Balakanda - Doha 191 to 200

Doha - 191

Having offered their praises the gods returned to their several abodes, when the Lord, the abode of the universe and solace of all creation, manifested Himself. (191)

The gracious Lord, who is compassionate to the lowly and the benefactor of Kausalya, appeared. The thought of His marvellous form, which stole the heart of sages, filled the mother with joy. His body was dark as a cloud, the delight of all eyes; in His four arms He bore His characteristic emblems (a conch-shell, a discus, a club and a lotus). Adorned with jewels and a garland of sylvan flowers and endowed with large eyes, the Slayer of the demon Khara was an I praise You! The Vedas as Well as the Puranas declare you as transcending Maya, beyond attributes, above knowledge and beyond all measure. He who is sung by the Vedas and holy men as an ocean of mercy and bliss and the repository of all virtues, the the same Lord of Laksmi, the lover of His devotees, has revealed Himself for my good. The Vedas proclaim that every pore of Your body contains multitudes of universes brought forth by Maya. That such a Lord stayed in my womb --- this amusing story staggers the mind of even men of wisdom." When the revelation came upon the mother, the Lord smiled; He would perform many a sportive act. Therefore He exhorted her by telling her the charming account of her previous birth so that she might love Him as her own child. The mother's mind was changed; she spoke again, "Give up this superhuman form and indulge in chilldish sports, which are so dear to a mother's heart's the joy that comes from such sports is unequalled in every way." Hearing these words the all-wise Lord of immortals became an infant and began to cry. Those who sing this lay (says Tulasidasa) attain to the abode of Sri Hari and never fall into the well of mundane existence. (1-4)

for the sake of Brahmanas cows, gods and saints, the Lord, who transcends Maya and is beyond the three modes of Prakrti (Sattava, Rajas and Tamasa) as well as beyond the reach of the senses took birth as a man assuming a form which is a product of His own will. (192)

On hearing the most pleasing sound of the baby's cries all the queens came in a flurry. Maid-servants ran helter-skelter in great delight; all the people of the city were transported with joy. When the tidings of the birth of a son reached Dasaratha's ears he was drowned as it were in the ecstasy of absorption into Brahma. With a mind saturated with the highest love and with a body thrilling all over with joy he sought to rise, while attempting to recover his senses. "The same Lord whose very Name brings blessing with It even when It reaches one's ears, has arrived at my house," he said to himself; and the thought filled his mind with supreme joy. Sending for musicians he said," Play on your instruments." The preceptor Vasistha was also summoned and he called at the palace door, with a train of Brahmanas. They all went and gazed upon the peerless babe, who was an embodiment of beauty and possessed excellences more than one could tell. (1-4)

After performing the Nandimukha Sraddha the king completed all the rites connected with birth of a child and made gifts of gold, cows, raiment and jewels to the Brahmanas. (193)

The city was full of flags and banners and festal arches. It was decorated in a way which defies desciption. Showers of flowers dropped from heaven; everybody was rapt in the joy of absorption into Brahma. Women streamed forth in troops; they came running in their natural toilet. Carrying jars of gold and salvers full of auspicious articles, they entered the portals of the royal palace singing as they went along. Waving lights and passing offerings round and round over the child's head as an act of exorcism they threw themselves at the babe's feet again and again. Bardas, minustrels, panegyrists and songsters chanted solemn praises of the Lord of Raghus Everyone gave whatever one possessed; even he who received did not retain it. All the lanes of the city were muddy with pastes of musk, sandal and saffron.

(1-4)

There was happy music of festivity in every house; for the very Foundation of beauty had manifisted Himself. All the men and women of the city were full of joy everywhere

Kaikeyi and Sumitra each gave birth to a lovely boy. The joy, grandeur, solemnity of the occasion and the concourse of men were more than what Sarada and the serpent-king could descibe. The city of Ayodhya wore a galla appearance; it looked as if Night had come to see the Lord and, feeling abashed as it were at the sight of the sun (her own lord), had deliberately stayed over in the form of twilight. Clouds of incense represented the dusk; and handfuls of red powder tossed up and wafted in the air represented the redish ligh of sunset. The hosts of jewels that gleamed on house tops looked like so many stars; while the round pinnacle on the top of the royal palace corresponded to the beautiful moon. The murmuring sound of the chanting of Veda in the palace resembled the chirping of birds appropriate to the occasin Gazing upon this spectacle the sun forgot himself; a whole month passed without his knowing it. (1-4)

The day assumed the length of a month; but no one could understand the mystery. The sun stood motionless with his chariot; how could there be any night? (195)

Nobody noticed this strange phenomenon; the sun at last moved ahead singing the praises of Sri Rama as he went. Witnessing the great festival the gods, sages and Nagas proceeded to their several abodes congratulating themselves on their good luck. I tell you one more covert act of Mine; listen to it, O Girija, for I know your steadfast faith. The sage Kakabhusundi and Myself both were there together in human form without anyone knowing it. Elated with supreme joy and the delight of love we roamed about the streets in ecstasy forgetting ourselves. He alone who enjoyed Sri Rama's grace could be apprised of this blessed adventure of ours. On that occasion the king granted the desire of everyone's heart, in whatever manner one came. He bestowed elephants, chariots, horses, gold, cows, diamonds and costumes of various kinds. (1-4)

All were satisfied in their heart and invoked blessings here and there, saying, "May all the sons of Dasaraha live long those Lord of Tulasidasa."(196)

A few days rolled on in this way; dyas and nights passed unnoticed Knowing that the time had come for raming the children, the king sent for the enlightened sage Vasistha. After paying him homage the king spoke to him thus, "Holy sir! Kindly assign them names that you have fixed your mind upon." "Their names are many and unique; yet O king. I will declare them according to my own lights. This eldest boy of yours, who is an ocean of felicity and embodiment of joy, a particle of which fills the three worlds with delight, has for His name Rama,' the very home of bliss and the comforter of all the worlds. Your second son, who sustains and supports the univers, will be `Bharata'; while he whose very thought destroys one's enemies is celebrated in the Vedas by the name of `Satrughna." (1-4)

He who the abode of noble characteristics, the beloved of Sri Rama and the maninstay of the whole universe, was given by Guru Vasistha the splendid name of Laksmana. (197)

The preceptor assigned these names after careful thought and then said, "Your four sons, O king, are the essence of Veda itself. Of them Sri Rama is the sages' treasure, the devotee's all in all and Siva's very life; He takes delight at present in the repture of childish sports" From his earliest days Laksmana came to look upon Sri Rama as his benefactor and master and conceived devotion to His feet. The love that existed between the two half-brothers, Bharata and Satrughna, was as glorious as that which obtains between master and his servant. As the mothers gazed on the beauty of the two lovely pairs, one of whom was dark, the other fair, they would break a blade of grass in order to avert the evil eye. Although all the four brothers were embodiments of amiability, beauty and goodness yet Sri Rama was an ocean of bliss par excellence. In His heart shone the moon of grace and His captivation smile represented its rays. Now on her lap and now in the beautiful cradle, the mother foundled Him calling Him her own darling. (1-4)

The unborn ande all-pervading Brahma, who is untainted by Maya without atributes and devoid of play, has sought shelter in the arms of Kausalya conquered by her love and devotion. (198)

His dark form, which resembles a blue lotus and a heavy rain-cloud, possessed the beauty of millions of Cupids. The nails glistened on His red lotus-like feet as if pearls had been set on the petals of a rosy lotus. Marks of a thunderbolt, a flag and goad shone on His soles and the tinkling of His anklets enraptured the heart of sages. A string of tiny bells girdled His waist and there were threfolds in His belly; the depth of His of tiny bells girdled His waist and there were threefolds in His belly; the depth of His neval is known to him along who has perceived it. His long arms were adorned with a number of ornaments and the tiger's claw hanging on his breast possessed an exquisite beauty. The elegance of the necklace of gems with a diamand at the lowest end and the print of the Brahmana's foot fascinated one's mind. His neck resembled a conch-shell in its spiral shape and the chin looked most beautiful; while His face flushed with the beauty of countless Gupids. Pairs of small teeth were veiled by rosy lips and His beautiful nose and the sectariam mark on His brow defied description. With charming ears and most lovely cheeks His sweet lisping prattle was most delightful to hear. The smooth and curly hair that had never been trummed since His very birth had been beautifully dressed in manifold ways by the mother. A yellow frock covered His body and His crawling on knees and hands was most pleasing to me. The elegance of His form was something which even the Vedas and Sesa (the serpent-god) could not describe; it is known to him alone who has beheld it even in a dream. (1-6)

The all-blissful Lord, who is above delusion and transcends knowledge, speech and all sensuous perception, sported like an innocent child yielding to the supreme love of the royal couple (Dasaratha and Kausalya) (199)

In this way Sri Rama the father and mother of the universe, delighted the people of Ayodhya Bhavani, this demounstrates how those who have conceived devotion to the feet of the Lord of Raghus are repaid by Him. On the other hand, no one can liberate from the bondage of worldy existence him who is averse to the Lord of Raghus, however much he may struggle. Even that maya which has held under her sway all living beings, both animate and inanimate, trembles before the Lod, who makes her dance to the play of His eye-brows. Leaving such a lord, tell me, whom should we adore? The Lord of Raghus will compassionate those who betake themselves to Him in thought, word and deed, giving up all cleverness. In this way the Lord sported as a child to the delight of all the people of the city. The mother would now dandle Him in her arms, and now put Him down and rock Him in the cradle. (1-4)

Kausalya remained so rapt in love that days and nights passed unnoticed. Out of affection for her boy she would sing lays of His childhood. (200)

One day mother Kausalya washed and adorned her boy and put Him to sleep in the cradle. Thereafter she bathed herself in order to worship the patron deity of her family. Having worshipped the deity she offered Him food and them returned to the kitchen. When she came back to the place of worship, she beheld her boy eating the food and found Him asleep in the nursery. Coming back once more to the temple she still saw the boy there. She now trembled with fear and her mind found no rest. She saw two boys, one in the temple and the other in the nursery. She said to herself,"It it my mental illusion or some other unusual phenomeno?" When Sri Rama saw His mother perplexed, the Lord gently smiled. (1-4)