Chapter
7 (a)
Winning Sita
Meanwhile,
one young student-disciple ran in with a bundle of palm
leaf scripts and placed it in the hands of Viswamitra. He
turned over a few leaves and passed it on to a revered
old hermit sitting by his side. The Master asked the old
man to read it aloud, so that all might hear.
He read that Emperor
Janaka of Mithila had resolved to perform a celebrated
Yajna, expressive of the highest glory of Righteousness,
and that he was praying Viswamitra to give him joy by his
gracious Presence with his disciples. When they heard
this, all exclaimed, "Subham, Subham" (may it attain
fulfillment). Viswamitra said, "Sons! Now that we van
travel through the forests free from fear of demonic
gangs, I have decided to start on the journey to Mithila
with all the residents of the Asram, tomorrow
itself".
When he heard this,
Rama said, "Master! It is really a source of delight.
Since there is nothing more that you need us for, we
shall return to Ayodhya, if you permit us to do so.
Please allow us to leave". At this, Viswamitra said, "I
have given word to Dasaratha for a few more things; I
have to keep those words too! I have promised him that I
would myself bring you back to him and so, you cannot
return without me! A unique Yajna is taking place in
Mithila City. There is not enough time for me to take you
to Ayodhya and then reach Mithila on the day the Yajna
begins. If you two accompany me to Mithila, you can
witness the Yajna and proceed to Ayodhya with me from
there itself".
Hearing these words
which had no trace of hesitation or doubt, Rama too
answered decisively, without weighing pros and cons,
"Master! Since my chief vow is obedience of the orders of
my father, I have to submit a prayer before you".
Viswamitra asked, "Come! Tell me, what is the prayer?"
Rama replied, "My father directed me to guard the Yajna
of Viswamitra from defilement and sacrilege, and make the
great sage happy. He asked us to return victorious; he
has not directed us to attend Yajnas elsewhere. Should I
not receive special permission from my father for moving
on to Mithila?"
At this Viswamitra
said, "Rama! Dasaratha did not stop with that only! No".
He said, "Go and obey all that the sage commands you to
do; do not transgress his command by even the width of a
grain". He told me, 'Master! You must yourselves assume
full responsibility for my children; you must yourselves
assume full responsibility for my children; you must
yourselves bring them back to me'. You have listened to
what he said when we left Ayodhya. So, follow my word
now; come with me to Mithila, and from there we shall go
to Ayodhya, I and you and all my disciples". Rama
realized the truth that was inherent in this plan and he
nodded in agreement saying, "We shall do as you
desire".
Instructions went forth
that every one must get ready before daybreak for the
journey to Mithila. Viswamitra rose early and led the
boys to the river for ablutions. He was thrilled at the
chance of telling them of the hardships he encountered
from the demons whenever he attempted to celebrate Yajnas
in the past; he related to them how all his
counter-measures failed to achieve their object; he
expressed his gratitude for the destruction of the demons
which had ensured safety for the hermitage as well as the
surrounding regions. He described how the people were now
happily relieved of fear and have unalloyed peace and
joy.
The place was silent,
calm, comforting. Sitting on the soft sands the sage
Viswamitra was relating the special features and
significance of the Yajna
contemplated by Emperor Janaka, to the two brothers he
had drawn close to him.
During the description
he referred to a precious bow that Janaka had in his
possession, a bow that was uniquely potent, and shone
with rare splendour; he declared that they must not miss
seeing it. At this, Rama asked how the bow happened to
reach Janaka and Viswamitra answered, "Listen, son! Years
ago, the Emperor of Mithila named Devaratha celebrated a
great Yajna the like of which no mortal could dare
perform, a Yajna which can confer vast spiritual
benefits, a Yajna which pleased the Gods so highly that
they gifted him this devine bow, as a mark of
appreciation. It is the Bow of Siva. It is being
worshipped with due rites by Janaka every day. He offers
flowers and sandal paste, and waves camphor flame and
incense in its honour; he places eatables and fruits
before the Divine Presence in the bow, in reverential
homage. The bow is so loaded with divinity that no one
can raise it and string it, be he god, demon, angel or
spirit. Many princes who attempted to string it have met
with disgraceful disappointment. Rama! you are worthy
heroes; you can examine it. During this coming Yajna, the
Bow will most probably be on show; so, this is a good
chance, certainly". Viswamitra went on describing the
wonderful potency of the bow. Lakshmana turned his eyes
as if searching for the direction in which Mithila was.
Meanwhile Rama said, with delight "Certainly! We must see
it. We shall come with you tomorrow". Hearing this,
Viswamitra was elated.
Darkness fell and
everyone rose and moved towards Siddhasram. Viswamitra
called together the residents of the Asram and ordered
that they should get ready to leave for Mithila as soon
as the hour of dawn struck. Then, some of them asked,
"Master! How can the routine of the Asram be observed
without interruption if there is none left here?" The
sage replied, "If each one carries on his duties wherever
he is, that itself is the proper observance of the Asram
routine. There is no special routine for the Asram apart
from the Asramites. Those who seek Asraya (support) make
up the Asram; without the Asrithas (dependents) there can
be no Asram. When the Asrithas are with me, why worry
about the Asram and the routine? The disciples are those
to be cared for, those that have to observe the
disciplines. Moreover, since the place has now become
free from the fear of demons, the Asram cannot come to
harm. The Creator of All is our Asrayam (Refuge) and when
we depend on Him, He will foster all". Viswamitra spoke
in this rather unfamiliar strain and continued, "Take
with you the things needed for your daily rites as well
as all the tools and vessels belonging to the Asram;
there is no need to leave anything here".
Some novitiates
queried, "Master! After what interval of time do we
return to this place? If you tell us that, we can select
as many articles as will suffice for that period of
absence; why burden ourselves with more than what is
essential?"
Viswamitra replied,
"Time is no servant of the body; the body is the servant
of Time. Therefore, one can never say when! Will I come
here again or no? I doubt!" When they heard this, the
hearts of all the residents suffered a shock. The
clothes, vessels and tools they held in their hands
slipped and fell on the ground. They could not find words
to speak in reply. They could not protest, nor could they
muster courage to question the Master. So, they bundled
up kusa grass, sacred sticks for the sacrificial fire,
ceremonial ladles and vessels, as much as they could
carry. The meaning of Viswamitra's words was a mystery
and so each of them interpreted them in his own
way.
The night rolled by and
dawn broke. Every one was ready; when the doors were
being closed and bolted behind them Viswamitra said, "Do
not fasten the doors! Leave them open! This is not ours;
any one who comes can enter. This Asram must welcome all
who arrive at all times. This day, the bond between us
and this Asram has snapped! Grow in happiness hereafter,
ye patron gods of this holy area! I have achieved success
in my endeavour; accept my grateful appreciation in
return. You will no more be troubled by demon hordes; you
can now live in peace, with ample progeny, prosperous and
happy. I am going out of the Siddhasram, renouncing it. I
have resolved to take residence in the region of the
Himalayas, lying north of the sacred Ganga River".
Viswamitra prostrated on the ground as a mark of respect
for the forest deities.
Then, he started on his
journey, with Rama and Lakshmana and the senior monks of
the Asram. The residents of the hermitage realized that
their place was where Viswamitra was, and not the forest
or huts where they had lived so long. They felt that the
Himalayan region was equally suitable for them; so, they
too offered gratitude and reverence to the forest deities
and the grass-thatched dwellings and walked on behind the
sage.
While they were thus
proceeding in the northerly direction, they saw behind
them, following their trail, thousands of deer, peacocks,
birds and beasts of the jungle, running with raised
tails, in eager haste of yearning. Viswamitra stopped and
turning towards them he said "O denizens of the jungle!
The places to which I am going are not congenial for your
style of living, for your safety and security. This
forest is your natural habitat. Do not be sad at the
separation; do not follow us; remain here itself. God
will grant you peace and joy". He took leave of them too,
before he resumed the journey.
The day's journey
brought them to the bank of the Sona River; they had
perforce to spend the night at that place itself. They
took their bath in the river and finished the evening
ablutions. Then they gathered around the Master eager to
listen to his tales. Rama asked: "Revered Sir, this
region appears rich and prosperous; what is its name and
history, I would like to know". Viswamitra replied,
"Rama! Brahma had a son through sheer Will. He was named
Kusa; he was a great ascetic, steadfast and strict in
vows, heroic in spiritual adventure, learned in the
science of morals. He wedded the daughter of the noble
ruler of Vidarbha. The two lived in the awareness and
practice of the four ends of human life, Righteousness,
Prosperity, Affection and Liberation. They had four sons
- Kusamba, Kusanabha, Adhoortharajaka and Vasu - each
one, equal to the father in virtue, and highly evolved in
righteousness, integrity and other excellencies of the
warrior caste.
Kusa divided the world
into four parts and assigned one part to each of them,
directing them thus: "Sons! Rule over the part assigned
to each of you and prosper!" Thereafter, they entered
upon their new duties and carried out their father's
command. Each of them started constructing a capital city
for the kingdom - Kusamba built Kausambi, Kusanabha built
Mahodaya, Adhoortharajaka built Dharmaranya and Vasu
built Girivraja. Rama! This area is part of the kingdom
of Vasu; we have all around us five hills, and so, this
City is called Girivraja (Collection of Hills). This
auspicious Sona river is also known as Sumagadhi, so that
this region is named Magadha. The Magadhi flows from east
to west here, like a jasmine garland placed among the
mountain valleys. The majesty of Vasu has blessed the
land on both banks of this river to be ever green and
plentiful.
The second son,
Kusanabha, was well established in Dharma;
he was a pillar of Righteousness. He had a number of
daughters, but, no son. He taught them right conduct and
behaviour according to the rules and disciplines laid
down in the scriptures. He emphasized that forbearance is
the grandest gift one can give another; it is the most
prolific fruit-bearing Yajna, the most beneficial way of
being honest and the root of all right thought and
action. He gave them this lesson even from the days when
they were fed at the mother's breast. They were later
given in marriage - all of them - to the ruler of
Kampilya City, Brahmadatta by name. When they all left
for that City, his house became empty and
barren.
"Alas", he moaned,
"this house which was so bright and resonant with wit and
laughter has today become dark and dumb, dull and deep in
gloom. Daughters, however many you may have, have to
leave the parental home rendering it drab and dreary. If
only I had a son, this calamity would not have
overpowered me". Thus, He entertained the longing for a
son.
Just then, his father,
Kusa, happened to visit him and he enquired the reason
why he looked sad and full of concern; the son laid bare
before him his mind and its anxieties. Kusa chided him
for becoming so worried for this particular reason; he
blessed him that he get a son soon. And, as he blessed,
so it happened. The son born was named Gaadhi; he grew up
a very devoted virtuous prince; since he was born in the
lineage of Kusa he was known as Kousika.
His sisters lost their
husbands after some time and as dutiful wives, they
immolated themselves and gained heaven. They were born on
the Himalayas as sacred rivers which joined together to
form the famous Kousiki river. Kousika was attached very
much to the eldest of the sisters, Sathyavathi by name
and so, he took residence on the bank of this river, and
established himself at Siddha asram, and celebrated the
Yajna he had resolved upon with ceremonial
rectitude.
Rama! Through your
immeasurable heroism, the Yajna I had resolved upon has
come to its successful conclusion. It has borne fruit; my
rigorous vows have been fulfilled".
At this, the monks who
had gathered around the sage exclaimed, "O, how
wonderful! Really, we are fortunate that we could listen
to the story of the hoary ancestors of our Master! O,
what a great source of joy the story is! The Kusa line is
indeed consecrated. Those born in it are equal to Brahma
Himself in sanctity. How lucky we are that we have this
singular chance to serve the one visible embodiment of
all that the line represents, the sage Viswamitra; this
chance must be the fruit of merit accumulated through
many lives in the past".
Viswamitra interrupted
them and said, "I would not have dwelt on all this, but,
Rama! your question prompted me to reply; I do not give
details regarding this body and its antecedents. It is
already night; let us take rest. Delay in going to sleep
might slacken the speed of our journey tomorrow. Rama!
See! The Moon is peeping through the branches of yonder
tree to catch a glimpse of you! It sends down cool rays
to refresh the earth that has suffered long the hot rays
of the sun". That night, every one was ruminating over
the tales of the forefathers of the Master.
They awoke from sleep
pretty early and finished the morning ablutions. They
performed the daily rituals too and got ready in time to
continue the journey. They came near Viswamitra, and fell
at his feet. Then, they stood one behind the other on one
side, awaiting orders. Rama said, "Master! the river Sona
is not deep at this place. The water is clear, we can
wade across. No boat is needed!" Viswamitra replied,
"Son! You are strange to this place and so, you do not
know the exact place where we can wade across. I shall go
first; you will follow me". The sage walked into the
riverbed and moved on. Every one had his bundle slung on
his shoulder. The pace was slow and it was noon when they
reached the river Jahnavi.
The first intimation
they had about the river was sweet 'kuhoo' notes of
swans, parrots and other birds on the bank. Every heart
was filled with delight at the entrancing beauty of the
scene. They bathed in the pure pellucid stream and, aware
of the hallowed story of the river, they offered
oblations to departed ancestors and gods. They lit the
sacred fire on the bank and performed ritual sacrifices
enjoined by the Sastras.
Then, they collected edible fruits from the trees around
and after assuaging hunger with them, they drank the
nectarine water of the Jahnavi to slake their
thirst.
Rama and Lakshmana
walked towards the tree under whose shade Viswamitra was
reclining and sat beside him, reverentially. Rama asked
him, "Master! Why is it said that the Ganga flows as
three streams in the three worlds? How does the Ganga
reach the Ocean, which is the Lord of every stream and
river throughout the world! Please tell me and make me
glad!" Viswamitra said, "Son! The Himalayan range is the
basis of all this world: it is the home for all animals
and all herbs. It has two daughters, Ganga and Uma; Ganga
is the elder of the two. Both these are being adored by
the entire world. The gods asked that Ganga be given to
them so that they might have prosperity. So, Himavaan
(the Deity of the Himalayas) gifted Ganga to the gods in
order to secure their blessings, and benefit the three
worlds.
"The younger daughter,
Uma entered upon a life of extreme asceticism. She
immersed herself in hard spiritual discipline, prompted
by supreme detachment from everything worldly. So,
Himavaan sought to settle her in the world as a wife; in
spite of strenous endeavour, he could not succeed in this
for long. At last, he persuaded Rudra to agree to wed
her. Thus, she too became entitled to the adoration of
the three worlds.
"The Ganga you see here
is the Ganga that the gods took with them, and that has
come down to Earth and that has three steps, one in
heaven, one on Earth and another
sub-terranean".
The Sage Viswamitra was
journeying towards the city of Mithila with Rama and
Lakshmana, as well as a few of his disciples, regaling
them throughout the day and far into the night with
picturesque descriptions of his own previous history, the
historical events connected with the places through which
they passed, and the annals of the various dynasties
which ruled over the regions which they
crossed.
That evening, he was
seated on the sands of the bed of the Ganga, after the
ablutions and rites. Rama reminded him that they will be
happy to know about the origin of that holy stream.
Viswamitra responded and said, "Rama-chandra! Your
ancestors are responsible for Ganga coming down on earth.
As a result of their good deeds, the peoples of the earth
are sanctifying themselves, bathing in the sacred waters
and performing morning and evening ceremonial rites and
ablutions therein. The Ganga is the supreme stream of
Divine purity. The nectarine waters can confer
immortality. She was dwelling in the matted locks on
Siva's Head. For that reason, she is most auspicious. She
grants all that is beneficial". Hearing Viswamitra extol
the river in such superlative terms, Ramachandra said,
"How did my ancestors manage to lead down to earth a
river with such amazing attributes of power and purity?
If you can describe to us the story, we can derive great
joy therefrom".
When Viswamitra heard
this request, presented with such humility, he said,
"Rama! Listen! In ancient times, Ayodhya was ruled by an
emperor named Sagara. He was a righteous ruler and
valiant hero. Fascinated by his qualities of head and
heart, the king of Vidarbha gave him his beloved
daughter, Kesini, in marriage. She too was a strict
follower of Dharma; she never wavered from the path of
Truth.
"But, since even after
the lapse of many years, they were not blessed with
progeny, Sagara married the charming daughter of
Arishtanemi, named Sumathi, as his second wife, with the
concurrence of Kesini. She too proved barren and so, the
king decided to spend the rest of his life in asceticism.
He went to the bank of a stream by the side of which the
sage Bhrighu was having his hermitage, and with his two
wives, he plunged into the most severe disciplines of the
anchorites.
"A long time elapsed
thus. One day, at break of dawn, the sage Bhrighu,
staunch upholder of Truth, appeared before him, and said,
'O king! End this tormenting of the body, this
asceticism. You will earn unparalleled renown in this
world. Before long, you will be endowed with the bliss of
having a son born unto you!" As soon as these words of
compassion and grace fell upon his ear, Sagara opened his
eyes and saw the sage standing before him. Immediately,
he fell at his feet, and signed to the wives too to do
likewise. He prayed that the sage may bless them
direct.
"The senior queen,
Kesini, bowed her head low and fell at his feet, with
many an adulatory hymn emerging from her lips. Bhrighu
asked her, "Mother! Do you desire a single son, so that
the thread of continuity be not broken, or, do you desire
for a large number of sons, who will be endowed with
enormous physical valour and vast renown?" She replied
that a single son will satisfy her, and prayed that her
wish may be gratified. Bhrighu accepted her request and
blessed her likewise.
"When the second queen
Sumathi prostrated before him he asked her the same
question. She craved for strong brave celebrated sons in
plenty, and so, the sage granted that desire and blessed
that it be fulfilled.
"Elated by the
blessings of the sage, Sagara returned to his capital
city, accompanied by his wives. They fixed their minds on
the boons they received and spent their time happily.
Within a few months, both queens conceived and awaited
the happy event. When the nine months had passed, Kesini
delivered a son and Sumathi gave birth to
many.
"As the days sped by,
the sons romped about and played excitedly with children
of the same age and later, started moving out beyond the
palace in search of companions and for the sake of games.
The son of Kesini, Aswamanja by name, took them to the
sands of the Sarayu river; he used to take delight in
throwing the children into the river and laughed outright
in glee, when the children were drowned! Soon, he earned
an infamous reputation, as the worst criminal in the
kingdom! [See
SB, C9, Chapter8, verses 15-16
etc.]
"When they emerged out
of their teens, Sagara selected suitable royal brides for
each of them and had the marriages celebrated. Aswamanja
continued his wickedness, however, and the residents of
Ayodhya had heart-rending grief as a result of his
incorrigible viciousness. One day they approached Sagara
and amidst loud wailings, represented to him the
atrocious acts of his eldest son. At this, the king
ordered that Aswamanja should immediately leave the city
and that he must be exiled into the forests. Aswamanja
had a son born to him by then. So, he had to leave behind
his wife and son, besides his parents.
"Years passed.
Aswamanja's son Amsumanta grew up, won renown throughout
the world as lovable, virtuous and valiant. Once, Sagara
decided on the performance of the great Aswamedha
(Horse-Sacrifice), and fixed an auspicious moment for
starting the rites." While Viswamitra was at this point
in his narration, Rama put in a question: "Master! Was
the horse-sacrifice performed in Ayodhya, or, did he
choose some holy river bank for the purpose?" Viswamitra
smiled, and replied, "Rama! I am realising how earnest
you are about sacrifices and how reverent your attitude
towards sages is! I shall describe it in detail as you
desire. Listen! There is a holy range facing the
Himalayas from a distance, called the Vindhya range. The
region in between is sacred for all yajnas and yagas. The
horse-sacrifice was done in that region. Experts in the
recitation of Vedic hymns gathered there and the
mountains echoed and reechoed to the loud and correct
recital of the prescribed ritual formulae. Thousands were
watching with great joy the unique ceremonial. Just then,
the beautifully caparisoned horse was led in and
worshipped. Later it was left to roam where it willed. In
order to overcome and defeat any opposition to its free
movement (indicative of an ambition on the part of the
ruler who so opposes to be free from the domination of
their suzerain, Sagara) Amsumanta followed its footsteps,
with his army fully equipped to meet all contingencies.
After an unopposed round of the entire country, the horse
was led back. The exact moment when the sacrifice had to
be done in orthodox Vedic style approached, and people
went to bring the animal in.
"But the horse was
nowhere to be seen! It is laid down that the loss of the
sacrificial animal and its nonavailability at the
auspicious moment bodes ill for the organizers of the
Yajna! So, Sagara was naturally upset; he sent the
numerous sons of his second wife, armed and equipped, to
discover the horse and bring it back to the sacrificial
altar. They sought the help of the gods and the demons,
and searched everywhere and even dug the earth up, to see
whether the horse was kept hidden below by its captors.
But, they had to return and report that their mission had
failed.
"Sagara was enraged at
this. 'Of what avail is this numerous progeny, if you
announce to me only your incompetence? Why stand before
me with faces darkened with disgrace? Go and do not come
to me, until you recover the horse'.
"The sons reacted
sharply to these angry words; they went back into the
world, determined to leave no spot unexamined. Mountains,
hills, lakes, rivers, caves, towns and villages, forests
and deserts - why lengthen the list, they looked closely
at every yard, every foot of ground. While they were
proceeding thus they found in one place, a hermit, deeply
immersed in Dhyan; the horse was there, near him, calmly
nibbling grass!
"They were overcome by
delight when they saw the horse, and by anger, when their
eyes fell on the hermit'; they were tossed between two
conflicting emotions. They lost their sanity, as a result
of the irrepressible feelings. Their reason failed; their
hearts were petrified. They shouted in the ear of the
hermit, 'Villainous brute! You have stolen our horse and
hidden it in your backyard!' The sage Kapila slowly
opened his eyes and looked around. The sons of Sagara
stood around him and poured abuses on his head; some even
got ready to give him a heavy thrashing!
[See
also: SB, Canto 9, Chapter 8, verses
9-10)
"Kapila saw that words
and arguments were futile weapons to meet those bullies;
he decided that he must deal with them differently. He
burnt them into ash merely by casting his eye on them.
Greatly distressed at the inordinate delay caused by
their failure to return, Sagara was agitated much; how
could he stop the sacrifice that he had half gone
through? How could he continue and finish it? Seeing his
plight, the grandson, Amsumanta fell at his grandfather's
feet and offered to search for the horse and his uncles,
and bring news about them, if only he was sent on that
mission. Sagara blessed him and sent him on that errand.
Amsumanta was at his job, day and night; at last he was
rewarded by success. He saw also signs of his uncles
having been reduced into a heap of ashes! He was anxious
to perform obsequies for the departed souls; but he could
not see any well, tank, lake or stream. This was
essential for depositing the funeral offerings. Heavily
laden with sorrow, he moved some distance forward. A
reverend old man came across his path and told him, 'Do
not allow grief to overpower you, dear son! Your uncles
were reduced to ashes by sage Kapila with the welfare of
the world also in view! Do not be content to offer the
ritual obligations in mundane waters. Get the holy water
of the Celestial Ganga. Bring the Ganga down to earth and
let the sacred waters flow over the ashes. Then, the
manes will be saved. But, first, take the horse with you
and perform the sacrifice unto its glorious conclusion.
Thereafter, you can think of ways and means to bring the
heavenly Ganga to the Earth.' Amsumanta fell at the feet
of the hermit and hurried to his grandfather, where the
yajna was being held up for want of the consecrated
animal.
"Sagara was awaiting
its arrival, with sleepless anxiety, both night and day,
and so, when the horse was brought, he and the
rthwiks
(the Vedic scholars who officiated as priests) were
filled with delight. Amsumanta felt that it would not be
proper to announce, during the auspicious festival, that
his uncles had an untimely death through the sage's
curse. So, he allowed the Valedictory Rite to come to an
end; the priests and guests were given their share of
votive gifts.
"Then Amsumanta gave a
detailed account of what had happened to the uncles and
exhorted his grandfather to bring the heavenly river of
unique sanctity down to the place where the ashes were
lying. Sagara was delighted at the suggestion. He engaged
himself in many ascetic disciplines and ritual
ceremonies, which, according to the advice of elders,
would induce Ganga to give him the boon he wanted. But,
he could not succeed. He waned in health day by day as a
result of grief at the loss of his sons, and the failure
of his attempt to ensure a bright future for them. At
last, he cast off his body, a disappointed
man.
contents
of this Vahini
|
previous page |
next
page