Janakpur Calls Itself a Treasure of Merit
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 307
Doha 310 · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Vaidehi is the embodied fruit of Janaka's merit, and Ram the living fruit of Dasharatha's. No fathers have worshipped Shiva with such result, and none like these two will appear again.
The people of Janakpur turn the praise toward themselves with delighted gratitude. Surely they are stores of accumulated good deeds, for they were born where they could behold Janaki and Ram.
The wedding will give their eyes another feast. Cuckoo-voiced women tell one another that this is the greatest gain: Ram and Lakshmana will repeatedly become honoured guests of their sight. Fortune is no abstract promise. It is the ability to look again upon the beloved forms while wedding rites call them through the city.
Janakpur measures its merit by the simple privilege of seeing Sita and Ram again.
Read the passage from the Manas
जनक सुकृत मूरति बैदेही। दसरथ सुकृत रामु धरें देही।। इन्ह सम काँहु न सिव अवराधे। काहिं न इन्ह समान फल लाधे।। इन्ह सम कोउ न भयउ जग माहीं। है नहिं कतहूँ होनेउ नाहीं।। हम सब सकल सुकृत कै रासी। भए जग जनमि जनकपुर बासी।। जिन्ह जानकी राम छबि देखी। को सुकृती हम सरिस बिसेषी।। पुनि देखब रघुबीर बिआहू। लेब भली बिधि लोचन लाहू।। कहहिं परसपर कोकिलबयनीं। एहि बिआहँ बड़ लाभु सुनयनीं।। बड़ें भाग बिधि बात बनाई। नयन अतिथि होइहहिं दोउ भाई।।
Vaidehi is the living form of Janaka's merit; Rama is the embodied fruit of Dasharatha's virtue. None have worshipped Shiva as these two fathers have, and none have reaped so glorious a reward. None like them have ever appeared in this world, none exist now, and none shall ever come again. We are all the very treasure of accumulated good deeds, for we were born in this world as dwellers of Janakpur. Who among the blessed can compare with us, who have beheld the beauty of Janaki and Rama? We shall witness the wedding of Raghuvira once more and gain for our eyes the richest reward in the finest way. The cuckoo-voiced, beautiful-eyed women say to one another: 'This wedding brings the greatest blessing, O fair-eyed ones.' By supreme good fortune the Creator has arranged it so: both brothers shall become the honoured guests of our eyes.