Indra Divides the People's Hearts between Forest and Home
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 302
Doha 302 · Movement 1 of 2
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Indra becomes the furthest boundary of deceit, loving another's loss when it serves his own cause. Like a mistrusted crow, he gathers crooked counsel and casts its restlessness over the people.
Celestial illusion clouds them, though it cannot diminish their love for Rama. Fear makes every mind unstable. One moment the forest seems the only blessed home; the next, houses and city call them back. The people become like river water meeting the sea, pulled by two movements and settled in neither.
No one finds contentment or reveals the deepest confusion to another. Rama sees every divided heart and smiles inwardly at the poverty of Indra's device. The Lord knows that a dog's restless tongue can disturb the air, but cannot change the love rooted beneath the people's uncertainty.
Indra can split the people's thoughts between forest and city, but he cannot divide the love beneath them, and Rama sees the difference.
Read the passage from the Manas
कपट कुचालि सीवँ सुरराजू। पर अकाज प्रिय आपन काजू।। काक समान पाकरिपु रीती। छली मलीन कतहुँ न प्रतीती।। प्रथम कुमत करि कपटु सँकेला। सो उचाटु सब कें सिर मेला।। सुरमायाँ सब लोग बिमोहे। राम प्रेम अतिसय न बिछोहे।। भय उचाट बस मन थिर नाहीं। छन बन रुचि छन सदन सोहाहीं।। दुबिध मनोगति प्रजा दुखारी। सरित सिंधु संगम जनु बारी।। दुचित कतहुँ परितोषु न लहहीं। एक एक सन मरमु न कहहीं।। लखि हियँ हँसि कह कृपानिधानू। सरिस स्वान मघवान जुबानू।।
Indra, the king of gods (Suraraajoo), is the very boundary of deceit and cunning. He loves the misfortune of others while pursuing his own ends. Like a crow, he follows the ways of the enemy of harvests (Paakaripu). Treacherous and impure, he is trusted nowhere. First he sowed evil counsel and gathered up deceit; then he cast that very restlessness upon everyone's head. Through divine illusion (Suraamaayaa), he deluded all the people, yet their love for Shri Rama remained undiminished. Overcome by fear and restlessness, their minds could not hold steady. One moment the forest appealed; the next, home seemed pleasant. The people were distressed with divided hearts, like water at the confluence of a river and the ocean. With split minds they found contentment nowhere, and none spoke their deepest feelings to another. Perceiving all this, the Ocean of Compassion (Kripaanidhaanoo) smiled within His heart and said: 'Indra's tongue is like a dog's.'