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At the royal gate of Ayodhya the mothers, again and again, performed the arati and saw the beauty of Sita and Rama. Two questions wait at the end of this day, asked by the mothers of a son laid on his bed before he gives his eyes to sleep. In the days that follow, a sage will wish every day to go, and stay.
Inside the palace the four pairs are seated on four thrones, their feet are washed, and they are worshiped by the rite of the Veda. The mothers’ delight is set beside six likenesses. The gods and the ancestors are worshiped and a boon asked, that Rama and his brothers be well. The men of the wedding party go home with gifts, and the men and women of the city are clothed. The beggars are given what they ask, and the servants and the musicians are filled with gifts and honor. Dasharatha performs what Vasishtha commands, feeds the brahmins, worships Vishvamitra and lodges him within the palace. He sets his sons and his wealth before the guru, has the brahmins’ wives dressed, gives the married women their gifts of dress, and honors the guests. The gods set out for their own cities telling Rama’s fame. In the queens’ quarters the king takes his sons on his lap, tells how the wedding went, and describes Janaka’s virtues. He eats a meal of many kinds, and five ghadis of the night go by. He speaks soft words to the queens about the brides and the boys. The mothers lay Rama on his bed and ask him their questions. He satisfies them with humble words and sleeps. At dawn the brothers bathe in the holy river and come to their father. Vasishtha tells the histories of dharma and Vishvamitra’s deeds, and Vamadeva calls it all true. The days go by, the fine bracelets are untied, and Vishvamitra, who wishes every day to go, asks leave and sets out. Vamadeva and Vasishtha tell his story again. Rama’s wedding is sung in every place, and Tulsi closes the kand in his own voice.
In the queens’ quarters and the assembly of Ayodhya
The main figures in this episode
- Rama and Sita the pair whose beauty the mothers see again and again, counting their life fruitful. The companions look again and again at Sita’s face and sing. Rama, seated among the four pairs on the thrones, who, seeing the great joy and the fun, smiles in his mind. The mothers lift him and lay him on his bed, and they ask him there how he killed Tataka, and Maricha and Subahu. He satisfies them with humble, fine words, gives his eyes to sleep, and wakes at the holy hour of dawn. At the sight of him the assembly is cooled, and gazing at him the two gurus are full of love. In the power of his loving entreaty Vishvamitra stays in Ayodhya day after day. He sees him on his way with his brothers. Sita, won with the fame of victory over the world, as the mothers say. She is one of the brides whom the mothers-in-law take to sleep. She is held with Rama in the guru’s heart. Rama’s wedding is sung in every place, and the kand’s last sortha is about those who sing and hear the wedding of Sita and Rama. Sita speaks no word in this episode.
- The four brothers and their brides the four pairs seated on the thrones, whose feet are washed with honor and who are worshiped by the rite of the Veda. They are shy. The brides whom the king seats on his lap and caresses, of whom he speaks to the queens, and whom the mothers-in-law take to sleep. The brothers who lie down each on his own bed at Rama’s order. They bow at dawn to the brahmins, the gods, the guru, their father, and their mothers, and bathe in the holy river. They are taken to their father’s heart, stand with him before Vishvamitra, and see the sage on his way with Rama. Lakshmana, who with Rama feels a greater eagerness at Vamadeva’s word. The brothers and the brides speak no word in this episode.
- Dasharatha and the queens the king who calls the men of the wedding party and gives them conveyances, garments, jewels, and ornaments. He clothes the men and women of the city, gives the beggars whatever they ask, and fills the servants and the musicians with gifts and honor. He performs Vasishtha’s commands, feeds the brahmins, worships Vishvamitra, takes the dust of his feet with the queens, and lodges him within the palace. He sets his sons and all his wealth before the guru, has the brahmins’ wives dressed, gives the married women their gifts of dress, and honors the guests. In the queens’ quarters he takes his sons on his lap, caresses the brides, and tells how the wedding went. He describes Janaka’s virtues like a bard, and speaks soft words to the queens about the brides and the boys. He takes his sons to his heart when they come to him, seats and worships the two sages, and listens with the queens’ quarters. He stands before Vishvamitra with his sons, tells him that all the wealth is the sage’s, and falls at his feet, and no words come to his mouth. The queens, who rise with honor before the brahmins, wash their feet, and bathe them. They take the dust of the sage’s feet with the king, and bow with him at the guru’s feet. They are called with soft words and have the beds laid. They say that the city shines and the night is radiant, and fall at Vishvamitra’s feet with the king. The mothers, who perform the arati, see the four sons with their brides, and seat the four pairs on the thrones. They wash their feet and worship them, and ask for a boon that Rama and his brothers be well. They gather the gods’ blessings in the ends of their garments. They lift Rama and lay him on his bed, and ask him how he killed Tataka, and Maricha and Subahu. They ask that Brahma not count the days without the sight of him, and look on their sons’ faces at dawn. The mothers-in-law, who take the brides to sleep.
- Vishvamitra the sage whom Dasharatha worships in many ways and lodges within the palace, the king and the queens’ quarters watching over his wishes. His grace, the mothers say, brought Rama’s deeds to pass. He comes to the assembly with Vasishtha, is seated on a handsome seat and worshiped, and, gazing at Rama, is full of love. His deeds Vasishtha tells and Vamadeva calls true. He wishes every day to go and stays in the power of Rama’s loving entreaty. He praises the king, seeing his feeling grow a hundredfold. He asks leave to go, hears the king call all the wealth his own, gives blessings of many kinds, and sets out. He is seen on his way by Rama and his brothers, praising in his mind Rama’s form, the king’s devotion, the wedding, the eagerness, and the bliss. He speaks no word in this episode.
- Vasishtha and Vamadeva Vasishtha, the guru, whose commands the king performs by the rite of the world and the Veda. His lotus feet the king worships, and at his feet the princes, the brides, the king, and the queens bow again and again. With the king’s sons and wealth set before him, he asks for the customary due and takes it, gives blessings, and goes home with Rama and Sita in his heart. In the assembly he tells the histories of dharma and the deeds of Vishvamitra, and later tells Vishvamitra’s story again with Vamadeva. Vamadeva, who says that all of it is true and that a lovely fame has spread through the three worlds.
From the arati to the inside of the palace
The mothers performed the arati again and again. Who could tell to the end the love and the delight? They waved ornaments, jewels, and garments of many kinds in countless ways and gave them away. Seeing the four sons with their brides, the mothers were lost in supreme bliss. Again and again they saw the beauty of Sita and Rama, and, glad, they counted their life in the world fruitful.
The companions looked again and again at Sita’s face and sang, and in their singing they praised their own merit. Every moment the gods rained flowers. They danced, they sang, and they offered service.
Seeing the four enchanting pairs, Sarasvati searched out every likeness. None could be given. Each seemed wholly small. Full of love for the form, she stayed gazing without a blink.
Performing the rite of the Veda and the customs of the line, giving the water of welcome and the cloths laid down to walk on, the mothers performed the parachhan. It was the welcome rite the women perform for the groom, for all the sons with their brides. They set out leading them into the palace.
Four thrones, and six likenesses for the mothers’ delight
Four thrones were there, handsome by nature, as if Kama had made them with his own hand. On them the mothers seated the princesses and the princes, and with honor they washed their holy feet.
With incense, with lamps, and with offerings of food, by the rite of the Veda, they worshiped the grooms and the brides, the treasuries of auspiciousness. Again and again they performed the arati, and lovely fans and whisks swayed over their heads.
Many things were waved and given away, and all the mothers, filled with delight, shone. It was as if a yogi had gained the supreme truth, as if one always sick had found nectar. As if one poor from birth had found the philosopher’s stone, as if a blind man had gained eyes, a handsome gain. As if Sarasvati had come to dwell in the mouth of the mute, as if a warrior had won victory in battle.
A thousand million times beyond this happiness the mothers found bliss. Rama had come home married, and his brothers with him. The mothers performed the customs of the world, and the grooms and the brides were shy. Seeing the great joy and the fun of it, Rama smiled in his mind.
Blessings gathered in the ends of garments, and gifts for everyone
The mothers worshiped the gods and the ancestors by the good rite, and every longing of the heart was fulfilled. Bowing to all of them, they asked for a boon: that Rama, with his brothers, be well.
Unseen, the gods gave their blessings, and the mothers, glad, received them, filling the ends of their garments with them.
The king called the men of the wedding party and gave them conveyances, garments, jewels, and ornaments. Receiving the order, and keeping Rama in their hearts, they all went, glad, each to his own home. He clothed all the men and women of the city, and in house after house the music of congratulation began to sound.
Whatever the beggars asked, the king, very glad, gave that very thing. All the servants and the many musicians he filled with gifts and honor. Making their obeisance, all of them gave blessings and sang the tale of the hosts of virtues. Then Dasharatha, with the guru and the brahmins, went into the palace.
Two gurus served
Whatever command Vasishtha gave, the king performed with honor, by the rite of the world and the rite of the Veda. Seeing the throng of brahmins, all the queens rose with honor, knowing their fortune to be great.
They washed the brahmins’ feet and bathed them all, and the king, worshiping them in the good way, fed them. Nourished with honor, with gifts, and with love, the brahmins went away giving blessings, their minds content.
In many ways the king worshiped Vishvamitra. The commentary marks the words that follow as the king’s: “Master, there is no one blessed like me.” He praised the sage greatly, and with the queens he took the dust of his feet. He gave him a fine lodging within the palace, and the king and the queens’ quarters kept watch over his wishes. Then he worshiped the guru’s lotus feet and made entreaty. The love in his heart was no little.
All the princes with their brides, and the king with the queens, bowed again and again at the guru’s feet. Vasishtha gave his blessings.
With a heart greatly full of love, the king made entreaty, setting his sons and all his wealth before the guru. Vasishtha asked for the customary due and took it, and gave blessings of many kinds. The commentary reads the due as the one that comes to him as the priest. Keeping Rama with Sita in his heart, the guru went home, glad.
The king called all the brahmins’ wives and had them dressed in lovely garments and ornaments. Then he called the married women and, considering what each one liked, gave them the gifts of dress. Those with a customary share all took what custom allotted them, and the king gave to each according to their liking. Those guests he knew to be dear and worthy of honor, the king honored well.
The gods, seeing Rama’s wedding, raining flowers and praising the eagerness, set out for their own cities, sounding the drums, having found happiness. They told Rama’s fame to one another as they went, and the love in their hearts could not be contained.
The wedding told in the queens’ quarters, and the night’s meal
When he had honored everyone in every way, Dasharatha’s heart stayed filled full of eagerness. Where the queens’ quarters were, there he set his foot, and he looked on the princes with their brides. He took his sons on his lap with joy. Who could tell the happiness there was? He seated the brides on his lap with love, and again and again, glad in his heart, he caressed them.
Seeing the company, the queens’ quarters were glad, and bliss made its dwelling in every heart. The king told how the wedding had been, and hearing it, and hearing it again, everyone was glad. King Janaka’s virtues, his character, his greatness, the ways of his love, and his handsome wealth: the king described them in many ways, like a bard. All the queens were very glad to hear of Janaka’s doings.
Bathing with his sons and calling the brahmins, the guru, and his kinsmen, the king ate a meal of many kinds. Five ghadis of the night had gone, about two hours.
Fine women sang auspicious songs, and the night became the root of happiness, and enchanting. Rinsing their mouths, all of them took betel, and adorned with garlands and fragrance, they were covered in beauty. Seeing Rama and receiving the order, they went each to his own house, bowing their heads. The love, the delight, the fun, the greatness, the hour, the company, and the enchantment of it a hundred Sarasvatis and Sheshas could not tell. Nor the Veda, nor Brahma, Shiva, and Ganesha. How was it to be described? Can an earthworm hold the earth on its head?
The king, honoring everyone in every way and speaking soft words, called the queens. “The brides are little girls, come to another’s house,” he said. “Keep them as the eyelids keep the eyes. The boys are tired and in the power of sleep. Go and have them laid to sleep.” Saying this, he went to the chamber of rest, his mind set on Rama’s feet. Hearing the king’s words, handsome by nature, the queens had beds of gold set with jewels laid.
The mothers’ questions, and Rama’s humble words
On the beds were handsome white sheets of many kinds, soft and lovely, like the foam of a cow’s milk. The fine pillows could not be described. In that house of jewels were garlands and fragrance. The lamps of jewels and the very lovely canopy could not be put into words. One who had seen them would know.
Having made the bright bed, the mothers lifted Rama and with love laid him on it. Again and again Rama gave the order to his brothers, and they lay down to sleep, each on his own bed.
Seeing his dark, soft, charming limbs, all the mothers spoke to him, their words full of love. “Going along the road, how did you kill Tataka, son, so hugely fearsome? Dreadful night-walkers, fierce warriors who in battle counted no one as anything: how did you kill the wicked Maricha and Subahu with their helpers? By the sage’s grace (I would give myself for you, son), the Lord turned away many dangers. Guarding the sacrifice, the two brothers, by the guru’s grace, gained every knowledge. At the touch of the dust of your feet the sage’s wife was saved, and the fame of it filled the worlds. Harder than the tortoise’s back, than the thunderbolt, than the mountain, Shiva’s bow you broke in the company of kings. You gained the fame of victory over the world, and Sita, and you came home with all your brothers married. All your deeds are beyond a man’s doing. Vishvamitra’s grace alone brought them to pass. Today our birth in the world has borne fruit, seeing your moon face, son. The days that went by without our seeing you: let Brahma not count them.”
Rama satisfied all the mothers, speaking humble, fine words. Remembering the feet of Shiva, of the guru, and of the brahmins, he gave his eyes to sleep.
A face asleep like a lotus, and dawn at the river
Even in sleep his face shone, very winsome, as if it were a red lotus at evening. In house after house the women kept the night vigil, and gave one another auspicious abuse.
“The city shines, and the night is radiant. Look, friend,” the queens said. The mothers-in-law took the beautiful brides and slept, as if serpents had hidden the jewels of their heads in their breasts.
At the holy hour of dawn Rama woke, and the cocks began their fine crowing. The bards and the minstrels sang the hosts of virtues, and the people of the city came to the gate to make their obeisance. Bowing to the brahmins, to the gods, to the guru, to their father, and to their mothers, and receiving blessings, all the brothers were glad. The mothers looked on their faces with honor, and the brothers went with the king to the gate.
The four brothers, pure by nature, performed all the rites of cleansing. Bathing in the holy river, which the commentary names the Sarayu, and performing the morning rites, they came to their father. At the sight of them the king took them to his heart. Receiving the order, they sat down, glad. Seeing Rama, the whole assembly was cooled, reckoning it the utmost of the gain of eyes.
Histories in the assembly, and days that go by
Then the sages Vasishtha and Vishvamitra came, and the king seated the sages on handsome seats. With his sons he worshiped them and fell at their feet. Gazing at Rama, the two gurus were full of love.
Vasishtha told the histories of dharma, and the king listened with the queens’ quarters. Then the deeds of Vishvamitra, beyond the reach of the minds of sages, Vasishtha, glad, described in many ways. Vamadeva spoke: “All of it is true, and a lovely fame has spread through the three worlds.” Hearing it, bliss came to everyone, and in the hearts of Rama and Lakshmana there was a greater eagerness.
Auspicious things, joy, and eagerness every day: in this way the days went by. Ayodhya, filled with bliss, surged, growing more and more.
When a good day had been searched out, the fine bracelets were untied. The auspicious things, the joy, and the fun were no few. Seeing happiness new every day, the gods envied it, and begged the Creator for a birth in Ayodhya.
A leave-taking put off every day
Every day Vishvamitra wished to go, and in the power of Rama’s loving entreaty he stayed. Day by day the king’s feeling grew a hundredfold, and seeing it, Vishvamitra praised him.
As Vishvamitra asked leave to go, the king was full of love, and he stood before the sage with his sons. “Master, all the wealth is yours,” he said. “I am your servant, with my sons and my wives. Keep your affection on the boys always, and go on giving me the sight of you, sage.” Saying this, the king, with his sons and his queens, fell at the sage’s feet, and no words came to his mouth.
Vishvamitra gave blessings of many kinds and set out. The ways of that love could not be told. Rama, with love, and all his brothers with him, receiving the order, turned back from seeing him on his way.
Rama’s form, the king’s devotion, the wedding, the eagerness, and the bliss: Vishvamitra, glad, went praising them in his mind.
The bliss that comes to those who sing and hear it
Vamadeva and Vasishtha told Vishvamitra’s story again. Hearing the sage’s fine fame, the king, in his mind, told over the power of his own merit. The people went back, the order given, and the king went with his sons into the palace. In every place everyone sang of Rama’s wedding, and a fine, holy fame spread over the three worlds.
From the time Rama came home married, every bliss dwelt in Ayodhya. The eagerness there had been at Rama’s wedding, Sarasvati and Shesha could not describe.
The telling turns to Tulsi’s own voice. He knows the fame of Rama and Sita to be what makes pure the life of the family of poets, and a mine of auspicious things. He says, he has told a little of it, to make his own speech pure. In the chhand he says it again: to make his own speech pure, Tulsi has told Rama’s fame. Rama’s deeds are a boundless sea, and which poet has reached its far shore? Those who hear of the auspicious eagerness of the sacred thread and of the wedding, and sing it with honor. They will by the grace of Sita and Rama find happiness always.
Those who sing and hear with love the wedding of Sita and Rama: for them there is eagerness always. Rama’s fame is the abode of auspiciousness. After the sortha comes the colophon: in the Ramcharitmanas, which destroys all the sins of the Kali age, the first sopan, the first step down into the lake, is complete. Balkand ends here.
The small works of care
The mothers washed the feet of the four pairs with honor before they worshiped them, and fans and whisks swayed over their heads. Dasharatha gave Vishvamitra a fine lodging within the palace, and he and the queens’ quarters kept watch over the sage’s wishes. To the married women he gave the gifts of dress after considering what each one liked. To those with a customary share he gave according to their liking. In the queens’ quarters he seated the brides on his lap and caressed them. Before he went to his rest he spoke to the queens of the brides and of the boys. The queens had the beds laid, and the mothers lifted Rama and laid him on his bed with love. The mothers-in-law took the brides to sleep. At dawn the mothers looked on their sons’ faces with honor, and the king, at the sight of them, took them to his heart. When Vishvamitra asked leave to go, the king asked him to keep his affection on the boys.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 5: Parashurama, and the Return to Ayodhya.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Balkand, doha 349 to sortha 361, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.