Thursday, 31 January 2019

SRI RAGHAVENEDRA SWAMY'S SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI


(Sri Rama breaks the Grand Bow and Seetha Devi submits a necklace of lotus flowers made of gold to Sri Rama. Please read, comment and share. SDN).
The murmur in the august assemblage there was still making rounds in the air as: “Just as Goddess Lakshmi is made for Lord Narayana and vice versa, Seetha Devi is made for Sri Rama and vice versa. Since a lamp, irrespective of how much bright it is, cannot testify the brightness of Sun, a little, trivial task of picking up a bow, irrespective of its status and origin, cannot testify the prowess of Lord Rama. Moreover, we are prepared to surrender all the positive energy we have acquired and accumulated through righteous deeds to impress upon Sri Narayana to make Rama accept Seetha as his wife. There was no such need to testify the eligibility of Sri Rama to be the husband of Seetha Devi because she was born to be the wife of Sri Rama.  These are not empty words but a conscious confession of unbiased views.”
Sri Rama could hear these murmurs that were so soothing to the ears and smiled serenely. He was not surprised by the hype that had spread around the bow after glancing it once. He callously picked up the bow by his left hand, even as thousands of eyes were keenly watching him without a wink. The King and Vishwamitra muttered “Good Luck, Good Luck”. Lakshmana was watching everything with a curious smile. Sri Rama playfully pulled the string and tied it to both the ends of the bow and pulled it once at the centre. Can sugarcane bear the munching of a haughty Airavata after getting caught in its trunk? Similarly, the bow broke into two pieces after Sri Rama had carelessly and tenderly pulled the string in the middle to test its strength. The sound that came out of the crashing of the bow echoed in all the three worlds as though to propagate the news that Sri Rama got his Seetha. After breaking the great bow with utmost ease, Sri Rama stood silently with a smile and looked at Sage Vishwamitra.
JAnakee upayan - SeethAdattamAlAm kanThE gruheetwA — wearing the garland presented by Seetha around his neck: Sri Rama smiled pleasantly. King Janaka was dumbfounded and flabbergasted. He started muttering unconsciously, “My pledge is kept and my daughter will be the wife of Sri Rama. My entire family will be proud of this and earn a universal compliment.” He ordered that Seetha be brought from her apartments to that spot.   
Like the Vedas streaming out of the face of Lord Brahma, the charmingly, serenely dressed dames streamed out of the harem, carefully surrounding Seetha and making her lay each step forward softly. It appeared as though Seetha was the manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi. The pleasant sound of anklets and those emanating from the soft crashing of jewels and ornaments she wore rented the air and silenced the whole atmosphere in that hall with a mystic and divine stillness. Her ceremonious and sublime footsteps put to shame even the heavenly geese that are known for their style of walking. All the dames around Seetha were replicating Seetha in every step they walked. They appeared with renewed freshness and charm in every gaze. None of eyes could blink for a moment as it would have meant a huge loss and dissatisfaction. Their looks were so divine that they appeared as though they were speaking softly, even though they were all silent; they appeared as though they were smiling, although they were wearing plain faces. It seemed as though Lord Brahma was incessantly praising their celestial charm from all the four faces. Everyone in that gathering was trying to describe those damsels who were making their way in to the hall but their faces suddenly turned pale as they fell short of words to describe those women.
Initially, a sort of shyness prevented the women from raising their head and looking at Sri Rama. Slowly, the devotion and reverence that filled their minds drove away the shyness. They slowly raised their faces and looked at the face of Sri Rama from the edge of their eyes. The face of Sri Rama, an epitome of universal welfare and kindness, bore the emblem of all the attributes that are needed to be the sole overlord of the entire universe. Seetha looked at Sri Rama, who too was gazing at her through his lotus eyes as though he was preparing to shower all the grace, happiness and calmness on her. Seetha took another look at the blissful face of Lord Rama, his youthful, masculine and blue complexion that had the stamp of the bravery, nonchalant dignity and all-pervasive nature. The aroma of sandal paste he had applied on his mien filled the air and touched her body.
The women had brought with them a garland woven with gold lotus. The garland was wet with sandal paste. Seetha Devi submitted that attractive necklace to Sri Rama and wore it around his neck with her soft hands. Sri Rama took a close, gracious and intense look from head to toe at Seetha, which also meant that Sri Rama too had adorned Seetha Devi with a sacred garland.                  

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