||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 25– Ayodhya Kandam

Life of Rama, Sita, and Lakshman in the woods

The Supreme Lord who symbolizes eternal bliss started living in the beautiful forest of Trikoot, which is the abode of auspiciousness and beauty was beyond description.  The people who have eyes attained the fruitfulness of their lives merely witnessing the compassionate Lord, the non-living things attained piousness by carrying the dust from the feet of Raghuvara. In this way, all those living beings and non-living things achieved the status to be in the Paramapadham. The Supreme Lord Rama and Goddess Sita who abandoned the milky ocean and Ayodhya lived in a spectacular forest which was not describable even for thousand tongued Adishesha.  How could a person who is like the tortoise living in the marshy lands describe that beauty? Lakshman relentlessly served Rama and Sita with mind, words, and action. He fixed gaze at the feet of Rama and Sita and realized their love for him, did not even think of King Dhasharatha or mother Sumithra or the Kingdom of Ayodhya.

Devi Sita took great pleasure living with her dearest husband, she was completely forgotten about her people or Ayodhya or attendants, and she was like baby Chakora that fixed gaze at the lotus-like face of Ramachandra. She lived a blissful life with her husband who has immense love and kindness to her, and the love between the couple grown beyond words; she has taken immense pleasure at the lotus feet of Rama.   The dense wood seemed thousands of Ayodhya to her, she loved the tiny hermitage that was built in the middle of the forest, the deer and birds were her family members. She considered Munishwaras as her father-in-law, and their wives as her mother-in-law, and she selflessly served them. The fruits and fiber roots available from the forest were tasted nectar to her, the grass mattress they slept was warmer than the hundreds of luxurious beds of Manmatha. She is Jagathjanani, Paramba, Bhagavathi who is inseparable from that supreme Lord capable to provide the status of Lokapalaka, how could fall for the material comforts? The devotees of Rama abandon all the comforts and luxuries of life as grass and attain that supreme Lord, she is Jagathjanani and wife of that supreme Lord took the least interest in the worldly matters or comforts.

Raghunatha always speaks or acts most promising to Lakshman and Devi Sita, he narrates glorious legends from scriptures to entertain them. Lakshman and Sita took great interest in listening to those legends.  Rama whenever thinks of Ayodhya, his eyes welled up in tears. Prabhu who is Kripasindhu, thought about his loving parents, families, relatives, brothers, and especially Bharatha, and his love, humility, and devotion brought tears in his eyes. Soon, he regains control over his emotions, Devi Sita and Lakshman notice the grief of Prabhu and they also sink in grief. Immediately, Rama starts describing the legends from the scriptures watching the tears in the eyes of Sita and Lakshman, in this way they have regained their happiness and peace.

Rama and Sita lived in a beautiful hermitage in the Chithrakoota with Lakshman, like Devi Shachi with Lord Indra and her son Jayantha. He took great care of Devi Sita and Lakshman like his eyeballs. Lakshman persistently served Rama and Sita. Thus, Prabhu who is most promising to birds, animals, deities, and ascetics, spends the happiest days in the forest. I have described the life of Rama in the forest, now I shall describe Sumanthra’s return to the city of Ayodhya.

  Nishadharaja/Guha came to know that Sumanthra returning to palace without Rama, Sita and Lakshman, he could not control his grief; he wept bitterly calling out “Ram, Ram, Sita, Sita Lakshman” he fell on the ground and became inconsolable. The horses did not stop neighing and they were extremely anxious like wingless birds, it did not touch water or grass, it shed tears, all those Nishadhas were miserable watching the state of horses of Rama. Nishadharaja/Guha regained his courage and spoke to Sumanthra “Oh! Sumanthra, leave all your grief, you are highly intelligent and knower of Paramarththa, kindly regain your courage.” Nishadharaja described various legends to relieve the grief of Sumanthra and encouraged him to be seated on the chariot to return to the palace. Alas! Sumanthra could not drive the chariot due to extreme grief. The pain of separation from Raghuvara was unbearable for Sumanthra. The horses were not prepared to move on the pathways if anyone utters the name of Rama, Sita and Lakshman, it neighs looking at them affectionately. How did I explain the pain of separation of the horses of Rama? They were miserable like the serpent lost its gem. Nishadha King was extremely distressed watching the wretched state of horses and Sumanthra. He called for his four sincere charioteers and caretakers of the horses and asked them to drive Sumanthra safely back to the way to the palace.