Rāma Kāśī Yātrā (Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa)
In the Lava Kuśa Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, one of the early events is Bhagavān Rāma’s tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage to a holy place) to Kāśī. He goes with his brothers, queens, ministers and the whole royal household at the holy time of Makara Saṃkrānti, when the Sun enters the Makara Rāśi (Capricorn).
Rāma first takes the blessing of his guru Vasishṭha. He then travels in a full royal procession, stays many days in Kāśī, and returns to Ayodhyā in joy.
Setting and occasion
This was in the long golden years of Rāma Rājya. Bhagavān Rāma was ruling Kosala in his human form, and all beings lived in health, contentment and dharma. The holy time of the Sun’s entry into the Makara Rāśi (Makara Saṃkrānti) came near. Rāma thought it a fitting time for a tīrtha-yātrā to Kāśī.
He went to the gurukula and asked for the blessing of his guru Vasishṭha:
“Mahātmā, the Sun is approaching Makara Rāśi. I wish to keep this parvakāla (holy season) in Kāśī Kshetra and seek the blessings of Kāśīśvara. Please give your permission and bless the journey.”
Vasishṭha was pleased. He blessed Rāma and said: “Nāyanā Rāmacandra, for noble men, kshetra-darśana (seeing a holy place) is always to be desired. Your wish to go with your retinue and worship Kāśīśvara is most praiseworthy. May you go, worship Kāśīśvara, and return in good fortune.”
The procession to Kāśī
At an auspicious muhūrta (a good hour), Rāma set out from Ayodhyā in a full royal procession. His brothers, ministers, purohitas (family priests), queens and the ladies of the royal household went with him. So did all the servants and courtiers, in royal array with chariots, elephants, horses and foot soldiers (ratha-gaja-turaga-bhaṭa). The procession had all the splendour of a great king’s journey.
On the way they visited many holy places, bathed in sacred rivers and offered pūjā at tīrthas. As they came near Kāśī, Rāma bowed down to the city from a distance and saluted the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā). Then he entered the city.
Rāma’s stay in Kāśī
In Kāśī, the king of Ayodhyā lived as a devotee, keeping the dharma of a pilgrim in the holiest of cities. He:
- bathed every day in the sacred Gaṅgā, in the pure waters of Śiva’s dhāma (abode)
- worshipped Kāśī Viśveśvara (Bhagavān Śiva), Akhileśvara, the supreme master of the sacred city
- attended the gatherings of bhaktas and listened to kīrtana and satsaṅga
- visited and honoured the tapasvis, yatis, sannyāsis and brahmacārins who lived in the city
- listened to Purāṇa-pārāyaṇa (recitation of the Purāṇas) by paṇḍitas
- arranged large gifts of food (anna-dāna) and cows (go-dāna) for brāhmaṇas
- made generous gifts to all who came in need
He stayed in Kāśī for many days, fully absorbed in the holy atmosphere of the tīrtha.
Return to Ayodhyā
After this long stay of pūjā and service, Rāma left Kāśī with his retinue and returned to Ayodhyā in happiness. He took up the rule of his kingdom again. He went on ruling Rāma Rājya with justice and dharma for the good of the people.
The kāṇḍa shows this journey as one part of the continuing picture of Rāma’s life in Ayodhyā. It is a life in which his divine nature stays hidden within the conduct of a fully human and fully dharmic king.
Sources
- Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Lava Kuśa Kāṇḍa, Chapter 1 (Kōsalēśuni Kāśī Gamanam)