Doha - 271
"The spies went to Ayodhya and having ascertained Bharata's ways and seen his doings they proceeded back to Tirahuta (Mithila) the moment the latter left for Citrakuta.
Chaupala
"The spies on their arrival gave an account in Janaka's court of Bharata's doings as best as they could. The Guru(the sage Satananda) the members of the royal family, the ministers and the king himself were all overpowered with grief and affection at the report. Then collecting himself and gloryfying Bharata, the king summoned his chosen warriors and equerries and, posting guards at the palaces, city and realm got ready a number of horses, elephants, chariots and other conveynaces. After ascertaining a lucky period within an hour he started at once and did not halt on the way. Having bathed at Prayaga this very morning, he has already left the place; and when the whole party began to cross the Yamuna, they despatched us ahead for obtaining news, holy sir, "So saying they bowed their head to the ground. the great sage Vasistha dismissed the mesengers at once, sending with them an escort of six or seven Kiratas.
Doha - 272
The people of Ayodhya were all delighted to hear of Janaka's arrival. Sri Rama. the Delighter of Raghus', felt very uncomfortable; while Indra, the king of celestials, was particularly overwhelmed with anxiety.
Chaupala
The malevolent Kaikeyi was writhing with remorse. To whom should she speak out her mind whom could she blame? The people, on the other hand, rejoiced to think that their stay was ensured for some days more. In this way that day too was spent. The next morning everyone proceeded to bathe. And after their ablutions the men and women worshipped Lord Ganesh, Goddess Gauru (Siva's Consort), Bhagavan Siva (the Slayer of the demon Tripura) and the Sun-god(the Dispeller of darkness) Again, they revernced the feet of Bhagavan Visnu (th Lord of Laksmi) and prayed, the men raising their joined palms, the women holding out the skirt of their garment (after the way of beggars); "With Sri Rama our king and Sita (Janaka's Daughter) our queen, may our capital Ayodhya, be gloriously repeopled with its various communities and grow to be the very culmination of joy; and may Sri Rama instal Bharata as the Crown prince. Bathing all in the nectar of this bliss, let everyone, O Lord, reap the reward of his existence in this world.
Doha - 273
"May Sri Rama rule over this city, assisted by his Guru, councillors and brothers. And may we die an Ayodhya with Sri Rama as still our king." This was what everyone asked in prayer.
Chaupala
Hearing the affectionate words of the citizens even enlightened sages talked disparagingly of Yoga(ascticism) and dispassion. Having thus performed their daily devotions the citizes made obeisance to Sri Rama with a thrill of joy. Men and women of every rank--high, how or middling--were blessed with His sight accrding to their own conception. Sri Rama scrupulously honoured all and everyone praised the Storehouse of Compassion in the following words : "From his very boyhood it has been Sri Rama's wont to observe the rules of propriety, duly recognizing the love one cherishes towards him. with a lovely and cheerful countenace, gracious looks and a guileless disposition the Lord of Raghus is an ocean of amiability and modesty." Thus recounting the virtues of Sri Rama they were all overwhelmed with emotion and began to extol their good fortune: "There are few people in the world as meritorious as we, whom Sri Rama recognizes as his own!"
Doha - 274
All were absorbed in love at that time, Presently on hearing of the approach of King Janaka, the lord of Mithila, Sri Rama, who was a veritable sun to the lotus-like solar race, and the whole assembly rose in a hurry (to receive him).
Chaupala
The Lord of Raghus led the way, accompanied by His younger brothers, the minister (sumantra), the Guru (Vasistha) and the citizens. The moment the lord of Janakas espied the great hill of Kamadanatha he made obeisance to it and dismounted from his car Seized as they were with a longing and eagerness to see Sri Rama, none of the party felt the least toil or hardship of the journey. For their mind was with the Chief of Raghus and Vaidehi (Janaka's Daughter); and when the mind is elswhere, who will feel the bodily pain or pleasure?In this way Janaka came advancing with his party, their mind intoxicated with love. When the two parties drew near and saw one another they were overwhelmed with love and began to exchange greetings with due respect King Janaka proceeded to adore the feet of the hermits (who hailed from ayodhya); while Sri Rama, the Delighter of Raghus, made obeisance to the sages (who accompanied Janaka) Sri Rama and His younger brothers then greeted the king (Their father-in-law) and led him with the whole party (to His hermitage).
Doha - 275
Sri Rama's hermitage was an ocean as it were overflowing with the sacred water of quietism; while the host accompanied Janaka was as it were a river of pathos, which the Lord of Raghus was now conducting (to the ocean of His hermitage).
The river flooded the banks of wisdom and dispassion and was joined in its course by tributary streams and rivulets in the form sorrowful utterance. Sighs and lamentation severally represented the waves and the wind that uprooted the stout tree of forttitude standing on its banks. It had deep sorrow for its srift current while fear and delusion constituted its numberless eddies and whirlpools. Boatmen in the form of the learned waited with big boats in the form of their learning; but they were unable to row them, because they had no idea of its depth. The Kolas and Kiratas that roamed about in the woods were the poor wayfares who had lost heart at the sight of the turbulent stream and stood aghast. When the stream joined the ocean of the hermitage, the latter too surged up as it were with emotion. The two royal hosts were so excited with grief that they had no sense, fortitude or shame left. Extolling King Dasaratha's comeliness of form, goodness and amiability they all wept and were plunged into an ocean of woe.
Plunged into an ocean of grief the men and women lamented in great anguish They all angrilly and reproachfully exclaimed, "Alas! What has cruel Fate doen!" Of the gods, accomplished saints, ascetics, Yogis (mystics) and anchorites, whoever witnessed the condition of Janaka on that occasion, none, say Tulasidasa, was strong enough to cross the river of love (to escape being drowned in it).
Doha- 276
Here and there the great sages admonished people in numberless ways; and the sage Vasistha said to Videha, "Be consoled, O king!"
Chaupala
Can the darkness of infatuation and attachment ever approach him (King janaka), the sun of whose wisdom drives away the night of metempsychosis and the rays of whose speech delight the lotus-like sages? That he too was plunged in grief show the trimph of the affection he bore for his daughter, Sita and Her lord, Sri Rama. According to the Vedas there are three types of embodied soul (human beings) in the world--the sensual, the seeker and the wise who have attained perfection (in the form of God-Realization). Of all these he alone is highly honoured in an assembly of holy men, whose heart is sweetened by love for Sri Rama. Wisdom without love for Sri Rama is imperfect like a vessel without the helmsman. The sage Vasistha admonished King Videha in many ways; and now all the people bathed at the ghat associated with the name of Sri Rama (who generally bathed and said His prayers there.) All the men and women were so overwhelmed with grief that the day passed without anyone taking a drop of water. Even the cattle, birds and deer remained wthout food, to say nothing of Sri Rama's Rama's near and dear ones.
Doha- 277
At daybreak both King Janaka (the lord of Nimis) and Sri Rama (the Lord of Raghus) bathed with all their retune and sat under the banyan tree, sad at heart and wasted in body.
Chaupala
The Brahmanas who hailed from King Dasaratha's capital (Ayodhya) as well as those who came from King Janaka's capital (Mithila) and even so Vasistha, the preceptor of the solar race, and Satananda, the family priest of King Janaka, who had explored the way to worldly prosperity as well as the path leading to blessedness, gave discourse on many a topic including religion, ethics, dispassion and saving knowledge. The sage Visvamitra (a descendant of Kusika) eloquently admonished the entire assembly with many a reference to ancient legends till the Lord of Raghus said to him, "Everyone, my lord, has remained without water since yesterday" Said the, sage, "What the Lord of Raghus says is quite reasonable. It is already past noon even today."Perceiving what was in the mind of the sage (Visvamitra) the King of Tirabuta (Muthila) replied, "It will not be desirable to take cereals here." The king's reasonable reply pleased all; and having received the sage's permission they preceeded to their midday ablutions.
Doha - 278
At that moment arrived the people of the forest with large quantities of fruits, blossoms, leaves and roots of various kinds loaded in their panniers.
Chaupala
By the grace of Sri Rama the hills yielded the objects of one's desire and dispelled one's sorrow by their very sight. The lakes, streams, woods and other part of the land overflowed as it were with joy and love. The trees and creepers were all laden with fruits and blossoms, while birds and beasts and bees made a melodious concert. The forest was bursting with joy at that time; a cool, soft and fragrant breeze delighted everyone. The loveliness of the forest was past all telling; it seemed as if Earth herself was showing her hospitality of King Janaka. In the meantime all the citizens finished their ablutions and receiving the permission of Sri Rama, King Janaka and the sage Vasistha, they gazed with love on the many noble trees and began to encamp here and there; while leaves, fruits, roots and bulbs of every description--pure, lovely and delicious as ambrosia--
Doha - 279
Were sent to all, in basketfuls, with due. courtesy by Vasistha Sri Rama's preceptor. And having worshipped the manes, the gods, the visitors and the Guru they began to partake of this holy repast.
Chaupala
In this way four days rolled by; the people, both men and women, were gratified to see Sri Rama. In both camps the feeling uppermost in the heart of all was; "It is not good to return without Sita and Rama. Living in emile in the woods with Sita and Sri Rama one would be millions of times more happy than in Amaravati (the city of immortals) Leaving the company of Laksmana, Sri Rama and Sita he who chooses to live at his home is not favoured by Providence. The privilege of living in close proximity to Sri rama can be had only when God is propitious to us all. Bathing in the Mandakini thrice everyday, the sight of Sri Rama, which is a perennial source of joy and blessedness, roaming about on the hill (Kamadanatha) associated with the name of Sri Rama, in the forest adjoining the same and among the hermitages of asctics situated therebout, and living on bulbs, roots and fruits delicious like ambrosia! In this way four years and ten will be happily spent like a minute without our knowing it.
Doha - 280
"We do not deserve this happiness." all exclaimed." all exlaimed; "our luck is not like that." Such was the natural and spontaneous devotion to Sri Rama's feetin both the camps.
Chaupala
In this way all indulged in their own fancy; their affectionate words were so charming to hear. In the meantime Sita's mother (Queen Sunayana) despatched her handmaids to King Dasaratha's queens; and perceiving that it was a convenient hour they returned with that information. Having learnt that Sita's mothers-in-law were at leisure the ladies of King Janaka's gynaeceum called on them. Queen Kausalya (Sri Rama's mother) received them with due honour and courtesy and offered them such seats as curcynstabces wiykd oernut. The amiability and affection of all on both sides were such as would have made even the hardest thunderbolt melt if it could see or hear of them. With their body thrilling all over and overpowered by emotion and eyes full of tears all began to sorrow and scratch the ground with the nails of their toes. They were all incarnations as it were of love for Sita and Sri Rama; it seemed as if Pathos herself mourned in so many forms. Said Sita's mothr, "The intellect of Providence is so marvellous that He thought fit to break up th foam of milk with a chisel of adamant!