Rama Presses the Chudamani to His Heart and Hears How Sita's Tears Preserve Her Body
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 31
Doha 31 · Movement 1 of 2
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Hanuman presents the crest jewel Sita gave at parting. Raghupati takes the chudamani and presses it to his heart. Then the messenger repeats the words Janaka's daughter spoke with both eyes filled with water.
Bow to the Lord and Lakshmana, friend of the lowly and remover of the surrendered one's pain. Sita belongs to his feet in mind, action, and speech. For what offense has she been abandoned? She confesses one fault: when separation came, her life did not depart.
The eyes are to blame, for they stubbornly prevent the breath from leaving. Separation is fire, the body cotton, and each breath the wind that should burn it in a moment. Yet the eyes pour water for their own sake and keep the body from being consumed. Her calamity is immeasurable, though the compassionate Lord knows it without being told.
Rama holds Sita's jewel while Hanuman tells how her own tears keep the fire of separation from consuming her.
Read the passage from the Manas
चलत मोहि चूड़ामनि दीन्ही। रघुपति हृदयँ लाइ सोइ लीन्ही।। नाथ जुगल लोचन भरि बारी। बचन कहे कछु जनककुमारी।। अनुज समेत गहेहु प्रभु चरना। दीन बंधु प्रनतारति हरना।। मन क्रम बचन चरन अनुरागी। केहि अपराध नाथ हौं त्यागी।। अवगुन एक मोर मैं माना। बिछुरत प्रान न कीन्ह पयाना।। नाथ सो नयनन्हि को अपराधा। निसरत प्रान करिहिं हठि बाधा।। बिरह अगिनि तनु तूल समीरा। स्वास जरइ छन माहिं सरीरा।। नयन स्त्रवहि जलु निज हित लागी। जरैं न पाव देह बिरहागी। सीता के अति बिपति बिसाला। बिनहिं कहें भलि दीनदयाला।।
As I departed, Sita gave me the choodaamani, the crest jewel. Raghupati received it and pressed it to His heart. With both eyes brimming with tears, Janaka's daughter spoke these words: 'Together with your younger brother, clasp the feet of Prabhu, the friend of the lowly, the one who removes the aarti of those who bow before Him. Devoted to Your charan in thought, deed, and word, for what aparaadh have You abandoned me, O Nath? I confess one fault of my own: that when we were separated, my prana did not depart. But O Lord, what sin have these eyes committed, that they stubbornly block the door against death? The fire of viraha, my body as tender as cotton, my breath as wind: each moment this frame is scorched. Yet my eyes shed water in their own defence, so the body burning with love-anguish cannot fully burn. Sita's bipati is exceedingly vast. The compassionate Lord knows it well even without being told.'