Rama Sends Vibhishana to Perform the Funeral Rites of His Brother
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 104
Doha 105 · Movement 1 of 2
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Mandodari's words bring joy to gods, siddhas, and truth speaking sages. Brahma, Shiva, Narada, Sanaka, and the others fill their eyes with Raghupati until love carries them into bliss.
Below, the women continue to weep. Vibhishana goes to them with a heavy heart and beholds his brother's condition. Ravana's wrongdoing does not erase the natural pain of kinship. Sorrow reaches the one who opposed him in dharma and fought him on the field.
Rama sends Lakshmana to counsel Vibhishana. When he returns, the Lord looks upon him with compassion and commands him to abandon grief enough to perform the funeral rites. Vibhishana obeys. According to proper rule, time, and place, he gives his fallen brother the honor due at death. Rama's victory does not leave Ravana's body to contempt. Dharma completes the battle through the hands of the brother who survived it.
After ending Ravana's violence, Rama restores the dignity of his death through Vibhishana's grieving hands.
Read the passage from the Manas
मंदोदरी बचन सुनि काना। सुर मुनि सिद्ध सबन्हि सुख माना।। अज महेस नारद सनकादी। जे मुनिबर परमारथबादी।। भरि लोचन रघुपतिहि निहारी। प्रेम मगन सब भए सुखारी।। रुदन करत देखीं सब नारी। गयउ बिभीषनु मन दुख भारी।। बंधु दसा बिलोकि दुख कीन्हा। तब प्रभु अनुजहि आयसु दीन्हा।। लछिमन तेहि बहु बिधि समुझायो। बहुरि बिभीषन प्रभु पहिं आयो।। कृपादृष्टि प्रभु ताहि बिलोका। करहु क्रिया परिहरि सब सोका।। कीन्हि क्रिया प्रभु आयसु मानी। बिधिवत देस काल जियँ जानी।।
Hearing Mandodari's words, the gods, sages, and perfected beings all felt joy and satisfaction. Brahma, Shiva, Narada, and the Sanaka sages - all these great sages who speak ultimate truth. Filling their eyes with the sight of Raghupati, all became immersed in love and bliss. Seeing all the women weeping, Vibhishana went with heavy sorrow in his heart. Witnessing his brother's condition caused him great pain, then the Lord gave command to his younger brother. Lakshmana counseled him in many ways, then Vibhishana returned to the Lord. The Lord looked upon him with compassionate eyes - perform the funeral rites, abandoning all sorrow. Following the Lord's command, he performed the funeral rites properly according to scriptural time and place.