Ram Places the Story of Exile Before Valmiki
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 125
Doha 125 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ram prostrates fully before Valmiki and receives the sage's blessing. Valmiki's eyes grow cool with delight at the beautiful form before him. He honors the travellers, leads them inward, and welcomes guests dearer than his own life.
Sweet roots, fruits, and honey are brought. Sita, Lakshmana, and Ram eat, then receive pleasant quarters within the hermitage. Valmiki gazes upon the auspicious forms, his heart too full for ordinary hospitality to contain.
Ram joins his lotus hands. He calls Valmiki a seer of past, present, and future, for whom the universe rests like a small berry in the palm. Before such knowing, concealment has no purpose. With sweet humility, Ram recounts how the queen sent him into the forest.
Before the sage who holds time like a berry, Ram folds his hands and offers the whole sorrowful road without disguise.
Read the passage from the Manas
मुनि कहुँ राम दंडवत कीन्हा। आसिरबादु बिप्रबर दीन्हा।। देखि राम छबि नयन जुड़ाने। करि सनमानु आश्रमहिं आने।। मुनिबर अतिथि प्रानप्रिय पाए। कंद मूल फल मधुर मगाए।। सिय सौमित्रि राम फल खाए। तब मुनि आश्रम दिए सुहाए।। बालमीकि मन आनँदु भारी। मंगल मूरति नयन निहारी।। तब कर कमल जोरि रघुराई। बोले बचन श्रवन सुखदाई।। तुम्ह त्रिकाल दरसी मुनिनाथा। बिस्व बदर जिमि तुम्हरें हाथा।। अस कहि प्रभु सब कथा बखानी। जेहि जेहि भाँति दीन्ह बनु रानी।।
Rama bowed down in full prostration before the sage, and the noble Brahmin bestowed his blessings upon him. Seeing Rama's beautiful form, the sage's eyes were cooled with delight. He honored the guests and led them into his ashram. The great Munivara received these guests who were dearer to him than life itself, and sent for sweet roots, fruits, and honey. Sita, Saumitri (Lakshmana), and Rama partook of the fruits. Then the sage offered them beautiful quarters within the hermitage. Valmiki's heart overflowed with joy, for his eyes now rested upon those auspicious, blessed forms. Then Raghuraj, joining his lotus-like hands together, spoke words that were sweet nectar to the ears. "You are a seer of all three times, O lord among sages. The entire universe rests in your palm like a small berry fruit." Saying this, the Lord narrated the whole story of how the queen had sent him into exile in the forest.