This is Ganga flowing at the end of the Kosala countryside, on the farther bank is the forest of Dandakaranya. Ganga, the all encompassing flow, the refiner of minds, the melting place of punarapis. She carries within her the destiny of nations, the germs of future empires. She gives birth, she carries ashes. Has anybody asked her why she flows, what she is searching for.
Sumantra, my charioteer till this point, asked me where this whole thing is headed. He will return back to Ayodhya in the morning, leaving us here in the forest all by ourselves. He is the most trusted friend of the family and I want him to take good care of father. I told him I had no idea. I told him I had to keep my father's word and protect his honour. I told him when I returned back, if at all, maybe father wouldn't be alive, mother may die of grief, maybe he himself wouldn't be living. I might lose Sita or Laxmana on this dangerous journey. I told him this will be a journey of truth, courage and love. This journey will probably be its destination.
Tonight I have seen how much father loved me, I saw him crying like a child when I parted. I have seen the overwhelming emotion in Ayodhya, with people lined on the streets asking me not to go. Laxmana's mother told him to treat and respect me like a father, like a king, to treat the forest like Ayodhya and to treat Sita like herself ; and then she blessed him well. She is a woman of very few words, but I havent heard anything more beautiful, so selfless, ever. Sita insisted on coming, she could have stayed back like a princess with all comforts, but Janaki chose this uncertain path of hardships. I fear she will lament later, on this big waste of her vernal years but she says it is her duty. She says she will go wherever I go.
O Sumantra, look at that young man,my brother, pretending to be busy so late into the night. He is staying guard for me, protecting me like the thousand headed snake that protects the God of light. He is Adi Shesha himself, my constant companion, my friend. I'm not sure where I will be tomorrow but tonight I go to sleep in the warmth of all this love. I dont know whether I deserve it, tonight I'm just thankful to existence. I'm crying now.
the two princes and Sita cross Ganga the next morning and continue their journey through Dandakaranya forest towards Chitrakoota. In Lanka, the poet-warrior smiles.
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4 comments:
I just can't help envying you, seriously. Even before you had been kind enough to allow us earthlings to comments, I had been a visitor here. Once I came here accidently and found myself waiting for this to get updated. Since then I have never missed even a single post, though haven't always commented.
I have found very few, nearly nil, ppl here in the blog world who caught my admiration like you have. Keep going
Now I have something to talk about the post, this one is simply too perfect. But it feels like there is a gap between the last one and this. Independently both are brilliant, but the Rama who is more of a human than divine in the last doesn't convince that he has taken the task of killing Ravana all alone. Your take on avoiding Kaikeyi was perfect in the last one. But when you suddenly talk about his actual leaving Ayodhya, it sounds too silly.
I am not sure if I have communicated effectively. It is like, the guy has a task. He knows the uselessness of the army in front of ravana. But since the begining he had been just a boy, good with arms may be. But I don't think he sounds confident enuf for the task. His love for his father is strong and you have put it well, but I still feel something is lacking. I meant, something that shows he knows the enormous task he has taken upon himself.
If he was kind of afraid of the demons when he went with Viswamithra, then Ravana is the king of Demons and even the caucuses admit that.
i cant be saying thanks all the time :)...but shud you leave this blog moiself will be posting for myself like those good ol'times you know about. so everyday i pray for your good health and connectivity.
*if you want i can do one kozhithala koodothram for mukesh ambi*
lemme explain..
"And from here to.." is the situation i am in. i read a few chapters of the original and try to post what i think day by day. i DONT HAVE A PLAN here milady.somehow i started this thing like all things i do...with no clue where i am headed. its just that some things just pop up while typing and i end it somehow. even i'm not sure if i am communicating this effectively. whatever you said regarding rama's purpose and why he took this up is true, i just hope something explains this better as this thing moves forward.
But he is not a boy anymore, he is a man and never refers to Ravana as a demon or a superhuman. for him Ravana is just a very powerful man with an empire,while he is a very powerful man with his weapons.
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