Rama's Name Shines upon the Ring, and the Voice in the Leaves Tells His Story
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 13
Doha 13 · Movement 1 of 2
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Sita studies the beautiful ring and sees Rama's name engraved upon it. Recognition brings joy and sorrow together. Raghuraya is unconquerable, and Maya cannot fabricate this token. Yet how has the object that belonged with him crossed the sea into her hands?
While many thoughts turn within her, Hanuman speaks in a sweet voice from concealment. He begins at the beginning and describes Ramachandra's virtues and the whole story. Sita's sorrow retreats as she listens with ears and mind fixed upon the nectar of that account.
She asks why the speaker of such beautiful katha does not reveal himself. Hanuman comes near. He is Rama's messenger and swears by the ocean of compassion. Rama gave the ring as proof for her. Sita's wonder now asks one further question: how did man and monkey enter companionship?
The ring carries Rama's name, and the hidden voice carries every event that brought it across the sea.
Read the passage from the Manas
तब देखी मुद्रिका मनोहर। राम नाम अंकित अति सुंदर।। चकित चितव मुदरी पहिचानी। हरष बिषाद हृदयँ अकुलानी।। जीति को सकइ अजय रघुराई। माया तें असि रचि नहिं जाई।। सीता मन बिचार कर नाना। मधुर बचन बोलेउ हनुमाना।। रामचंद्र गुन बरनैं लागा। सुनतहिं सीता कर दुख भागा।। लागीं सुनैं श्रवन मन लाई। आदिहु तें सब कथा सुनाई।। श्रवनामृत जेहिं कथा सुहाई। कहि सो प्रगट होति किन भाई।। तब हनुमंत निकट चलि गयऊ। फिरि बैंठीं मन बिसमय भयऊ।। राम दूत मैं मातु जानकी। सत्य सपथ करुनानिधान की।। यह मुद्रिका मातु मैं आनी। दीन्हि राम तुम्ह कहँ सहिदानी।। नर बानरहि संग कहु कैसें। कहि कथा भइ संगति जैसें।।
Then she beheld the enchanting ring, inscribed with Rama's name in exquisite beauty. Astonished, she gazed and recognized it. Her heart churned with both harsha, joy, and vishad, sorrow. Who can defeat the invincible Raghurai? And maya cannot fashion such a ring. Sita's mind turned over many thoughts. Then Hanuman spoke in gentle, honeyed words. He began to describe the gunas of Ramchandra, and the moment she heard them, Sita's sorrow fled. She listened with her ears and mind fixed in rapt attention as he narrated the entire story from the beginning. The one who speaks such nectar-sweet katha, why does he not reveal himself, O brother? Then Hanuman drew near. Sita turned and sat up, her mind filled with wonder. I am Rama's messenger, Mother Janaki. I swear it truly by Karunanidhan, the Ocean of Compassion himself. This ring, Mother, I have brought. Rama gave it as a token for you. Tell me, how did a man and a monkey come together? Relate how this companionship came to be.