The Ramcharitmanas 2
Page 25
Again and again the two brothers embraced them,
And, with equal love, bid all their mothers farewell.
Making ready their horses, elephants and many kinds of carriages,
The parties of Bharat and the king departed.
With Ram, Sita and Lakshman in their hearts,
The people all proceeded as though dazed.
Bullocks, horses, elephants and other animals had lost heart,
And had to be coaxed along against their will, sad and dejected.
The Lord, with Sita and Lakshman,
Paid homage to his guru and his guru’s wife,
And returned, with mingled joy and sorrow,
To his abode of leaves.
(320)
Respectfully, he took his leave of the Nishad,
Who left, carrying the intense grief of separation in his heart.
He then sent away the Kols, Kirats, Bhils and other forest-dwellers—
They too left, bowing again and again.
The Lord, Sita and Lakshman sat in the banyan’s shade,
And wept at parting from their beloved family.
Ram praised Bharat’s love, noble nature and gentle words,
To his beloved and his younger brother, at length.
Bharat’s love and devotion in words, thought and deed,
Ram described with his lovely mouth, overcome with love.
At that time, even the birds, the deer, the fish in ponds and streams—
All beings, animate or inanimate—of Chitrakut, were sad and sorrowful.
The gods, seeing Raghubar’s condition,
Rained down flowers and told him of the state of their realms.61
The Lord saluted and reassured them,
And they departed, with rejoicing hearts and free of all fear.
With his younger brother and Sita,
The Lord shone in his hut of leaves,
Like devotion, wisdom and detachment
Resplendent in bodily form.
(321)
The munis, Brahmans, the guru, Bharat and the king
Were all distraught with the grief of parting from Ram.
Enumerating the Lord’s perfections to themselves,
They all proceeded in silence along the path.
They reached the Jamuna and all crossed to the other bank—
That first day passed without any food.
They crossed the Ganga and made their second halt—
There, Ram’s friend, Guha, made all arrangements for their comfort.
They crossed the Sai, and bathed in the Gomati,
And on the fourth day, they reached the city of Avadh.
Janak remained in the city for four days,
Organizing the administration and affairs of the realm.
He then entrusted the kingdom to the minister, the guru and Bharat,
And, after making all preparations for the journey, left for Terahuti.
The men and women of the city, obeying the instructions of the guru,
Settled down to live in peace in Ram’s capital.
In their longing to see Ram again,
The people practised austerities and kept fasts,
And renouncing ornaments, luxuries and comforts,
Lived only in the hope of the end of his exile.
(322)
Bharat instructed his ministers and faithful servants,
Who, receiving his orders, set about their duties as appointed.
Then, calling his younger brother to him, he instructed him,
And entrusted to him the care of all their mothers.
He summoned the Brahmans with folded hands,
And making obeisance, with humble entreaty said,
‘Whether the matter be high or low, great or small,
Give me your command, and do not hesitate.’
He summoned his household, the people of the city, and other subjects,
He reassured them and made sure they were comfortably settled.
Then, with his brother, he went to their guru’s abode,
And prostrating himself, he said with folded hands,
‘With your permission, I will now live a life of austerity.’
Overwhelmed with love, the muni replied,
‘Whatever you will think, say, or do,
Will be the essence of dharma for the world.’
Hearing this, receiving his instruction and his great blessing,
Bharat sent for the astrologers and determining an auspicious day,
Installed upon the throne, without hindrance,
The wooden sandals of the Lord.
(323)
Bowing his head at the feet of Ram’s mother and their guru,
And taking permission from the Lord’s sandals,
He built a hut of leaves in Nandigram,xviii
And there that steadfast upholder of dharma took up his abode.
A crown of matted hair upon his head, and clad in hermit’s robes,
He dug a hollow in the earth and there spread his bed of kush grass.
In matters of food, dress, vessels, fasting and sacred vows,
He lovingly observed the austere rules of ascetic life.
Ornaments, fine clothes and luxuries and comforts of every kind
He gave up completely, in mind, body and speech.
The kingdom of Avadh was the envy of Indra,
And merely hearing of Dasharath’s wealth put Kuber to shame.
Yet, in that same city lived Bharat without attachment,
Like a bee in a garden of champak flowers,62
For the fortunate one who loves Ram
Discards, like vomit, Ramaa’s luxuries.
Bharat was the receptacle of Ram’s love,
But this is not what made him great—
The chatak is praised for its constancy,
And the swan for its power of discernment.
(324)
Day by day, his body grew thinner,
And though he grew leaner, his strength and the beauty of his face remained.
Each day his vow of devotion to Ram grew stronger,
His dharma increased, and his heart never grew dark with despair,
Just as the waters recede in the bright light of autumn,
But reeds rejoice and lotuses blossom.
Tranquillity, austerity, self-restraint, sacred vows, and fasting
Shone like stars in the clear sky of Bharat’s heart.
Faith was its North Star, the prospect of the end of Ram’s exile the full moon night,
While his remembrance of his master sparkled like the Milky Way.
His love for Ram was the moon, unwavering, unblemished,
Shining ever clear and pure amidst its retinue of stars.
All good poets hesitate to describe
Bharat’s way of life, his wisdom and actions,
His devotion, detachment and the untarnished splendour of his perfections—
Even Shesh, Ganesh and Gira cannot recount these.
Ever worshipping the Lord’s sandals,
His heart barely able to contain his love,
He constantly sought their direction,
And then carried out the many tasks of running the kingdom,
(325)
His body trembling with love, Sita and Raghubir in his heart,
His tongue constantly repeating Ram’s name, and his eyes full of tears.
Lakshman, Ram and Sita lived in the forest,
But Bharat, living at home, purified his body with penance.
Considering both sides, all declare
Bharat to be worthy of praise in every way.
Hearing of his fasts and vows, even the ascetics are overawed,
And seeing his condition, great sages are put to shame.
Bharat’s conduct is supremely pure,
Sweet and charming, the cause of joy and felicity,
It removes the cruel sins and harsh distress of this age of Kali.
A su
n that rips to shreds the night of great delusion,
And the lion that vanquishes the elephant herd of sin,
It is the destroyer of all burning anguish.
The joy of the faithful, it destroys the burden of birth and rebirth.
And is the nectar of the moon of love for Ram.
If Bharat, who is filled with the nectar of love for Sita and Ram,
Had never been born,
Who would have practised such self-control, penance and restraint,
And observed such rigorous vows as are unattainable even for munis?
Who, with his glory would have banished our grief,
Burning anguish, poverty, arrogance and sins?
And who, in this age of Kali, would have forced
Blockheads like Tulsi to turn towards Ram?
Those who regularly and with reverence listen,
Says Tulsi, to the story of Bharat’s acts,
Will assuredly become devoted to the feet of Sita and Ram,
And indifferent to worldly delights.
(326)
Thus ends the second descent into the Manas lake of Ram’s acts that destroys all the impurities of the age of Kali.
Book III
ARANYAKAND
(THE FOREST)
Mangalacharan
He who is the root of the tree of dharma,
The full moon that delights the ocean of discernment,
And the sun to the lotus of detachment,
Who dispels the deep darkness of sin, and removes every sorrow and distress,
Who is the heaven-born wind that scatters the thick clouds of delusion,
Shankar, Brahma’s offspring, who destroys all flaws
And is the beloved of King Ram—
I pay him homage.
(1)
He whose graceful form is as dark as a rain cloud and is the embodiment of joy,
Who is clad in the beautiful yellow robes of an ascetic,
Who carries in his hand a bow and arrows,
And at whose waist gleams a well-equipped quiver—
He, with large lotus-eyes, and head adorned with matted locks,
The most glorious,
Travelling with Sita and Lakshman, Ram the most beautiful—
I worship him.
(2)
O Uma, Ram’s perfections are mysterious and profound—
Wise men and munis who understand them, attain detachment,
But fools who are hostile to Hari and have no love for dharma,
Find only delusion.
(0)
I have sung according to my understanding of the charming
And unparalleled love of the citizens of Ayodhya and of Bharat.
Now listen to the Lord’s supremely pure and holy acts
Pleasing to gods, men and munis, which he performs in the forest.
Once, picking some pretty flowers,
Ram fashioned them into ornaments with his own hands.
The Lord then reverently adorned Sita with these
As they sat together upon a beautiful crystal rock.
Just then Jayant, son of Indra, assumed the form of a crow—
The blockhead wanted to test Raghupati’s might,
Like a supremely stupid ant wanting
To measure the ocean’s depth.
That dolt, becoming a crow for the most dim-witted reason,
Pecked Sita’s foot with his beak and fled.
Her foot began to bleed; Raghunayak saw it
And fitted a reed arrow to his bow.
The most compassionate Raghunayak
Ever loves the lowly—
And it was on him the fool, that abode of mischief,
Played this trick!
(1)
Impelled by a mantra, that arrow blessed by Brahma flew—
The crow fled, terrified.
Assuming his own proper form, he went to his father,
Who refused to protect him since he was Ram’s enemy.
Losing all hope of shelter, he grew as afraid
As the Rishi Durvasa is of the Lord’s chakra.
Through Brahma’s realm, through Shiv’s city, and all the worlds
He wandered, weary and distracted with fear and remorse.
No one even asked him to sit awhile,
For who can shelter an enemy of Ram?
Listen, Garud, steed of Hari—for such a one, his own mother becomes as terrible as death,
His father like Shaman,xix nectar turns into poison,
A friend does the deeds of a hundred enemies,
And Ganga, river of the gods, becomes the infernal Baitarni.
Listen, brother, the whole world becomes hotter than fire
For one who is hostile to Raghubir.
Narad saw the desperate Jayant
And was moved to pity, for saints are tender-hearted.
He sent him at once to Ram,
And he cried out, ‘O benefactor of the suppliant, save me!’
Frantic and terrified, he went and clasped his feet,
‘Mercy, mercy, O compassionate Raghurai!
I, dim-witted fool that I am, could not perceive
Your immeasurable might and matchless glory.
I have received the fruit of my own actions,
Now, Lord, save me, for I have come seeking refuge in you.’
When the merciful one heard his exceedingly distressed words,
He dismissed him, Bhavani, merely blinding him in one eye.
Although, in the grip of delusion, he had acted so maliciously
That to kill him would have been appropriate,
The Lord, taking pity on him, let him go!
Who is as compassionate as Raghubir?
(2)
Whilst living in Chitrakut, Raghupati performed
Many holy acts, sweet as nectar to hear.
Then Ram considered in his heart,
‘Crowds will come thronging here, now that everyone knows who I am.’
So, taking leave of all the munis,
The two brothers left with Sita.
When the Lord drew close to Atri’s ashram,
The great muni, hearing of his approach, rejoiced.
Overcome with joy, Atri sprang up and ran to meet him.
Seeing him, Ram, too, hurried towards him.
He began to prostrate himself in reverence, but the muni clasped him to his heart,
And bathed the two brothers in tears of love.
Then, his eyes soothed and gratified by looking upon Ram’s radiant beauty,
The muni led them with reverence to his hermitage.
Paying them homage and addressing them in gracious words,
He offered them roots and fruits, which the Lord relished.
As the Lord took his seat,
The great muni, supremely wise,
Gazing upon his beauty, filled his eyes with his radiance,
And folding his hands, began to praise him.
(3)
You who love the devout, are compassionate,
Good-natured and tender-hearted—I salute you.
I worship your lotus feet, which bestow
Upon the dispassionate a place in your own abode.
Dark and exceedingly beautiful,
You are the mountain Mandar to churn the ocean of this existence;
With eyes like the lotus in full bloom,
You are the liberator from pride and all vices.
The strength of your long arms
And your glory, Lord, is without end.
Bearing quiver, bow and arrows,
You are the lord of the three worlds.
The ornament of the Sun’s dynasty,
The breaker of Mahesh’s bow,
You are the delight of the greatest saints and sages,
And the destroyer of the demon hosts.
Adored by Kam’s enemy,xx
Waited upon by Brahma and the other gods,
The embodiment of pure consciousness,
/> You are the destroyer of all sin.
The receptacle of bliss, the salvation of the saints,
I salute you, Indira’s lord.xxi
With Sita, your Shakti, and Lakshman, your younger brother,
I worship you, the beloved brother of Shachi’s lord.1
Men who worship the soles
Of your feet without envy,
Do not fall into the ocean of worldly existence,
Turbulent with the waves of doubt and apprehension.
Those who live in solitude and constantly
And joyously worship you in the hope of salvation
Discarding all the pleasures of the senses,
Attain their own eternal form.2
He, who is the one, the mysterious, the all-powerful,
The passionless, all-pervading master of all,
The guru of the world, constant and eternal,
Transcending the three gunas, absolute and self-existent –
I adore him, he who holds devotion dear,
Who is not easily accessible to those attached to the pleasures of the senses,
But is the wish-yielding Kalpataru to his devotees,
Who is impartial and ever worthy of being gladly worshipped.
Of incomparable beauty, master of the earth,
Lord of the earth-born Sita—I bow to you.
I reverently salute you—be gracious to me
And grant me devotion to your lotus feet.
Those who recite this song of praise
With reverence, will undoubtedly
Attain to your abode
Together with devotion to your feet.
Having thus paid homage to the Lord, the muni bowed his head
And once more folding his hands, cried,
‘May my mind never abandon
Your lotus feet, Lord!’
(4)
Sita, gentle and modest, clasped
Anusuya’s feet, embracing them again and again.
The rishi’s wife was greatly pleased,
And blessing her, seated her by her side.
She adorned her in celestial robes and ornaments
Which remained ever new, fresh and beautiful.
The rishi’s wife spoke in tones that were simple and sweet,