Kausalya Looks upon Two Tender Sons and Wonders How Lanka Fell
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 7
Doha 7 · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Sita moves among her mothers-in-law and bows at each pair of feet. They ask after her welfare, bless her with unbroken married auspiciousness, and look toward Rama's lotus face while holding their tears because this hour must remain wholly auspicious.
Golden trays circle before the returned Lord. Flame glows upon faces still wet with restrained emotion. Offerings are made again and again, and the mothers study Rama's body as though sight itself could recover the years in which they could not see him.
Kausalya's gaze lingers upon Rama, ocean of compassion and hero of battle. Yet the queen does not see a distant conqueror. She sees her own two tender boys, Rama and Lakshmana, and wonders repeatedly how such delicate sons could have slain Lanka's lord amid warriors of dreadful strength. Victory enters a mother's heart not as spectacle but as astonishment that the children she once protected have returned from a war beyond imagining.
Before Kausalya, the conquerors of Lanka become two tender sons standing again inside the circle of a golden lamp.
Read the passage from the Manas
सासुन्ह सबनि मिली बैदेही। चरनन्हि लागि हरषु अति तेही।। देहिं असीस बूझि कुसलाता। होइ अचल तुम्हार अहिवाता।। सब रघुपति मुख कमल बिलोकहिं। मंगल जानि नयन जल रोकहिं।। कनक थार आरति उतारहिं। बार बार प्रभु गात निहारहिं।। नाना भाँति निछावरि करहीं। परमानंद हरष उर भरहीं।। कौसल्या पुनि पुनि रघुबीरहि। चितवति कृपासिंधु रनधीरहि।। हृदयँ बिचारति बारहिं बारा। कवन भाँति लंकापति मारा।। अति सुकुमार जुगल मेरे बारे। निसिचर सुभट महाबल भारे।।
Vaidehi met all her mothers-in-law, touching their feet with great love and joy. They gave their blessings after asking about her welfare: 'May your married life remain eternally steadfast.' All gazed upon the lotus face of Raghupati. Knowing the moment to be sacred, they held back their tears. On golden trays they waved the arati lamp, blessing the Lord again and again. The mothers adorned Rama with ornaments and fine garments, their eyes unable to drink enough of His beauty. Sita stood at Rama's side, radiant with shy joy, and the mothers blessed the couple together. Everywhere rang the sound of conch shells, bells, and Vedic chanting, and the heavens showered flowers. All of Ayodhya glowed with the light of reunion, and not a single heart held any sorrow.