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In the kohbar room, the image of Rama, the treasury of fine form, could be seen in the jewels on Sita‘s own hand. Sita did not move the creeper of her arm, or her glance, in the power of the fear of separation. Many days would pass after the wedding as if the men of the wedding party were bound with a rope of affection. Dasharatha was asking leave every day and Janaka was keeping him with love.
Before that moment the groom shines in all the adornments of the wedding, dark and handsome by nature. He is in a yellow dhoti and a yellow sacred thread, with a ring on his hand and a crown of pearls and jewels on his head. The women of the city and the beauties of the gods break straws at the sight of him and perform the arati. The gods rain flowers, and the bards proclaim his fine fame. Then the married women bring the princes and the princesses to the kohbar room, where they perform the customs of the world, singing. The companions set out, leading the grooms and the princesses to the lodging, to the sound of blessings. The lords of yogis, the siddhas, the lords of sages, and the gods strike kettledrums and set out for their own worlds. All the princes come with their brides to their father. A feast follows, at which Janaka washes the feet of the men of the wedding party, of Dasharatha, and of Rama. And the feet of the three brothers with his own hands. Quick-witted cooks serve rice and dal on leaf plates of jewels. The five morsels are taken, abuse is sung in sweet tones, and Dasharatha laughs with his company. Early one morning Dasharatha goes to Vasishtha and asks that all the brahmins be called and given cows. The sages come, Vamadeva, Valmiki, Jabali, and Vishvamitra among them. Dasharatha gives four hundred thousand cows to the brahmins. He asks the beggars what each would like, and bows his head again and again at Vishvamitra’s feet. After many days Vishvamitra and Shatananda tell Janaka to give Dasharatha the order, and Janaka calls the ministers.
In the days after the wedding
The main figures in this episode
- Rama and Sita Rama, the bridegroom, dark and handsome by nature, adorned from his feet, red with lac, to the crown on his head. At the sight of him the women of the city and the beauties of the gods break straws. With the other princes and the princesses, the married women bring him to the kohbar room, where Parvati teaches him the lahkaur. His image is seen in the jewels of Sita’s own hand. His lotus feet Janaka washes, and his three brothers Janaka knows as his equal. Sita, brought to the kohbar room among the princesses, where Sarasvati tells her the lahkaur. In the jewels of her own hand Rama’s image is seen. She does not move her arm or her glance, in the power of the fear of separation. She is led with the princesses to the lodging. Neither speaks a word in this episode.
- Dasharatha the father to whom the princes come with their brides. He goes to Janaka’s feast with his sons over cloths laid down to walk on. He has his feet washed by Janaka, and laughs with his company at the abuse sung at the meal. He wakes early, and the beggars sing his virtues. He goes to Vasishtha and asks that all the brahmins be called and given cows. He gives four hundred thousand cows to the brahmins. Asking the beggars what each likes, he gives them gold, garments, jewels, horses, elephants, and chariots. Bowing his head again and again at Vishvamitra’s feet, he calls all this happiness the gift of the sage’s glance of grace. He asks leave to go every day, and is kept.
- Janaka who sends to call the men of the wedding party to the feast. He washes the feet of all of them and seats them. He washes Dasharatha’s feet and Rama’s, and the three brothers’ feet with his own hands. Giving betel, he worships Dasharatha and his company. He keeps Dasharatha with love every day he asks leave. When Vishvamitra and Shatananda make him understand, he says “Very well, master,” and calls the ministers. In the commentary’s reading, he tells them to make it known within that Dasharatha wishes to go.
- Vasishtha Dasharatha’s guru, to whom the king goes after the morning rites and says that by the guru’s grace his work is complete. He asks that all the brahmins be called and given cows. Praising the king, he sends for the company of sages. He speaks no word in this episode.
- Vishvamitra and Shatananda Vishvamitra, who comes with the sages. At his feet Dasharatha bows his head again and again. And the two of them, who after many days go to Janaka and tell him to give Dasharatha the order to go, though he cannot let go of affection.
From his feet to his crown
Rama’s dark body was handsome by nature, with a splendor that shamed ten million Kamas. On his lotus feet, handsome with red lac, the bees of the sages’ minds stayed settled.
His yellow dhoti, pure and enchanting, took away the light of the morning sun and of lightning. At his waist were a fine girdle of little bells and the enchanting waist-string, and on his great arms were beautiful ornaments.
The yellow sacred thread gave great beauty, and the ring on his hand stole the mind. He shone with all the adornments of the wedding on him, and on his broad breast the ornaments of the breast shone.
His yellow upper cloth was worn under one arm and over the other shoulder, in the manner the commentary likens to the sacred thread. Jewels and pearls were set on both its ends. His eyes were lotuses, fine earrings were in his ears, and his face was the treasury of all beauty.
His brows were beautiful and his nose enchanting, and the tilak on his forehead was the abode of brightness. On his head shone an enchanting crown strung with auspicious pearls and jewels.
That crown, strung with great jewels, was charming, and all his limbs stole the mind. The women of the city and the beauties of the gods, seeing the groom, all broke straws. It is the gesture the commentary reads as taking his ills upon themselves. Waving jewels, garments, and ornaments over him and giving them away, they performed the arati and sang auspicious songs. The gods rained flowers, and the panegyrists, the minstrels, and the bards proclaimed his fine fame.
Laughter in the kohbar room, and an image seen in the jewels
The married women, finding happiness, brought the princes and the princesses to the kohbar room, the place of the family deity in the commentary’s reading. With great love they began to perform the customs of the world, singing auspicious songs.
Parvati taught Rama the lahkaur, the game in which, as the commentary glosses it, bride and groom give each other a morsel. Sarasvati told it to Sita. The queens’ quarters were in the power of the savor of laughter and play, and all gained the fruit of their birth.
In the jewels of her own hand could be seen the image of Rama, the treasury of fine form. Sita did not move the creeper of her arm, or her glance, in the power of the fear of separation. The sport, the fun, the delight, and the love could not be told. The companions know them. Then all the beautiful companions set out, leading the grooms and the princesses to the lodging.
At that time blessings were heard on every side, and in the city and the sky there was great joy. All said with glad minds, “May the four lovely pairs live long.” The lords of yogis, the siddhas, the lords of sages, and the gods, seeing Rama, struck kettledrums. Glad, raining flowers, they set out for their own worlds, crying “Victory, victory, victory.”
Then all the princes came with their brides to their father, Dasharatha. It was as if the lodging surged, filled with splendor, auspiciousness, and joy.
The feast called, and the feet washed
Then a feast of many kinds was made, and Janaka sent to call the men of the wedding party. Matchless cloths were laid down to walk on, and Dasharatha went with his sons.
With honor Janaka washed the feet of all of them and seated them on low seats, each as was fitting. Then Janaka washed Dasharatha’s feet. The character and the affection could not be told.
Then he washed Rama’s lotus feet, which stay hidden in the lotus of Shiva’s heart. Knowing the three brothers as the equal of Rama, Janaka washed their feet with his own hands.
Janaka gave fitting seats to all and called all the servers. With honor the leaf plates began to be laid, made of leaves of jewels fastened with pins of gold. Quick-witted and humble cooks served everyone in a moment with rice and dal and the ghee of the cow, beautiful, tasty, and pure.
The taste of the feast, and the laughter at the abuse
Taking the five morsels, which the commentary explains as five mouthfuls offered with their mantras to the five breaths, they began to eat. Hearing the songs of abuse, they were greatly full of love. Cooked dishes of many kinds were served, like nectar, past telling.
The wise cooks began to serve savories of many kinds. Who knew their names? Four kinds of food are told of, those that are chewed, sucked, licked, and drunk in the commentary’s list. Each kind was past telling. There were bright savories of the six tastes, of many sorts, and of each taste countless kinds.
As they ate, abuse was sung at them in sweet tones, the names of men and women taken up in it one by one. The singers are the women in the commentary’s reading. The abuse, handsome for the occasion, shone, and hearing it Dasharatha laughed with his company. In this way all of them ate, and with honor water was given to rinse their hands and mouths.
Giving betel, Janaka worshiped Dasharatha and his company, and Dasharatha, glad, went to the lodging.
Early in the morning, before the guru
In the city there were new auspicious things every day. The days and the nights went by like the time an eyelid takes to fall. Early in the morning Dasharatha woke, and the beggars began to sing the host of his virtues.
How could the joy in his mind be told, as he saw the princes with their fine brides? Performing the morning rites, he went to Vasishtha, great delight and love in his mind.
Saluting and worshiping, his hands joined, he spoke words as if dipped in nectar. “By your grace, listen, king of sages, I have today become one whose work is complete. Now, calling all the brahmins, master, give them cows adorned in every way.” Hearing this, the guru, praising the king, then sent to call the company of sages.
Then Vamadeva and the divine sage, Valmiki, Jabali, Vishvamitra, and the rest, chief sages rich in tapas, came in hosts. The commentary names the divine sage Narada.
Four hundred thousand cows, and what each beggar liked
Dasharatha prostrated himself before them all, and worshiping them with love, he gave them fine seats. He had four hundred thousand fine cows brought, of a character like that of the cow that grants every wish, and handsome.
He had them all adorned in every way, and glad, the king gave them to the brahmins. The king made entreaty in many ways: “Today I have gained the profit of living in the world.”
Receiving blessings, the king rejoiced. Then he called the hosts of beggars. Asking what each of them liked, Dasharatha gave them gold, garments, jewels, horses, elephants, and chariots.
They set out, reciting and singing the story of his virtues, crying “Victory, victory, victory to the lord of the Sun’s line.” Such was the eagerness of Rama’s wedding, which he who has a thousand mouths, Shesha in the commentary’s naming, could not tell.
Thanks at Vishvamitra’s feet
Bowing his head again and again at Vishvamitra’s feet, Dasharatha said, “All this happiness, king of sages, is the gift of your glance of grace.”
Leave asked every day, and honor newer every day
Dasharatha praised in every way Janaka’s affection, his character, his doings, and his wealth. Every day, rising, Dasharatha asked leave to go. Janaka kept him, with love.
The honor grew newer and greater every day, and every day there was hospitality of a thousand kinds. Every day there was new joy and eagerness in the city, and Dasharatha’s going pleased no one.
Many days passed in this way, as if the men of the wedding party were bound with a rope of affection. Then Vishvamitra and Shatananda, going to Janaka, spoke to him, making him understand. “Now give Dasharatha the order, though you cannot let go of affection.” Saying, “Very well, master,” Janaka called the ministers, who, crying “Victory, long life,” bowed their heads.
“Dasharatha wishes to go. Make it known within.” The commentary gives the words to Janaka and reads “within” as the queens’ quarters. Hearing it, the ministers, the brahmins, the courtiers, and the king were in the power of love.
A little longer together
Every day Dasharatha rose and asked leave to go, and every day Janaka kept him with love. The honor grew newer, and Dasharatha’s going pleased no one. Many days passed so, as if the men of the wedding party were bound with a rope of affection. Then Vishvamitra and Shatananda made Janaka understand. Hearing the word that Dasharatha wished to go, the ministers, the brahmins, the courtiers, and the king were in the power of love.
The next episode opens on the people of the city hearing that the wedding party will go, asking one another in distress. When they hear that the going is true, all grow sad, as if lotuses had closed at evening.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 4: Mithila, the Breaking of Shiva’s Bow, and the Wedding of Sita.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Balkand, doha 327 to 332, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.