हिन्दी
Manthara, the hunch-back maid of Kaikeyi who was the latter’s close confidante, instigates her. She said to Kaikeyi—] ‘Seven days have passed since all the paraphernalia required for anointing Ram as the prince regent of the kingdom of Ayodhya have been arranged by the king (but you were kept in the dark). What do you ask me now—you are very simple-hearted (and don’t understand the gravity of the situation).’
Lord Sri Ram had been enjoying the various comforts of the palace alongside his consort Sita. But the same Lord Ram left the kingdom for the forest (without any regret and bitterness, without any malice, hatred or anger, as if both were the same for him). The ways of the Creator are indeed very ironic, mysterious and strange; the way the Creator makes things turn topsy-turvy are unpredictable and incredulous!
(Seeing Lord Sri Ram and Laxman on the forest path—) Some who saw them said that they were the personified form of two ancient sages known as ‘Nara and Narayan’. Others said that they were personified forms of Lords Vishnu and Shiva respectively. And still others said that Kamdev-cupid (personified as Lord Ram) and Basant (the spring season personified as Laxman) were wandering in the forest (to bless one and all).
Tulsidas says that the mind and intellect of the simple-hearted wayside residents along the forest path (such as the ordinary peasants, villagers, tribal people, as well as the many travellers who happened to meet the two brothers as they wended their way to the forest) became tired of guessing about who they actually were. They could not find any other god or deity who can be compared to the charm and the most enchanting and incomparably beautiful image of Lord Sri Ram and Laxman.
(Alluding to the episode of the Boatman, and repeating his words—) Tulsidas says, ‘Standing in the water of river Ganges, I say truthfully that you must not put your foot in my boat (because the wooden boat shall be converted into a fine lady, and seeing me with her), my wife would get so annoyed that she would daily make me dance naked (i.e. she would tease me daily and make life hell for me).’
Nishad (the boatman) holds a wooden bowl full of water in his hands and pleads (with Lord Sri Ram)— ‘Oh Lord! Please wash your feet in this first, and then board the boat. Do not argue unnecessarily.’
(The village women folk watch Lord Sri Ram, Laxman and Sita going down the forest path and lament that they are suffering so much. They say—) ‘Oh dear friend (sajanī)! The lotus has thorns whereas their feet are softer than its petals. Not only this, but the flower also shrivels up in the night while they are perennially blooming (fresh, tender and soft).’
Sage Valmiki said, ‘The beautifully attired Raghubar (Lord Sri Ram) is a two-armed manifestation of Lord Vishnu (the cosmic form of the Lord with four arms), and Laxman is another single-tongued form of the legendary serpent known as Shesh-nath (who has a thousand hoods and an equal number of tongues or fangs).’
