Morning in Ayodhya Moves from Sarayu to Sabha to Garden
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 24
Doha 26 · Movement 1 of 2
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At dawn Rama bathes in the Sarayu and enters the assembly with learned and virtuous companions. Vashishtha unfolds the Vedas and Puranas. Though Rama knows all, he listens, allowing wisdom to take its honored place within the rhythm of the court.
He eats with his brothers, and the mothers fill with happiness at the sight. Later Bharata and Shatrughna go into the garden with Hanuman, sit together, and ask him to narrate the glories of Rama.
Hanuman speaks with deep understanding. The brothers taste such joy in the spotless qualities that they bow and ask repeatedly for more. Across Ayodhya, the same current enters every house. Sacred tellings of Rama's deeds arise in many forms, and men and women sing day and night without noticing time pass. One divine household has become the daily pulse of an entire city: bathing, listening, eating, remembering, and singing.
Ayodhya's day begins in the Sarayu and disappears in Rama's story before anyone notices that night has come.
Read the passage from the Manas
प्रातकाल सरऊ करि मज्जन। बैठहिं सभाँ संग द्विज सज्जन।। बेद पुरान बसिष्ट बखानहिं। सुनहिं राम जद्यपि सब जानहिं।। अनुजन्ह संजुत भोजन करहीं। देखि सकल जननीं सुख भरहीं।। भरत सत्रुहन दोनउ भाई। सहित पवनसुत उपबन जाई।। बूझहिं बैठि राम गुन गाहा। कह हनुमान सुमति अवगाहा।। सुनत बिमल गुन अति सुख पावहिं। बहुरि बहुरि करि बिनय कहावहिं।। सब कें गृह गृह होहिं पुराना। रामचरित पावन बिधि नाना।। नर अरु नारि राम गुन गानहिं। करहिं दिवस निसि जात न जानहिं।।
In the early morning, after bathing in the Sarayu river, Rama sits in the assembly with noble brahmins and virtuous souls. Sage Vasishtha expounds the Vedas and Puranas, which Rama listens to attentively, though He already knows everything. Rama takes His meals together with His brothers, and all the mothers are filled with joy seeing this. The two brothers Bharata and Shatrughna, along with Hanuman, go to the garden. Sitting there, they ask about Rama's glorious qualities, and Hanuman narrates them with profound wisdom. Hearing these pure qualities, they experience great joy and repeatedly request with humility to hear more. In every household, various sacred recitations of Rama's stories are performed according to proper rituals. Men and women sing Rama's praises continuously, spending their days and nights without realizing how time passes.