Chapter C: Section XXV

Kaucalya subduing her sorrow,and touching holy water, began to perform auspicious ceremonies for Rama, and spoke unto him saying "Do thou, Oh best amongst the descendants of Raghu, repair now, as I cannot dissuade thee, but do thou return speedily and, follow the footsteps of great ones. Let that virtue, Oh best of Raghavas, protect thee, which thou hast followed with gladness and self-discipline. Let the deities, whom you worship every day in the temple, together with the Maharshis protect thee in the forest. Let those weapons conferred upon thee by the great Visvamitra protect thee always, gifted with good qualities. Do thou of mighty hands live forever, being protected by the truth and merit of thy continual services to thy father and mothers. May the holy fuel, sacrificial grass, sanctified altars and court-yards, the sacred ground of medicant Brahmins, mountains, trees great and small, lakes, birds, serpents and lions protect thee. Oh best of men, may _Sidhya_,[121] _Bishvadeva_,[122] Maruta,[123] the great ascetics, the sustainer, and the preserver of the creation _Pusa_,[124] _Bhaga_,[125] _Aryama_,[126] the _Lokapalas_,[127] headed by Indra and others, the six seasons, the months, day, night, moments _Srutis_,[128] _Smritis_,[129] and virtue protect thee, Oh my son, on all sides. May the great deity _Skanda_, _Soma_, _Vrihaspati_, _Saptarshi_, _Narad_, Moon and other ascetics protect thee. May the encircled regions with their lords, being pleased with my eulogy, protect thee, Oh my son, always in the forest. When shalt thou repair unto the wood, may the mountains, oceans, Varuna, the heaven, sky, earth, air, things movable and immovable, planets and stars with their presiding deities, day, night, and evening protect thee. May the six seasons, months, years and all the divisions of time confer upon the pleasure always, when thou of great intelligence shalt wander away into the forest in the attire of an ascetic. May the deities and demons ever minister unto thy happiness and may not fear proceed unto thee, Oh my son, from the terrible Raksashas and Pisachas intent on committing cruel deeds, and other animals living on flesh. May the apes, scorpions, wild gnats, reptiles and insects make thee no harm; may not the elephants, tigers, terrible looking bears, hogs, buffalos and other horned animals hurt thee. Being worshipped by me from here may the ferocious cannibal races of all kind bring thee no injury. May thy course be crowned with auspiciousness and thy powers with success. Do thou, Oh my son, repair unto the forest, being profusely provided with fruits, roots and other things. May all the creatures of the sky, all those who breathe on this Earth, and all those deities who are hostile unto thee, contribute to thy welfare. May _Sukra Soma_, Sun, the lord of wealth and Death, protect thee, Oh Rama, resorting to the forest of Dandaka. May fire, air, smoke and the _mantras_ uttered by the Rishis protect thee, Oh descendant of Raghu, at the time of thy bathing. May the lord of creation, Rishis and all the remaining deities defend thee when dwelling in the forest.

That best of women Kaucalya, of great renown and having expansive eyes, after propitiating the celestials with garlands, fragrant odours and praises, began to offer oblations unto the fire by the help of eminent Brahmins for the welfare of Rama, collecting clarified butter, white garlands, religious fig trees and white mustard seeds for this purpose. The spiritual preceptor, after offering oblations unto the fire with due rites for his peace and health, presenting what was then left as offerings unto the lords of the four cardinal points and others,[130] and giving the Brahmins a dish of curd, ghee and honey, made them utter benedictory prayers for Rama who was going unto the forest. Then that renowned mother of Rama, after conferring upon the Brahmins _dakhshinas_ in accordance with their desires, accosted Raghava with the following words. "May that blessing crown thee, which was attained by the thousand eyed Indra, honored of all the deities on the occasion of killing the mighty Asura Vetra. May that blessing attend thee, which was invoked in olden times by Vinata, for that king of birds Garuda, praying for nectar. Do thou attain that blessedness, to which Aditi prayed, on behalf of the weilder of thunder-bolt intent on the discomfiture of the giants at the time of ransacking the ocean for nectar. May that prosperity wait upon thee, Oh Rama, which crowned the mighty Vishnu, while perambulating with his three steps the heaven earth and the regions as a dwarf. May the Rishis, the great oceans, islands the three worlds, Vedas, the regions, lend their might in the advancement of thy welfare." Saying this Kaucalya, the foremost of all women, having expansive eyes, placed the grains on Rama's head; sprinkled his body with fragrant substances, and tied to his hands, as amulet, twigs of such auspicious plants as _visalyakarani_, with due mental repetition of _mantras_. That excellent one of high renown embracing Rama and smelling his head, with her voice choked, as if all pleased, though placed under the influence of dire distress in reality, uttered _mantras_ and spoke unto him thus. "Oh my son, Oh Rama, have thy desires attained--and do thou go, wherever thou likest. I shall see thee, Oh my darling, with great delight, when shalt thou, returning Ayodhya in excellent health and having all thy ends satisfied, resume the administration of thy kingdom. Myself having sorrows removed and having my face glowing with joy, shall see thee coming from the forest like unto the rising of the full moon. Continually shall I eye thy good self, Oh my son sitting on an auspicious seat, and returning from the forest after making good thy father's behests. May thou returning from the forest and being dressed with royal robes and ornaments, satisfy the desires of my daughter-in-law. Worshipped have I deities headed by Siva and others, the great ascetics, the genii and the snakes; may they all and the four cardinal points, Oh Raghava, contribute to thy welfare, who, art going unto the forest for a long time." Kaucalya, having her eyes full of tears, and performing the benedictory ceremonies with due rites, went round Raghava with solemnity, and seeing him again and again sighed hot and hard. Being gone round by his mother thus, Raghava, of great fame, and resplendent with the splendour of beauty, proceeded towards the abode of Sita, after bowing down unto the feet of his mother repeatedly.

[121] An inferior deity or demigod.--T.

[122] Deities of a particular class in which ten are enumerated; their
names are Vasu, Satya, and so forth.--T.

[123] A deity personifying wind.--T.

[124] The sun.--T.

[125] The moon.--T.

[126] A class of manes or deified progenitors.--T.

[127] Those deities who protect the regions, vis., the son, moon, fire,
wind, _Indra, Yuma, Varuna, Kuvera_.--T.

[128] The Vedas severally or collectively.--T.

[129] The body of laws as delivered by Manu or others.--T.

[130] The Garhyastabali or the daily offering of the householder, meant
here, may be thus explained. After the performance of oblation
unto the fire, the householder should present offerings to the
lords of the four cardinal points.--Indra, Yama, Varuna, Soma and
to their retinue. The offering for the Marutas should be placed on
the threshold; for the presiding deities of the water in water;
for the lords of the forest unto the wooden pestle arid mortar;
for Sri and Bhadrakali on the grounds adjacent to the beddings on
the side of the head and that of the feet respectively; for
Brahmanspati and Vastupati on the site of the habitation; for
Visvadeva and for day and night thrown in the air of the house,
for Sarvatmabhuta scattered on the terrace. After offering to all
these what remains should be thrown on the south for the manes.
The offerings to the dogs, the fallen, the dregs of the people,
the lepers, the crows and the worms and the insects should be
placed on uncovered ground.