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King Janaka's Worry
As the days passed, Sita grew up like the growing moon. She was not only endowed with divine beauty, but also with great intelligence and humane nature. She had the lovable restlessness of the holy Gangas, longing for union with her beloved Mahasāgara. Her eyes resembled the sporting fishes in a river. Sitā was endowed with the regal persona of the goddess Lakşmi and the boundless intellect of the goddess Sarasvati. Sita, with her impish pranks, filled the hearts of her parents with enormous joy and with her compassionate nature and virtues, offered a solace to their wounded hearts. Her intellect assured them that she would handle any situation cleverly and overcome the greatest of the predicaments. Yet, at times their hearts were full of anxiety, for, they did not know what the future had in offing for their daughter. Like any other parents they worried, where would they find a suitable match for their lovely princess?.
ests and fields, palaces of elite and the shanties of the poor folks. Inspite of his enormous army, Janaka could not control the aggressive barbarians. The barbarians demolished innumerable Jain temples and destroyed the centres of penance. This tormented the heart of the noble king Janaka. It is said that, apart from friends and wellwishers, even the shadow of a man forsakes him in the hour of peril. King Janaka too was undergoing the same experience when he suddenly remembered emperor Dasaratha, his true friend and wellwisher. He immediately dispatched a messenger to Ayodhya to beseech help in the hour of emergency.
On reaching the court of Dasaratha, the envoy offered his obeisance. The emperor welcomed him warm heartedly, offered him a seat and asked him the purpose of his arrival. The envoy replied, "O Noble King.. Though my lord Janaka has thousands of kins, friends and wellwishers, they all have deserted him in the hour of peril. You are the only friend capable of helping him. During the sojourn in the forest, a strong bond of friendship has been developed between you two. Together you have shared the moments of joys and woes. My lord Janaka is
Once, the land of the noble emperor Janaka was attacked by the semibarbarian king Antaramgatama and his allies. Like deluge, he marched ahead, razing the cities and villages, for
Envoy of King Janaka in the court of Dasaratha
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