Srimati Sitadevi- (Universe)- Part1
Janaka sutä jag janani jänaké | atisay priya karunänidhän ké |
Täkay jug pad kamal manävaüì| jäsu kåupä nirmal maté pävaüì |
Puni man bachaì kaåm raghunäyak | bhagat bipati bhaìjaì sukhadäyak|
Girä aratha jal béchi sama kahiata bhiììa na bhiììa|
Baìdauì sétäräm pad jiìhhéì parama priya khiììa |
(Manas: Balkanda Verse: 17)
The following descriptions are dedicated to the mother of the universe Srimati Sitadevi who is the Supreme Lord Ramchandra's creative force. Without the mercy of the mother of the universe, the platform for expression of life can never exist. Sitadevi is often addressed as "Jagat Janani" or one who is the mother of the universe, the female creative force of existence.
In the above verses from the Balkanda of the Manas (Ramcharitamanas), Srimati Sitadevi is first addressed as the daughter of King Janaka (An epithet for King Videha that means the benefactor of the common man). Goswami Tulsidas in the above verse bows to the daughter of King Janaka who is the wife of the ocean of compassion Sri Rama. Lord Ramachandra is none other than the Lord of the universe and possessor of the highest incalculable virtues, the wielder of the Kodanda Bow with a quiver of arrows that never dries up.
Such are the qualities of the Supreme Lord Ramachandra that He at once abducts the calamities of His devotees and leaves them swimming in an ocean of bliss proving true to His name "Rama" which means the bestower of the highest pleasure. Thus, Goswami Tulsidas offers his heart-felt obeisance at the feet of the mother and father of the universe separately first and then offers combined prayers at their transcendental lotus feet.
Goswami Tulsidas draws a wonderful allegory. He says that although the power of speech and the meaning conveyed through that power are distinct, the one who cognizes these two parameters does not see an iota of difference between these two components of speech. Just as the waves in the sea and sea-water itself seem to represent two distinct entities yet in practicality they are one and the same.
Just as the above examples given, Srimati Sitadevi and Lord Ramabhadra (Sri Rama) apparently representing two distinct forms of Godhead are in fact one and the same. Goswami Tulsidas says in this opening verse that I bow at the feet of that divine couple Sita-Rama who prefer the humble and fallen (Goswami Tulsidas indirectly qualifies himself as humble and fallen).
The verse is insightful for its philosophical and emotional content as well as for its subjectivity of character.
The lines nevertheless seem to violate the order of decorum. The lines open with the description of Srimati Sitadevi as the daughter of King Janaka and then describe Her as the Mother of the universe. Indeed this appears a bit clumsy. How can the daughter of King Janaka be the Mother of the universe?
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