." Thus Janaka ordered Sudaamana, the minister.

Accordingly Sudaamana has gone to the visitatorial-palace of the promoter of Raghu's heritage, namely Dasharatha, and he said this on appearing before that king duly bowing down and hailing the king.

"Oh, valiant king, oh, sovereign of Ayodhya, his highness the sovereign of Mithila from the heritage of Videha kings is poised for seeking an audience with your highness, along with your highness' royal-priest Vashishta and other mentors..." The minister Sudaamana said so to Dasharatha.

On hearing that best minister's words, then king Dasharatha came to the place where Janaka is available, along with his kinsmen and the assemblages of sages. That sententious king Dasharatha said this to the king from the lineage of Videha kings, Janaka, who is with his mentors, kinsfolk, and ministers.

"Oh, exalted king Janaka, you already appreciate that this godly sage Vashishta is godlike to the bloodline of Ikshvaku-s, and in all affairs he is our internuncio... Should an assent be given by Sage Vishvamitra, along with all the great sages present here, this equanimous Vashishta will narrate about my bloodline, lineally..." And, to the nod of Vishvamitra Dasharatha become reticent, and then the godly and sententious sage Vashishta who is along with his men of the cloth said these sentences to the king of Videha, namely Janaka.

"The Unprovable emanated the timeless, changeless and perishless Brahma, and from that Being, namely Brahma, Mariichi is begotten, and Kaashyapa is the son of Mariichi, and the Sun is begotten from Kaashyapa, and Manu is said to be the son of the Sun... [1-70-19b, 20]

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The avyakta is the 'Unmanifest' of advaita tenet. Here it an 'Unprovable' entity since it cannot be proved by pramaaNa-s 'source of knowledge' like pratyaksha, anumana, tarka, aagama... 'perception, inference, logic, scriptures...' and because Vishnu cannot be deduced by these sources of knowledge, Vishnu Himself becomes the avyakta. And from the viewpoint of mythology, Ramayana has no place for a 'featureless Absolute...' nir guNa brahma of advaita, because Valmiki's initial questions to Narada include ko guNavaan, and thus He is sa guNa brahma. Hence avykta or aakaasha, a kaasha, 'minus, leeway...' all-pervading...' is Vishnu, the 'Unprovable'.

This aakaasha is the often repeated expression in Upanishad-s, telling it to be the aatma, Absolute, abiding in each individual jiiva aatma, Individual Soul. ˜k˜þo ha vai n˜ma r¨payo× nirvahit˜× te yad antara tad brahma tad am®tam sa ˜tm˜ - ch˜ndogya - 8-14 | ko he v˜õyatka× pr˜õ˜t ya eÿa ˜k˜þa ˜nando na sy˜t - taittarŸya - 7 anuv˜ka | ˜k˜þor arth˜ntaratv˜divyapadeþ˜t - 1-3-41 | dahara uttarebhya× - 1-3-14 - brahma s¨tra ;'who is he to be able to balance himself if this aakaasha is not to be there...' Taittarriya; 'that which makes the names and forms is within you alone as your innermost inner-space, that alone is deathless...' Chanandogya; 'akaasha [is Absolute] because it is proclaimed to be something different etc., [from names and forms yet their revealer...]; 'the small [aakaasha] is Absolute because of subsequent texts [which give ample evidence of it...] Brahma Sutra. Hence, it is Vishnu.

Out of the three epithets to Brahma one is 'timeless' because He continues to be in two para artha-s, say 31, 10, 40, 00, 00, 00, 000 human years, without transmutation, yet He continues further. He is 'changeless' as his faculties or His divine being does not undergo any mutation or metamorphosis. He is 'perishless' during the above period and after, since Vishnu gave rise to Him. Up to here is ultramundane order of progeny and the mundane lineage is now continued.

"Manu is the earliest Prajaapati and Ikshvaaku is the son of Manu, and that Ikshvaaku is the first king of Ayodhya... know thus... The son of Ikshvaaku is the legendary Kukshi, thus he is renowned, and the famous Vikukshi is the son of Kukshi...From that most brilliant and courageous Vikukshi, Baana emerged as son, and the highly refulgent and valinat Anaranya is the son of Baana... Pruthu is the son of Anaranya, and Trishanku is Pruthu's son, and the highly renowned Dhundumaara happened to be the son of Trishanku... Dhundumaara begot a highly glorious and a speediest charioteer Yuvanaashva as son, and Mandhaata emerged as the son of Yuvanaashva...

Some read the name Yuvanaashva or Yavanaashva as a title of Dhundumaara.

"Maandhaata engendered the highly noble Susandhi as son, and even Susandhi engendered two sons, namely Dhruvasandhi and Prasenajit... From Dhruvasandhi, an illustrious one named as Bharata is begotten, and Bharata begot a highly effulgent son named as Asita... To which Asita, kings like Haihaya-s, Taalajanghaa-s, and the valiant Shashabindu-s have become adversaries and kings in hostility, he had to wage war with them...

"While counterattacking those kings, Asita is dethroned in war and then he reached Himalayas along with his two wives... Asita was with his meagre forces when he was in Himalayas, and there he drew nigh of his Time. At the time of his demise two of his wives were pregnant, and one of two wives gave toxic food to the co-wife for abortion... thus we heard...

"There was a saint named Cyavana, the heir of Sage Bhrigu, who in fascination with best and beautiful mountains then taking shelter on Himalayas. One of the two wives of Asita, the lotus-petal eyed and highly fortunate one queen came there desirous of a best son, and reverenced the sage who is godly in his glow... Another queen Kaalindi who administer food poison to her co-wife has also come to the sage, and she too reverenced him. That sage spoke to her who received poison from her co-wife regarding the birth of her son.

There are variations in reading these lines. While some say that Kaalindi is one who 'gave' toxic food to her sister, while some others say that Kaalindi is the one who 'received' the poisoned food. Here taking the kaalindi ca 'Kaalindi also...' it is said that 'Kaalindi is she who has administered poison...' Since she is also pregnant, coupled with the guilt of poisoning, hence the use of ca , she too came to the sage.

" 'Oh, highly fortunate lady, a very good son and a very mighty son is there in your womb. Soon you will give birth to a highly vigorous, highly refulgent son and that illustrious one will take birth with toxicity, but there is no need to worry...' So said Sage Cyavana to the queen of Asita who received the poison. On reverencing Sage Cyavana that husband devout princess whose husband is no more that lady gave birth to a son... Because he took birth along with the poison administered to his mother by her co-wife, he became Sagara, the emperor..."

Parable: When king Asita passed away his queen and this Sagara's mother wanted to commit self-immolation, but this Sage Cyavana dissuades her from it because she is pregnant, and takes her to his hermitage. When she gave birth to Sagara, Sage Cyavana rears up Sagara and teaches him all of the archery by according aagneya astra Fire-missile etc., kingcraft, and scriptures. On one occasion when Sagara asks for the details about his father, Cyavana had to tell all the legend of Asita and his conflicts with yavana-s, and shaka-s. Sagara becoming furious at Haihaya-s, Taalajanghaa-s, and the valiant Shashabindu-s, wars with them and drives them out of this country. While doing so, Sagara makes yavana-s tonsured, shaka-s or so-called Scythians, as half-tonsured, and paarada-s as shaggy haired ones, thus stripping of their Kshatriya-hood. Taking the nearness of name paarada to Persia, it is said that the kings repulsed by Sagara taken domicile in the Middle East and a aaryan or a aa riaan is Airan or present day Iran, and age-old are Indo-Iranian links. Further, the word Asia has its own nearness to the name of king Asita.

"From Sagara it is Asamanja and from Asamanja it is Amshuman, and from Amshuman it is Diliipa, and the son of Diliipa is Bhageeratha... From Bhageeratha it is Kakutstha, from Kakutstha it is Raghu, and Raghu's son is the great resplendent Pravriddha, who is reduced to a human flesh eater, and he is also known as Kalmashapaada... and from him, that Pravriddha, Shankana is born...

This Pravriddha is really a great king in this lineage, but somewhat arrogant. So, at one time he was subjected to the fury of Vashishta and becomes a man-eating demon. But he too got his mystic powers. When he was trying to issue a counter-curse to Vashishta, by taking water into his hand, his wife Madayanti, being a husband devout wife dissuades him to not to counter all-powerful Vashishta. He on listening to his wife drops that water taken for cursing, onto his own feet. Then his accursed water blemished him via his feet. Hence, he is also termed as Kalmashapaada.

"Shankana's son is Sudarshana, and from Sudarshana it is Agnivarsna... And Shiigraga is the son of Agnivarsna, and Shiighraga's son is Maru and from Maru it is Prashushruka, and Ambariisha is the son of Prashushruka... Ambariisha's son was Nahusha, the emperor and Yayaati is the son of Nahusha, but Naabhaaga is born to Yayaati...

These names Nahusha and Yayaati also occur in other Puraana-s, indicating them in earlier eras to Ramayana period.

"Aja was Naabhaaga's son and from Aja, this Dasharatha is manifest, and from him, from this Dasharatha, these brothers, Rama and Lakshmana are born...

"Oh, best one among men, Janaka, from the beginning this bloodline of Ikshvaaku-s is spotlessly immaculate, immensely impeccable, indomitable, and irreproachable, and in respect of these kings born in this line of blood, oh, king Janaka, I espouse that it will be meetly of you to offer your seemly daughters to this seemly pair of Rama and Lakshmana..." So said Vashishta to king Janaka.

Thus, this is the 70th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 71

 

Janaka narrates his lineage while offering his daughters as brides to Rama and Lakshmana. In doing so, he elaborates more about his brother Kushadhvaja, whose daughters are the would-be-wives of Bharata and Shatrughna. They even fix the timings for marriage.

 

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When sage Vashishta said that way, Janaka reverentially made palm fold and said this in reply, "oh, sage, let safeness betide you all... now, it will be apt of you all to listen to our distinguished lineage...

"Oh, eminent sage Vashishta, he who is born in a particular noble gens has to inform about his parentage in its entirety, especially when he offers a bride... thereby oh, great sage, let all be informed of about our lineage...

"Once there was an emperor Nimi, who was renowned in the triad of worlds by his own accomplishments, and who was uniquely seraphic-souled and a best one among all stalwart emperors... And his son was named as Mithi, and Janaka was Mithi's son... the first one to be designated as Janaka... and even from that Janaka it is Udaavasu who took birth... From Udaavasu it is noble souled Nandivardhana took birth, and Nandivardhana's son is named as Suketu, by his name... From Suketu the highly powerful and virtue-souled Devaraata is born, and from that kingly sage Devaraata, it is Brihadratha who took birth, thus we have heard...

"From Brihadratha it is the highly braving, courageous and valiant Mahaaviira has come, and the bold and truth-valiant Sudhriti from Mahaaviira... Form Sudhriti, the right-minded and highly generous Dhristaketu took birth, and from the kingly sage Dhristaketu it is highly renowned Haryashva is the son... Haryashva's son is Maru, and Maru's, son is Pratiindhaka, and the son of Pratiindhaka's is noble-souled king Kiirtiratha... The son of Kiirtiratha is remembered as Devamiidha, and the son of Devamiidha is Vibudha, and Vibudha's son is Mahiidraka... Mahiidraka's son is the great mighty king Kiirtiraata, and the son born to sagely king Kiirtiraata is Mahaaroma... From Mahaaroma it is the virtue-souled Swarnaroma, and from kingly sage Swarnaroma it is Hrasvaroma...

"Two sons are born to that knower of virtue and noble souled Hrasvaroma, I am the elder, and my younger brother is this brave Kushadhvaja... He that king and father of ours, Hrasvaroma, anointing me in kingdom as I am the elder, and vesting the duty of looking after Kushadhvaja in me, he departed to forests...

"On the departure of our aged father to heaven, I am looking after this godlike Kushadhvaja with brotherliness and lugging around the burden of this kingship... Then after sometime, a valorous king named Sudhanva came beleaguering Mithila, from his city Saamkaasha...  'The unexcelled bow of Shiva shall be given to me, along with the lotus-eyed virgin, Seetha...' thus he started to urge me...

"Oh, Brahma sage Vashishta, for the reason of my non-bestowal of bow or bride he warred with me, and when he affronted me in that war I have put that Sudhanva to the sword... Oh, best sage , on eliminating king Sudhanva, I have anointed my valiant brother Kushadhvaja in the kingdom of Saamkaasha... Oh, best saint Vashishta, this is that younger brother of mine, and I am the elder. Oh, eminent-saint, I am bestowing those brides with a highly gladdened heart... Seetha for Rama, and Urmila for Lakshmana, let there be felicity for all...

"My daughter Seetha is the bounty for bravery and in simile she is the daughter of the divine Providence, and thus the second one Urmila too... oh, eminent-saint, with a highly gladdened heart I reiterate thrice while I bestow those brides, there is no doubt about it...

The thrice reiteration is the threefold commitment mano vaak kaaya karaNaaH i.e., 'the three instruments of communication, mind, voice, and body... so I endow the brides whole-heartedly, clear-articulately, and agleam-physically...' Here this verse is addressed to Vashishta, while other mms say that it is aimed at Dasharatha by placing words 'raghunandana' instead of 'munipungava.'

"Oh, king Dasharatha, let the preceding ritual of samaavartna, be undertaken, and let manes be propitiated by the ritual, naandi shraadha, and afterwards you make happen the wedding celebrations ... thus, all will be blest...

The wording go daana differs from the ordinary lexical meaning 'cow donation' as the word gaavaka means body hair and daana is releasing, or let-going, i.e., shaving. When the students return home after the studentship they will be admitted into household after some rituals like shaving off unnecessary hair, taking oil bath etc. gau× dvayo× tu raþmi× d®g b˜õa svarja vajra ambu lomasu - n˜ n˜ - go d˜nam caula vat k˜ryam þoý˜ÿe abde taducyate | In this there will be a real cow donation also to the teacher of that student, when the students sheds his hair, after the barber attends him. After shaving off the unwanted hair, then samaavartana is undertaken. The problem pointed out at this place is, that Rama or Lakshmana are born without vyanjana kesha unwanted hair, except head-hair, as Indian mythology will not give a hairy makeup to these four brothers. 'How then Janaka asked to undertake such ceremony, when discardable hair itself is not there...' is the objection. Whether they have hair or not, the ceremony has to go on.

"Oh, great dextrous Dasharatha, the star ruling today is magha, isn't it... oh, lord, on the third from now, say day after tomorrow, when the star phaalguNi comes, in its later part, namely uttara phalugNi, you may make happen this wedding, and the bounties like go bhuu tila hiraNya aadi i.e., ' cows, lands, grains, gold etc., that ensue the wellbeing of Rama and Lakshmana, may be accorded to the eligible generously...

These old people have meticulously calculated stars and their sidereal times for marriage, but being old, they have forgotten to print the date of wedding on wedding invitations or, at least said about it. Thereby the dating of Ramayana has become a problem, and dating with Ramayana prospered.

Thus, this is the 71st chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 72

 

Vishvamitra proposes the marriages of Bharata ad Shatrughna with the two daughters of Kushadhvaja, the younger brother of Janaka. This being a welcome offer, Janaka accords his immediate consent. Then Dasharatha proceeds with the initiatory rituals for the bridegrooms and donates cows and riches.

 

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Then the eminent-saint Vishvamitra together with Vashishta said these words to Janaka, the valiant king of Videha, who has just said about his lineage.

"The Ikshvaku-s and Videha-s are unimaginably admirable and immeasurably distinguished dynasties, oh, Janaka, the best one among all men, there is no single king comparable to one from these dynasties... Oh, king Janaka, these espousals of Seetha with Rama and Urmila with Lakshmana is behovely to each other's dynastical prestige and even it is befitting to the winsome charms of the brides and bridegrooms, but that being so...

"Oh, grand sire, you may listen to my words of advise... this younger brother of yours, king Kushadhvaja, is at home in every kind of probity... Oh, king, the pair of daughters of this right-minded Kushadhvaja is nonpareil in comeliness in this world, hence, oh, grand sire, we choose to pair them off with Bharata and Shatrughna... Oh, king, for the sake of those two honourable boys, for that young man Bharata and for that smart man Shatrughna, we opt your brother's daughters... All these four sons of Dasharatha have handsomeness and youthfulness, and they are equal to the four rulers of the world from four quarters, and their valour vies with the valour of God Vishnu...

"Oh, best king, let both theses dynasties of yours, the impeccable dynasty of Ikshvaku-s and the immaculate dynasty of yours as well, be interlocked by these wedlock-s..." Thus Vishvamitra advised Janaka. On hearing the words of Vishvamitra that have the concurrence of Vashishta then Janaka reverently said this to those two eminent-saints.

"By which reason you two eminent-saints personally bid fair to this befitting proposal, thereby I opine that my dynasty is highly honoured...

"So be it! Safe betides you all! Let the pair of Kushdhvaja's daughters, namely Maandavi, Shrutakiirti, devout themselves as a pair of wives to the paired brothers, namely Bharata and Shatrughna, respectively... Oh, eminent-saint Vishvamitra, let the palms of four princesses be taken in the palms of these four mettlesome princes in marriage, in the light of one day...

"Oh, Brahman, the savants acclaim that part of the day as the best for wedding ceremonies when both of the pre-Phalguni and post-Phalguni stars are available, and on such a time where post-Phalguni is ruling, for which Bhaga is the presiding deity for progeny..." So said Janaka to the marriage party.

There is a lot of commentary from the viewpoint of astrology regarding these stars and days of this marriage. Some have said that uttare divase 'on best day...' phalguni= puurva phalguni 'pre-Phalguni... on the best day under pre-Phalguni star...' which usually does not happen, but it is also said to be correct by Maheshvara Tiirtha, as the Moon will be in the 12th house at that time, so the marriage is agreeable...' However the stars for best results of marriages are: rohiõŸ m®gaþŸrÿyaõi uttara phalgunŸ sv˜ti iti viv˜hasya nakÿatr˜õi | bodh˜yana s¨tr˜õi

On saying those gracious words thus, king Janaka got up from his throne and coming nigh of both of the eminent-saints, Vishvamitra and Vashishta, reverently said this sentence.

"You two, oh, eminent-saints, have done an excellent generous act in my respect, thus I will ever remain your proselyte... you may please preside over these thrones, that of mine, my brother's, and that of Dasharatha...

The kind deed done by the two sages, Vishvamitra and Vashishta, is fetching right husbands for his daughters, and for his brother's daughters, without flattening his own flatties. And this sitting on the three thrones is for assuming symbolic rulership on the three kingdoms, Ayodhya, Mithila, and Saamkaasya, in getting the marriages performed without a hitch.

"As to how this city Mithila appertains to Dasharatha, in the same way city of Ayodhya is mine... and there shall be no hesitancy for you two sages in governance on these three kingdoms, thus it will be apt of you to make the marriages happen as aptly as you can..." So said Janaka to the sages.

The legatee of Raghu-s king Dasharatha is gladdened while the legatee of Videha is talking in such a hobnobbing way, and he replied king Janaka in this way.

"Oh, kings of Mithila, Janaka and Kushadhvaja, you two brothers have reverenced inestimable sages and coteries of kings, as such inestimable good manners are treasured in both of you...

Annex: 'As said in good sayings like, 'good company and good discourse are the very sinews of virtue...' as such, your abilities in making these marriages happen will edge out our limited capabilities... and if we commit any mistake unwittingly, that may besmirch your unblemished personality, because for the first time I am marrying my sons, you shall pardon... by the way, you have performed many marriages, concluding that every bride is your own daughter-like, thus we hear... thus, your sitting complacently on intrusting all the works of marriages to us, is infeasible... so, you do all the works and we sit comfortably seeing the celebrations...'

"Enjoy that blessedness! Let safe betide you! We now depart to our visitatorial-palace, and we shall customarily carry out the tributary rituals..." Dasharatha said thus.

On seeking leave of absence from the sovereign of people, Janaka, that highly renowned king Dasharatha promptly departed from there, keeping both of the eminent-saints afore, namely Vishvamitra and Vashishta. King Dasharatha on going to his visitatorial-palace has procedurally undertaken the tributary rituals, and on getting up in the next morning, he carried out the initiatory rituals of marriages, in a grand way, in which donation of cows is a part.

That lord of people king Dasharatha has righteously donated hundred thousand cows to Brahman-s, in the name of each of his four sons.

In that cow donation ceremony intended for his sons, he that best one among men and the one who is affectionate towards his sons, Dasharatha, the legatee of Raghu-s, has donated on behalf of each of his sons, four hundred thousand cows, that are abundant milkers, and that have golden casings on their horns, and that are with their calves, and along with milking jugs made with bell metal, and he even donated very many other kinds of assets to Brahmans.

On performing the cow donations and samaavartna, snaataka, the initiatory ceremonies of his sons, as well, he that serene king Dasharatha who is amidst the quartet of his sons, shone forth like serene Brahma, who is quartet-faced, with the quartet of Veda-s, and who is the overlord of mankind, amidst the quartet of presiding deities in the quartet of the world.

The 'unnecessarily' repeated word 'quartet' refers to dharma where its manifestation is with four horns, catvaarii shR^ingaa, trayo asya paadaa, dve shiirSe... 'dharma's horns is a quartet, three are its feet, two are its heads...' so on. When read together with 23, 24 verses, the bullish Dasharatha is said to have the quartet of bullhorn like sons, who are being readied to administer dharma in the world.

Thus, this is the 72nd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 73

 

sŸt˜ r˜ma kaly˜õa gha÷÷am

The Marriage of Seetha with Rama

We need not wait for any invitation or wedding card or call for this marriage, as all are welcome, equally and individually. Let us go there straight, without any introductions and preliminaries.

 

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On which day the king Dasharatha made the impressive cow donations or, initiatory rites, on that day alone the valiant Yudhaajit turned up. Yudhaajit, the son of Kekaya king and the brother of Kaikeyi, thus the direct maternal uncle of Bharata, having seen and asked after the wellbeing of Dasharatha said this to him.

"The ruler and king of Kekaya, viz., my father and your father-in-law, has affectionately asked after the wellbeing of all, and in whose wellbeing you are interested at my place, they are all hale and healthy as of now... Oh, Raghu's legatee, oh, best king, my father and the king of Kekaya is interested to see my sister Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, and for that reason I am sent to Ayodhya...

"Oh, lord of the land, in Ayodhya I have heard that you went to Mithila along with your sons for their marriages, and wishing to see my sister's son Bharata I promptly travelled here..." Thus Yudhaajit told Dasharatha.

Is this entry of this maternal uncle of Bharata a forced one or does this have any bearing on the flow of epic... is a doubt, though not a question. Further he is saying 'my sister's son' i.e., Bharata alone, instead of 'all my nephews...' Whether this episode has a bearing on future events or not, one maama is entered in Indian epics, like this one and Shakuni maama in Maha Bharata.

Then king Dasharatha on seeing the adorable guest who arrived in his presence, and who is a merited one for adoration, Dasharatha adored Yudhaajit well, with full observances. Then on taking rest for that night along with his noble-minded sons, and again on getting up in the next morning, and on performing morning-observances as a duty-bound king, Dasharatha arrived at the hall of Vedic-ritual, keeping the sages in his forefront.

He arrived at the Vedic-ritual hall that he was frequenting for the last few days. Unless invited the bridegroom's party will not enter the marriage hall, and nowadays such an invitation includes a small function also, called vara puuja as every bridegroom will be looked up to as Vishnu, and the bride as Lakshmi. The marriage hall is constructed nearby this Vedic-ritual hall, thus it is to be assumed.

Rama arrived at his father together with all of his brothers, keeping sage Vashishta and other eminent-saint ahead of them, on an opportune and appropriate hour called 'Victory...' and all the bridegrooms are adorned with all kinds of jewellery appropriate for the wedding time, and all have performed the auspicious ceremony for marriage-thread, conducted prior to the marriage and, all have thread-bands tied around their wrists, as they all have performed an auspicious ceremony antecedent to marriage ceremony.

The ceremony for the marriage thread, the sacred thread of marriage for knotting as a necklace of the bride, mangala suutra is nowadays mixed up with gauri puuja, and this gauri puuja took precedence of that ceremony, because gaauri puuja, took its roots in the auxiliary Ramayana-s, where Seetha is said to have gone to Goddess Parvati's temple, prior to her marriage, to perform gauri puuja, pledging herself to Rama. The thread bands tied at the wrists of both the bride and bridegroom is as per wedding time vows, to bring them under the pledge of marriage, until its consummation. Indian marriages are time-oriented and every function has to happen on the appointed hour. Hence, the arrival of bridegrooms is also on an opportune hour, which astrologically brings forth success of that event. But some say that this auspicious hour Vijaya occurs in the early part of the day, where this marriage is occurring in the later part of day, hence this time is to be reckoned as one that acquires some victory later in the epic.

Brides are not the lone category of people destined to wear jewellery. But bridegrooms are also asked to wear golden ornaments, at least one, on such occasions. The metal gold is said to contain some effect by which a man or a woman will be benefited, health wise: mR^itaa dur luptam madhumat suvarNam dhanam jananam ruNam daarayiSunam... after all gold is gold.

Then that godly sage Vashishta on going from Vedic-ritual hall to marriage hall said this to Janaka, "Oh, best one among best people, oh, king Janaka, having performed the auspicious marriage-thread ceremony, Dasharatha along with his sons is looking forward for the donor...

"In marriages all the puruSaartha-s, the component values of life, namely rightness, riches, revelries, and results of final release will be occurring only if the benefactor and beneficiary meet, isn't it. Hence let king Dasharatha come, and then on actualising this best marriage you too will be doing your best devoir as royal priest...

Hindu marriage is not a contractual obligation because it protracts over seven life cycles of that couple. Therefore, it is calculated correctly and celebrated sacredly.

Janaka is not just a decidedly valiant king but he is the profound knower of probity also, besides being an unreservedly generous king, hence he has already made all arrangements, and when he is spoken in this way by Vashishta that king replied this sentence to that right honourable Vashishta. Who is that doorman that prevents your entry? Or, for whose orders you all await with a bated breath? Do you hesitate in your own house, or what? This kingdom is as good as yours... isn't so...

These are neither questions nor surprises, but the usual retorts and repartees usually employed during wedding time by both parties, samdhi-s of northerners and sammandi-s, of southerners, i.e., the wedding parties. By these rebuttals and ripostes, both the parties come close with each other's family habits or with its members.

"Oh, eminent-saint Vashishta, on absolutely performing the auspicious ceremony for the marriage-thread, and thereby tying thread-band at wrists my daughters have already arrived, and they are at the base of the Altar of Fire, like the irradiant jets of flames of radiant fire... I am already ready and awaiting for you remaining at this Altar of Fire. Let everything be done indeed without any deterrents. What for the king Dasharatha is dawdling..." So said Janaka to Vashishta.

And Vashishta reported this to Dasharatha, and Dasharatha and his coterie then started a wedding-walk, which usually will be dillydallying, inching and poking along, very leisurely. Even today this custom, not custom exactly, the habit of 'wedding-walks' is there and a baraat 'pageant of bridegroom's party' covers two furlong distance in two hours, or even more, keeping the bride's party on tenterhooks.

On hearing that sentence of Janaka, then Dasharatha started towards marriage hall, and then he started to enter his sons one by one, four in all, into marriage hall along with all of the assemblages of sages. Then that king from Videha bloodline, Janaka, said in this way to Vashishta, "Oh, the knower of punctilios, oh, Brahma-sage, oh, masterly sage, along with other sages you make happen all of the marriage ceremonies of Rama, the rejoicer of the world..." Thus Janaka spoke to Vashishta.

Thus said, that godly sage Vashishta on saying, "so be it," to Janaka, embarked on arranging Altar of Fire keeping sage Vishvamitra and the virtuous sage Shataananda afore of him, and that sage with great ascesis, Vashishta, has arranged an Altar of Fire in the midpoint of the cool-thatched manorial-marriage-shed, decorating it with sandal paste and flowers. Then he promptly sanctified variously coloured handy vessels, and lid-like concave earthen vessels, which are full with just sprouted sprigs, and he sanctified even other golden vessels, censers with fumes of incenses, conch-shell like vessels, and short handled wooden scoops for scooping oblatory items from vessels for putting it in long-handled scoops, and long-handled wooden scoops to drop those oblatory items into Ritual-fire, and vessels filled with oblatory items like ghee, water, milk etc., and vessels filled with toasted rice-flakes and vessels filled with holy yellow-rice duly treated with turmeric, and he sanctified all articles of wedding ceremony by sprinkling holy-yellow-rice, as a kind of dry-ablution.

These are some of the usual paraphernalia for marriage ceremony even now. The sprouting sprigs are symbolic for the prospective sprigs from this marriage, and rice-flakes for the abundance of livelihood of the couple. Usually the concave lid like vessels will be filled with black cotton soil, and on them nine varieties of grain nava dhaanya will be sprinkled to obtain sprigs. Later they are to be kept sacred for some days, watering daily, and then can be implanted in earth, if they survive. There are hosts of shops specialised to sell these items and the shopkeeper firstly asks for information 'for bride's side or for bridegroom's side?' And if we say, 'we are from bride's side' a long-list is presented, [while bridegroom's side will have a shorter list of items,] and then the shopkeeper mercifully asks 'how much is the dowry?' If we say this much or that much, he will present a Victorian model push-close pull-open velvet bag. If we exclaim 'what for is this, priest has not listed this' then he politely says, 'the priests of these days are unaware of customs and the dowry is to be put in that velvet bag and then given, as a royal presentation...' And if we say 'we are drained out by the dowry, wherefrom we give royal presentations...' then he will spew fire on us saying 'you spend so much on dowry, can't you purchase its velvet bag...' and thereafter a sermon follows about the dying Indian culture at the onslaught of westernisation, while he starts throwing the packets of nava dhaanya etc., as though he is giving alms to the beggar. Though Janaka has not purchased such a bag of dowry, he has some more problems with this marriage. A discussion on this is there at later part. Here the sprouted sprigs are the sprouting avengers on the evil, called Ravana.

Then that great resplendent and eminent-saint Vashishta neatly overlaid even-sized sacred grass on that Altar of Fire synchronising with Vedic-chants, and on preparing Ritual-fire by rubbing two wooden sticks, called araNi , he placed that fire in the pit of Altar, which is aflame now, and then reverently and in tune with the Vedic-hymns he effused oblational liquids into that Altar of Fire, with short-handled and long-handled wooden scoops. Then that king Janaka led forth Seetha, who by now is decorated with every variety of bridal jewellery, and on positioning her en face Raghava in the presence of Altar of Fire, then Janaka addressed Rama who is the enhancer of his mother Kausalya's rejoice.

By the way, where is this Kausalya? Does Rama enrich her happiness without bringing her to his marriage? We have not heard of her or of other queens or hosts of his other wives, for the last three, four days. Has she come, at all? - Yes, she has come and she is physically present - is the argument of some, basing on Valmiki's style of unrecorded accounts on trivial, or matter of fact scenes. They are implied and implicit. Dasharatha has performed some cow donations, religious functions etc., which he is not supposed to do without his wife at his side. These ladies are implicitly included in the first verse of sixty-ninth chapter: sa upaadhyaayaH sa baandhavaH 'with, teachers, with relatives...' and Dasharatha has no near relatives, not exactly relatives, but family, other than his queens and sons. So, they all are in 'et cetera... and others' cadre at present. Other way round, it is said in Kshatriya-s only male members will go and get the bride, which has no reasonable or tenable import, as far as marriages are concerned, and where every marriage concerns only with womenfolk and their panoply.

Seetha is said to have all bridal jewellery, which is not odd or particular to this corner of globe. But it is oddish and exotic jewellery if the bride is from well-to-do family or from royal family. Though not all, some of the jewellery items that are almost extinct now are listed here. siimanta pralamba a pendant clipped at back of head, dangle through the central parting of head-hair, onto the crown of head, with nine-gem-stud locket; shiroja suuci diamond studded hair pins on either side of head above ears; naasa aabharanam a round nasal ring; naasa bhuSaNam single or a pair of nine-gems studded nasal ornament; karNa aabharaNa, taaTanka, karNika various kinds of earrings with dangling cups, to which trinket bells dangle; shata yaSTika hundred stringed pearl necklace; anukanThii, muktaavalii, graiveyikam and many other kinds of necklaces; mekhala three finger width golden cincture, studded with nine-gems, and with fine golden chains dangling like festoons; saptakii seven stringed girdle string, where the strings dangle onto hip, with expanding festoons; keyuuram bicep-lets; kankaNam bracelets and bangles from wrist halfway up forearm; maNi manjiira, tulaa koTi, paada angada ankle-let with kinkiNii trinket bell-globules; cuuDaa maNi a circular jewel at bun of hair from which a gold sheet dangles till the end of braid, on which all zodiac signs are engraved. At the top, on the left and right of this cuuDaa maNi ornaments in the shape of sun and moon are pinned into jhair, and at the end of braid three / five gold cups studded with hair like strands upa kaca will be dangling. This set of braid's ornamentation is said to receive the solar energy to whole of the spine. So goes on and on the list of ornaments, to the delight of the girl wearing them and to the delight of the goldsmith making them.

Here there are five Raghava-s and only one kausalya aananda vardhana i.e., Rama. Then poet should have simply said 'Rama' instead of 'Raghava' but there are many Rama-s, Parashu Rama, and Bala Rama and suchlike, and on such calling as 'Rama...' Parashu Rama, who is scheduled to enter after marriage, may perhaps enter now, in a faux pas. Then the poet should have said dasharatha aatmajam . Then, who will be that single soul from among the four boys of Dasharatha to come forward. And if all the four hear the calling, as 'oh, Raghava' all will reply in chorus "ok, it is I..." then what will happen? Avoiding all these irksome situations, the poet gave this stage-direction to Janaka that he should aim at the son of Kausalya, with a subtext, 'you are mothered by some human female, whereas my daughter is motherless, rather un-mothered, a yoni ja non-foetal is her origination, hence it is apt of you to not to belittle her, anytime and anywhere... and you have to keep faith with her, since she outshines in outperforming your task in this so-called incarnation...'

"This is Seetha, my daughter, she acquits herself in whatever duty you undertake. Take her wishfully, let safeness betide you, take her palm into your palm..."

Or

iyam= this [or, here]; siitaa= Seetha [stands]; mama sutaa= my, daughter [fair]; tava= thy; saha dharma carii = to share, the duties of life; pratiicCha enaam= take from [father,] her [as bride]; ca= also; te bhadram = bliss betide! you; paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa= hand, join, [into your] hand.

Here Síta stands, my daughter fair, / The duties of thy life to share. / Take from her father, take thy bride, / Join hand to hand, and bliss betide! / - Ralph T. H. Griffith

.

The above is very a convenient and ready made gist of that verse. But the three pronouns in the first stanza iyam, mama, tava 'this, mine, yours…' are supposed to play havoc in deciphering the latent meaning of this verse. Let us look at some of them.

Seetha is very much there in the front of Rama, and Janaka might have shown her and told ‘take her….’ Why this iyam i.e., ‘this…’It is explained as below:

Janaka: This and this alone is Seetha, the unique, exceptional and earmarked one for you… do not confuse yourself by looking at Urmila, Maandavi and Shrutakiirti… they are for your brothers…

Rama: Why she alone is earmarked for me?

Janaka: Because she is 'Seetha…'

Rama: What, you mean a furrow, or a sillion...

[Sillion is an old word for furrow, not found in dictionaries, but used by poet Hopkins in his 'The Windhover' '…sheer plod makes plough down sillion /]

Janaka: Yes, everything comes out of earth... from coal to gold, flora to fauna, rivers to ridges… everything… a morsel of food comes from a handful of mud in this mortal world… your being, becoming and belonging in, are manifest only because of that earth… and earth enables you to live on her without seeking any requital or reciprocation… and earth is the symbol of enduing toleration, though you dig, dung or dredge it.... hence, Seetha is the symbol for mortal truth, and mortally tolerant womanhood… and you people want to know the Unknown in the skies, but do not wish to know what that is right under your feet... ved˜ aham etam puruÿam mah˜ntam ˜ditya varõam tamasa× parast˜t | if the Supreme Person beyond darkness is knowable, and sages like Vishvamitra know you and tell that you are some Super Soul aham vedmi mah˜tm˜n˜m r˜mam satya par˜kramam - bala 19-14 likewise you shall know iyam siitaa, for she is somebody to match you… have you not mugged up Veda-s, Upanishad-s…

Rama: Why not… every bit of it… you name, it I tell it…

Janaka: How does the fifth mantra of eighth topic in Chaandogya Upanishad reads?

Rama: Oh, that ` t˜ni ha v˜ et˜ni trŸõi akÿar˜õi satyam - sa ti yam - iti tadyat - sat - tad am®tam atha - yat - tan martyam atha - yat - yam - tena ubhe yacchati yad anena ubhe yacchati tasm˜t - yam - aharahar v˜ evam vit svargam lokam eti || þ˜nkara bh˜ÿyam - t˜ni ha v˜ et˜ni brahmaõo n˜ma akÿar˜õi trŸõi et˜ni - sa tŸ yam - iti sak˜ra× tak˜ro yam iti ca - Ÿk˜ra× tak˜re uccaraõ˜ artho anubandha× | hrasve naiva akÿareõa puna× prati nirdeþ˜t | teÿ˜m tat tatra yat sat sa k˜ra× tad am®tam tad brahma | am®ta v˜cakatv˜ tad am®ta eva sa k˜ra× tak˜ra anto nirýiÿ÷a× | atha yatti tak˜ra× tan martyam atha yat yam akÿaram tena akÿareõ˜ m®ta martya ˜khye p¨rve ubhe akÿare yacchatŸ yamayati niyamati vaþŸkaro iti ˜tmane iti artha× | ranga r˜m˜nuja bh˜ÿyam - t˜ni ha v˜ et˜ni trŸõi akÿar˜õi sa iti yam iti - sat - ti - yam - iti satya n˜ma tryakÿara ˜tmikam iti artha× | tadya sat am®tam adhayatti tan martyam - atra am®ta þabd˜bhy˜m cetan˜ acetane nirdiþyate | madhv˜c˜rya - sat - mukta jŸva - ti - a mukta jŸva - yam - mukt˜ amukta jŸva - - cch˜ndogya ¨paniþad aÿ÷ama prap˜÷×aka pancama mantra -

Adi Shankara's commentary: There are three letters that denote the Absolute sa, ta, yam and the syllable ii on sat is for easy pronunciation. The letter sa indicates immortality and the word ta mortality, and the syllable yam conditions and bridges both the above…' Ramanuja comment: The letter sat is immortality and the letter ti is mortality and yam conditions both, hence sattiyam is indicative of Spiritedness and non-spiritedness…' Madhvaacaarya says sat, delivered immortal souls ti yet to be delivered bounded souls, yam both the delivered and bounded souls…

Janaka: Seetha is that yam the conjunctive, conditioner, bridge between the mortal and immortal, setu - eSa setu iti vidharaNa the presiding deity of catana acetana dynamic, static beings. oh, Rama, it is said in Vishnu Puraana that Seetha is your lookalike, minus your sky-blue complexion, raaghavatve bhavet siitaa... It is said in yet another scripture, yatha may˜ jagat vy˜ptam - sva r¨peõa svabh˜vata× | tay˜ vy˜ptam idam viþvam niyantrŸ ca tath˜ ŸþvarŸ || 'as to how I am all pervading, likewise She, Goddess Lakshmi, is all pervading and the controller of the universe…' and if you want to establish yourself as the protector of this world, you have to take this and this Seetha alone, as she is the cause for the desired effect of yours… and, she is from Mother Earth ratna garbha and you are a sapphirine boy from a mother, and a sapphire shines only if it is studded in earth-given gold anargham api maaNikyam hema aashrayam apekshate… otherwise you, your incarnation, your epic, your mission, why one or two, everything concerning you will be futile, and you have to return to your milky abode empty handed, and here on earth, every house breeds one or more Ravana-s…

Rama: How am I to conclude 'this' as 'that...' I mean Goddess Lakshmi…

Janaka: Certain aspects are to be inferred because they are unmanifest. Fire on the mountain is unmanifest but smoke is manifest, hence fire is inferred. So also, ayam iishvarii is manifest as iyam this girl... from siitaa furrow, sillion, a narrow trench in ground made by ploughshare... as a small seed manifests into a gigantic banyan tree, and from this the nature of her non-foetal birth, it is to be inferred likewise, and only because of it she is someone above mortals. Because you have come as a mortal she has to take birth as a mortal, as an inseparable entity of yours…

Rama: Then why can't she fall from sky or from other planet?

Janaka: She cannot. Your connection with this earth is age-old and you love it. Because you love earth, she has to emerge from earth, a lovely act for you.

Rama: Then why mama sutaa... she can be fostered in any orphanage…

Janaka: Not so. An auspicious thing or being requires a sanctum sanctorum… Mithila is one such, and Videha-s are not just kings of this part of land, but they are priests of pious or holy things like the bow of Shiva. You know the naming of vi deha... it is not 'without bodies...' but transcending bodily affairs… Thus she chose this as her background and as she presented herself to me as baby girl, I have look upon her as mama sutaa 'my daughter…' And many, many kings sought her hand in marriage, but I refused and they warred with me… I had to call for the forces of gods to counterattack the enemy forces… perhaps, you might not have heard that humans can summon gods, but gods are at my disposal, and a prayer of mine brings them here, either for a war or for a ritual… So, do not take me or my daughter Seetha, iyam siitaa mama sutaa as some ignoramus and insignificant dullards…

Rama: Then why you want me to take back, as though she belonged to me for eons, but lost in a journey…

Janaka: Yes, she is yours from ages unknown… I cannot donate her in kanyaa daana 'bestowal of bride…' because your marriage is eternal. But you two have arrived here in human forms, so conduct yourselves in conformity with human customs… that is why I tell pratiicCha enaaam 'take her back, wishfully…' for that saying of mine get no anger on me bhadram te 'safe betides' by this act of yours… paaNim gR^ihNiSva paaNinaa 'you take her palm into your palm…' that which is customary in human paaNi grahaNa mahotsava 'wedding ceremony…' by the way, you always keep your consort in your heart hR^idaya kamala do not do such things as long as you are on earth… for your incarnation will be disclosed… just take her hand… and let not this heavenly discourse be leaked out… Ravana may come to know that you are not human and it will be impossible for you to eliminate that evil, thereby…

Likewise, let us not to disclose this info about Rama to Ravana, if any of us meet Ravana by chance. And we now proceed to the human level import of this verse.

Janaka: 'This' girl who has mugdhamanoharamanojñamohan˜tmakasukum˜rasoundaryal˜vaõy˜dau a beauty par excellence… [and par problématique beauté, as well… and Ravana alone has got more words to extol her beauty, as in Ch. 46 Aranya…] is iyam… Or, about whom you have heard from day one in the hermitage of Siddha, i.e., when you started towards Mithila, that girl is iyam… Or, the girl who is on your psyche from the minute you broke that Shiva's bow, and whom you are envisioning pr˜s˜de pr˜de ca pathi pathi ca s˜ p®ÿ÷ata× s˜ purata× 'on verandas of multistoried buildings and in window ledges, on this street and that street, before you, behind you…' during these days of your stay in Mithila… that girl is iyam…

Rama: No, No, No, you are wrong… I did not aim at any girl when aiming to lift that old bow… sorry for your unilateral conclusion…

Janaka: No, my dear boy, the condition I stipulated is bilateral… before your touching that bow, I clearly said that my daughter belongs to one who can lift that bow… you were quick enough to grab the girl, rather than the bow... and in that hastiness you even broke that bow… had you declined the girl, you should have declined to lift the bow, also… so, iyam siita was the only intention of yours when lifting that bow, and that girl is iyam siita…

Rama; Maybe, we want high-born, high-bred girls… not fatherless, motherless, birth-less orphans…

Janaka: You seem to be a doubting Thomas… that's why I said mama sutaa 'my daughter…' when it is said mahataa tapasaa raama... ' by high degree ascesis Dasharatha obtained Rama…' thus they say, and I too obtained and fostered this girl with much better ascesis, and even protected her from warring factions [only to give back to you…] and the environ of Mithila itself is of utmost sanctity and piety… If we are to be lowly subjects, why your guru Vishvamitra brought you here, that too by foot… don't think that you are taking this girl for your personal enjoyment, but it is for a caculated purpose... this girl meets that purpose and her wifehood, as well.... hence I said saha dharma carii tava 'she will be in toe with your duties'… Or, tava dharma saha carii 'whatever is your duty that duty become hers too…'

Rama: Somehow… there appears some cacoethes… confusion… from you, from all the sages, from my father and mothers, even…

Janaka: Nothing of that sort is there… if you wish heartily then only you take her… I have not said siitaam dadaami 'I am donating Seetha…' but I said pratiicCha enaam 'take her, take her back…' or else, she will exit as she came and unfulfilled will be your mission… it is up to you to decide… no compulsion…

Rama: Then let her take hold of my arrow and walk with me round the Altar of Fire… for Kshatriya-s that is the custom…

Janaka: I know, I know… but this marriage does not fit into any of the eight kinds of marriage prescribed for us, humans… hence I carefully said paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa 'take her palm into yours…'

The types of ancient marriages as laid down by scriptures are eight kinds. 1] braahmya : inviting a celibate scholar after completion of his Vedic studies, and offering a bride with due ceremony; 2] daiva : offering a bride to a ritwij when he is conducting a Vedic-ritual; 3] aarSa : giving the bride after donating a cow and ox for the success of Vedic-ritual; 4] praajaapatya : offering a bride without seeking anything from the bridegroom, to follow the course of dharma; 5] asura : giving ample money to bride's party or to bride and marrying her at costs; 6] gandharva : man and woman falling in love and marrying on their own, just out of lust and bodily pleasures; 7] raakshasa : if a bride or bride's part do not agree, by maltreating, torturing and terrorising them, and thereby seizing the bride; 8] paishaacika : while the girl is asleep, or making her drunk, or unconscious and then molesting her, by which she becomes a 'can't but' bride - a worst kind of marriage.

eteÿu aÿ÷asu viv˜heÿu ayam viv˜ho na ko api bhavitum arhati - tat ukta lakÿaõa a bh˜v˜t | tath˜ hi - na t˜vat br˜hmya× iti - ˜h¨ya d˜na a bh˜v˜t | na api daiva× - kÿatriyasya ˜rtivijya a sambhavat | na ˜rÿa - kany˜ pitro go mithuna go d˜na a bh˜v˜t | na api pr˜j˜patya× - vŸrya þulka iti kathan˜t | na api ˜sura× - kany˜ pitu× dravya d˜na a bh˜v˜t | na api g˜ndharva× paraspara anur˜geõa samsarga a bh˜v˜t | na api r˜kÿasa× - chedan hanana ˜din˜ prasahya kanya haraõa a bh˜v˜t | na api paiþ˜ci× - sva apapram˜da anyatam avasth˜ a yuktay˜× | tasm˜t katamo ayam viv˜ha iti cet - saha dharma carŸ tava - iti ukty˜ pr˜j˜patya eva viv˜ha× | dk |

And when none of the eight is unsuitable for Seetha's wedding it is brought under the fourth praajaapatya - because saha dharmam carati iti pr˜j˜patya - ˜þval˜yana | samyoga mantra× pr˜j˜patye saha dharmam caryat˜m - gautama | saha dharmama carat˜m iti pr˜j˜patyam - bodh˜yana | But here something is sought from the bridegroom, in the name of lifting the bow. But that is negated saying the 'seeking' is the seeking of material assets, not valour or bravery. It is namesake, and even the nomenclature that Seetha is the bounty for valour viirya shulka is a namesake; kÿatriyeÿu vŸrya vara eva þreÿ÷atv˜t t˜d®þaya kany˜m prad˜tum vŸrya pariþodhanam k®tam iti þulka iti kathan˜t þulka þabda aupac˜rika× | dk Hence this marriage is for implementation of righteousness and it is treated as extramundane and celebrated every year.

Rama: This marriage does not fit into any category! Then why this marriage at all!

Janaka: To be in tune with this world's tradition… however, this marriage technically comes under the category of praajaa patya…

Rama: So, you adjusted the rule books… then why me, let her take my hand…

Janaka: The enjoyer has to grab the object of enjoyment, not vice versa… take her now and bhadram te and 'be blest…'

Next, Janaka is asking the bridegroom like a poor Indian father to take a poor and motherless bride Seetha.

Janaka: iyam 'this' girl is a simple match to you, who broke the bow of Shiva; siitaa 'born in furrow' a motherless girl, hence, kindly be merciful towards her… mama sutaa 'my daughter…' where I have always been engaged in rituals and ceremonies, thereby I may not have brought her up properly, and thereby if she does talk rashly or behave oddly.. [of course, both she does later,] like an ill-bred girl, kindly tolerate and correct her… saha dhrma carii iva where iva is 'like…' just take her like your 'custom-bound consort…' and let her be useful in ceremonies and rituals, though not for pleasure trips and excursions…' pratiicCha enaam 'take her…' where the bridegrooms usually woo, court and date girls, send many messages to her parents asking for that girl in marriage… but, this girl being an uncommon one, I am begging you to take her… paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa you take her hand as she is hesitating to take your hand, for your hand is strong enough to break an unbreakable bow, she is fearing to take your hand, lest her arm too will be broken… bhadram te 'be blest…' when you honour our appeal…

And there are many, many more shades of meanings derived from this verse, but all culminate to say - 'you two are made for each other…'

"She who is prosperous and husband-devout, will always be abiding you like your own shadow..." So saying that king Janaka then poured forth water into the palms of Rama, which is sanctified with hymns.

Pouring water at the time of donation into the donee's hand symbolises the free flowing will of the donor. The 'shadow' expresses nitya sambandhatva 'ever related entity...' Or, a trace of His liilaa vibhuuti, maaya. Though they are living separately so far, that farness is now washed off by this holy water.

Then there occurred great flower-showers from firmament, while sages and gods staying in firmament have exclaimed, "nice... fine..." to the drumbeats of heavenly drums.

What happened to these gods when boyish Rama eliminated Tataka and others? Are they any lesser feats than this marriage? And why this drumming and showering flowers and blessings, when it is 'just' a human's marriage? Now the cause for the effect is conjoined to Rama to effectuate their plea to Brahma. If the entire arsenal given by Vishvamitra is set-aside for a moment, the 'present' now presented by Janaka is the ultimate weapon for the use against Ravana. aprameyam hi tat tejo yasya saa janaka aatmajaa 'unlimited is the energy, to whom Janaka's daughter belongs...' Rama is the instrumental cause in eliminating Ravana, whereas Seetha is the efficient cause for it. Lanka is ruined by Seetha, through Hanuma with the help of Fire-god, but not by Rama, or all of the monkeys put together. And Rama eliminates the half-dead Ravana. There are some more flower-showers and drumbeats and dances, later.

On handing over his daughter Seetha who is duly sanctified with sanctified waters, King Janaka is completely overwhelmed with exhilaration for the successful performance of his bit as a father and he said this.

"Come on, Lakshmana, safe betides you... say yes to Urmila, the one who is decided by me to be given to you... take her palm into yours... lapse not the time...

When Bharata is the elder of Lakshmana, how Lakshmana is called now... is a lingering doubt. That rule 'the elder brother's marriage is first...' does not apply if the brothers are from co-wives: pit®vya putre s˜patne para n˜rŸÿu teÿu v˜ | viv˜ha d˜na yajn˜dau parivedo na d¨ÿaõam || 'the elderliness among the sons of father's brothers or mothers co-wives, or other sons from other wives, do not count in their marriages, donation ceremonies, of Vedic-rituals... an younger one can be called first on such occasions...'

Janaka having said to Lakshmana that way, he also addressed Bharata, "Oh, Bharata, the delight of Raghu-s, take Maandavi's palm into your palm... That honourable king of Mithila even said to Shatrughna, "oh, dextrous Shatrughna, take the palm of Shrutakiirti into yours... Oh, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna ... you all are tender-hearted, well-behaved and well-intentioned brothers from Kakutstha lineage... without lapse of time take up other ceremonies..." So said Janaka to bridegrooms.

All the four bridegrooms are palminpalmed with all the four brides, paying heed to Janaka's words, and abiding in Vashishta's orchestration of Vedic hymns and procedures.

The word 'palminpalmed' may look oddish, but it is in fashion with the verb 'arminarmed' invented by poet Roger McGhou.

On performing circumambulations along with their wives around the Ritual-fire, and around the Altar of Fire, and that way, around king Janaka, the awarder of wives, and around sages as well for they conducted the marriages well, those great-souled bridegrooms that have emerged from Raghu's dynasty on performing further deeds of ritual consistent with custom as directed by Vashishta, they are all wed.

Firstly Vashishta enkindled the holy fire and offered oblations in it for the wellbeing of Rama and his brothers, say the bridegrooms. Next, another round of enkindling of holy fire took place in which Rama and brothers have offered marriage time oblations. After accepting the palms of brides, they made circumambulations, and then each couple established its own ritual fire and offered oblations into it. Then each couple had oblated rice-flakes into the fire, and again performed circumambulations to that Ritual-fire, respectively. Thus, the marriage is not a handshake like one-minute affair, as they all shall be before fire, daylong.

There occurred rich and highly dazzling flower showers from firmament, and that ambience is filled with the drumbeats of divine drums and with vocal and instrumental music, and promenades of apsara-s danced, and even the gandharva-s sang tunefully, and because it is the marriage of celebrated bridegrooms from Raghu's dynasty, such a charming spectacle is envisioned.. In this kind of ongoingness of harmonious music of vocal, instrumental and that of dancers, those great resplendent brothers married their wives on circumabulating the Ritual-fire fire thrice.

Then those legatees of Raghu went to their visitatorial-palace with their wives, followed by king Dasharatha along with the assemblages of sages, kinfolks, queens and wives included, and Dasharatha feasted his eyes on sons and daughter-in-laws.

Thus, this is the 73rd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 74

 

Parashu Rama confronts the wedding party that is returning to Ayodhya from Mithila. On his very entry, the atmosphere becomes pell-mell and a whirlwind ensues. Expecting some problem from this Parashu Rama, the sages like Vashishta and others starts to receive him in a peaceable manner. Not caring anyone around Parashu Rama starts a dialogue with Dasharatha Rama.

 

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When that night is elapsing into the wee hours of next day, then the eminent-saint Vishvamitra on asking for the leave of absence from those kings, Dasharatha and Janaka, and from both Rama and Lakshmana, he set out to northern mountains, namely Himalayas. When Vishvamitra departed that ruler to the delight of people, namely Dasharatha, on asking leave of absence with king Janaka who outvies bodily affairs, promptly set forth for the city of Ayodhya. Then that king Janaka of Mithila, the one from Videha lineage, gave innumerable patrimonial riches. He has also given umpteen number of cows, millions of excellent shawls and silk dresses, and elephants, horses, chariots, foot soldiers, besides hundreds of highly decorated girls, divine in their mien, as unexcelled chambermaids and handmaidens to the brides.

King Janaka gave beau idéal bridal riches in gold, silver, pearls and corals even, for he is very highly gladdened as Seetha's marriage came true. Having given many kinds of bridal gifts and having accompanied his daughters for a distance, then having received a bid adieu from Dasharatha, that sovereign of Mithila, Janaka, re-entered is own palace in Mithila.

It is customary to follow the wedding party up to the outskirts of village or town. In the meantime, there will be two or three hugs of mother and the bride, shedding two or three litres of tears, while the father of the bride secretly wipes his own moist eyes, and the like. Because, this despatch of the bride is considered as another life to her, for she cannot come to her father's house as and when she wants. Even if she comes, she is to return to her husband's place at some point of time, because from now onward 'that' house has become 'her' house. In this particular case of Seetha, she does not come to Mithila after this episode and even when Rama abandons her she goes into the womb of her mother, Mother Earth, but not to Mithila. So let us leave Janaka and his queen as they have the satisfaction in marrying their daughter, whose marriage itself is problematical so far, and when that has happened, now some sort of dissatisfaction has cropped up, in leaving her off with some forest ranger, called Rama.

Even the king Dasharatha, the sovereign of Ayodhya proceeded with his noble-souled sons, keeping all the sages in the fore, while his forces followed him. But while going with the assemblages of sages and with young Raghava-s, namely Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, the sky-bound birds started to screech with startling voice from all around facing that tigerly-man Dasharatha. Also thus, all of the earth bound animals are going his leftward, and on seeing this, albeit he is a tigerly king he is perplexed, and particularly asked Vashishta.

"Unpropitious is the starling voicing of birds, whereby my heart is throbbing down... and propitious is the leftward going of the animals, thereby my heart is throbbing up... why so?"

On hearing all that is said by king Dasharatha, the instinctual sage Vashishta said this sentence in a soothing voice, "I will tell apart the result of these auguries... The shrieks voiced by the birds are foretokening the forthcoming providential and perilous trepidation, but the behaviour of these animals is betokening it as mitigable... hence, let this consternation be forsaken...

While they are discussing among themselves, a whirlwind started to whirligig there, as though to shake the earth and shatter all gigantic trees. Murkiness enshrouded the sun, thus everyone is unaware of quarters, a sandstorm enwrapped that army, by which it has become as though ensorcelled. Then Vashishta and the other sages, the king Dasharatha along with his sons remained there with animation, and everything and every other one available there has become inanimate.

In that catastrophic darkness, that sand-muffled military of king Dasharatha has seen the son of Sage Jamadagni, namely Bhaargava Rama, the subjugator of kings of kings. He appeared calamitous in his look by wearing tufty matted and unruly head-hair, an unassailable one like Mt. Kailash, an unbearable one like the Epoch-End-Fire, irradiant with his own radiance, hence imperceivable for commoners, and such as he is, he clinched an axe on his right shoulder and clasped a bow in his left hand, that in simile is like a congeries of electroluminescence, and handling an arrow which is as if ready to electrocute, and he vied in his overall look with the devastator of triple cities, namely God Shiva.

On seeing him who is perilous in his propensity and flaming like the Ritual-fire, Vashishta and the other prominent Brahman-s who are the practisers of meditation and fire-oblations have come together and started to susurrate, up and down.

"Will he eradicate the race of Kshatriya-s even now as he was once envenomed by the murder of his father, or what... abated is his anger and alleviated is his frenzy previously when he eliminated Kshatriya-s... but is he really intending to eliminate Kshatriya-s once again, or what?" Thus, those Brahmans talked among themselves.

An account of Parashu Rama's elimination of Kshatriya clans is given in endnote.

After their susurrus the sages have approached him, who in his very look is like a visitation, with oblational water and addressed him with benign words of greeting like, "oh, Rama, oh, Bhaargava Rama..."

On receiving the deference paid by the sage Vashishta, that inexorable Rama of Jamadagni started to talk to Rama of Dasharatha.

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Parashu Rama

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This Parashu Rama or Bhaargava Rama is believed as the sixth incarnation of Vishnu on earth, prior to Dasharatha Rama. The word parashu 'an axe...' is prefixed to this Rama because he wields a merciless axe. His father was sage Jamadagni and mother Renuka. This Jamadagni is the son of Sage Riciika, a Brahman, and he married Satyavati, the sister of Vishvamitra, a Kshatriya. On certain occasion Jamadagni doubting his wife Renuka's infidelity orders this Parashu Rama to behead her, which he promptly does, but Bhaargava Rama requests his father to bring her back to life. Sage Jamadagni agrees and brings her back to life. This is a kind of entrance test to Parashu Rama, and if he can ruthlessly kill his own mother he does not hesitate to kill any, in future.

During their time, the kings were cruel and homicide was rampant to achieve the desires of the throne, however ruthless it might be. On another occasion when the sons of one Kaartviiryaarjuna sacrifice Sage Jamadagni as a sacrificial human, this Parashu Rama is frenziedly infuriated and starts eliminating all of the enthroned Kshatriya bloodlines on earth. That way he roves over the earth for thirty seven times eliminating Kshatriya-s. He even cuts off the foetuses in wombs of their queens, in order to stop the menacing progeny and offers the blood of the foetus as oblation. And that blood became five streams called shamanta pancaka. Bhaargava or Parashu Rama practises insurmountable ascesis and appeases God Shiva, and thus acquires divine weaponry. He is indomitable in archery and nothing is unknown to him in the art of archery. Yet, he resorts to an axe to behead cruel kings, physically and personally, without depending up on a distant shooting arrow. He is ciranjiivi 'long living being...' Later when peace is established on earth, this Parashu Rama retires to penance but re-entered here to have a glimpse of Dasharatha Rama. And the purpose and import of his entry at this place, is recorded in later chapters.

Thus, this is the 74th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 75

 

The visitant Parashu Rama narrates the legends of bows of Vishnu and Shiva to Rama. Unheedful of the request of Dasharatha to spare his sons, Parashu Rama addresses Dasharatha Rama directly and asks him to take an aim with the longbow of Vishnu, and if Dasharatha Rama is capable to do so, Parashu Rama says that he will give a duel to him.

 

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"Oh, valiant Rama of Dasharatha, your valour is bruited as a sensational valour, and sensational is your smashing of Shiva's bow, also thus I have thoroughly heard about your others deeds like elimination of Tataka et cetera... That way, smashing of that particular bow of Shiva is wondrous and even unimaginable... on hearing that alone I happened upon you, bringing another outranking bow... This alone is that catastrophic bow received through Sage Jamadagni... flex it with an arrow on bowstring stretching up to your ear, and in that way show your capability... Thereby, on examining your strength in your taking aim with this bow, and should you be deservedly valorous, I will give you a combative duel..." So said Parashu Rama to Dasharatha Rama.

Pt. Satya Vrat cites this in his book 'The Ramayana - A Linguistic Study... 'As in English, we speak of yuddha daanam - giving a fight to the enemy - in Sanskrit, too...' it is giving a duel.

On hearing that sentence of Bhaargava Rama, then king Dasharatha became a pitiable one, and with a downcast face and adjoined palms said this. "Aren't you a Brahman with inviolable ascesis, and whose rancour on Kshatriya-s has calmed down long back. Why this hostility again. It'll be apt of you to award aegis to my sons, for they are yet youngsters...

Vividly: 'peace is primary for Brahman-s... though that was once disturbed in you, you redeemed it after your eradicating the then ruthless Kshatriya-s... thus your rancour was appeased then... and you too peacefully retired for inviolable ascesis and acquired still higher bliss by them... do you now wish to violate your own intrinsic nature of peacefulness being a blissful one, being an all-knower, being an elderly Brahman, that too on mere boys...

"Aren't you from the bloodline of Bhaargava-s who always conduct themselves in self-study of Vedas and self-principled ways... haven't you readily discarded weapon-wielding on your promise to Thousand-eyed Indra...

Annex: 'how can you abnegate your own promise of astra sanyaasa 'reclusion from weaponry...' by wielding a weapon now, and thus becoming yourself a self-critical personality, and thus making the entire Brahman-hood as a self-contradictory classis...

"Such as you were, you on becoming a dedicatee to probity, haven't you given the planet earth to Kashyapa and haven't you repaired to forests, and haven't you flagged yourself on Mt. Mahendra...

Annex: 'if so, is this for showing the flag or else is it for keeping the flag flying... in anyway, is it inapt of you to eliminate the progeny of your own donee... Kashyapa... and if you say that 'I don't kill you all nonentities, but my target is this Rama...' then my reply will be like this...

"Or, oh, insurmountable sage, have you chanced upon us for a total annihilation of ours... when Rama is singularised and eliminated, nay-said that we all will be living..." Thus Dasharatha had gone on appealing in his love for his sons.

Annex: 'should you leave off Rama and eliminate rest of us all, Rama will not live... or, if you leave all of us and eliminate Rama alone, we all don't live... anywise it is an 'anywise' annihilation of ours... for I am still living for this Rama, and Rama alone...'

While Dasharatha is speaking in that way that intransigent Bhaargava Rama of Sage Jamadagni uncaring for those merciful words of Dasharatha addressed Rama of Dasharatha alone.

"These are the two strong and sturdy unsurpassed longbows, well-designed by gods and well-crafted by Vishvakarma, the Divine Architect, and these are very important among all bows and well-worshipped by all worlds... one broken in your, and the other in my hand... Oh, best one among men, out of the two longbows gods gave one to restive Trymbaka, God Shiva for a combat with demon Tripura, and oh, Kakutstha, that bow alone is the annihilator of Tripura, the demon... and you have broken that alone... This is the second one and the choicest gods gave this to Vishnu, thereby this is named after Him as 'Vishnu's bow...' this is an indestructible and enemy-citadel conquering longbow... and this is identical in its efficacy with Rudra's longbow...

"Once, all the gods were asking the Grandparent, Brahma, as to who is powerful and who is less powerful among the blue-throated Shiva and Vishnu... but the Grandparent Brahma on inferring the intent of gods started to create adversity among those two, Shiva and Vishnu, for the Grandparent is the best adherer of truthfulness, as truth cannot be demonstrated on hearsay evidence...

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Legend: Brahma thought that it would better to enact a drama to cleanse the one-sided mentalities of these lesser gods. So, he started to write the script, and himself becoming the writer-director of that drama. That script is hereunder.

Brahma: Mahadeva, who is the destroyer of Tripura, or say triple-citadels?

Shiva: Why? It is me, of course...

Brahma: Why do you boast that way of yourself? It is the long-arrow of your longbow, isn't it?

Shiva: Yes of course...

Brahma: Then Vishnu was presiding deity of that long-bow... isn't t?

Shiva: Yes, it is he, but I shot it from my bow... basically, is this a confusion, or, are you playing any part of Narada...

Brahma: Not so, the other day Vishnu was telling that he alone did that master task...

Shiva: How can it be! In the triple of doer-deed-instrument, instrument cannot become the doer... has his language gone topsy-turvy, noun is becoming verb and verb is lost to adjective and...

Brahma: Ok, Ok... we do not care much for grammar as we care more for communication, grammar is paNini's headache... but what he said is that he alone did it... not you...

Shiva: Then why I am called... why that longbow is given to me... you have got it done by Vishnu... you have unnecessarily spoiled my dance program...

Brahma: Not that... I said what he said... let's not quarrel among ourselves...

Shiva: I not only quarrel but wage war, if it comes to my interests and my devotees' interest... how many times I have not done so...

Brahma: That is what Vishnu was telling... every time you give a boon to every demon, and involve yourself in enmeshment, and Vishnu has come to come and rescue... have he forgotten the episode of bhasmaasura... thus Vishnu is saying and asking...

Shiva: Now I don't tolerate... I will take him to task...

Exit Shiva - Enter Vishnu. Brahma reverses the above dialogue and says that to Vishnu

Vishnu: No, No, highly objectionable... I will take him to task... I will take him to task...

Exit All. War Started.

"Owing to their animosity then occurred a fierce and hair-raising war among Shiva and Vishnu, as each aspired victory for himself... By the 'hum' sound of Vishnu that ruinously overpowering longbow of Shiva is broken, and the triple-eyed God, Mahadeva, is frozen...

The bow is jR^imbhitam broken by the hum in dissent of Vishnu - Govindaraja. And Maheshvara Tiirtha says that the bow as well as Shiva are rendered jaDa motionless. There are many legends on this shiva garva bhanga 'deflation of Shiva's pride' and some info about is given in endnote.

"Then gods along with the assemblages of sages and celestial carana-s have come together and appealed to those two for appeasement in the matter of wielding authority, and then those two superior gods, Shiva and Vishnu, went into a state of amity... On seeing the bow of Shiva rendered inert by the mettlesomeness of Vishnu, from then on the gods along with the assemblages of sages deemed Vishnu to be the paramount... That celebrated Rudra on his part with indignation has handed over that longbow, which is already fitted with unloosened arrow, to the sagely king among Videha kings, namely Devaraata...

This longbow of Shiva is reported as given after the devastation of the ritual of Daksha Prajaapati, the father of Sati and the father-in-law of Shiva as said at 1-66-9: dakSa yaj~na vadhe puurvam dhanuH aayamya viiryavaan | This ritual of Daksha is a composite of many problems. Shiva neither as god nor as the son-in-law of Daksha is invited to that ritual, Shiva's consort Sati self-immolates herself in the her father's ritual, Viira Bhadra and other deputies of Shiva depredate that ritual, and this shiva keshava yuddha 'duelling of Shiva and Vishnu...' happens... all to show - a single person's disinterestedness ruins even a holy marriage. Here Daksha was uninterested to give his daughter Sati in marriage to Shiva.

"Oh, Rama, this alone is that enemy-citadel conquering longbow of Vishnu, and Vishnu handed over this to Sage Riciika, the son of Bhrigu, as a trustworthy trust... That great-resplendent Sage Riciika on his part has handed over this divine bow to his son with unmatchable deeds of religious merit, who is my father Sage Jamadagni...

The word of Jamadagni means 'one who is born in Ritual-fire and having fire as his anima...' j˜jamadya jaj˜ne aham jajahŸ ha jaj˜yiÿŸ | jamadagni× iti khy˜tam tatio m˜ viddhi þobhane || where the word jajaamanta is 'those who devour oblations repeatedly and at a single time in Vedic-rituals, namely gods; jamu - bhakshane so I am jajiihi because I sprang up from Ritual-fire... and when the first syllable in ja jaamat is dropped it remained as jamat and when combined with fire jamat agni it shortened after dropping matup pratyaya to become jamadagni so oh, lady know me as one born and having Ritual-fire... or, Vedic-ritual itself...'

"Adhering to a barbarous mentality Kaartvaviirya Arjuna put my father to death, when the ascetically powerful father of mine has isolated himself from arsenal... Oh, Rama, on hearing the unregenerate and highly perfidious murdering of my father, I rancorously extirpated Kshatriya-s as and when they are born, that too not for one time, but I did so for thirty-seven times going around the earth... and on getting the entire earth under my control I performed Vedic-ritual, and at the end of that Vedic-ritual, I gave all that earth to sage Kashyapa, a sage with divine soul and with pious observances, as a ritualistic-generosity... and I am at present on Mt. Mahendra practising ascesis and thus conjoined are the powers of ascesis in me...

"On hearing about the breakage of Shiva's longbow, then I promptly came here. Thereby, oh, Rama, wield this supernatural and superlative longbow of Vishnu, which is passed on to me from my forefathers and my father. Keep your fealty to Kshatriya-hood in view, and wield this as you have wielded Shiva's longbow...

"Take an aim with an arrow that conquers enemy's citadels fixing it on this supramundane longbow... and oh, Kakutstha, should you be capable of it, thereafter I will give you a duel...

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The odds between Vishnu and Shiva

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This is a long drawn bloody quarrel between the two sects of vaiSNavism Vishnu faith and shaivism Shiva faith, over centuries. Here it is doubtlessly expressed in the epic that Vishnu is superior to Shiva. anena þiv˜t viÿõo× utkarÿa× pratip˜ditam - ayam eva artha× | dk 'by this Vishnu is proposed to be superior to Shiva...' but it does not mean 'every time or everlastingly...' Insofar as the incarnations are concerned, it is Vishnu, but not Shiva. In philosophy, both are one and in theology, they are separate. s®ÿ÷i sthiti anta k˜raõ˜t brahma viþõu þiv˜tmik˜m | sa sanjñ˜m y˜ti bhagav˜n eka eva jan˜rdana× || viþõu pur˜õa api cet samaram pr˜pya bhaviÿyasi m˜m adhika× | bh˜rata - droõa parva ekam eva advitŸyam brahma - sat eva saumaya idam agram assŸt - sarvam khalvidam brahma - brahm˜ v˜ idam agra asŸt - hiraõya garbha samavartata agre - antar bahi× ca tat sarvam vy˜pya n˜r˜yaõa sthita× - eka eva rudro na dvitŸy˜ya tasthe - ekam sad vipr˜ bnahudh˜ vadanti ekam santam bahudh˜ kalpayanti - abedha þruti where the last one is 'when there is only one Absolute wise men and poets create many of his forms...' to explain in ordinary parlance, that too through Puraana-s. This is because of the complexity of Vedas. In fact, Vedas do not tell anything straightaway 'this god, that is god...' but asks us, rather intuits us, to infer ourselves about the nature of god, according to our own IQ. And to be precise, Vedic gods are different from Puranic gods and Veda holds on to one Brahman, or The Absolute. The Rain-god, Fire-god, Indra et al are the instrumental gods in knowing that Absolute. The content of Vedas is just like the complexity of complex video game of present day. The more you play you either get yourself addicted to it, or shun it, or get demented by it.

Vedas go on saying pure truths in plain terms like: þam na× s¨rya urucakÿu udaitu þam nþcatasra× pradŸpto bhavantu | þam na× dhruvayo bhavantu na× sindhava× þamu san santi ˜pa× || ®gveda 7-35-8 - 'Bless that the sun, with extensive radiance, Rises for peace. May the four quarters of horizon, Be auspicious for peace and harmony...' What is so great about the sun or his radiance? If we persist in asking why this is said like that, then a dozen other quotes will be brought in to explain the idea behind it. Again another hymn: sahasra þŸrÿ˜ puruÿa× sahasr˜kÿa sahasra p˜t | ®gved 10-90-1 - 'He has thousands of heads, He has thousands of eyes...' It would be ridiculous to think of a god with thousands of heads and thousands of eyes, but if it is explained 'He has thousands of heads, to think about mankind, and he has thousands of eyes to watch over the good and bad deeds of mankind... it may be meaningful. Max Muller has this to say about the study of Vedas:

Of course, this learning of Vedas by heart is carried on under a strict discipline; it is, in fact, considered as a sacred duty. A native friend of mine... tells me that a boy, who is to be brought up as a student of Rig Veda, has to spend about eight years in the house of his teacher. He has to learn ten books: first, the hymns of Rig ved; then a prose treatise on sacrifices, called the braahmaNa; then the so-called Forest book or aranyaka; then the rules of domestic ceremonies; and lastly, six treatises on pronunciation, grammar, etymology, metre, astronomy, and ceremonial...' India can it what teach us, by Max Muller - a recent republication of Penguin.

All the above is for no practical utility in these days, except for an enquiry into that 'Brahman.' So also there is a probability for phonetic problem uccaraNa doSa in Vedas which causes pratya vaaya a boomeranging bad effect. If we wish to chant its hymn 'oh, Indra, slay my enemies...' and if a diphthong or a diagraph is mispronounced it becomes 'Oh, Indra, kill me, instead of my enemies...' and it is said to happen that way yad bhaavam tad bhavati... Unless they are practised for a life time, they are un-understandable, hence they are set aside and Puraana-s are brought in their place. Further, the effect of Vedas is said to be declining according to yuga dharma era theory... What that was available in satya yuga a period where the conflict was only between god and man, for e.g., the legend of Hrishcandra and his truth speaking, which stands tested by almost all gods, but that truthfulness is lessened in treat yuga Ramayana's period, where the conflict was between man and demons, which dharma is further lessened in dvaapara yuga period of Maha Bharata, where the conflict is among one's own brothers, and that much dharma of that period is almost extinct in kali yuga which is obvious, from the known history of India, where the conflicts are going on between man and man - husband and wife, father and son, neighbour and neighbour, and so on.<.font>

This is on par with the four-legged dharma, The Holy Bull, nandi loosing its legs one after the other and now you will see that Bull in any sculpture with half raised right foreleg, where other three went under its belly.

So Puraana-s are evolved to throw some light on what Vedas have to say, of course with some religious overtones. Elsewhere we have detailed about Puraana-s of them Shiva and Vishnu Puraana-s are though prominent, but their adherers quarrel tooth and nail about the superiority of Shiva or Vishnu. In Vishnu Puraana many instances of coalescence of Vishnu with Shiva are narrated tvat v˜kya gaurav˜t etat may˜ cakram nivartitam | tvay˜ yat abhayam dattam tat datttam akhilam may˜ - Krishna says to Shiva at the time of eliminating a demon called Baana Asura, 'As you say I have taken back my disc, and if you give a boon I deem all that is given by me...' So many instances can be quoted like this. But here Parashu Rama has no intention to kill Dasharatha Rama, as said in Padma Puraana: rarakÿa bhagav˜n - bh˜rgava r˜ma× - ekam ikÿv˜kostu mah˜ kulam | m˜t˜mahasya anvayatv˜t reõuk˜ vacan˜t tath˜ | 'that god Bhaargava Rama safeguarded one great dynasty of Ikshvaku-s, for they are related to his grandmother, besides at the request of Renuka Devi, his mother...' So, god Bhaargava Rama is a nepotist and saved Dasharatha Rama. Not so, Bhaargava Rama is neither a nepotist nor a god to be worshipped. He is not worshipped because his incarnation is not a full incarnation of Vishnu as Dasharatha Rama. Only the wrathful impetuosity of Vishnu is incarnated like Bhaargava Rama to perform butchery and even infanticide. bh˜rgavo ati d®pta× prasiddha× tad˜nŸm ca krodha andha iti sva kÿatriya vadh˜t upratam þastra sanny˜sam ca parityajya capala iti vidita× 'Bhaargava Rama is a highly impudent personality and blinded by his wrath, thus to eliminate his own Kshatriya-s [namely his own relatives, Dasharatha and his sons; again the caste system is peeping in, isn't it!] On overstepping his pledge of renunciation of weaponry, he came... hence his actions are faltering...' appayaa diikshita, a shaivaite. He came here to perform certain unsaid action, which we will see in next episode.

Thus, this is the 75th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 76

 

Rama takes aim with Vishnu's longbow and asks Parashu Rama to choose the target to release the arrow, as arrow of that bow cannot go astray. Parashu Rama opts for elimination of his ascetic merit and heavenly realms thereby. Rama releases the bow annihilating that merit and after that, Parashu Rama retreats into oblivion.

 

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On hearing that sentence of Rama of Jamadagni, then Rama of Dasharatha said this to him in a courtly owing to the presence of his father Dasharatha.

"Oh, Bhaargava Rama, whatsoever endeavour you have strived for freeing yourself from the indebtedness towards your father, I have heard of them, and oh, Brahman, we appreciate for your achieving that freeness from your paternal debt, but... Oh, Bhaargava Rama, demeaning me as though I am timorous, hence incapable to handle the bow, and hence I am an ignoble one for Kshatriya-hood, is meaningless... come on, now you may see my spiritedness and sprightliness..." So said Rama to Bhaargava.

Up to here both these Rama-s are in close quarters with other few present there. After this dialogue, they have moved a little away from the throng and facing each other as true combatants. A swordsman or an archer needs an arm-length, or sword-length or bow-length, at the least, to swagger his weapon. This place is to be assumed as an isolated place and no one is seeing or listening. This scene has an analogy in Maha Bharata when Krishna teaches Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. There, it is said, that Krishna froze the time to teach all the eighteen chapters, and none among two sides of warring factions are aware of Krishna, his teachings, or of Arjuna, excepting Sanjaya, who is placed at a distant place and has seen all with his wisdom-eye. Here we have to borrow that wisdom-eye of Sanjaya and see at these two Rama-s and their actions. When their episode is over the mist cast around them, rather on our eyes, will be cleared, when Rama returns to his father. This is said in later verses. Further more, all the people available there are rendered unconscious at the arrival of Bhaargava Rama, and a few like Dasharatha, Vashishta, Rama's brothers are with senses. So, even if they hear and see this scene, those listeners or seers do no harm in revealing Rama's godhood to world, or in particular to Ravana.

Raghava, the nimble-handed vanquisher of his opponents, speaking thus in high dudgeon expropriated that estimable weapon, namely the longbow of Vishnu, from the hand of Bhaargava Rama, along with the long-arrow that is already fitted on it...

"and, along the same lines Rama also said to have extricated the essential nature of Bhaargava...' The above said 'distancing' of these two Rama-s has another purpose. Rama has certain innate nature of making his observers enchanted by his very personality. Even Ravana looks at him adoringly in the war scene. This apart, his hand has certain ability to extricate the innate nature of others, should he lay his hand on them. We rarely see him touching or patting others, except for Seetha, Lakshmana, Hanuma, and say a squirrel etc. So, it is believed that, Rama has now expropriated the essential nature of Vishnu from Bhaargava Rama, while snatching the bow from his hands. For this Padma Puraana says: iti uktv˜ devŸ vaiÿõavy˜ þakty˜ tad gat˜y˜ saha | jagr˜ha vaiÿõavam c˜pam vinayena ca lŸlay˜ || 'oh, Devi Parvati, saying so Rama took away the Vishnu's anima from Bhaargava Rama, along with bow of Vishnu, sportily and obediently, too...' Thus, Rama of Dasharatha bade goodbye to his earlier incarnation, Parashu Rama, as two swords cannot be in one sheath.

On lifting up the bow that is already fitted with an arrow on bowstring, then Rama started to take aim with it, but being indecisive about the target, then Rama of Dasharatha irefully said this to Rama of Jamagadni.

"Oh, Rama of Bhaargava, even if you are a Brahman you are eliminable, but because of your relationship with Vishvamitra, and because you are a venerable one for me, I am disinclined to release this arrow that exterminates your life...

Bhaargava-s are Brahman-s and a Brahman cannot be killed braahmaNo na hantavya then how Rama is prepared to eliminate a Brahman, subjecting himself to the sin called 'Brahman killing...' brahma hatyaa paataka... There is no sin in eliminating a Brahman who is weaponed and warring. tath˜ ca bh˜rate r˜ja dharme k®ÿõam prati bhŸÿma× - pitr¨n pit˜mah˜n pitryam gur¨n sambandhi b˜ndhav˜n | mithy˜ prav®tt˜n ya× saðkhye nihany˜ dharma eva sa× || Maha Bharata, shannti parva. 'It is no sin to eliminated fathers, grandfathers, teachers, and the like [even if they are Brahman-s,] for they are under an illusion, called war...' So said Bhiishma to Krishna and thereby Panadava-s have eliminated Drona, Kripa, Ashvaddhaama and suchlike weaponed Brahman-s in war, but not in peace. There are many more such sayings of Bhiishma. Here Parashu Rama said that he will give a duel to Rama, hence he is no more a Brahman when he raises a weapon. And he is a blood relation of Vishvamitra, and that corner of mercy is not allowing Rama to release the arrow on Parashu Rama.

"Oh, Bhaargava Rama, either this motility of yours at the speed of your mind, or even those unparalleled realms of heavens which you have earned by the power of your ascesis, I will eliminate whichever you wish... "This Vishnu's divine arrow is the conqueror of opponents' citadels, and a vanquisher of their vigour and vainglory, and it will not fall through wastefully... isn't it!" So said archer Rama to axeman Rama.

The debate on the superiority of Vishnu or Shiva may have its own mythological import, but as far as Ramayana is considered, the eulogy for Vishnu's longbow is intended to suggest the all-powerful capacity of Vishnu in eliminating demons and to lead the epic to its own goal. Dharmaakuutam has to say this: prak®te - adhikam menire viþõum - iti r˜m˜yaõa vacanam tu agre kartavya sakala r˜kÿasa vadha hetu bh¨ta vaiÿõava dhanÿa× pr˜þasta pratip˜dana param jñyeyam | Hence the mythological quarrels have no place in Ramayana.

Gods together with the assemblages of sages have come keeping the Grandparent Brahma at their fore, likewise the gandharva-s, apsara-s, siddha-s, caarana-s, kinnaraa-s, yaksha-s, sprites and reptilian beings have also come to see Rama who is now wielding the extraordinary longbow of Vishnu, and extremely amazing event that is going to ensue.

The 'amazing event' is not the handing over or taking over of longbow, but it is the transference of the essential nature of Bhaargava Rama to Dasharatha Rama. Nrisimha Puraana has this: tata× paraþu r˜masya deh˜t nirgatasya vaiÿõavam | paþyat˜m sarva dev˜n˜m tejo r˜mam up˜viþat ||

Then, when Rama is ready to take aim with the arrow on that inscrutable longbow, and when the worlds are being rendered as insentient, then that Rama of Jamadagni is rendered vigourless and he stared up at Rama of Dasharatha.

Vividly: When the aura of Vishnu available in Bhaargava Rama has entered Dasharatha Rama through that inscrutable longbow of Vishnu, Dasharatha Rama's aura dazzled like that of Vishnu, and that dazzlement of Vishnu's aura threw the world in a daze, and then that aura-less, thus vigourless Bhaargava Rama has nothing to do except to stare at Vishnu-like Rama, with upraised eyes.

Rama of Jamadagni is calloused as his vitality is subdued by the radiance of that lotus-petal eyed Rama of Dasharatha, and he spoke to Rama of Dasharatha, slowly and softly.

"Once, when I donated entire earth to Sage Kashyapa, Kashyapa told me 'uninhabitable is my domain, viz., this earth for you...' thus...

A donor cannot enjoy a gift anymore, once donated to the donee. And if the donor still clings around that donation, it does not come under the true definition of 'donation.' Hence, Parashu Rama is asked to depart from this world. Hence he has gone to the ethereal mountain called Mt. Mahendra.

"Such as I was, in my observance of my mentor Kashyapa's order I do not spend nights on this earth from then afterwards, oh, Kakutstha Rama, as I made over this earth for Kashyapa, indeed... Thereby oh, valiant one, it will be inapt of you to impair this motility of mine, oh, Raghava, I will depart with the speed of cerebration to Mt. Mahendra, a par excellent mountain... But I triumphed over matchless realms of heavens with my ascesis, oh, Rama, you may hash them up with that irreversible arrow... let there be no time-lag... I have realized your touch of nature as that of the Immutable Supreme Being, God of Gods, the Exterminator of the demon Madhu, namely Vishnu, by the touch of your handling that bow... oh, enemy-inflamer, blessedness alone betides you...

"All of these gods who have come collectively are beholding you and your next move, for you are an unequalled one in you achievements and to whom there is no counter-dueller in conflicts...

Parashu Rama is hastening up Dasharatha Rama to finish business quickly, otherwise the nature of Rama and his incarnation will publicized, not by these two Rama-s, but the game watching gods. If these spectators stay for a long time in sky, some airborne demon will let the cat out of the bag.

"Oh, Kakutstha Rama, you are the lord of the triad of worlds, such as you are, you faced me down, and it is malapropos to say that this is a disgrace to me... It will be apt of you to unloose that unsurpassed arrow, oh, Rama, as you have ethical commitment to wipe out demons as I wiped out menacing kings, and should you unloosen that arrow now I wish to depart to the ethereal mountain Mt. Mahendra, a point of no return for me..." So said Parashu Rama to Dasharatha Rama.

While Rama of Jamadagni is speaking that way, that venturesome and blessed Rama of Dasharatha shot off that nonpareil arrow from that longbow of Vishnu. On seeing all of his realms of heavens are shot-blasted by Rama of Dasharatha, Rama of Jamadagni vanished in a trice to Mt. Mahendra, the heavenly mountain.

Rather, ready to depart... as he is given some more role-play in next verses.

Then dissipated is the darkness in all the divisions and likewise in all the subdivisions of compass, and the gods with the assemblages of sages extolled Rama, in whose hands the longbow is upraised.

Please refer the endnote about this longbow and how it is passed on to Janaka's dynasty.

Then that dab hand at axe, Rama of Jamadagni, on acclaiming, and even on making circumambulations to Rama of Dasharatha, went on his own way into oblivion.

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Longbows of Shiva and Vishnu

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The bestowal of Shiva's bow to the dynasty of Janaka is said variously at various places. In the hermitage Vishvamitra it is said that the bow is given in Vedic-ritual taddhi puurvam narashreSTha dattam sadasi daivataiH | 1-31-8 In the previous chapter it is said that the bow is given in the hand of Devaraata devaraatasya raaja R^iSeH dadau haste sa saayakam | 1-75-20 And earlier it is said to be given in Dasksha's ritual dakSa yaj~na vadhe puurvam dhanuH aayamya viiryavaan | 1-66-9 Seetha says about this to ascetic Lady Anasuya that Rain-god gave this to Janaka's dynasty mahaayaj~ne tadaa tasya varuNena mahaatmanaa | dattam dhanur varam priityaa tuuNii ca akSayya saayakau Ayodhya II-118. These statements, though not self-contradictory, and though they create a little confusion, they all are correct. When Daksha's Vedic-ritual is devastated, Shiva wanted to throw back the useless bow, that was worsted by Vishnu's bow, on the face of gods. But gods fearing for the ire of Shiva requested Shiva to give that bow to Devaraata, on their behalf. Shiva gave it to Devaraata as a trust, through Rain-god Varuna, but Shiva did no bequeath it. Later Janaka on appeasing gods in Vedic-ritual asked them to leave the bow once for all in Janaka Dynasty. Gods have agreed to it. And Rama broke it.

Now Dasharatha Rama gives back the other bow of Vishnu brought by Parashu Rama to the same Rain-god Varuna, who is present there at both Rama-s, in the thin air, when the environ is enshrouded by certain darkness, and when Rama is last seen with that upraised longbow at 1-76-23, and just before darkness is dissipated, Rama gives that bow to Rain-god, according to the first verse in next chapter.

Well known is Krishna's showing his Cosmic Form vishva ruupa to Arjuna, while teaching Bhagavad Gita in Maha Bharata. But that Bharata records Rama's display of His Cosmic form to Parashu Rama, only at this juncture. In Ch. 89 of anushaashanika parva of Maha Bharata it is said in detail as: paþya m˜m svena r¨peõa cakÿu× te vitar˜mi aham | tato r˜ma þarŸre vai r˜ma paþyati bh˜rgava× |˜dity˜n pavam˜n˜n rudr˜n s˜dhy˜n ca sa marud gaõ˜na | pitaro hut˜þana× caiva nakÿatr˜õi grah˜× tath˜ | and a long account follows on this. But this has not been amplified or explained in other texts, due to unknown reasons. However, it is not part of Valmiki Ramayana.

Thus, this is the 76th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India. 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 77

 

The wedding party arrives at Ayodhya on the exit of Parashu Rama. Yudhaajit, the maternal uncle of Bharata, who came before marriages, now takes Bharata and Shatrughna to his kingdom. Rama and Lakshmana from then on are engaged in the welfare works of their subjects, at the behest of their father. Rama and Seetha will then enter the threshold of their blissful married life.

 

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On the departure of Rama of Jamadagni, that most glorious Rama of Dasharatha is quietened at heart, and he gave away that longbow of Vishnu into the hand of inimitable Rain-god.

On this longbow and its giving to god of Rain, some discussion is incorporated in the earlier chapter.

On paying respects to sage Vashishta and to the other important sages, Rama, the delight of Raghu's lineage, placatingly addressed his agitated father Dasharatha. "Rama of Jamadagni has gone on his way, you may now order the army under your wardship, for which you are the lord, to move on towards Ayodhya..." So said Rama to his father.

On hearing the words of Rama king Dasharatha hugged his son with both of his arms, and kissed on the forehead of Raghava, and king Dasharatha is gladdened to listen about the departure of Parashu Rama, and then he is further gladdened in deeming that he and his sons took a rebirth.

Then the King Dasharatha ordered that legion to move ahead, and then they all went towards delightful city Ayodhya, whose royal highways are wetted with water, sprinkled with bunches of flowers, decorated with banners and bannerettes up above them, and reverberating with high sounding bugle-horns. Further, those highways are replete with urbanites welcomers who are handling welcoming kits which are golden handy-crates or plates in which lit camphor, fragrant incenses, vermilion powder, flowers to shower on the incomers are arranged, and those highways are well-decorated with throngs of people who are glee-faced at their king's re-entry, and into such an exhilarating city Ayodhya king Dasharatha and his retinue entered.

When the citizenry and city-dwelling Brahman-s have received him from a distance, that illustrious king Dasharatha followed by his phenomenal and praiseworthy sons then entered his happy house and home, which is like the lofty and lordly Himalayan palazzo.

'King entered the house...' is not just an entrance of a character into a scene, but it entails a lot of ceremony called gR^iha pravesha 'entering into householder-hood, the second stage of life gaarhapatya dharma out of the four stages of living, 1] celibate scholar, 2] householder, 3] repairing to forest or sageship, 4] final release, moksha. paaNi grahaNa anantarm kriyamaaNo gR^iha praveshaH - dk where ceremonies go on for hours together.

In palace king Dasharatha is overjoyed when he is surrounded with his own inmates of palace-chambers, and when his long cherished ambitions have come true, while his queens, Kausalya, Sumitra, and slender waisted Kaikeyi and other wives are overjoyed in the functions of receiving the four brides.

Again this 'receiving bride' is an elaborate variety of fun and games of womenfolk will take place, at which place there is almost no entry to men. For example, name telling. An Indian bride, or the later time wife is supposed to not to call her husband by his name. It is a sacred taboo, and her addressing shall be in genderless, person-less, and numberless hooting, cooing or calling like e jii - o jii - emanDii - ennango - shuniye so on. To cite one such ceremony it is 'naming game.' Here the bride is compelled to tell the name of her husband, and she will be hesitating to do so, because of her newness to this house or to her husband. After some teasing attempts, she mutters her husband's name, and then only she will be admitted into certain chamber or room. But dwindling are these games, and dampening is that fun, in these days of readymade marriages. Then why Dasharatha shall be overjoyed at these womanly functions, they do all those womanish things... because, Dasharatha wanted his palace to be in festivity, with just one son. But four are forced on him and they too obtained four brides in one go, hence fourfold is his happiness. It may be observed that Kaikeyi is the lone queen with 'beauty' as her attribute, and the problem with her is seeded here alone, saying that enchantment of Dasharatha towards her outweighs his affection to Rama, later.

Then the womenfolk of the king welcomed the highly propitious Seetha and the highly fortunate Urmila too, along with both the daughters of Kushadhvaja, namely Maandavi and Shrutakiirti, with pageantry and festivity. All of the brides and bridegrooms clad in silks promptly worshipped the gods in sanctums to the benedictory chanting of Vedic hymns and Ritual-fires, thus they shone forth like the tongues of Holy Fires of Vedic Altars.

These young couples by themselves are radiant, and they are now clad in radiant silks that glitter wavily like the tongues of fire, and the Ritual-fire s are already there flaring wavily, to the weave-like chanting of Vedic benedictions. With all these waving, flaring, glaring the couples too appeared as the humanly Ritual-fires before the wood burnt Vedic Ritual-fires.

Then all the princesses paid respects to all of the respectable ones, and they luxuriated in sequestered palace-chambers along with their husbands.

This 'paying respects to respectable elders' is but one line. In reality, the torsos of those that pay respects will be put to test, because they have to 'pay' by bending and touching the feet of elders, each time to each, paada abhivandana, pai lagoo . And if the girls are from jeans or pants culture, [because days have gone,] they will be fresh and new to bridal sari, which itself will be a weight to carry. And many times we see the young brides falling on the blessing couple because her bridal sari gets entangled in the toes of the bride, and she is not yet ready to manage it. So goes on this parade until their backs are broken.

And those best men among men, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, who are by now accomplished persons in weaponry and whose marriages have also come to pass, occupied themselves in the welfare of kingdom while assisting their father and moving around with good hearted people. Then after sometime that king Dasharatha, the legatee of Raghu-s, spoke to his and Kaikeyi's son, Bharata.

"This is your maternal uncle and the son of king of Kekaya, and this valiant Yudhaajit came here to take you to Kekaya province, and he is staying behind because of your marriage..." thus Dasharatha bade farewell to Bharata suggesting that Bharata may now go with Yudhaajit.

On hearing the opinion of Dasharatha, Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, then readied himself to travel along with Shatrughna to Kekaya province. That valiant and best one among men Bharata on asking leave from his father, from Rama, an uncomplicatedly dextrous one in undertaking deeds, and even from his mothers, Kaikeyi, Sumitra, and Kausalya, travelled on along with Shatrughna. Yudhaajit on clinching not only Bharata, but Shatrughna also, that valiant one is highly gladdened and entered his own city, indeed to the high rejoice of his father, King of Kekaya.

After the departure of Bharata, then the masterly proficient Rama along with Lakshmana started to square with the plans and programs of of his godly father for an ideal-sovereignty.

Rama keeping his father's directives in view undertook welfare activities for the people that are agreeable and even advantageous to them, and in the entirety of those activities, and he undertook activities to humour motherly affection with his mothers, and educational activities with educators, and in a highly self-disciplined manner he used to review them carefully from time to time.

That way Dasharatha is pleased with the deportment and comportment of Rama, likewise the Brahman-s and urbanites, and even all of the indwellers in the entire kingdom are pleased, and he who has high distinction, his truthfulness alone is his vantage point, and whose hallmarks are of higher degree, that Rama has manifested himself to those subjects in the kingdom, and even to all of the living beings in the world, as the Self-Created Brahma.

Also, that hearty Rama who permeated into the heart of Seetha is ensconced in Seetha's heart alone, and he disported for many seasons along with Seetha.

The other mms use raamaH tu instead of raamaH ca where this tu says a difference. Then, 'Rama is busy in welfare and other works of state, tu 'but' he is also impassioned for Seetha. And he is manasvii 'hearty one' warm, friendly, spirited etc., are his dispositions for kingdom, people, governmental works tu 'but' he is that 'hearty' for Seetha... Hence tad gataH - tasyaam gataH 'he pervaded her psyche, hence casketed in her heart... In the other mms it will be tasyaaH hR^idi nityam samarpitaH 'heart of Seetha is 'always' dedicated to Rama... and that word nityam 'always, eternal, everlasting...' couple. So, they may be a couple from time immemorial tu 'but' they are as good as a fresh and fervent young couple... bahuun R^ituun 'for many, many seasons to come...' he is disporting with Seetha. Why tell seasons when there is calculated calendar with years, decades, and centuries... Not so... their disporting is according to seasons, with seasonal environ, with a seasonable togetherness... vijahaara is grammatically a parasmai padi then the fruition goes to the subject, and subject of the verse is Rama, so he alone is the enjoyer and insatiate is his enjoyment with Seetha, even during and after bahuun R^ituun many, and many seasons. niravadhika paraspara baddha anuraaga abhivR^iddhi ' an endless, mutual, conjugal, impassion and its enrichment - the self-content bliss of monogamy.

Seetha has become the beloved of Rama as she is wedded with the assent of his father Dasharatha, further Rama's love for Seetha burgeoned by virtue of Seetha's own virtues and loveliness.

Here the good old saying ati ruupavatii siitaa - ati muurkhaaH ca raavaNa 'Seetha is the greatest beauty, Ravana is the highest pigheaded demon...' may be remembered. He loved her for his father's voice / Had given her and approved the choice: / He loved her for each charm she wore / And her sweet virtues more and more. - Griffith.

Even Rama as her husband made his mark in Seetha's heart twice as good, and they both used to clearly converse about their thoughts in their heart of hearts, just by their hearts. In her mien Seetha is identical with goddesses, and she is like personified Goddess Lakshmi, thus she is the reshaped Divine Prosperity, and as she hails from Holy Mithila she shall be held Holy, and since she is the daughter of Janaka, a loftiest sagacious and invincible king, she is sagely and stately, besides being shapely, and she with all these heaps of natural traits and characteristics, Seetha is rejoicing the heart of Rama.

When passionately conjugated with such a princess from the irreproachable king Janaka, Rama, the son of sagely king Dasharatha, has enthusiastically shone forth like the God of Gods and the Efficient Cause, namely Vishnu, when He is together with Goddess Lakshmi.

The 'son of king' suggests that Rama as a prospective king has no paucity for any items of enjoyment. The best 'princess' suggests that Seetha is no less than him, but now her prosperity edges on that of Rama, because she has Rama as her husband. And how will be their mutual affection and love? Many more pages can be written on it, but insufficiently, and perhaps inefficiently. This stanza from a romantic work maalatii maadhaviiyam will say how such a love would be: lŸnena prati bimbite iva likhite utkŸrõa r¨peva ca | pratyupteva ca vajra lepa gha÷ite iva antar nikh˜te iva ca | s˜ na× cetasi kŸlitena viþikhai× ceto bhuva× pancabhi× | cint˜ santati tantu j˜lena nibiýa sy¨te iva lagn˜ priy˜ || 'my darling is immersed in my heart as sugar merges in milk, as the Red oleander reflects in a prism, as a portrait painted on canvas, as a picture carved on a stone tablet, as a gem studded in a ring, as bedaubed skin-cream, and as though the five darts of Love-god are nailed fixedly, [which darts usually will be in a touch-and-go fashion,] and as though stringed with thought-strings of my heartstrings, that are the halters with fastness...'

 

Thus, this is the 77th, and conclusive chapter of Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

sarve jan˜× sukhino bhavantu

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection