Arrival of Rampratapbhai and other residents of Ayodhya.
Arrival of Rampratapbhai and other residents of Ayodhya.
Suvrat said:-
Meanwhile, two real brothers of that human incarnation of the sinless God, arrived there.1.
Ever since the day this Lord called Nilakantha in His childhood days, had renounced His home, from that very day, His own people, i.e. family members, His two brothers, named Rampratap and Iccharam, foremost amongst the intelligent ones, were very much disturbed, due to the anguish of the separation from Him. This separation from Him was unbearable for them and all the while they were engrossed in thinking about Him only. On hearing about His whereabouts from the mouth of ascetics who visited their house after wandering through many places, they were astonished, and became very much eager to see Him. Both of them were emaciated in His bereavement. After performing an auspicious ceremony, they, being eager to see Him immediately started from their town, and their family members also followed them, who were quite determined to visit Him. 2-6.
The wife of Ramapratap named Suvasini, who was fully devoted to her husband, was very eager to see Shri Hari. The three brilliant sons of Rampratap named Nandarama, Thakur and Ayodhyaprasad, as well as his daughter, named Siddhi, also accompanied him. 7-8.
So also Nandaram’s virtuous wife Dinamana, his two sons Narayana and Ramsharan, and his daughter named Medha, who was possessed of noble qualities, elder brother Thakur’s wife Shivakumarika and his two daughters named Akunti and Govinda and wife of Ayodhyaprasad named Sunanda and her daughter Yamuna also accompanied him, Ramprasad’s third son Iccharam had a wife named Variyasi and five excellent sons named Gopal, Raghuvira, Vrindavan, Sitaram, Badrinath. He also had two daughters named Fullasari and Fullazari. Gopal had a wife named Manda, Her younger brother’s wife Viraja, Iccharam’s brother-in-law Suphala, and very intelligent maternal brother’s son named Manasaram. 9-16.
Along with all these and many other relatives those two brothers accompanied by co-travelers who were eager to see Lord Shri Hari, reached there. 17.
Astonished to hear about His greatness and prowess at every place, they were received with great reverence and care in each settlement, due to being close relatives of Shri Hari. At the outskirts of the Vruttalaya city, they finally had a glimpse of Him from a far distance. 18-19.
From certain of His characteristics, observed by themselves, due to close intimacy, they could recognize Him as their own sibling. Filled with joy, they almost ran from the long distance to hug\embrace Him affectionately. 20.
Being God Himself, he knew that they have come here from such a long distance leaving the comforts of their home, seeing Him, their eyes brimming with tears of love and hearts much excited. Although he was devoid of any attachment towards them as brothers, He was very affectionate towards His devotees. So experiencing their feelings He immediately alighted from His pedestal, His face blooming with joy just like a lotus, then those two brothers, dashed towards their dearest brother embraced Him hard by turns for a long time with both hands out of intense regard and became overwhelmed with testacy. With due regards He wel- comed both of them as well as His other relatives and friends, embrac- ing them and making their eyes moist with tears of joy. 21-22.
Thereupon, the sage Narayan bowed down with respect to Ramprasad who was senior to Him; in turn Iccharam being the youngest bowed down before Narayan muni; then Shri Hari, bowed down only before his other senior relatives also, in the same way (some of them) bowed down to Him eagerly. 23-24.
On beholding that Shri Hari, who was dearer than life to them, after a long time, all of them were relieved from the pangs of His separation for many years and felt very happy. 25.
It was only after offering appropriate seats to all of them that He occupied the pedestal. From there, He publicly insured about their well-being. 26.
On learning that Rampratap and Iccharam were siblings of their revered Lord, sages, attendants and other men and women bowed down to them with respect just as they used to bow down to Hari. 27.
Then He provided a palace for their stay and employed Jobanpagi and Mukundanand in their services. 28.
Amazed to visualize His grandeur, of which they had only heard earlier all His relatives were convinced that He, their kin, was indeed the son of Vasudeva Vasudeva Himself in the human form. 29.
All of them stayed in that palacial building feeling very happy and comfortable due to being served by Shri Hari’s devotees with food, drink, gifts etc. 30.
When those relatives of Shri Hari, headed by Ramprasad, left for their lodgings, sage Anandananda asked Him a question. O God, O son of Vrusha, I put before you a doubt that has just arisen in my mind. On seeing your elder brother who arrived from Saket a while ago, you yourself bowed down to Him first, thus preventing Him from saluting you although you are God incarnate what is the reason behind it ? Is it some lacuna (deficiency) in his devotion towards you? Or is it for preserving worldly tradition and good manners that you did so? Kindly let me know, you, who are the leader of good people. 31-34.
Then God Shri Hari replied to him in the presence of all the other listeners, No, not at all, O sage, His devotion towards me is just like that of my uncle Akrura, which I had experienced in my incarnation as Krishna on the way from Mathura to Gokul; the same are the feelings of my brother towards Me. 35-36.
Therefore, O Best amongst the sages, You should not (have any) doubt regarding his devotion towards me. I prohibited him to bow down (to me) in order to up hold the decorum (etiquettes). 37.
Having heard such an explanation from Shri Hari, that great sage and others sitting in that assembly were amazed and greatly pleased. 38.
O King, such was their spurt of joy upon beholding Shri Hari on that day that people forgot all the hardships (faced) by them on the way from diverse regions where they had come from. 39.
Thus ends the forty-ninth chapter entitled, ‘Narration of description of the arrival of Rampratap and other relatives at the spring festival in Vruttalaya,’ in the third prakaran of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra. (the rules of the code of conduct). 49