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That day Rama‘s party lodges under a tree. At dawn Rama goes and sees Prayaga, the king of holy places, whose minister is truth and whose throne is the confluence. Bharadvaja, the sage of Prayaga, asks Rama for a boon, and sends four of his young students along with the party.
In this episode Rama tells Sita, Lakshmana, and Guha the greatness of Prayaga with his own mouth, beholds the Triveni, bathes, and comes to Bharadvaja. The sage feeds them and says that every good practice bears fruit at the sight of Rama. Rama, embarrassed, tells the sage’s fame in ten million ways. The people of Prayaga come to see the sons of Dasharatha. Some fifty disciples say they have seen the road. Beyond the Yamuna the old and clever among the people of the bank recognize Rama, and an ascetic comes and falls like a staff. Guha takes Rama’s order on his head. Travelers on the road offer to go along with the brothers. The cities of the nagas and the gods envy the towns and villages on the road. In a banyan’s shade some village people spread soft grass and leaves, and some fill pitchers with water. The village women go to Sita with an entreaty.
The sages, the ascetic, the travelers, and the villages
The main figures in this episode
- Rama who lodges under a tree and at dawn sees Prayaga. He tells Sita, Lakshmana, and Guha its greatness, beholds the Triveni, bathes, and serves Shiva. He prostrates to Bharadvaja and eats what the sage brings. At the sage’s words he is embarrassed, and he tells the sage’s fame for all to hear. He salutes the people of Prayaga. At dawn he asks the sage which road to take and sets out with four young students. He sends them off with entreaty, crosses the Yamuna, and bathes. He takes the ascetic to his breast. He gives Guha counsel and salutes the Yamuna again. He turns the travelers back with humble, soft words. Knowing Sita weary, he delays a short while in a banyan’s shade.
- Sita who hears the greatness of Prayaga from Rama and eats at the hermitage with him. She sets out at dawn and bathes in the Yamuna. She blesses the ascetic as a mother who knows him her child. With joined hands she salutes the Yamuna again. The travelers speak of her as a delicate woman on a hard road. Rama knows her weary and delays a short while. The village women go near her, touch her feet again and again, and make their entreaty. They call her princess and mistress, and tell her the two princes are winsome by nature.
- Lakshmana who makes everything comfortable under the tree with Guha. He hears the greatness of Prayaga, eats the sage’s roots and fruit, and sets out with Rama. Overflowing with love, he raises the ascetic who falls at his feet. He salutes the Yamuna with Sita and Rama. He is the color of lightning, very good to see, handsome from nail to crown. He is in the dress of sages, with a quiver bound at his waist and a bow and arrows in his hands. To the village women he and Rama are two princes, dark and fair.
- Guha Rama’s friend, who with Lakshmana makes the night’s lodging under the tree comfortable. He hears Rama tell the greatness of Prayaga, eats at the hermitage as their companion, and sets out with the three at dawn. Across the Yamuna he prostrates to the ascetic, who meets him gladly. Rama gives him counsel in many ways. Taking Rama’s order on his head, he goes home.
- Bharadvaja the sage of Prayaga, who takes the prostrating Rama to his breast, his joy as if he had found a heap of the bliss of Brahman. He blesses him, seats the party, worships them, and brings bulbs, roots, fruit, and sprouts. He says that tapas, chanting, yoga, and every good practice bear fruit today, and asks a boon, natural love for Rama’s feet. He states the condition of happiness, to be Rama’s servant in deed, word, and mind, leaving guile. He and Rama bow, each to the other. Asked which road to take, he laughs in his mind and says every road is easy for Rama. He calls his disciples and sends four young students along.
- The unnamed ascetic who comes at that moment, a mass of radiance, young in years and handsome, in a renunciant’s dress. No poet sees his ways. Knowing his chosen god, with water in his eyes and his body thrilling, he falls to the ground like a staff. Rama takes him to his breast. He falls at Lakshmana’s feet and is raised. He puts the dust of Sita’s feet on his head and is blessed. Guha prostrates to him, and he meets Guha gladly. He drinks the nectar of Rama’s form with the cups of his eyes.
- The villagers and travelers the men and women near each village who run up and see them, and turn back grieving. The people of the Yamuna’s bank, who extol their own fortune and are shy of asking names. The old and clever among them tell the whole story, and all regret that the queen and the king have not done well. The women there who ask what kind of father and mother sent such children to the forest. The travelers who see the marks of kingship on the brothers, call astrology false, and offer to go along if it is the brothers’ leave. The village children and old, men and women, who leave house and work and counsel one another to take the gain of their eyes. Some of them spread grass and leaves in a banyan’s shade, and some bring water in pitchers. The village women who go near Sita, touch her feet, and make their entreaty.
From under a tree to the court of Prayaga
That day they lodged under a tree. Lakshmana and Guha made everything comfortable. At dawn, doing the morning rites, Rama went and saw Prayaga, the king of holy places.
Truth is that king’s minister. Faith is his dear wife. His well-wishing friend is one like Madhava, whom the commentary names as Veni Madhava. His storehouse is full of the four aims, which the commentary names as dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation. The region of merit is his very lovely land.
The sacred ground is his fort, hard, strong, and handsome. No foe has reached it even in a dream. His army is all the holy places, fine warriors, steadfast in battle, who crush the army of sins.
The confluence is his throne, and it shines very well. The commentary names the three rivers that meet there, the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Sarasvati. The undying banyan is his umbrella, and it charms the minds of sages. The waves of the Yamuna and the Ganga are his whisks. The commentary gives them their colors, dark and white. At the sight of them grief and poverty are broken.
The good, virtuous and pure, serve him, and they gain every wish of their minds. The Vedas and the hosts of Puranas are his bards, and they tell his pure virtues.
Who can tell the power of Prayaga? To the elephant of the heap of sins he is the lion. Seeing the king of holy places so handsome, Rama, the sea of happiness, found happiness. With his own mouth he told Sita, Lakshmana, and Guha the greatness of Prayaga.
Saluting, seeing the woods and gardens, and telling its glory with great love, coming in this way, he beheld the Triveni, where the three rivers meet. To those who remember her she gives every blessing. Bathing gladly, he did service to Shiva and worshiped the gods of the holy place as the rite prescribes.
The fruit of Bharadvaja’s good deeds, before his eyes
Then Rama came to Bharadvaja. As Rama prostrated, the sage took him to his breast. The joy of the sage’s mind cannot be told. It was as if he had found a heap of the bliss of Brahman.
The lord of sages gave his blessing. In his breast was great bliss as he knew it was as if the Creator had brought the fruit of his good deeds and set it before his eyes.
Asking after their welfare, the sage gave them seats. Worshiping them with love, he made them content. He brought and gave them good bulbs, roots, fruit, and sprouts, as if they were made of nectar. With Sita, Lakshmana, and their companion, Rama ate the handsome roots and fruit with great relish. His weariness gone, Rama was happy. Bharadvaja spoke soft words.
“Today tapas, holy places, and renunciation bear fruit. Today chanting, yoga, and dispassion bear fruit. The whole array of good practices bears fruit, Rama, seeing you today. Of gain and of happiness there is no other utmost. In the sight of you every hope is fulfilled. Now, showing grace, give this boon: natural love for your lotus feet.”
“As long as one is not your servant in deed, word, and mind, leaving guile, so long there is no happiness even in a dream. Though ten million remedies be tried, there is none.”
Hearing the sage’s words, Rama was embarrassed, sated with bliss at the sage’s heartfelt bhakti. The commentary reads the embarrassment as play. Then, hiding his majesty in the commentary’s reading, Rama told the sage’s handsome fame in ten million ways, for all to hear. “He is great, and he is the home of every virtue, whom, lord of sages, you honor.” The sage and Rama bowed, each to the other, and felt a happiness beyond words.
Getting this news, the young brahmin students, the ascetics, the sages, the siddhas, and the recluses of Prayaga all came to Bharadvaja’s hermitage. They came to see the handsome sons of Dasharatha. Rama saluted them all. They were glad, gaining the gain of their eyes. Finding supreme happiness, they gave their blessings and went back praising the beauty.
Rama rested the night. At dawn, bathing at Prayaga, he set out with Sita, Lakshmana, and their companion, glad, bowing his head to the sage.
Fifty glad disciples, and four who go along
Rama said to the sage with love, “Master, tell us. By which road shall we go?” Laughing in his mind, the sage said to Rama, “For you every road is easy.”
To go along with them the sage called his disciples. Hearing it, some fifty came, glad in mind. All had boundless love for Rama. All said, “We have seen the road.”
Then the sage sent four young brahmin students along with them. Through many births they had done every good deed. Saluting, and receiving the rishi’s leave, Rama set out, greatly glad in his heart.
When they passed near a village, men and women, running up, saw them. They found their master, gaining the fruit of their birth. They turned back grieving, sending their minds along with him.
Rama sent the students off, making entreaty. They went back, having gained the wish of their minds. The commentary reads that wish as undivided bhakti. Crossing over, Rama’s party bathed in the water of the Yamuna, which was dark like his body.
The unnamed ascetic on the Yamuna’s bank
Hearing of it, the men and women who lived on the bank ran, forgetting their own tasks. Seeing the beauty of Lakshmana, Rama, and Sita, they extolled their own fortune. Great longings dwelt in their minds. They were shy of asking their names and their village.
Those among them who were old in years and clever recognized Rama by their skill. They told everyone the whole story, that the three had set out for the forest at the father’s order. Hearing it, all regretted with dejection that the queen and the king had not done well.
At that moment an ascetic came, a mass of radiance, young in years and handsome. His ways were unseen by poets. He was in the dress of a renunciant, a lover of Rama in mind, deed, and word. The commentary also reads the unseen ways as those of a poet who would not make himself known. Its note takes him for Hanuman, or for Tulsidas in meditation.
Water in his eyes and his body thrilling, knowing his chosen god, he fell to the ground like a staff. His state cannot be described.
With love, thrilling, Rama took him to his breast. It was as if a great pauper had found the philosopher’s stone. Everyone said it was as if love and the highest truth, both taking bodies, were meeting.
Then the ascetic fell at Lakshmana’s feet. Lakshmana raised him, overflowing with love. Then, when the ascetic had placed the dust of Sita’s feet on his head, Sita, knowing him her child, gave him her blessing as a mother.
Guha prostrated to him. The ascetic met him gladly, seeing in him one who loves Rama. He drank the nectar of Rama’s form with the cups of his eyes, glad as a hungry man who gets good food.
The women said, “Say, friend, what kind of father and mother are they, who sent such children to the forest?” Beholding the form of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita, the men and women became distraught with love.
Guha goes home, and what the travelers ask
Then Rama gave his friend Guha counsel in many ways. Taking Rama’s order on his head, Guha went home.
Then Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana, with joined hands, saluted the Yamuna again. The two brothers went on with Sita, glad, extolling the Sun’s daughter.
Many travelers met them as they went along the road. They spoke with love, seeing the two brothers. “At the sight of the marks of kingship on all your limbs, there is great worry in our hearts. You walk the road on foot. To our mind astrology is false. The road is hard, through great mountains and forests, and on it a delicate woman is with you. The forest of elephants and lions cannot be looked at. We will go along with you, if it be your leave. Taking you as far as you go, we will then turn back, bowing our heads to you.”
In this way they asked, in the power of love, their bodies thrilling and water in their eyes. Rama, the ocean of mercy, turned them back, saying humble, soft words.
The roads where Rama’s feet go
The cities of the nagas and the gods envied the towns and villages that lay on the road. In the commentary’s reading they asked by what doer of good deeds, and at what hour, those places had been founded. Blessed they were, full of merit, and most handsome.
Wherever Rama’s feet went, no Amaravati equaled those places. The commentary names Amaravati as Indra’s city. Those who lived near the road were heaps of merit, and the dwellers of the gods’ city praised them.
They praised those who looked with full eyes at Rama, dark as a cloud, with Sita and Lakshmana. The lakes and rivers of the gods praised the lakes and rivers Rama bathed in. The wish-tree extolled the tree under which Rama went and sat. Touching the pollen of Rama’s lotus feet, the earth counted her fortune great.
Clouds made shade. The hosts of gods rained flowers and envied. Seeing hills, forests, birds, and beasts, Rama went along the road.
A short while in the banyan’s shade
When Rama with Sita and Lakshmana passed near a village, all the children and old, men and women, hearing of it, set out at once, forgetting house and work. Beholding the forms of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita, and gaining the fruit of their eyes, they were happy. Eyes full of water, bodies thrilling, all were absorbed at the sight of the two heroes.
Their state cannot be described. It was as if paupers had found heaps of the jewels of the gods. Calling to one another, they gave counsel. “Take the gain of your eyes this very instant.”
Some, seeing Rama, were full of love, and they went along with him, gazing. Some brought the image into their breasts by the road of their eyes, and grew slack in body, mind, and fine speech.
Some, seeing the goodly shade of a banyan and spreading soft grass and leaves, said, “Let the weariness go for a moment. Will you go on now, or at dawn?” Filling pitchers, some brought water. In a soft voice they said, “Sip, master.”
Hearing dear words and seeing great love, Rama, merciful and most good-natured, knowing in his mind that Sita was weary, delayed a short while in the banyan’s shade. Glad, the men and women looked at the splendor. The matchless form lured their eyes and minds.
All shone on every side, gazing unblinking, chakoras to the moon of Rama’s face. His body, the color of a young tamala tree, shone. At its sight the minds of ten million Kamas were charmed. Lakshmana, the color of lightning, was very good to see, handsome from nail to crown and dear to the heart. The dress of sages on them, quivers bound at their waists, bows and arrows shone in their hands.
On their heads were handsome crowns of matted hair. Broad were their breasts, their arms, and their eyes. On their fine faces, moons of the autumn full-moon night, shone a net of sweat drops.
The enchanting pair cannot be described. The splendor is great, and the wit that tells it is small. All gazed at the beauty of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita with thought, mind, and wit.
The village women go near Sita
The men and women, thirsty with love, stood stilled, as if they were does and deer seeing a lamp. The village women went near Sita. In great love they were shy of asking. Again and again all of them touched her feet. They spoke soft, simple words, by nature.
“Princess, we make an entreaty. By a woman’s nature we fear to ask anything. Mistress, forgive our boldness. Do not take it ill, knowing us country women. These two princes are winsome by nature. Emerald and gold took their luster from them. Dark and fair, fine youths, beautiful, homes of loveliness. Their faces are the moon, the lord of the autumn night. Their eyes are autumn lotuses.”
The course of the episode
The party lodged under a tree, and Lakshmana and Guha saw to every comfort. At dawn Rama saw Prayaga, found happiness, and told the three its greatness. He beheld the Triveni, bathed, served Shiva, and worshiped the gods of the place. Bharadvaja took him to his breast and blessed him. The sage seated them, worshiped them, and fed them. He said that every good practice bore fruit at that sight, and asked for natural love for Rama’s feet. He named the condition of happiness. Rama was embarrassed and told the sage’s fame. The people of Prayaga came, were saluted, and went back praising the beauty. Rama rested the night and set out at dawn. He asked the road, and the sage said every road was easy. Some fifty disciples came, and four students went along. Rama sent the students off with entreaty, and the party crossed the Yamuna and bathed. The old and clever of the bank recognized him, and all regretted that the queen and the king had not done well. An ascetic came, knew his chosen god, and fell like a staff. Rama took him to his breast, Lakshmana raised him, Sita blessed him, and Guha prostrated to him. The women asked what kind of parents sent such children to the forest. Rama counseled Guha, and Guha went home. The three saluted the Yamuna again. Travelers offered to go along, and Rama turned them back. Towns and villages on the road were envied by the cities of nagas and gods. Near a village the people heard of the three and set out at once. Some spread grass in a banyan’s shade, and some brought water. Knowing Sita weary, Rama delayed there a short while. The people gazed at the beauty of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita. The village women went near Sita, touched her feet, and made their entreaty.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 8, part 2: From Ayodhya to Chitrakuta.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Ayodhyakand, doha 105 to 116, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.