________________
20
the ravishing beauty of Sita, his heart will surely fill alike by the residents of three worlds, you showed with a desire to marry her. He will anyhow abduct a painting of a ravishing damsel endowed with her. In that case, she will not marry Rama as beauty and brains to my son Bhāmandala. He has berotthed and thus, my bruised pride will get some taken a fancy for her and desires to marry her. Could solace'.
you tell us who the beautiful girl is? Which noble
family is she from? I beseech you to enlighten me, This is called the irony of karma. The divine
so that I can go and meet her parents. The sage sage Narada is lofty soul devoid of any attachment.
replied, "Oh noble king Candragati, the ravishing He knows that the world is an illusion and yet when
beauty, you are talking about, can surprass the he was humiliated, his wrath knew no bounds. He
celesital goddesses and nymphs in was all set to get even with Sita. Not only that, but
beauty. No offspring of a man can exhe chalked out a diabolical plan to take revenge.
cel Sita in beauty. Infact, she looks thouHis actions in our sacred texts are called "Mohaniya
sand times more beautiful than the picKarmas". When these karmas torment a noble soul,
ture. For, though I excel in the art of he stoops down to the lowest depths and invites
painting, I could not captivate all her curses on himself and brings misery to others. Sita,
beauty in this picture. Your son has like any other Aryan women in those days, was mod
fallen in love with Sita, the daughter of est and timid. When she saw an absolute stranger
King Janaka, whose forefathers ruled in her chamber, her reaction was natural. She never
Mithila. I think your son deserves her. wanted to humiliate the divine sage Narada.
May I advise you to hurry and meet King Nārada drew a lovely picture of Sita on a Janaka without any delay?" silken scroll and presented it to the young prince
King Candragati rushed to the Bhamandala. When the prince saw the picture, he
chamber of his son and promised, "The was immediately afflicted by the arrows of Cupid.
beautiful girl, who has coveted your He lost his composure, apetite and sleep. He would
heart, is Sita, the princess of Mithila. I not sleep for a moment. He would not converse with
assure you that she alone would be anyone, nor was he bothered about his appearance
your wife." and health. The arrows of Cupid are made up of flowers but they harm a man's conscience, constraint and culture. People tormented by love are
Then Candgragati called ruled by impulses and indulge into rash and irratio
Capalagati, who exceled in magic. He nal actions. They sow in haste and reap the harvest
belonged to the family of Vidyadharas. in leisure. When the king Candragati saw the plight
The king ordered Capalagati to reach of his son, he was moved and said, "O Bhamandala,
Mithila and abduct its king. On reachmy worthy son, what has caused your present state?
ing Mithila, Capalagati vidyadhara asIs it some secret sorrow or else you suffering from
sumed the form of a fair horse endowed some kind of a malady? Has anyone disobeyed you
with auspicious marks. With his beauty, or given you some trouble? Tell me, I shall immedi
he succeeded in enticing King Janaka. ately punish the culprit." Bhamandala did not utter a
A desire to add this extraordinary horse word, his head was drooped and countenance pale!
to his stable, smote Janaka to such an Bhamandala's silence introduces us to yet extent that he forgot his noble upbringanother face of our multidimensional culture. ing and the teachings of his parents and Discusions of love in the presence of elders is not teachers. King Janaka was a learned encouraged in this land of Aryas. This regard for the person and yet his covetiousness elders and gurus is called 'Kulamaryada'.
brought him sorrow. Just as the fish and
birds, who get entangled in the nets The modern culture and its unlimited per
because of their greed for food. Somesonal freedom has infact made us savages and
times they lose their life and sometimes slaves of passion. This has brought about a social,
they lose their independence. Overpowmoral and spiritual downfall in every walk of life.
ered by his desire, King Janaka stealthBhamandala was indeed afflicted by love, but the
ily followed the horse and mounted it. love did not make him forget his limits as a son. He
At once the horse gallopped and therefore remained silent. Later on, King Candragati
reached the sky. He straightaway flew consulted the friends of the young prince and
to Rathanupura-nagara, the kingdom of learned the entire account of the picture.
Candragati. The royal consort, the King Candragati immediately sent for the young princess and the citizens of sage Nārada. He received the sage with due hon- Mithila began to lament when they our and after having paid obeisance, gently enquired learnt this news. in the following words, "O divine Narada - revered For Personal & Private Use Only
www.ainelibrary.org
Jarn Eucalon intem
