Ram Promises to Return beneath His Father's Blessing
Ayodhya Kanda, Chhand 6
Doha 151 · Movement 2 of 3
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By his father's grace, Ram expects happiness even in the wilderness. Dasharatha's blessing is not left behind with the palace; it travels as protection through every forest mile.
Ram will fulfill the command and return safely to behold those feet again. Meanwhile, Sumantra must fall repeatedly before all the mothers, consoling each with earnest care.
The message turns exile toward homecoming without shortening its truth. Ram asks no one to undo the vow. He asks them to preserve the lord of Kosala through the years required for its completion. Filial obedience and filial tenderness become one promise: the son goes because the father spoke, and will return because the father's grace accompanies him.
Ram enters fourteen years of forest with his father's blessing as armor and the promise of returning to those feet as his horizon.
Read the passage from the Manas
तुम्हरे अनुग्रह तात कानन जात सब सुखु पाइहौं। प्रतिपालि आयसु कुसल देखन पाय पुनि फिरि आइहौं।। जननीं सकल परितोषि परि परि पायँ करि बिनती घनी। तुलसी करेहु सोइ जतनु जेहिं कुसली रहहिं कोसल धनी।।
By your grace, dear father, I shall find every happiness even while going to the forest. Fulfilling your command, I shall return safely to behold your feet once more. Console all my mothers, falling at their feet again and again, making earnest entreaty. Tulsi says: do whatever it takes so that the lord of Kosala remains well and at peace.