||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 22– Ayodhya Kandam

Rama arrives in the hermitage of Maharishi Valmiki

The woman folks with the folded hands spoke to  Sita “ Oh! Devi, Long live! be inseparable like the divine couple Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, kindly shower your compassionate grace us. Oh! Devi, we sincerely request you to keep us as your sincere attendants, kindly visit us when you return back to your Kingdom and give us an opportunity to serve you all.” Devi Sita comforted them with her sweet and melodious words, like the moon rays showers coolness to lotus flowers. Rama understood the pouring love of the people, decided to leave the village and Lakshman enquired them the way to enter into the dense forest. The male and females were extremely sad, their eyes filled with tears. Their happiness vanished instantly, watching them leaving the village, felt like the precious gem lost from their hands. They became calm and sunk in deep sorrow; the men regained courage and instructed them the easiest way to approach the forest.

Rama, Lakshman, and Sita prepared to leave, the villagers began to follow them were pacified by Rama, and returned to their village, but they have left their hearts with them. The people while returning to their village wept bitterly and cursed the deity, “The Supreme Lord is unpredictable and partial, he is unashamed and cruel at times, he created Lord Chandra sick and blemished, he created Kalpavruksha among the ordinary trees and created the ocean water salty. The creator has sent these beautiful youths to the forest, if the forest is suitable to live for these charming youths, then all these comforts in the cities are meaningless. These youths are walking through the harsh paths without protection, if so all these comfortable vehicles created are worthless. These youths are taking shelter under trees and sleeping on the Kusha, if so there is no use of this luxurious mattress and marble fortress. These marvelous youths are attired in saffron robes, matted hair locks and adorned in prayer beads, hence the magnificent ornaments and clothes created have no use, these youths are living on fiber roots and fruits, and then there is no use of those sumptuous meals at all.” The other person remarked “These handsome youths must have self-incarnated, not created by God.  If we refer to all those sacred texts and scriptures, we could not find the most beautiful man and woman like Rama and Sita in these fourteen worlds. Lord Bhrama must be enthused by their loveliness and made all efforts to create like them, alas! None of his creations matches with the beauty of Rama and Sita, therefore he must have sent this attractive pair to the forest.” Another person said, “We have not much knowledge, but we are really fortunate and content in our lives, whoever witnesses this beautiful pair Rama and Sita who was accompanied by Lakshmana are extremely fortunate.” The people assembled spoke highly about Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, shed tears, and said “How did they cross the rough pathways? They are too tender to walk on these uneven roads.” The woman folks felt extremely sad like the Chakravaha that get anxious during the hours of dusk. They spoke softly “Their soft and supple feet of reddish color may get hurt, why did Jagadheeshwara not spreading flowers on their pathways? Why did he send them to the forest? If God is willing to provide boons to us, we can ask for the welfare of them.” The villagers who missed seeing Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana got anxious and enquired “Oh! Brother, where did they go? How could we reach them?” and rushed through the pathways following their footprints, some of the courageous ones made their way to reach Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana and achieved the fortune in their lives and returned in a state of bliss. The women and children who missed seeing them cursed their fate, in this way the places where Rama, Sita, and Lakshman visited have become the most fortunate lands on the Earth, and the people on these places were attained the highest of the piousness in their lives.

The villagers came to know about the decision of King Dhashara and Devi Kaikeyi to send Rama, Devi Sita , and Lakshman to the forest, some of the people strongly criticized them, and others felt it was their fortune to see Rama, Sita, and Lakshman. The males and females spoke “The parents of these children are highly fortunate, the Kingdom they have born is fortunate, and the cities, regions, mountains, forests, are fortunate to bear their footprints. Lord Bhrama who created these handsome youths should be revered highly.” 

Lord Mahadeva speaks “Oh! Uma, The cities, villages, and forest sang in praise of these handsome youths, in this way Rama, Sita, and Saumithri spread bliss through their ways to the forest. They were attired in saffron robes, Rama walked in the forefront, Devi Sita behind him and later Saumithri.  Devi Sita shone like Maya, of the supreme force of Lord, between the supreme Lord and Jeevathma. If I describe the beauty of Devi Sita, it was like Devi Rathi between Vasantha Rithu and Manmatha, she was like Devi Rohini in between Budha and Chandra. Devi Sita closely watched the footprint of her husband, walked on it. Lakshmana did not touch the footprints of Devi Sita or Rama; he walked on the right of them. The love of Rama, Lakshmana, and Devi Sita was beyond description, it was ideal, even the birds and animals fell in love on them.”

The villagers whoever met Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana traverse their tedious journey of worldly existence effortlessly.  Whoever purified their hearts watching these stunning travelers, would definitely achieve his abode at least in their dreams, which is difficult to attain even for the ascetics. Rama saw Devi Sita is tired of the journey, took shelter under a tree, consumed fruits and fiber roots, and spends that night under the shade of the tree. In the early morning, they had a bath and performed the morning rites, and began their journey. They have walked through the beautiful dense wood, watching trees, ponds, mountains and arrived in the hermitage of Maharishi Valmiki. Rama took a walk on the surroundings of the hermitage, watching that beautiful forest, mountains, and crystal clear watercourses. The ponds were filled with the cluster of lotus flowers; the whole forest was packed with the flowering plants packed with the honey bees of buzzing sounds. The birds and animals were happily moving around without any hatred of each other. Rama who has eyes resembles the lotus flower petals took great pleasure in the beauty of nature.