by Valmiki
‘You took human form for the destruction of Rāvaṇa. You are the best among those that uphold dharma. You have done what was necessary. Rāvaṇa has been killed. Now return to heaven! Your strength and heroism are infallible and the man who is devoted to you shall always be successful. Those who are firm in their devotion to you, those who recite your glorious deeds shall always be successful.’
The fire god rose, carrying Sītā in his arms. Sītā shone like the morning sun. She wore ornaments of beaten gold and red clothes, Her hair was dark and curly and her garlands were unwithered. Seated in Fire’s lap, she was exactly as she had been before. The Fire handed her over to Rāma. ‘Here is your Sītā, Rāma,’ said the eternal witness. ‘She is pure. She never wavered in her loyalty to you, not in word or thought or even by looking at someone else. She was abducted from the forest by mighty Rāvaṇa when she was alone and unprotected. She was imprisoned in his palace and was guarded by fierce rākṣasīs. But she was always faithful to you. She was threatened and humiliated and tempted with all kinds of things. But she never gave Rāvaṇa a single thought because her heart was with you. She is pure and chaste, Rāma! Take her back! I will not tolerate any criticism of her!’
Effulgent and resolute, Rāma, the greatest among the upholders of dharma, said to the great gods, ‘Sītā had to be vindicated in the eyes of the world because this lovely woman had lived inside Rāvaṇa’s palace for such a long time. If I had not subjected her to this test, good people would have said that Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, is blinded by his love for a woman.
‘I know Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, loves me dearly. She is devoted to me and lives by my wishes. I take refuge in the truth and so I had to remain detached as she entered the fire. I wanted everyone in the three worlds to believe in her. Wide-eyed Sītā is protected by the power of her own chastity. Rāvaṇa could no more have violated her than the ocean can exceed its bounds. She is as unapproachable as the blazing fire. He could not possibly have touched her. She would never had enjoyed Rāvaṇa’s opulence and splendour because she is as integral to me as the rays are to the sun. Sītā has now been proved innocent in front of the three worlds. She is as inseparable from me as fame is from a renowned man.
‘Besides that, I must respect the advice you have given me for my welfare, for you are honoured and loved by all the worlds!’
The gods praised Rāma for his words because they understood the significance of what he had said. Rāma was reunited with his beloved and was happy, as he deserved to be.
Śiva now said something that was truly worthy. ‘Mighty Rāma, lotus-eyed, broad-chested enemy burner, best of all warriors, you have done a great thing! You have dispelled the darkness that covered the worlds by killing Rāvaṇa who terrified all creatures!
‘Comfort Bharata and virtuous Kausalyā. Go and see Kaikeyī and Sumitrā. Reclaim the kingship of Ayodhyā and make your friends and well-wishers happy. Have children and establish the line of the Ikṣvākus in the world. Earn the highest honour by performing the horse sacrifice. Give generous gifts to the brahmins and then come back to heaven.
‘Here is your father Daśaratha in this celestial chariot. In the world of men, this great man was your teacher and mentor. Because of all that you did, Daśaratha went to Indra’s realm after he died. Now you and Lakṣmaṇa must honour him!’
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa honoured their father who was standing in his chariot. He wore dazzling clothes and shone with his own splendour and majesty. When Daśaratha, the king of the earth, saw his son who was dearer to him than his own life, he was filled with joy. He lifted him onto his lap, embraced him and said, ‘All the pleasures of heaven and the respect of the gods were nothing to me without you, Rāma! I swear this is the truth! Kaikeyī’s words which caused your exile still rankle in my heart. But now that I see you and Lakṣmaṇa well and happy, now that I have embraced you, my sorrow has lifted, like a mist dissolves in the sun. Your deeds saved me, my child. Only now have I learned that all this was planned by the gods for the killing of Rāvaṇa.
‘Kausalyā shall have her heart’s desire fulfiled! She shall rejoice when you return from, the forest. And those who see you anointed king, dripping with water as you return from your ritual bath, they shall also have their wishes fulfiled. I wish I could see you reunited with righteous Bharata. He is strong and pure and has always been devoted to you.
‘You have lived in the forest with Sītā and wise Lakṣmaṇa for fourteen long years! You fulfiled you vow and you made the gods happy by killing Rāvaṇa! You have performed incredible deeds and won fame and affection. Establish your kingdom firmly along with your brothers. I wish you a long and happy life!’
‘Forgive Kaikeyī and Bharata, righteous king!’ said Rāma with his palms joined. ‘You declared that you had renounced Kaikeyī and her son! Take those words back!’
‘It shall be so!’ said Daśaratha. He embraced Lakṣmaṇa and said to him, ‘You have been devoted to Rāma and Sītā and you have made me very happy. You have been righteous. If Rāma is pleased with you, you shall earn the fruits of righteousness here on earth as well as in heaven and glory in the afterlife. Serve Rāma well for he is devoted to the welfare of all creatures in the world. You have seen that Indra and the three worlds, the siddhas, cāraṇas, the great souls and the ṛṣis honour Rāma as the best of men. They have declared he is the eternal brahman and the essence of all the gods. You shall earn limitless fame when you serve Rāma and Sītā!’
‘It shall be so!’ said Lakṣmaṇa as the righteous king turned to Sītā. ‘Do not be angry with Rāma because he renounced you,’ Daśaratha said to her. ‘He did this in your best interests and so that you would be purified. You need no instruction in devotion to your husband. But it is my duty to tell you that he should be like a god to you.’
Shining with splendour, Daśaratha returned to heaven in his celestial chariot after he had given this advice to his sons and daughter-in-law.
Indra was very pleased and said to Rāma who stood in front of him with his palms joined, ‘Your encounter with us should not be fruitless, Rāma! We are very pleased with you. Tell us what you want!’
‘If you really are pleased with me, king of the gods,’ replied Rāma, ‘then be gracious and grant what I ask. Let all the monkeys who fought so bravely and died for my sake be brought back to life! I would like to see all the heroic monkeys and bears alive again, restored to full health, strength and vigour! May there be an abundance of fresh water, roots and fruits in all seasons wherever they choose to live!’
‘This is no small thing you ask, Rāma!’ said Indra affectionately. ‘Let the dead rise as if they were waking from a long, deep sleep! Let them happily be reunited with their families and their own people! Trees shall give them fruit and flowers all year round and their rivers shall always be full!’
All the monkeys whose bodies had been covered with wounds rose up, their injuries healed. ‘What can this be?’ they said to each other in amazement.
Now that all Rāma’s wishes had been fulfiled, the gods praised him, for he was worthy of praise. ‘Dismiss the monkeys and return to Ayodhyā!’ they said to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. ‘Console Sītā and cherish her. She loves you and has been devoted to you. Go and see your brother who has been firm in his vows. Crown yourself king and bring joy to your citizens!’ They bade the princes farewell and returned to heaven in their celestial chariots which shone like the sun.
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa honoured the gods and then Rāma gave instructions for everyone to return to their camps. The army, now that it had won fame, was filled with joy and shone like the night lit up by the moon.
Rāma spent the night pleasantly. When he woke in the morning, Vibhīṣaṇa greeted him as a conquering hero with his palms joined above his head. ‘Your bath water is ready and so are fine new clothes, unguents, sandalpaste, jewels and garlands,’ he said. ‘These lovely women are waiting to help you bathe and adorn yourself.’
‘Call Sugrīva an
d the other monkey leaders to bathe,’ said Rāma.
‘Bharata, that brave and righteous prince who takes refuge in truth and who deserves all happiness and comfort, he suffers because of me. I cannot bathe and adorn myself unless I am with Bharata! I want to return as soon as I can to Ayodhyā. The journey is long and arduous and I shall take the path along which I came.’
‘I will send you back to Ayodhyā in a single day!’ said Vibhīṣaṇa. ‘I have the wondrous chariot Puṣpaka that shines like the sun. It used to belong to Kubera but my brother Rāvaṇa took it away from him by force. Puṣpaka is as large as a cloud. It will take you to Ayodhyā. There is nothing to worry about.
‘But if you have any regard for my virtues, if you consider me a friend and if I am at all worthy of you, stay here for a while with your wife and your brother. Let me honour you and give you all that your hearts desire! Give me the pleasure of accepting my hospitality along with your army and your friends. I ask this favour out of friendship and affection but I cannot demand that you comply with my wishes!
In front of all the monkeys and the rākṣasas, Rāma replied, ‘I am honoured Vibhīṣaṇa and I am grateful for all that you have done, your good advice, your deeds and your friendship. It is not as if I do not want to do as you have suggested, but I long for my brother Bharata. He followed me to Citrakūṭa and with his head bowed, he begged me to return. But I could not do as he asked. I long to see virtuous Kausalyā, Sumitrā, Kaikeyī and all the elders, my teachers, all the citizens and their children.
‘King of the rākṣasas, send for your magical chariot quickly. My work is done, there is no reason for me to linger here. Let me go, dear friend! You have honoured me enough. Do not be angry with me, let me leave as soon as possible!’
Vibhīṣaṇa announced the arrival of the Puṣpaka, adorned with flowers. It could move as swiftly as thought and could not be restrained by anything. He stood beside it, waiting for Rāma.
With his palms joined, he said humbly, ‘What shall I do now?’
Rāma thought for a moment and said, ‘Vibhīṣaṇa, the monkeys have made a heroic effort. Honour them all with gifts and jewels and ornaments. Unconquerable Lankā was taken with their help. They all fought with enthusiasm, ready to sacrifice their lives in battle. We must be grateful to these mighty monkeys. Honour them well! Give them gifts that will make them happy!’ Vibhīṣaṇa honoured them all and gave them gifts according to their rank and status.
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa climbed into the wondrous vehicle. Rāma placed Sītā on his lap and she blushed with embarrassment. Rāma addressed Sugrīva, Vibhīṣaṇa and all the monkeys.
‘You have all done great things because of your affection for me. You have my permission to leave now. Go wherever you please. Sugrīva, you have proved that you are a friend and a well wisher and that you will not tolerate unrighteousness. Return to Kiṣkindha with your army! Vibhīṣaṇa, you shall stay in Lankā and rule the kingdom I have given you. Even the gods led by Indra will not dare attack you!
‘Let me say goodbye. With your permission, I shall return to Ayodhyā, my father’s capital city.’
The great monkeys and the rākṣasa Vibhīṣaṇa joined their palms and said, ‘We want to go to Ayodhyā! Take us with you! We shall watch as you are crowned king, pay our respects to Kausalyā and return to our homes soon after that!’
‘I would be delighted to return to Ayodhyā with all of you, my beloved friends!’ said Rāma. ‘Come and enjoy all that Ayodhyā has to offer. Come! Sugrīva, climb quickly into Puṣpaka with your army. Come, Vibhīṣaṇa, with all your ministers!’
They all climbed into the wondrous vehicle and with Rāma’s permission, Puṣpaka rose into the sky.
Chapter Fourteen
Rāma’s glance fell upon Hanumān, the best of all monkeys, who was so dear to him. ‘Go ahead to Ayodhyā and find out if all is well with the people in the royal palace!’ he said to him. ‘Go to Sṛnagavera and give my good wishes to my friend Guha, the king of the Niṣādas. He will be glad to know that I am well and he will show you the road that leads to Ayodhyā and Bharata.
‘Ask after Bharata’s welfare on my behalf. Tell him about my success and about Sītā’s abduction by Rāvaṇa and my alliance with Sugrīva and the killing of Vālī in battle. Tell him about the search for Sītā and how you found her when you leapt over the boundless ocean. Tell him how we built the bridge and how Rāvaṇa was killed. Tell him how we saw our father again because of the grace of the great gods.
‘Tell him, “Mighty Rāma has achieved his goals. He has killed his enemy and earned fame. Now he is coming here with his friends.” When Bharata hears all this, he will reveal his emotions through his gestures. Observe them carefully, especially any sign that indicates he is not favourably disposed towards me. Note everything he says and does. Whose mind would not turn towards the kingdom of his forefathers which is filled with elephants and horses and chariots? Monkey, find out Bharata’s state of mind and his intentions and return to us before we have gone too far!’
Hanumān took the form of a man and went quickly towards Ayodhyā. He leapt into the sky and took the path of his father the wind. He flew over the confluence of the Gangā and Yamunā and arrived in Sṛngaverapura. He gave Guha the news of Rāma’s success and his imminent arrival and swiftly flew onwards to Nandigrāma.
When he was about one yojanā away from Ayodhyā, he saw Bharata, pale and emaciated, wearing the skin of the black antelope and living the life of an ascetic. Bharata was tormented over his brother’s misfortune. His hair was matted and his body was covered with dust. He lived righteously, performing severe penances and eating only roots and fruits. He had restrained his senses and shone like a great ṛṣi.
Hanumān went up to him and with his palms joined, he spoke to him respectfully. ‘Rāma, the one you mourn, the man who lived in the Daṇḍaka forest with his hair matted, asks after your welfare. I bring you good news! Renounce your grief, for soon you will be reunited with Rāma. He has killed Rāvaṇa and rescued Sītā. He has accomplished his mission and is coming here with all his friends. And so are Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā!’
Bharata swooned with joy, but after a moment, he rose and took a deep breath. He embraced the monkey and anointed him with tears of happiness. ‘I don’t know if you are a man or a god that has come here out of compassion for me. But I would like to give you something valuable for the good news you have brought. Hundreds and thousands of cows or a hundred villages, or sixteen virtuous virgins with curly hair, golden skins, firm thighs and faces like the moon, wealthy and well-born!’
‘After all these many years in the forest, I finally have some good news about Rāma!’ continued Bharata. ‘The old saying, that happiness comes to a man even if after a hundred years, is true! Tell me everything! How did Rāma come to make an alliance with the monkeys? Where did it happen and for what purpose?’
Hanumān sat down and began to tell Bharata all that had happened to Rāma in the forest. ‘Rāma was banished by the boons given to your mother and then, King Daśaratha died of grief for his son. You were brought back quickly from Rājagṛha but you did not want the kingdom. You went to Citrakūṭa and, acting righteously, you invited our brother back. He renounced the kingdom but you did also and returned with his sandals. You know all this already, mighty one! Now let me tell you all that happened after you left Citrakūṭa.
‘Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā went deeper into the desolate forest after you left. Virādha appeared in front of them, roaring loudly. But they killed him and threw him into a pit. Then they arrived in Janasthāna and Rāma killed the fourteen thousand wicked rākṣasas who lived there. Then Śūrpanakhā arrived and instructed by Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa grabbed a sword and cut off her nose and ears. Tormented, she went to Rāvaṇa. Then, one of Rāvaṇa’s people, a rākṣasa named Mārīca became a jewelled deer and excited Sītā’s greed. She wanted to have it and Rāma went after the deer, killing it with an arrow in its back.
> ‘Lakṣmaṇa, too, had left the settlement and Rāvaṇa came there, the way a malignant planet approaches Rohiṇi in the sky, and quickly took Sītā. Rāvaṇa killed the vulture Jaṭāyu who tried to stop him from taking Sītā away. A group of wondrous monkeys, large as elephants, stood on top of a mountain and watched in amazement as they saw Rāvaṇa, the king of the rākṣasas, carrying Sītā away. He took her to Lankā and tried to win her over with sweet words.