April 2 - Sargas 99 and 100 of Uttara Kanda.
Sri Rama's inward melancholy and outward conduct of royal affairs including the performance of several yajnas for many years. Kusha and Lava's growing up as royal princes.
Bharata's leading a large army with his sons Taksha and Pushkala for expanding his uncle's kingdom.
***
After Sri Rama's request to Sage Valmiki, princes Kusha and Lava started reciting the Uttara Kanda in Sri Rama's assembly from the next morning, much to the delight of all the exalted sages and others.
They sang thus:
प्रविष्टायां तु सीतायां भूतलं सत्यसम्पदा ।
तस्यावसाने यज्ञस्य रामः परमदुर्मनाः ॥
अपश्यमानो वैदेहीं मेने शून्यमिदं जगत् ।
शोकेन परमायस्तो न शान्तिं मनसागमत् ॥
"Devi Sita, by the power of her truth and purity, entered the rasatala. Thereafter, Sri Rama completed the Ashvamedha yajna he had undertaken, with his mind and heart plunged in sorrow. Having lost sight of Sita forever, Sri Rama saw the world as empty and meaningless. He was overcome with supreme sadness and experienced no peace within."
"Sri Rama completed the yajna and bade goodbye to all the guests including kings, vanaras, and rakshasas. He gave generous gifts and offerings to all the brahmins before they dispersed."
"Sri Rama went back to Ayodhya from the yajna site with his sons. He did not entertain any other women in his life after losing Sita. He conducted several yajnas in the succeeding years, all with Devi Sita's golden statue by his side. The entire country was full of prosperity and well-being, with all his subordinate kings, chiefs of vanaras, and rakshasas, all following his rule well. Thus Sri Rama was able to attend to his sole interest of performing Dharmic activities, mainly yajnas."
***
After many years of prosperity and peace, Sri Rama experienced the death of his mother Kausalya and later Kaikeyi and Sumitra. They all proceeded to heaven and joined his father King Dasharatha there.
Sri Rama performed the annual rites for his three mothers, his father, and his forefathers, without any discrimination and gave generous offerings to brahmins.
***
Sometime later, there was a message from the king of Kekaya, through Brahmarshi Gargya, son of Angiras. Gargya was the chief priest of Yudhajit of Kekaya, son of King Ashvapati.
Sage Gargya offered the gifts he had brought from the king, including thousands of specially bred horses, and blankets and shawls (blankets, shawls and horse breeds from that part of the world are famous to this day!)
***
After offering the due veneration and hospitality to the sage, Sri Rama asks what is the message from Bharata's uncle.
"Sri Rama, this is King Yudhajit's message to Bharata. "Dear Bharata! There is a land being ruled by gandharvas, that lies flanking on either side the river Sindhu (Indus). It is full of prosperity. The several sons of King Shailusha rule there. We should extend our rule over that land after conquering the gandharvas. You know that I never harbour any unfavourable idea in your case. So please follow my advice."
Sri Rama is delighted to accept the message. He arranges gladly for Bharata along with his two able sons Princes Taksha and Pushkala to take an army and proceed to conquer the gandharvas. This would be good for the two princes as they would be eventual rulers of those lands. Sri Rama in fact performs their coronation in advance of their march.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
