||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 23– Ayodhya Kandam

Maharishi Valmiki's brilliant advice to Rama 

Sage Valmiki came to know about the arrival of Raghuveera, approached him was prostrated by Rama, and received the blessings of the sage who took great pleasure watching the loveliness of the couple and Lakshman. Sage Valmiki took them to his hermitage, received them respectfully, and offered seats and fruits. He offered them a beautiful place to stay; Sage took great pleasure in watching the Mangalmoorthi Rama who spoke with folded hands “Oh! Muneeshwara, you are omniscient, the whole Universe is visible in your palm.” Further, Raghuram, explained why did Devi Kaikeyi send him to the forest. “Oh! Prabho, I am fortunate to follow the command of my father and satisfy my mother Kaikeyi, I am fortunate to crown Bharatha as the King of Ayodhya, and meeting you in the forest. I consider everything as a great fortune to me. Oh! Muniraja, I am fortunate to bow before your lotus feet. I want to settle in a place in the forest where you consider appropriate for me, and I do not want to create any obstacles to the austerities of ascetics in the forest. The Kings who create impediments to the Saints and Rishis who engage in various pious activities would meet their death without fire. The highest of the auspiciousness is providing happiness to the twice-born, making them happy at all times, and their curse is enough to destroy the entire clan. Kindly advise me of a place where I have to settle in the forest. Oh! Kripalu, I can build a hermitage with Sita and Lakshman, and take shelter in it.”

The illustrious Sage Valmiki after listening to the calm and soft words of Rama, replied “ Oh! Raghuveera, you are right, you are the sincere follower of Dharma and those prescribed in the Veda, you are the Dharmadhvaja of Raghu clan. You are the protector of Vedic rites, you are Jagadheeshwara. Devi Janaki is your powerful Maya, who creates preserves and destroys the Universe and its living beings at your will. Lakshmana who bears the Universe and its living beings on his hood is a thousand hooded Adishesha who is the protector of the Universe. You have incarnated as King on Earth, to fulfill the desires of the deities, and destroy the wicked demons. Oh! Rama, you are beyond description and intellect, you are incomparable, and you are highly confidential and eternal as well. The Veda eulogizes you as ‘Nethi Nethi’. This Universe is the ‘Dhrishya’/visible and you are Dhrishta/one who sees everything. You represent Bhrama, Vishnu and Maheshwara, even they could not perceive you, and therefore you are known only to whom you introduce yourself. Whoever understands about you attains the union with you. Oh! Raghunandhana, your devotees understand you with your grace, Oh! Bhakthavathsala you are the essence of Chidananda, you are void of impurities, only the intellectuals, and fortunate ones knows about you. Oh! Raghunandhana, you have incarnated as King for the welfare of noble souls, saintly men, ascetics, and deities, Oh! Rama, the fools get infatuated after witnessing your various amusements and the intellectuals take pleasure in it. Whatever you do or speak is ‘Truth’. Everyone has to perform their character sincerely on the stage of the drama, and you are asking me where to stay in the forest. I shall ask you one question tell me where you are not present in this Universe? Then only I can show an appropriate place to stay in the forest.”

Rama smiled in his heart watching the devotion of Munishwara, who also smiled at Rama and continued to speak affectionately “ Oh! Rama, listen to me, I shall narrate the places where should you stay with Sita and Lakshmana. 1) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people whose ears are relentlessly listening to your glorious myths, but not get satisfied in it, like the ocean even though various streams merge in it but never get satisfied, hence you should live in their hearts. 2) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people whose eyes fixed on your marvelous form and takes immense pleasure in it, like the Chathaka bird fixes its gaze on the rain clouds, and yearn to consume the raindrops, Chathaka never consumes water from the watercourses, beautiful ponds or rivers. 3) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people whose tongue takes pleasure in singing the glorious legends and virtues of you, like the swans in the Manasarovar lookout for the pearls? Oh! Rama, You should reside in their hearts.  Oh! Rama, listen to me, 4) Oh! Rama you should reside in their hearts of people whose nose takes pleasure in the fragrances of the flowers, sandalwood paste, vermilion, offered to you 5) Oh! Rama you should reside in their hearts of people who consume the Prasadha offered to you and whoever adores that ornaments, clothes, offered to you 6) Oh! Rama you should reside in their hearts of people who reverentially prostrate before deities, preceptors, and twice-born, 7) Oh! Rama you should reside in their hearts of people whose hands take pleasure in the veneration of you 8) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people whose heart constantly contemplates upon you 9) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people whose feet rush to visit the sacred places and shrines on the Earth 10) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people who constantly recites the Manthrarajam/King of all the chants ‘Rama’, and worship you with their families, 11) Oh! Rama you should reside in their hearts of people who follow ancestral rites and prescribed fire sacrifices, 12) Oh! Rama you should reside in their hearts of people who please the twice-born with sumptuous meals and contributions 14) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people who serve their preceptor sincerely and respectfully, and worship them as superior to you 15) Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts of people who performs all those above said and pray for intense devotion at the lotus feet of you,  and have nothing to ask other than intense devotion at your lotus feet as a boon, you should reside in their hearts with Devi Sita and Lakshman.”

Maharishi Valmiki continues “Oh! Rama 16) People whose heart is pure without Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Madha, Ashcharya, Ragadhvesha, deceitfulness, Dhambham, etc... Oh! Raghuram resides in their hearts 17) Oh! Raghuram, people who are loved by all, who are friendly to all, who consider happiness and sorrows, praise and criticisms are alike, people who talk truth and kind words, people who are completely surrendered to your lotus feet, people who realize you as the ultimate asylum while sleep and awake, Oh! Rama, you should reside in their hearts. 18) Oh! Raghunandhana, the people who consider women as their mother and respects them, people who do not take interest in others wealth and treat them as poison, people who get highly pleased in others welfare, people who feel extremely unhappy and painful in others troubles, and people who sincerely love you,  is the place highly auspicious to live. 19) Oh! Rama, you should reside with Devi Sita and Lakshman in the hearts of the people who consider you as their father, mother, companion, preceptor, and deity. 20) People who find goodness in others and ignore their faults, people who serve cows and twice-born, people who are virtuous and righteous are the place you should reside. 21) Oh! Rama, you should live with Devi Vaidhehi in the hearts of people who consider all the goodness is your grace, and take responsibility for their weakness, and always surrendered at your lotus feet and respect and serve the devotee of you. 22) Oh! Raghuram, you should reside in the hearts of the people who have abandoned their comfortable living, caste, families, relatives, wealth, fame, etc. and always contemplate upon you. 23) Oh! Rama, you reside in the hearts of the people who consider hell and heaven and Mukthi as same and envision your all-pervasive nature in every living being. 24) Oh! Rama, you should reside permanently in the hearts of the people who perform all the deeds, words, heart, contemplating upon you and serve you sincerely. Lastly, Oh! Rama, you should reside permanently in the hearts of the people who are contented, has nothing to expect from you and have sincere devotion at your lotus feet. Oh! Raghuvara, it is your permanent residence. ” In this way, the illustrious Sage Valmiki introduced several places for Rama to settle with Devi Vaidhehi and Lakshman.