Kausalya Sees Her Son in Two Places
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 199
Doha 201 · Movement 1 of 2
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One day Kausalya bathes Ram, adorns him, and lays him in the cradle. She then bathes herself, worships the family deity, offers food, and goes to the kitchen to prepare the household meal.
Returning to the shrine, she sees her son eating the offered food. Fear sends her back to the cradle, where the infant remains asleep. She returns again and sees the same child at the offering. Two identical sons appear in separate places, and her heart trembles between mental confusion and an impossible wonder.
Kausalya grows distressed. Ram beholds his mother and gives a sweet, gentle smile. The small domestic mystery opens toward a revelation larger than palace, family deity, or the mother's capacity to imagine.
The cradle holds a sleeping child while the same small hand reaches into the deity's offering.
Read the passage from the Manas
एक बार जननीं अन्हवाए। करि सिंगार पलनाँ पौढ़ाए।। निज कुल इष्टदेव भगवाना। पूजा हेतु कीन्ह अस्नाना।। करि पूजा नैबेद्य चढ़ावा। आपु गई जहँ पाक बनावा।। बहुरि मातु तहवाँ चलि आई। भोजन करत देख सुत जाई।। गै जननी सिसु पहिं भयभीता। देखा बाल तहाँ पुनि सूता।। बहुरि आइ देखा सुत सोई। हृदयँ कंप मन धीर न होई।। इहाँ उहाँ दुइ बालक देखा। मतिभ्रम मोर कि आन बिसेषा।। देखि राम जननी अकुलानी। प्रभु हँसि दीन्ह मधुर मुसुकानी।।
One day the mother bathed and adorned the baby, then laid Him gently in the cradle. The Lord Himself was her family's chosen deity. She went to bathe again, this time for worship.