The Coronation of Rāma
from the Yuddhakāṇḍa of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa
Bharata, on hearing the news of Rāma’s return to Ayodhya from Hanumān, was overjoyed and began preparations for handing over the kingdom of Ayodhya to its rightful king, Rāma. See also: The Return of the King
Rāma arrived in Kubera’s flying palace, which Brahma created with his mind. Rāma, with his long and wide eyes, looked as regal as a second Indra, the wielder of the vajra.
Bharata humbly praised his brother Rāma, who stood atop the flying palace, like the sun, the maker of day, on the summit of Mount Meru.
After warmly greeting Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, scorcher of his foes, respectfully saluted Vaidehī, embraced Sugrīva, Jāmbavan, Aṅgaḍa, Mainda, Dvivida, Nīla, and Ṛṣabha.
Rāma approached his mother, who was so disconsolate and drawn with grieving, and, bending, he clasped her feet, soothing her heart.
All the people of Ayodhya addressed him, their hands cupped in reverence, crying, ‘‘Welcome Rāghava, the great-armed increaser of Kausalya’s joy!’’
Bharata then took Rāma’s sandals and placed them on the feet of the lord of men. His hands folded in reverence, Bharata said to Rāma, ‘‘Here, your majesty, is your well-guarded kingdom, which I have now given back. Today the purpose of my birth has been accomplished and my most cherished wish fulfilled, in that I see you returned to Ayodhya once more as king. Let the whole world see you consecrated this very day, shining with radiant energy like the blazing sun at noon. As long as the wheel of heavenly bodies shall turn and as long as the earth, bearer of wealth, shall endure, so long may you exercise lordship over all in this world.”
Upon hearing Bharata’s words, Rāma, the valorous conqueror of enemy citadels, accepted, saying, “So be it”.
Rāma gave up his matted locks and simple clothing and bathed. Donning garlands of various flowers and unguents, clad in costly garments, he stood, blazing with splendor. After the adornment of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the virtuous wives of Dasaratha themselves saw to the ravishing adornment of Sīta. Finally, with great care, Kausalya, delighted and deeply fond of her son, beautified all the wives of the Rāghavas.
Then, at the command of Śatrughna, the charioteer named Sumantra yoked a richly adorned heavenly chariot, blazing like the orb of the sun. Like the thousand-eyed Indra mounting his chariot yoked to tawny steeds, Rāma mounted his chariot and proceeded toward the splendid city of Ayodhya.
The ministers of King Dasaratha and their household priest took counsel, planning Rāma’s grand consecration with regard to augment the prosperity of Rāma and the maintenance of the city.
Bharata held the reins and Śatrughna the umbrella, while Lakṣmaṇa waved a fan over Rāma’s head. Sugrīva, the lord of the monkeys, held one white yak-tail fly whisk, while Vibhīṣaṇa, the lord of the rākṣasas, held another as bright as the moon. In the heavens was heard the sweet sound made by the hosts of seers and gods, together with the Maruts, as they praised Rāma.
Sugriva, the lord of the monkeys, filled with immense blazing energy, mounted an elephant named Satrumjaya, as huge as a mountain. The other monkeys, too, who had taken on human form and were adorned with every ornament, mounted nine thousand elephants and set forth. Thus, to the sound of conches, cheers, and the thundering of war drums, did the tiger among men proceeded onward. As the great chariot-warrior Raghava, radiant with splendor, passed in his chariot with his retinue, the people gazed upon him. Like the moon surrounded by the constellations, Rāma, surrounded by the brahmaṇs, his ministers, and his subjects, shone with splendor. As he proceeded, he was accompanied by musicians holding cymbals and by delighted people shouting out blessings. And, before Rāma, went cows, maidens, and brahmans, bearing unhusked, golden rice, and men with sweetmeats in their hands.
Rama, resplendent and surrounded by the vānaras, made his entrance into Ayodhya, which was thronged with delighted and prosperous people.
Then, as the citizens raised flags on house after house, he reached his father’s lovely residence, the ancestral home of the Ikṣvākus. When he reached the palace of his great father, he entered and respectfully saluted Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi. Then the prince, the delight of the Raghus, sweetly addressed Bharata, foremost among the righteous: “Place at Sugrīva’s disposal my vast and splendid palace, the one adjacent to the aṣoka grove and covered with pearls and lapis.” Bharata obeyed, taking Sugrīva by the hand and led him there. He addressed Sugrīva, “Lord, you must dispatch emissaries in connection with Rāma’s consecration.” At once, Sugrīva gave four golden vessels, adorned with every gem, to four of the monkey lords and instructed them to fill water from each of the four oceans in each of the four loṭas by daybreak. Those great monkeys, as huge as elephants, swiftly flew up into the sky, like so many Garuḍas, swift in flight.
Jambavan, Hanumān, the vānara Vegadarśin, and Ṛṣabha then fetched pitchers full of water, and in urns they brought the waters of five hundred holy rivers. From the eastern ocean, Suṣeṇa, endowed with might, fetched a pitcher adorned with every gem and filled with water. Ṛṣabha swiftly brought water from the southern ocean. Gavaya brought a golden vessel covered with camphor and red sandalwood paste. In it was water from the vast western ocean. He whose power was that of Maruta and whose pace that of Garuḍa or the wind swiftly brought frigid water from the northern ocean in a great jeweled urn.
Śatrughna, together with his ministers, presented the holy water to the foremost of household priests and his assistants for the purpose of Rāma’s consecration. Then the aged and devout Vasiṣṭha, together with the brahmanas, seated Rāma and Sīta on a jeweled throne.
Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Jabāli, Kaśyapa, Katyāyana, Suyajña, Gautama, and Vijaya all consecrated that tiger among men with the fragrant and pellucid water, just as the Vasus had consecrated the thousand-eyed Indra. And thus, in great delight, with that water and with the extracts of all the different herbs, did they perform the consecration, first with the officiating priests and brahmans, and then with maidens, counselors, soldiers, and merchants, as well as with the divinities, who were hovering in the sky, the four world guardians, and all the assembled gods.
Śatrughna held his splendid white umbrella. Sugrīva, the lord of the monkeys, held one white yak-tail fly whisk, while Vibhīṣaṇa held another as bright as the moon. The gods and gāndharvas sang and the troops of apsaras danced at the consecration of wise Rāma, who so richly deserved it. And, on the festive occasion of Rāghava’s consecration, the land grew rich in grain, the trees heavy with fruit, and the flowers redolent with fragrance.
First, that bull among men made gifts to the brahmaṇas of a hundred bulls and a hundred thousand each of horses and cows that had newly calved. Next, Rāghava gave the brahmans three hundred million gold pieces as well as costly jewels and garments of every kind. Then that bull among men gave Sugrīva a heavenly diadem of gold encrusted with gems and shining like the rays of the sun. And as he was greatly pleased with Aṅgaḍa, the son of Vāli, Rāma gave him a pair of armlets adorned with diamonds and gems and variegated with lapis and jewels. Rama then presented Sīta with an unsurpassed pearl necklace set with the finest gems, its lustre equal to that of moonbeams. Then, keeping her eyes on her husband, Vaidehi gave Hanumān, the son of Vāyu two spotless and divine garments as well as splendid ornaments. Unfastening the necklace from her neck, Sīta, looking to her husband for assent, gave the necklace to the son of Vāyu. Wearing that necklace, Hanumān, bull among monkeys, looked as resplendent as a mountain wreathed with a white cloud illuminated by a flood of moonlight.
When each one of the vānaras had been honored with garments and ornaments, they all returned as they had come, delighted at heart.
And Rama, the embodiment of Dharma, said to Lakṣmaṇa: “Knower of righteousness, please govern with me this land of which those kings who came before us took possession with their forces. In the capacity of prince regent, you must, as my equal, bear this burden, which was borne by our forefathers.” But although Saumitri was being offered the position of prince regent of the land and was most earnestly entreated to accept this appointment, he would not do so. So great Rāma therefore consecrated Bharata.
Supremely magnanimous Rāghava then ruled in supreme felicity. Once righteous Rāghava had obtained that unsurpassed kingdom, he performed many different kinds of sacrifices, together with his friends, his brothers, and his kinsmen. That bull among kings performed the Pauṇḍarīka, Aśvamedha, and Vājapeya sacrifices many times, as well as various other sacrifices. Rāghava ruled his kingdom for ten thousand years and performed one hundred Aśvamedha sacrifices with splendid sacrificial horses and generous sacrificial offerings.
The one endowed with broad shoulders and arms extending to his knees, the valorous Rāma, ruled the land with Lakṣmaṇa at his side. While Rāma ruled the kingdom, no widows mourned, nor was there any fear of snakes or threat of disease. The world was free from thieves, and misfortune afflicted no one. The elders never had to perform the funeral rites for their children. Everyone was content. Everyone was devoted to dharma, to righteousness. Looking constantly to Rāma alone, people did not harm one another. While Rāma ruled the kingdom, people lived for thousands of years and had thousands of sons. They suffered no illness and were free from all sorrow. The trees with their spreading boughs were always in flower and filled with fruit. Parjañya brought timely rains, and the breeze was pleasant to the touch. While Rāma ruled, his subjects adhered to their own proper occupations and were satisfied with their own duties. Devoted to righteousness, they adhered always to the truth. And so, for ten thousand years, Rāma ruled his kingdom from Ayodhya.
Taken from Sargas 115 and 116 of the Yuddhakāṇḍa of the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki translated by Robert P. Goldman.
Source: The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume VI: Yuddhakāṇḍa. Germany: Princeton University Press, 2009. Edited and translated by Robert P. Goldman, Sally J. Sutherland Goldman, and Barend A. van Nooten. Introduction by Robert P. Goldman and Sally J. Sutherland Goldman.
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