Chapter
6 (b)
The Call and the first Victory
As
soon as they reached the main gate of the palace, people
heard heavenly drums and clarions resounding from the
sky. A shower of flowers rained upon them. As they moved
along, the music of conches rose from every doorstep; the
peal of trumpets was heard from every few yards of the
road. They appeared to men, women and children, to the
citizens of all ages, as two cubs trotting behind an
elderly lion. No one knew why the princes were walking
barefoot and leaving the palace with the celebrated sage;
so, each one started asking his neighbour what the
mission was on which they were bound. The ministers,
courtiers and citizens accompanied them only as far as
the City Gate, for, that was the royal command. There,
they bade farewell to the princes and turned
back.
Thereafter, they
continued their journey, Viswamitra leading the way, Rama
close behind him and Lakshmana bringing up the rear. They
saw the lines of charming trees on both sides of the
track; they filled themselves with the beauty of Nature
that revealed itself before their eyes. When they had
trekked some distance, they entered a jungle devoid of
human habitation. Viswamitra ordered that they should
wear from then on, wrist guards and finger guards of
leather; he asked them to take on hand the bows slung on
the shoulder and hold them in readiness. Thus equipped,
they moved along the silent terror-striking forest,
through the tangled bushes, fearless and effulgent, as if
they were the monarchs of the region. Soon, they reached
the river Sarayu. The sun was preparing to set; so,
Viswamitra called Rama and Lakshmana near him and spoke
to them soft and sweet words, "Darlings! Go to the river
without further delay and have the ceremonial washing of
hands and feet. I shall now impart to you two mystic
formulae, (Mantra), which form the crown jewels of all
mantras. They are named Bala and Athi-Bala (strength and
super-strength). They are both charged with tremendous
power. They will restore freshness to you, however
exhausted you may be; they will prevent exhaustion
however heavily you exert yourselves; they will not allow
illness to approach you; they will save you from demoniac
forces. Again, whenever you are journeying, they will, if
you recollect them, keep away hunger and thirst, bestow
exhilarating health and shower joy and enthusiasm. They
will strengthen limbs and minds. Rama! These two mantras
are supreme over all other Mantras; they are more
effulgent and efficacious than the rest." Viswamitra
expatiated upon the potency of the Mantras for a long
while. Rama had no need to be told of them; he listened
with apparent surprise and with wonder-filled eyes.
Lakshmana, meanwhile, was watching both the Sage and
Rama, laughing within himself!
This incident is a good
lesson for the world, wherein Rama had come to revive
Dharma. It is a lesson Rama taught by his behaviour,
rather than by words.
"Maya is
inescapable for any one however great; it will turn them
upside down in a moment; it will not loosen its grasp so
long as the victim is engrossed in the belief that he is
the 'body'; it will not be frightened by the name or
fame, the skill or intelligence of the person it seeks to
possess. Only when the individual discards name and form,
releases himself from body-consciousness and establishes
himself in the Atma, can he escape from the
misconceptions that Maya
inflicts."
This was that lesson!
For, note this! Viswamitra had these two powerful Mantras
in his control; he had accumulated a great store of
spiritual treasure; he had realized, in spite of his own
far-famed resources, that Rama alone had the might needed
to outwit and destroy the demoniac hordes intent on
disrupting the Yajna he was set on celebrating; he had
counseled Dasaratha against over-affection towards the
son, blinding him to the divine majesty of Rama; he had
announced that Rama was the guardian of the entire world;
he believed that there was no height of heroism that Rama
could not reach. Yet he was preparing to initiate those
very princes into some mystic mantras, as if they were
children of common stock. Surely, Viswamitra was shackled
by Maya! He had yielded to the delusion of judging by
apparent attributes; Rama laid bare the strength of the
stranglehold of Maya on the sage. For, it was He who had
shrouded Viswamitra's mind and made him enter proudly
upon these initiation rites! Rama and Lakshmana finished
their ablutions in the river, as directed by Viswamitra.
The sage came to Rama and initiated Him into the two
mantras. Rama pronounced the formulae after the teacher,
and nodded his head as a novice should do, when a mantra
is taught. Lakshmana too did the same. They bowed their
heads as if they had agreed to be the 'disciples' of
Viswamitra. Soon it became dark and the brothers arranged
for themselves as beds the grass which grew thick on the
ground. After they laid themselves, Viswamitra sat by
their side and related tales of olden times. Soon the
boys appeared as if they had gone to sleep, as a result
apparently of the exhaustion of tramping long distances
on foot. Viswamitra stopped his story and was lost in
thought about his own destiny and destination.
Meanwhile, daylight
broke across the land. Multi-coloured birds flitted from
branch to branch on the tree, under which the two
brothers were sleeping, singing sweetly, as if they were
intent on awakening Rama and Lakshmana! It was to the ear
the music of aerial minstrels. But they could not rouse
the sleepers! So, Viswamitra accosted Rama and announced
that dawn had arrived. "Awake", he said. Rama sat up; he
awakened Lakshmana who was in bed by his side, and both
fell at the feet of the sage. They finished their morning
ablutions in the Sarayu river; they took the sacred water
in their palms and let it down again uttering hymns in
praise of the Goddess of the River. Then, they bathed in
the river and performed thereafter the Sandhya
rite, involving
the recitation of the Gayatri-mantra.
[Sung
by Baba:
Om Bhur Bhuva Svaha/Tat Savitur Varenyam/Bhargo Devasya
Dhimahi/Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat]
Soon they got ready for
the journey and stood before the sage, with arms folded.
Viswamitra asked, "Dear ones! Now we can move towards our
hermitage, can't we"? And Rama replied, "We await your
command"! So, they started walking, with the sage in
front and the brothers behind. Soon, they reached the
confluence of the Sarayu with the Ganga. The brothers
prostrated before the holy river, and cast their eyes all
around the holy spot. They saw a hermitage, with heavenly
vibrations pervading the surroundings. It struck them as
very ancient and full of hoary associations. Lakshmana
questioned the sage, "Master! Who lives in that holy
hermitage? What is the name of the great personage who
dwells there"? The sage smiled at the inquiry.
He
said, "Dear Ones! God Siva had come here long ago with
His divine attendants, to engage in austerities prior to
His wedding Parvathi. While He was fulfilling His Divine
obligations from here, Manmatha (the God of Love)
obstructed the spiritual practices and caused anger to
sprout in the Divine Heart. He opened His Third Eye,
which threw such searing flames that Manmatha was burnt
into ash. His body was destroyed and so, he is known now
as 'limbless', Ananga. The word for a limb is anga; since
Manmatha lost his angas here, in this region, this part
of the country is known ever after as Anga! This is a
rich region. This hermitage was used by Siva and it is
being used since, by generations of His devotees, each of
whom has merged in Him as the fruit of arduous
asceticism. This hermitage will accept as residents only
strict followers of the Dharmic Path. If you so desire,
we shall spend the night here and start out again, after
a bath in the Ganga". Rama and Lakshmana could not
contain their delight when Viswamitra came forward with
this proposal. They said, "We are very happy" and
accepted the idea. They bathed in the holy Ganga.
Meanwhile, the news that Viswamitra was available near
their residences and that he had with him two heroic sons
of the Emperor spread wide and many rushed to welcome
them and receive them in their own hermitages.
That night, the Sage
and the Princes stayed at the Asram of Siva; they fed on
fruits and roots; they watched with interest the
activities of the hermitage. The Princes listened to the
stories narrated by Viswamitra; time floated fast in that
flood of Bliss. As soon as day dawned they had their bath
and ablutions and lovingly took leave of the hermits.
Then they walked on, the two disciples following the
Guru. They had to cross the Ganga River and so, some
people of that area rowed them across and set them on the
other bank. Thereafter, they reverentially bade farewell
and fell at the feet of Viswamitra, before they returned.
Viswamitra was gratified at this act of hospitality; he
appreciated the depth of their devotion and their sense
of surrender; he allowed them to depart, loaded with
blessings.
Just then, a noise as
of a rumbling subterranean flood sweeping over the land
battered their ears. They saw the waters of the river
raging and rising, with long chains of white foam on the
crest of the waves. Rama asked the sage, "Master! Why is
it that all of a sudden the angry flood has filled the
basin and how could they surge so fast and so high?" The
sage replied, "Rama! The full and furious Sarayu falls
into the calm quiet Ganga at this place; hence this
reverberation and this rumbling!" The sage uttered these
words coolly and casually. It was a familiar scene for
him. He continued, "Rama! In ages gone by, on one
occasion, Brahma willed and a great lake was immediately
formed near Mount Kailas. This is known as
Manasa-sarovar;
the word means the sarovar (lake) of Manasa (the mind).
The gods named it so. When the snows melt and the rains
fall, the lake gets overfull and the flow from out of the
sarovar becomes the Sarayu river, running by the side of
Ayodhya towards the Ganga. The Sarayu is a sacred river,
because the waters rise from the lake willed by Brahma
Himself". They proceeded on their way listening to the
thrilling stories that lighted every river and spot of
land.
Now they entered a
thick dark forest. It aroused a sense of terror. Rama
asked the Master, "No sign of man having ever traversed
this forest is seen!" Before he could get the answer, an
eerie succession of roars from the angry throats of a
huge herd of animals - tigers, lions, leopards and a host
of lesser wild life - captured their attention. It
appeared as if the earth was being torn asunder! They
also saw wild animals engaged in mortal fight with
others, some running into thickets, away from the scene
of violent death. The forest was the home of close-grown
trees that reached the skies and spread their shades
thick over the ground - the banyan, the deodar, the pine,
the holy fig.
There was no path to
guide the feet; they had to clear a track for progress.
Lakshmana could not contain his curiosity; he asked
Viswamitra, "Master! Who rules this fearful forest? What
is its name?" The Master replied, "Lakshmana! where this
jungle has grown, there were formerly two little
kingdoms, Malada and Karosa. They shone like the region
of the gods; in fact, people spoke of the area as having
been specially created and fostered by the gods. They
relate a story about the place. When the God Indra killed
Vritra, [See: Srimad
Bhagavatam, C6:Ch.9-12]
He suffered the contamination of sin and as a
consequence, he was stricken with insatiable pain of
hunger. Indra was brought in that pathetic condition by
the sages of this region, and given a bath in the holy
Ganga. After that immersion, they poured on His Head pots
and pots of Ganga water, uttering all the while, holy
hymns and formulae. With that, the sin (of killing a
person of high caste) was washed away.
"Brahma was delighted
that the contamination (Mala) as well as the cry (Krosa)
of hunger ended. So, He named these kingdoms as Malada
and Karosa. The kingdoms, too, rose to fame with his
blessing. The gods willed that the two areas be
resplendent with grain and gold, and all means of plenty
and prosperity.
"Meanwhile, a cruel
ogress named Thataki appeared in this region and she
started laying waste the rich and peaceful land. She was
a Yakshini who could transform herself into any form she
liked. It is rumoured that as she was born, she was
endowed with the prowess of a thousand elephants! She
brought forth a son named Maricha. He had the might and
heroism of Indra himself. Mother and son jointly caused
tremendous havoc and disaster. The jungle in which that
vile ogress lives is at a distance of a yojana (nine
miles) and a half from here. She reduced these two
wealthy valleys Malada and Karosa into this dreaded
wilderness. Out of fear the cultivators of its fertile
fields fled in terror at her approach and so the jungle
crept on and on. The thickly populated cities and
villages were deserted and ruined, leaving no trace of
human habitation. She could not be captured or destroyed,
for, she could escape from all attempts to destroy her.
No one has yet dared to put an end to her depredations. I
cannot think of any one except you (yes, my deepest
intuition says so), no one except you can destroy this
monster possessing such overwhelming might. These two,
the vicious mother and son, lead and guide the demons to
disrupt and pollute the Yajnas and sacred rituals of the
hermits."
The words of Viswamitra
moved the feelings of Rama. He could not contain within
himself the anger that surged up. With great humility and
reverence, he said, "0 great among ascetics! I have heard
that the Yakshas are of poor might; besides, this Thataki
is a female; hers is the weaker sex; how could she
terrorize entire populations so? Wherefrom did she
acquire all this power? How could she reduce this region
to rack and ruin when it has been blessed by Brahma and
the Gods? This is indeed astounding. It is something that
is beyond the bounds of belief". Viswamitra said, "Rama!
I shall explain. Listen! There was, in the past, a Yaksha
named Sukethu. He was as rich in virtues as in prowess.
He had no child to succeed him and so, he practiced
severe austerities to propitiate the Gods and receive
their blessings. At last, Brahma was pleased with his
austerity; He appeared before him; He blessed him that He
will get a daughter, with extraordinary strength,
cleverness and skill. Sukethu was elated at this boon,
though it was to be a daughter, not a
son.
"Sukethu returned and a
daughter was born to him, as anticipated. The child grew
fast and strong. Though it was of the weaker sex, through
the grace of Brahma, it had the might of a thousand
elephants; she was moving about, with no law or limit, as
if she owned all she saw! She was a very charming girl
and so, Sukethu, sought far and wide for an equally
charming groom; finally, he secured one; his name was
Sunda; and, Sukethu gave her in marriage to him. Three
years later, she gave birth to a son; he is Maricha,
about whom I told you. Mother and son have become
invincible in combat. Sunda started off on his demonic
adventures and attempted to ruin the Yajnas of sages and
so, he incurred the wrath of the great Agasthya. He
hurled a curse on the vile fellow, which killed him and
saved the sages from further grief. In revenge, Thataki
took her son along, and fell upon the hermitage of
Agasthya. Agasthya had forewarning of this attack; so, he
cursed them both to be reduced to the status of ogres.
This enraged them more; they roared abuses and advanced
frightfully with blood-red eyes against Agasthya!
Agasthya felt that delay would be dangerous; he cursed
Thataki that she should lose her charm and become an ugly
fright! He willed that she become a cannibal! She was not
subdued by the curse, but, she continued the attack with
renewed ferocity. So, Agasthya escaped from the ravage
and went to a safer place. Angered by this
disappointment, Thataki spent her ire on this region
(Malada and Karosa) destroying crops and gardens and
reducing it to a big jungle."
When this tale was
told, Rama said, "Master! Since she was born as a
consequence of Brahma's boon, and as a gift for
austerity, she had all these skills and strength; she
misused them and drew upon herself the wrath and the
curse. The sin of killing a woman is, as mentioned in the
scriptures, very heinous, isnt it? Agasthya must
have let her off with the curse of ugliness, for this
very reason. Or else, could not the great sage who caused
the husband to die kill the wife also? I have heard that
warriors should not be so mean as to kill women. Tell me
what I should do now; I am prepared to obey".
Viswamitra was happy
that Rama put these qualms dictated by Dharma. "I am not
ignorant of the fact that the killing of a woman is a
heinous sin. Nevertheless, the protection of spiritually
progressive men - the Brahmins, the virtuous, as well as
cows - this is important. Dharma is intertwined with
these three. There is no sin when the act is done for the
promotion of Dharma and the removal of Adharma. Don't you
know the dictum, 'Dharmo rakshathi rakshithah'; Dharma
saves those who save it? This is not violence used for
one's aggrandizement. When violence is used for
preserving the peace and prosperity of the world, I
assure you, it cannot draw down any bad reaction.
Moreover, creation, preservation and dissolution are
expressions of Divine law; they happen according to the
Divine will. They are not bound by the whims of man. You
are Divine Manifestations. You have the authority and the
duty. No dirt can stick to fire; so too, no sin can
contaminate the Divine. The will that creates, the
obligation that protects, can also carry out the duty to
punish. The punishment that awaits the sins of the mother
and her son cannot be avoided; It must be considered
fortunate that Thataki ends her life at your hands today,
before she adds to the heap of sins for which she has to
suffer much. You will only be serving her best interests
and the interests of the country; this is neither wrong
nor sinful. If you entertain the feeling of compassion
now, it would cause unlimited damage to the world; it
would be promoting the decline of Dharma; it would help
Thataki to indulge in more sins. Why should I dwell more
on this point and relate to you thousand arguments? I
have seen all, through my spiritual eye; you have
incarnated in human form to destroy the Rakshasa brood.
This is your mission, your task. You have to carry it out
today and throughout your career. The guardianship of
Dharma, and the destruction of the Rakshasas, (people
with demonic tendencies) are the very purposes which have
persuaded you to take birth! I knew this truth; that is
the reason why I rushed to you for help; or else, why
should I seek your support and service? Hermits,
anchorites, and those performing austerities in forest
retreats, entreat the help of the rulers of the land for
the sake, not of themselves, but of the whole world. They
give up attachment, and sustain themselves on the roots
and fruits gathered by them; after some months or years
of this regimen, they harden their lives even more, so
that they may lose the body-consciousness and merge in
the Light; why should such people worry over what happens
to the world? But, the Wise, the Realized, besides saving
themselves by the illumination of revelation, endeavour
to tell others the path they have trodden, the glory of
the goal they have reached, to persuade others to
practice the disciplines that made them ready to receive
the Truth. If the Wise care only for themselves and their
liberation what is to happen to the world? People will
descend further into iniquity, that is all. Dharma will
be submerged. Hermits keep up relationship with the world
for this reason, not for quenching any private craving of
theirs. They live as the lotus on water. They may be
entangled in the world, for all appearances; but, they
have no attachment with the world. They will not allow
the world to tarnish them. Their aim is one and one only:
the progress and welfare of the world. They attend only
to the fostering of Dharma. They depend only on
God."
When Viswamitra bared
the truth in these words, Rama responded as if he was a
novice, unacquainted with all that he had heard. He said:
"The world will not understand that the words of hermits
and sages have holy significances embedded in them. I
interrogated you on the morality of this act so that we
may know how you elaborate on the justice of the act. Do
not read any other meaning into my question. My father,
Dasaratha, told me to obey Viswamitra the Sage and do
what he commands. I wish to follow what my father orders.
You are a great Rshi.
You have undergone severe austerities. When such as you
declare that Thataki can be killed without incurring sin
and that the act is just and moral, I know I do not
commit wrong. I am ready to carry out any task you impose
on me for fostering Dharma and for promoting the welfare
of the people". So saying, he held the bow in his hand,
and tested the tightness of the string, producing a sound
that echoed and re-echoed from the ten directions. The
entire jungle was awakened; wild animals fled far and
wide. Thataki was shocked by the unusually loud and
awesome sound; she was inflamed with rage at this
disturbing phenomenon; she rushed towards the place
wherefrom it emanated! Rama saw the monster moving
towards him like a mountain lurching or a huge wild
elephant charging. He smiled and told Lakshmana,
"Brother! Look at this mass of ugliness! Can common man
survive the sight of this devilish personality? The very
appearance is terrible! What are we then to say of its
might? And, it is a woman! My mind does not fully
co-operate with me when I resolve to kill it! I believe
this monster will die, if its hands and legs are cut
apart, that may be enough to destroy it".
Thataki was rushing
towards Rama with outstretched arms, so that she could
grasp him and put him into her mouth like a piece of
cake! She was roaring wildly and in terror-striking
excitement. Viswamitra was praying, with eyes closed,
that the brothers may not suffer harm in this combat.
Thataki moved nearer and nearer to Rama, but with greater
and greater reluctance, for, in his presence, she felt a
strange kind of shock. Once or twice, she went near Rama,
but, she had to retreat fast. She jumped about in fury,
angry at herself! The dust kicked up by her rendered the
area dark and suffocating. Rama, Lakshmana and Viswamitra
stood silent and inactive for a while. Thataki was an
adept in the art of delusion and destruction. She created
a heavy rain of rocks. Rama now decided that the ogress
should no longer be allowed to live on earth; she cannot
be pardoned on the score of feminity! So, he drew his bow
and shot an arrow at the body of the invisible Thataki
identifying where exactly it was at the time. At this,
she rushed once again at Rama. Her two arms were cut down
by his arrows. She fell on the ground, crying in agony
and pain. Lakshmana cut off her limbs, one by one. But,
Thataki could adopt form after form, as she liked. So,
she gave up one form and assumed another quickly and
reappeared fresh and furious before them! She pretended
to be dead, but soon came up alive! She adopted a variety
of forms at the same time and started her old trick of
the shower of rocks. She exhibited her wicked talents and
evil tricks. Rama and Lakshmana received a few injuries,
however watchful they were. Seeing this, Viswamitra felt
that there should be no more delay, and that she must be
killed straightaway. He said, "Rama! Do not hesitate!
This is not the moment to consider her womanhood and show
concessions! Removal of her limbs will not benefit. So
long as there is life these Rakshasas can adopt any
number of forms. Therefore, kill her! When evening
approaches, her dark rage will swell even more. After
sunset, it becomes impossible to encounter Rakshasas,
whoever might attempt to do so. She must be destroyed
within that hour." Saying this, Viswamitra uttered some
sacred mantras that ensure protection and grant
safety.
Rama too directed his
own thoughts and through his power of guiding arrows in
the direction from where the sound emanates he recognized
where Thataki was and shot an arrow fast at that target.
The arrow had the effect of binding her limbs and
preventing her from making the slightest movement. At
this, Thataki shrieked most ferociously, and putting out
her terrible tongue, attempted to fall upon Rama and
Lakshmana and crush them under her weight. On this, Rama
decided that delay will invite worse consequences; he
shot a fatally sharp arrow right into the chest; with
that, she rolled on the ground and gave up her
life.
The
earth showed a huge crater where she fell. Trees were
uprooted by the impact of the gigantic mass, when she
rolled in agony. Her last gasp of breath was so weird and
loud that the wild beasts of the forest fled; herds of
animals ran helter skelter. When the awful demoness fell
dead, Viswamitra called Rama near, and stroking his hair
lovingly, said, " Son! Were you afraid? No! No! How can
the saviour of all the worlds be afraid? This feat is the
foundation stone; it ensures the stability of the
mansion. Come, you are tired. The sun too has set.
Perform the evening worship and rest awhile. Come with
me". He took them to the river, and later, he told them,
"Children! We shall rest here for the night and we can
proceed to our hermitage at dawn". They spent the night
listening to the stories that Viswamitra related; the
Master also revealed to them their own faculties and
latent majesty.
The dawn broke. The
sage went through the morning ablutions, and approached
the sleeping brothers with a benign smile. He spoke soft
and sweet words to them. "Rama! I am delighted at your
heroism! When you were overcoming that demoness Thataki,
I comprehended the truth of your being the Absolute.
Really, I am very fortunate." Viswamitra shed tears of
joy. He held forth all the mystic weapons he possessed,
and the mantras which shape and sustain them, and in a
swift act of dedication he placed them all in the hands
of Rama. "I have no authority to wield these weapons; of
what avail are they for me, even if I have them in my
possession? You are the master and wielder of all
weapons. They too will be most pleased when they are with
you, for, they can fulfill their destiny best while with
you. Note this! From this moment, all the weapons I
commanded so far shall be your instruments, available for
the mission on which you have come", he said, pouring
holy water with appropriate mantras, indicative of an
irrevocable surrender of their ownership.
Thus, he offered to
Rama the Dandachakra, the Dharmachakra, the Kalachakra,
the Indrastra, the Vajrastra, the Siva-inspired Trisula,
Brahmasirastra, Aishikastra and the most mighty and
destructive of all, the Brahmastra. Then, he sat silent
for a while, with eyes closed. He rose with the words,
"Now, what have I to do with these too?" And he gave Rama
two powerful maces, Modak and Sikhar. He said. "After
reaching our Asram, I shall bring out other weapons too -
the Agni missile, (Agni-astra), the Krauncha missile, the
Narayana missile, the Vayu missile and others. "Sons, he
said, "All these weapons are at the beck and call of the
master; they are amazingly overpowering. "Thus saying, he
whispered into Rama's ear the mystic formulae which can
materialize and activate them, and direct them towards
the targets with incalculable fury. He asked him to
recite the formulae under his supervision. Before long,
Rama was able to visualise the deities presiding over
each of the divine missiles and weapons and receive their
grateful homage. Each deity presented itself before Rama
and fell prostrate before him. Each one said, "Rama! We
are your servants from this moment. We all vow and affirm
that we shall abide by your commands." Then they
disappeared, awaiting further summons.
Rama was glad at this
development; he touched the Sage's feet, saying, "Master!
your heart is the treasure chest of renunciation. You
are, I realize, the Divine embodiment of Thyaga
(detachment)
and Yoga (conquest of the senses). Or will any one else
renounce and gift away such an array of potent hard-won
weapons? Master! Please delight me by counseling the
manner in which I can withdraw the weapons after they
have wrought the intended havoc. You have now taught me
the formulae for unleashing them. I desire to know how I
can recover them". At this, Viswamitra felt elated; he
said: "These forces and weapons like Sathyakeerti,
Drshta, Rabhasa, Pitrsomasa, Krsana, Virasya, Yougandha,
Vidhootha, Karaveeraka Jrmbhaka - are automatically
recoverable by the exercise of the will of the bowman
using them, expressed through mantras, which I shall
communicate to you now." He then initiated him into
those formulae also. When they were pronounced, the
deities so propitiated, appeared and prostrated to their
new Master. Rama told them that they have to be ready
when called, and that they could meanwhile be at
ease.
Viswamltra then
proposed to resume the journey and the three of them
started footing their way along. A little distance later,
they entered a region of high-peaked hills; their eyes
fell on a charming garden, the fragrance of which
welcomed them and refreshed their bodies and minds. The
brothers were curious to know who owned that lovely spot.
They asked the Sage to enlighten them. Viswamitra
replied, "Son! This is the holy area which the gods
choose when they come down on earth to practice austerity
for the success of their desires. The great Kasyapa did
penance here and won his goal. The place confers victory
on all holy efforts. So it is named, Siddhasram, the
Hermitage of Achievement! I have myself taken residence
here, with the intention of cultivating Dedication and
Surrender. This hermitage is the target of attack for
demons who intercept and befoul every holy rite done
here. You have to destroy them when they attempt their
nefarious tactics". So saying, Viswamitra entered that
heart-warming seat of peace. He placed his arm on Rama's
shoulder caressingly and said, "This Asram is as much
yours from today, as it was mine until now"; the hoary
sage shed tears of gratification as he uttered those
words. Even as they stepped into the Siddhasram, the
residents ran forward with eager haste to wash the feet
of the Master and offer water for ablutions to Rama and
Lakshmana.
They scattered flowers
along the path towards the Asram and led them to the
door. They offered them fruits and sweet cool drink. They
proposed to Rama and Lakshmana that they should take rest
in a cottage specially allotted to them and made ready
for their use. They did accordingly and after the rest,
which refreshed them a great deal, they washed their feet
and faces and came to the Sage Viswamitra, to know his
instructions. They stood before the Teacher with arms
folded and said, "Master! Can Yajna
which you have willed to perform be inaugurated
tomorrow?" Viswamitra was elated at this query; he
replied, "Yes! Everything is ready! In this Siddhasram,
it is so always. There is no need to wait for
preparations to be completed. We are always ready. I
shall take the prescribed vow, when dawn breaks
tomorrow". The news spread and every one set about the
task of collecting all that was necessary for the great
event. Dawn broke. Viswamitra took the vow of initiation
and the Yajna began. As Skanda and Visakha stood guard
for the Gods, the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana stood
resolutely determined to encounter all who attempted to
interfere with its due performance. Since it was improper
to speak to Viswamitra who was engaged in the sacrificial
ceremony, Rama gestured to the other participants to find
out from them when the demon horde could be expected and
from which direction. They could only answer, "It is not
possible to say when and from where!" "The demons have no
regular timings; any moment they might pounce on us. Who
can predict the time of their onslaught?" The hermits
spoke to Rama about the demons, each according to his
estimate of their character and habits.
Rama was delighted at
the replies given by them; he decided that the wise
course would be to be ever vigilant and ready to beat
back the demon forces, who attempt to frustrate the
sacred ceremonies of hermits. He alerted his brother too.
They watched the four quarters very carefully and paid
attention to the slightest sound indicative of the
approach of danger. Recognising their bravery and
earnestness, the ascetics derived vast joy and wonder,
for, they were of tender age and lovely complexion,
barely out of the stage of boyish pranks!
For five days and
nights, the brothers kept unremittent guard over the
sacrificial site and the hermitage without a wink of
sleep or a moment of rest. The sixth day too started on
the same routine. Viswamitra was engaged in the Yajna,
immersed in the ritual exactitude of each item of the
ceremony. The rthwiks (reciters of hymns and other
participants) were engaged in their tasks of recitation,
oblations, and recitation.
Suddenly, they were
astounded by a thundrous noise that broke from the sky,
as if the firmament itself was exploding into fragments!
Fire emanated from everything on the sacrificial platform
- the kusa grass, the plates and cups, the holy vessels
holding ritual objects, the dry sticks which had to be
offered in the holy Yajna fire, the flowers, the kumkum
and other auspicious articles collected for the sake of
worshipping gods! The flames rose on all
sides!
Very soon, the sky was
overcast by dark fearsome clouds and the bright day
became a night of pitch darkness. Mysterious evil fumes
sped fast towards the place where the Yajna was being
performed! The sinister clouds started raining blood, and
the drops when they fell were welcomed by tongues of
flame which rose to receive them! Rama and Lakshmana
sought to locate the enemy demons amidst the
phantasmagoria of cruelty and hate. Rama, through His
Divine Vision, knew where the leading ogres, Maricha and
Subahu were, and he released the Manasa arrow in that
direction. It struck the breast of Maricha, and stopped
any further mischief from him. Next, he shot the
Agniastra (Fire-weapon) at Subahu and it got lodged in
the heart of Subahu. Rama understood that if their
corpses dropped on the holy region the hermitage itself
will be polluted; so, to prevent that sinful contact the
arrows of Rama carried the vicious bodies hundreds of
miles afar and cast them into the ocean! Maricha and
Subahu shrieked and groaned in unbearable agony and
struggled desperately amidst the waves; but they did not
die. The other leaders of the demon hordes fled for their
lives beyond the horizon. Lakshmana said that it was not
advisable to allow any demon to survive however cowardly
they might appear, for, they would soon return to their
wicked practices. So, he prompted Rama to kill off the
entire gang. The hermits who watched this great act of
heroism were elated with admiration; they believed that
the brothers were really Siva Himself, in His
terror-striking boon-conferring Form. They bowed in
reverence to them, in their own minds - for, they were
too young to accept their homage.
The forest put on the
vesture of brightness and joy, in a moment. Amidst all
the distractions, Viswamitra continued steadily and
without interruption the meditation on the deities and
the recitation of the holy hymns that were enjoined for
the Yajna! He never made even the slightest movement of
body or mind; such was the depth of his concentration!
The Valedictory Offering in the Sacred Fire was fulfilled
with correctitude and thankfulness. Then, Viswamitra came
smiling to where Rama and Lakshmana were standing. "0
praiseworthy heroes! You brought victory to my vow!
Through you, I have realised my life's desire. The name
of this Asram has been justified; it has become truly the
Hermitage of Achievement! he said". The sage shed tears
of joy; he fondled and caressed the boys; he proceeded
towards the hermitage with his hands placed on the
shoulders of Rama and Lakshmana; there, he gave them the
share of the holy offerings made at the sacrificial fire.
He asked them to retire and refresh themselves with a
little rest.
Though the fulfillment
of the purpose for which they had been brought was itself
the most effective restorative for their limbs and minds,
they felt that it would be improper to discard the
command of the Master and so, they retired and slept
soundly a long while. The Master removed himself to
another thatched cottage, to ensure undisturbed sleep for
them; he also instructed some men to keep guard so that
no one unwittingly created noise which might awaken them.
While the brothers were sleeping, Viswamitra was exulting
over the successful conclusion of the Yajna and the
Divine Prowess of Rama and Lakshmana. Meanwhile, Rama and
Lakshmana woke up and after washing face, hands and feet,
they came out through the door, to find there the boys of
the hermit families keeping guard, lest their sleep be
disturbed! They were informed that the Master was
conversing with the ascetics in another cottage. So, they
moved thither and fell at the sage's feet. Rising, they
stood with arms folded and said, "Great Teacher! If these
servants of yours have to do any other task, please
inform us and we shall gladly carry it out". At this, one
ascetic from the group stood up and addressed them thus,
"With the destruction of the demons, all that has to be
done has been accomplished. What else is there to be
done? The desire entertained by the Master, since years,
has been fulfilled. Nothing higher than this is needed.
You two are of the form of Siva-Sakthi. That is how you
appear to our eyes. You are no common mortals. It is our
good fortune that has given us this chance to see you.
Our gratitude knows no bounds". At this, the residents
touched the feet of Rama and Lakshmana.
contents
of this Vahini
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