||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter -104 – Dhoha

The arrival of the grand procession of groom in the city of Mithila 

The elephants while trumpeting, the beautiful bells tied on their neck produced loud noises. The wheels of chariot produced harsh sounds while rolling on the uneven roads, the horses neighed, the sounds of Dhundhubi excelled the sounds of thunder, and therefore none could hear or speak during the journey.  The females in the city stood in their balconies of the homes, send off the procession with Mangalaharathi in their hands, and they beautifully sang and watched the procession.

Sumanthra who the charioteer of King Dhasharatha is brought a line of marvelous chariot tied with the horses which have the speed of the wind excelled the beauty of the chariot Surya, and it dutifully stood before the King, even Goddess Saraswathi cannot describe the beauty of it. These chariots were decorated with precious gems and various exquisite ornaments.  King Dhasharatha reverentially invited Sage Vashishta to a well-decorated chariot, they approached the chariot had the resemblance of Devendhra and Bhrihaspathi respectively, they finished the traditional rites according to the prescribed methods in Veda, finally, Dhasharatha took leave from Sage Vashishta and took a seat in another chariot which has the same splendor of the chariot of Sage Vashishta, he stepped into the magnificent chariot contemplating upon supreme Lord Shiva, preceptor, Goddess Parvathi, and Lord Ganesha. 

The deities showered flowers on the people assembled for the procession of the wedding of Rama, the neighing sounds of horses, the trumpeting sounds of elephants, and the loud sounds of divine instruments, filled in the air. The female of deities and humans sang beautifully, flutes, and windpipe instruments as accompaniments, the sounds of the bell echoed everywhere. The people who are skilled in the dances and various physical exercises took great pleasure in the music, people who are expert in comic, music, kept entertaining themselves. The valorous princes made their horses dances to the tunes of music, Dhundhubi, and repercussion, people who are skilled in classical dances performed arts. 

The procession of the groom was beyond description, they have witnessed various auspicious omens all their way. The Kagabird that has a blue mark on the neck took a meal from the left side of the procession, revealed the upcoming auspiciousness. On the right side, they have witnessed crow and mongoose, they have experienced cool, soft and fragrant wind blowing in a promising direction. One Sumangali/woman who has a husband walked with a pot of water and a child, a fox often appeared and vanished from their sights, in front of the procession there was a cow feeding its calf, a herd of deer appeared on the right side of the procession, an eagle flew up in the sky, they could witness a black cuckoo on an auspicious tree on the left side, they could see a person with the pot of curd and fishes, twice-born with the scriptures walking in front of the procession, in this way they could witness various auspicious omens before them.

King Dhasharatha experienced an abundance of auspiciousness omens, from the day he has achieved the supreme Lord as son Rama/Sagunaroopa.  The people assembled were praised King Dhasharatha and King Janaka are noble souls who have achieved Rama and Sita as their children, and they felt that Lord Bhrama has done justification to his creation. Thus the huge procession of the people of the groom, with the number of chariots, elephants, horses, men, and women, accompanied by the sounds of Dhundhubi, arrived in the city of Mithila.  King Janaka who was aware of the visit of King Dhasharatha, was already constructed tunnels, bridges, shelter homes, to ease tiredness of a long journey. The city resembled Amaravathi of Lord Indra, there was a grand arrangement for the food, bedding, and clothes for the travelers, and the people forgot their homes and took great pleasure in the stay in shelter homes. Finally, the process of the groom’s family arrived in the city of Ayodhya was received by the dignitaries in Ratha-Gaja – Thuraga-Padhathi. They were holding gold vessels full of nectar-like fruit juices, sweets, savories, fruits of various types in several trays for King Dhasharatha. King Janaka sent precious ornaments, finest garments, gems, birds, deer, horses, elephants, various vehicles, highly fragrant scents, and Mangaladhravyas as a gift to King Dhasharatha. One set of people were carrying curd, flattened rice, and various gifts for the King Dhasharatha.  The people who arrived to receive the procession were extremely happy.  Everyone becomes happy seeing all the efficient arrangements for the people of the groom, they produced the divine sounds of Dhundhubi. The people from the groom’s procession and the bride’s procession united together in high spirits.