RAMAKATHA RASAVAHINI – PART – II [1]

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Om Sri Sai Ram

 

RAMAKATHA RASAVAHINI – PART – II [1]

The Rama Story, Stream of Sacred Sweetness

As told by the Divine Lord Himself in the present Avatar as Bhagawan

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Foreword by N. Kasturi

 

This Book!

 

The Rama Story, Stream of Sacred Sweetness, has been for millions of

men, women and children, for many centuries the perennial source of

solace during sorrow, vitality when floored by vacillation,

illumination while confounded, inspiration in moments of dejection

and guidance while caught in quandaries. It is an intensely human

drama, where God impersonates as man and gathers around Him, on the

vast world-stage, the perfect and the imperfect, the human and the

sub-human, the beast and the demon, to confer on us, by precept and

example, the boon of Supreme Wisdom. It is a Story that plays its

tender fingers on the heart-strings of man, evoking lithe, limpid

responses of pathos, pity, exultation, adoration, ecstasy and

surrender, rendering us transformed, from the animal and the human,

into the Divine which is our core.

 

No other story in human history has had such profound impact on the

mind of man. It transcends the milestones of history and the

boundaries of geography. It has shaped and sublimated the habits and

attitudes of generations. The Ramayana, the Story of Rama, has become

a curative corpuscle in the blood stream of mankind, over vast areas

of the globe. It has struck root in the conscience of peoples,

prodding and prompting them along the paths of Truth, Righteousness,

Peace and Love.

 

Through legends and lullabies, myths and tales, dance and drama,

through sculpture, music and painting, through ritual, poetry and

symbol, Rama has become the Breath, the Bliss, the Treasure of

countless Seekers and Sadhaks. The characters in the Rama Story have

invited them to emulation and to be elevated themselves. They have

provided shining examples of achievement and adventure; they have

warned the wavering against vice and violence, pride and pettiness;

they have encouraged them by their fidelity and fortitude. To every

language and dialect that the tongue of man has devised for the

expression of his higher desires, the Story of Rama has added a

unique, sustaining sweetness.

 

Sai (Isa, God), whose Thought is the Universe, whose Will is Its

History, is the Author, Director, Actor, Witness and Appraiser of the

Drama that is ever unfolding in Time and Space. He has now deigned to

tell us Himself the story of this one epic Act in that Drama, wherein

He took on the Rama role. As Rama, Sai instructed, inspired and

invigorated, corrected, consoled and comforted His contemporaries in

the Treta Age. As Sai Rama, He is now engaged in the same task.

Therefore, most of what the readers of Sanathana Sarathi perused,

month after month, (during these years) with ardour and pleasure, as

installments of this narrative -- The Ramakatharasavahini -- must

have appeared to them " contemporary events and experiences " ,

and " direct counsel to them in the context of contemporary problems

and difficulties " . While reading these pages, readers will often be

pleasantly struck by the identity of the Rama of this Story and the

Sai Rama they are witnessing.

 

" Science " has moulded this earth into the compactness and capsularity

of a space-ship in which mankind has to live out its destiny. " Sai-

ence " is, we know, fast moulding this space-ship into a happy home of

Love. This book must have been willed by Sai as a paramount panacea

for the removal of the ills that obstruct that Universal Love - the

morbid itch for sensual pleasure, the mounting irreverence towards

parents, teachers, elders, spiritual leaders and guides, the

disastrous frivolity and flippancy in social, marital, and familial

relationships, the demonic reliance on violence as a means of

achieving immoral ends, the all-to-ready adoption of terror and

torture as means of gaining personal and group gains, and many more

evils besides.

 

Sai Rama has recapitulated herein, in His own simple, sweet and

sustaining style, His own Divine Career, as Rama! What great good

fortune, this, to have in our hands, to inscribe on our minds, to

imprint on our hearts, this Divine narrative! May we be processes by

the study of this Book into efficient and enthusiastic tools for

consummating His Mission of moulding mankind into One Family, of

making each one of us realise Sai Rama as the Reality, the only

Reality that IS.

 

Sai has declared that He is the same Rama come again, and that He is

searching for His erstwhile associates and workers (Bantu, as He

referred to them in Telugu) in order to allot them roles in His

present Mission of resuscitating Righteousness and leading man into

the Haven of Peace. Let us pray, while ruminating over the first half

of this Story, that we too be allotted roles and may He grant us, as

reward, the Vision of that Haven.

 

Rendered into English by N. Kasturi.

 

Prashanthi Nilayam, India.

 

The Inner Meaning

 

Rama is the Indweller in every Body. He is the Atma-Rama, the Rama

(Source of Bliss) in every individual. His blessings up surging from

that inner spring can confer Peace and Bliss. He is the very

embodiment of Dharma of all the Codes of Morality that hold mankind

together in Love and Unity. The Ramayana, the Rama story, teaches two

lessons: the value of detachment and the need to become aware of the

Divine in every being. Faith in God and detachment from objective

pursuits are the keys for human liberation. Give up sense-objects;

you gain Rama. Sita gave up the luxuries of Ayodhya and so, she could

be with Rama, in the period of 'exile'. When she cast longing eyes on

the golden deer and craved for it, she lost the Presence of Rama.

Renunciation leads to joy; attachment brings about grief. Be in the

world, but, not of it. The brothers, comrades, companions and

collaborators of Rama are each of them examples of persons saturated

with Dharma. Dasaratha is the representative of the merely physical,

with the ten senses. The three Gunas - Satwa, Rajas and Tamas - are

the three Queens. The Four Goals of Life - the Purusharthas - are the

four Sons. Lakshmana is the Intellect; Sugriva is Viveka or

Discrimination. Vali is Despair. Hanuman is the embodiment of

Courage. The Bridge is built over the Ocean of Delusion. The three

Rakshasa chiefs are personifications of the Rajasic (Ravana), Tamasic

(Kumbhakarna) and the Satwic qualities (Vibhishana). Sita is

Brahmajnana or the Awareness of the Universal Absolute, which the

Individual must acquire and regain undergoing travails in the

crucible of Life. Make your heart pure and strong, contemplating the

grandeur of the Ramayana. Be established in the faith that Rama is

the Reality of your existence.

 

-BABA-

 

Prashanthi Nilayam, India.

 

Chapter 1

The Dandaka Forest

 

While Bharatha was thus spending his days at Nandigrama in the

constant contemplation of Rama, far away in the forest, on the

Chitrakuta Peak, Sita, Rama and Lakshmana were praising his devotion

and sense of dedication. They were happy in the peaceful, quiet

forest home. One day, a fool named Jayantha sought to measure the

valor of Rama, an adventure as foolish and suicidal as the attempt of

an ant to discover the depth of the Ocean!

 

Prompted by sheer mischief, he transformed himself into a crow, and

approaching Sita, who was seated by the side of Rama lost in the

contemplation of the scenery spread out before them, and with his

sharp beak, he pecked at the sole of her tender foot, causing blood

to trickle from the wound. Seeing the stream of blood, Rama plucked a

blade of dry grass from the ground and threw it at the crow.

 

Rama will never hurt any one who has not done any injury. But, when

it is necessary, and when it has to be done, even Rahu will swallow

the Moon, isn't it? So too Rama. He will never hurt the innocent.

But, that blade of grass became a huge flame of fire and flew towards

Jayantha. And, when he fled, it pursued him relentlessly wherever he

went. Helpless and frightened, the crow returned to its original form

and Jayantha fell at the feet of Rama praying for succor. Indra came

to know that the culprit was his own son and he too repented for his

son's audacity and irreverence.

 

Jayantha prostrated before Rama and pleaded for mercy. He said, " I am

a fool. I did not realize the baseness of my deed. Save me from your

anger, from this fire. "

 

Rama pitied the poor fellow, who had so humbled himself. He made one

of his eyes ineffective and sent him away alive, as a single-eyed

individual. He neutralized the blade of grass that had become a

missile of fire and it resumed its nature. Jayantha was grateful that

he was let off with just a token punishment for the heinous crime he

had committed; he lived for a long time on the Chitrakuta Peak, where

Sita, Rama and Lakshmana had taken residence. One day, the tenth day

of the bright half of the month Margasira, Rama ordered Jayantha to

proceed southwards from his habitat.

 

Sita, Rama and Lakshmana too left Chitrakuta and reached the

hermitage of the great Sage, Athri. The Sage came to know in advance

of the intention of Rama to visit his retreat, through his pupils. So

when Rama was approaching the Ashram, he moved far out on the forest

track in order to welcome Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Athri was so

overpowered with joy at the sign of Grace, that he shed profuse tears

in his ecstasy and declared that the visit had indeed made his life

realize its highest aim. He said that his austerities had at last

borne fruit that day. That evening, the Sage Athri gathered his

pupils and placed a high seat for Rama at the head of the assembly.

His consort Anasuya had meanwhile attended to the needs of Sita and

brought her too to that place. Then, he described to all present the

sacredness of the occasion, the powers of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana,

and the Divine Forces that had incarnated as those three. Anasuya

also praised the virtues of Sita, and gave her holy counsel on the

duties of women and the ideals they should ever hold dear. Sita spoke

of the fact that every individual, every being, and every creature

had the feminine principle inherent in its composition; she said that

though there are masculine and feminine roles, acting on the world

stage, all are basically feminine, when their strength, emotions and

attitudes are considered. She said that her Lord, Rama, is the

incarnation of the One and only Masculine principle in the Universe.

In him, she said, there is no trace of duality, of thine, of grief or

joy and mine. He is the embodiment of fearlessness; He is strength

personified. Purusha or the Eternal Masculine has wedded Nature or

Prakriti, the Eternal Feminine. Though Nature appears manifold and

variegated, it is really One undifferentiated Unity. Thus Sita

revealed the truth of the Rama principle to Anasuya, the consort of

the Sage Athri.

 

Rama, Sita and Lakshmana spent a very happy time at the Ashram of the

Sage Athri. They gave good counsel to the residents and pupils on

various problems of right conduct. Then, taking leave of the Sage,

they resumed their journey through the jungle. The Asramites shed

tears of sorrow when they parted company. Despite their determined

attempts to accompany Rama during the subsequent stages of his forest

life they had to stop away and resume the life for which they had

dedicated their lives. They had to witness helplessly the departure

of the Divine Master of their hearts.

 

The jungle echoed with the roar of ferocious beasts that wandered

about in search of prey. Manifold varieties of plumaged birds sang

melodiously on the trees. Each had a peculiar beauty and melody:

their coos and cries were balm for the ear. It appeared as if they

had entered a new world of thrills. While passing through this region

of awesome grandeur, suddenly their eyes fell upon a lovely

hermitage, which had at its center a picturesque temple. Lakshmana

moved forward, and cleared the track, pushing back the bushes that

stood across. He broke off the thorny creepers that hung overhead and

threatened to harm wayfarers. Rama and Sita could walk safely along

the track he cleared. When they came to the precincts of the

hermitage a charming garden presented itself before them. Well-

fostered and affectionately looked after, the fruit trees and

flowering trees rose beautifully from the ground, with their charming

crowns of beauty. The branches were drooping under the weight of ripe

juicy fruits. Sita was filled with delight; she forgot all

exhaustion; she was lost in the heavenly peace and joy that she had

come into. She walked behind Rama, imbibing the thrill of the Nature

that surrounded her. When some residents noticed their approach, they

ran in haste to their Preceptor; he hurried forward to the main gate

to welcome Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. His eyes were streaming tears of

joy. Appropriate hospitality was offered to the guests; they were

taken in and given cool refreshing drinks; tasty fruits and tubers

were placed before them. The guests accepted their attention and

regard with great pleasure; they partook of the simple repast. In the

evening, they took bath and performed due rites. Rama spoke to the

residents on ideal modes of conduct and behaviour. He permitted them

to ask questions on the doubts that might be puzzling them and the

knotty points of interpretations of the scriptures. They welcomed the

opportunity most enthusiastically. Rama, too, offered convincing and

clear explanations, in simple and satisfying words. Without doubt,

the dwellers of the Ashram experienced very Heaven on earth. They

spoke among themselves with great delight that the Presence of Rama

was as elevating an experience as contact with God Himself in Heaven.

 

When dawn broke, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana bathed and went through the

matinal rites. In spite of the plaintive prayers of the Asramites,

they started on their journey, expostulating that people should not

stand in the way of their vows and resolutions. They had resolved,

they said, not to stay in one single hermitage or place for more than

one single night.

 

When they resumed their journey, and passed through the forest, a

monstrous form, being the frightful ogre Viradha, appeared all of a

sudden and rushed menacingly towards them. Sita was naturally

frightened at the apparition; but, soon, she mustered courage knowing

that, when she had the Lion Rama to protect her, she had no need to

be frightened at the 'lame fox' that had presented itself! " Let it

roar its worst " , she consoled herself. She stood behind Rama and

watched developments. Meanwhile, Lakshmana shot at the monster a

sharp arrow from his bow. Soon, he showered many missiles on it. When

the arrows wounded it, Viradha transformed into a blazing fury of

anger and appearing like the very embodiment of death and

destruction, pounced upon Lakshmana. Rama saw that the struggle was

exhausting his brother; he fixed a crescent headed arrow to his

redoubtable bow and shot at the ogre. The arrow shattered to pieces

the formidable three-pronged spear that the ogre was flourishing; it

then sliced off the head of the monster. At that very moment, a

bright heavenly form emerged from the fallen corpse!

 

Viradha had been born as an ogre on earth in consequence of a curse

that he had invited upon himself from his divine Master, Kubera. He

was one of a group of heavenly angels, Gandharvas, who were serving

Kubera. Kubera had, later, taken pity on him and declared that his

demonic career would come to an end the moment he met his death

through an arrow from the bow of Rama. He could then return as a

Gandharva to the Presence of Kubera, it was said. So, the Gandharva

fell at the feet of his Savior, and extolled him with high praise,

before leaving for his permanent abode.

 

Rama interred the huge body of the demon that lay on the ground; he

also went through the rites prescribed for such disposal. Just then a

shower of rain fell on the spot, as if the gods above were showering

tears of joy at the compassion that Rama was evincing.

 

Next, Rama entered the famous hermitage of the sage Sarabhanga. Even

while he was nearing the ashram, the ascetics and monks were talking

among themselves of the havoc caused by the inroads of Ravana, the

demon King. When Rama, Sita and Lakshmana appeared before them in the

midst of their conversation, they sensed the meaning of their visit

and knew that their fears would soon come to an end. When the sage

Sarabhanga saw the divinely charming figure of Rama, he could scarce

believe his eyes; he doubted whether it was a dream, or an illusion,

or some strange experience caused by meditation mania. But, soon, he

realized the genuineness of his good fortune; he was overwhelmed with

the ecstasy of winning his long-desired goal; he knew that his

asceticism had at last been blessed by the fruition of his yearning;

he offered them profuse hospitality.

 

He extolled Rama to his heart's content. " Rama! You are the Heavenly

Swan moving majestically on the waters that fill the minds of the

sages. Ah! This day. I have realized the Goal of life, " he

said. " Rama! I am unaware of any spiritual discipline worth the name.

It was possible for me to win you through just one path, the path of

Love. My eyes have seen you now; they need look on nothing else. And,

you have given word that day that you would fulfill the wishes of the

sages. Well. Now you have to stand by that word. My wish is this:

Stand before me in this most charming form, until my breath leaves

this body. I wish to cast off this body even while my gaze is fixed

on you, " he appealed.

 

Within minutes, a pyre was set up; he ascended it and it was lit,

with Sarabhanga sitting unconcerned on top, with eyes shining in joy

at the ecstasy of looking on at Rama. The eyelids did not quiver: the

gaze did not slacken. With the forms of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana

imprinted on his heart, Sarabhanga reduced his body into a handful of

ashes. The blue placid waters of his heart reflected the blue form of

Rama, whom he had adored until the very last. His soul merged in the

Universal that was before him.

 

Though at first the asramites were grieving over the departure of

their Preceptor and Master, they soon realized that he had the unique

fortune of a rare blessing. God Himself had come in human form and

blessed him with mergence in His majesty and glory. They felt that

they too had shared in that gift of Grace; they adored Rama and

extolled him in various ways. They shouted 'Hail! Victory! Victory!'

and taking the ashes of their Master, they applied it on their brows

in reverent gratitude.

 

The news of the immolation of Sarabhanga soon brought to that

hermitage residents from other asrams as well. They fell at the feet

of Rama and praised him and his mission of compassion. " Lord! How

fortunate was Sarabhanga, " they cried. " Many a sage has fallen prey

to the voracious ferocity of the Rakshasa tribe of demons in this

area. But the Lord Himself blessed Sarabhanga. He offered his body

and life to the Lord Himself. " Lord! Save us from these rapacious

enemies. Let us progress in our spiritual exercises and disciplines,

without these demonic raids. And, at the end of it all, O Lord, bless

us with the fruit we strive for: Your Presence before our Vision, "

they pleaded.

 

Meanwhile, a sage, Sutheekshna by name, came forward and prostrated

before Rama. He was the pupil of the renowned Agastya. He was an

incomparable devotee and his mind was saturated with love for Rama.

He had steady faith that God can be won by Love alone. He could not

picture before his mind's eye any form of God other than Rama. He

gazed upon Rama, without winking an eyelid, lest even that fraction

of time should go waste. His heart melted into adoration at the sight

of Rama.

 

He said, " Lord! Did you come so far into this region just to bless

me? Can you not merge me into the Love you are? Having come upon the

earth with this visible form, do you still wish that I should adore,

as hitherto, the Formless Absolute? No. I love this Form, and this

Name. I do not know any rite or ritual. I know only that you, the

embodiment of Love, can be attained through love. Yearning is the

only earning I have accumulated. That is the only asceticism I have

subjected myself to. Tell me, is that not enough? 0, Savior from the

travail of Birth and Death! No form of worship is so effective as

service of the Lord through Love, isn't it? Singing your glory,

meditating on it, and deriving unspeakable bliss in the process - can

anything else yield greater joy? " he said. Sutheekshna danced about,

unaware of where he was or what he was doing; tears flowed in streams

down his cheeks; he appeared insane for all who could not gauge the

inner joy he was experiencing. Rama knew the urge within the Sage; he

drew him near himself, and embraced him most lovingly. He spoke soft

and sweet, to bring him round to a consciousness of his surroundings.

While Rama was holding his hands, the great sage entered the supreme

state of Samadhi. He became a doll, unmoved and immovable. Rama

brought him back into consciousness; as soon as he came to, he fell

at the feet of Rama, falling flat on the ground.

 

He raised his hands above his head and joining palms in adoration, he

expressed his joy and took delight therein. He said, " Lord! You are

the Conflagration that destroys the Forest of Delusion in which man

has lost himself. You are the Solar Orb that makes it possible for

the Lotuses of the Hearts of Good Men bloom in beauty and fragrance.

You are the King of Beasts, come to destroy the brood of Demonic

Elephants. You are the Eagle come to hunt down and destroy the bird

that flits into birth and flits out of life, in a recurring cycle of

joy and grief. Lord! Your eyes are as charming as Lotuses; my two

eyes cannot drink in all the beauty of your effulgent Form. You are

the Moon that sheds cool light to enrapture the twin Chakora birds,

namely, the eyes of Sita. You swim happily as the Celestial Swan in

the placid lakes that shine in the hearts of Sages. You are the

Garuda Bird that preys upon and destroys the Serpents that breed in

the minds of doubters and unbelievers. All cruelty, confusion and

calamity will be burnt away when a tiny glance from your eye falls on

them. " He extolled Rama thus and in various other forms, and derived

great joy at getting the chance. He also utilized the chance to gaze

upon the Lord and to have His Image imprinted on his heart. He was

not conscious of the passage of time or the needs of the body. He did

not wink once while looking on and drinking deep the glory of Rama.

 

Rama watched him for a while and then he raised him up with his hands

upon his shoulders. He said, " Sutheekshna! You are endowed with all

desirable virtues. Ask from me anything you wish, for I shall bless

you as you desire. " The sage replied, " O, Friend and Kinsman of the

Distressed! My wish is this: Reside ever in the depths of my heart,

with Sita and Lakshmana. " Rama said, " So be it. " Then, with him as

companion, Rama moved forward towards the ashram of Agastya, with

Sita and Lakshmana following him.

 

A short distance later, they heard the murmur of a river flowing by.

When they walked towards the sound and neared the river, they could

see a mountain peak beside the flowing water. In the middle there

were beautiful flower gardens; and, like a lotus shining in the

center of a tank, there could be seen the lovely hermitage of Agastya

on a carpet of fragrant flowers.

 

Words cannot adequately describe the exquisite nature of that scene.

Sita, Rama and Lakshmana stood petrified for a few moments at the

captivating splendor. The atmosphere was so astoundingly spiritual.

There, animals that are enemies of each other by their very nature,

aquatic animals and land animals, beasts and birds of every type,

sported and lived together, free from fear or enmity. They could see

many monks and ascetics lost in meditation sitting on the riverbank.

 

When they neared the ashram, Sutheekshna ran forward to convey the

tidings to his Master. He fell at his feet and declared, " O Teacher

Great! O Embodiment of Mercy! The prince of Ayodhya, the very

Sustainer of this Universe, has just come into our Ashram with Sita

and Lakshmana. The very person whom you were seeking to know and

visualize through your spiritual practices for years, without regard

to whether it is day or night, he has come to you, near you. Ah! What

a great good Day is this! What great good fortune! " . Sutheekshna

forgot himself and was filled with immeasurable ecstasy.

 

At this, Agastya rose suddenly from his seat and walked fast into the

open. He saw the three, coming towards him; tears flowed freely from

his eyes. He ran forward, shouting, " Lord! Lord! " . He clasped Rama to

his bosom; he had no mind to release Rama from the embrace. He stood

with his arms around Rama, clinging to him, as a creeper clings to

the trunk of a tree.

 

Agastya could not contain the joy that welled up within him when he

led Rama, Sita and Lakshmana into his hermitage. He invited them to

rest on elevated seats. He had fruits and sweet tubers brought and he

offered them for their repast. Then, he enquired about the journey

they had gone through and, when Rama was answering his queries,

Agastya listened with eyes closed in deep delight, tears of joy

streaming down the cheeks. There was a happy smile hovering on his

face. At last, he spoke, " Lord! I am convinced that there is no one

more blessed than I am. The Lord, Narayana, has Himself come to me;

He is staying in my hermitage! Is this true? Is it a dream? No. It is

clearly a fact of experience. He gave expression to his joy in

grateful and devotional words.

 

Rama said, " O Monarch among Monks! I have nothing to hide from you.

You know too well the reason why I have come into the forest. Direct

me, how I can destroy the brood of demoniac persons, the Rakshasas,

who obstruct the austerities of sages and monks, and how I can

protect and preserve from danger the dedicated servants of God; I

shall act accordingly; I am awaiting your advice. In the cold

Hemantha season lotuses shrivel up and die. The season has approached

for the shriveling of the Rakshasas. "

 

Hearing these words of Rama, Agastya smiled. He replied, " Lord! You

are omniscient. I do not know why you require me to tell you how. I

am unable to decide whether you are blessing me or testing me.

Nevertheless, through the effect of your Grace, the Darshan (sight),

Sparshan (contact) and Sambashan (speech) that you have just now

blessed me with, I am able to grasp the significance of your

question. That too is your grace. Maya, which is your creation and

your puppet, your slave, lying at your feet, is watching ever, for

the slightest raising of your brow, to carry out your commands.

Through the skill endowed by you, Maya is creating all beings on

earth and in heaven.

 

" Your Maya is unconquerable. It is harassing beings endlessly, that

is to say, those who fall a prey to its machinations. That is a fact

that is known to all. Your Maya is like the ficus, spreading far and

wide; the orbs in the Cosmos are as the fruits of that tree; the

beings and things that exist in this Cosmos are like the worms and

larvae that creep inside the fruit. The fruit might appear lovely

outside; but, when it is opened, hundreds of worms can be seen

wriggling inside " .

 

" Those attached to this exterior world and its transitory treasures

are afraid of you, since in your aspect as Time, you cause inexorable

ruin of their plans. The Cosmos itself is an appearance on your

Reality. Rama! You are adored by all the worlds. You ask me for

directions, just as a common man would; you praise me as men do. This

raises a laugh in me. I am not concerned with anything now. I desire

that you stay in this hermitage, with Sita and Lakshmana. That is the

only boon I ask for. I prefer always to worship your Attribute-full

Form, not your Attribute-less Principle. That is what I believe in

and teach. That is my Ideal, my favorite Goal, my Aspiration " .

 

" Therefore, grant me this boon. It is your sport, to elevate your

servants, and yourself to slide into the background as if you are

innocent of anything and ignorant of everything! But, do not elevate

me. Do not ask me for directions. My duty is to assent and accept

your wishes and to follow your footsteps. Father! Do not inveigle me

into your Maya, and delude me into egoism, making me the target of

your sport " .

 

At this Rama said, " O Venerable Sage! This region is well known to

you; so, what harm is there if you tell me which place I can select

for my stay? This is what everybody would expect of you, isn't it? "

Agastya replied, " Master! Since you have commanded me I shall obey

implicitly and give answer. Very near this place, the sacred river

Godavari is flowing. Since ages, that great river has been flowing

full and free. Adjacent to it, we have the Dandakaranya; when you

sanctify it by residing in it you would have conferred upon the monks

and sages that live therein all content and happiness. For, that

forest region and its guardian ruler are under a curse and afflicted

thereby " .

 

At this, Rama intercepted the sage with the words: " Master! Sita is

anxious to learn the story of that curse. Tell us about it in

detail " . Agastya saw through that request and so he addressed Rama

as " O, Director of this Eternal Play. Once upon a time famine raised

its head in Panchavati area. All the monks and ascetics who lived

there took refuge in the hermitage of Sage Gauthama. He gave them all

they needed through the powers he had acquired as a result of his

austerities! When the famine was over, the monks decided to return to

their old dwellings " .

 

" But, there were some pseudomonks among them, who conspired against

him, and planned to bring him to disrepute. They brought a cow that

was in the throes of death and made it enter the hermitage garden, on

a particularly green and attractive patch. Gauthama saw it was about

to bite a beautiful flower away from its stem; he attempted to drive

it away. But, at his very first push, the cow breathed its last! The

conspirator monks immediately laid on him the dreaded sin of 'go-

hatya' (bovicide)! They condemned him as an outcast and a heathen.

Gauthama desired to discover whether the cow died as a result of his

push or as its allotted span had ended. He sat in deep meditation

exploring an answer to this vital question. Soon it was revealed to

him that it was but a trick played by inimical monks. He was

disgusted at their despicable nature. He said, 'May this forest

polluted by such low-minded persons be out of bounds for the good and

the saintly. May it become the haunt of demonic Yakshas' " .

 

" Another incident too added to the effects of this curse. The ruler

of this region, Danda by name, violated the chastity of the daughter

of his own preceptor, Bhrigu. Bhrigu listened to the pathetic story

as related by his daughter and, in the extremity of his anger; he

overwhelmed the region with a downpour of dust. Therefore, this area

was sodden deep with mud, and in course of time, it was a thick

jungle from end to end. The region is named Dandakaranya, after that

infamous ruler. Rama! Crest-jewel of the Raghu Dynasty! I am certain

that when you take residence in that forest, the Rakshasas will be

decimated and the curse will be lifted. Monks and Sadhakas can once

again dwell there and progress in their austerities. Humanity

everywhere will benefit by this cleansing and this consummation. I

may tell you that the sage who cursed will also be rendered happy by

you, for he is sad at the consequence of his anger " .

 

When Agastya finished his account of the story of Dandakaranya, Rama

said, " Well, so be it. I shall reside there " . He took leave of the

Sage Agastya, and proceeded to the Dandaka forest, with Sita and

Lakshmana. Before they left his hermitage, Agastya brought forth

certain weapons that he had acquired by asceticism from divine

Sources, and placed them in the hands of Rama saying that he had no

wish to use them; they had now a wielder who deserved them and who

could utilize them for a holy purpose. " Rama! " he said, " You are my

shield, my strength, my prowess. These weapons cannot save me, but

You can. Your Grace is the most powerful weapon I possess. You are my

refuge, my fortress, the impenetrable armour for my breast " .

 

Even as Sita, Rama and Lakshmana entered the thick jungle-ridden area

of Dandaka, trees that had gone dry were thrilled into greenery and

were covered with tender, whispering clusters of leaf. Weak,

enervated creepers and vines suddenly felt alive, alert and active;

they gave birth to bunch of fragrant flowers. The forest hastened to

clothe itself in lovely green, speckled all over with multicolored

floral dots. They sought a spot where they could reside therein and

soon arrived at the place known as Panchavati, which Agastya had

indicated.

 

They saw there the old Eagle Chief, Jatayu. He was a great friend of

Dasaratha accompanying him on his spatial expeditions to help the

denizens of heaven. Rama related to the Eagle the sad news of the

death of Dasaratha and alleviated his sense of loss and bereavement.

Rama told him about himself, and spoke to him about Sita and

Lakshmana, and of his other brothers. They were set on rigging up a

thatched hut on the banks of the Godavari. Jatayu became a close

friend, and through him they could acquire a clearer picture of the

region. That night, they spent the hours under a tree in sound and

refreshing sleep.

 

TO BE CONTINUED