||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter -77 – Dhoha -76

The childhood pastimes of Rama

One day Devi Kausalya gave bath to her infant and decorated with ornaments and marvelous attire and put him to sleep on the cradle. She went to take bath and conduct the worship of the presiding deity of the clan. Devi Kaushalya conducted detailed worship of the deity and kept the offerings and returned to the kitchen. She once again went to the shrine at home and found that her child is consuming all that offerings made to the deity; she was terrified and went to look for the baby in the cradle, found he was sleeping peacefully.  Once again she rushed to the shrine and found her child there too, she repeated checking on him, confused to see him in two places at the same time, it created intense trepidation in her, after seeing the image of her child in two places at the same time forced her to think “Am I insane? Or is that divine act of the supreme Lord?” seeing his mother extremely terrified, Lord Rama smiled at her affectionately.

Further, Prabhu revealed his Vishwaroopa, which was beyond description, the entire Bhramanda on his body, Devi Kausalya witnessed numerous mountains, Surya, Chandras, Shiva, Bhrama, rivers, oceans, three worlds, woods, movement of Kalachakra, philosophy of Karma, the nature of Prakrithi, Sattva, Rajas and Thamasik natures, greatest philosophies and she had witnessed an endless scene that was not heard or seen. She has witnessed the most powerful Maya of Lord Hari, she was terrified and stood with folded hands, further she saw the influence of Maya on the Jeeva, and she has also witnessed the Bhakti which releases the Jeeva from the clutches of Maya. Devi Kausalya stood numb, could not speak a word, she closed her eyes tightly and prostrated before the lotus feet of Supreme Lord Hari. Seeing his mother in utter dismay, the compassionated Lord assumed the form of a child once again, Devi Kausalya could not eulogize the Lord due to her extreme fear, she has terrified to consider the father of Universe as her infant. Lord Hari consoled his mother “ Oh! Mother, do not reveal the Dhrishya/scenes you have seen to anyone.”

Devi Kausalya with folded hands prayed to that supreme Lord “Oh! Prabho, kindly protects me from your powerful Maya.” Thus the Supreme Lord Hari engaged in various amusements, and childhood pastimes, in this way he provided extreme bliss to them. The years have passed; preceptor Vashishta performed the Chaula/hair removal, the rite for the children on an auspicious day. The Brahmins who participated in this rite were attained an abundance of contributions. These most attractive boys wandered all over the palace and happily engaged in various sports. The supreme Lord Hari who is not perceivable with words, mind, and deed performed various pastimes in the courtyard of King Dhasharatha. They took great pleasure in the company of the children of villagers of Ayodhya, did not leave them even for partaking meals with the family. Devi Kausalya comes with affectionate words and she runs after him and influences her son to partake in a meal.  The supreme Lord Hari who is eulogized by Veda, described that supreme Lord as ‘Nethi Nethi’, even Lord Shiva could not witness that glorious form, Devi Kausalya ran after that Bhramam to get hold of him. The child whose body is soaked in dust and sweat was embraced affectionately by the King Dhasharatha and made him sit on his lap. While taking meals, he shows restlessness, runs all over the place with a face smeared in curd rice; his various pastimes were sung in praise by Devi Sharadha, Adishesha, Shambhu, and Veda. The unfortunate ones do not feel the bliss after listening to the childhood pastimes of the Lord. The Upanayana/Upakarma ceremony of these four children was performed by Maharishi Vashishta, immediately after the rite, Rama and children went to the hermitage of the preceptor to learn knowledge in various scriptures and Veda, within a short period of time he has attained all the knowledge in various Shastras. The supreme Lord Hari whose breathe is four Vedas, went to study under the guidance of the preceptor is mysterious. The four children who are experts in all the Shastras, humble, amicable, and flawless and storehouses of virtues took great pleasure in various sports. The four children were wielded in powerful bow and arrow, had attractive physical features enticed the living and non-living things as well. The males and females of the streets looked at them without blinking their eyes, and the females and males enjoyed the beauty of these adults. The entire people of Ayodhya, males, females, elderly, and children were looked at the compassionate Lord Ramachandra and stood like pillars.