Ayodhya Wakes to an Empty Riverbank
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 86
Doha 86 · Movement 1 of 2
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At dawn the citizens wake and discover Raghunath gone. They cry Ram's name and run in every direction, but no chariot track reveals where to follow.
Panic seizes them like merchants when a great ship sinks. They blame themselves, praise fish that cannot live apart from water, and curse a life able to continue without Raghuvira.
Why did Providence grant separation without granting death? At last they return to Ayodhya sustained only by hope of Ram's eventual return. The empty bank becomes their first lesson in living after sight has been taken away.
At the trackless riverbank, Ayodhya learns to carry separation through the single remaining support of hope.
Read the passage from the Manas
जागे सकल लोग भएँ भोरू। गे रघुनाथ भयउ अति सोरू।। रथ कर खोज कतहहुँ नहिं पावहिं। राम राम कहि चहु दिसि धावहिं।। मनहुँ बारिनिधि बूड़ जहाजू। भयउ बिकल बड़ बनिक समाजू।। एकहि एक देंहिं उपदेसू। तजे राम हम जानि कलेसू।। निंदहिं आपु सराहहिं मीना। धिग जीवनु रघुबीर बिहीना।। जौं पै प्रिय बियोगु बिधि कीन्हा। तौ कस मरनु न मागें दीन्हा।। एहि बिधि करत प्रलाप कलापा। आए अवध भरे परितापा।। बिषम बियोगु न जाइ बखाना। अवधि आस सब राखहिं प्राना।।
All the people awoke at dawn, only to find that Raghunath had gone. A great commotion of grief arose on every side. They searched everywhere for the chariot but could not find it. Crying 'Rama! Rama!' they ran in all four directions. As when a great ship sinks in the ocean and the merchant company is seized with panic, so was the people's distress. Each one counseled the other: 'Rama has left us, knowing well our sorrow.' They blamed themselves and praised the fish (meena); 'Cursed is this life without Raghuveer!' If Vidhi (Providence) has decreed separation from our Beloved, why did He not grant us death when we asked? Lamenting and wailing in this manner, they returned to Avadh (Ayodhya) filled with anguish. That terrible viyoga (separation) cannot be described in words. All of them sustained their lives only on the hope of Rama's return.