Chitrakoot Appears and the Royal Company Falls to Earth
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 225
Doha 225 · Movement 1 of 2
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Auspicious signs move through the company. Eyes and arms tremble with joy, and hope rises that Ram will be met and the burning of sorrow extinguished. Love makes limbs weak, feet unsteady, and speech falter.
Then Guha and Ram's other friends point ahead. Chitrakoot, crown jewel of mountains, stands in natural splendor above the riverbank where Sita dwells with the two brothers.
The entire royal society falls in full prostration and cries victory to Ram, life of Janaki. Distance remains, yet first sight has already become encounter. Love so completely fills the procession that the scene seems reversed: not Ayodhya approaching an exile, but Raghuraj himself returning toward Ayodhya through the mountain shining before them.
At first sight of Chitrakoot, thousands fall into the dust as though Ram were already walking home toward Ayodhya.
Read the passage from the Manas
मंगल सगुन होहिं सब काहू। फरकहिं सुखद बिलोचन बाहू।। भरतहि सहित समाज उछाहू। मिलिहहिं रामु मिटहि दुख दाहू।। करत मनोरथ जस जियँ जाके। जाहिं सनेह सुराँ सब छाके।। सिथिल अंग पग मग डगि डोलहिं। बिहबल बचन पेम बस बोलहिं।। रामसखाँ तेहि समय देखावा। सैल सिरोमनि सहज सुहावा।। जासु समीप सरित पय तीरा। सीय समेत बसहिं दोउ बीरा।। देखि करहिं सब दंड प्रनामा। कहि जय जानकि जीवन रामा।। प्रेम मगन अस राज समाजू। जनु फिरि अवध चले रघुराजू।।
Auspicious omens appear for everyone. Eyes twitch joyfully, arms flutter with delight. Bharat and the entire assembly are filled with elation, certain they will meet Rama and that all sorrow will be consumed. Each heart makes its own silent wish, and all are intoxicated, drenched in love. Their limbs grow weak, their feet stumble on the path, and their words come out faltering, overcome by prema. At that very moment, Rama's sakhas point out the mountain, the crown jewel among peaks, naturally splendid. Near its foot flows a river of pure waters, on whose bank the two heroes dwell with Sita. Seeing this, all prostrate themselves in danda pranaam, crying out: 'Jai Janaki Jivan Rama!' The royal assembly is so absorbed in love that it seems as though Raghuraja himself is returning to Ayodhya.