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2024-04-24, 1:42 PM |
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Chapter
10: The
Pastimes
of Lord Râmacandra
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'From Khathvânga
there was Dîrghabâhu, from him the renown and dexterous
Raghu was born, from whose son Aja the great king
Das'aratha was born. (2)
Upon the prayers of the God-conscious ones the Absolute Truth took birth from his loins in four forms:
the Supreme Lord in person along with three of His expansions. They
appearing as four sons were known as Râma, Lakshmana, Bharata and
S'atrughna. (3)
Oh King, you heard again and again the descriptions by many seers and knowers of the truth of His
transcendental
exploits
as
the
husband
of
Sîtâ
[*, compare
B.G. 4:
34]. (4-5) Obedient
to
His
father
He
left
the
kingdom
behind
and
wandered
together
with His beloved
[Sîtâ] from
forest to forest on His two lotus feet that were as tender as the palm
of a hand. This He did in the company of Hanumân and Lakshmana who took away the pain of His path.
He was separated from His sweetheart Sîtâ [by Râvana] because He had disfigured S'ûrpanakhâ [the
sister of Râvana]. Over the ocean, that was afraid of His
eyebrows He raised in anger, a bridge was built [to Lankâ, the
residence of Râvana], after which He, the king of Ayodhyâ, like a forest fire destroyed the envious ones. May the mercy
be upon us of Him who in sage Vis'vâmitra's arena of
sacrifice, in the presence of Lakshmana, killed the great chiefs of the Râkshasas, the wanderers of the dark that were headed by
Mârîca.
(6-7) It was He who, among all the heroes in the
world who were gathered in the hall where Sîtâ would select
her husband, took up the mighty bow of S'iva that had to be carried by
three hundred men. Fastening the string oh King, and bending it, He
broke the bow in two the way a baby elephant breaks a stick of
sugarcane. By that victory he won the
divine
girl
named
Sîtâ
who
with
her
qualities,
behavior,
age
and
limbs was a perfect match for Him, she the Goddess of Fortune
who had acquired a position on His chest. On His way home with her, He met and defeated, the deep-rooted pride of Bhrigupati
[Paras'urâma] who three times [seven, thus twenty one times] had
rid the earth of the seed of the [burden of unrighteous] rulers [see 9.16].
(8) Bowing
His
head
to
the
command
of
His
father,
who in his attachment had made a promise to his
wife that He had to abandon the
kingdom, residence, opulence, relatives and friends, He with his wife left to live in the forest like a liberated soul [**]. (9) Living
there
He,
as
He
wandered
around,
met with great difficulties. He maimed the body of the
Râkshasa's sister [Râvana] because she had a [by lust] spoiled mind and then, with
His
invincible
bow
and
arrows
in His
hands, had to kill the
fourteen-thousand of
her many friends headed by Khara, Tris'ira and Dûshana.
(10) Oh king,
when the ten-headed
Râvana heard the stories
about Sîtâ,
it stirred his heart and made him lust to see her. [The demon]
Mârîca then lured Râma away from their stay in the form of a golden deer that was killed by Him with a sharp arrow just as S'iva killed Daksha [with an ax,
see 4.5: 22]. (11)
While He and His brother were in the forest, the unprotected daughter
of the king of Videha [or Janaka] was kidnapped by the most wicked
Râkshasa, like he was a tiger. Râma then
wandering
around like a man who, attracted to women, is in distress over being
separated from his wife, thus gave an example [in this
s'ringâra rasa] of where attachment all leads to. (12) After
having performed the funeral
rites for him who had died for His sake [the eagle Jathâyu], He
killed
Kabandha [a headless monster] and became friends with the leaders of
the monkey hordes so that He, informed by them about Sîtâ, could deliver her. He whose feet are worshiped by
Brahmâ and S'iva, but appeared as a normal man, next killed
Vâli [a wicked brother of Hanumân]. Then He, accompanied by
the monkey soldiers, proceeded to the shore of the ocean. (13)
The [god of
the] ocean silent with fear because of His angry glance - from which
all the crocodiles and sharks were agitated - carried, in assuming a
personal form, on his head all that was needed to worship Him and said,
upon reaching the lotus feet, the following: (14) 'We,
the dull-minded, are truly not capable, oh Supreme One,
to know You as the one Original
Person
and
Supreme
Master
of
all
Universes
who
resides in the core of the heart. For the
God-conscious ones are the result of Your goodness,
the controllers of the people have resulted from Your passion, while
the rulers of the material elements sprang from Your mode of ignorance.
But You oh Lord, are the Master
over all these modes. (15)
You
may cross [my waters] as You like!
Just conquer that son of Vis'ravâ called Râvana who is like
urine to
the three worlds and thus regain Your wife oh hero. Build a bridge here
and Your fame will spread. In
the future the great kings and
heroes from all directions will
glorify You for it.'
(16) After the Master of the Raghu dynasty with all
sorts of mountain peaks complete with trees and plants, that were
transported by hand by the mighty monkeys, had constructed a bridge in
the ocean [***],
He,
helped by the
directions of Vibhîshana [a virtuous brother of Râvana],
together with the soldiers led by Sugrîva, Nîla and
Hanumân set foot on [the island of] Lankâ that just before
had been set afire [by Hanumân's tail]. (17) There
the houses of pleasure, granaries, treasuries, palace doors and city
gates, assembly houses, turrets and [even the] pigeon houses were taken
by force and dismantled by the Vânara [monkey] leaders who, just
like an elephant herd, turned the squares and crossroads with all their
flags and golden water pots on the rooftops, into one swirling river. (18) When
the master of the Râkshasas saw that, he summoned Nikumbha, Kumbha, Dhûmrâksha,
Durmukha, Surântaka, Narântaka and others to fight, and
also called for his son Indrajit,
his
followers
Prahasta,
Atikâya,
Vikampana
and
finally
for
Kumbhakarna
[his
mighty
brother, see 4.1:
37, 7.1:
44 and 7.10: 36]. (19) All
the Râkshasa soldiers with their hard to defeat swords, lances,
bows, barbed missiles and spears, firebrands, javelins and scimitars [a
curved sword], lined up in front of Him who was surrounded by
Sugrîva, Lakshmana, Hanumân, Gandhamâda, Nîla,
Angada, Riksha, Panasa and others.
(20) The
commanders
of the soldiers of the Ruler of
the Raghu dynasty [Râma], together hurried forward to fight the
enemy
followers of Râvana moving on foot and seated on elephants,
chariots
and horses who,
condemned by the anger of
mother
Sîtâ, were out of luck in the battle. With trees, mountain
peaks, clubs and arrows they were all killed by the
[monkey] warriors lead by Angada and others. (21) The
Râkshasa
leader seeing that his forces were defeated, thereupon fuming with
anger drove his vehicle towards the brilliantly radiating Râma
who, seated on
the shining chariot of Indra that Mâtali [the driver] had
brought, struck
him with the sharpest arrows. (22) Râma
said
to
him:
'You
scum
of
the
earth,
since
you
oh criminal, like a
dog have kidnapped My helpless wife, I, as Time itself, as someone not
failing in His heroism, will personally punish you today for that
shameless act, you abominable evildoer [see also B.G. 16:
6-18]!'
(23) Thus rebuking him He released
the arrow He had fixed on His bow and that arrow pierced his heart like a thunderbolt. Vomiting blood from his ten mouths he
fell down from his
heavenly vehicle. His men then roared: 'Alas, what has happened to
us?',
just like pious people do when they fall down [see also B.G. 9:
21]. (24) Thereafter
the
many
thousands
of
wives
of
the
demons,
headed
by
Mandodarî [Râvana's wife], came out of
Lankâ and
lamented upon approaching [their dead husbands]. (25)
Embracing their beloved ones
and their friends who were all
killed by Lakshmana's arrows, they did beat their breasts and
cried pitiably, which [for the victors] was something pleasant to hear: (26) 'Oh alas, now he has been killed who has
protected us all! Oh Râvana, cause of our cries, to whom must the
state of Lankâ bereft of
your good self turn for shelter,
now it is defeated by the enemy? (27)
Oh greatest patron, under the
spell of
lusty desires you, not knowing the influence of mother
Sîtâ, have arrived at a situation
like this. (28) Because of
what
you
did
oh glory of the
dynasty, we and the state of
Lankâ are now without a protector, your body is there as fodder
for the vultures and your soul is destined for hell
[compare B.G. 16:
19].'
(29) S'rî S'uka said: 'Vibhîshana with the approval of the
King of Kosala [Râma] performed for the family the funeral rites
that for a deceased one have to be
observed in order to save him from hell. (30) The Supreme Lord thereupon found His sweetheart [Sîtâ] back in an as'oka forest sitting in a small
cottage at the foot of a s'ims'apâ [as'oka]
tree. Sick from being separated from Him she was emaciated. (31) Râma
seeing
the
poor
plight
of
His
sweetheart
was
filled
with compassion.
When she saw her beloved, her
lotus-like mouth was overwhelmed
with a
great joy. (32)
The Supreme Lord put
Vibhîshana in charge of the rule over Lankâ's
Râkshasas for the duration of a kalpa. He placed
Sîtâ on His
vehicle and then ascended
Himself together with
Hanumân and the brothers
[Lakshmana and Sugrîva the commander] to return to His home town
[Ayodhyâ] and conclude the period of the vow [that He would stay
away for
fourteen years]. (33) To
celebrate His
uncommon activities He on His way
was showered with
a choice of fragrant flowers offered by the higher class and was
joyfully praised by the seer of the Absolute Truth
[Brahmâ] and the ones belonging to him. (34) Lord
Râmacandra, the One of Great Compassion,
was very sorry to hear that His brother Bharata was
lying down on a kus'a mat, had
matted locks, ate barley cooked
in cow's urine and had
covered Himself with tree bark. (35-38) Bharata
hearing
about His arrival took the two sandals on His
head [that Râma had left behind on the throne to represent Him]
and came, accompanied by all citizens, the ministers and the priests,
to welcome His eldest brother.
Departing from His camp
Nandigrâma He was accompanied by songs, the sounds of musical
instruments,
the constant recitation of mantras performed by brahmins, by gold
embroidered
flags on golden chariots that were pulled by the most beautiful, with
gold
caparisoned horses and by soldiers in gold covered armor. Approaching in
procession with nicely dressed courtesans and servants as also with
soldiers on foot and everything else that would befit a royal
reception, like the wealth of all kinds of jewelry, He fell down at the
lotus feet with an ecstatic love that softened the core of His
[ascetic]
heart and filled His eyes with tears. (39-40) Placing the
two slippers before His brother, He stood with folded hands and tears
in His eyes. Then
He was embraced
by Râma who, bathing Him with
the water from His eyes, held Him in His arms for a long time. Râma,
Lakshmana
and
Sîtâ together
offered the
scholars and the others worthy
of worship personally
their
obeisances and also received these in return from all the
citizens. (41) Seeing
their
Lord
returning
after
so
many
years
the
citizens of Kosala waved with
their
upper
garments,
offered Him garlands and began to dance in great
jubilation. (42-43) The
sandals were carried by
Bharata, the whisk and luxurious fan were carried by Vibhîshana
and
Sugrîva, a white parasol was carried by the son of the wind
god [Hanumân] and the bow and two quivers were carried by
S'atrughna.
Sîtâ held the waterpot with water from the holy places,
Angada held the sword made of gold and the King of the Rikshas
[Jâmbavân, the leader of the bears who also participated in
the
war] held the shield oh King. (44) Sitting on Kuvera's heavenly chariot [the
'Pushpaka' captured from Râvana] He, the Supreme Lord devotedly
being worshiped by the women and the reciters oh King, appeared as
brilliant as the moon risen among the planets.
(45-46) After properly being welcomed by His brother
He was festively received in the city of Ayodhyâ. Upon entering
the royal palace He paid mother Kaikeyî, His other
stepmothers and His own mother [Kaus'alyâ] His respects. The
spiritual teachers, friends of their age and the youngsters were all
of worship and their welcome was returned befittingly by
Râma, the
princess of the Videhas [Sîtâ] and Lakshmana. (47) The
mothers reviving like bodies awakening from sleep, while keeping their sons
on their lap, wetted them with a continuous flow of tears in letting go
of
their grief [over having been separated for so long]. (48)
According to the
vidhi the matted locks were
shaven off by the family priest [Vashishthha] and the
elders of the family, after which, with the water of the four oceans
and other paraphernalia, a bathing ceremony was performed like
it was done for King
Indra [see 6: 13]. (49)
Thus having been fully bathed, nicely dressed, decorated and
garlanded, He shone brightly with His brothers and His wife. (50) Pleased
with
the
surrender
[of
His
brother]
He
accepted
the throne offered to Him, as also the citizens who, serving
according to their nature with their
status orientations [varnâs'rama identity, see B.G. 4:
13], all deserved His
protection for that quality. Râma was therein just like a father
and was by them therefore also accepted as their father.
(51) Although this all happened in
Tretâ-yuga, the period became like Satya-Yuga because of
Râma's presence as the ruling king who with His full respect of
dharma made all living beings happy
[see also 12.3: 15]. (52) The forests,
the rivers, the hills and the mountains, the lands, the islands, the
oceans and the
seas offered all the living beings all they could wish for oh best of
the Bharatas. (53) During the period that Râma, the Lord
in the Beyond, was king, there
was no suffering [due to oneself, others and nature], no disease,
old age, bereavement, distress, lamentation, fear and exhaustion or
dying against one's will. (54)
Having sworn that He would
not take another
woman [for reasons of principle He separated from Sîtâ, see
next chapter] He, as a saintly king pure in His character and
dharma, by His
personal dutifulness was an
example, [in particular] for the
householders. (55) Sîtâ
in loving service of her husband
was, because of her good
character, always humble and submissive. Being chaste and afraid [to make mistakes], she
bashfully with understanding for her
husband's position captivated His
mind.'
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