Love and Supreme Truth Embrace on the Road
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 111
Doha 111 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ram lifts the fallen ascetic into a thrilled embrace, like one utterly poor who has suddenly found the philosopher's stone. Those watching feel that love and supreme reality have assumed two bodies solely to meet before them.
The devotee bows at Lakshmana's feet and is raised with overflowing affection. He places the dust of Sita's feet upon his head, and she blesses him as a mother blesses her child. Guha prostrates too, then is greeted joyfully because he is known as Ram's dear friend.
The ascetic drinks their forms through his eyes as a starving person receives a feast. Around him, villagers look upon the tender forest travellers and wonder what parents could send them away. Love moves through the crowd, but in this one meeting it has become an embrace between longing and its eternal object.
Ram gathers the young seeker to his heart, and the road briefly holds the visible meeting of love with ultimate truth.
Read the passage from the Manas
राम सप्रेम पुलकि उर लावा। परम रंक जनु पारसु पावा।। मनहुँ प्रेमु परमारथु दोऊ। मिलत धरे तन कह सबु कोऊ।। बहुरि लखन पायन्ह सोइ लागा। लीन्ह उठाइ उमगि अनुरागा।। पुनि सिय चरन धूरि धरि सीसा। जननि जानि सिसु दीन्हि असीसा।। कीन्ह निषाद दंडवत तेही। मिलेउ मुदित लखि राम सनेही।। पिअत नयन पुट रूपु पियूषा। मुदित सुअसनु पाइ जिमि भूखा।। ते पितु मातु कहहु सखि कैसे। जिन्ह पठए बन बालक ऐसे।। राम लखन सिय रूपु निहारी। होहिं सनेह बिकल नर नारी।।
Rama embraced him with love, His heart thrilling with joy, like a destitute man who has found the philosopher's stone. It seemed as if Love and the highest Truth had both taken bodily form and met, so everyone declared. Then the same devotee fell at Lakshmana's feet, and Lakshmana lifted him up, overflowing with affection. Next he placed the dust of Sita's feet upon his head. Knowing him as a devoted child, She blessed him like a mother. The Nishad chief prostrated before him as well, and that devotee met him joyfully, seeing Rama's dear friend. He drank in their beautiful forms through his eyes as though sipping nectar, delighted as a starving man who is given a fine meal. Tell me, friend, what kind of parents are they who sent such tender children into the forest? Beholding the beauty of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita, men and women everywhere became overwhelmed with love.