The Washerman's Former Birth

Vatsyayana said:

1-2. O you of a good vow, tell me how the lord received the utterance of the censure of Janaki having pure, excellent fame in the world. O Shesha, do that by which my mind shall have very splendid happiness, so that I who drink the nectar coming out from your mouth, shall be satisfied, and by which my worldly existence will be cutoff. Shesha said:

3-11. In Mithila, a great city, there lived a king by name Janaka. Pleasing his subjects, he ruled righteously. When that Siradhvaja (i.e. Janaka) was ploughing the field, an extremely beautiful girl came out from the long, first furrow. Then king Siraketu (i.e. Janaka) became extremely glad. He named her, the fascinating one, the glory of the world, Sita. When she, extremely charming, was playing in the grove of the garden, she saw a pair of a male and a female parrot that delighted her mind. The parrots were extremely delighted and lustful, and affectionately talking to each other in pleasant words. That pair, enjoying (each other's company), quickly flew in the sky, settled on the lap of a mountain, and spoke (to each other): " On the earth, charming Rama will be the king. His wife will be (a woman) by name Sita. The intelligent, powerful king, vanquishing (his enemies), will rule (over the earth) along with her for eleven thousand years. Blessed is that queen Janaki, and blessed is he, named Rama, who having approached each other, will gladly enjoy."

12-16. When the couple of parrots was conversing in this way, Maithili, observing their words and realising that this was a divine couple and thinking, 'this couple of parrots is telling charming tales about me, (so) I shall catch the couple, and will ask about all the words, the meaning of which is already expressed', she said to her friends: ''Slowly catch this charming pair of the birds." The friends just then went to the mountain, and caught the excellent pair of the birds, and with a desire to do what was dear to their friend (Sita), reported it to her. Seeing the pair uttering many words in various ways, she comforted it. and said to it these words. Sita said: |,

17-18. Do not be scared. Who are you two, the charming ones? Where have you come from? Who is Rama, and whois^ Sita? Wherefrom did you have the information about them!! Tell me all that quickly. Let your fear of me go away. The pair of birds said:

19-26. There is a very great sage Valmiki who is the best among those who know dharma. That sage made his disciples sing the future adventures of Rama. He, engrossed in the wellbeing of all beings, everyday remembered its words. All those future adventures of Rama, being sung repeatedly, were heard by both of us; they came to us (i.e. were mastered by us) due to repetition. Listen to them. In the end we shall tell who that Rama is and who that Janaki is and what will happen to her with Rama of a playful nature. Glorious Vishnu, good stories about whom are sung by celestial women, will, having divided himself into four, come up at the sacrifice performed by Rsyasrnga. He, having a bow in his hand, will come along with Visvamitra and his own brothers to Mithila. Then there seeing a bow difficult to be taken (i.e. wielded) by other kings, he will break it, and will obtain the very charming daughter of Janaka. O excellent one, we have heard that with her he will rule over a large kingdom. O you of a beautiful body, we who had flown there, heard this and other (things) about you, told by those who lived there. Release us who desire to go.

27-40. Grasping (i.e. hearing) these words very pleasant to the ears, she again spoke (these) words to that pair of birds: " Where would that Rama be? Whose son (will he be)? In what way will he marry her? What form will the excellent man have? Tell me exactly all this that I have asked you. Later I will do all good things liked by you." Hearing those (words), the female parrot, seeing Janaki and realising in her heart that she was oppressed by love, then said to her: " There will be an intelligent mighty king having aline of chariots, and the scion of the solar dynasty, having resorted to whom god: > will be fully victorious. He will have three wives, having forms that will fascinate (even) Indra. On them (i.e. from them) four children (sons) lofty on account of might, will be born. Rama will be the eldest of all. Bharata is said to be (born) after him. After him (i.e. Bharata) Lakshmana (will be born), and after him (will be born) Shatrughna, powerful everywhere. The large-minded one (i.e. Rama) will go by the name Raghunatha. They will have endless names; O friend, the face of the powerful Rama will be charming like the calyx of a lotus. His very long (i.e. large) eyes will have the beauty of lotuses. His nose will be raised, large and charming. His eyebrows will be lovely and charming due to their being harmonious. His lovely hands will be hanging up to his knees. His very small neck will be charming like a conch. His chest will be plain and expansive and charming. His chest will be pure and will have a mark. Endowed with the beauty of chaiming thighs and waist, he will have a pair of knees, pure and naturally adored. His lotus-like feet will always be worshipped by all his (votaries). The very charming Raghupati (will be like this). Rama possess a form like this. Who am I to describe him? Even one having a hundred mouths cannot describe him. Then what about birds like me? Seeing his form, (even) Lakshmi, charming and having a beautiful body, was enticed. (Then) which (lady) is there on the earth that will not be enticed? He has great power, great valour, and has a very enticing form. What power do I have to describe Rama endowed with all glory and virtues?

41-53. Lucky is that queen Janaki (i.e. Sita), having a very attractive form, who will gladly enjoy with him for a myriad years. O beautiful lady, who are you? \Vhatis> our name that you cleverly and respectfully ask me to narrate (the account) of Rama? " Hearing these words, Janaki. telling the couple of birds about the charming and enticing (story of) her birth, said to them: " I am that Janaki. the daughter ofJanaka, whom you mentioned. I shall truly release you when that very charming Rama comes to me; not otherwise — being (just) allured by your words! I shall caress you. You, having (i.e. speaking) sweet words, stay happily (with me)." Hearing these words they trembled and were frightened. They were mutually (i.e. both) afraid; (and) said this to Janakt: " O good lady, we are birds, living in forests and resorting to trees. We wander everywhere. We would not get happiness (merely by staying) at home. I am pregnant. Having gone to my place and having given birth to sons (i.e. young ones) I shall come (back). I have told you the truth." (Though) thus addressed by the female parrot, she did not release her. Then her husband (i.e. the male parrot), eager, and with his face hung down spoke to her: " Sita, release my wife. How do you keep this my beautiful wife? We shall go to the forest and shall happily move in the forest. My charming wife would be (i.e. is) pregnant. Having performed her (i.e. after her) delivery I shall come to you, O lovely one? " Thus,, addressed, she said to him: " O you very intelligent one, you can gladly go. I shall keep this happy one, doing what is dear to me, ' near me." Thus addressed, the bird was unhappy; and full of tenderness,, he said to her: " Those words which are uttered by the meditating saints are true: (The words are: )

54-56. 'One should not speak, one should not speak. One should remain by resorting to silence. Otherwise, due to the blemish in one's utterance, the mad one would be fettered.' Had we not talked (to each other) on this tree, how would we have been bound? Therefore, one should resort to silence." Saying so, he spoke to her: " Obeautiful lady, O Sita, I shall not live without this wife of me. Therefore, O you charming one, leave her."

57-66. Though admonished with various words, she did not release her. The (parrot's) wife, who was angry, and miserable, then cursed Janaka's daughter: " As you are separating me from my husband, in the same way you will be, when pregnant, separated from Rama." When she, the afflicted one, was repeatedly saying like this, her life departed due to misery, full of the distress of her husband. For her who was repeatedly remembering Rama and uttering (the name) Rama, a divine car properly arrived. The female parrot became luminous when she had gone to heaven. When she died, her husband, that lord of birds, was extremely angry, and being distressed, fell into Ganga: ''In Rama's city, full of people, I will be born as (a sjjdra so) that due to my words she will be dejected, and extremely unhappy due to separation (from her husband)." Saying so, he who was distressed, angry, frightened and shaking due to separation from her, fell into the water of Ganga graced with eddies. Due to his being angry, due to his being distressed, and due to his having insulted SIta, he obtained very (mean) shudrahood (as he was born as) a washerman named Krodhana. That best bird (or best brahmana) who, doing ill to the great, abandons his life through anger, obtains shudrahood after he dies. That took place. Due to the words of the washerman she was censured and separated. On account of the curse of the washerman, she was separated (from Rama), and she went to the forest.

67. O brahmana, I have told you what you had asked about (SIta), born in Videha. Listen to the further account here (i.e. regarding Sita). I (shall) narrate it.

 

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