Rama Unfolds the Seasons of Delusion before Narada
Aranya Kanda, Chaupai 42
Doha 44 · Movement 1 of 2
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Rama asks the sage to hear what Puranas, Vedas, and saints declare. Woman becomes spring to the forest of delusion, making its hidden growth flourish. She becomes summer to the waters of repetition, austerity, vows, and discipline, drying their reservoirs. Desire, anger, pride, and jealousy are frogs that rejoice when she arrives as their rain.
Evil tendencies are night lotuses to which she becomes the pleasant autumn. The lotuses of dharma meet her as frost or winter that burns their tenderness. Attachment grows like thick javasa grass when she comes as the season that makes it spread. Sins are flocks of owls, and she is the dense dark night in which they find delight.
Intelligence, strength, character, and truth become fish caught by a fishing line and hook. One image follows another until every season and habitat of the inward world has been mapped. The teaching remains Rama's answer to Narada's question: he prevented the marriage because he saw the field of danger before the deluded sage could see it.
Spring, summer, rain, autumn, winter, and night turn through one forest of delusion before Narada's eyes.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनि मुनि कह पुरान श्रुति संता। मोह बिपिन कहुँ नारि बसंता।। जप तप नेम जलाश्रय झारी। होइ ग्रीषम सोषइ सब नारी।। काम क्रोध मद मत्सर भेका। इन्हहि हरषप्रद बरषा एका।। दुर्बासना कुमुद समुदाई। तिन्ह कहँ सरद सदा सुखदाई।। धर्म सकल सरसीरुह बृंदा। होइ हिम तिन्हहि दहइ सुख मंदा।। पुनि ममता जवास बहुताई। पलुहइ नारि सिसिर रितु पाई।। पाप उलूक निकर सुखकारी। नारि निबिड़ रजनी अँधिआरी।। बुधि बल सील सत्य सब मीना। बनसी सम त्रिय कहहिं प्रबीना।।
Hearing this, the Muni cited the Puranas, Shruti, and the Santas, saying that woman is like Vasanta to the forest of moha. Japa, tapa, niyama, and sacred pools are like streams. Becoming summer, woman dries them all up. Kama, krodha, mada, and matsara are like frogs. The one rainy season that delights them is woman alone. Evil desires are like clusters of kumuda (night-blooming lotuses). For them, the Sharad season is always pleasant. All dharma is like groups of day-blooming lotuses. Becoming winter, woman scorches them and steals their joy. Then mamata (attachment) grows like abundant javasa grass, flourishing when woman arrives as the Shishira season. Sins are like flocks of owls that find delight in woman, who is the dense darkness of night. Buddhi, bala, shila, and satya are all like fish. The wise say woman catches them like a fisherwoman with her hook.