The Ramcharitmanas 1

by Tulsidas

  Of the prosperity and well-being of Ram and his brothers.

  The gods, unseen, gave their blessings

  And the delighted mothers gathered them up.

  Meanwhile, the king summoned all those who had joined the wedding procession

  And gave them chariots, raiment, jewels and ornaments.

  Receiving permission and keeping Ram in their hearts,

  They returned rejoicing to their own homes.

  The men and women of the city, too, were clothed in jewels and costly garments,

  And songs of celebration were heard in every house.

  Whatsoever the beggars and mendicants desired,

  The king, rejoicing, bestowed upon them.

  His attendants and countless musicians

  Were all made content with gifts and courtesy.

  Giving him their blessings and paying him homage,

  They all sang the king’s virtues.

  Then, with guru and Brahmans,

  The lord of men returned home.

  (351)

  The instructions that Vasishtha gave,

  The king fulfilled with reverence, in accordance with custom and the Vedas.

  When the queens saw the crowd of Brahmans,

  They rose with respect, knowing their great good fortune.

  They washed their feet and helped them perform their ritual ablutions,

  While the king paid them homage and entertained them at a feast.

  Gratified by his courtesy, gifts and affection,

  They gave their blessings and departed with contented hearts.

  The king paid homage in many ways to Gadhi’s son

  And said, ‘Lord, there is no one as fortunate as I.’

  The king praised him greatly

  And with his queens, took the dust of his feet upon his head.

  He gave the sage magnificent rooms inside his own palace,

  Where he and the royal women kept an eye on his every wish.

  He then paid homage to his own guru’s lotus feet

  And made him humble obeisance with a heart full of love.

  The princes with their brides,

  And the lord of the earth with all his queens,

  Bowed again and again at the guru’s feet,

  And the lord of the munis gave his blessings.

  (352)

  The king paid him homage with great love in his heart,

  And placed before him his sons and his wealth.

  But the lord of the munis asked only for the customary offering

  And blessed the king in many ways.

  Holding Ram and Sita in his heart,

  The guru, rejoicing, left for his abode.

  The king then summoned the Brahman wives

  And gave to them raiment and fine ornaments.

  He then summoned all the married women of the city,

  And gave to each clothes and jewellery keeping in mind what she liked.

  All those who were entitled to receive ceremonial gifts were given their due—

  The jewel of kings bestowed the gifts upon them according to their liking.

  Those guests regarded as more dear and worthy of special reverence—

  The king honoured them in every way.

  The gods, who had witnessed the wedding of Raghubir,

  Showered down flowers and applauded this celebration.

  Sounding their drums and rejoicing, the gods left,

  Each for his own realm,

  Relating Ram’s glory to each other—

  They could scarcely contain their love in their hearts.

  (353)

  The king showed every possible honour to all,

  And, his heart full to the brim with gladness,

  He made his way to the women’s apartments

  And saw the young princes with their brides.

  He embraced his sons with great delight—

  Who can tell the joy he felt?

  He lovingly took his daughters-in-law

  Into his arms again and again, his heart rejoicing.

  Seeing this gathering, the royal women were delighted

  And bliss took up abode in their hearts.

  The king then described the wedding

  And everyone listened with growing delight.

  King Janak’s virtue, his courtesy and greatness,

  His affectionate disposition and his glittering wealth,

  The king recounted like a minstrel in many ways

  And the queens listened, overjoyed, to his account.

  The king bathed with his sons,

  Then, summoning the Brahmans, his guru and his kinsmen,

  Dined and feasted with them on a variety of dishes

  Till five watches of the night had passed.

  (354)

  Beautiful women sang songs of celebration

  And the heart-enchanting night became filled with joy.

  Rising from the meal, they rinsed their mouths and were offered paan,

  And were adorned with garlands of flowers and fragrant perfumes so that they looked quite splendid.

  Then, gazing at Ram, and receiving royal permission to leave,

  The guests departed, their heads bowed in reverence, for their own homes.

  The love, happiness, delight and glory,

  A hundred Sharadas and Sheshas,

  Vedas, Viranchis, Maheshas, or Ganeshas

  Cannot narrate the heart-enchanting beauty of that occasion and that gathering.

  How, then, can I tell it—

  Can an earthworm bear the earth upon its head?

  The king honoured all in every way,

  Then he called for his queens, and said to them in gentle tones,

  ‘The brides are but children, come to a strange house,

  Protect them as the eyelids protect the eyes.

  The boys are tired and sleepy

  Go, put them to bed.’

  So saying he retired to his own bedchamber,

  His mind fixed upon Ram’s feet.

  (355)

  Upon hearing the king’s gentle words, the queens

  Made up golden beds studded with jewels

  With many fine sheets as soft and white

  As the froth upon a beautiful cow’s milk

  And pillows so fine they cannot be described.

  The jewelled chamber was fragrant with flowers and perfumes.

  Lit by jewelled lamps, and with an exquisitely beautiful canopy

  It defied description—only those who had seen it could understand its splendour.

  Having made ready this beautiful bed, they picked up Ram

  And affectionately laid him upon it.

  He had to order his brothers again and again

  Before they, too, lay down upon their own beds.

  Gazing upon his dark form, so soft and beautiful,

  The royal mothers spoke in loving tones,

  ‘How did you, dear son, kill on your way to the forest,

  The fearful and fearsome Taraka?

  Those dreadful night-wanderers—formidable warriors

  Who fear no one in battle—

  How did you slay them, the vile Marich and Subahu,

  With all their troops?

  (356)

  We vow it was by the muni’s grace, son,

  That God averted so many calamities.

  Protecting the sacrificial offerings, you two brothers

  Received all knowledge by the guru’s favour.

  A muni’s wife attained salvation at the touch of the dust of your feet

  And your glory filled the whole world.

  Shiv’s bow—harder than a turtle’s shell, adamant or a mountain peak—

  You broke in the assembly of kings.

  You earned the glory of having triumphed over the world and won Janaki

  And have now returned home with your brothers, all married.

  Your deeds were all more than human,

  And accomplished only by Kaushik’s favour.
/>   Today our existence in this world bears fruit

  When we see, son, the moon of your countenance.

  And the days that went by without seeing you—

  May Viranchi not take those into account!’

  Ram reassured all his mothers

  With sweet and gentle words,

  Then, meditating upon the feet of Shambhu, his guru and Brahmans,

  He let sleep overpower his eyes.

  (357)

  Even in sleep, his face was charming and radiant,

  Like a red lotus that closes its petals at dusk.

  In every household, women stayed awake

  Singing bawdy and festive songs.

  ‘Look, my dears, the city shines with splendour,

  The night is so bright!’ exclaim the queens.

  The mothers-in-law fell asleep with the beautiful brides enfolded in their arms,

  Like serpents who had hidden the jewels upon their hoods in their hearts.

  The Lord awoke at the sacred hour of dawn,

  Red-crested roosters began to crow,

  Bards and minstrels sang their songs of praise,

  And the people of the city gathered reverently at the gates.

  Saluting Brahmans, gods, guru, mother and father,

  The brothers gladly received their blessings.

  Their mothers gazed upon their faces with reverence,

  As they stepped outside with the king.

  Though inherently pure, they performed the customary morning ablutions

  And bathed in the pure and sacred river.

  Then, completing their morning worship,

  The four brothers returned to their father.

  (358)

  The king, seeing them, clasped them to his bosom,

  And receiving his permission, they happily sat down.

  Looking upon Ram, the gathered people cheered

  And considered their eyes had received their greatest reward.

  Then Vasishtha and Muni Kaushik came,

  And were seated upon handsome thrones.

  The king, together with his sons, touched their feet and paid them homage,

  Looking upon Ram, the two gurus were overwhelmed with love.

  Vasishtha began reciting the sacred legends,

  While the king with the royal women listened.

  The deeds of Gadhi’s son, which are difficult even for a muni’s mind to comprehend,

  Vasishtha joyfully narrated at great length.

  Said Vamdev, ‘All this is true!

  His glorious fame is spread across the three worlds.’

  Hearing these words, everyone was glad,

  But in Ram and Lakshman’s heart there was even greater joy.

  There was perpetual celebration, joy and festivity,

  And in this manner, the days passed.

  Avadh filled and overflowed with bliss

  That grew greater and greater every day.

  (359)

  Determining an auspicious day, the pretty kangans were untied101

  Amid great festivity, delight and celebration.

  The gods, seeing daily a new happiness, grew envious

  And pleaded with Brahma that they be reborn in Avadh.

  Vishvamitra daily wished to depart

  But remained, a prisoner to Ram’s affectionate entreaties.

  Seeing the king’s deep love increase a hundredfold day after day,

  The great muni was full of praise.

  At last, when Vishvamitra asked permission to depart, the king was overcome with love

  And stood before him with his sons.

  ‘Lord, all my wealth is yours,

  I am your servant, and with me my sons and wives.

  Be ever compassionate to these boys,

  And keep favouring me with your presence, muni.’

  So saying, the king, with his sons and his queens

  Fell at Vishvamitra’s feet, unable to speak.

  The Brahman gave many blessings

  And departed amidst such affection as cannot be described.

  Ram and all his brothers lovingly accompanied the muni,

  Returning only upon receiving his command.

  Ram’s beauty, the king’s devotion,

  The weddings, the joy and the gladness—

  The moon of Gadhi’s clan praised and lauded all these

  As he went, rejoicing, on his way.

  (360)

  Vamdev and the learned guru of the line of Raghu

  Once more related the story of Gadhi’s son.

  Listening to the muni’s great renown, the king mused to himself

  Over the efficacy of his own good deeds.

  Then, upon receiving the king’s command, the people dispersed

  And the king, with his sons, returned to his palace.

  Everyone everywhere sang the story of Ram’s wedding

  And his pure fame spread throughout the three worlds.

  From the moment that Ram returned home with his bride,

  Every delight made its home in Avadh.

  The joy and celebration at the Lord’s wedding

  Cannot be described even by Gira or the king of the serpents.

  Knowing that the life of all poets is sanctified

  By the glory of Ram and Sita, accumulation of all well-being,

  I, too, have tried to relate it,

  For the purpose of thus purifying my speech.

  To make his own song sacred and pure,

  Tulsi has sung of Ram’s glory.

  But Raghubir’s deeds are a boundless ocean—

  Which poet has ever been able to cross it?

  Those who with reverence hear or sing

  Of the joy and celebrations that accompanied Ram’s investiture with the sacred thread and his wedding,

  They will, by the grace of Vaidehi and Ram,

  Be forever blessed with happiness.

  Those who sing or listen with love

  To the story of Sita and Ram’s wedding,

  For them there is happiness forever,

  For Ram’s glory is the abode of all joy.

  (361)

  Thus ends the first descent into the Manas lake of Ram’s acts that destroys all the impurities of the age of Kali.

  i Sarasvati

  ii Ganesh

  iii Parvati

  iv Shiv

  v Ganesh

  vi Vishnu

  vii The last of the four yugas or ages of the world

  viii Vishnu

  ix Parvati

  x Kamdev

  xi Shiv

  xii Shiv

  xiii The sage Agastya

  xiv The Hindu triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiv

  xv Indra

  xvi Shiv

  xvii Shiv

  xviii Sarasvati

  xix Sarasvati

  xx Shiv

  xxi Parvati

  xxii Parvati

  xxiii Parvati

  xxiv Ayodhya, the capital city of the kingdom of Koshal, and the city of Ram’s birth

  xxv Shatrughna

  xxvi Sita

  xxvii Brahma

  xxviii The supreme Absolute

  xxix Ahalya, the wife of the sage Gautam

  xxx The king of the monkeys, Sugriv

  xxxi The third of the four ages of the world.

  xxxii Vishnu’s fourth avatar

  xxxiii Parvati

  xxxiv Lakshmi, as the consort of Ram

  xxxv Agastya

  xxxvi Shiv

  xxxvii Parashuram

  xxxviii Vishnu/Krishna, as the presiding deity of Prayag

  xxxix Parvati, in her fierce form

  xl The second of the four ages of the world.

  xli Shiv

  xlii Sita

  xliii Lakshmi

  xliv Sati, consort of Shiv; Vidhatri, the goddess Sarasvati, consort of Brahma; and Indira, the goddess Lakshmi, consort of Vishnu

  xlv The energy or active power of a deity personified as his wife

>   xlvi Himalaya

  xlvii Himalaya

  xlviii Kamdev

  xlix Shiv

  l Kamdev

  li Kamdev

  lii Himalaya

  liii Ganesh

  liv Himalaya

  lv Skand

  lvi For only where there is darkness is dawn possible or even required

  lvii Vishnu

  lviii Vishnu

  lix The River Gomati

  lx Sarasvati, as Brahma’s consort

  lxi Priest and advisor to Indra

  lxii Literally, ‘one whose passion is dharma’

  lxiii In other words, one not subject to transmigration

  lxiv Meghnad

  lxv Vishnu, as the giver of freedom from rebirth

  lxvi His supreme energy personified as his consort Sita

  lxvii Agni is fire personified, and through fire-sacrifices, the mediator between gods and men

  lxviii Vishnu

  lxix Vishvamitra

  lxx Vishvamitra

  lxxi Parashuram

  lxxii Garud

  lxxiii Parashuram

  lxxiv Parashuram

  lxxv The city of Mithila

  lxxvi Bharat and Shatrughna

  lxxvii Shiv

  lxxviii Shiv

  lxxix Sarasvati

  lxxx The rainbow

  Notes

  Introduction

  1. Though even at the time that Valmiki composed his epic, two other, very different, tellings of the Ram story existed—one was the Buddhist Dasaratha Jataka, in which Ram and Sita are brother and sister and rule as consorts, and the other the Jain Paumchariya by Vimalasuri, who sets the story in the court of the historical king Srinika and depicts the Rakshasas not as demons, but as normal human beings.

  2. This reference to Tulsi is found in the Bhaktamal, a collection of short biographies composed by Nabhadas, possibly around 1585.

  3. For a detailed discussion on the spread and circulation of the Ramcharitmanas, see Philip Lutgendorf, ‘The Quest for the Legendary Tulsidas’, According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India, edited by Winand M. Callewaert and Rupert Snell.

  4. For a discussion on available biographies of Tulsidas, see Philip Lutgendorf, ‘The Quest for the Legendary Tulsidas’, According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India, edited by Winand M. Callewaert and Rupert Snell.

  5. Balkand, 34.

  6. Balkand, 30A, 31.

  7. Balkand, 14D.

  8. Balkand, Mangalacharan 7.

  9. The relevant passages are contained in Book 3, Aranyakand, 24, where Sita conceals herself in the fire and substitutes her shadow; and in Book 6, Lankakand, 108–09, where the shadow Sita is destroyed and the real Sita steps forth out of the fire.