April 8 - Sarga 108 of Uttara Kanda.
Sri Rama's messengers travelled for three days and three nights without halting anywhere and reached Madhura, the city ruled by Shatrughna.
When he hears of all the developments, particularly the oath taken by Sri Rama in the presence of Kala, then the forced disowning of Lakshmana, Lakshmana's travel to heaven, Sri Rama's crowning his two sons, and his decision to bring the curtain down on this avatara and his assurance to Bharata as well as the citizens that they shall travel with him, Shatrughna is experiencing a future shock. He hears the glad news that Kusha has been made the king of Kushavati at the foot of the Vindhyas, and Lava has been crowned as the king of Shravasti in the north. Thus Ayodhya's population has been reduced drastically with two groups moving to these cities. Sri Rama has made arrangements for his heavenward journey with Bharata and the chosen Ayodhyavasis.
The messengers say that Sri Rama has urged that Shatrughna shall travel at once to Ayodhya.
Shatrughna realizes that the Ikshwaku dynasty is experiencing a violent inflection point. He calls his priest who goes by the name of Kanchana, along with his ministers and citizens. He narrates to them the developments in Ayodhya, hinting that he is going to go away too.
Shatrughna crowns his two sons- Subahu as the king of Madhura and Shatrughati as the king of Vidisha. He divides his fourfold army as well as all the wealth and prosperity of Madhura equally between the two princes. He then rushes alone to Ayodhya.
***
Shatrughna sees Sri Rama blazing like the sun in radiance, surrounded by immortal Sages, wearing a spotless silken garment. Shatrughna pays his obeisance and says,
"Sri Rama, I am joining you here and now, having discharged all tasks that you entrusted to me. I am your special servant and you shall kindly say nothing contrary to my decision."
Sri Rama nods his approval. Meanwhile, entire armies of vanaras, bears, and rakshasas, who have come to know of Sri Rama's imminent departure, have all arrived to join him. Sugriva leads them and says that they will all travel with Sri Rama and will feel dead if he leaves them behind. After all, they are all avataras of gods and celestials who have come down to earth only to be of service to Sri Rama.
Sugriva submits that he has already crowned Angada as the king of Kishkindha.
Sri Rama speaks, full of extreme affection, "dearest friend, Sugriva, I shall not travel to heaven or anywhere else without you." Sri Rama signals that the bears and vanaras may join him, too.
But Sri Rama now turns to Vibhishana.
यावत्प्रजा धरिष्यन्ति तावत्वं वै विभीषण ।
राक्षसेन्द्र महावीर्य लङ्कास्थः स्वं धरिष्यसि ॥
यावच्चन्द्रश्च सूर्यश्च यावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनी ।
यावच्च मत्कथा लोके तावद्राज्यं तवास्त्विह ॥
आराधय जगन्नाथमिक्ष्वाकुकुलदैवतम्।
आराधनीयमनिशं देवैरपि सवासवैः ॥
"Dear King Vibhishana, as long as people live in Lanka, you should stay and rule Lanka, as the lord of rakshasas, with your great valour! As long as the sun, the moon and this earth exist, and my story is sung in this world, you shall prosperously rule your kingdom.
"Dear Vibhishana, I shall provide to you the familial diety of Ikshwakus, Jagannatha Narayana. Please take him and worship him ardently, because he is the supreme god and is worshipped even by the gods and celestials."
King Vibhishana bows low and accepts the order.
Now Sri Rama turns to his dear, dear Hanuman.
जीविते कृतबुद्धिस्त्वं मा प्रतिज्ञां वृथा कृथाः।
मत्कथाः प्रचरिष्यन्ति यावल्लोके हरीश्वर।
तावद्रमस्व सुप्रीतो मद्वाक्यमनुपालयन् ॥
"Dearest Hanuman, you had vowed that you shall live forever. Let that not be now nullified (by your accompanying me.) Indeed, as long as my stories called Ramayana are recited and sung, oh, noble lord of vanaras, may you live here happily, following my instructions."
Hanuman is very pleased to say yes.
यावत्तव कथा लोके विचरिष्यति पावनी।
तावत्स्थास्यामि मेदिन्यां तवानुज्ञामनुपालयन् ॥
"Dear Lord, as long as your life story goes around being recited and sanctifies this earth, I shall reside on earth, obeying your orders always."
Sri Rama also turns to Jambavan, Mainda and Dvivida, sons of Lord Brahma and the Ashvani Kumaras, and asks them to dwell on earth till the end of creation.
Thus Sri Rama excludes these five worthy heroes from joining him, and accepts everyone else in his entourage in deference to their devotion. These five will have a continued role to play on earth and he orders them for that reason to stay back.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
