Ram Describes the Thorned Mountain Paths
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 62
Doha 62 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ram promises to honour Dasharatha's word and return swiftly. The years will pass, he says, but insistence born from love may leave Sita only sorrow.
He describes scorching heat, bitter cold, relentless rain, and howling wind. Sharp kusha, thorns, and stones cover paths that must be walked barefoot by lotus soft feet.
Mountains rise steep and impassable, caves and ravines open into darkness, and deep rivers cannot be calmly surveyed. Bears, tigers, wolves, lions, and serpents roar until courage itself flees. Ram gives the forest sound, temperature, distance, and edge so Sita may answer reality rather than imagination.
Before Sita's lotus feet, Ram lays every thorn, ravine, storm, and roar of the forest path.
Read the passage from the Manas
मैं पुनि करि प्रवान पितु बानी। बेगि फिरब सुनु सुमुखि सयानी।। दिवस जात नहिं लागिहि बारा। सुंदरि सिखवनु सुनहु हमारा।। जौ हठ करहु प्रेम बस बामा। तौ तुम्ह दुखु पाउब परिनामा।। काननु कठिन भयंकरु भारी। घोर घामु हिम बारि बयारी।। कुस कंटक मग काँकर नाना। चलब पयादेहिं बिनु पदत्राना।। चरन कमल मुदु मंजु तुम्हारे। मारग अगम भूमिधर भारे।। कंदर खोह नदीं नद नारे। अगम अगाध न जाहिं निहारे।। भालु बाघ बृक केहरि नागा। करहिं नाद सुनि धीरजु भागा।।
I will honor my father's word and return swiftly. Listen, O wise and lovely one. The days will pass before you know it. O Sundari, hear my gentle counsel. If out of love you insist stubbornly, O Baama, then sorrow alone will be your reward in the end. The forest is harsh, fearsome, and vast. There is scorching heat, bitter cold, relentless rain, and howling wind. The paths are lined with sharp kusha grass, thorns, and countless stones, and one must walk barefoot, without any covering for the feet. Your lotus feet are soft and delicate. Yet the mountain trails are steep and impassable. There are caves and ravines, rivers and streams, unfathomably deep, impossible even to gaze upon. Bears, tigers, wolves, lions, and serpents fill the air with their roaring. Even courage itself flees at the sound.