Dust Rises North of Ram's Hermitage
Ayodhya Kanda, Chhand 9
Doha 226 · Movement 2 of 3
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After honoring the gods and bowing to the sages, Ram, Sita, and Lakshmana sit facing north. Their attention rests upon the direction from which Sita's dream seems to be approaching.
A wall of dust begins to rise across the sky. Birds and animals flee in great numbers, rushing toward the hermitage in distress as the earth carries the movement of an unseen multitude.
The three rise to discover the cause, hearts alert beneath the morning stillness. At that moment Kirat and Kol forest dwellers arrive with the news. Dream, dust, frightened creatures, and human messengers converge upon the same clearing. What had been sensed inwardly now stands at the edge of speech.
North of the hermitage, dust fills the sky and frightened creatures arrive before the words that will name Bharata's approach.
Read the passage from the Manas
सनमानि सुर मुनि बंदि बैठे उत्तर दिसि देखत भए। नभ धूरि खग मृग भूरि भागे बिकल प्रभु आश्रम गए।। तुलसी उठे अवलोकि कारनु काह चित सचकित रहे। सब समाचार किरात कोलन्हि आइ तेहि अवसर कहे।।
Having honored the gods and bowed to the sages, they sat facing north, gazing into the distance. Dust rose in the sky. Birds and beasts fled in great numbers, rushing toward the Lord's ashram in distress. Tulasidasa says: They rose to see what the cause might be, their hearts alert with concern. At that very moment, the Kirata and Kola forest-dwellers arrived and told them everything.