On an auspicious day of full moon, Dashratha decided to have a bath in the Ganges along with his sons. Dashratha gave away wealth to the poor.
The chariots sped like comets, accompanied by horsemen and priests. The sound of the movement covered the skies.
On their way, they came across the sage Narada. Narada asked where they were going, to which Dashratha said they were going to have a bath in Ganga.
Narada said You do not know about Rama. Having a look at his face is more then having a dip in the river. Rama is none other than Narayan from whose feet Ganga has originated. You look as Rama as your mortal son and have forgotten about his divinity.
Hearing this Dashratha decided to return back home. Rama then said there would be many who will try deviate one's path. If one has taken a decision, that needs to be adhered to.
Hearing this, Dashratha resumed his journey towards Ganga.
On the way they came across the Chandala Guhaka. Dashratha was passing through the Chandala territory which Guhaka did not like. He stopped them from proceeding further. A fight broke out. Guhaka said You are disturbing me and your army is destroying my land and fields. If you need to go to the river Ganges, choose an alternate path. If you so desire to proceed from this path only, show me your son Rama.
Guhaka started calling out to Rama, and scared for Rama's safety, Dashratha hid Rama in the chariot. Dashratha picked up his bow and he was about to shoot an arrow when he thought he would invoke a bad name if he killed a Chandala. If he let go, the Chandala would pick up a fight.
They started exchanging words and then arrows. Dashratha remembered a weapon called Pashupat. The weapon tied the Chandala with ropes. Dashratha then had the Chandala placed in his chariot.
Guhaka was thinking of Rama. He had obstructed the path only to have a glimpse of Rama, but so far he had not seen him. He thought of a way out. As his hands were tied, he started shooting arrows, holding the bow with one foot, and using the other foot to shoot.
Bharata saw this and reported to Rama about this. Rama curious wanted to see this and went to Guhaka and asked why he was doing thus.
Guhaka said Let me tell you about myself. When Dashratha did not have any sons, he had accidentally killed the son of a blind sage. As this was a death of a sage, the king had gone to his Guru, Vashistha for help and for a way to atone from the sin.
Vashistha was not there then, but I was, as the sage's son called Vamadeva. I had told the king to take your name three times. Hearing this my father had cursed me to become a Chandala. I had then asked what I had to do, to get relief from the curse. My father then said, I would be relieved the moment I saw Rama.
Rama embraced Guhaka.
Rama went to his father and asked for Guhaka to be released, to which Dashratha agreed readily.
Rama then asked Lakshmana to get some logs and start a fire.
When the fire was lit, Rama and Guhaka pledged friendship around the fire.
Guhaka left and Dashratha along with sons proceed towards Ganga.
After bathing, Dashratha distributed alms to the poor and to the brahmins.
When the sun set, Dashratha went to the hermitage of sage Bhardwaj nearby.
The sage was sitting in his hut when Dashrath entered along with four sons. The king with folded hands, presented his sons to the sage, and asked him to bless them.
The sage said Dashratha, you are lucky to have the one who is the father of all worlds as your son.
The sage had a vision of Vishnu standing instead of Rama, in his form of four hands. On his body, the sage saw, the other Gods sitting.
The sage took the king and the princes and asked them to rest for the night. All slept there.
When half of the night was over, the sage woke up. Indra had given a bow for Rama. The sage kept the bow and quiver near Rama's head. He had a dream where in he had been instructed to give the bow and the quiver to Rama.
In the morning Rama saw the bow and the quiver. The sage told Rama that Indra had left the bow for him. The quiver would always be full for arrows, and that was also for Rama.
Rama pleased showed them to Dashratha.
Taking leave of the sage, Dashratha left for Ayodhya.
The chariots sped like comets, accompanied by horsemen and priests. The sound of the movement covered the skies.
On their way, they came across the sage Narada. Narada asked where they were going, to which Dashratha said they were going to have a bath in Ganga.
Narada said You do not know about Rama. Having a look at his face is more then having a dip in the river. Rama is none other than Narayan from whose feet Ganga has originated. You look as Rama as your mortal son and have forgotten about his divinity.
Hearing this Dashratha decided to return back home. Rama then said there would be many who will try deviate one's path. If one has taken a decision, that needs to be adhered to.
Hearing this, Dashratha resumed his journey towards Ganga.
On the way they came across the Chandala Guhaka. Dashratha was passing through the Chandala territory which Guhaka did not like. He stopped them from proceeding further. A fight broke out. Guhaka said You are disturbing me and your army is destroying my land and fields. If you need to go to the river Ganges, choose an alternate path. If you so desire to proceed from this path only, show me your son Rama.
Guhaka started calling out to Rama, and scared for Rama's safety, Dashratha hid Rama in the chariot. Dashratha picked up his bow and he was about to shoot an arrow when he thought he would invoke a bad name if he killed a Chandala. If he let go, the Chandala would pick up a fight.
They started exchanging words and then arrows. Dashratha remembered a weapon called Pashupat. The weapon tied the Chandala with ropes. Dashratha then had the Chandala placed in his chariot.
Guhaka was thinking of Rama. He had obstructed the path only to have a glimpse of Rama, but so far he had not seen him. He thought of a way out. As his hands were tied, he started shooting arrows, holding the bow with one foot, and using the other foot to shoot.
Bharata saw this and reported to Rama about this. Rama curious wanted to see this and went to Guhaka and asked why he was doing thus.
Guhaka said Let me tell you about myself. When Dashratha did not have any sons, he had accidentally killed the son of a blind sage. As this was a death of a sage, the king had gone to his Guru, Vashistha for help and for a way to atone from the sin.
Vashistha was not there then, but I was, as the sage's son called Vamadeva. I had told the king to take your name three times. Hearing this my father had cursed me to become a Chandala. I had then asked what I had to do, to get relief from the curse. My father then said, I would be relieved the moment I saw Rama.
Rama embraced Guhaka.
Rama went to his father and asked for Guhaka to be released, to which Dashratha agreed readily.
Rama then asked Lakshmana to get some logs and start a fire.
When the fire was lit, Rama and Guhaka pledged friendship around the fire.
Guhaka left and Dashratha along with sons proceed towards Ganga.
After bathing, Dashratha distributed alms to the poor and to the brahmins.
When the sun set, Dashratha went to the hermitage of sage Bhardwaj nearby.
The sage was sitting in his hut when Dashrath entered along with four sons. The king with folded hands, presented his sons to the sage, and asked him to bless them.
The sage said Dashratha, you are lucky to have the one who is the father of all worlds as your son.
The sage had a vision of Vishnu standing instead of Rama, in his form of four hands. On his body, the sage saw, the other Gods sitting.
The sage took the king and the princes and asked them to rest for the night. All slept there.
When half of the night was over, the sage woke up. Indra had given a bow for Rama. The sage kept the bow and quiver near Rama's head. He had a dream where in he had been instructed to give the bow and the quiver to Rama.
In the morning Rama saw the bow and the quiver. The sage told Rama that Indra had left the bow for him. The quiver would always be full for arrows, and that was also for Rama.
Rama pleased showed them to Dashratha.
Taking leave of the sage, Dashratha left for Ayodhya.
Heart-felt thanks to publisher. I was looking for this story intensely for a few days.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this touching story
ReplyDelete