Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty second sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
As rAma was disinclined towards sItA having to stay in the forest on account of him, he discouraged her in a myriad ways even playing up the dangers associated with the forest life. But none of those could deter sItA. She always seemed to be eyeing a life in forest with rAma and recounts the prophecy she had heard from soothsayers earlier who foretold about her sojourn to forest! She uses this argument and a mild taunt to rAma questioning his valor. Finally, rAma cannot bear to see her grief and gives her the nod to accompany him to the forest.
In the eighteenth sarga of bAla kAnDam [ 1.18. The Lord descends and the sage arrives ] mahaRshi spends a few verses detailing how saumitri is inseparable from rAma. That bond between the brothers continues to this date. Therefore lakshmaNa who vociferously argued against king daSaratha and rAma’s decision to go to the forest and even suggested to use force to wrest power [ 2.21. lakshmaNa’s wrath meets rAma’s calm, 2.23. livid lakshmaNa, stoic rAma!] is now at the feet of rAma pleading to accompany him to the forest. In keeping with their mutual affection, rAma doesn’t take a lot of convincing in this case and quickly asks saumitri to fetch the weapons and arrange brAhmins to give away all the wealth. The ecstatic younger brother complies at once. Onwards…
In accordance with the command of his beloved brother lakshmaNa at once reached the residence of suyajna (the son of vasisTha) and affectionately summoned him to the glorious and auspicious edifice of rAma. suyajna who was in the sanctum of fire, completed his sandhya offerings and left with lakshmaNa to the abode of rAma.
sItA and rAma received sage suyajna with due protocol and circumambulated him respectfully as they would do to fire-god. Then rAma honored suyajna with excellent and auspicious golden anklets, ear rings, gem studded golden strings, bracelts, armlets and other precious gems and jewels.
Then nudged by sItA, he asked suyajna if he can accept as charity her necklace, gold chain, girdle (golden jewel worn around the waist), armlets and bracelets on behalf of his wife. Further sItA also wished to give away the gem studded couch as she was leaving for the forest.
rAma further offered the elephant Satrunjaya which was gifted to him by his maternal uncle to sage suyajna. The sage graciously accepted all the offerings from rAma and sItA and blessed them and lakshmaNa as well.
Then rAma asked lakshmaNa to invite and honor the best of brAhmins agastya and kauSika with the shower of gems, jewels, gold, silver and a thousand cows.
He then asked to confer chariots, gold, attendants and silk clothes on the preceptors of taittirIya branch of vEda who confer grace on mother kausalyA and satisfy them completely.
He then thought of the long serving charioteer and counsellor chitraratha and wanted that he be conferred with a thousand cows with young calves, invaluable jewels, clothes and wealth.
And then he thought of young celibates holding staffs and were proficient in vEdAs. They were so engaed in their scholarly pursuits that they never were engaged in any other activity and were fond of delicious food and were respected even by the greats. They were to be given eighty cartloads of gems, two thousand bulls that can carry crops, two hundred oxen which can plough the field and a thousand cows that yield good milk which can be used to prepare delicacies.
Like indra receiving instructions from brahma, lakshmaNa received from rAma and executed them to perfection giving wealth away like kubEra, such that kausalya felt happy seeing the way rAma respected learned brAhmins and loyal attendants.
All other dependents of his glorious mansion stood there with voices choked and rAma conferred abundant wealth in each of them in charity so that they can lead a life of dignity in his absence. He asked them to guard the mansions of his and lakshmaNa and maintain it well till he returned. He ordered the treasurer to fetch all the wealth that he had and distributed those heaps away with help of lakshmaNa!
There lived a brAhmin by name trijaTa who was a descendant of sage garga. He was poor, had a young wife and big family and earned livelihood with his spade in the forest. His wife was distressed due to their hand-to-mouth existence and urged him to see rAma at this time. trijaTa listened to his wife and went to see rAma having covered himself with a modest upper garment. He straight walked through the inner chambers till where rAma was and no one stopped him as he had the brilliance of sages like bhRgu ang angIrasa.
Having seen rAma, he pleaded his case with him and introduced himself as a destitute living on left over grains in the forest and with a large family. rAma was slightly amused! He jokingly said, I am yet to give away a thousand cows, throw your staff as far as you can and all the cows that are in the space covered by your staff shall be yours!
trijaTa tightened his waist and with all his might flung the staff. It traveled far crossing the banks of river sarayu, and fell after covering a thousand cows near a bull! At once rAma ordered that the cows extending up to the banks of sarayu be sent off to the hermitage of trijaTa. Then rAma embraced and placated trijaTa and asked him not to take offence to what he offered and asked if there is anything else that he could do. The brAhmin trijaTa and his wife extended their blessings to rAma for his prosperity and glory. They were immensely happy at having received the cattle. rAma was pleased to offer his wealth in charity to deserving brAhmins.
In this manner, there was none in ayOdhya among brAhmins, poor people, attendants, friends and mendicants who was not satiated by the befitting wealth that rAma conferred on them.
द्विज स्सुहृद्भृत्यजनोऽथवा तदा
दरिद्रभिक्षाचरणश्च योऽभवत्।
न तत्र कश्चिन्न बभूव तर्पितो
यथार्हसम्मानन दान सम्भ्रमैः।।2.32.46।।
Here we conclude the thirty second sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 2.33. Citizens think their course
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 