Welcome Lord Ram!!! - From the different versions - Page 5

I'll try to get back as soon as possible. I'm caught up with some work. Probably you can all read my next post this weekend.

Here it is finally . . . Lord Ram's welcome from the Kambaramayan (Part 1).

Maharishi Bharadwaj, knowing that Ram was about to come to his ashram and hence, with great happiness, he hastened to welcome Ram with many sages following him. Lord Ram saw rishi Bharadwaj coming to greet him with the Kamandala (the water jug) and the umbrella (the ones sages use - just like the one Vamana holds in his hand - as depicted in pictures) in one hand and the (Brahma)danda in the other. Immediately, Ram had willed the Pushpaka Vimana to land on the ground and alighting from it he fell at the feet of the sage who had come to welcome him. Maharishi Bharadwaj raised the Lord who had bowed down to his feet by his own hands, embraced him with great love and happiness, blessed him, inhaled the scent of his hair (A person clasps another to his bosom, kisses the other on the forehead, inhales the scent of the topmost portion of the head - it's a sign of great love and affection - Something a father would do to his son, an elder bro to his younger or a guru to his favorite disciple or a student who had excelled and made him proud - The scene in KHMK when Drona embraces Arjun for the first time aptly portrays this) and bathed him (Ram) with tears of joy. At that moment Sita and (then) Lakshman clasped the feet of the sage Bharadwaj. Seeing them, the sage felt as ecstatic as having consumed the heavenly amrit and blessed them with a satisfied and ecstatic heart. From the Pushpaka Vimana climbed down, Sugreev, Vibhishan and the others. They too paid their obeisance to the sage. Bharadwaj gladly praised and blessed them. Then he took Ram, Sita and the others to his beautiful ashram (his home) as the other sages who had come with him chanted the Vedas and welcomed and honoured Ram as instructed in the Shaastraas.

Eventually, Maharishi Bharadwaj said, " O warrior who had lifted the Kodanda (the bow of Sri Ram) and destroyed the demons who had been terrorizing the devas, sages and the dwellers of all three worlds! Our wishes have all been fulfilled. What more do we have to ask you? Lord, you have saved us all by killing Viraat, Kar, Mareech who assumed the form of a deer, Kabhandh, the seven trees, Vali, Kumbhkaran and Ravan with your powerful arrow. Epitome of Knowledge! From the time you left Chitrakoot and left south till the time you have come back north I have realized your meritorious deeds by my divine vision. I request you to stay here for this one (only) night."

He continued, "Due to Kaikeyi's words, you have bent your bow, solved our problems, and saved the worlds. O generous one! I will tell you now about Bharat who never sways from justice. With his body covered in sweat, eyes streaming with tears, hating his own fate, worried with his mental torments, he never looks in any other direction except the South and looks the very embodiment of worry (actually it is fear and worry - but worry and sorrow fits the meaning of the line better) and sorrow. He spends his days eating only fruits and roots (controlled all five senses) and sleeps on a bed of grass. He repeats your name day and night. He never enters Ayodhya but rules the kingdom from the nearby (near Ayodhya) Nandigram. I too have not forgot you, slayer of Ravan. I have meditated (always thought about) on you always." To this Ram replied, "I am honoured by bowing to you and obtaining your blessings. There is no one more blessed than me in this whole world."

Rishi Bharadwaj offered Ram a boon. "Ask anything your mind wishes for. I will grant it immediately." Lord Ram said, "The victorious vanaras should obtain all they wish for and live without sorrow. Please grant that they find gardens and grooves with excess of fruits, roots and honey and sweet water to quench their hunger and thirst at all times wherever they go." Rishi Bharadwaj granted the boon Ram wished for. He (Bharadwaj) wished to provide them (his guests) all a feast. He prayed to the devas and worshiped the sacrificial flame. Immediately, with the grace of the devas, a heaven had come down to earth and stayed there. The sage presented everyone with the best meal. Everyone experienced an overpowering (overflowing) sense of joy. At that moment, Sir Ram called Hanuman to him and said, "Maruti, start immediately and speed to Nandigram before we reach Ayodhya. Tell Bharat the news about me. Stop him from jumping into the fire. Analyse and learn his thoughts and deeds. Come back and convey it to me." Sri Ram also gave his ring to Hanuman as a proof that Hanuman was his (Ram's) messenger. Receiving the ring from Lord Ram, Hanuman sped faster than his father's speed (speed of wind), faster than his Lord's arrow and faster even than his own thoughts towards Nandigram. On the way, he informed Guha about the return of Ram and sped across the sky to meet Bharat.

Bharat sat worshipping his elder brother's sandals every day and all the time. He sat there his heart full of love that could even melt even the bones that cannot be thawed out by any means. The separation from his brother was like being surrounded by evil fire to him. Even though he lived in the country, he did not eat the feasts prepared but rather ate the fruits and roots just like his brother and sustained his life, never taking his eyes off the Southern direction, never speaking a word that is untrue, and sighing deeply at the thought that his brother will come back for sure. He couldn't get the remedy for the drops of water flowing down his eyes which was seeing the drops of water that fall from his elder brother's head during the coronation. He started worshipping the sandals of his elder brother that were decorated with garlands and started thinking about the day when Lord Ram was to return to Ayodhya. In an instant, he sent for his astrologers. His servants hurried forth and brought with them the astrologers. To those who came thus, Bharat enquired, "When did my elder brother say he was coming back?" They replied, "Today is the day that ends Lord Ram's exile." Hearing this Bharat swooned worried that Sri Ram had not returned. When he recovered, he suffered with the pain of not seeing Ram return. "When Ram realizes that today is the day he has to return, he will not remain in the forest knowing how great the love his mother Kaushalya showers on him and knowing how much I will suffer without seeing him. By chance, did anything really bad happen to him by any of his enemies? No, that cannot be. No one can stand against my brother be it the Divine Trinity or the people from the three worlds (Heaven, Earth and the Netherworld)."

Bharat thought further, "Did he think that my mind would sway towards the desire for the kingdom and thought that I would continue to rule if he did not return?" (Sorry for the winding sentence, I couldn't put it better). Bharat finally came to a decision. "Whatever it may be - whether he stays in the forest believing me to be a sinner or let him return to this country. I am not going to suffer any longer in the anxiety of waiting and thinking about my brother. I will end my suffering and (along with) my life. He ordered his servants, "Tell my brother Shathrugan to come to me."

Originally posted by: Mallika113

Vibs, wonderful translation, dear!👏👏👏 You have spent your precious time to do this! I really love this part of Ramayan! Now can't wait to watch Ramji's return! It will be so good!😊

Part 2 of Lord Ram's welcome from the Kamba Ramayana - Bharat prepares to give up his life.

The men went to Shathrugan and informed him of Bharat's orders and he hastened to his brother and stood before him bowing respectfully. With tears streaming from his eyes Bharat embraced his brother dearly and said, "My dear one, I am asking you something - it is worthy of being granted. Lord Ram has not come back on the day he said he would. Hence, I would end my life by entering the pyre now. Without refusing, accept this kingdom and become the king." Shathrugan was shocked on hearing these words from his elder brother. He closed his ears with both his hands and suffered as if he had consumed the poison that was fed (force-fed) to him by others. His senses reeled and he fell on the ground, weeping and then stood up sighing deeply. "What wrong did I commit to you who has sunk deep in the ocean of suffering?" Saying thus he looked up flaming anger (on hearing such words). Then looking at his brother with affection (like a mother looks at her child), he said further, "Sri Ram gave up his kingdom for a younger brother and a younger brother (Lakshman) followed him to protect him. Another younger brother (Bharat) wants to give up his life as Lord Ram has not returned after the end of the exile. Born with such brothers, would I accept and rule the kingdom without shame? What a rule it would be? Good (sarcastic), isn't it? If I remain alive, go into the city and rule after you have died, brother, I would obtain the great sin of capturing the kingdom by force (from my elder brother) and ruling it." Bharat replied (in an attempt to console his brother), "The reason for Sri Ram not coming back here even now is that I have consented and accepted the kingdom and I'm still ruling it. Isn't it so? If this is so, then, if I die, he would not abandon this kingless kingdom. Then he would not have any reason not to return to Ayodhya. Yes, he will surely come back and rule. Hence, build the fire for me to give up my life." (Poor guys, I feel sorry for them both - more sorry for Shathrugan).

This news reached Kaushalya, who had given birth to Hari (Ram) and was a very chaste woman. She came to the spot screaming, "The whole world will die, if you sacrifice your body to the fire, my son!" With hot tears streaming down her face, diminished in body, she came running to stop Bharat jumping into the fire. Ministers, Generals, relatives (women ? I think its Mandvi and Shruthkirti and other female relatives if any - it was described as those who wear bangles or it may have been those who live in the surrounding city), Brahmans, city folk and others followed her (Kaushalya) with their hands raised above their heads (in prayer that Bharat should not kill himself) reached the place. Kaushalya, who had hastened to stop Bharat from dying, reached Bharat crying and wailing (the devas headed by Indra, the great sages, the heavenly maidens worshipped her and paid obeisance to her). Kaushalya, with her long tresses cascading and rolling on the ground, eyes raining down tears and faltering due to her diminished frame, stood in front of Bharat. Bharat was taken aback by seeing her in that state. He, then, fell at her feet and rose.

Kaushalya embraced Bharat who had thus fallen at her feet with her heart full of love and spoke, "It was fate that made the emperor breathe his last due to the pain of separation from his son and Ram leave for the forest - this is the result of the sins of our previous lives. When we analyse the situation, it is due to fate that Ram had not reached Ayodhya on the day he had told he would. My son, what were you going to do! If you enter the fire, the citizens of the country will do the same. The kings and armies who are under us will do the same. Not only us, your mothers, will do the same, the best (good) dharma in the world will also have fallen into the fire. The world will be traumatized. My dear, your deeds have always been on the path of dharma to all our eyes, never the other way. You never ever realized your greatness (even a little). Will crores and crores of Ram put together be equal to you (to your love)? If the epitome of sacredness (your life) leaves the body, the earth, heaven and all lives that live there will not survive. If he (Ram) did not come today, he will come to you tomorrow. Do not think that he will not return to you (as promised). If he does not return, then it will be confirmed that something had befallen him. You have learned well all the shaasthraas. A person lie you should not enter the fire and cause all lives to be annihilated. My son - death, separation (from some people) and their rebirth due to attachment with the earthly plane (to their possessions or people), and then considering it their duty forgetting (or rather becoming oblivious to such ties) the affection of their loved ones and renouncing the world are those that give strength (sturdiness) to life." Saying thus, Kaushalya, the pure one, tried to convince and console Bharat.

Bharat replied, "Mother, do not think that your son has spoken against you. I will not consent to live when my deeds make Lord Ram's truthful words and the deeds of those of the Solar Race become false. I, too, am the son of Dasharath who gave up his life for his promise and reached heaven. Is it Sri Ram's task alone to uphold the words of father? It is right that the other sons too uphold the promise made by their father. Obeying the words of father, mother and following them, the Lord (Ram) may have forgotten the love he had for those who had loved him and had great affection for him. I will never consent to do that (like Ram - Bharat means that he was not ready to continue living when Ram had not returned. I may have messed up the explanation here - apologies). I will give up my life and show the world I'm sinless."

Saying thus, he neared the pyre with the others who were worried by his state, worshipped the pyre and prepared to enter it.

Originally posted by: Vibhishna

Friends, sorry for delaying so much on the next posts, but I thought it would be better to post the rest after the episodes in which Sri Ram's entry into Ayodhya is shown. I'll post the rest of it in a couple of days after the episode has been telecast.

Back again with more from the Kambaramayana . . .