|| Sri Ram Jeyram Jaya Jaya
Ram||
Chapter -116
King Dhasharatha reverentially
prostrated before Sage Vishwamithra and Sage Vashishta and offered his sons
and wealth on his feet. Sage Vashishta received the contribution for the
performance of rite and gracefully returned the remaining to the King and
blessed them abundantly. Sage Vashishta, contemplated upon Lord Rama and Devi
Sita and returned to home happily. King and the queen invited the females of
the twice-born and offered precious ornaments and clothes. They offered clothes
to the Sumangalis, and all those sweets offered to deities were fairly
distributed to the people assembled. They reverentially received the guests and
offered contributions and gifts. The deities showered flowers upon Lord Rama,
they eulogized the endless virtues of Rama, the sounds of divine instruments
reverberated in the palace, eventually, the deities returned to their respective abodes.
King Dhasharatha returned
to the palace and met his sons and daughters in law, he took the brides on his
lap and patted them affectionately, and the females of the palace felt
immensely happy, the palace of Ayodhya became the abode of bliss. King
Dhasharatha explained the grand wedding of the four children to the females
assembled, they were drenched in enormous happiness. He explained the humility,
simplicity, generosity, kindness, and compassion and the glories of King Janaka,
and he detailed every moment in the palace of Mithila, the queens were soaked
in a state of bliss. King Dhasharatha and his children had a bath, invited
twice-born, preceptor, and relatives to partake meal. The meal was served to the guests and later
King and the queen consumed the meal, it was almost late in the night.
The females sang melodious
songs, and the night went on well. The guests received betel leaves with
fragrant ingredients and returned to their homes. The King Dhasharatha and his
sons were adorned in flower garlands and smeared in sandalwood paste, looked
attractive. The whole atmosphere was drenched in happiness, peace, serenity,
amusements, richness, beauty, and bliss cannot be explained by hundreds of Devi
Sharada, and thousand hooded Anantha, or
Lord Bhrama, Veda, Shiva or Ganesha. Therefore it is impossible for a poet like
me to narrate them; King Dhasharatha called the three queens and advised them
affectionately “Oh! Devi, our brides are too young girls, they have arrived in
a place completely new to them. Kindly protect them like the eyes protected by
eyelids. The four children are feeling sleepy take them to their chamber.” King
Dhasharatha meditated upon the feet of Rama and returned to his chamber.
The queens went to prepare
bed for their children, the cot were made of gold and gem decorated, soft and
supple mattresses of milk-white placed already on it, and there were several
pillows and cushions in attractive colors were arranged on it and the wall of
the beautiful chamber was decorated with the precious gem and the hanging lamps
of crystals, the entire chamber was filled in the fragrances of various fresh
alluring flowers, which is beyond description.
In this way, the chambers of the four children were decorated
stunningly, Rama advised his brothers to go to their chambers and sleep. Mother’s
affectionately looked at the charming limb of Rama and asked “Oh! Dear child,
how did you kill the demon Thadaka in the wood? How did you kill the valorous
demons that are merciless and wicked, dreadful Mareecha and Subhahu, and all his companions? Oh! Child, you have protected by the grace of Sage
Vishwamithra, you must have attained all those knowledge while protecting the
Yaga by you and your brother. Devi Ahalya got relieved from the curse at the
touch of your feet, your fame spread all over the world. You have broken the
Shivadhanuss which is hard as the shell of tortoise, Vajra, and rock. You have
proved your eminence to the world and you have won over the heart of Janaki,
and performed the marriage of your three brothers as well. Oh! Dear child, all your
deeds are divine; it was all with the grace of Sage Kaushika. Oh! Vathsa, your
lustrous face provided endless fortune in our lives. The day we have spent in
your absence should not be counted in our lives by Lord Bhrama.” Rama satisfied
his mothers with sweet and pleasant words and they returned to their
chambers. Rama prayed to Lord Shambhu,
preceptors/Vashishta, and Vishwamithra, illustrious Bhramins, and closed his
lotus-like eyes.
The lustrous face of Rama
and the half-closed eyes have resembled the lotus flower, queens slept with
their daughters in law holding them close to their chest. Rama rose early in
the hours of dawn, the roosters produced loud noises, Vandhiganas and Magadha
sung in praise of the King, twice-born arrived, the four brothers prostrated
before twice-born, preceptor, and parents and received their blessings. They
followed their father, while mothers were watching at them affectionately. The
four children finished their morning ablations, took bath in Sarayu, and
performed the sun worship and went to meet their father. King embraced his four
sons and seated next to them. The assembly of the King was highly pleased to
watch Rama, they considered their eyes to have attained the highest of the fortune in
their lives. Sage Vashishta and Sage Vishwamithra arrived in the assembly was
received reverentially, and offered respectable seats. King Dhasharatha and his
sons prostrated before the preceptors who were extremely happy to watch Rama in
the assembly. Sage Vashishta taught Dharma and Ithihas, King and women in the
palace listened to them carefully. Sage Vashishta described the splendor of
sage Vishwamithra, and it was highly praised by Sage Vamadeva saying that the
fame of Sage Vishwamithra is known to the three worlds. Everyone was highly
pleased to listen to that, especially Rama and Lakshmana.
There were festivals,
celebrations, various amusements, happiness and auspiciousness in the palace of
Ayodhya, in this way the waves of happiness flooded in the city of Ayodhya, and
several days have passed. There were various customary rites took place on a
regular basis, one day the sacred thread tied on the hands of brides and grooms
before the weddings were removed, watching the celebrations, deities requested
Bhrama to give them a chance to take birth in the Ayodhya. Sage Vishwamithra
prepared to leave the palace was postponed by the affectionate requests of Rama.
King Dhasharatha’s devotion and respect multiplied hundred times for Sage Vishwamithra on day by day, finally Sage
Vishwamithra requested King Dhasharatha’s permission to leave the palace, King
became too emotional, he stood with his four sons and folded hands before him,
and spoke “Oh! Mahamune, all that I have owned is yours, and kindly consider
me, my children and my wives are your sincere attendants, kindly shower your
perpetual grace upon these children, kindly bless me with your visits to the
palace.” They prostrated before Sage Vishwamithra who could not utter a word,
he blessed them and left the palace. Rama and his brothers followed the Sage
Vishwamithra was advised to return to the palace.
The gem of the clan of
Gadhi remembered those marvelous features of Rama, devotion, and respect of
King Dhasharatha, the wedding ceremonies of Rama and Devi Sita, and all those
festivities and happiness in the palace and walked away. Sage Vashishta and Sage Vamadeva described
the endless glories of Sage Vishwamithra in the palace. King Dhasharatha felt extremely fortunate for
the visit of Sage Vishwamithra to his palace. King and his four sons returned
to the palace, people of Mithila sung in praise of the marvelous wedding of
Rama and Devi Sita, his fame spread in the three worlds. The palace of Ayodhya
has become the abode of happiness from the day Rama returned with his wife, the
festivities and ceremonies took place in accordance with the wedding were beyond
description, even for Devi Sharada and thousand hooded Anantha.
The legends and fame of
Rama and Devi Sita is the treasure and storehouse of auspiciousness of the poets.
I am purifying my tongue with the legends of Rama and Devi Sita. Sant Tulsidas
Maharaj sang in praise of the splendor of Lord Rama and Devi Sita and got himself
purified. The legend of Rama is vast like an ocean; none of the poets could cross
that unfathomable ocean of bliss. Whoever listens or read to the legend of
Upanayana and marriage of Lord Rama and the festivities took place during the
celestial wedding of Rama with Devi Sita would attain happiness and welfare
with the grace of the supreme Lord. Whoever sings or read in praise of the wedding
of Rama and Vaidhehi would remain in supreme bliss, because Rama is the abode
of supreme bliss.
Doha – 361 – The concluding
couplets of Balakanda of Ramacharitha Manas
Siya Raghubeer Bibahu Jey Saprem Gavahim
Sunahim | Thinh Kahu Sadha Ucchahu Mangalayathan Ram Jasu||
No comments:
Post a Comment