Rama Rises Like the Full Moon Over Ayodhya's Ocean of Joy
Uttara Kanda, Doha 4
Doha 4 · Movement 2 of 2
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Bharata goes out to meet the abode of grace with Guru Vasishtha, family, Shatrughna, and companies of brahmins. Love fills his mind beyond the capacity of procession or ceremony.
Women climb the high terraces and search the sky. When Pushpaka appears, their voices break into sweet auspicious song, sending welcome upward before the chariot has touched the earth.
Raghupati comes over the city like a full moon rising above the ocean. Ayodhya answers as water answers the moon, swelling into waves of people and sound. The metaphor makes every citizen part of one living tide drawn toward Rama by an invisible force. Rooftop, road, palace, guru, and waiting brother move within the same vast uplift as the distant speck of the chariot becomes the Lord returning home.
Rama appears above Ayodhya, and the city rises toward him like an ocean unable to resist its full moon.
Read the passage from the Manas
हरषित गुर परिजन अनुज भूसुर बृंद समेत। चले भरत मन प्रेम अति सन्मुख कृपानिकेत।।3(क)।। बहुतक चढ़ी अटारिन्ह निरखहिं गगन बिमान। देखि मधुर सुर हरषित करहिं सुमंगल गान।।3(ख)।। राका ससि रघुपति पुर सिंधु देखि हरषान। बढ़यो कोलाहल करत जनु नारि तरंग समान।।3(ग)।।
Overjoyed, Bharat set forth to meet the Abode of Grace, accompanied by the Guru, kinsmen, younger brother Shatrughna, and hosts of brahmins. His mind was brimming with love. Many women climbed to their terraces and gazed at the sky for the celestial chariot. Seeing it, they burst into auspicious songs, their voices sweet with joy. As the full moon rises and floods the ocean with tides of delight, so Raghupati's return filled Ayodhya with waves of bliss.