Rama Questions Every Bird and Tree in the Empty Forest
Aranya Kanda, Chaupai 28
Doha 30ख · Movement 1 of 2
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Rama sees Lakshmana coming and outwardly displays deep anxiety. Why has he left Janaka's daughter alone, setting aside the command to guard her while demon hosts roam the forest? Lakshmana clasps Rama's lotus feet and says the fault is not his. Together they hurry to the hermitage on the Godavari. When Rama finds it empty of Janaki, the unborn and imperishable Lord becomes distraught like an ordinary helpless man, enacting the fullness of human grief.
He calls for Sita, treasury of virtue, pure in beauty, conduct, vows, and discipline. Lakshmana tries to console him as they move past rows of trees and creepers. Rama asks birds, deer, and swarms of bees whether they have seen the deer-eyed one. Khanjana birds, parrots, doves, fish, cuckoos, jasmine buds, pomegranates, lightning, lotuses, and the autumn moon enter his lament as images that once borrowed something from Sita's beauty.
Varuna's noose, Kama's bow, swans, elephants, lions, bel fruit, gold, and banana trees seem to rejoice now that the one who surpassed them is absent. Rama asks how Sita can endure such insolent rivals to her beauty and calls for his beloved to appear at once. Perfect in desire and the very treasury of joy, he searches like a mortal lover consumed by separation. Then, ahead upon the earth, the brothers see the king of birds lying wounded and remembering the marks upon Rama's feet.
Every creature becomes an unanswered witness until the forest leads Rama to the fallen bird.
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रघुपति अनुजहि आवत देखी। बाहिज चिंता कीन्हि बिसेषी।। जनकसुता परिहरिहु अकेली। आयहु तात बचन मम पेली।। निसिचर निकर फिरहिं बन माहीं। मम मन सीता आश्रम नाहीं।। गहि पद कमल अनुज कर जोरी। कहेउ नाथ कछु मोहि न खोरी।। अनुज समेत गए प्रभु तहवाँ। गोदावरि तट आश्रम जहवाँ।। आश्रम देखि जानकी हीना। भए बिकल जस प्राकृत दीना।। हा गुन खानि जानकी सीता। रूप सील ब्रत नेम पुनीता।। लछिमन समुझाए बहु भाँती। पूछत चले लता तरु पाँती।। हे खग मृग हे मधुकर श्रेनी। तुम्ह देखी सीता मृगनैनी।। खंजन सुक कपोत मृग मीना। मधुप निकर कोकिला प्रबीना।। कुंद कली दाड़िम दामिनी। कमल सरद ससि अहिभामिनी।। बरुन पास मनोज धनु हंसा। गज केहरि निज सुनत प्रसंसा।। श्रीफल कनक कदलि हरषाहीं। नेकु न संक सकुच मन माहीं।। सुनु जानकी तोहि बिनु आजू। हरषे सकल पाइ जनु राजू।। किमि सहि जात अनख तोहि पाहीं । प्रिया बेगि प्रगटसि कस नाहीं।। एहि बिधि खौजत बिलपत स्वामी। मनहुँ महा बिरही अति कामी।। पूरनकाम राम सुख रासी। मनुज चरित कर अज अबिनासी।। आगे परा गीधपति देखा। सुमिरत राम चरन जिन्ह रेखा।।
Seeing his younger brother approaching, Raghupati felt great chinta rising in his heart. 'You left Janaka's daughter alone and came here, dear Taat, setting aside my words.' 'Hosts of nishachara roam this forest. My mind is not at peace about Sita at the ashrama.' Grasping the Lord's lotus feet with folded hands, the younger brother said, 'Natha, no blame falls upon me.' Together with his anuja, Prabhu went to the hermitage on the banks of Godavari. Seeing the ashrama without Janaki, he became vikala, as though an ordinary mortal overcome by grief. 'O Janaki! O Sita, treasure-house of guna! Pure in rupa, sheela, vrata, and niyama!' Lakshmana consoled him in many ways as they walked on, asking the rows of creepers and trees. 'O birds, O deer, O swarms of madhukara! Have you seen deer-eyed Sita?' O khanjana, parrot, dove, mriga, fish, swarms of bees, and gifted kokila! O jasmine bud, pomegranate, lightning, lotus, autumn moon, and serpent's bride! O noose of Varuna, bow of Manoja, swan, elephant, and lion, hearing their own praise! O golden fruit, banana tree, you rejoice without a trace of shame or doubt. Listen, Janaki! Without you here today, all these have rejoiced as though they gained a kingdom. How can they bear this joy in your absence? Beloved, why do you not reveal yourself at once? In this way Prabhu searched and lamented, as though a great virahi consumed by longing. Yet Rama is Puranakama, the very treasury of sukha. The unborn and imperishable One merely enacts the ways of men. Ahead they saw the Geedhapati lying on the ground, his mind fixed upon the sacred marks of Rama's charan.