The Ramcharitmanas 1

by Tulsidas

  Had found the four rewards of life and with them the means to their realization.99

  (325)

  All the princes were married by the same rites

  As I have described for Raghubir’s wedding.

  The abundant dowry defies description—

  The whole pavilion was filled with gold and jewels,

  Blankets, garments and rare silken cloths

  Of many kinds and immense value,

  Elephants, chariots, horses, male and female servants,

  Cows adorned with jewels like Kamdhenu—

  So many goods, beyond accounting,

  Defying description, as those who saw them know.

  Even the guardians of the world grew envious at the sight.

  The king of Avadh accepted it all with joy.

  He gave to his supplicants whatever they liked or desired

  And whatever remained was taken to the guests’ apartments.

  Then Janak, with folded hands and addressing them in soft tones,

  Honoured the bridegroom’s party.

  He honoured the bridegroom’s party

  With reverence, gifts, humility and compliments.

  Then joyfully, with loving devotion, he paid homage and offered obeisance

  To the great sages assembled there.

  With bowed head, he invoked the gods

  And cupping his hands, said to all,

  ‘Gods and saints want devotion alone.

  Can the ocean be satisfied by an offering of water in cupped palms?’

  Folding his hands, Janak with his brother

  Then addressed the king of Koshal

  In sweet words

  Steeped in love, courtesy and affection.

  ‘Through our alliance with you, O king,

  We have been made greater in every respect.

  So look upon this kingdom and all that we possess,

  With us as servants, as yours—we want nothing in return.

  Consider our daughters your handmaidens,

  And cherish and protect them with compassion each day renewed.

  Forgive my offence—I summoned you here,

  That was very presumptuous of me.’

  Then the jewel of the solar race

  In turn addressed the bride’s father with every honour.

  Their humility towards each, with their hearts full to the brim with love,

  Cannot be described.

  The gods rained down flowers

  As Dasharath proceeded to his guest apartments

  Amidst drumbeats, cheering and the chanting of the Vedas.

  The sky and the city were filled with the tumult of celebration.

  Then, upon receiving the command of the high priest,

  The princesses’ charming friends, singing auspicious songs of joy,

  Conducted the bridegrooms with their brides

  To the inner chamber where was enshrined the family deity.

  Again and again Sita glanced shyly at Ram,

  Though her heart was not shy,

  And her eyes, yearning with love,

  Outshone the heart-enchanting fish that glitter on Kamdev’s banner.

  (326)

  Ram’s dark form is naturally beautiful—

  Its radiance puts to shame countless gods of love.

  Stained with auspicious red, his lotus-feet are comely and graceful—

  Above them, bee-like, hover the minds of saints and sages.

  His pure and gleaming yellow dhoti

  Dims the rising sun and the lightning flash.

  Around his waist is a charming belt of softly tinkling bells,

  And his mighty arms are adorned with jewels and fine ornaments.

  His yellow sacred thread lends great radiance to his form,

  The ring upon his finger steals the heart,

  And upon his broad chest, jewelled ornaments shine—

  His wedding attire is splendid and shining, and looks even more beautiful upon him.

  A yellow stole across his chest and shoulder

  Is fringed at both ends with jewels and pearls.

  In his face resides all beauty—

  With lotus eyes, beautiful rings in his ears,

  Lovely eyebrows and charming nose,

  And on his forehead a gleaming tilak in which resides radiance,

  And shining upon his head, a gorgeous wedding crown

  Threaded with pearls and jewels.

  His gorgeous wedding crown is threaded with precious jewels,

  And his every limb steals all hearts.

  Gazing upon the bridegroom, every mortal woman and celestial goddess

  Breaks blades of grass to keep away the evil eye.

  They shower him with precious gems, fine garments and ornaments,

  And worship him with songs of joy and celebration.

  The gods rain down flowers

  As storytellers, bards and minstrels recite his fame and glory.

  The women, rejoicing, led the bridegrooms with their brides

  To the shrine of the family deity,

  And singing songs of joy,

  They began the customary rites with great affection.

  Gauri guided Ram and Sharada instructed Sita

  How to put into each other’s mouths, the ritual morsel of food.

  The women’s quarters were filled with laughter and merriment—

  They felt they had reaped all the rewards of this existence.

  When, in the jewels upon her hands, Janaki saw

  The image of Ram reflected,

  She dared not move the graceful vines that were her arms nor shift her gaze

  For fear of being separated from his presence.

  The gaiety, the playfulness, the joy and the love of that moment

  Surpass description though Sita’s friends understood it.

  Then those companions led the bridegrooms and the brides to the guest chambers.

  At that moment, blessings were heard all around,

  In the town and in the firmament there was great happiness.

  ‘Long live the four beautiful couples!’

  Declared everyone, great joy in their hearts.

  Beholding the Lord, yogis, Siddhas, great munis and gods

  Sounded their drums,

  And raining down flowers in their delight, and with shouts and cheers of joy

  They departed, each for their own abodes.

  Then the four princes with their brides

  Went up to their father—

  Beauty, felicity and joy

  Seemed to fill and overflow the guest chambers.

  (327)

  A great feast was soon made ready with dishes of many kinds,

  And Janak summoned the wedding guests.

  Incomparable carpets of finest cloth were spread along their way,

  As King Dasharath proceeded there with his sons.

  The feet of all were washed with reverence

  And everyone was conducted to seats in accordance with their rank.

  Janak himself washed the feet of the king of Avadh

  With courtesy and affection that surpass description.

  He then bathed Ram’s lotus feet,

  Which are forever hidden in the lotus of Har’s heart.

  Knowing all three brothers to be the same as Ram,

  Janak washed their feet with his own hands.

  The king led them all to suitable seats of honour,

  And then sent for all the cooks.

  With great reverence they set before the guests leaf-platters,

  Their leaves made of precious gems, and fastened together with pins of gold.

  Dal and rice, and fragrant ghee made from the milk of cows—

  Pleasing to the eye, delicious and pure—

  Were served in a moment to everyone

  By the skilled and courteous cooks.

  (328)

  After the five ritual mouthfuls, the guests began to eat

  And listened with amusement
and delight to the bawdy songs that accompany a wedding feast.

  Countless dishes were served,

  All as delicious as nectar and defying description.

  Then those accomplished cooks began to serve the guests

  Viands so varied, who knows what they were called?

  Four kinds of food are mentioned in culinary treatises—

  There were so many dishes of each that they cannot be described.

  Many kinds of seasonings were used, imparting to the food the six different flavours,

  And of each flavour there were numberless dishes;

  As the guests feasted, women sang in sweet tones their songs of bawdy teasing,

  Mentioning by name each man and woman present.

  The ribald songs were appropriate to the moment,

  And the king with the entire gathering broke into laughter as they listened.

  In this manner the guests all ate and feasted,

  After which the water for washing hands and rinsing mouths was politely offered.

  Presenting paan to his guests, Janak

  Paid homage to Dasharath and his retinue.

  Then Dasharath, that best and greatest of kings,

  Retired, gratified, to his quarters.

  (329)

  Each day, there were new festivities in the city,

  So that days and nights passed in the blink of an eye.

  The jewel of all kings, Dasharath, awoke at break of day,

  As bards and minstrels began to sing his virtues.

  Seeing the young princes with their lovely brides,

  The joy in his heart was so great as cannot be described.

  After completing the morning rites, he went to his guru

  With great love and joy in his heart.

  Saluting him with folded hands,

  He spoke in a voice that seemed steeped in nectar,

  ‘By your grace, king of all munis,

  My every wish has been fulfilled today.

  Now, lord, summon all the Brahmans

  And present them with cows adorned in every way.’

  Hearing this, the guru praised the great king

  And then sent for the company of sages.

  Then Vamdev and the divine Rishi Narad,

  Valmiki and Jabali—

  A multitude of sages came, with Kaushik

  And other great munis and ascetics.

  (330)

  The king prostrated himself before them,

  And paying them homage, gave them seats of honour.

  He called for four hundred thousand cows,

  Each as gentle and beautiful as the divine cow, Kamdhenu.

  Adorning them in every way,

  The earth’s guardian gladly bestowed them upon the Brahmans, gods upon earth.

  The lord of men paid them humble obeisance in many ways, and declared,

  ‘Today I have reaped the reward of my existence in this world.’

  Receiving the blessings of the sages, the king rejoiced.

  Then summoning the beggars and mendicants,

  Dasharath, that joy of the sun’s line, bestowed upon them according to their liking,

  Gold, raiment, jewels, horses, elephants and chariots.

  The mendicants left, singing his praises—

  ‘All hail to the lord of the sun’s line!’

  Such were the celebrations of Ram’s wedding

  That even Shesh cannot described them with his thousand tongues.

  Bowing his head again and again

  At Kaushik’s feet, the king declared,

  ‘All this great happiness, king of the munis,

  Is the blessing bestowed by your gracious glance.’

  (331)

  The king praised Janak’s love and courtesy,

  His magnificence and gracious behaviour, in every way.

  Arising at daybreak each day, the lord of Avadh asked to take his leave,

  But Janak affectionately persuaded him to stay.

  Daily the honour and reverence shown to Dasharath grew anew,

  Each day was Janak’s hospitality manifested in a thousand ways,

  There were always new and joyous festivities in the town—

  No one wanted Dasharath to depart.

  Many days passed in this manner,

  As though the wedding guests were bound with ropes of love.

  Then Kaushik and Shatanand went to Janak

  And explaining, said to Videha’s king,

  ‘Now give Dasharath permission to leave

  Even though your love cannot let go of him.’

  ‘Very well, my lords,’ said Janak and sent for his ministers,

  Who saluted him crying ‘Victory! Long life!’ with bowed heads.

  Said Janak, ‘The lord of Avadh wishes to depart.

  Make it known in the inner apartments.’

  Hearing these words, the ministers were overcome with emotion,

  As were priests, councillors and the king himself.

  (332)

  The townspeople heard that the wedding guests were leaving

  And anxiously inquired of each other if it was indeed so.

  Hearing that the guests were actually leaving, all grew sad and downcast,

  Like lotuses closing their petals at dusk.

  Wherever the guests were to stay on their way back,

  Provisions of many kinds were sent—

  Dried fruits, sweetmeats, confections

  And other ingredients and condiments, of such variety that they cannot be described,

  On the backs of heavily laden oxen and innumerable porters.

  Janak also sent many fine and comfortable beds.

  A hundred thousand horses and twenty five thousands chariots,

  All beautifully decorated from top to bottom,

  Ten thousand mighty elephants, fully caparisoned,

  Which put to shame even the celestial elephants,

  Wagons full of gold, raiment and precious gems,

  And buffaloes, and cows, and many kinds of things.

  The boundless dowry thus given again by Videha’s king

  Is beyond all telling.

  Looking upon it, even the guardians of the three worlds

  Found the riches of their realms lacking.

  (333)

  When all the items had in this manner been made ready,

  Janak had them sent to the city of Avadh.

  When the queens heard that the wedding party was leaving,

  They were as distraught as fishes in shallow water.

  Again and again, taking Sita in their arms,

  They blessed and gave her advice.

  ‘May you forever be beloved by your husband,

  May your husband live forever—this is our blessing.

  Serve your father- and mother-in-law and guru,

  Observe your husband’s mood, and do as he commands.’

  Her experienced friends and companions, overwhelmed with love for her,

  Taught her a woman’s duty in sweet voices.

  Gently instructing all the princesses,

  The queens clasped them again and again to their bosoms.

  Again and again the mothers embraced their daughters

  And cried, ‘Oh why did Viranchi create women?’

  At that very moment, accompanied by his brothers,

  Ram, the banner of the solar line,

  Gladly set forth for Janak’s palace

  To take his leave and depart for home with their brides.

  (334)

  The four brothers were so naturally handsome

  That the men and women of the city rushed to see them.

  Said one, ‘They want to leave us today

  And King Janak has made all preparations to bid them farewell with their brides.

  So look upon them and fill your eyes with their beauty,

  Our beloved guests, the four sons of the king.

  Who knows, dear friend, as reward for which past good deed

 
Vidhi sent them here to soothe our eyes?

  Like one about to die finding life-giving amrit,

  Or one who has been hungry all his life finding the divine Kalpataru,

  Or one who resides in hell finding Hari’s feet—

  So is our state at the sight of these princes.

  Look upon Ram and hold his radiant beauty in your heart,

  Make of your heart the serpent, of his image the jewel in its crest.’

  In this way, rewarding the eyes of all,

  The four princes made their way to the royal palace.

  Beholding the brothers, oceans of beauty,

  The women of the palace rejoiced.

  Their delighted mothers-in-law

  Greeted them with arti and gifts.

  (335)

  Looking upon Ram’s beauty, they were enraptured,

  And overcome with love and devotion, they fell again and again at his feet.

  They forgot all propriety, for their hearts were so full of love—

  How can such artless affection be described?

  They bathed him and his brothers, anointing their bodies with sandalwood and fragrant oils,

  And with great affection, fed them a meal complete with the six flavours.

  Then, knowing it was time, Ram spoke

  In tones courteous, affectionate and modest.

  ‘The king wishes to depart for Avadh,

  And has sent us here to take our leave of you.

  Mothers, give us your blessings with happy hearts,

  And looking upon us as your sons, forever regard us with affection.’

  Upon hearing his words, the royal women grew sorrowful,

  And overcome by love, the mothers of the brides could not speak.

  They clasped their daughters to their hearts,

  And then with humble entreaty, gave them to their husbands.

  With humble entreaty, her mother gave Sita to Ram.

  Her hands folded, she said again and again,

  ‘Son! Wise one! I am certain

  That you know full well the inner state of all men

  And so will know that Sita is as dear as life itself

  To her family, to the people of this city, to me and to the king.

  Tulsi’s Lord, beholding her good nature and her love,

  Accept her as your devoted handmaiden.

  You are the fulfilment of all desire, wisdom’s crown,

  And love is dear to you.

  Ram, you appreciate the virtues of your devotees and destroy all vices,