Daśaratha Darśana

Daśaratha Darśana is the moment when King Daśaratha, who had gone to svarga (heaven), comes down to see his son Rāma. It happens after Rāvaṇa’s death in Laṅkā. Brahmā has declared that Śrī Rāma is Śrī Mahāvishṇu, and Agni Deva has given Sītā Devī back from the fire. Then Parameśvara, that is Mahādeva Bhagavān Śiva, speaks to Śrī Rāma. He tells him what to do for the rest of his avatāra (descent): return to Ayodhyā, rule with dharma for eleven thousand years, and then go back to Vaikuṇṭha. As he speaks, he points upward. Daśaratha Mahārāja sits in a divine vimāna (flying chariot) in the sky, come from svarga. The father comes down to embrace his son, to bless Lakshmaṇa and Sītā, and to speak from a father’s heart.

What came before

Rāvaṇa was dead. Brahmā and the assembled devas came to Laṅkā. The vānara and rākshasa armies were crying out as they watched Sītā’s agni-praveśa (entering the fire). In answer, the devas came down to question Śrī Rāma. Brahmā then gave his great stotra (hymn of praise), which names Śrī Rāma as Śrī Mahānārāyaṇa. Agni Deva came out of the fire and gave Sītā back in her full glory, and declared her purity before all creation. Śrī Rāma took Sītā back with great joy.

Brahmā had asked Śrī Rāma to go to his own supreme home. But the work of dharma-saṃsthāpana (setting dharma firmly in place) on earth was not yet done. So now Parameśvara spoke.

Parameśvara’s counsel

Parameśvara spoke to Śrī Rāma for the good of all the worlds. He said: “O lotus-eyed one! O mighty-armed Rāma! Your chest is the home of Lakshmī. You are the conqueror of enemies and the greatest of all archers. By our great good fortune you have brought about Rāvaṇa’s end. By our good fortune you have taken away from all the worlds the terrible darkness called Rāvaṇa. Now comfort Bharata, who has waited in sorrow. Console Mother Kauśalyā. Visit Kaikeyī Devī and Sumitrā Devī, the mother of Lakshmaṇa, and honour them. Go to Ayodhyā. Be crowned over the king of Kosala. Bring joy to your relatives and friends and to the good people of the city. Perform the Aśvamedha and other yajñas (fire rituals). Give gifts to those who are worthy. Rule with full dharma for the time that is set, and then go to your supreme home.”

The Govindarājīya commentary explains this. Brahmā’s stotra ended with the request that Śrī Rāma return to Vaikuṇṭha. Parameśvara then spoke up, because the work of setting dharma firmly in place still needed Śrī Rāma on earth. Parameśvara recalled the promise that Śrī Mahāvishṇu had made to the devas when they first came to him. This was the basis of his words. The promise was:

daśa-varsha-sahasrāṇi, daśa-varsha-śatāni ca, vatsyāmi mānushe loke

“I will be born as Daśaratha’s son and live in the world of men for eleven thousand years.”

Daśaratha in the sky

At that moment Parameśvara turned Śrī Rāma’s eyes upward. He said: “O Kākutstha! Look there, in the sky. A great purusha (person) sits in a vimāna. He is your father, Daśaratha Mahārāja, who won great fame in the world of men. He was delivered by having a great soul like you as his son, and he has now reached svarga. O Rāma! You and Lakshmaṇa, both of you, bow to this divine person.”

At Parameśvara’s words, Śrī Rāma and Lakshmaṇa bowed to the ground before their father, who sat in the vimāna above. Daśaratha Mahārāja was dressed in pure white and shone with his own natural radiance. He looked down and saw his sons, who were as dear to him as his breath. He was filled with the highest joy.

Daśaratha’s words

The great Ikshvāku king sat on his noble seat in the vimāna. He drew his son Śrī Rāma into his arms in a full embrace and spoke from the deepest place in his heart.

“My dear Rāma! Even the pleasures of svarga, even the honour that the deva-ṛshis gave me in the upper worlds, gave me no joy when I was far from you. This is wholly true. Now you have killed your enemies. Your aim is fulfilled. Your life in the forest is also complete. Today I have seen you, and I am deeply glad. O you who speak so gently and sweetly! The words Kaikeyī spoke, which were the cause of your life in the forest, still sound in my heart even now. But I see you whole and well, and I hold you and Lakshmaṇa, and my grief has melted like morning mist at sunrise.

“O Rāma! O gentle one! O best of men! Now I understand it. It was the chief devas who, to bring about your birth and Rāvaṇa’s destruction, set the obstacles in the way of your coronation. O destroyer of enemies! Your mother Kauśalyā is truly blessed. When you finish your forest life and come home in joy, she will have the great good fortune of seeing you happy. The people of Ayodhyā are also truly blessed. When you enter the city of Sāketa with Sītā and Lakshmaṇa and are crowned king in the full assembly, they will overflow with joy at the sight of you.

“My dear Bharata is young, with great strength, a pure heart, devotion to dharma and great love for you. How gladly I will see your meeting with him! You spent fourteen full years in the forest with Sītā Devī and wise Lakshmaṇa. That vow is now complete. You have kept my promise, the word that Kaikeyī drew out of me. Through your victory over Rāvaṇa, the devas too are pleased. O destroyer of enemies! You have done your duty, and your fame has grown beyond measure. Now rule in full dharma with your brothers for all ages.”

Rāma’s request for Kaikeyī and Bharata

Śrī Rāma joined his palms to his father and said: “O soul of dharma! Show your grace to Kaikeyī and to Bharata. In your anger you once said, ‘I give up you and your son Bharata.’ Do not let that terrible curse (śāpa) touch either of them.”

Daśaratha Mahārāja said “Aṭlē”, which means “So be it”, and embraced both his sons. Then he turned to Lakshmaṇa, son of Sumitrā:

“O Lakshmaṇa! You served Śrī Rāma and Sītā Devī with devotion and faith, and this gives me great joy. The reward of that service will surely come to you. Through this devotion to dharma your fame in this world will grow beyond measure. Through Rāma’s grace you will receive all matchless happiness. O son of Sumitrā! Śrī Rāma is always intent on the good of all the worlds, so go on serving him. From that, all good will flow to you. The devas, siddhas and great ṛshis all come to this best of men and serve him. Brahmā and the devas have declared: ‘This Rāma is the inner ruler of all the devas, known through the Vedas, unknown to those without devotion, and free of the six changes of the body. That very Parabrahma has come down as this Rāma.’ Through your loving service to Sītā and Rāma, beyond the fruit of keeping dharma, you have won fame beyond measure.”

Then he turned to Sītā Devī:

“O Vaidehī! Do not be angry with Śrī Rāma because he first refused to take you back. He always wishes for your good. He acted so only so that your purity would be shown before everyone. O Jānakī! I do not need to teach you the way of serving a husband. But I must say this one thing: he is your parama-daiva, the one you must honour above all.”

Departure

Daśaratha Mahārāja had blessed Rāma, Lakshmaṇa and Sītā with these words, and the deepest longing of a father’s heart was fulfilled. Shining with radiance, he rose in his vimāna and went back to svarga-loka.

Sources

• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 122 (Parameśvara’s counsel, Daśaratha’s words and departure)
• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 120–121 (Brahmā’s stotra, Agni Deva’s return of Sītā)
• Govindarājīya commentary on the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 122