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Continued
from yesterday’s instalment
 'I did not see Sita there,' told Hanuman. Even before coming close to Rama, on his return from Lanka, he conveyed the message that he found Sita, by prostrating in the direction of south. After he comes closer to Rama he reverses the order of the words and tells him, 'saw I the jewel of purity with my own eyes,' -
'kaNdanen karppinukku aNiyaik kaNgaLaal,' in order that the message that he saw her there is conveyed with the very first word, so that Rama does not have to wait for a second more, he gives a delightful twist. His eyes must have twinkled with mischief.
'viR perum thadam thOL vIra!' O broad-shouldered warrior of the bow!
'vIngu nIr ilangai veRppil' in the island of Lanka, built on the Mount Thrikoota, surrounded by the mighty ocean,
'naRperum thavaththaL aaya nangayaik kaNdEn allEn,' I did not see the lady who is given unto the penance of purity. No. It was not a woman that I saw. He then pauses for a while.
'iRpirappu enbadhu ondrum,' What I saw was nobility;
'irum porai enbadhu ondrum,' the greatest of patience;
'kaRppu enum peyaradhu ondrum,' and that which is known as immaculate purity,
'kaLi nadam puriyak kaNdEn' I saw them joyfully residing in one form. It was not Sita that I saw. It was the embodiment of pedigree, patience and purity that I saw in the Asoka grove.
It was this delight of a girl that King Siradhwaja, Janaka, found in the track of the ploughshare when he was preparing the ground for a sacrificial fire. 'She appeared from the earth from the track of the plough, as though Mother Earth herself had assumed the form of a baby. The baby's extraordinary beauty and the divinity that was resplendent in it charmed Janaka. He adopted her as his own child. Though Urmila (who was given in marriage to Lakshmana) was born to him subsequently after Janaki was adopted, he made no difference between the two. In fact, Sita was dearer to him. He specified a test of strength for the suitor of Janaki's hand, not that of Urmila his own child!
 'Hearing of her beauty, rulers from all over the world approached me. But I could not give her away just like that to anyone,' he says. "This daughter of mine, who was not born (in the ordinary way) from the (mother's) womb, was kept by me for being given in marriage to a suitor who would win her by his valour. Rulers of lands approached me and sued for (the hand of my daughter), who had appeared from the soil and was growing (at an unusual pace), O jewel among sages. I (however) did not give away my daughter to any, telling all the kings who sued for (the hand of) my girl that the she could (only) be won through (personal) valour." (Valmiki Ramayana, Canto LXVII, Sloka 15-17)
'Many kings came, seeking her hand. I was rather reluctant to give my child in marriage unless that King demonstrates his valour. She is under my care. Giving her away in marriage is my sacred responsibility.' The kings were irritated. They started demanding the standard by which Janaka proposed to measure the valour of the suitor of the hand of Sita. It was then that Janaka thought of the Bow of Shiva. The bow, like Sita, was in the sacred trust of Janaka.
More follows...
Published on 16th
December 2002
Hari Krishnan
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