RamarpaNam-78

File 78.

Dated: July 17th, 2012.

Jai Sri Ram.

Goddess Laxmi PariNayam.

Iyam Sita mama Sudha, saha dharma charitava |

Pradheecha EnAm bhadram theh paaNim griNeeshva paaNinah ||

Here is Sita. Marry Her, as you desired. She shall follow you, as you move the dharmic way. She shall guide the right path, when you attempt to depart. Safe be with You!

These are the words of Janaka Maharaja uttered to Sri Rama, when Sita was given in marriage to Him. But before that to happen, Sage Vishvamitra, narrates the story of Laxmi PariNayam that followed the churning of the milky ocean.

Like the muddy-scent that precedes rain fall, like the dawn preceding day-break and like gale preceding a thunder-storm the story of Laxmi PariNayam is told ahead of Sita PariNayam.

Returning to the story of Rama we find that in the context of narrating the story of Vishala city, Sage Vishvamitra started giving a prelude to what happened earlier:

tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa raamasya munipungavaH |
aakhyaatum tat samaarebhe vishaalasya puraatanam ||

Once in Krita yuga, Diti and the younger sister Aditi, both were married to Sage Kashyapa. Diti’s sons were asuras, the demons. Aditi’s sons were suras, devataa-gods. These two were the daughters of Daksha Prajaapati.

Sons of Diti were extremely energetic, whereas the sons of Aditi were highly righteous. It occurred to them that

teSaam cintayataam tatra buddhiH aasiit vipashcitaam |
kSiira uda mathanam kRitvaa rasam praapsyaama tatra vai ||

we need to get the Nectar of immortality by churning the Milky Ocean.

tato nishcitya mathanam yokhtram kRitvaa ca vaasukim |
manthaanam mandaram kRitvaa mamanthur amita ojasaH ||

Then, deciding upon to churn the Milky Ocean they made Vasuki, Thousand-headed python as the churning rope and Mandara as stirrer and the Devas and Asuras started churning the Milky Ocean thoroughly for 1000 long years.

While doing so, apart from Amrita and the other things that showed up, there appeared Goddess Laxmi with garland in Her arms. Without shy or  shame, She ignoring all the Devas, Asuras and other Gods present, went straight and got seated in the vastness of VishNu's bosom.

That marriage ended in a hurry. But Sita's marriage will unfold with much pomp and fair.

Let the Divine Couple bless us all to enhance the righteous Devataa spirit in us by churning out the evil Asura bhava, like the rejection of Halakoota visham before the elixir was found.