Ram Charit Manas: The Divine Story of Lord Ram-Canto 2, Ayodhya Kand: Ram Charit Manas: The Divine Story of Lord Ram, #2

By Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia

After some days were passed peacefully and in a routine manner, king Dasrath of Ayodhya decided to anoint Lord Ram, the eldest son, as the next King. But Lord Ram, a manifestation of the Supreme Being, was obliged to go to the forest to eliminate the scourge of the cruel demons who had been wreaking havoc in the world and terrorizing everyone. Ascending the throne and establishing a reign of Dharma (righteousness, probity, propriety, ethical conduct) could wait for some more time.

 

So therefore, the gods devised a plan whereby the mind of queen Kaikeyi was corrupted, as a result of which she threw tantrums and succeeded in prevailing upon king Dasrath to send Lord Ram to the forest for fourteen years, and make her own son Bharat the next king. Lord Ram was very happy at the turn of events as it would help him to fulfill his divine mandate for the larger good of the world and its inhabitants. Becoming a King was not at all his priority; it could wait for some time.

Sita, the Lord's faithful wife, and Laxman, his devoted younger brother, accompanied the Lord to the wilderness. On the way to the forest, Lord Ram met countless ordinary people as well as numerous sages, notably Bharadwaj and Valmiki, blessing them all, and providing them with joy and spiritual rewards. On the advice of sage Valmiki, the Lord took up residence at a place called Chitrakoot to abide there for some time before moving on into the deeper recesses of the wilds.

Meanwhile, king Dasrath died due to grief at the separation from Lord Ram. Bharat, Lord Ram's younger brothers, refused to accept the crown, and decided to proceed to the forest to beg forgiveness from the Lord for the misdeeds of his wicked mother, and request the Lord to return home. A huge procession left Ayodhya for Chitrakoot; it included Shatrughan, the younger sibling, sage Vasistha, the queens, ministers, senior citizens, a large contingent of the royal army, and a retinue of attendants and servants. Bharat was shown due respect and honour by all whom he met on his way to meet the Lord, including sage Bharadwaj who lavishly praised Bharat for his devotion and righteousness.

When Bharat finally reached the Lord's hermitage, the two brothers met very emotionally, hugging each other and showing all signs of brotherly love. Lord Ram welcomed everyone who had come with Bharat, showing great affection to them all. The party pitched camp around the hermitage.

Soon, king Janak too arrived to act as a mediator in the vexed issue. At Chitrakoot, many rounds of discussions and conferences were held where Bharat pleaded his case and innocence. Though Lord Ram was very willing to oblige Bharat, but the elimination of the demons was a priority. Hence, the Lord took Bharat into confidence in this regard, and persuaded him to have patience for some more days. Bharat decided to obey Lord Ram's instructions, and after an assurance from him that he would definitely return at the end of the designated time, Bharat and his party returned home to Ayodhya with a sad heart.

Bharat installed Lord Ram's sandals on the throne as a symbolic presence of the Lord himself, and after handing over the charge of running the affairs of the kingdom to his younger brother Shatrughan and his guru sage Vasistha, he went to the outskirts of the city of Ayodhya to live a life of a hermit till the time the Lord returned home.

With this we come to the end of Canto 2, i.e. Ayodhya Kand of the Book 'Ram Charit Manas'.

We shall continue with the magnificent Story in the next Volume no. 3 to read what happened after that.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia
• Release date: May 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223859826

Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia

                                                 About the Author Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia left home when he was approximately 29 years of age due to an inner call of his heart that told him to devote his life in the service of his beloved Lord God, Sri Ram. Worldly attractions did not enchant him at all. So, he didn’t marry, and after his father’s death he came and settled permanently in Ayodhya, the holy town in India associated with Lord Ram. Presently he works as an honorary manager of a world famous Kanak Bhavan Temple at Ayodhya, and spends his time writing in English so that the world can access the wonderful nectar of metaphysical, spiritual and devotional philosophy that is contained in Indian scriptures for which they are so renowned. Genre of Writing: Spiritualism, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Religious, Devotional and Theological. Contact details of Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia—                                                   Postal address:-36-A, Rajghat Colony, Parikrama Marg, P.O.—Ayodhya, Pin—224123, Distt. Ayodhya (Faizabad), U.P. India. Phone:—(India) [phone]; [phone]. Website: < www.tulsidas-ram-books.weebly.com > Email of Author: (i) < [e-mail] >                                  (ii) < [e-mail] > Archive.org: < https://archive.org/details/@ajai_kumar_chhawchharia > Facebook ID < www.facebook.com/ajaikumarchhawchharia8 > Linkedin: < www.linkedin.com/AjaiKumarChhawchharia >

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Presented By:— 

Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia

Ayodhya (Faizabad, U.P.)

© By Author—All rights reserved by the author. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission of the author-Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia. 

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Language: English.

Contents of Canto 2: Ayodhya Kand

1. Chapter 1: Preface

2. Chapter 2: The TEXT of Sri Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand—with Roman Transliteration of the Original Verses, Exhaustive Analytical Exposition in English with Explanatory Notes & References:   

(1) Invocation : Shloka line nos.1-4

(2) King Dasrath realized he was getting old, and so decided to anoint Lord Ram as the next King of Ayodhya; Lord Ram informed of the decision by sage Vasistha; rejoicing in the city as this news spread : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 1—to Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes Doha no. 11.

(3) The gods want Lord Ram to go to the forest instead, so that the main purpose of the Lord’s manifestation as a human being, which was to eliminate the scourge of the tyrannical demons led by their ferocious king Ravana, could be successfully accomplished; so the gods tweak the mind of queen Kaikeyi by using her trusted maid Manthara as a medium to accomplish their goal; Kaikeyi prevails upon her husband, king Dasrath, to grant her two boons under oath—one was to send Lord Ram to the forest, and the other was to appoint her own son as the King of Ayodhya; the king was devastated by this demand, and he lamented most woefully : Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 11—to Doha no. 37.

(4) The kingdom’s chief minister, named Sumantra, informed Lord Ram that king Dasrath wants to meet him; Lord Ram is apprised of the developments by Kaikeyi; the Lord cheerfully and willingly accepted the demand; as the news spread, the citizens were shocked; they scorned and derided Kaikeyi for her wickedness :  Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 38—to Doha no. 51.

(5) Lord Ram seeks his mother Kaushalya’s permission to proceed to the forest; Sita and Laxman decide to join the Lord : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 52—to Doha no. 76.

(6) King Dasrath made a last ditch attempt to dissuade Lord Ram and Sita from going to the forest, but they did not relent; Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman depart from Ayodhya on their way to the forest; the grief-stricken citizens follow them; Dasrath asks Sumantra to take a chariot and go with the Lord for some distance, and then try to bring him back; Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman board the chariot, and after spending the first night on the banks of river Tamsa, they reach Sringberpur : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 77—to Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 87.

(7) Lord Ram meets and befriends Nishad, the chief of the boatman community; the next morning Sumantra pleaded with Lord Ram to return home, conveying to him and Sita Dasrath’s emotional message; Lord Ram politely declined and asked Sumantra to turn back; then the Lord, accompanied by Sita, Laxman and Nishad, cross the river Ganges after blessing the boatman who took them across : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 88—to Doha no. 102.

(8) Lord Ram and his companions arrive at Prayag; then the Lord visits sage Bharadwaj’s hermitage; the conversation between the Lord and the sage : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 103—to 108.

(9) Departure from Bharadwaj’s hermitage; the news of the passage of Lord Ram through the countryside spread like wildfire, and every single soul who heard came rushing to meet and get blessed by the Lord’s presence; there was a mixture of joy and exhilaration at this privilege as well as of sadness and grief at the sufferings that the Lord, Sita and Laxman would have to bear in the forest; when the Lord reached river Yamuna, he asked Nishad to return home : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 109—to Doha no. 123.

(10) Lord Ram arrives at sage Valmiki’s hermitage; conversation between the sage and the Lord during which Valmiki outlines the symbolic holy places where Lord Ram should live : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 124—to Doha no. 132.

(11) On the advice of sage Valmiki, Lord Ram arrives at Chitrakoot to abide there for some days : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 133—to Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 142.

(12) Meanwhile, Sumantra returned to Ayodhya and informed king Dasrath of the developments; Dasrath lamented and grieved sorrowfully, and died in shock of separation from Lord Ram which was too much for him to cope with : Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 142—to Doha no. 156.

(13) Bharat and Shatrughan were informed by messengers sent by sage Vasistha; Bharat returns home and learns of the wicked deed of his mother; he strongly rebuked and upbraided her; then he performs the last rites of his father; a royal conference was held where the seniors tried to persuade Bharat to accept the crown in the absence of Lord Ram, but he refused, saying that he wants to go to the forest and ask for forgiveness from the Lord besides requesting him to come back home; this endeared Bharat to every single person in Ayodhya : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 157—to Doha no. 185.

(14) After making proper preparations, Bharat departed for the forest to meet Lord Ram; he was accompanied by a huge precession of seniors and ordinary folks of Ayodhya; the party reached Sringberpur where Bharat met and befriended Nishad who too joined him and acted as a guide for the onwards journey to where Lord Ram was in the forest : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 186—to Doha no. 202.

(15) Bharat arrives at sage Bharadwaj’s hermitage; conversation between the two; the sage lavishly entertains Bhara and his entourage; departure of Bharat from the sage’s hermitage for his onwards journey to Chitrakoot : Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 203—to Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 216.

(16) The fear of the gods and their guru’s reassurance to them; the emotional response that Bharat received from the country folk; his arrival at Chitrakoot and meeting Lord Ram : Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 216—to Doha no. 240.

(17) Lord Ram meets and welcomes everyone accompanying Bharat most affectionately; the Lord escort them all inside his hermitage; the first conference at Chitrakoot where Bharat pleads his case before Lord Ram : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 241—to Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 270.

(18) Arrival of king Janak with his entourage; Sita meets her parents who praise her; the conversation between Janak and his wife Sunayana : Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 270—to Doha no. 289.

(19) The second conference at Chitrakoot; Lord Ram persuades Bharat to honour their father’s words and bear with the Lord till the end of the designated time the Lord is obliged to stay in the forest; Bharat accepts Lord Ram’s commands, but asks the Lord to  tell him where to place the consecrated waters of different holy places he had brought along in order to anoint Lord Ram as a King in the forest itself; Lord Ram told him to follow the instructions of sage Atri in this regard : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 290—to Doha no. 309.

(20) Sage Atri advises Bharat to place all holy waters in a well nearby; Bharat goes on a tour of the holy sites of Chitrakoot; the third conference at Chitrakoot; Bharat accepts Lord Ram’s instructions to return home; he accepts the Lord’s wooden footwear as a token of his personal presence at Ayodhya, and prepares to return home : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 310—to Doha no. 316.

(21) Bharat and his entourage leave Chitrakoot with a very heavy heart to return to Ayodhya; arrival in the gloomy city; Bharat puts Lord Ram’s sandals on the throne as a token of the Lord’s personal presence, and himself retires to lead a hermit’s life at a nearby suburb; Bharat’s exemplary life of renunciation and detachment praised lavishly by one and all : Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 317—to 326.

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Appendix: Other Volumes in this series & About the Author

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Ram Charit Manas

The Divine Story of Lord Ram

Canto 2, Ayodhya Kand

(Roman Transliteration of the Original Verses,           Exhaustive Analytical Exposition in English

With Explanatory Notes & References)

Chapter 1

Preface

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In the previous Canto no. 1, i.e. ‘Baal Kand’, we have read the Story of Ram Charit Manas till the point of time when the marriage party returned to Ayodhya with Lord Ram and his brothers along with their respective brides, celebrations in the city, and then, after passage of some time, sage Vishwamitra took leave of king Dasrath and went back to his hermitage. 

In the present Canto no. 2, i.e. ‘Ayodhya Kand’, we move ahead with the Story. Some days passed in a routine manner, when one day king Dasrath, realizing that old age was creeping upon him, finally decided to formally anoint his eldest son, Lord Ram, as the Regent, a Crown Prince and official Heir of the kingdom.

Everything would have been fine but for the fact that Lord Ram was not an ordinary human being born as a prince of a great kingdom, to grow up and inherit his father’s kingdom and legacy; for the Lord was a human manifestation of the Supreme Being who had come down to earth with a special objective, which was to eliminate the scourge of the savage demons ruled by their ruthless king named Ravana, who had unleashed a relentless and vicious campaign of cruelty, barbarity and torment in this world. So, simply ascending the throne and becoming a great king was not on the agenda of Lord Ram, for he had other important things to do. But it was imperative to keep the truth of his identity as being the Supreme Being secret, lest the demons would get alarmed and either go hide somewhere, or come to seek forgiveness from the Lord, knowing fully well that if they surrendered then the merciful Lord would be obliged to accommodate them inspite of all their evilness and vile nature, though such show of repentance and regret by the cunning demons would only be an excuse to survive, and much sooner than later they would revert to their bad old ways once the immediate danger was over.

Lord Ram weighed all the pros and cons, and decided that he must go ahead with his mandate, without further loss of time. To give effect to his plans he had to find a way to go to the forest, because it was here the demons resided and attacked humble ascetics and hermits, involved in spiritual practices, with impunity, and then the Lord would have to go to their den in Lanka itself to completely route the evil from its base, as Lanka was the epicenter of terror and abode of demon-barbarians.

Hence, the Lord subtly hinted to the Gods, who were eagerly waiting for his instructions, to devise a device and take necessary steps in this direction, as they thought fit and expedient under the prevailing circumstances.

Thence, the Gods requested goddess Saraswati, the patron goddess of speech and wisdom, to please use her wits and maneuver things in such a way that Lord Ram could go to the forest with his wife Sita and brother Laxman in order to carry out the main mission for which he had to take the trouble of coming to earth and becoming a human being to endure all the suffering that a human being has to bear with. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 11—to Doha no. 12.}

Accordingly, Saraswati decided to play a spoil-sport and stop king Dasrath from going ahead with his plans to anoint Lord Ram as the future king of Ayodhya. How did she manage it? Well, she knew the weak point in Dasrath’s character, that he was so passionately involved with one of his queens, named Kaikeyi, that if the latter was made an instrument to give effect to the Master Plan of the Gods, Dasrath would succumb like a pack of cards. Therefore, Saraswati corrupted the mind of Manthra, a favourite maid of Kaikeyi and her close confidante, who in turn corrupted her mistress Kaikeyi, telling her many things that would happen against her interests in future if Lord Ram ascended the throne. What were her arguments and predictions, though absolutely without any ground and truth, that moved Kaikeyi to commit an error of judgment that she would repent for her lifetime, besides inviting untold misery unto the family, and casting an ignominy on her that she could not wash ever? Manthra told Kaikeyi that if Lord Ram became the next king, her son Bharat would be relegated to a secondary position or made some junior minister, and worse he would either be imprisoned or banished in order to pre-empt any attempt by him to interfere with Lord Ram’s supremacy, that she would have to live like a maid under the overall command of Kaushalya, the mother of Lord Ram and the chief queen, and her husband, king Dasrath, only pretended to love her, but actually he didn’t, for he had kept his plans a secret from her. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 16—to Doha no. 19.}

Eventually it so happened that Lord Ram, his wife Sita, and his brother Laxman left Ayodhya to live like a hermit in the forest for 14 years, away from the city and inhabited areas.

On his way to the forest, the Lord got an opportunity to bless countless souls, men and women, sages, hermits and ascetics, travellers and other casual acquaintances, ordinary villagers and forest-dwelling tribes; the earth, the trees, the birds, and so many countless varieties of animals, were blessed too. The inanimate as well as the animate—both were fortunate to get a divine glimpse of the Supreme Being from up close, and interact with him, serve him, touch him, and he reciprocating their loving gestures with due affection. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 110—to Doha no. 122.}

Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman finally reached a place deep in the forest that was surrounded by mountains and meadows, where the river Mandakni, a tributary of river Ganges, flowed, and it had Nature displaying its inherent beauty and charm at its best; this tranquil and serene place was called Chitrakoot. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 132—to Doha no. 140.}

This part of the Story covers half of ‘Ayodhya Kand’. In the second half we read that king Dasrath died due to grief, and Bharat and his brother Shatrughan, who were completely unaware of the sad developments in Ayodhya as they had gone to visit their maternal uncle’s place earlier, rushed back to the city when a messenger sent by the royal priest of Ayodhya, sage Vasistha, urgently asked them to return home. Upon return, the two brothers discovered to their utter dismay and frustration the grave consequences resulting from the mischief committed by Kaikeyi. Bharat was crestfallen, for he loved Lord Ram more than anybody. He severely took his mother Kaikeyi to task, even abused her and scolded her bitterly, but was already done could not be undone so quickly, for it was too late now reverse the course of events. Yet, Bharat decided not to accept the crown, even temporarily, and eschew from doing anything that would be interpreted as his being a party to this evil game. Hence, he decided to go to the forest with chief ministers and a detachment of the army to bring Lord Ram back home and restore the crown to him. {This part of the Story has been narrated in Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 154—to Doha no. 184.}

Bharat traced the path taken by Lord Ram earlier, meeting those whom the Lord had met on his way to the forest, and asking them for guidance and advice as to the direction in which he must proceed to the forest so as to meet the Lord somewhere ahead. By and by, Bharat reached Chitrakoot; there was an emotional and tearful reunion between the two loving brothers, Lord Ram and Bharat, as was also between all others who had accompanied Bharat when they met Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman. {We shall read all about it in Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Doha no. 187—to Doha no. 246.}

A meeting was organized, and Bharat made a strong and determined pitch to try and persuade Lord Ram to return home, even offering to go to the forest himself with his brother Shatrughan in place of the Lord and Laxman. Meanwhile, king Janak also arrived at Chitrakoot as he had heard of the developments in Ayodhya. Another round of discussions was held, where Bharat made an emotional appeal to Lord Ram to return home. But though the Lord was very moved by Bharat’s love for him, and might have yielded, yet he had to become stern and stone-hearted because much was at stake, the demons had to be taken down, and for the time being it was expedient not to yield to emotions, become sentimental or moved due to love; there was no scope for leniency or complacency in this job. {This part of the Story has been narrated in Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Doha no. 253—to Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 316.}

Hence, Lord Ram prevailed upon Bharat to return home with the Lord’s footwear as his token presence in Ayodhya, with a promise that he would return as soon as the 14 year time frame for him to live in the forest, as ordered by their father Dasrath, ended, and not one second later. Bharat returned home, but he put the sandals of the Lord on the throne of Ayodhya to mark the Lord’s symbolic presence there, and himself he retired to a hermitage on the outskirts of the city to live like a hermit in the same way as Lord Ram lived in the forest. The day-to-day affairs of the kingdom were looked after by Shatrughan in consultations with Bharat. This brings us to the end of Canto 2 called ‘Ayodhya Kand’. {We read all of it in Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, from Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 316—to Doha no. 326.}

What happened next will be narrated in the next Canto no. 3, called ‘Aranya Kand’.

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Ram Charit Manas

The Divine Story of Lord Ram

Canto 2, Ayodhya Kand

(Roman Transliteration of the Original Verses,           Exhaustive Analytical Exposition in English

With Explanatory Notes & References)

Chapter 2

dvitīya sōpāna 

ślōka.

yasyāṅkē ca vibhāti bhūdhara-sutā dēvāpagā mastakē 

bhālē bālavidhur-galē ca garalaṁ yasyōrasi vyālarāṭ. 

sō 'yaṁ bhūti-vibhūṣaṇaḥ suravaraḥ sarvādhipaḥ sarvadā

śarvaḥ sarvagataḥ śivaḥ śaśinibhaḥ śrīśaṅkaraḥ pātu mām.  1. 

[This Shloka, or Sanskrit verse, is in praise of Lord Shiva; it invokes the blessings of the Lord and requests him to protect the person who says this prayer. In this case, the person who makes this submission to Lord Shiva is Goswami Tulsidas, the learned poet-saint who had written Ram Charit Manas as we read it now.]

‘I offer my obeisance and prayers to Lord Shiva who has goddess Parvati present to his left, the Lord who is adorned by the presence of the holy river Ganges on his head (in the thick matted crown of hairs that the Lord wears)¹, the crescent moon on the left side of his forehead (above the eyebrows), the poison called Halaal stored in his throat (neck)², serpents resting on his broad chest, and ash from the sacrificial fire smeared all over his divine body, the Lord who is the most exalted and revered amongst the pantheon of Gods, the Lord who is the ‘Supreme Lord’ of one and all in all phases of time and eras³, who is the concluder of everything that exists⁴, who destroys the sins and their consequences for his devotees, who is omnipresent and omniscient, who is an embodiment of auspiciousness and the all-round welfare and well-being of all, and whose countenance is as radiant as the full moon—verily indeed, I most humbly pay my respects to Lord Shiva, beg him to protect me.’

[Note—¹When the holy river Ganges descended on earth from the heaven, it was feared that its immense gush and force would crack the earth and wash it away. So the Gods asked Lord Shiva to help preserve the creation and protect the earth by trapping the huge mass of water, coming down with terrible force and violence from the heaven, on his head, by letting it swirl and churn in the mass of intertwined hairs present on Lord Shiva’s head and forming a crown that adorns him like an ascetic. Later on, a stream from this gigantic reservoir on Lord Shiva’s head, which we can liken to a modern-day dam built to control the flow of great rivers, would be eventually allowed to escape, and it meandered down to the plains and came to be known as river Ganges. 

²The Halaal poison was produced at the time of churning of the ocean by the gods and their cousins, the demons, in some ancient time. It was so corrosive that if it felt anywhere that place would burn. So, the creator Brahma and other Gods requested Lord Shiva to help them overcome this predicament by keeping it secure in his throat. That is why Lord Shiva’s neck became purple due to the presence of this poison. It is believed that Lord Shiva invoked the holy name of Lord Ram before he drank that poison, and this divine name was so protective and effective that no harm came to Shiva and the poison itself was neutralized. This fact has been hinted at in Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes Doha no. 19.

³Lord Shiva is also known as ‘Mahadeva’, the Great God or the Supreme God.

⁴He is the third God of the Trinity, and responsible for bringing this creation to an end. The other two Gods are Brahma who creates, and Vishnu who takes care of the creation before its time expires.]

prasannatāṁ yā na gatābhiṣēkatastathā na mamlē vanavāsa-duḥkhataḥ. 

mukhāmbujaśrī raghunandanasya mē sadāstu sā mañjula-maṅgalapradā.  2.

[This second Shloka is dedicated to Lord Ram.]

The radiance, pleasing, affectionate and charming look of Lord Ram’s face is so constant and unchanging that it was neither enhanced with the news of his being appointed to the throne of the kingdom of Ayodhya nor diminished or tainted with the news of his being suddenly banished to the forest (for 14 long years)¹—verily indeed, the charm and affection radiating out from that face of Lord Ram, who gives immense joy and glory to the family descending from the great legendary king Raghu of Ayodhya, grants immense and constant pleasure, comfort, solace and succour to me.’ 

[Note—¹Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, (i) Chaupai line nos. 5-6 that precede Doha no. 41; (ii) Doha no. 51 along with Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes it; (iii) Doha no. 116 and Chaupai line no. 1 that follows it; (iv) Doha no. 165 along with Chaupai line no. 1 that follows it.]

nīlāmbuja-śyāmala-kōmalāṅgaṁ sītāsamārōpita-vāmabhāgam.

pāṇau mahāsāyaka-cārucāpaṁ namāmi rāmaṁ raghuvanśa-nātham. 3.

[Continuing with his praise for Lord Ram, Tulsidas says—] ‘Lord Ram, whose form has a dark hue and softness (or tenderness) like that of the petals of a blue lotus flower, who is adorned and glorified by the presence of his divine consort Sita to his left, and who holds an infallible Arrow in one hand and a beautiful Bow (named Sharang)¹ in the other hand—verily indeed, I bow before and pay my deepest reverence to that Lord (Ram) who is the most exalted Lord of the race of illustrious kings descending from an ancient king named Raghu (of Ayodhya).’ (3)

[Note—¹The ‘Sharang Bow’ is held by Lord Vishnu, and Lord Ram is his manifestation.]

dōhā.

śrīguru carana sarōja raja nija manu mukuru sudhāri.

barana'um̐ raghubara bimala jasu jō dāyaku phala cāri. 0.

I hereby resume the narration of the spiritually purifying, holy, divine and glories Story of Lord Ram, the Lord of the Raghus—a Story that grants all the desired four fruits or rewards of life to a devotee¹—by first using the purifying dust of the revered feet of my Guru (moral preceptor, teacher and guide) to rub and clean the symbolic mirror of my Mana (mind and heart) (so that I can properly and correctly understand the intricacies of this Story and clearly see the depth of things myself to enable me to narrate it for the benefit of others, because the narrator should first be clear himself about what he is about to narrate in order to make his narrative genuine, precise, authentic, authoritative, and free from the error of omission of crucial details, or of  misrepresentation or misinterpretation of facts)². (Doha no. 0)³

[Note—¹The four rewards that a person, who is spiritual and righteous by his inherent nature, and who has led a life free from sins, would get, are the following: (i) Artha (prosperity and well-being), (ii) Dharma (the merit and glory that comes to a person who follows laws and rules of righteousness, auspiciousness, probity, prosperity, ethics, morality and good conduct in all spheres of life), (iii) Kaam (fulfillment of all desires), and finally (iv) Moksha (liberation, deliverance, emancipation and salvation; attainment of eternal bliss, beatitude, felicity and peace for his soul).

²Obeisance to the Guru has been made by the learned poet Tulsidas earlier too, in the very beginning of this Book ‘Ram Charit Manas’. Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, from Sortha line nos. 9-10 that precede Doha no. 1—to Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 2.

³This Doha is numbered as ‘zero’ (0) because it is the concluding part of the initial invocation prayers offered to Lords Shiva and Ram in the Shlokas herein above, and is not a part of the actual narration of the Story of Lord Ram, which follows herein below.

This is a standard practice followed in all the seven Cantos, as all open with verses in Sanskrit known as the ‘Shloka’ that offer some sort of prayer to the chosen deity, at the end of which there is a concluding verse either as Doha or as its variant known as a Sortha.

Examples of ‘Sortha’ used to open a particular Canto is found in the beginning of the first Canto called Baal Kand, as well as in the third and fourth Cantos called Aranya Kand and Kishkindha Kand respectively. In the beginning of the sixth Canto, i.e. the Lanka Kand, both the patterns are found, i.e. there is the ‘Doha’ which is followed by the ‘Sortha’. For the other Cantos, i.e. the present one known as Ayodhya Kand, and the last Canto, the seventh, known as Uttar Kand, we have the ‘Doha’ to mark the end of the Shloka and the beginning of narrative.] 

caupā’ī.

jaba tēṁ rāmu byāhi ghara ā'ē. nita nava maṅgala mōda badhā'ē. 1.

bhuvana cāridasa bhūdhara bhārī. sukṛta mēgha baraṣahin sukha bārī. 2.

From the very day Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after his marriage¹, there were newer celebrations and festivities every day, along with general merriment, singing of auspicious songs, and playing of different types of musical instruments. (1)

During those auspicious days of joy and celebrations (that followed Lord Ram’s marriage), Mother Nature too participated with enthusiasm, which she exhibited in a symbolic way by blessing the entire universe, consisting of fourteen divisions known as the ‘Fourteen Bhuvans’², which were like so many huge mountains over which clouds, symbolizing meritorious deeds, poured down an abundance of rain in the form of all round joy, happiness and contentedness (that automatically come as a natural reward of meritorious deeds done by a creature)³. (2)

[Note—¹Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, (i) Doha no. 343—to Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 355; (ii) Doha no. 359.

²The celestial sphere is divided into seven upper worlds and seven lower worlds, totaling fourteen divisions called ‘Bhuvans’ or abodes of various categories of creatures, some high and exalted such as the gods, some lower down but still higher than other in the hierarchy of creation, such as the humans, and others lower down in the rung, such as the animate beings and inanimate things as members of animal and plant kingdom, as well as the grosser components of this creation such as the mountains, rivers, earth, water, fire, air etc.

An atmosphere of happiness and joy is marked by abundance, pleasure and cheer all around, while gloom and despair is marked by the opposite characters of darkness and lack of everything that is good and cheering.

Abundance of rainfall, greenery, colour, verdant forests, flowers in bloom, ready harvests, rivers full of clean water, chirping of birds and harmony between all the animals who forget their natural enmity but live peacefully together, and all other such signs indicate happiness in Nature, as are the singing of songs, playing of musical instruments, laughter, festivities, celebrations etc. that symbolize fertility and prosperity in the world; while famine, draught, storms, extremes of weather, disputes, disharmony, quarrels, wars, strife etc. stand for just the opposite. 

The signs described in these verses indicate that the days that followed Lord Ram’s marriage were very happy for one and all.

The next set of verses would elaborate on this idea, that the days following Lord Ram’s marriage were so auspicious and happy that it seemed that the heaven had itself descended upon earth.

³Everyone was mindful of his or her actions; everyone acted in a righteous and proper way; evil deeds and sinful acts were unknown. Hence, doing meritorious deeds and following principles of good conduct by one and all brought in their wake rewards of happiness and joy for everyone, everywhere.

The abundance of good deeds, and its accompanying happiness for all in this world, is represented in this verse by clouds showering plenty of rain over the lofty mountains that represent all the fourteen divisions of the universe, and this rain would in its turn make the forests covering these mountains vibrant with greenery and colour, and also provide water to the great lakes and the rivers that have their origin in these high mountains. These rivers would, in due course of time, irrigate the plains below, providing vigour and vibrancy to life in this world.]

ridhi sidhi sampati nadīṁ suhā'ī. umagi avadha ambudhi kahum̐ ā'ī. 3.

manigana pura nara nāri sujātī. suci amōla sundara saba bhām̐tī. 4.

Prosperity, well-being, abundance, riches, successes, fulfilment of wishes, opulence, affluence et al—all such blessings came flowing on their own to Ayodhya, which was like an ocean towards which great rivers, brimming over with water, flow automatically¹. (3)

In this symbolic ocean (i.e. in Ayodhya, the realm of Lord Ram) lived the fortunate and meritorious inhabitants who were like the best of gems and precious stones, that are priceless and beautiful, found in an ocean². (4)

––––––––

[Note—¹In this analogy, the kingdom of Ayodhya is likened to an ocean into which all the great rivers flow on their own, in a natural way. The idea is that every imaginable good virtue and blessing that one could expect to have in this life was easily available to all the creatures in the realm of Lord Ram.

Refer: Ram Charit Manas, (a) Baal Kand, (i) Doha no. 306; (ii) Chaupai line nos. 2-3 that precede Doha no. 294; (iii) Chaupai line nos. 1-4 that precede Doha no. 345; (b) Uttar Kand, (iv) Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 11; (v) Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 22—to Doha no. 23.

²In this metaphor, the kingdom of Ayodhya is likened to an ocean, and its inhabitants, who led a meritorious life following all the laws and rules of Dharma, i.e. principles of good conduct, righteousness, auspiciousness, probity, propriety, ethics and morality, to priceless gems and precious stones that are found only in the ocean.

Even as certain rare and priceless gems are found only in the ocean and nowhere else, the excellent virtues and meritorious life of the residents of Ayodhya were so immense and exclusive to them that it was rare, if not impossible, to find such fortunate and good people anywhere else in the world.

In this context, refer also to: Ram Charit Manas, Uttar Kand, (i) Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes Doha no. 20—to Doha no. 21.

The verses that follow herein below further endorse this view.]

kahi na jā'i kachu nagara bibhūtī. janu ētani'a biran̄ci karatūtī. 5.

saba bidhi saba pura lōga sukhārī. rāmacanda mukha candu nihārī. 6.

The stupendous beauty, splendour, and magnificence of the city of Ayodhya were exceptional, and so profound and majestic that they cannot be described and limited by the use of words; it looked as if the skills of the creator Brahma in craftsmanship and creation of grandeur were exemplified by Ayodhya, as it presented the best of what he (Brahma) could create¹. (5)

The inhabitants of the city were contented and happy in all imaginable way, for there was no better joy for them than being able to have the privilege of seeing Lord Ram’s charming face (that granted immense pleasure to the beholder) whenever they wished to see it (without any hindrance, formalities and obstacles)². (6)

[Note—¹Refer: Ram Charit Manas, (a) Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line nos. 1-2 that precede Doha no. 194; (ii) Chaupai line nos. 1-8 that precede Doha no. 195; (b) Uttar Kand, (iii) Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 27—to Doha no. 29.

Refer also to Geetawali, Uttar Kand, verse no. 23.

²Refer to: Ram Charit Manas, (a) Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 200; (b) Uttar Kand, (ii) Doha no. 30 along with Chaupai line nos. 1-10 that precede it.

The citizens had easy access to their beloved princes Lord Ram. Whenever they wished they could get in touch with the Lord. The Lord always received his subjects with warmth, smile and welcome gesture; he never got irritated or annoyed. So everyone felt at ease and developed a personal bond of affection and allegiance to Lord Ram, feeling assured of the personal attention and affection of the Lord for themselves. This attitude of Lord Ram endeared him to everyone.

We have already read that the city was prosperous and thriving, with an abundance of everything and dearth of nothing that one would need for a happy life. This was coupled by the gracious and good nature of their king Dasrath, as well as their prince, the heir to the throne, Lord Ram. What more would anyone want?]

mudita mātu saba sakhīṁ sahēlī. phalita bilōki manōratha bēlī. 7.

rāma rūpu guna sīlu subhā'ū. pramudita hō'i dēkhi suni rā'ū. 8.

The mothers (Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi), with their companions and maids, were very happy and delighted at the good fortune bestowed upon them all, as if the creepers symbolizing their wishes and desires have borne fruits of their choice¹. (7)

When the king (Dasrath) heard about the gracious and courteous nature of Lord Ram, about his excellent character and qualities, of his being loved by everyone, and observed his handsome features (i.e. his prime health and vigour)—the king was immensely pleased; he felt contented and profoundly blessed². (8)

[Note—¹Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 346; (ii) Doha no. 350-a.

²Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, (i) Chaupai line nos. 1-5 that precede Doha no. 2; (ii) Chaupai line nos. 1-4 that precede Doha no. 3.

It is natural for a father as well as a mother to feel highly glad and proud when they sees that their son is of an excellent character, is most competent, is loved by everyone, is healthy, handsome and obedient, would successfully step in the shoes of his father when the time comes, and will uphold the great tradition of the family in a most competent and able manner, even excelling his father in many fields. These observations would fill any parent with a great sense of accomplishment and happiness; he or she would be giving thanks to God and all those to whom they had been offering prayers for granting them the joy of having such an exemplary offspring.

Compare this good fortune of a father to another whose son is a taint on the name of the family due to his evil nature, bad character and habits, or who is of a  sickly body and totally incompetent in every way. Say, how dejected, dismayed and depressed would the father of such a son would be?] 

dōhā.

saba kēṁ ura abhilāṣu asa kahahiṁ manā'i mahēsu.

āpa achata jubarāja pada rāmahi dē'u narēsu. 1.

Everyone had a cherished wish that the king should appoint Lord Ram to the throne as the next sovereign (as soon as possible).

So they mentally prayed to Lord Shiva (to whom the entire population of Ayodhya was devoted to, and all worshipped Shiva as their deity) to invoke the Lord’s blessings so that the king would anoint Lord Ram to the throne during his lifetime, while there is still time for him*¹. (Doha no. 1)

[*This verse can be read as follows also: "Everyone had a cherished wish that the king should appoint Lord Ram to the throne as the next sovereign (as soon as possible).

So they mentally prayed to Lord Shiva (to whom the entire population of Ayodhya was devoted to, and all worshipped Shiva as their deity) to invoke the Lord’s blessings before approaching the king (Dasrath) with the proposal. They said to the king: ‘Oh Lord! Please appoint Lord Ram to the throne of Ayodhya yourself while there is still time for you (because you are getting old, and we don’t want any tussle for the crown in your absence)’.]

[Note—¹In this context, refer to: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1, 6-8 that precede Doha no. 2—to Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 4]

caupā’ī.

ēka samaya saba sahita samājā. rājasabhām̐ raghurāju birājā. 1.

sakala sukṛta mūrati naranāhū. rāma sujasu suni atihi uchāhū. 2.

One day, the King of the Raghu dynasty (i.e. king Dasrath of the kingdom of Ayodhya) sat on his throne in the royal court attended by all his ministers and courtiers. (1)

-—The king (naranāhū) was an embodiment of all meritorious deeds¹. He felt very contented and exceedingly happy as he heard of the glories and merits of Lord Ram². (2)

[Note—¹The glory, majesty and greatness of king Dasrath has been lauded elsewhere too in Ram Charit Manas, e.g. (a) Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line nos. 5-6 that precede Doha no. 294; (b) Ayodhya Kand, (ii) Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 173—to Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 174. In both these cases, king Dasrath has been praised by sage Vasistha.

The verses that follow herein below also praise king Dasrath and his good fortune.

²Refer also to: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes Doha no. 1. It is apparent here that though the two verses speak the same thing, the context is different. This previous verse refers to king Dasrath feeling happy and elated in a general way as his informers and spies informed him in private, and in an informal way, about the excellent character, nature and behaviour of his son Lord Ram, and how every single citizen of the kingdom loved him, while the present verse we are currently reading herein above refers to a specific occasion when the king was attending his royal court, and good news about Lord Ram was conveyed to him by his ministers and courtiers in a formal way, in the form of a report that they presented to him in the course of routine discussion about the affairs of the kingdom and its administration.]

nṛpa saba rahahiṁ kṛpā abhilāṣēṁ. lōkapa karahiṁ prīti rukha rākhēṁ. 3.

tibhuvana tīni kāla jaga māhīṁ. bhūri bhāga dasaratha sama nāhīṁ. 4.

maṅgalamūla rāmu suta jāsū. jō kachu kahi'a thōra sabu tāsū. 5.

Verily indeed, who can sufficiently praise the glories, majesty and greatness of king Dasrath whose favour and grace other great kings solicited and wished to have; even the Lokpals (custodians of the various divisions of the world; the gods looking after different functions of creation) were always favourable to him, and they did everything keeping in view his positive response to their actions (because they knew that his son, Lord Ram, was their benefactor and protector, and would eventually free them from the torments of the demon race). (3)

Forsooth and without gainsay, there was no one as lucky and fortunate as king Dasrath in the entire Tribhuvan (the three divisions of the world: heaven, earth and nether world) as well as all the eras of time (past, present and future). (4)

[Why was Dasrath so fortunate? The answer is this—] He whose son was Lord Ram, a personified form of the Supreme Being, and the Lord of the world who is the root of all auspiciousness, good fortunes, happiness and bliss¹—whatever is said of such a king (Dasrath) would fall short of the truth about him, and would be insufficient to enumerate or measure his good fortunes, majesty, glory and greatness. (5)

[Note—¹Refer: Ram Charit Manas, (a) Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 112; (ii) Chaupai line nos. 5-6 that precede Doha no. 294; (iii) Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 304; (b) Ayodhya Kand, (iv) Doha no. 173.]

rāyam̐ subhāyam̐ mukuru kara līnhā. badanu bilōki mukuṭu sama kīnhā. 6.

śravana samīpa bha'ē sita kēsā. manahum̐ jaraṭhapanu asa upadēsā. 7.

nṛpa jubarāju rāma kahum̐ dēhū. jīvana janama lāhu kina lēhū. 8.

It so happened that once the king picked up his viewing mirror in his hand and looked at the reflection of his face in it in order to adjust the crown on his head. (6)

He observed that the hair line near his ears had turned grey, and he took it as a signal from Old Age that was alerting him and whispering in his ears as follows—(7)

––––––––

‘Oh King! It is prudent and wise for you to anoint Lord Ram as the heir to the throne, as the regent of the kingdom, and thereby realize the reward of happiness in life, as well as your objective.¹’ (8)

[Note—¹We have read earlier in Baal Kand that when Dasrath realized that he had no heir to inherit his legacy and look after the kingdom upon his death, he had approached his royal priest, sage Vasistha, to find a way out of this dilemma, whereat the sage advised him to invite sage Sringi to perform a son-begetting fire sacrifice. It was successful, and the Fire God revealed himself to give the king a magical potion, asking him to distribute it among his queens. In due course of time, the four brothers, Lord Ram, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan, were born. Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 189—to Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes Doha no. 190.

So, ‘Old Age’ refers to that desire of king Dasrath, and hints to him that it would be fulfilled only when he goes ahead with the succession plan and appoint Lord Ram, the eldest son, to the throne. It was urgent and necessary to do so while there was still time in the hands of the king, because no one can be certain when death comes knocking, and in case the king dies before appointing a heir there were fair chances of a tussle for the crown among the four brothers, which would be very unfortunate and a result of negligence, indecision or procrastination on the part of the king. Hence, it was crucial that he take remedial steps as soon as possible.

It ought to be noted here that there were constant appeals by the citizen to appoint Lord Ram as the prince-regent, but the king had taken no action till then. Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Doha no. 1.]

dōhā.

yaha bicāru ura āni nṛpa sudinu su'avasaru pā'i.

prēma pulaki tana mudita mana gurahi sunāya'u jā'i. 2.

When this thought took roots in the heart of the king, he determined to give effect to his plans (of appointing Lord Ram as the prince-regent).

One fine day when the right opportunity came, he went to meet his royal priest and guru (sage Vasistha) with a thrilled body and cheerful disposition, and conveyed to the latter what was in his Mana (mind and heart) (regarding appointment of Lord Ram as the heir to the kingdom)¹. (Doha no. 2)

[Note—It was a great tradition in the kingdom that before taking any important decision, or whenever some good or bad news arrived, the king would go and seek advise and guidance from his guru, sage Vasistha, who also officiated as the royal priest. The king would tell the guru all about his thoughts and frankly shared with him all matters of concern, whether good or bad.   This fact is very explicitly expressed in Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1-3 that precede Doha no. 189.]

caupā’ī.

kaha'i bhu'ālu suni'a munināyaka. bha'ē rāma saba bidhi saba lāyaka. 1.

sēvaka saciva sakala purabāsī. jē hamārē ari mitra udāsī. 2.

sabahi rāmu priya jēhi bidhi mōhī. prabhu asīsa janu tanu dhari sōhī. 3.

bipra sahita parivāra gōsā'īṁ. karahiṁ chōhu saba raurihi nā'īṁ. 4.

The king said to the sage (Vasistha): ‘Oh great sage, please pay attention to my submission. Lord Ram has become an adult, and he has grown up to become competent, skilled and accomplished in all spheres and in every possible way. (1)

He is very dear to one and all—to our servants, ministers, courtiers and citizens, as well to our relations, friends and acquaintances so much so that even our enemies or those who have no relationship with us or any interest in our affairs, such as ascetics, hermits and friars who usually remain detached from all sorts of attachments and development of affection or personal bonds with anyone (2), -—

-—Are favourably inclined towards him and love him as much as I do (as his father)¹. It appears that your blessings and grace has been personified in the form of Lord Ram which has made it possible for him to be dear to everyone². (3)

Oh revered Brahmin (gōsā'īṁ)! All Brahmins and their families in the realm love and respect him (Lord Ram) in the same manner as you do. (4)

[Note—¹Lord Ram was loved by one and all. Refer also to: Ram Charit Manas, (a) Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 200; (ii) Doha no. 204; (iii) Chaupai line nos. 6-7 that precede Doha no. 216; (iv) Chaupai line nos. 4-6 that precede Doha no. 229; (b) Ayodhya Kand, (v) Doha no. 122 along with Chaupai line nos. 1-8 that precede it.

²Sage Vasistha was a renowned and learned sage, universally respected, and much sought after, with everyone wishing to get his blessings irrespective of who he was, or what his social standing was, the kingdom where he lived, whether or not his own king had good relationship with the king of Ayodhya where sage Vasistha resided, and so on and so forth. The idea here is that Lord Ram had an universal appeal, was loved by everyone, friend and foe alike, and everyone would be pleased if he ascended the throne of Ayodhya. To wit, even enemies of the kingdom of Ayodhya would abandon their hostility towards it once Lord Ram became the sovereign.]

jē gura carana rēnu sira dharahīṁ. tē janu sakala bibhava basa karahīṁ. 5.

mōhi sama yahu anubhaya'u na dūjēṁ. sabu pāya'um̐ raja pāvani pūjēṁ. 6.

Indeed it is truly said that those who revere and worship the dust of their Guru’s feet by putting it on the head, become so blessed and fortunate that they are able to vanquish the whole world and bring it under their command and influence¹. (5)

I can vouchsafe for this as there is no one who has witnessed the truth of this maxim as much as I have experienced in my life, for by worshipping your holy feet and its dust I have got everything I wished for and hoped to accomplish in my life. (6)

[Note—¹Refer to: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 1—to Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 2.]

aba abhilāṣu ēku mana mōrēṁ. pūjihi nātha anugraha tōrēṁ. 7.

muni prasanna lakhi sahaja sanēhū. kahē'u narēsa rajāyasu dēhū. 8.

That said, oh revered Guru, there is one last wish that I have in my heart, and I wish to submit it before you if you will be pleased to grant me your permission in this regard.’ (7)

The king closely observed the reaction of sage Vasistha; how he heard his submission, how he received his plea, and what kind of response was expected from the sage. To his great pleasure, the king concluded that the sage was pleased with him, and he wished that the king would disclose the matter that he had in his heart.

Being thus reassured of a positive response from the sage, the king said: ‘Oh sage. Please grant me your permission so that I can tell you my wish.’ (8)

dōhā.

rājana rā'ura nāmu jasu saba abhimata dātāra.

phala anugāmī mahipa mani mana abhilāṣu tumhāra. 3.

Sage Vasistha replied—‘Oh King! You are so fortunate and blessed, and your name and glory are so great that they can grant a person all that could wish for.

Oh Jewel amongst Kings (mahipa mani)! This being the case, it goes without saying that whatever you wish yourself will bear fruits. (Doha no. 3)

[Note—The greatness of king Dasrath has been praised by sage Vasistha elsewhere also in Ram Charit Manas. Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes Doha no. 173—to Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 173.

King Dasrath was a ‘Chakravarti Emperor’, i.e. an emperor whose rule and command extended over a large area on earth, like a great circle having its center at Ayodhya, his capital city. There were many smaller kings and knights paying their respects to him. The idea here is that all wishes of a person would be fulfilled if he went and desired something from Dasrath; no one returned empty handed. In this context refer to: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, (i) Chaupai line nos. 7-8 that precede Doha no. 196 (at the time of birth of Lord Ram and his brothers); (ii) Doha no. 345; (iii) Chaupai line nos. 4-8 that precede Doha no. 351 (when all the brothers returned to Ayodhya after their marriage).]

caupā’ī.

saba bidhi guru prasanna jiyam̐ jānī. bōlē'u rā'u raham̐si mṛdu bānī. 1.

nātha rāmu kari'ahiṁ jubarājū. kahi'a kṛpā kari kari'a samājū. 2.

Assured in his heart that his Guru (sage Vasistha) was pleased with him in every way (saba bidhi), the king (Dasrath) was very elated (and confident that his wishes would be accepted by the Guru); he smiled and spoke sweetly as follows: (1)

‘Oh Lord! Please be gracious to appoint Lord Ram as the Prince-Regent of the kingdom, and be kind to give me permission (consent or instructions) so that necessary arrangements can be made forthwith¹. (2) 

[Note—¹This was also the wish of all the citizens of the kingdom. Refer: Doha no. 1 herein above.

It is to be noted here that the king had been hearing such requests from everyone for quite sometime, but he had not rushed through and gone to the guru urgently, because hurry would show him in poor light. Why so? It is because a king ought to be patient and thoughtful before taking such an important decision which would have profound impact on the future of the entire kingdom. It is wiser and better to wait for some time and give thought to the pros and cons of such a crucial decision, especially when he had four sons, not one. As a wise, prudent, diplomatic and intelligent king, he wished to wait and watch the developments to make sure that this indeed was the wish of the masses, and not of some section of the society who wishes to please the king by asking him to make his eldest son, Lord Ram, as the heir, because they guessed that it was what the king would like to hear being told or advised, for after all, it was natural that the eldest son would inherit the crown. This fact that king Dasrath gave sufficient time to Prudence and Judgment to decide to go to his Guru Vasistha with this request is evident from the time gap between the first news of such wish of the citizens arriving informally to him through his spies (Doha no. 1) till some time later when he set on his throne in the court and observed the grey hair around his ears (Chaupai line nos. 1, 6-8 that precede Doha no. 2). 

Then we note that when Dasrath meets Vasistha, he praises Lord Ram*, obviously to test how the sage reacts. {*Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1-4 that precede Doha no. 3.}

With this unexpected and unasked comment about Lord Ram—for Vasistha had never asked him anything about his sons—king Dasrath wished to give a hint to the sage about the purpose of his visit, that it has to do something with Lord Ram. During this interaction, the king closely watched the reaction on sage Vasistha’s face, and he found that the sage was happy at this introductory remark. This assured the king that the Guru was sympathetic and favourable, and on the same page with him as far as Lord Ram was concerned.

Once Dasrath was convinced that he expected a favourable response from his chief priest and guru, sage Vasistha, he broached the subject in the verses that follow herein below.]

mōhi achata yahu hō'i uchāhū. lahahiṁ lōga saba lōcana lāhū. 3.

prabhu prasāda siva saba'i nibāhīṁ. yaha lālasā ēka mana māhīṁ. 4.

puni na sōca tanu raha'u ki jā'ū. jēhiṁ na hō'i pāchēṁ pachitā'ū. 5.

Let this landmark ceremony (of anointment of Lord Ram to the throne) take place while I am alive¹, and can actively organize and participate in it myself, so that not only me but everyone else can also enjoy the reward of having their eyes (i.e. everyone can participate and equally enjoy this spectacular event, and witness the glorious event of Lord Ram ascending the great throne of Ayodhya to become its regent and future king). (3)

By your grace and blessings, as well as that of Lord Shiva (prabhu prasāda siva), all my wishes have been fulfilled till now; and this is the last wish that I have in my heart (which I am sure would be likewise fulfilled)². (4)

After this (i.e. after I have appointed Lord Ram as the heir to the throne of Ayodhya) I will be free from all worries, and unconcerned with whether I live or die thereafter. I wish to complete this ceremony before its too late, so that I won’t have to regret later on.³’ (5)

[Note—¹-²This is a clear and obvious reiteration of the wishes of all the citizens of Ayodhya to which the king was already aware of. We have read how the people had prayed to Lord Shiva and invoked the Lord’s blessings so that Shiva would somehow initiate king Dasrath to appoint Lord Ram to the throne of Ayodhya. Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Doha no. 1.

Another point to be noted here is that Lord Shiva was the God worshipped and revered by the kings of Ayodhya. Lord Ram has made it amply clear when he had offered his prayers and installed a Shiva Lingam on the shore of the ocean before the War of Lanka. At that time Lord Ram has emphatically stressed that one must worship Lord Shiva if he wishes to please him. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, (a) Lanka Kand, (i) Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 2—to Chaupai line no. 4 that precedes Doha no. 3; (b) Uttar Kand, (ii) Doha no. 45.}

Further, we read in Adhyatma Ramayan, Uttar Kand, that after returning to Ayodhya from the forest and ascending the throne as the King-Emperor, Lord Ram had installed countless Shiva Lingams in his realm. {Refer: Adhyatma Ramayan, Uttar Kand, Canto 4, verse no. 27.}

³The king was apprehensive of fast approaching old age, and regretted that he had till now made no arrangement to decide on who would be the next king after him. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line nos. 6-8 that precede Doha no. 2.}

Earlier we have read that absence of a son who would inherit the throne after his death was a nagging worry in the mind of king Dasrath. So one day he went to his guru with this problem to seek the latter’s advice, upon which sage Vasistha had arranged the fire sacrifice by inviting sage Sringi, which in turn rewarded the king with his four sons, Lord Ram and his three brothers, Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan. {Refer: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line nos. 1-5 that precede Doha no. 189.}

This was quite normal for the king to ask his guru to get things rolling quickly, to complete the formalities regarding anointment of Lord Ram as the Crown Prince while the king was active and healthy, as he was apprehensive of the possibility of a serious power struggle, a family tussle or feud, as well as the accompanying political intrigue that would ensue to capture the crown of the kingdom if unfortunately he dies leaving a vacuum. This apprehension would indeed prove to be true, as we shall find out soon—because Dasrath would discover, to his utter dismay and frustration and astonishment, that even while he was alive some very unexpected developments would take place that would suddenly upend his plans to anoint Lord Ram to the throne, and instead the Lord would be marched off to the forest for 14 long years of exile right before his own eyes, and ironically ‘on his own wishes or instructions’, and he would be able to do nothing, inspite of being a great king of a firm resolve and having the blessings of his guru! Indeed it is true that the fiat of Fate and the wish of Destiny and the decision of Providence are irrevocable and supersede all plans and decisions made by a man, no matter how mighty or powerful he may be. Imagine the cruelty of fate: even the mighty and powerful king Dasrath could not override the dictates of Fate, Destiny and Providence!] 

suni muni dasaratha bacana suhā'ē. maṅgala mōda mūla mana bhā'ē. 6.

sunu nṛpa jāsu bimukha pachitāhīṁ. jāsu bhajana binu jarani na jāhīṁ. 7.

bhaya'u tumhāra tanaya sō'i svāmī. rāmu punīta prēma anugāmī. 8.

The sage (Vasistha) was greatly pleased when he heard the pleasant words of king Dasrath, as what