English
19 May 2024
Pastimes of Sri Rama and Mother Sita
Speaker: HG Anantashesha prabhu
So we were hearing the description of the divine form of mother Sita. We will continue to hear the descriptions of her glories on this auspicious occasion of Mohini Ekadashi. We shall continue with the description of Mother Sita as shared by Lord Rama to his younger brother Lakshman. Just like one cannot attain Sri Krsna without the mercy of Srimati Radharani similarly, one cannot attain Sri Rama without the mercy of Sri Sita devi. In the last session we heard Sri Rama is expressing his amazement.
(Ramcharitmanas Balkand 231)
Karata batakahi anuja sana mana siya rupa lobhana
Mukha saroja makaranda chabi karayi madhup iva pana
Translation: Thus Ram is talking to his younger brother, but his mind, attracted by the form of Sita, is drinking the nectar like a bumblebee in the image of her lotus face.
How mother Sita's beauty is like that of a lotus and Sri Rama's mind is like a bee who is continuously moving around the lotus. Mother Sita's eyes are moving here and there looking for Sri Rama thinking 'Where is that charming boy about whom my friends were describing and talking'.
Chitavata chakita chahu disi sita kaha gaye nrupa kisora manu chita
Jaha biloka mruga savaka naini janu taha barisa kamala sita sreni
Translation: Sita is looking around in surprise. The mind is worrying about where the prince has gone. Wherever the deer-eyed Sita looks, it seems as if rows of white lotuses rain down there.
Lata ota taba sakhinha lakhaye syamala gaura kisora suhaye
Dekhi rupa lochan lalachane harashe janu nija nidhi pahichane
Translation: Then the friends showed Sundar Shyam and Gaur Kumar behind the creeper. Seeing his beauty, his eyes were attracted; he became happy as if he had recognized his treasure.
Her friends show her from a bush, on the other side are Sri Rama and Lakshman. She is amazed and extremely happy.
Thake nayana raghupati chabi dekhe palakanahihu parihari nimeshe
Adhika sneha deha bhe bhori sarada sasihi janu chitava chakori
Translation: The eyes became astonished (immobile) after seeing the image of Raghunath. The eyelashes also stopped falling. Due to excessive affection the body became restless (uncontrollable). As if Chakori is looking at the autumn moon (fainting).
We can understand from Mother Sita's example what the mood of a devotee should be so that even Lord Rama become forced to get attracted. The dark and the fair complexioned boys are on the other sides. Mother Sita is attracted and very happy as if she had found her long lost wealth.
She couldn't move her eyes away from the beautiful form of the Lord. And very soon she began to manifest eight bodily transformations. All her friends are witnessing Mother Sita's condition. She couldn't even utter a single word.
Lochan maga ramahi ura ani dinahe palaka kapata sayani
Jab siya sakhinha premabas jani kahi na sakahi kachu mana sakuchani
Translation: Having brought Ram into her heart through her eyes, Chaturshiromani Janaki closed her eyelids (i.e. she closed her eyes and started meditating on him). When the friends came to know that Sita was in love, they were troubled in their hearts and could not say anything.
Having brought Rama into her heart through her eyes, chaturshiromani Janaki closed her eyelids (that is, she closed her eyes and started meditating on him). Later on she got married to Lord Rama. Valmiki Ramayana has given a very elaborate description of Mother Sita's dialogues with Lord Rama prior to heading for exile. In Tulsi Das's Ramayana there is limited description.
As soon as Mother Sita heard that Lord Rama has gone to meet Mother Kaushalya and was taking her permission to leave, immediately Mother Sita went to her room also. She paid her respectful obeisances to Mother Kaushalya. Once she was blessed by Mother Kaushalya, she began to express her grief.
Samachar tehi samaya suni siya uthi akulayi
Jai sasu pada kamala juga bandi baithi siru nayi (57)
Translation: At the same time, after hearing this news, Sitaji Akula got up and went to her mother-in-law, worshiped both her lotus feet and sat down with her head bowed.
She said, the owner of my life is going to the forest. Now who will accompany Lord Rama to the forest? Just my life or my body along with my life.
Chalana chahat bana jivananathu kehi sukruti sana hoihi sathu
Ki tanu pran ki kevala prana bidhi karatabu kachu jai na jana (2)
Translation: Jeevanath (Prannath) wants to walk in the forest. Let us see which virtuous person will accompany them - will both body and soul accompany them or will only the soul accompany them? Nothing is known about the actions of the Creator.
Mother Sita is standing with her eyes looking at the ground and she was scratching the ground with her toe nails.
charu charan nakha lekhati dharani nupur mukhar madhur kabi barani
Manahu prem basa binati karahi hamahi siya pada jani pariharahi (3)
Translation: Sitaji is scratching the earth with the nails of her beautiful feet. While doing this, the poet describes the sweet words of the Nupurs in such a way that it seems as if the Nupurs, under the influence of love, are requesting that Sitaji's feet should never abandon them.
While she was moving her feet in such a way, then her anklets were making sound as if they were saying something. The ornaments were thinking now its time to leave for the forest and Mother Sita will give away all the ornaments and expensive dresses. Anklets were thinking, will Mother Sita take me along with her or will she renounce me too?
Then Mother Kaushalya told Lord Rama, your good wife is very dear to all of us. She is very well behaved.
Manju bilochana mochati bari boli dekhi rama mahatari
Tata sunahu siya sukumari sasa sasura parijanahi piari (4)
Translation: Sitaji is shedding tears from her beautiful eyes. Seeing his condition, Shri Ramji's mother Kausalyaji said - Oh father! Listen, Sita is very beautiful and is loved by her mother-in-law, father-in-law and all her relatives.
Pita janaka bhupala mani sasur bhanukula bhanu
Pati raghukula kairava bipina bidhu guna rupa nidhanu (58)
Translation: Her father Janakji is the crown of kings, her father-in-law is the Sun of the Surya clan and her husband is the moon that feeds the Kumudvan of the Surya clan and is the storehouse of qualities and form.
Mai puni putrabadhu priya payi rupa rasi guna sila suhayi
Nayana putari kari priti badhai rakheyu prana janakihi layi (1)
Translation: Then I have got a lovely daughter-in-law with good looks, beautiful qualities and modesty. I have increased my love for her (Janaki) by making her the apple of my eyes and have dedicated my life to her.
Kalapabeli jimi bahubidhi lali sichi saneha salila pratipali
Phulata phalata bhayau bidhi bama jani na jai kaha parinama (2)
Translation: Like Kalpalata, I have nurtured them in many ways with great care and affection by watering them with the water of love. Now at the time of flowering of this creeper, the Creator left. It is not known what the result will be.
Palanga pitha taji goda hindora siya na dinha pagu avani kathora
Jianamuri jimi jogavata rahau dipa bati nahi tarana kahau (3)
Translation: Sita never set foot on the hard earth except on the paryankapshtha (above the bed), the lap and the carousel. I have always been guarding them (carefully) like a life-giving herb. She never even asks me to remove the light from the lamp.
Soi siya chalana chahati bana satha ayasu kaha hoyi raghunatha
Chanda kirana rasa rasika chakori rabi rukhanayana sakayi kimi jori (4)
Translation: The same Sita now wants to go to the forest with you. Hey Raghunath! What orders does he have? How can a chakori, desiring the juice (nectar) of the moon's rays, turn its eyes towards the sun?
Kari kehari nisichara charahi dushta jantu bana bhuri
Bisha batika ki soha suta subhaga sajivani muri (59)
Translation: Many evil creatures like elephants, lions, demons etc. keep roaming in the forest. O son! Can the beautiful Sanjeevani herb grace the garden of poison?
Bana hita kola kirata kisori rachi biranchi bishaya sukha bhori
Pahana krimi jimi kathin subhau tinahahi kalesu na kanana kau (1)
Translation: For the forest, Lord Brahma has created the girls of Kol and Bhils who do not know sensual pleasures and have a tough nature like stone insects. They never face any trouble in the forest.
Kei tapas tiya kanana jogu jinha tap hetu taja saba bhogu
Siya bina basihi tata kehi bhanti chitralikhit kapi dekhi derati (2)
Translation: Or the women of ascetics are eligible to live in the forest, who have given up all pleasures for the sake of penance. O son! How will Sita, who gets scared after seeing the monkey in the picture, live in the forest?
Is the swan that wanders in the lotus forest of Devsarovar worthy of living in ponds? Considering this, I will give the same education to Janaki as per your orders.
Ehi te adhik dharamu nahi duja sadara sasu sasur pada puja
Jab jab matu karahi sudhi mori hoiha prem bikala mati bhori (3)
Translation: There is no other religion greater than worshiping (serving) the feet of mother-in-law and father-in-law with respect. Whenever mother remembers me and due to being overwhelmed with love, her mind will become innocent (she will forget herself)
Tab tab tumha kahi katha purani sundari samujhaehu mrudu bani
Kahau subhaya sapatha sata mohi sumukhi matu hita rakhau tohi (4)
Translation: Oh beautiful! Every now and then, explain them to them by telling them old stories in a soft voice. Hey Sumukhi! I swear hundreds of times, I say this by nature that I keep you at home only for mother.
(By obeying my orders and staying at home), you get the result of following the Dharma (conduct) as per the Guru and the Vedas without any trouble, but due to stubbornness, Galav Muni and King Nahush etc. all endured troubles.
Hey Vama! If you are stubborn out of love, you will suffer as a result. The forest is very difficult (painful) and terrible. The sun, cold, rain and wind there are all very terrible. There are bushes, thorns and many pebbles on the way. One will have to walk on them without shoes. Your lotus feet are soft and beautiful and there are huge inaccessible mountains on the way.
The caves, caves (passes) of the mountains, rivers, streams and drains are so impassable and deep that one cannot even look at them. Bears, tigers, wolves, lions and elephants make terrible sounds.
One will have to sleep on the ground, wear clothes made of tree bark and eat tubers, roots and fruits. And will they also be found every day? Everything will be available only as per one's own time.
In this way the Lord describes the difficulties of going to the forest. One who does not wholeheartedly follow the teachings of a Guru and Swami who are naturally interested in welfare, repents deeply in his heart and his welfare definitely suffers. Sitaji's beautiful eyes filled with tears after hearing the soft and lovely words of her beloved.
Janakiji could not answer anything, she became distraught thinking that my holy and loving master wanted to leave me. By forcefully stopping the tears from the eyes, he brought Sitaji, the daughter of the earth, into his heart. Touching her mother-in-law's feet, she folded her hands and said - O Goddess! Please forgive my extreme audacity. Pranapati has given me only those teachings which are for my ultimate benefit. But I understood in my mind that there is no sorrow in the world like separation from my husband.
Prannath karunayatana sundar sukhada sujana
Tumha binu raghukula kumuda bidhu sunupur saman (64)
Translation: Hey Prannath! O abode of mercy! Hey beautiful! O giver of happiness! Hey Suzanne! O moon that blooms the lilies of the Raghu clan! Without you even heaven is like hell for me.
Matu pitu bhagini priya bhai priya parivaru suhrdaya samudayi
Sasu sasura guru sajana sahayi suta sundara susila sukhadayi (1)
Translation: Mother, father, sister, loving brother, loving family, community of friends, mother-in-law, father-in-law, teacher, relatives, helpful and beautiful, well-mannered and happiness-giving son.
Hey Nath! As far as affection and relationships are concerned, a woman without a husband is more scorching than the sun. Body, wealth, house, earth, city and state, all this is a society of sorrow for a woman without a husband.
Bhoga rogasama bhushan bharu jama jatana sarisa sansaru
Prannath tumah binu jaga mahi mo kahu sukhad katahu kucha nahi (3)
Translation: Indulgences are like diseases, ornaments are like burdens and the world is like Yama torture (pain of hell). Hey Prannath! Without you there is nothing pleasurable for me in this world.
Just like a body without a soul and a river without water, so O Lord! There is a woman without a man. Hey Nath! By being with you and seeing your face like the clear moon of autumn (full moon), I will get all the happiness. With you, birds and animals will be my relatives, forests will be cities and tree barks will be pure clothes and Parnakuti (hut made of leaves) will be the source of happiness like heaven.
Only the forest goddess and the forest goddess with a generous heart will take care of me like mother-in-law and father-in-law, and only the beautiful bed made of kusha and leaves will be like Kamadeva's beautiful toshak with the Lord.
The tubers, roots and fruits themselves will be food like nectar and the mountains (of the forest) will be like hundreds of palaces in Ayodhya. By seeing the lotus feet of the Lord every moment, I will remain as happy as Chakvi is during the day.
You have told about many sorrows of the forest and many fears, sadness and anguish, but oh blessed one! All of them together cannot even be equal to the sorrow caused by separation from God. Knowing this in my heart, O Sujan Shiromani! You take me with you, don't leave me here. Oh lord! What more can I request? You are compassionate and know what is inside everyone's heart.
O humble friend! Hey beautiful! O giver of happiness! O storehouse of modesty and love! If you keep me in Ayodhya for this period (fourteen years), then know that I will not survive.
ananya-chetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśhaḥ
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ (BG 8.14)
Translation: For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pṛthā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.
Mother Sita is giving such a wonderful sacrifice here. All the Ayodhya vasis are devastated by the thought that their beloved Sri Rama is going away to the forest, but they are all admiring the sacrifice of Mother Sita. In the past 3 days we could listen to a few pastimes of Mother Sita from Valmiki Ramayana and Ram Charitmanas.
Today is Mohini Ekadashi and tomorrow is Rukmini Dwadashi. In the next two days, we will be celebrating the appearance day of Rukmini devi here in Kaundanyapur, the appearance place of Rukmini devi. The first Iskcon temple in LA is of Rukmini Dwarkadhish. The first temple in IMPM, Guru Maharaj's zone, also has Rukmini Dwarkadhish here in Amravati.
Hare Krsna.
