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The second sopan of the Ramcharitmanas, the second step down into the lake, opens with the poet’s prayer to Shiva. The poet makes a wish for the beauty of Rama‘s face. The consecration did not gladden that face, and the sorrow of the forest exile did not dim it. Then, in Ayodhya, a king sits one day in his royal assembly. He takes a mirror in his hand and straightens his crown. The hair by his ears has turned white.
Everyone has already been praying to Shiva that the king give Rama the place of crown prince while he lives. The king carries the thought to Vasishtha. He speaks of the one longing in his mind and is told to make everything ready. The servants and the minister Sumantra are called. The counsel is put to the five, and the ministers urge haste. Vasishtha sends for the water of every holy place and orders the lanes planted with fruiting trees. Good omens show themselves in Rama and Sita. Their limbs throb, and they read them as signs of Bharata’s coming. The women dress the auspicious pitchers. Rama’s mother gives gifts and prays for his welfare. Vasishtha comes to Rama’s house, sent by the king, and tells him to keep every discipline today. When he has gone, a sorrow arises in Rama. The brothers, he thinks, had every festival together, and a consecration for the eldest leaves them aside. At that moment Lakshmana comes, and Rama honors him with kind words.
The father, the guru, the mothers, and the brothers
The main figures in this episode
- Dasharatha the king of Ayodhya. He sees white hair by his ears in a mirror and brings the thought to his heart. On a fine day he tells it to his guru. He asks Vasishtha to make Rama crown prince. Let the festival be while he lives, he says, and let all the people take the gain of their eyes. He calls the servants and Sumantra and puts the counsel to the five. He orders that whatever Vasishtha orders for the consecration be done at once. He worships brahmins, saints, and gods and does auspicious works for Rama. He sends Vasishtha to Rama’s house to give him instruction.
- Rama the son who, the king tells Vasishtha, is dear to all as he is to the king. It is as if, the king says, the guru’s blessing had taken a body. Vasishtha tells the king that Rama is the master without whose worship the burning of the heart does not go. That master, Vasishtha says, has become his son, a follower of pure love. The city prepares his consecration. With Sita, he takes the omens on their limbs for signs of Bharata’s coming. His care for his brother stays with him day and night, as the tortoise’s heart stays in her eggs. He comes to the door for his guru and worships him in the sixteen ways. He clasps his feet with Sita and asks to do whatever his order is. He is told to keep every discipline today. When the guru has gone, a sorrow arises in his heart. The brothers, he thinks, were born together and had every festival together, and a consecration for the eldest leaves them aside. He honors Lakshmana with kind words.
- Vasishtha the guru, to whom the king carries his thought. He tells the king to give his order. The king’s name and fame, he says, give everything wished for, and the wish of his mind follows the fruit. He tells him that the master without whose worship the burning of the heart does not go has become his son. The fine day, he says, is the day Rama becomes crown prince. He sends for the water of the holy places and the auspicious things. He tells all the procedure the Veda knows and orders the city dressed. At the king’s sending he goes to Rama’s house and hears Rama’s words. He praises him as the ornament of the Sun’s line. He tells him of the consecration and tells him to keep every discipline today. Then he goes back to the king.
- Sita set at Rama’s left side in the poet’s bow to Rama. With Rama, she feels the auspicious limbs throb. With him she says that the omens are signs of Bharata’s coming. When the guru has been brought into the house, she clasps his feet with Rama.
- Bharata and Lakshmana Bharata is the one Rama and Sita speak of when the good omens come. Many days have gone by, they say, and they ask who in the world is as dear as he. The commentary adds that it has been many days since he went to his maternal uncle’s house. Lakshmana comes, lost in love and bliss, and Rama honors him with kind words.
- Kausalya and Sumitra among all the mothers who see the creeper of their wish in fruit. Sumitra fills the lovely squares of jewels. Rama’s mother, Kausalya, calls the brahmins and gives gifts. She worships the village goddesses, the gods, and the nagas and promises them an offering again. She prays for the boon by which Rama’s welfare comes.
- Sumantra the minister, called with the servants. They bow their heads with a cry of victory and long life. They hear the king’s fine auspicious words.
The prayers that open the second sopan
The poet’s first prayer is to Shiva. In Shiva’s lap shines Parvati. The Ganga is on his head and the young moon on his brow. The poison is in his throat, and the king of serpents is on his breast. He is adorned with ash. He is best of the gods, lord of all, the destroyer, present everywhere, auspicious, and like the moon. May that Shiva protect him always. For “the destroyer” the commentary gives two readings: the one who destroys all, or the one who destroys his devotees’ sins.
Then the poet makes a wish for the beauty of Rama’s lotus face. The consecration did not gladden that face, and the sorrow of the forest exile did not dim it. May its beauty be always for him the giver of charming auspicious things.
He bows to Rama, whose tender limbs are dark as the blue lotus. Sita is set at his left side. The great arrow and the lovely bow are in his hands.
With the dust of the guru’s lotus feet he cleans the mirror of his mind, and he describes the pure fame of Rama. That fame gives the four fruits. The commentary names them: dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation.
Joy flooding Ayodhya, and one wish in every heart
Since Rama came home married, every day brought new auspicious things and joy, and the music of congratulation. The fourteen worlds were great mountains, and merit was the clouds. What they rained on them was happiness.
Riddhi and siddhi (plenty and power) and wealth were handsome rivers. They came surging into the sea that was Ayodhya. The men and women of the city were hosts of jewels of fine kind. They were pure, priceless, and beautiful in every way. The splendor of the city could not be told. It was as if Brahma’s craft came to just this much. And all the people of the city were happy in every way, looking on the moon of Rama’s face.
All the mothers, with their friends and companions, were glad, seeing the creeper of their wish in fruit. And the king, seeing and hearing Rama’s form, his virtues, his character, and his nature, was very glad.
In every heart there was this wish. They prayed to Shiva and said: “Let the king, while he lives, give Rama the place of crown prince.”
A crown in the mirror, and white hair
One day the king sat in the royal assembly with all his company. He was the image of all merit. Hearing Rama’s fine fame, he felt the greatest eagerness. All the kings sought his grace. The guardians of the worlds kept his pleasure and held him in love. In the three worlds and the three times there was no one so fortunate as Dasharatha. Rama, the root of auspicious things, was his son. Whatever is said of such a father is little.
The king, in the ordinary way, took a mirror in his hand. Looking at his face in it, he straightened his crown. By his ears the hair had turned white. It was as if old age were giving him this advice: “King, give Rama the place of crown prince. Why not take the gain of your life and your birth?”
He brought the thought to his heart. Finding a fine day and a fine occasion, thrilled with love and glad in mind, he went and told it to his guru.
One longing left, before the guru
“Listen, chief of sages,” the king said to Vasishtha. “Rama has become fit in every way for everything. There are the servants, the ministers, and all the people of the city. There are those who are our enemies, our friends, or indifferent to us. To all of them Rama is dear, as he is to me. It is as if your blessing had taken a body and were shining. The brahmins and their families, master, all feel affection for him as you do.”
“It is as if those who put the dust of the guru’s feet on their heads brought every plenty under their power. No one has known this as I have known it. By worshiping that pure dust I have gained everything. Now one wish is in my mind, master, and by your grace it will be fulfilled.”
Seeing the king’s natural love, the sage was pleased. “Give your order, king,” he said. “Your name and your fame, king, are the givers of everything that is wished for. Jewel among kings, the wish of your mind follows the fruit.” In the commentary’s reading, the fruit comes into being before the wish is made.
Knowing in his heart that the guru was pleased in every way, the king, rejoicing, spoke in a soft voice. “Master, make Rama crown prince. Say it in your grace, and let the preparations be made. Let this festival be while I live, and let all the people take the gain of their eyes. By your favor, lord, Shiva has carried everything through. This one longing is in my mind. Then there is no worry whether the body stays or goes, so that no regret follows.”
Hearing Dasharatha’s pleasing words, the root of auspicious things and joy, the sage was pleased in his mind. “Listen, king,” Vasishtha said. “Those who turn away from him regret it. Without his worship the burning of the heart does not go. That master has become your son, Rama, who follows pure love.” In the commentary’s reading, he became the king’s son in the power of that love.
“Make no delay, king. Make ready all the gear at once. The fine day and the fine auspiciousness are then, when Rama becomes crown prince.” In the commentary’s reading, every day is auspicious for his consecration.
Counsel put to the five, and the order to prepare
Glad, the king came to the palace and called the servants and the minister Sumantra. Saying “Victory, and long life,” they bowed their heads. The king gave them his fine auspicious words.
“If the five like this counsel,” he said, “then with glad hearts put the tilak on Rama.” The commentary takes the five to mean all of those he was speaking to. It takes the tilak to be the royal mark.
Hearing the welcome words, the ministers were glad, as if water had fallen on the plant of their wish. With joined hands they made entreaty. “Lord of the world, live ten million years. You have thought of a good work, an auspicious thing for the world. Make haste, master, and do not let time pass.” Hearing the ministers’ fine speech, the king felt joy, as if a growing creeper had found a fine bough.
The king said: “Whatever the order of the king of sages is for Rama’s consecration, do that, and do it at once.”
From the water of the holy places to the lanes of the city
Vasishtha, glad, spoke in a soft voice. “Bring the water of all the fine holy places.” He counted off by name many auspicious things. He named herbs, roots, flowers, fruit, and leaves, and whisks and deerskins. He named cloth of many kinds, wool and silk of countless sorts, and jewels. He named the many auspicious things that in the world are fit for a king’s consecration.
Having told all the procedure known to the Veda, he said: “Raise canopies of many kinds in the city. Plant mango, areca, and plantain, with the fruit on them, along the lanes on every side of the city. Make charming, lovely squares of jewels, and have the market dressed at once. Worship Ganesha, the guru, and the family deity, and serve the brahmins in every way. Dress flags, banners, archways, and pitchers, and horses, chariots, and elephants.” Taking Vasishtha’s words on their heads, all of them went to their own work.
Whatever order Vasishtha gave to anyone, that one did the work as if it had been done already. The king worshiped brahmins, saints, and gods, and did auspicious works for Rama. At the news of Rama’s handsome consecration, the music of congratulation rang out loudly through Ayodhya.
Good omens, and the hope of meeting Bharata
In Rama and Sita, good omens showed themselves. Their handsome, auspicious limbs throbbed. Thrilled, and with love, the two said to each other that these were signs of Bharata’s coming. “Many days have gone by,” they said, “and the longing is very great. The omens give faith that we will meet the one we love.” The commentary adds that it has been many days since Bharata went to his maternal uncle’s house.
“Who in the world is as dear as Bharata?” they said. “This is the fruit of the omens, and there is no other.” Rama’s care for his brother went on day and night, as the tortoise’s heart stays in her eggs.
The pitchers of the queens’ quarters, and a mother’s prayer
At that moment the queens’ quarters heard the news, the highest of auspicious things, and rejoiced. It was as if the play of the waves on the sea were shining at the sight of the waxing moon. Those who had gone first and told it received ornaments and garments in plenty. The women were thrilled with love in their limbs, their minds steeped in it. They all began to dress the auspicious pitchers. The commentary calls them the queens.
Sumitra filled the lovely squares, made of jewels in many patterns and most splendid. Rama’s mother, Kausalya, was lost in bliss. Calling the brahmins, she gave gifts in plenty. She worshiped the village goddesses, the gods, and the nagas, and promised to give them an offering again. The commentary reads the promise as a vow to worship them once more when the work was done. And she prayed: “In your mercy, give the boon by which Rama’s welfare comes.”
Women with the voices of cuckoos, faces like the moon, and the eyes of fawns sang auspicious songs. At the news of Rama’s consecration the men and women were glad in their hearts. Judging the Creator to be favorable, they began to dress every fine auspicious thing.
The guru at Rama’s door
Then the king called Vasishtha and sent him to Rama’s house to give him instruction. At the news of the guru’s arrival, Rama came to the door and bowed his head at Vasishtha’s feet. He offered the water of welcome with honor and brought him into the house. Worshiping him in the sixteen ways, he honored him. The commentary calls them the sixteen offerings. Afterwards, with Sita, he clasped the guru’s feet. Joining his hands, Rama spoke.
“A master’s coming to his servant’s house is the root of auspicious things and the subduer of inauspicious ones. And yet the fitting thing was to call the servant with love and send him on the errand, master. Such is the rule. You set your lordship aside, lord, and showed love, and today this house has become pure. Whatever your order is, master, let me do it. A servant’s gain is in the master’s service.”
Hearing words steeped in love, the sage praised Rama. “Rama, why would you not speak so, you who are the ornament of the Sun’s line?” Having spoken of Rama’s virtues, his character, and his nature, Vasishtha, thrilled with love, said: “The king has made ready the gear of the consecration. He wishes to give you the place of crown prince. Rama, keep every discipline today, if the Creator is to carry the work through well.” The commentary names the disciplines: the fast, the fire offering, and the rest, done by the rule. Giving his instruction, the guru went to the king.
All the brothers together, and the consecration for the eldest
In Rama’s heart a sorrow arose. He thought: “All the brothers were born together. Food, sleep, the games of childhood, all were together. The piercing of the ears, the sacred thread, the weddings, every festival was together. In this pure line this is the one thing that is wrong. The brothers are left aside, and the consecration is for the eldest.”
May Rama’s handsome regret, full of love, take away the crookedness of the devotees’ minds. The commentary gives that wish to Tulsi.
At that moment Lakshmana came, lost in love and bliss, and Rama honored him with kind words.
A bond with every wish
Everyone prayed to Shiva for Rama, that the king give him the place of crown prince while he lived. The king asked his guru to make Rama crown prince. Let the festival be while he lived, he said, and let all the people take the gain of their eyes. Rama and Sita, longing to meet Bharata, read the throbbing of their limbs as signs of his coming. Rama’s mother asked the village goddesses, the gods, and the nagas for the boon by which Rama’s welfare comes. And Rama was told that the king wished to give him the place of crown prince. He sorrowed for the brothers born with him. They had had every festival with him, and a consecration for the eldest, he thought, left them aside. The commentary gives Tulsi the wish that Rama’s regret take away the crookedness of the devotees’ minds.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 6: The Preparations for the Coronation.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Ayodhyakand, the opening shlokas, the doha to the guru, and doha 1 to 10, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.