Chapter 77

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

गते रामे प्रश्हांत आत्मा रामो दाश्हरथिः धनुः
वरुणाय अप्रमेयाय ददौ हस्ते महायश्हाः

gate rāme praśhāṃta ātmā rāmo dāśharathiḥ dhanuḥ
varuṇāya aprameyāya dadau haste mahāyaśhāḥ

SYNONYMS

rāme gate: of Rama of Jamadagni, on the departure of | praśānta ātmā dāśarathiḥ rāmaḥ: quietened, at heart, Dasharatha, Rama of | mahāyaśāḥ: most glorious one, Rama | dhanuḥ: longbow of Vishnu | aprameyāya varuṇāya: to unequalled one, to Rain-god | haste dadau: in hand, gave. |

TRANSLATION

On the departure of Rama of Jamadagni, that most glorious Rama of Dasharatha is quietened at heart, and he gave away that longbow of Vishnu into the hand of inimitable Rain-god. [1-77-1]

PURPORT

On this longbow and its giving to god of Rain, some discussion is incorporated in the earlier chapter.
VERSE 2

अभिवाद्य ततो रामो वसिष्ह्ठ प्रमुखान् ऋष्हीन्
पितरम् विह्वलम् दृष्ह्ट्वा प्रोवाछ रघुनंदनः

abhivādya tato rāmo vasiṣhṭha pramukhān ṛṣhīn
pitaram vihvalam dṛṣhṭvā provācha raghunaṃdanaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | raghu nandanaḥ: Raghu's delight | rāmaḥ: Rama | vasiṣṭha pramukhān ṛṣīn: to Vashishta, important, sages | abhivādya: paying respects | vihvalam pitaram dṛṣṭvā: agitated, father, on seeing | provāca [pra uvāca] = vell, said: placatingly addressed. |

TRANSLATION

On paying respects to sage Vashishta and to the other important sages, Rama, the delight of Raghu's lineage, placatingly addressed his agitated father Dasharatha. [1-77-2]

VERSE 3

जामदग्न्यो गतो रामः प्रयातु छतुर् अन्गिणी
अयोध्या अभिमुखी सेना त्वया नाथेन पालिता

jāmadagnyo gato rāmaḥ prayātu chatur angiṇī
ayodhyā abhimukhī senā tvayā nāthena pālitā

SYNONYMS

jāmadagnyaḥ rāmaḥ gataḥ: Jamadagni, Rama of, gone away [gone on his way] | nāthena: as its lord | tvayā pālitā: by you, governed [under your wardship] | catur angiṇī senā: fourfold [army / and marriage convoy] | ayodhyā abhimukhī prayātu: towards, Ayodhya, let it move on. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama of Jamadagni has gone on his way, you may now order the army under your wardship, for which you are the lord, to move on towards Ayodhya..." So said Rama to his father. [1-77-3]

VERSE 4

रामस्य वछनम् श्ह्रुत्वा राजा दश्हरथः सुतम्
बाहुभ्याम् संपरिष्ह्वज्य मूर्ध्नि उपाघ्राय राघवम्

rāmasya vachanam śhrutvā rājā daśharathaḥ sutam
bāhubhyām saṃpariṣhvajya mūrdhni upāghrāya rāghavam

SYNONYMS

, 5| rājā daśarathaḥ: king, Dasharatha | rāmasya vacanam śrutvā: Rama's, sentence, on hearing | sutam rāghavam bāhubhyām sampariṣvajya: son, Raghava, with both arms, hugged | mūrdhni upāghrāya: forehead, kissed | rāmaḥ: Parashu Rama | gataḥ iti śrutvā: gone away, thus, to hear | hṛṣṭaḥ: gladdened | pramuditaḥ: [further] highly gladdened | nṛpaḥ: king | tadā: then | putram: son [sons] | ātmānam: he himself | punaḥ jātam: again, born | mene = presumed: presumed to have taken a rebirth. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing the words of Rama king Dasharatha hugged his son with both of his arms, and kissed on the forehead of Raghava, and king Dasharatha is gladdened to listen about the departure of Parashu Rama, and then he is further gladdened in deeming that he and his sons took a rebirth. [1-77-4, 5]

VERSE 6

छोदयामास ताम् सेनाम् जगाम आश्हु ततः पुरीम्
पताका ध्वजिनीम् रंयाम् तूर्य उद् घुष्ह्ट निनादिताम्

chodayāmāsa tām senām jagāma āśhu tataḥ purīm
patākā dhvajinīm raṃyām tūrya ud ghuṣhṭa nināditām

SYNONYMS

, 7, 8a| rājā: king | tām senām codayāmāsa: that, legion, ordered to move ahead | tataḥ: later | patākā dhvajinīm = vhic has banners, bannerettes: flags | ramyām: beautiful one | tūrya ud ghuṣṭa nināditām: bugle-horns, high, sounding, reverberated with | sikta rāja pathā: wetted, royal, with highways | prakīrṇa kusuma utkarām: bestrewn, with flowers, bunches of | rāja praveśa sumukhaiḥ: by king's, entry, glee-faced | mangala pāṇibhiḥ pauraiḥ: welcoming kits, in their hands, with urbanites | sampūrṇām: replete with | jana oghaiḥ sam alamkṛtām: by people, swarms of, well-decorated | ramyām purīm jagāma: into such exhilarating, city Ayodhya, went to | āśu prāviśat: quickly entered. |

TRANSLATION

Then the King Dasharatha ordered that legion to move ahead, and then they all went towards delightful city Ayodhya, whose royal highways are wetted with water, sprinkled with bunches of flowers, decorated with banners and bannerettes up above them, and reverberating with high sounding bugle-horns. Further, those highways are replete with urbanites welcomers who are handling welcoming kits which are golden handy-crates or plates in which lit camphor, fragrant incenses, vermilion powder, flowers to shower on the incomers are arranged, and those highways are well-decorated with throngs of people who are glee-faced at their king's re-entry, and into such an exhilarating city Ayodhya king Dasharatha and his retinue entered. [1-77-7, 8a]

VERSE 8

पौरैः प्रति उद्गतो दूरम् द्विजैः छ पुर वासिभिः

pauraiḥ prati udgato dūram dvijaiḥ cha pura vāsibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 9| pauraiḥ: by citizenry | pura vāsibhiḥ dvijaiḥ ca: city, dwelling, Brahman-s, also | dūram: from a distance | prati ud gataḥ: towards, oppositely, going [people came to receive the king] | śrīmadbhiḥ putraiḥ ca: illustrious, with sons, also, | anugataḥ: followed by | śrīmān mahāyaśāḥ rājā: phenomenal, praiseworthy, king | himavat sadṛśam: Himalayan [lofty and lordly palazzos,] like | priyam gṛham: happy, house and home | praviveśa: entered. |

TRANSLATION

When the citizenry and city-dwelling Brahman-s have received him from a distance, that illustrious king Dasharatha followed by his phenomenal and praiseworthy sons then entered his happy house and home, which is like the lofty and lordly Himalayan palazzo. [1-77-8b, 9]

PURPORT

'King entered the house...' is not just an entrance of a character into a scene, but it entails a lot of ceremony called gR^iha pravesha 'entering into householder-hood, the second stage of life gaarhapatya dharma out of the four stages of living, 1] celibate scholar, 2] householder, 3] repairing to forest or sageship, 4] final release, moksha. paaNi grahaNa anantarm kriyamaaNo gR^iha praveshaH - dk where ceremonies go on for hours together.
VERSE 10

ननन्द स्वजनैः राजा गृहे कामैः सुपूजितः
कौसल्या छ सुमित्रा छ कैकेयी छ सुमध्यमा

nananda svajanaiḥ rājā gṛhe kāmaiḥ supūjitaḥ
kausalyā cha sumitrā cha kaikeyī cha sumadhyamā

SYNONYMS

, 11a| rājā: king | gṛhe: in palace | kāmaiḥ su pūjitaḥ: by ambitions, well, reverenced [when his long cherished ambitions have come true] | sva janaiḥ nananda: own, people, [king is] overjoyed | kausalyā ca: Kausalya, also | sumitrā ca: Sumitra, also | su madhyamā: good, at middle [well-waisted] | kaikeyī ca: Kaikeyi, also | yāḥ anyā rāja yoṣitaḥ = vhic of those, other, king's, vives: are there, they | vadhū pratigrahe yuktāḥ: brides, in receiving, engaged in | - nanaduḥ: overjoyed. |

TRANSLATION

In palace king Dasharatha is overjoyed when he is surrounded with his own inmates of palace-chambers, and when his long cherished ambitions have come true, while his queens, Kausalya, Sumitra, and slender waisted Kaikeyi and other wives are overjoyed in the functions of receiving the four brides. [1-77-10]

PURPORT

Again this 'receiving bride' is an elaborate variety of fun and games of womenfolk will take place, at which place there is almost no entry to men. For example, name telling. An Indian bride, or the later time wife is supposed to not to call her husband by his name. It is a sacred taboo, and her addressing shall be in genderless, person-less, and numberless hooting, cooing or calling like e jii - o jii - emanDii - ennango - shuniye so on. To cite one such ceremony it is 'naming game.' Here the bride is compelled to tell the name of her husband, and she will be hesitating to do so, because of her newness to this house or to her husband. After some teasing attempts, she mutters her husband's name, and then only she will be admitted into certain chamber or room. But dwindling are these games, and dampening is that fun, in these days of readymade marriages. Then why Dasharatha shall be overjoyed at these womanly functions, they do all those womanish things... because, Dasharatha wanted his palace to be in festivity, with just one son. But four are forced on him and they too obtained four brides in one go, hence fourfold is his happiness. It may be observed that Kaikeyi is the lone queen with 'beauty' as her attribute, and the problem with her is seeded here alone, saying that enchantment of Dasharatha towards her outweighs his affection to Rama, later.
VERSE 11

ततः सीताम् महाभागाम् ऊर्मिलाम् छ यश्हस्विनीम्

tataḥ sītām mahābhāgām ūrmilām cha yaśhasvinīm

SYNONYMS

b-12a| tataḥ: then | nṛpa yoṣitaḥ: kings, wives [womenfolk] | mahā bhāgām sītām: highly propitious, Seetha | yaśasvinīm ūrmilām ca: highly fortunate, Urmila, also | ubhe sute ca k͟huśadhvaja: both, daughters, also, of Kushadhvaja | jagṛhuḥ: received [welcomed.] |

TRANSLATION

Then the womenfolk of the king welcomed the highly propitious Seetha and the highly fortunate Urmila too, along with both the daughters of Kushadhvaja, namely Maandavi and Shrutakiirti, with pageantry and festivity. [1-77-11b, 12a]

VERSE 12

मंगल आलापनैः होमैः श्होभिताः क्ष्हौम वाससः

maṃgala ālāpanaiḥ homaiḥ śhobhitāḥ kṣhauma vāsasaḥ

SYNONYMS

b: 13a. taaH sarvaaH = they, all - brides and bridegrooms | śobhitāḥ: shining forth | kṣauma vāsasaḥ: in silks, clad | mangala ālāpanaiḥ: with benedictory, chanting [of Vedic hymns] | homaiḥ: with Ritual-fire | āśu: promptly | devatā āyatanāni prati apūjayan: god, sanctums, they have worshipped. |

TRANSLATION

All of the brides and bridegrooms clad in silks promptly worshipped the gods in sanctums to the benedictory chanting of Vedic hymns and Ritual-fires, thus they shone forth like the tongues of Holy Fires of Vedic Altars. [1-77-12b, 13a]

PURPORT

These young couples by themselves are radiant, and they are now clad in radiant silks that glitter wavily like the tongues of fire, and the Ritual-fire s are already there flaring wavily, to the weave-like chanting of Vedic benedictions. With all these waving, flaring, glaring the couples too appeared as the humanly Ritual-fires before the wood burnt Vedic Ritual-fires.
VERSE 13

अभिवाद्य अभिवाद्यान् छ सर्वा राज सुताः तदा

abhivādya abhivādyān cha sarvā rāja sutāḥ tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 14a| tadā: then | sarvā rāja sutāḥ = all, king's, daughters: princesses | abhivādyān abhivādya ca: those who are respect worthy, on paying respects to them, also | rahaḥ: in sequestered [palace-chambers] | bhartṛbhiḥ sahitā: husbands, along with | muditāḥ sarvā: gladdened, all | remire: luxuriated in. |

TRANSLATION

Then all the princesses paid respects to all of the respectable ones, and they luxuriated in sequestered palace-chambers along with their husbands. [1-77-13b, 14a]

PURPORT

This 'paying respects to respectable elders' is but one line. In reality, the torsos of those that pay respects will be put to test, because they have to 'pay' by bending and touching the feet of elders, each time to each, paada abhivandana, pai lagoo . And if the girls are from jeans or pants culture, [because days have gone,] they will be fresh and new to bridal sari, which itself will be a weight to carry. And many times we see the young brides falling on the blessing couple because her bridal sari gets entangled in the toes of the bride, and she is not yet ready to manage it. So goes on this parade until their backs are broken.
VERSE 14

कृत दाराः कृत अस्त्राः छ स धनाः स सुहृत् जनाः

kṛta dārāḥ kṛta astrāḥ cha sa dhanāḥ sa suhṛt janāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 15a| nararṣabhāḥ [kumārāḥ] = men, the best: bridegrooms | kṛta dārāḥ: made [come to pass] marriages | kṛta astrāḥ ca: made [accomplished,] in weaponry, also | sa dhanāḥ: with, riches | sa suhṛt janāḥ: with, good hearted, people [around] | pitaram: father | śuśrūṣamāṇāḥ: assisting | vartayanti = occupied themselves: in welfare of kingdom. |

TRANSLATION

And those best men among men, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, who are by now accomplished persons in weaponry and whose marriages have also come to pass, occupied themselves in the welfare of kingdom while assisting their father and moving around with good hearted people. [1-77-14b, 15a]

VERSE 15

कस्यछित् अथ कालस्य राजा दश्हरधः सुतम्

kasyachit atha kālasya rājā daśharadhaḥ sutam

SYNONYMS

b, 16a| atha kasyacit kālasya: then, after some, time | raghunndana: Rahu's legatee | rājā daśaradhaḥ: king, Dasharatha | kaikeyī putram: to Kaikeyi's, son | sutam: to [his own] son | bharatam: to Bharata | abravīt: spoke. |

TRANSLATION

Then after sometime that king Dasharatha, the legatee of Raghu-s, spoke to his and Kaikeyi's son, Bharata. [1-77-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

अयम् केकय राजस्य पुत्रो वसति पुत्रक

ayam kekaya rājasya putro vasati putraka

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| putraka: oh, son | tvām netum: you, to take | āgataḥ: came [here] | kekeya rājasya putraḥ: Kekaya, king's, son | vīraḥ: valiant one | tava mātulaḥ: your, maternal uncle | ayam yudhājit: this, Yudhaajit | vasati: is staying behind. |

TRANSLATION

"This is your maternal uncle and the son of king of Kekaya, and this valiant Yudhaajit came here to take you to Kekaya province, and he is staying behind because of your marriage..." thus Dasharatha bade farewell to Bharata suggesting that Bharata may now go with Yudhaajit. [1-77-16b, 17a]

VERSE 17

श्ह्रुत्वा दश्हरथस्य एतत् भरतः कैकेयि सुतः

śhrutvā daśharathasya etat bharataḥ kaikeyi sutaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| kaikeyi sutaḥ bharataḥ: Kaikeyi's, son, Bharata | daśarathasya etat śrutvā: Dasharatha's, all that [opinion,] on hearing | tadā: then | śatrughna sahitaḥ: Shatrughna, along with | gamanāya abhicakrāma: to travel, readied himself. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing the opinion of Dasharatha, Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, then readied himself to travel along with Shatrughna to Kekaya province. [1-77-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

आपृछ्छ्ह्य पितरम् श्हूरो रामम् छ अक्लिष्ह्ट कर्मणम्

āpṛchchhya pitaram śhūro rāmam cha akliṣhṭa karmaṇam

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| śūraḥ: valiant one Bharata | pitaram: from father | a kliṣṭa karmaṇam: without, complexities, doer of deeds [uncomplicatedly dextrous in deeds] | rāmam ca: from, Rama | mātṝḥ ca api: from mothers, also, even | āpṛcchya: on asking leave | naraśreṣṭa: best one among men Bharata | śatrughna sahitaḥ yayau: Shatrughna, along with, travelled. |

TRANSLATION

That valiant and best one among men Bharata on asking leave from his father, from Rama, an uncomplicatedly dextrous one in undertaking deeds, and even from his mothers, Kaikeyi, Sumitra, and Kausalya, travelled on along with Shatrughna. [1-77-18b, 19a]

VERSE 19

युधाजित् प्राप्य भरतम् स श्हत्रुघ्नम् प्रहर्ष्हितः

yudhājit prāpya bharatam sa śhatrughnam praharṣhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

b-20a| prāpya bharatam śatrughnam: on clinching, Bharata, Shatrughna | yudhājit: Yudhaajit | praharṣitaḥ: is highly gladdened | saḥ vīraḥ: he, that, valiant one | sva puram praviveśat: his own, city, entered | tasya pitā tutoṣa ha: his, father, highly rejoiced, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

Yudhaajit on clinching not only Bharata, but Shatrughna also, that valiant one is highly gladdened and entered his own city, indeed to the high rejoice of his father, King of Kekaya. [1-77-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

गते छ भरते रामो लक्ष्ह्मणः छ महाबलः

gate cha bharate rāmo lakṣhmaṇaḥ cha mahābalaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 21b| tadā: then | bharate gate: Bharata, after departure of | mahābalaḥ: great mighty Rama [here: masterly proficient Rama] | rāmaḥ lakśmaṇaḥ ca: Rama, Lakshmana, also | deva sankāśam: god, like [godly] | pitaram: father | pūjayāmāsatuḥ: started to worship [square with.] |

TRANSLATION

After the departure of Bharata, then the masterly proficient Rama along with Lakshmana started to square with the plans and programs of of his godly father for an ideal-sovereignty. [1-77-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

पितुः आज्ञाम् पुरस्कृत्य पौर कार्याणि सर्वश्हः

pituḥ ājñām puraskṛtya paura kāryāṇi sarvaśhaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 22-23a| rāmaḥ: Rama | pituḥ ājñām puraskṛtya: father's, directives, keeping afore [in view] | sarvāṇi: all of the | priyāṇi ca: agreeable, also | hitāni ca: advantageous, also | paura kāryāṇi: people's [welfare,] activities | sarvaśaḥ cakāra: in entirety, undertook | parama yantritaḥ: in highly, self-disciplined manner | mātṛbhyaḥ mātṛ kāryāṇi: for mothers, mother's, activities [to humour motherly affection] | gurūṇām guru kāryāṇi: to educators, educational, activities | kṛtvā: on accomplishing | kāle kāle: from time, to time [timely] | anvavaikśata: on examining carefully. |

TRANSLATION

Rama keeping his father's directives in view undertook welfare activities for the people that are agreeable and even advantageous to them, and in the entirety of those activities, and he undertook activities to humour motherly affection with his mothers, and educational activities with educators, and in a highly self-disciplined manner he used to review them carefully from time to time. [1-77-22b, 22, 23a]

VERSE 23

एवम् दश्हरथः प्रीतो ब्राह्मणा नैगमाः तथा

evam daśharathaḥ prīto brāhmaṇā naigamāḥ tathā

SYNONYMS

b, 24-25a| evam: that way | rāmasya: of Rama | śīla vṛttena: deportment, comportment | daśarathaḥ prītaḥ: Dasharatha, is pleased | brāhmaṇā tathā naigamāḥ: Brahman-s, likewise, urbanites | sarvam viṣaya vāsinaḥ [prītaḥ]: in entire, kingdom, indwellers, [are pleased] | loke: in world | ati yaśā: who has high, distinction | guṇavat taraḥ: by hallmarks, higher [in degree, de haut en bas] | satya parākramaḥ: truthfulness, being vanquishing point [being vantage point] | rāmaḥ: Rama | teṣām: for them [for subjects of kingdom] | bhūtānām: among living beings | svayam bhūḥ iva: self, born Brahma, as with | babhūva: became [manifested.] |

TRANSLATION

That way Dasharatha is pleased with the deportment and comportment of Rama, likewise the Brahman-s and urbanites, and even all of the indwellers in the entire kingdom are pleased, and he who has high distinction, his truthfulness alone is his vantage point, and whose hallmarks are of higher degree, that Rama has manifested himself to those subjects in the kingdom, and even to all of the living beings in the world, as the Self-Created Brahma. [1-77-23b, 24, 25a]

VERSE 25

रामः छ सीतया सार्धम् विजहार बहून् ऋतून्

rāmaḥ cha sītayā sārdham vijahāra bahūn ṛtūn

SYNONYMS

b-26a| manasvī rāmaḥ ca: hearty, Rama, also | tat gatamānasya: her [alone,] one who permeated [into her heart] | tasyāḥ hṛdi sam arpitaḥ: in her, in heart, well, dedicated [ensconce in her heart] | sītayā sārdham: Seetha, along with | bahūn ṛtūn vijahāra: for many, seasons, disported. |

TRANSLATION

Also, that hearty Rama who permeated into the heart of Seetha is ensconced in Seetha's heart alone, and he disported for many seasons along with Seetha. [1-77-25b, 26a]

PURPORT

The other mms use raamaH tu instead of raamaH ca where this tu says a difference. Then, 'Rama is busy in welfare and other works of state, tu 'but' he is also impassioned for Seetha. And he is manasvii 'hearty one' warm, friendly, spirited etc., are his dispositions for kingdom, people, governmental works tu 'but' he is that 'hearty' for Seetha... Hence tad gataH - tasyaam gataH 'he pervaded her psyche, hence casketed in her heart... In the other mms it will be tasyaaH hR^idi nityam samarpitaH 'heart of Seetha is 'always' dedicated to Rama... and that word nityam 'always, eternal, everlasting...' couple. So, they may be a couple from time immemorial tu 'but' they are as good as a fresh and fervent young couple... bahuun R^ituun 'for many, many seasons to come...' he is disporting with Seetha. Why tell seasons when there is calculated calendar with years, decades, and centuries... Not so... their disporting is according to seasons, with seasonal environ, with a seasonable togetherness... vijahaara is grammatically a parasmai padi then the fruition goes to the subject, and subject of the verse is Rama, so he alone is the enjoyer and insatiate is his enjoyment with Seetha, even during and after bahuun R^ituun many, and many seasons. niravadhika paraspara baddha anuraaga abhivR^iddhi ' an endless, mutual, conjugal, impassion and its enrichment - the self-content bliss of monogamy.
VERSE 26

प्रिया तु सीता रामस्य दाराः पितृ कृता इति

priyā tu sītā rāmasya dārāḥ pitṛ kṛtā iti

SYNONYMS

b, 27a| sītā tu: Seetha is, on her part | pitṛ kṛtā dārāḥ: by father [Dasharatha,] made [assented to,] wife | iti: thus [on becoming a wife] | rāmasya priyā: Rama's, beloved one | guṇāt: by her own virtues | rūpa guṇāt ca api: comeliness, by virtue of, also, even | prītiḥ = desirableness: loveliness | bhūyaḥ abhivardhate: furthermore, burgeoning in him. |

TRANSLATION

Seetha has become the beloved of Rama as she is wedded with the assent of his father Dasharatha, further Rama's love for Seetha burgeoned by virtue of Seetha's own virtues and loveliness. [1-77-26b, 27a]

PURPORT

Here the good old saying ati ruupavatii siitaa - ati muurkhaaH ca raavaNa 'Seetha is the greatest beauty, Ravana is the highest pigheaded demon...' may be remembered. He loved her for his father's voice / Had given her and approved the choice: / He loved her for each charm she wore / And her sweet virtues more and more. - Griffith.
VERSE 27

तस्याः छ भर्ता द्विगुणम् हृदये परिवर्तते

tasyāḥ cha bhartā dviguṇam hṛdaye parivartate

SYNONYMS

b, 28a| bhartā ca: husband Rama, even | tasyāḥ hṛdaye: in her, heart | dvi guṇam parivartate: two, fold [twice as good,] made his mark | hṛdayam antar gatam api: in heart, interior of, went into [thoughts in heart of hearts] | hṛdā vyaktam ākhyāti: by heart, clearly, [both] converse. |

TRANSLATION

Even Rama as her husband made his mark in Seetha's heart twice as good, and they both used to clearly converse about their thoughts in their heart of hearts, just by their hearts. [1-77-27b, 28a]

VERSE 28

तस्य भूयो विश्हेष्हेण मैथिली जनक आत्मजा
देवताभिः समा रूपे सीता श्ह्रीः इव रूपिणी

tasya bhūyo viśheṣheṇa maithilī janaka ātmajā
devatābhiḥ samā rūpe sītā śhrīḥ iva rūpiṇī

SYNONYMS

b-c| rūpe devatābhiḥ samā: in mien, goddess', identical with | rūpiṇī śrīḥ iva: personified, Goddess Lakshmi, like | [or, śrī iva rūpiṇī: prosperity, as though, personified, reshaped] maithilii = one from Mithila province [a holy land, hence she is Holy] | janaka ātmajā: Janaka's, soul-born, [daughter of the loftiest sagacious king Janaka] | sītā: Seetha | bhūyaḥ: much [indubitably] | [sahaja guṇa gaṇa] viśeṣeṇa: [natural, traits, heaps of] characteristics | tasya: in his [Rama's] | [hṛdaye parivartate: in heart, meandering, rather rejoicing.] |

TRANSLATION

In her mien Seetha is identical with goddesses, and she is like personified Goddess Lakshmi, thus she is the reshaped Divine Prosperity, and as she hails from Holy Mithila she shall be held Holy, and since she is the daughter of Janaka, a loftiest sagacious and invincible king, she is sagely and stately, besides being shapely, and she with all these heaps of natural traits and characteristics, Seetha is rejoicing the heart of Rama. [1-77-28b, c]

VERSE 29

सर्वे जनअह् सुखिनो भवन्तु

sarve janaah sukhino bhavantu

SYNONYMS

rāja ṛṣi sutaḥ: king, sagely, son of [Dasharatha] | saḥ rāmaḥ: such as he is, Rama | abhikāmayā [abhirāmayā]: passionately [she who makes delight] | uttama rāja kanyayā: with best [irreproachable,] king's, daughter | sameyivān: conjugated / together with | tayā: with her | śriyā: with Goddess Lakshmi | amara īśvaraḥ: gods', god of | vibhuḥ: The Efficient Cause | viṣṇuḥ iva: Vishnu, like | mudā anvitaḥ: elation, combined with | atīva śuśubhe: much [enthusiastically,] shone forth. |

TRANSLATION

When passionately conjugated with such a princess from the irreproachable king Janaka, Rama, the son of sagely king Dasharatha, has enthusiastically shone forth like the God of Gods and the Efficient Cause, namely Vishnu, when He is together with Goddess Lakshmi. [1-77-29]

PURPORT

The 'son of king' suggests that Rama as a prospective king has no paucity for any items of enjoyment. The best 'princess' suggests that Seetha is no less than him, but now her prosperity edges on that of Rama, because she has Rama as her husband. And how will be their mutual affection and love? Many more pages can be written on it, but insufficiently, and perhaps inefficiently. This stanza from a romantic work maalatii maadhaviiyam will say how such a love would be: liinena prati bimbite iva likhite utkiirNa ruupeva ca | pratyupteva ca vajra lepa ghaTite iva antar nikhaate iva ca | saa naH cetasi kiilitena vishikhaiH ceto bhuvaH pancabhiH | cintaa santati tantu jaalena nibiDa syuute iva lagnaa priyaa || 'my darling is immersed in my heart as sugar merges in milk, as the Red oleander reflects in a prism, as a portrait painted on canvas, as a picture carved on a stone tablet, as a gem studded in a ring, as bedaubed skin-cream, and as though the five darts of Love-god are nailed fixedly, [which darts usually will be in a touch-and-go fashion,] and as though stringed with thought-strings of my heartstrings, that are the halters with fastness...'