SRI #RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S
SRI #RAMACHARITRYA #MANJARI
(ಶ್ರೀ
#ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರಸ್ವಾಮಿ
ವಿರಚಿತ “#ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ”)
More about reunion of Seetha Devi with Rama
After Lakshmana puts on the fire for look-alike Seetha
Devi to enter, at the behest of Srirama, real Seetha descended from Kailasa and
Rama pretends to be confused by seeing two Seethas. Real Seetha Devi explained
the incidents beginning from her journey to Kailasa till her return to Lanka
through the fire. Srirama did not waste time to bestow a boon upon surreal
Seetha for acting like real Seetha and bearing all the torture that Ravana
slapped on her for one year by stating that she would be his wife Padmavati
during his future incarnation as Srinivasa.
A question is raised by scholars at this juncture. The
rank and file of Fire God in the lineage of deities is below the rank and file
of Seetha Devi. Under these circumstances, is it appropriate or is Fire God authorized
to testify the chastity or character of Seetha Devi, who is an incarnation of
Goddess Lakshmi? This task of testifying Seetha Devi could have been assigned
to Lord Brahma and others. However, Sri Raghavendraru has clarified this point
with the words “hutavavimalAm SeethAm prApya (सीतामाप्य “हुतवहविमलां सीतां प्राप्य)”, which can be substantiated
by stating “Hutavahaha vimalaha yasyAha sA hutavahavimalA, tAm hutavahavimalAm (हुतवहः विमलाः यस्याः सा हुतवहविमला, तां हुतवहविमलां)”. It means that when real
Seetha descended and saw her look-alike there, a tacit relationship was
established between the two and with the presence of real Seetha only purified
Fire God. In fact, Fire God had consumed ‘insane’ offerings from Ravana and
other demons through sacrificial fire and he had to be purified.
ATha puShpakasThaha swapuram samastaihi saha gataha —
sarvaihi saha puShpakaha AyODhyAm prApya| अथ पुष्पकस्थः स्वपुरं समस्तैः सः गतं — सर्वैः सः पुष्पकः
अयॊध्यां प्राप्य।
Srirama arrived at
Ayodhya in the Pushpaka Plane, along with all monkeys and Vibheeshana.
Meanwhile, Dasharatha
arrived from the heavens, along with Devendra. Srirama got up and prostrated
before his father. Dasharatha embraced Srirama passionately and shed tears of
joy and satisfaction. Seetha and Lakshmana too saluted Dasharatha.
Dasharatha reminded
Srirama that it was time for him to return to Ayodhya. Dasharatha also
clarified to Seetha and others: “Srirama is not my son. He is an incarnation of
Lord Narayana. He acted like my son because of his love for devotees. You have
followed him like his shadow and therefore you are the most fortunate woman in
the universe.”
Dasharatha did not
forget to compliment Lakshmana for the grand, dedicated and committed service
he had rendered to Srirama.
After exchange of pleasantries
and compliments, Dasharatha and other deities returned to their abodes. Seetha
expressed her desire to take the wives of Sugreeva and other monkey chiefs to
Ayodhya and Srirama too expressed his willingness to take the wives of all
monkeys to Ayodhya.
When Srirama reached
Bharadwaja Ashram, the Panchami tithi was there and it marked the completion of
fourteen years of exile for Srirama. He immediately directed Hanumantha to go
to the hermitage in which Bharata was living and convey the message of his
arrival. When Hanumantha met Bharata and conveyed the message of the arrival of
Srirama, the former expressed his profuse joy and wanted to honor Hanumantha
with some gift. Srirama spent a night in the Ashram of Sri Bharadwaja and met
Bharata the next morning. As soon as he landed on the premises of the Ashram of
Bharata, Srirama requested the Pushpak plane to return to the home of Kubera.
The coronation of
Srirama will be explained in the next episode.
Please read, comment and share. SDN
