Ram Bows before the Ganga at Shringaverapur
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 87
Doha 87 · Movement 1 of 2
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Sita, Lakshmana, Sumantra, and Ram reach Shringaverapur. At the sight of divine Ganga, Ram descends from the chariot and bows with joy; all the others follow.
Peace enters the travellers beside the river that gives happiness and removes sorrow. Ram narrates sacred stories and speaks of Ganga's surpassing glory while lovingly watching her waves.
The river receives them. They bathe, drink pure water, and feel the road's fatigue fall away. The one whose remembrance removes the world's weariness appears weary himself, honouring human conduct within divine play. At Ganga, exile becomes pilgrimage.
Beside Ganga's moving light, the first fatigue of exile dissolves into sacred story, water, and peace.
Read the passage from the Manas
सीता सचिव सहित दोउ भाई। सृंगबेरपुर पहुँचे जाई।। उतरे राम देवसरि देखी। कीन्ह दंडवत हरषु बिसेषी।। लखन सचिवँ सियँ किए प्रनामा। सबहि सहित सुखु पायउ रामा।। गंग सकल मुद मंगल मूला। सब सुख करनि हरनि सब सूला।। कहि कहि कोटिक कथा प्रसंगा। रामु बिलोकहिं गंग तरंगा।। सचिवहि अनुजहि प्रियहि सुनाई। बिबुध नदी महिमा अधिकाई।। मज्जनु कीन्ह पंथ श्रम गयऊ। सुचि जलु पिअत मुदित मन भयऊ।। सुमिरत जाहि मिटइ श्रम भारू। तेहि श्रम यह लौकिक ब्यवहारू।।
Sita, the minister Sumantra, and both brothers arrived at Shringaverapur. Seeing the Devasari (divine river Ganga), Rama alighted and bowed down with great joy. Lakshman, the sachiv (minister), and Siya (Sita) all offered their pranaam. Together with everyone, Rama found deep peace. The Ganga is the root of all joy and mangal (auspiciousness), the giver of every happiness, the remover of every sorrow. Narrating countless sacred stories, Rama gazed lovingly upon the waves of the Ganga. He told his sachiv, his younger brother, and his beloved Sita of the surpassing glory of the Vibhudh Nadi (river of the gods). They bathed, and the fatigue of the journey fell away. Drinking that pure water, their hearts became joyful. He whose mere remembrance removes the heavy burden of all weariness chose to appear weary Himself. This is His laukik vyavahaar, His divine play in human guise.