THE WEDDING (4)

"How do you know it was not a divine inspiration that gave you the thought?" "In all the worlds, is there anyone who can tackle this bow, the very sight of which in Shiva's hand made erring gods and godlings tremble and collapse-until Shiva put it away and renounced its use?" "With your permission, may we see it?" Janaka said, "I'll have it brought here. It has lain in its shed too long.... Who knows, moving it out may change all our fates." He called on his attendants to fetch the bow.... The attendants hesitated and he ordered, "Let the army be engaged for the task if necessary. After all, this spot is sanctified by the sacred rites recently performed... and the bow is fit to be brought in here." The bow was placed in a carriage on eight pairs of wheels and arrived drawn by a vast number of men. During its passage from its shed through the streets, a crowd followed it. It was so huge that no one could comprehend it at one glance. "Is this a bow or that mountain called Meru, which chumed the Ocean of Milk in ancient times?" people marvelled. "What target is there to receive the arrow shot out of this bow, even if someone lifts and strings it?" wondered some. "If Janaka meant seriously to find a son-in-law, he should have waived this condition. How unwise of him!" Rama looked at his master. Viswamithra nodded as if to say, "Try it." As Rama approached the bow with slow dignity, the onlookers held their breath and watched. Some prayed silently for him. Some commented, "How cruel! This supposed sage is not ashamed to put the delicate, marvellous youth to this harsh trial!" "The King is perverse and cruel to place this godlike youth in this predicament.... If he was serious about it, he should have just placed Sita's hand in his instead of demanding this acrobatic feat...." "The King's aim is to keep Sita with him for ever-this is one way of never facing separation!" "If this man fails, we will all jump into fire," commented some young women who were love-stricken at the sight of Rama. "If he fails, Sita is sure to immolate herself and we will all follow her example." While they were speculating thus, Rama approached the bow. Some of the onlookers, unable to bear the suspense, closed their eyes and prayed for his success, saying, "If he fails to bring the ends of this bow together, what is to happen to the maiden?" What they missed, because they had shut their eyes, was to note how swiftly Rama picked up the bow, tugged the string taut, and brought the tips together. They were startled when they heard a deafening report, caused by the cracking of the bow at its arch, which could not stand the pressure of Rama's grip. The atmosphere was suddenly relaxed. The gods. showered down flowers and blessings, clouds parted and precipitated rains, the oceans tossed up in the air all the rare treasures from their depths. The sages cried, "Janaka's tribulations and trials are ended." Music filled the air. The citizens garlanded, embraced, and anointed each other with perfumes and sprinkled sandalwood powder in the air. People donned their best clothes, gathered at the palace gates and public squares, and danced and sang without any restraint; flutes and pipes and drums created a din over the loud chants and songs from many throats. Gods and goddesses watching the happy scenes below assumed human form, mixed with the crowds, and shared their joy. "The beauty of our royal bridegroom can never be fully grasped unless one is blessed with a thousand eyes," commented the women. "See his brother! How very handsome! Blessed parents to have begotten such sons!" Sita had secluded herself and was unaware of the latest development. She moved from bed to bed for lack of comfort, and lay beside a fountain on a slab of moonstone- the coolest bed they could find her. Even there she had no peace since the lotus blooms in the pool of the fountain teased her mind by reminding her of the shape of his eyes or his complexion. She grumbled, "No peace anywhere... I am deserted. My mind tortures me with reminders. What use are they if I can't even know where to look for him? What sort of a man can he be to cause all this torment and just pass on doing nothing to alleviate it? A regal appearance, but actually practising sorcery!" Her tortuous reflections were interrupted by the arrival of a maid. Instead of bowing and saluting her mistress, as was normal, she pirouetted around singing snatches of a love song. Sita sat up and commanded, "Be quiet! Are you intoxicated?" The maid answered, "The whole country is intoxicated. How would you know, my good mistress, if you lock yourself in and mope and moan?" She went on to explain in a rush of incoherence. "The king of Ayodhya.... son, broad-shouldered and a god on earth. No one saw it happen, he was so quick and swift, but he pressed, so they say, one end with his feet, and seized the other end with his hand, and drew the string and oh!..." "Oh, intoxicated beauty, what are you saying?" When Sita understood what had happened, she stood up, her breasts heaving. She held herself erect as she said, "Do you know if this is the same man who struck me down with a look as he passed along the street? If it is someone else, I will end my life." When the initial excitement subsided, King Janaka sought Viswamithra's advice. "What shall I do next? I suddenly find myself in an unexpected situation. Is it your desire that I should send for the priests and astrologer and fix the earliest date for the wedding, or send a message to Dasaratha and wait for his convenience?" Viswamithra replied, "Dispatch a messenger with the auspicious news immediately and invite Dasaratha formally." Janaka at once retired in order to compose a proper invitation to Dasaratha, with the help of his court poets and epistle-writers, and dispatched it. In due course, Janaka's emissaries presented the epistle at Dasaratha's court. Dasaratha ordered his reader to receive the epistle and read it out: The message gave an account of all that had happened from the time Rama had left Ayodhya up to the snapping of Shiva's bow. Dasaratha heaped presents on the messengers, and commented light- heartedly, "Tell them in Mithila that we heard the sound of the bow snapping...