Sita Takes Her Place at Rama's Left as Heaven Draws Near
Uttara Kanda, Doha 12
Doha 12 · Movement 2 of 2
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The mothers lovingly bathe Janaki and clothe her in divine garments. Finest ornaments are placed limb by limb, each jewel catching the light around the woman who crossed forest, captivity, and fire beside Rama.
Sita takes her place at Rama's left, a treasury of beauty and virtue. The mothers behold the pair and rejoice, knowing that the lives which carried so much anguish have come to fruition in this restored vision.
Then the horizon of the ceremony widens. Brahma, Shiva, and hosts of sages mount celestial vehicles and descend to behold the fountain of bliss. Palace and heaven seem to lean toward the same center. Sita is not placed at the edge of Rama's consecration. She shines beside him within it, and the assembled mothers and immortals look upon the return of the royal pair as the fulfillment for which earth and sky have both been waiting.
With Sita shining at Rama's left, the palace becomes the meeting place of mothers below and immortals descending from the sky.
Read the passage from the Manas
सासुन्ह सादर जानकिहि मज्जन तुरत कराइ। दिब्य बसन बर भूषन अँग अँग सजे बनाइ।।11(क)।। राम बाम दिसि सोभति रमा रूप गुन खानि। देखि मातु सब हरषीं जन्म सुफल निज जानि।।11(ख)।। सुनु खगेस तेहि अवसर ब्रह्मा सिव मुनि बृंद। चढ़ि बिमान आए सब सुर देखन सुखकंद।।11(ग)।।
The mothers-in-law lovingly bathed Janaki at once. They adorned her limb by limb with divine garments and finest jewels. 11(ka) Sita, that treasure-house of beauty and virtue, shone resplendent at Rama's left side. Seeing her, all the mothers rejoiced, knowing their lives had borne fruit. 11(kha) Hear, O King of Birds: at that moment, Brahma, Shiva, and hosts of sages all mounted their celestial chariots and came to behold the fountain of bliss. 11(ga)