SITA'S SWAYAMVAR
The young, beautiful princess of Mithila sat at her dressing table, staring at her reflection as her sakhis got her ready for the biggest day of her life, her swayamvar. This is the day that her husband will be decided, this is the day she will give herself over to someone, heart and soul, with promises that will bind her to him forever.
She had agreed to the swayamvar for it was what was destined; irrespective of who you were, destiny can never be changed. This was an early lesson a young Sita and Urmila had learnt from their father, Rajrishi Janaka, when they heard of Rishi Gautam's curse on his wife Ahalya, known for her pativrata Dharma. After this, her father told her the story of how Gautham Maharishi had left for heaven as well. Sita had absorbed all of this, and in turn taught it to her three younger sisters, Urmila, Mandavi and Shrutakirti.
Sita wondered now who would be the man she would be tied to. She knew that the entire Aryavrat had been invited for her swayamvar. But who will win her hand? At that second, her mind turned to him; He who she saw, and who had captured her completely. Her entire being reacted to Him, to His Lotus eyes. Who was He, she did not know. Later on, only when her sakhis had told her had she known that He was Ayodhya's first prince, Shri Ram. The very name Ram filled her being with peace. Goosebumps covered her flesh; a beautiful blush covered her golden cheeks. Her mind went back to the day she met him.
Sita was playing on her balcony with her sister Urmila and their sakhis. Her other two sisters had gone on some work with their mothers. Sita was feeling a little melancholy. She would be leaving her mother's home for a new place, which would become her home. She looked around lovingly at her sakhis, her eyes finally landing on her younger sister. How she would miss her Urmila! They were the same; Urmila was her reflection, she was Urmila's reflection. They were best friends, sisters; they were soul mates. She still wished she and Urmila could go to the same place, with Urmila, Sita will never feel like a stranger.
Urmila was the one who picked her up when she was emotional, the two of them were like that. When Urmila breaks down, Sita would hold her and take care of her, when the same happens to Sita, Urmila will take care of her.
"Didi, what happened?", asked Urmila, gently placing her hand on her elder sister's shoulder.
Sita suddenly hugged Urmila tightly. Urmila hugged her sister back, catching onto her sister's thoughts. Gently easing Sita out of her grasp, she said, "Didi, look at what Sunanda did.."
Saying thus, Urmila continued her story, making Sita forget her melancholy and join in the enjoyment with her sister and sakhis.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sita felt compelled to turn and see the festivities. She didn't know what compelled her to turn and see the festivities. She turned, and along with her, Urmila also did. She looked down, to meet eyes which sent electric shocks through her body.
Her eyes met Lotus eyes, they showed kindness, compassion and infinite love; she felt like she had known him forever. Even as Sita stared at the youth, who had green-coloured complexion, she felt her soul unite with His. They came together. Their souls recognized one another and became one; she became His, He became hers.
She was staring at him, without realizing he was walking, even while looking till he left, following a revered Rishi, with another young man following him.
Sita jerked out of her trance when she felt Urmila's iron tight grip on her hand. She turned to look at her sister, who looked like she had seen her entire life in front of her. The sisters' eyes met; they both understood what each other's hearts were going through, they tightened their grips on one another. Whatever it is, they would face this together, for they are sisters, soul mates.
The aftershocks of seeing Him was all Sita could feel. Her chest was hit by the arrows of Kamadev, her body burnt in a different way, nothing but him mattered in the world. Her eyes, she felt were clouded with a sickness she didn't know of, all she could think of was Him, He spread all over her body and soul.
She didn't realize that her hair was coming loose, her waist bells were slipping, her anklets were coming loose, all her jewellery were too. She didn't realize that she was weeping. All she felt was Him, and His lovely eyes, which spread all over her again and again.
She felt hands pull her gently and place her on her silky bed, but she knew not who did it. Her sakhis placed flowers all over the bed and made her lie on it. Yet, she was writhing continuously, her body burning. Nothing seemed to cool her, in fact, everything seemed to hurt her.
Once her sister and sakhis had left her, Sita's mind turned to the youth she had seen, and in earnest, she began talking out aloud, for His description, she felt, would soothen her ears, and feel like medicine to her heart.
Her friends had tried to fan her, the fan increased her burning. The ornaments she wore seemed to be scalding her. She wanted the burn to go away, but it wasn't. She didn't realize that her tears ran down her face, making it seem like she was a statue made of gold with tear tracks.
She started talking:
"His hair seemed to be weaved of flowers in the darkness; His wide shoulders are like two great, big pillars, they resemble stones of emerald. His eyes resemble a red Lotus, His complexion is like that of a cloud. He entered my dense mind, my protected mind, destroying all sense; but He does not carry a bow of sugarcane, so He cannot be the God of Love. From what I have seen, He cannot be from the Deva loka either; He carries a huge well-made bow, and wears the sacred thread, He has to be the son of a king"
Sita got up and walked, and continued talking:
"After seeing Him, I am not able to see in me the femininity I was born with, He is like a thief who has entered a house, He stole my mind with just one look. His hair is as black as the gem called Indra Neela, His face like the full moon and His hands hanging up to His knees, His great shoulders were not what affected me first, instead, it was His enchanting smile. His broad chest was lustrous, His feet were like Lotus flowers, His gait was like that of an elephant, majestic and manly"
Sita wandered around her palace, muttering to herself, "Here is the valorous man I saw earlier"
Anywhere she turned, she saw Him, the green-complexioned youth.
She looked up at the dark, evening sky, and asked the sky, "You look like a serpent, oh Sky! Are you trying to swallow me, I who am trying to escape from the God of Love?"
A short while later, she continued asking the Sky, "Why did my Lord appear and disappear? Why did He not have mercy on a simple girl like me?"
She went on lamenting, addressing all the things Nature, crying her love for her Lord.
Tired, she fell on her bed of flowers; Sita's burn was so much, and she was so lovesick, that even those flowers wilted. She wondered if there was any medicine to cool this love?
She sat on her bed, wondering what was happening, when she felt familiar arms wrap around her. She knew those arms. She looked up dazed, to see Urmila, looking at her with tears in her eyes.
The two sisters sat there, both hugging each other, understanding the others' pain.
Sita was brought out of her trance by someone shaking her shoulder gently. She looked up and met Urmila's reassuring eyes, saying that I am always with you.
Smiling at Urmila, Sita got up, ready to be escorted by her sisters and sakhis. The four sisters embraced each other in a tight hug, after which the sakhis of Sita took her to the swayamvar hall.
Sita, the beautiful princess of Mithila, entered the hall of the swayamvar, her eyes looking down, her body having the gait of a shy bride. She wasn't aware of the lust-filled gazes that all the kings and princes directed at her; from the corner of her doe-like eyes, she searched for He who had captured her heart. She wasn't disappointed. Sitting next to His Guru Brahmarishi Vishwamitra, and His younger brother, He looked like the personification of beauty and splendor; His enchanting form seemed even more enchanting as she saw Him. Her dreams didn't do Him justice.
She saw Him look at her, and shyly, she looked at the floor, turning red. She discreetly turned to see Urmila, who was also red, and staring straight ahead.
She is blushing because of Rajkumar Lakshman', thought Sita, delighted that her younger sister was in love. Oh how it would be if we could be together in the same house as co-sisters!'
She immediately reprimanded herself, and thought, Sita, don't rush into the future so fast. See, this is what the valiant prince did to me!'
She walked up to her father, Rajrishi Janak, and paid her obeisance to him. After that, she was made to sit on a raised platform with her mother, aunts, her sisters and their sakhis.
Her father got up to announce the rules of the swayamvar.
"This bow placed here before you is the bow of Lord Shiva Himself, the Pinaka. This bow was passed on from one generation to the next of the Nimi-vansh. It requires thousand soldiers to move it, for it is that heavy. But my daughter Sita here, at the young age of seven, lifted the bow with her little hands so as to adjust it's position. That day, I realized that she was extraordinary. For this extraordinary girl, I wanted only a man equal to her. The revered Guru Yagnavalkya agrees with me when I say that the one who can string this bow is the one who will be garlanded by my daughter Sita"
And thus started the swayamvar. King after king, prince after prince, all tried it. But the bow wouldn't even move. All the other kings were laughing at the ones who had failed, though they themselves failed later.
"What sort of people are they, Urmila Didi?", whispered Kirti. "Do they not have respect for a fellow human being?"
"They should, ideally. But people rejoice in others failures", said Urmila, her voice calm and even. But Sita knew her sister too well. The undercurrent of Urmila's dislike for such behavior was evident to her.
Sita felt red cover her as she saw the prince of the Raghu clan look at her.
Oh how He has made me', thought she. She who added charm to charm itself was at a loss of words. All she could do was blush.
Suddenly, Sita heard loud voices. She looked around, only to see the kings who had all failed talk to her esteemed father in angry voices.
"Rajrishi Janaka, you have made a fool of us. How can we lift the bow of Lord Shiva Himself?", asked one of the kings.
"We demand to be compensated", said another king.
Thus, the swayamvar hall turned into a place of angry choruses.
"This is craziness", whispered Mandavi, touching Sita's shoulder.
Suddenly, she heard her father's voice, calm to those who didn't know him, but dejected to those who did.
"All of you who have assembled here have not been able to string the bow. The rules of the swayamvar clearly stated it. I am now sure that there is no hero in the entire Aryavrata who can break this bow and marry this extraordinary daughter of mine"
Sita heard Urmila gasp. She turned to see Urmila's face look in a particular direction, her face a little pale. Sita turned around to see Rajkumar Lakshman's lips pressed together, fists clenched. He seemed to be controlling himself from saying what is on his mind, for she could see that his eyes were on his elder brother's face.
Unable to bear it, she saw that prince known as Lakshmana get up, and talk to her father.
"Rajrishi Janaka, accept the greetings of Sumitranandan Lakshmana"
Her father looked at the young prince in surprise. Lakshmana, taking this as his cue, continued,
"When a Raghuvanshi is there in this swayamvar hall, you can't say that no hero cannot lift the bow. Let me introduce you to my elder brother, Shri Ramachandra. He is the most valiant of the valiant, the most powerful, the most puissant, and the bravest man the world can ever know"
Sita's heart bloomed with motherly affection for this prince, whose love for his brother seemed to exceed all. She turned lightly to see Urmila's lovely eyes shining.
"Bhaiya, on your orders, can lift a mountain and break it. If I can do that, you can do so much more. Bhaiya, please lift the Shiva dhanush and prove your heroism", said Lakshmana.
"Lakshmana, calm down"
His voice sounded serene to Sita, His voice was nectar to her.
"Lakshmana, son, come and sit down", said Brahmarishi Vishwamitra. "Rajrishi Janaka, my student Lakshmana is right. Let Rama string the bow and put you out of your misery"
Sita's face glew. The revered sage also agreed with Rajkumar Lakshmana. The hope in hr chest grew.
Shri Rama stood up, and after taking His Gurudev's blessings, and greeting her father, He moved to the area where the bow was placed.
She saw Him circumbalating the bow, and then touching the bow with reverence.
Ma Gauri! Bhagwan Shiva! Ganeshji! If my prayers are true, and my love is true, let this valiant prince of Ayodhya lift the bow and string it like it were a thread of flowers', prayed Sita.
And suddenly, she saw Him lift the bow up easily. The entire hall was silent. From the corner of her eye, she could see the proud glow on Rajkumar Lakshmana's face.
She saw Him place one side of the bow under His largest toe, and reach up to string the bow. He threw her an elated glance once He strung the bow; she returned it with a shy one.
There was a sudden echo which jerked her out of her trance; He had broken the Shiva dhanush into two. Sita was shocked, but elation took over.
"My child", said her mother, Rani Sunaina. "Go. Go and garland the hero of the Raghu clan"
Sita was guided by her sisters and sakhis to Him; she didn't feel the weight of the garland, she didn't see anything but His Lotus eyes. They were filled with love and affection.
Soon she was standing in front of Him. She garlanded Him. Her eyes moved to His feet, and she fell at His feet; He is Her Husband, Her God, Her everything.
She slowly got up, and her eyes were lost in His. Now, they would be together for eternity. Her biggest dream had become reality today.
NOTE:
This OS is a mixture of Kamba Ramayanam(Ramavatharam) and Ramcharitmanas.
The Lakshman-Urmila part was added by me, as I love them š³
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