||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter -115 – Dhoha

A grand welcome to the newly wedded couple in the palace of Ayodhya

Sage Vashishta advised King Dhasharatha about the arrival of the auspicious Lagna to land on the city of Ayodhya, thus King entered with his men in the city contemplating upon Lord Shambhu, Goddess Girija, and Lord Ganesha. They have witnessed various auspicious omens; deities produced Dhundhubi and showered flowers, female deities danced in bliss according to the tune of music. The Magadha – Sutha – Vandhiganas sung in praise of Lord Rama, there were cheers of victory, and Vedic chants reverberated in the ten directions. The sounds of various divine instruments raised, the deities in the sky, and the people on the Earth were in a state of extreme bliss. The people from the procession of the groom were in a state of ecstasy. The people of Ayodhya received the King with great honor, eventually, they have transported to a state of bliss after watching Rama. They have spread gems, and various gifts before him, their eyes soaked in tears of joy, the ladies took Harathi of Rama, and all the people took great pleasure in watching the four handsome youths. They saw four beautiful palanquins, parted the screen, and saw the stunning brides. Thus the procession of the bride and groom arrived at the main door of the palace of Ayodhya, three queens happily took Harthi for sons and their daughter-in-law. It is difficult to describe their happiness; they spread gems, ornaments, magnificent attires, and various precious gifts before the bride and groom.  They constantly watched the beauty of Sita and Rama, felt extremely fortunate, the female attendants of the queens did not take their eyes off from Devi Sita, and praised their fortune. The deities revealed their happiness showering flowers, playing music, and dancing to the tunes. Devi Sharadha after witnessing these four couples searched for comparison, but she could not find it, she stared at them without blinking eyes.

The newly wedded couples were received in the Palace after following Vedic and customary rituals, they offered Harathi, and took the new bride and groom in the carpeted pathways to the palace. The queens offered water/Arghyam for the brides and groom, and offered seats on a marvelous throne resembled as if it was created by Kamadeva, they devotedly washed the feet of the brides and grooms, they were offered Harathi, and fanned with the Chamaras, and offered unbroken yellow rice, those fortunate mothers felt as a Yogi attained Paramarththa, a patient received nectar of immortality, a pauper received Parasmani, a blind gained eyesight, a dumb attained excellence in speech, a valorous warrior won in the battle field. Their happiness multiplied while watching the newly wedded couples, because it is supreme Lord Ramachandra who returned home with brothers and new brides. While mothers were performing various customary rites the brides and grooms were extremely shy, Rama took great pleasure at that moment and smiled in his heart.

The queens worshiped deities and Pithrus, following the prescribed rites, as their sons were returned with their brides, they sincerely prayed the deities for the welfare of their children and daughters-in-law, all the deities showered their blessings. Those mothers received the blessings of the deities on the tip of their attire with humility. King Dhasharatha invited all those people who participated in the procession and distributed gifts, clothes, ornaments, vehicles, gems, etc. They took those marvelous moments spent with Rama in their hearts and returned to their houses, all the people of the villages were received ornaments and clothes as the gift from the King, all those houses were reverberated with divine instruments, King Dhasharatha offered all that desired by the beggars, attendants, and servants of the palace, an abundance of gifts. Those people were sung in praise of the virtues of the clan and King; they showered blessings upon the newly wedded couples. King Dhasharatha with the twice-born and preceptor went to Rajbhavan.

King Dhasharatha followed all the duties and responsibilities of the Kingdom and Vedic rites as instructed by Sage Vashishta, seeing the crowd of twice-born the queens were extremely happy and went to seek blessings from them. They invited the twice-born reverentially, washed their feet, provided ingredients for bathing and fed them with a sumptuous meal, and offered an abundance of contributions. These twice-born felt highly pleased with the devotion of the King and the queens, blessed them heartily, and returned to their homes. They worshiped Sage Vishwamithra and praised his compassion and grace, they took the dust from the feet of the Sage and adorned on their forehead, they highly praised their fortune to worship him.  King offered a marvelous chamber for Sage Vishwamithra, and the King and queens were highly conscious to serve his all needs. Further, they worshiped Sage Vashishta and prostrated before him. The children with their newly wedded brides took blessings from the Sages and the King with his three queens prostrated before the Sages and took blessings.