Chapter 27 - Migration of Dharmadev’s family from Chhapaiya to Ayodhya

Dharma settles in Ayodhya. 

Suvrat said:- 

The Brahmin sage Shri Hariprasad anticipating the torments of demons again and again in his home town did not like to stay there any longer. 1. 

Inclined to make a dwelling in a holy place, the rich in wealth and grains. Shri Hariprasad, leaving the town currently, wanted to go Ayodhya. 2. 

O king, then he put all the household belongings in a cart and went to Ayodhya with his dear wife and children. 3. 

Dharma climbed up in one cart with his elder son while Bhakti sat in another with her daughter-in-law (Suvasini), and keeping Shri Hari on her lap. 4. 

Listening to soothing child chatter, observing his son’s beautiful lotus like face often, the blissful Dharma, never came to know the distance travelled or the people on the way, as did his wife. 5. 

The magnanimous Dharma reached the beautiful banks of river Sarayu in the fourteenth hour of the day, with his friends. 6. 

The heaps of sins of men are washed away by taking bath in her; or a mere glance towards her would do, whose water is the holiest, since Rama sported in her water. By mere chanting of her name, sins are washed away. 7. 

Huge vessels of the dimension of village and towns sailing across her, in lines, making her looking majestic with a maze of waves expanding across, different sounds wafting through her waters, gave her inexplicable beauty. 8. 

Sarayu was being worshipped by crowds of people with sandal paste, flowers, fragrant substances, and rows of lighted lamps. She would become a beholder’s delight with her multitude of playful fishes gliding through as well as a beloved subject of description of the poets. 9.

Originated from the lake of Manasa, she flows with echoing sounds of the dwelling swans and reflecting the trees of her banks with pellucid water; and adored by the seekers of inner purity. 10. 

Getting into boat with his relatives, Dharma crossed the great river and retrieved all the household articles from the boat on the other bank. 11. 

Vivid description of Ayodhya. 

Having reached the town of Ayodhya, Shri Hariprasad felt glad there, when the reddish sun began to move towards west. 12.

Thousands of lamps were lit on the balcony and terraces of the houses and on the banks of Sarayu. The river, having reflection of those lamps, looked as beautiful as the flow of lights. 13.

Observing the Brahmins there performing the evening ritual, he took bath. Being skilled in rituals he also observed evening ritual facing the west. 14. 

He observed the evening ritual in the place called the ‘gate of heaven’. Then he went to have the Darshana of Lakshman tirtha happily. 15. 

Swarga-dwara and Lakshman-tirtha were beautified by the plants of Tulasi and flower trees and others. Then he entered the beautiful city Ayodhya, which is considered by the learned as the bestowed of salvation. 16. 

The city Ayodhya, built by Manu himself is situated near the banks of Sarayu, twelve Yojanas in length and three Yojanas in width. 17. 

This was the capital of the kings of Ikshvaku race. Lord Vasudeva himself had taken birth in the form of Rama, in this place. 18. 

The city was surrounded by beautiful gardens having trees and creepers bending down by the weight of flowers and fruits. 19. 

The roads, the royal paths, the squares and markets in the city were kept always clean and washed. The gate-ways leading to the city were worshipped with auspicious things like curds, grains and saffron, everyday. 20. 

The city looked magnificent with its spacious buildings; some of them seven storied, and with its range of summits seemed as though Kailasa Mountain. These various structures of white marbles ran in a row inclusive of dwelling places for seers, priests and other anchorites. 21. 

People belonging to all the four castes living in different houses, were observing their own religious duties, by the influence of Shri Hari who was the incarnation of religion himself. 22. 

A good flock of well adorned elephants of four types, wind-speed horses of great characteristics, and bulls almost similar to giant elephants, made the city their habitat. 23. 

O sinless king, in the evening Shri Hariprasad used to listen to the melodious poetry from every temple of Rama with the music of the flute, drums, shell, horn and the other musical instruments like Tal, Turya and Dundubhi etc. 24. 

The roads were shining by the rows of lighted lamps, and to its both sides stalls of different commodities incorporated. Shri Hariprasada with his relatives went through the town beholding the citizens who were lustrous like holy religions. 25. 

Thus moving along, he reached an extension of the town near Ramaghat, called Barahatta, where people belonging to all the four castes resided. 26.

Coming across an aromatic air and inhaling the fragrance wafted from the sacrificial burnt offerings, he found for himself his old house and began to dwell there. 27. 

Taking bath in the river Sarayu thrice a day, observing timely rituals, performing religious duties, he devoted himself to Krishna all the time. 28. 

Devout Shri Hari becomes a scholar. 

Having observed the adoration of Krishna by his father, lad Shri Hari used to follow the same in his child plays. 29. 

As a child, Shri Hari was well-disposed and virtuous. With his inclination towards adoring Shri Krishna, he was disinterested in other rustic sports. 30. 

He used to follow his mother when she was going to Sarayu River to take bath, early in the morning, everyday, even in winter. Like a Brahmin strictly following the rituals, he used to take bath in Sarayu in all seasons. 31.

Coming home, he used to worship Krishna with his child stuff, and become forgetful of his food intake even, so absorbed in the worship. 32. 

When he was called by his father, mother or by his friends of same age, he could not hear them for a long time, as he was immersed in the meditation of Lord Krishna. 33. 

He was interested in listening the stories or great deeds of Lord Vishnu. In his childhood, many a times he had heard the Ramayan, the life story of Lord Rama. 34. 

Often he had the company of the adorers of Lord Rama. Naturally he developed a devotion to Rama who is very dear to his worshipers. 35. 

Now Shri Hari became five years old. Leaving aside the interest of rustic behaviours he accepted the pure and holy way of thoughts and acts which he wanted to establish on the earth. After taking bath in Sarayu, daily, and completing the morning rituals, he used to visit the temples of all gods in Ayodhya to pay obeisance. 36. 

Worshipping Rama, Sita, Lakshmana along with Maruti, the son of wind, who carries fragrance; he used to hear Shrimad Bhagavata, and Ramayan. He never became attached to worldly affairs or things, even to his mother, father or friends. 37. 

Hearing from his Krishna-devout father, the noble religion, and knowing more about religious followings of each sect, again from his well versed father in Sruti and Smriti, and learning women’s religious duties through his mother, the all knowing Shri Hari, in a human form, became a scholar in his childhood. 38. 

Thus ends the twenty-seventh chapter entitled ‘Arrival of Dharma in Ayodhya’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 27