Brahma Chooses the Wedding Hour
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 309
Doha 312 · Movement 1 of 2
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The citizens' hopes rise and fill them repeatedly. Kings who came for Sita's swayamvara behold the brothers, praise Ram's boundless glory, and return to their own realms transformed from rivals into witnesses.
Several joyful days pass. Then the wedding day arrives in winter's beautiful month of Agahan. Planet, lunar day, constellation, yoga, and weekday must meet in a single flawless hour.
Brahma himself considers the conjunction and sends the chosen time through Narada to Janaka's astrologers. When the calculation is announced, people call the astrologers destiny embodied. Heaven has not merely blessed a human calendar. The Creator has bent celestial measure around the marriage of Sita and Ram.
Stars, season, day, and hour gather where Brahma appoints them for the wedding.
Read the passage from the Manas
एहि बिधि सकल मनोरथ करहीं। आनँद उमगि उमगि उर भरहीं।। जे नृप सीय स्वयंबर आए। देखि बंधु सब तिन्ह सुख पाए।। कहत राम जसु बिसद बिसाला। निज निज भवन गए महिपाला।। गए बीति कुछ दिन एहि भाँती। प्रमुदित पुरजन सकल बराती।। मंगल मूल लगन दिनु आवा। हिम रितु अगहनु मासु सुहावा।। ग्रह तिथि नखतु जोगु बर बारू। लगन सोधि बिधि कीन्ह बिचारू।। पठै दीन्हि नारद सन सोई। गनी जनक के गनकन्ह जोई।। सुनी सकल लोगन्ह यह बाता। कहहिं जोतिषी आहिं बिधाता।।
In this way all fulfilled their heart's desires; joy welled up again and again, filling every heart to overflowing. The kings who had come for Sita's svayamvara all found delight upon beholding the divine brothers. Singing of Rama's pure and boundless glory, each king departed for his own kingdom. Several days passed in this blissful manner, with all the citizens and the wedding party steeped in gladness. The auspicious wedding day arrived, the lovely month of Agahana in the winter season. Brahma himself considered and determined the most favorable conjunction of planets, lunar day, constellation, yoga, and weekday. He sent that auspicious timing through Narada to the astrologers of King Janaka. Hearing this news, all the people declared, 'These astrologers are none other than destiny itself!'