That was a beautiful beginning indeed for all the trials, travails and acid tests that came her way in later days.
How happy she must have been when her dream came true! 'My heart has already decided and will not go back,' was what she vowed. She even went to the extent of deciding to give her life up if the person who broke the bow happened to be somebody other than Rama.
'en aasayin kani' The fruit of all my love, is one of the many ways in which she is going to refer to him, later, when put under extreme pressure by Ravana. And what a bridegroom! What a wonderful match! Which other pair can be best suited for the phrase 'made for each other!'
'buddhiman, madhurabhashi, purvabhashi,
priyamvadah,' are a few of the epithets that Valmiki attributes to Rama. Intelligent, sweet spoken, willing to speak first and he was careful about the choice of words, specific about the elegance and aptness of the words that he used to express himself. He had no taste for arguments that had nothing to do with truth, righteousness and fairness.
'vakta vacaspatir yatha.' In a logical debate, he was as eloquent as the god of speech.
How happy she must have been when her husband, the joy of the people, the pride of Ayodhya, encountered the terror of
kshatriyas, Parasurama, on their way from Mithila to Ayodhya, in a very calm and collected manner, as against the desperation that showed itself in the speech of her father-in-law, and quickly - practically in no time - robbed the sage of his pride. The fear that the pleadings of her father-in-law had generated in her mind must have been softened by the tremendous self-confidence with which her husband handled the situation. What can be more delightful for a new bride!
Life moved joyfully on for twelve years. There is no explicit reference about this period of twelve years either in Valmiki or in Kamban. Kamban is silent about this period. There is no mention about the time that passed from the time of marriage to the day on which Rama was decided to be appointed as the Prince Regent. This calculation is done by expert interpretations of a Sloka in Valmiki that Kausalya utters to Sri Rama when the latter is exiled. We will go into that when we study
Rama.
The first twelve years were obviously spent in perfect joy, harmony and love, though both the Poets are silent about this period. The first test of character - or should we rather call it test of love - came when Sri Rama was exiled and he decided to go to the forest, alone, not taking her with him. That probably was the first argument that Devi had with her consort. An argument born of super-abundance of love.
'nin pirivinum sudumO kaadu?' she counters Rama, when the latter prefers to go to the forest alone and advises her that the life in forest is full of difficulties, miseries and sufferings. 'Would that be greater than the pangs of separation, darling!' Sita quips. 'My heaven is where thou art!'
How happy she must have been when her dream came true! 'My heart has already decided and will not go back,' was what she vowed. She even went to the extent of deciding to give her life up if the person who broke the bow happened to be somebody other than Rama.
'en aasayin kani' The fruit of all my love, is one of the many ways in which she is going to refer to him, later, when put under extreme pressure by Ravana. And what a bridegroom! What a wonderful match! Which other pair can be best suited for the phrase 'made for each other!'
The first twelve years were obviously spent in perfect joy, harmony and love, though both the Poets are silent about this period. The first test of character - or should we rather call it test of love - came when Sri Rama was exiled and he decided to go to the forest, alone, not taking her with him. That probably was the first argument that Devi had with her consort. An argument born of super-abundance of love.
'nin pirivinum sudumO kaadu?' she counters Rama, when the latter prefers to go to the forest alone and advises her that the life in forest is full of difficulties, miseries and sufferings. 'Would that be greater than the pangs of separation, darling!' Sita quips. 'My heaven is where thou art!'
