June 5 - Sargas 15 and 16 of Ayodhya Kanda.
Sage Valmiki is not in a hurry. He describes with great enthusiasm all the preparations and decorations done for the coronation. Teams of priests are assembled and ready for the ceremonies at the palace entrance. Citizens, merchants, administrators are all ready. Kings invited for the occasion haवe already arrived for the function and somewhat perplexed that it is well into the morning and yet the king has not made his appearance.
They stop Sumantra who is exiting the palace and ask what is the hold up. He replies, getting into the mood for the celebration like everyone else, that the king is about to come out and start the proceedings. In fact he has been asked to go and bring Sri Rama.
But now that Sumantra has seen the royal dignitaries from other kingdoms assembled here, and since he knows that Dasharatha wants to extend the best of reception to them, he wants to go back and update the king on their arrival.
We see this as an excuse for Sumantra to go back and check on the king. He goes into the Antahpura of Kaikeyi and approaches the king with the customary recitation of royal praises and incantations. Dasharatha stops him and says there is no need to wake him up as he is already wide awake. Why has Sumantra not gone and brought Sri Rama here yet as he was instructed earlier?
Sumantra murmurs that all the kings and priests and everyone else has arrived for the ceremonies. He shall hasten to bring Sri Rama.
Valmiki describes the gorgeous palace of Sri Rama which has been got up for the big day.
Sumantra beheld Rama's palace with two heavy-panelled doors. Adorned with hundreds of galleries, it had a peak mounted with golden idols. The arches were studded with different gems and corals. It looked like the Mount Meru. It was ornamented with excellent garlands, pearls and diamonds. It was filled with the captivating fragrance of sandalwood and aloe. Sarasa cranes and peacocks were singing sweetly. It attracted the minds and the eyes of all living beings with brilliant splendour and resembled Kubera's abode and Indra's celestial mansion.
Sumantra is ushered in when he informs that the king has sent him to Sri Rama.
Sri Rama is seated on his golden couch with Sita looking like Kubera himself.
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कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पिता त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति ।
महिष्यापि च कैकेय्या गम्यतां तत्र मा चिरम् ॥
Sumantra tells Rama, " Oh Rama, by bearing you the queen Kausalya has been blessed! Your father wants to see you. Along with the queen Kaikeyi, he is waiting. Please proceed without delay."
Sri Rama is gladdened to hear this. He says queen Kaikeyi has always been very fond of him and must be busy assisting the king in preparing for Rama's coronation. He says to Sita:
ध्रुवमद्यैव मां राजा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति ।
सह त्वं परिवारेण सुमुखास्स्व रमस्व च ॥
"Oh dear Sita, surely the king is going to make me Yuvaraja today itself. That is the reason for the summon, I shall proceed now. You please remain here very happily with your attendants and well-wishers".
पतिसम्मानिता सीता भर्तारमसितेक्षणा ।
आ द्वारमनुवव्राज मङ्गलान्यभिदध्युषी ॥
राज्यं द्विजातिभर्जुष्टं राजसूयाभिषेचनम् ।
कर्तुमर्हति ते राजा वासवस्यैव लोककृत् ॥
Sita, greatly acclaimed and loved by her husband Sri Rama, with her large black eyes, walked with him up to the main door, entertaining very auspicious thoughts of the occasion. She said, " May the king anoint you as his successor with the benedictions of Brahmanas, and may we together celebrate the great Rajasuya Yajna ( the merit earned by a king unchallenged by anyone else and therefore the supreme emperor). His anointing you today is like Brahma's anointing Indra."
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The poet narrates how all along the royal highway, people had assembled and were cheering and singing praises of Sri Rama, He proceeded in a fabulous chariot got up for the occasion. The ever-faithful brother Lakshmana rode with him standing guard.
स घोषवद्भिश्च हयैः सनागैः
पुरःसरैः स्वस्तिकसूतमागधैः ।
महीयमानः प्रवरैश्च वादकैः
अभिष्टुतो वैश्रवणो यथा ययौ ॥
Thus proceeded Rama (escorted by Sumantra and accompanied by prince Lakshmana) in his chariot to the king's palace on the royal highway, hearing incantations and proclamations of praise, with royal horses and elephants in the lead, with auspicious benedictions being said by Sutas and Magadhas (royal eulogisers), and delighted by live performances of excellent musicians, and receiving honour like god Kubera.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
