Monday 23 March 2015

Balakandam !! 73. Sita Rama Kalyana Ghattam/The celestial wedding of Rama & Sita !!

 
 
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yasmin Thu Divasey Raja Chakre Go Dhanam Uththamam |
Thasmin Thu Divasey Shuro Yudhajith Samupeyivan ||
Puthra: Kekaya Rajasya Sakshath Bharatha Mathula: |
Dhrushtva  Prushtva Cha Kushalam Rajanam Idham Abraveeth ||
Kekeya Adhipathi Raja Snehath Kushalam Abraveeth |
Yesham Kushalakamo Asi Thesham Samprathi Anamayam ||
Svashriyam Mama Rajendra Dhrushtu Kamo Mahipathi: |
Thatha Artham Upayatho Aham Ayodhyayam Raghunandana ||
 
The valorous King Yudhajith, brother of Kaikeyi and maternal uncle of Bharatha, arrived on the day of various charities done in abundance by King Dhasharatha.  King Yudhajith enquired the welfare of King Dhasharatha and spoke “ The ruler of Kingdom of Kekaya, your father-in-law enquired the wellbeing of all of you and they are all doing very well.  Oh! Rajendra, my father would like to see Bharatha, the son of my sister Kaikeyi that is why I have travelled to the city of Ayodhya.    Oh! Mahipathey, I have heard the news that you all have arrived in Mithila along with your sons for their marriage.  I had the intense desire to witness my sister’s son Bharatha and proceeded to Mithila.”  King Dhasharatha who finds immense pleasure in receiving his guests, invited Yudhajith with all the respect and honors.  On that night they all took pleasurable moments in the company of their sons.  On the next day after completing the early morning ritual, arrived in the hall where the Vedic ritual was proposed to conduct, keeping the eminent Sages at forefront. At the auspicious hour, Rama along with his brothers adorned in various jewels, tied the auspicious thread on their wrist before the prominent Sages.  Sage Vashishta said “ Oh! Narashreshta, King Dhasharatha performed the auspicious thread ceremony to their sons, and waiting for performing the remaining ceremony of marriage according to the Swadharma of the family of brides and bridegrooms”.  After listening to Sage Vashishta, King Janaka replied reverentially “Is there any need to wait for the permission to enter in to your own home? and I earnestly pray not to hesitate, Mithila is the Kingdom of yours as well.  Oh! Munishreshta,  my daughters are already present before the altar of Fire and well prepared to perform the thread ceremony, like the radiant blaze before the altar of Fire.  We are already waiting before the Altar of fire.  Let us perform the auspicious ceremony without any impediments.”  Soon King Dhasharatha entered with his four sons along with the assembled Sages.  King Janaka requested Sage Vashishta to perform the marriage ceremony of Rama.  In that grand marriage hall decked with flowers and various alluring fragrances and sandal paste,   there were various colors and patterns of vessels in Gold, earthen and various spatula and required materials to perform the ritual of fire along with necessary ingredients like Ghee, milk, water, yellow rice, sprouted pulses, rice flakes etc.. Sage Vishwamithra, Sage Vashishta, Sage Shathananda along with the eminent Sages took seat before the Altar of fire and sanctified all those materials kept before the fire of altar for the performance of auspicious ritual by sprinkling the yellow rice on them.  The resplendent Sage Vashishta overlaid the sacred grass with the Vedic chants in a particular order on the fire of alter; he prepared fire by rubbing the woods and placed it in the Altar.  Further, Sage Vashishta methodically poured the oblation to the fire along with the Vedic chants.  At that moment, King Janaka led Sita who was marvelously decked with various ornaments, before the fire of Altar and made her seated before Raghava.   King Janaka addressed to Rama who is the enhancer of delight of Kousalya,
 
“ Iyam Sita Mama Sutha Saha Dharma Chari  Thava ||
Prathiccha Cha Yenam Badhram They  Panim Gruhanishva Panina |”
 
“This is my daughter Sita, I shall wish you to accept her as your better half to perform all the righteous deeds with you, let safeness be with you and take her palm into yours.  She will be a chaste wife to you and will follow you like your shadow.”  After saying so, King Janaka poured water into Rama’s hands followed by Vedic hymns.  The divine drum beats were followed, deities and the sages assembled were showered flowers on the newly wedded divine couple.  King Janaka was in a state of ecstacy, at the successful completion of the wedding of his daughter.  Further, King Janaka offered Urmila’s hands to Lakshmana, Mandavi’s hands to Bharatha and Shruthakirthi’s hands to Shathrungna respectively.  King Janaka said “ Oh! Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shathrunga, virtuous brothers from the Kakustha Dynasty, please proceed for the further ceremony without lapse of time.”  All the four bridegrooms followed by their brides, holding their hands into their, sincerely performed additional ceremonies at the instructions of Sage Vashishta, along with the recitation of Vedic hymns, the bridegrooms and brides performed circumambulation of sacred fire, Sages and King Janaka and the family of Raghu’s dynasty.  They have performed the remaining ritual according to the scriptures at the instruction of Sage Vashishta and fruitfully completed the custom.  The deities and sages were showered flowers, divine drum beats reverberated all over the place and celestial Apsaras were danced to the tune of mellifluous music of Gandharvas, in this way the grand marriage ceremony of divine couple were successfully completed.  The music and dance of celestial Gandharvas and celestial Apsaras were overflowed; the newly wedded couple took circumambulation of the sacred fire three times.  Shortly, the legatees of Raghu emerged from the wedding hall with their wives accompanied by families and Sages and Rishis.    King Dhasharatha affectionately looked at his sons and daughter-in-laws.
 
 
 
Jai Sriman Narayana !!