________________
Sita's Swayamvar
321
before him with bowed heads. The two brothers bowing to Dasarath touched his feet and then they touched Janak's feet. Both blessed the youngsters with overflowing joy.
On that day Shri Ram was going to marry Sita. Mithila and Ayodhya were going to be bound with permanent and unbreakable bonds of love and honour. The cultures of Mithila and Ayodhya were going to unite like two mighty rivers converging towards each other and then flowing on.
On that day at an auspicious time the marriage of Shri Ram and Sita and the marriage of Lakshman with the eighteen Vidyadhar maidens took place. On the same day, Janak's younger brother Kanak gave his daughter Bhadra in marriage to Bharath.
On account of the entreaty of King Janak and the members of the royal family Dasarath agreed to stay in Mithila for sometime enjoying their hospitality and affectionate treatment. But one day he had to go to Ayodhya. The family of Dasarath and the family of Janak became so intimate that whenever the point of Dasarath's travel to Ayodhya was raised it pierced the ears of the members of Janak's family like a sharp spear and they shed tears.
At last the time came for their bidding farewell to Sita. Janak's sublime face was covered with dark clouds of grief. Videha's eyes welled up with tears. Attendants and maids grieved by the prospect of separation surrounded Sita. All were shedding, tears. Sita's voice was choked with emotion. She could not utter even a single word. She was experiencing anguish silently, since she was going away from her father's house. Queen Videha embraced her and wept like a child. Sita's tears drenched the breasts of her mother. Queen Videha somehow restrained her tears and said in a voice shaken by emotion, "Dear Child! You are our only daughter. You are more dear to us than our lives. Yet to day you are going away from us...... Going far away from us. So you must deem King Dasarath and Queen Aparajita your father and mother and love them as you loved us all these days. You must consider Shri
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
