Nectar Rains on Both Armies, Yet Rama's Fallen Servants Rise
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 111
Doha 115क · Movement 1 of 2
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Rama points Indra toward the bears and vanaras killed for his sake. They gave their lives for me, he says. Revive them all. The Lord could destroy and restore the three worlds himself, but gives the honor of this service to the king of heaven.
Indra rains nectar across the battlefield. It falls upon both armies, yet the bears and vanaras awaken, rise rejoicing, and come to Rama. The demons do not return. At death their minds took Rama's form, and the bonds of becoming had already fallen away from them.
The forest companions, portions of divine powers, live again by Raghupati's will. Tulsidas asks who could equal Rama in kindness to the lowly. He restores the servants who must continue beside him and liberates the enemy host whose earthly part is complete. Even Ravana, dwelling in sin and desire, received a destination rare to great sages. Nectar and liberation reveal two forms of the same immeasurable mercy.
Rama gives life back to those who served him and freedom to those who fought him, leaving no corpse outside the reach of mercy.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनु सुरपति कपि भालु हमारे। परे भूमि निसचरन्हि जे मारे।। मम हित लागि तजे इन्ह प्राना। सकल जिआउ सुरेस सुजाना।। सुनु खगेस प्रभु कै यह बानी। अति अगाध जानहिं मुनि ग्यानी।। प्रभु सक त्रिभुअन मारि जिआई। केवल सक्रहि दीन्हि बड़ाई।। सुधा बरषि कपि भालु जिआए। हरषि उठे सब प्रभु पहिं आए।। सुधाबृष्टि भै दुहु दल ऊपर। जिए भालु कपि नहिं रजनीचर।। रामाकार भए तिन्ह के मन। मुक्त भए छूटे भव बंधन।। सुर अंसिक सब कपि अरु रीछा। जिए सकल रघुपति कीं ईछा।। राम सरिस को दीन हितकारी। कीन्हे मुकुत निसाचर झारी।। खल मल धाम काम रत रावन। गति पाई जो मुनिबर पाव न।।
Listen, O Indra! Our monkeys and bears who fell to the ground, slain by the demons. For my sake they gave up their lives. Revive them all, O wise king of gods. Listen, O Garuda! This is the Lord's command, which only wise sages can fully comprehend. The Lord has power to destroy and revive the three worlds, but He gave this honor to Indra alone. Raining nectar, the monkeys and bears were revived. They all arose joyfully and came to the Lord. The nectar shower fell upon both armies, but only the monkeys and bears came to life, not the demons. Their minds became filled with Rama's form, and they were liberated, freed from worldly bondage. All the monkeys and bears were divine incarnations who came to life by Raghupati's will. Who is compassionate to the humble like Rama? He liberated even the demon hordes. Even Ravana, the abode of evil and devoted to lust, attained a state that great sages cannot achieve.