Raghuvamsam -5 (E)
Raghuvamsam-V
(Written by:Santhipriya)
Ayan weds Indumati -
Dasaratha born
When the Swayamvara began in an ambient air, nobly attired Princess
Indumati crisscrossed each row in
the lofty hall to make her Maiden's
Choice, Lord of love for herself, keenly observing the
arts of love expressed by the audience through the veil of wedding vestured
clad, while her abigail kept pronouncing their pomp, pride and excellence in her maid’s ear in her own way. On their part beaming noble chiefs of the time
from several states, swarming the hall like cluster of bees in garden, trifled
with their gestures to reach the Maid’s heart when she passed through them.
As gesture of pomp, while a Prince
twirled a Lotus, another carelessly pulled out the diamond necklace hanging
from his neck, replacing its sides on shoulder, another tossed the gold lined
robe hither thither. Unmoved by their art and acts of gestures which did to
attract her attention, as Princess Indumati
went by each suitor King and
Prince, the unmindful abigail (accompanying girl) passing along with her fair Princess, led her maid past the Kings in order. The
accompanying abigail whispered on her maid’s ears the worthiness and talents of
each one of the suitor assemblages as they crossed each one of them.
Exceptional in all, Ayan, noble in
beauty, sat silently drowned deep on his thoughts unconcerned of other Princes,
and waited for his turn when Princess
Indumati reached him. As she reached him
she fully engrossed his attention through the eye to eye meeting. Flashing modesty
and grace, beaming Ayan was her selection, and ignored accompanying dame’s call
of ‘shall we pass. In flash of moment,
when Princess Indumati laid the wreath on the neck of mighty dauntless Ayan, there raised loud
rejoice from the audience in endorsement of the perfect union.
Clouds of gloom disappeared from the
face of King of Vidarbha who rushed towards Ayan and embraced him, took him to seat
of throne followed next to eloquently
praise to the assemblages the talents and virtues of the Prince whom his
daughter has selected as her lord and set the stage for knotting Ayan and
Indumati. The Pundits who sat ready to
perform the rites lost no time in raising fire in the pit hole (a
hole made in the ground for sacrificial fire, also called Yagya Kund) for conducting the rituals for
the marriage ceremony, and united both Ayan and Indumati with due rites with
assemblages as witnesses to the ceremony. Once
the grave marriage ceremonies were accomplished, hallowed by the witness of
Fire and hailed by all onlookers, the newly wedded couple got ready to proceed to the land of
Kosala and Ayan promised to return back again with his relations.
Thereafter King of Vidarbha travelled with the newly wed and
led the joyous convoy carrying lordly gifts till they reached halfway to their home
land, bade good bye and returned
back to his Kingdom. Meanwhile the disappointed wooers in
Swayamvara combined together and followed the train of King Ayan who was on
home way journey with his convoy. The
vengenceful combine menacingly obstructed the marchers’ midway and in the melee
attempted to carry off the bride in act of revenge on Ayan. However alert Ayan placing Indumati to
safety, charged back on the invaders with fierce force. Midway in the ravage battle that ensued, Ayan
wasted no time in applying the magical weapon gifted to him by Priyamvadha. At
once the foes were completely rooted and battle stilled. Happy and triumphant Ayan returned to Ayodhya
accompanied by Indumati.
King Raghu’s ears were adequately posted with the
entire episodes through his agents, and even before Ayan reached home the rejoiced King hailed his son’s glory by welcoming the newly wed
couple in pomp and style. In the next few
days he transferred the yoke of Kingship to his worthy son and tread himself
into the jungle for the quite way of parting the earth. Newly anointed King Ayan fared no less in kingship
compared to his father as both were supreme in their own manner. His folks felt not orphaned, foes whenever they
raised their heads were vanquished. As
the years passed and Ayan entered life’s last stage, and took the counsel of hermits
for the joys of supreme by quelling his senses and weaning away the thoughts
from earthly pleasures of life to reach
the world of bliss, though for namesake he remained the ruler of the Kingdom,
while the counsel ran the show on his behalf. In the meanwhile detached from
earthly bond, his father Raghu too released his soul to join the land of
supreme. When the news of his father’s demise reached Ayan, he broke down and grieved, however on plea of his
counsel, soon he absorbed back his grief and returned to rule the Kingdom by himself for the sake of welfare of
his folks. In the next few years Ayan
was blessed with a son, as bright as Sunshine and famous through entire corners
of the world. The son was affectionately
named Dasaratha.
.........Continued
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