Jaladevī
Jaladevī is the devī (goddess) of water who rules the Pañcappa lake in the Daṇḍakāraṇya region, near the āśrama of Agastya Maharṣi. A tapasvin muni, an ascetic, was angry. At his command she held twelve young women captive in the water. They were five daughters of a gandharva king and seven daughters of nāga kings. They were freed when Bhagavān Rāma strung his bow beside the lake. Jaladevī at once gave up her hold, set them free and accepted the lordship of Bhagavān Rāma over all beings of the elements.
Role and nature
Jaladevī is the presiding devī of the Pañcappa lake. She is the divine power that lives in its waters and rules them. In the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa even devīs of the elements, such as the water devīs, obey the will of great tapasvin munis. In the end they are under the will of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. Jaladevī acted on the command of the muni when she held the twelve daughters. When she met the divine will of Bhagavān Rāma, she set them free at once and bowed to him.
The captivity
A tapasvin muni was meditating hard near the Pañcappa lake. Twelve young women disturbed him with their play and music. They were five daughters of a gandharva king and seven daughters of nāga kings. The muni was angry. He ordered Jaladevī to hold the twelve in her place in the depths of the lake. Jaladevī obeyed. Then the muni went to svarga (heaven). The twelve daughters stayed captive.
Their captivity was not silent. Their divine song (gīta) and dance (nṛtya) could still be heard at the surface of the lake. Those with spiritual sense could hear it, though the source was hidden. This hidden music drew the attention of the party of Bhagavān Rāma when they came to the lake. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 5)
Release and surrender
Rāma learned the story from Agastya and strung his bow. The whole cosmos trembled, as if it knew his purpose. Jaladevī felt the trembling in her waters. She did not wait for an arrow to be shot. At once she freed all twelve daughters and brought them up to the surface of the lake. Then she came before Rāma, gave herself up to him and accepted his lordship.
In this scene a devī of an element bows before the Supreme, and all creation honours the lordship of Bhagavān Rāma even before he acts. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 5)
Sources
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 5