One Smile From Rama Erases the Many Ramas of Maya
Lanka Kanda, Chhand 14
Doha 89 · Movement 2 of 3
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Bears and vanaras stare upon many Ramas and many Lakshmanas. Bewilderment enters the whole army so completely that the warriors stop where they stand, fixed like figures painted into a picture.
Even Lakshmana stands among the frozen companions while eyes search from one duplicate form to another. The field that had roared beneath mountains and arrows is held motionless by appearances no weapon can distinguish.
Rama looks upon his astonished army and smiles. He readies bow and arrows, and Hari removes the illusion in the blink of an eye. No long contest is required between reality and the deception spread before it. The many false forms vanish, the one Lord remains, and joy rushes through the entire vanara host where fear had stopped every limb. Their movement returns when vision returns to unity.
The army awakens from the painted stillness of maya when Rama's smile restores the one within the many.
Read the passage from the Manas
बहु राम लछिमन देखि मर्कट भालु मन अति अपडरे। जनु चित्र लिखित समेत लछिमन जहँ सो तहँ चितवहिं खरे।। निज सेन चकित बिलोकि हँसि सर चाप सजि कोसल धनी। माया हरी हरि निमिष महुँ हरषी सकल मर्कट अनी।।
Seeing many Ramas and Lakshmanas, the monkeys and bears were utterly bewildered. Like figures painted in a picture, they stood frozen wherever they looked, alongside Lakshmana. Seeing His own army confused, the Lord of Kosala smiled, readied His bow and arrows, and Hari destroyed the illusion in the blink of an eye. The entire monkey host burst into joy.