||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 18– Ayodhya Kandam

Lakshmana imparts the knowledge of Paramarththa to Guha 

Guha continues “The dull-minded woman Kaikeyi has worked brutally against them. It is the time for these young couple has to enjoy all the happiness in their lives; she has put Raghunandan and Sita in the deepest trouble. She has become axe to the illustrious clan of Raghu and brought endless miseries to the people of Ayodhya.” The king of Nishadha felt extremely distressed watching Rama and Sita sleeping on the Kusha grass. Lakshmana imparted the knowledge of Bhakti, Gnana, and Vairagya to Guha, and spoke affectionately “Oh! Brother, no one could create miseries to others, none can give happiness or grief to others, and it is the Karma that provides the fruit of it.  The Samyoga, Viyoga, Sukha and Dukha, friends and enemies are the illusions, in the same manner, death, birth, wealth, afflictions, destiny, and time; all are delusion in the Universe. The wealth, properties, kingdom, palace, richness, family, heaven, hell, and all those happening in this Universe, in addition to that whatever we have seen, heard, and thought, are the root of ignorance. There is nothing real in this Universe, the living beings are completely drenched in Maya, like the dream, in which beggar assumes the role of  King, and a King assumes as a beggar, as it lasts only during the hours of sleep, once got out of sleep they are neither achieving nor losing, we should learn to see the life in this manner.”

Lakshman continues “Oh! Brother, we should take life as it is and should not blame or get angry on anyone; all are soaked in Maya as if while sleeping in the night of Maya are forced to see various dreams.  The Yogis who have the thorough knowledge of Paramarththa remain awake they are freed from worldly matters and bondages, Jeeva which has no interest in worldly matters keeps awake from the Maya, they will not take interest in worldly affairs. The hallucination of desires causes extreme grief, it can be removed with the knowledge of goodness and evil, then only that Jeeva attains devotion at the lotus feet of Rama. Oh! Sakha, the highest of the truth/Paramaththa is the practice of devotion at the lotus feet of Rama with the mind, words, and action. Rama is Paramarththa, highly confidential, has no specific forms, has no end or beginning, he is incomparable and beyond description, he is void of virtues, and he is supreme Bhramam.  The Veda eulogizes him as ‘Nethi Nethi’. The compassionate Lord incarnates on the Earth, for his ardent devotees, Mother Earth, twice-born, cows, and deities, for the welfare of the Jeeva, and he performs various passionate sports, and whoever listens to him and his glorious legends would get freed from worldly matters and bondage. Oh! Sakha, get relieved from the worldly matters and practice intense devotion upon the lotus feet of Rama and Devi Sita. ” In this way, Lakshman imparted the knowledge of Bhramam to Guha, eventually, the daylight has arrived.

The Supreme Lord Rama who is the source of auspicious and happiness to the Universe got up from the Dharba grass went to perform ablutions and morning rites. Ram and Lakshmana transformed their hairs into Jata/matted hair locks with the milk of Vatavruksha. Sumanthra’s eyes soaked in tears, could not control his grief, with folded hands he spoke “Oh! Swami, King of Kosala instructed me to take you in the chariot to the woods, after having a bath in the Ganga bring back to palace, he wanted me to bring back three of you safely to the palace of Ayodhya. Kindly advise me what should I do?” Sumanthra fallen at the feet of Rama and wept bitterly, like a child, and spoke “Oh! Dear child, kindly shower your grace and do not let Ayodhya to become an orphan.” Rama raised him and spoke pleasantly “Oh! Father, you have the knowledge of righteousness, King Harishchandhra, Dhadheechi and Shibhi had undertaken a lot of hardships to protect the Dharma. The highly intelligent, Bali, and Ranthideva had undergone various troubles and protected their Dharma. The Veda, Agama and Puranas affirm ‘Truthfulness’ as superior Dharma. If I did not follow that Dharma I would be blamed in the three worlds, it would bring the grief of crores of deaths. Oh! Thatha, I have nothing else to talk, kindly convey my humble salutation to my father and advise him not to worry about me. Oh! Thatha, you are like my father Dhasharatha, you are most promising to us, kindly do all possible to keep my father away from distress, kindly remove his grief, and it is your duty as well.”

King Nishadha and his people were extremely grieved listening to the conversation of Rama with Sumanthra. Lakshmana was extremely raged and spoke unpleasant words that were put a pause by Rama, and requested Sumanthra not to inform any of the unpleasant conversations about his father; Sumanthra promised Rama that he will not inform anything that would hurt King Dhasharatha. Sumanthra conveyed the message of King Dhasharatha “Oh! Rama, Sita could not bear the hardships in the forest, therefore you both should convince and send her back safely to the palace. Otherwise, I could not live long; I will have to meet my end like a fish out of water. Sita has all the royal comforts and luxuries in her in-laws and father’s palace, hence she had to choose to live any of these places to stay comfortably until the Vanavasa of you.” Rama once again persuaded Sita to return to the palace and live a comfortable life and advised her that if she returns to the palace all the difficulties of his parents would go away.

Vaidhehi spoke “ Oh! Prabho, Oh! Prananatha, you are extremely compassionate and highly intelligent, could you remove your shadow from you? The brilliance of sunlight cannot be separated from the sun, and the cool rays of the moon cannot be separated from it.” she turned to Sumanthra and spoke to him “Oh! Thatha, you are like my father-in-law to me, I shall answer to you, I am extremely saddened at the thought of returning to palace, I have no relationship is superior to Rama in the absence of the lotus feet of my husband. I have seen the prominence of my father, I have seen the illustrious Kings bow down before him, even though in the absence of my husband, I do not feel to live in that abode of my father which is the place of happiness and bliss. My father-in-law is well-known Emperor of the Kingdom of Ayodhya, his fame is widespread in the fourteen worlds, Lord Indra receives him with great respect and makes him seated next to him. The city of Ayodhya is the place for my living, and the people and my relatives are kind and compassionate, my mother-in-law loves me like her daughter, in the absence of my husband and the dust from the feet of my husband, everything seems to be nothing to me, it cannot bring happiness not even in my dreams. I feel comfortable in the harsh pathways, mountains, hills, streams, ponds, and forest, I am happy in the company of all those untamed animals, birds, lions, deer, etc. I am not scared of the demons or hunters or tribal peoples, in the presence of my husband. Kindly convey my humble salutations at the feet of my father-in-law and mother-in-law, and advise them not to worry about me. Kindly inform them that I am extremely happy in the forest. I have my valorous and fearless husband with me, I have my brother-in-law who is equally adventurous like my husband, these two are extremely courageous wielded in bow and arrow, I have no confusions or grief, or exhaustion, therefore kindly advise them not to worry about me.”