Adhyathma ramayana- Balakanda chapter4

[Guest guest]

Chapter4- Visvamithra arrives

 

Sri Mahdeva told Parvati about

the arrival of Visvamithra at the court of Dasaratha who welcomed him eagerly

saying that all good fortune would come to the house to which the saintly

personages visit and asked him what he wanted. When Visvamithra told Dasaratha

that he wanted to take Rama with him to protect is yajna which the asuras are disturbing and prevent it

from being completed, Dasaratha kept quite at first and had a private

conversation with Vasishta. He asked Vasishta to tell him the way by which he

could prevent parting from Rama as he

could not live being separated from the son who was born after so many

years and hence he could not send him. At

the same time if he did not comply with the request of the sage

Visvamithra was sure to curse him. So he said that he wanted the advice of his

guru.

 

Vasishta spoke thus.

 

Oh King! Do not get perturbed.

What I am going to tell you is the secret of the devas. The Lord Narayana, who

is the Supreme Self has incarnated as

Rama, because of the entreaties of Brahma to lessen the burden of the Bhoodevi.

You and Kousalya were Kasyapa and Adhithi in your previous birth and you both

wished to have the Lord as your son and hence He has come to you as a son in this life, Adisesha being

born as Lakshmana and the shanka and chakra have incarnated as Bharatha and

Sathrughna. The Yoga maya of the Lord has incarnated as Seetha, the daughter of

Janaka and Visva mithra has come only to unite Rama with Seetha to enable the

Lord to finish His purpose of incarnation. Hence you send Rama and Lakshmana

with the sage unhesitatingly."

 

Then Dasartha sent Rama with

Visvamithra with joy and Visvamithra also took Rama along with Lakshmana with

him. Overjoyed at having Rama with him , Visvamithra taught the princes the manthras bala and

athibala to ward off hunger and fatigue. Thus they reached the Thatakavana. Visvamithra

told Rama to kill Thataka who was tormenting everyone in that region without

compunction because she was a female . Rama obeyed him and strung his bow and

plucked his bowstring with a sound like thunder. Thataka on hearing that rushed

towards them with anger and the next moment fell down struck with the arrow from Rama's bow. Then a

beautiful yaksha woman appeared in her place and told them that she was cursed

by a sage and after being hit by Rama she resumed her original form.

 

Visvamithra was highly pleased

with the valour of Rama embraced him and

gave him instructions about various missiles with the secret manthras to apply

them.

 

thatho athihrshtaH parirabhya

raamam

moorDhnyavaghraaya vichithya

kinchith

sarvaashrajaalam sarahasyam

asthram

preethyaa abhiraamaya dhadhou

muneendhraH