March 9 - Sargas 38 and 39 of Uttara Kanda.
These two sargas disturb the chronological order a bit as they seem to refer to the days immediately after the Sri Rama Pattabhisheka. However, they hold some nuggets of Sri Rama's generosity.
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Sri Rama addresses King Janaka:
भवान्हि गतिरव्यग्रा भवता पालिता वयम् ।
भवतस्तेजसोग्रेण रावणो निहतो मया ॥
"Revered sir, you are indeed our safe haven, by your grace alone have we been protected all this time. It was only by your spiritual radiance and its beneficial support that Ravana could be destroyed by me."
Sri Rama offers the most generous gifts of jewellery and gold etc. to King Janaka prior to his departure. King Janaka graciously replies,
दुहुत्रे तान्यहं राजन्सर्वाण्यैव ददामि वै "Oh, King! I am indeed glad to see you in this felicitous circumstance. I hand over all these gifts and wealth you have so kindly offered me, to my daughter, here."
King Janaka is escorted by Prince Bharata to Mithila.
King Yudhajit, Bharata's uncle, now leaves for his Kekaya land, after Sri Rama reminds him that his aged father would be waiting anxiously for him. He also graciously declines the offer of generous gifts of wealth saying that it should be here in Ayodhya alone. He is escorted by Lakshmana. Valmiki says that after Sri Rama circumambulated Yudhajit reverentially, the king returned the gesture and circumambulated Sri Rama!
Similarly the King of Kashi is bid goodbye with gifts and expressions of gratitude.
Sri Rama now requests all the kings to take leave for their respective kingdoms. They had all been called apparently by Bharata to fight Ravana! They all reply that indeed they are happy Sri Rama has been victorious but they would have loved to join him in the righteous battle in Lanka to destroy Ravana and his people.
The various kings who have arrived have given copious tributes of wealth to King Sri Rama (as might have been the royal tradition) on his coronation. Sri Rama now distributes all that wealth among Sugriva, Vibhishana, and their people. Sri Rama has repeatedly shown his penchant for giving away wealth, and we saw this even prior to his departure for the forest at the time of his exile.
Sri Rama calls Angada and Hanuman to come and sit in his lap on the throne. He addresses Sugriva:
"Dear Sugriva, here is your glorious son, Angada. And here is your incomparable minister, Hanuman. I wish to thank them for their wise counsel and tireless efforts." Sri Rama removes precious ornaments from his own person and places them on Angada and Hanuman.
He adds to Sugriva that all the help he and his many vanara heroes rendered unstintingly made it possible for Sri Rama to meet with success. Sri Rama showers them all with generous gifts.
Sri Rama says, embracing all the vanara heroes with Sugriva like Nala Nila Dvivida Mainda Jambavan and so on,
युष्माभिरुद्धृतश्चाऽहं व्यसनात्काननौकसः ।
धन्यो राजा च सुग्रीवो भवद्भिः सुहृदां वरैः ॥
"Oh vanara heroes, I was indeed bolstered by all of you and helped to rise above all my troubles! Indeed King Sugriva is immensely blessed to have such capable, loyal, and affectionate lieutenants like you!"
The various kings, vanaras, and rakshasas who were Sri Rama's guests stayed for a month or two and enjoyed all royal hospitality and comforts of Ayodhya before they departed.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
