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Padma Puranaपद्मपुराण · Jain Ramayana
हिन्दी

Parva 88

The Coronation of Rama and Lakshmana

After mourning Bharata's departure, Rama and Lakshmana are consecrated together on one throne, Sita and Vishalya are crowned, and the allies receive their kingdoms.

Part of Victory and the Return to Ayodhya

Summary

More than a thousand kings of pure lineage, among them Siddhartha, Rativardhana, Meghratha and Jambunada, renounce the world with Bharata; some attain moksha and others the highest heavens. Lakshmana weeps for his brother, leaning on Viradhita's arm, and Rama praises Bharata, who left a kingdom like poisoned food. When the kings ask to consecrate Rama, he insists that Lakshmana, the discus-bearing Narayana, deserves it, and Lakshmana in turn calls Rama the true lord, so both are anointed together on one throne. Sita and Vishalya are consecrated as chief queens, and Rama gives Lanka to Vibhishana, Kishkindha to Sugriva, Shrinagara and Hanuruha island to Hanuman, Alakapura to Viradhita, Kishkupura to Nala and Nila and Rathanupura to Bhamandala.

What happens

5 points

  1. Among the more than one thousand kings of pure lineage who left elephants, horses, chariots, gold, jewels and harems to become munis with Bharata were Siddhartha, Rativardhana, Meghratha, Jambunada, Shalya, Shashanka, Nandana, Nanda, Ananda, Sumati, Suchandra, Mahabuddhi, Surya, Indradhvaja, Shrutidhara, Alanka, Shanti, Kundara, Satyavan, Sumitra, Dharmamitra, Purnachandra, Prabhakara, Sudana, Shantisukha and Priyadharma. Through great austerities some attained moksha, some became Ahamindras and some high gods.

  2. Lakshmana, remembering Bharata's virtues, feels his kingdom empty and weeps, leaning on Viradhita's arm: the ornament of virtues, the tilaka (forehead mark) of the Raghu line, gave up his body's comforts in youth; how will one so tender endure the hardships of a muni? Rama says no words can do justice to Bharata, whose mind never sank into sense pleasures and who left royal fortune like poisoned food; even Indra could not describe him. The whole court and every household speaks of Bharata for a long time, joyful and sorrowful at once.

  3. Next day the kings, Vidyadharas and earth-dwellers alike, ask to consecrate Rama as Indra is consecrated in heaven. Rama tells them to anoint Lakshmana, the pillar of the earth, guru of kings and Vasudeva, who bows at his feet every moment. They go to Lakshmana, who returns with them to Rama, bows and says that Rama alone is lord of the kingdom and he only an obedient follower; Rama replies that as the discus-bearing Narayana, Lakshmana is the fitting one, and so both are anointed.

  4. Amid drums, mridangas, vinas and dancing, with gifts to all who ask, the two brothers are seated together on one throne and bathed from gold and jewelled jars topped with lotus leaves and filled with pure water, then dressed in priceless jewels and new garments. Vidyadharas, earth-dwellers and the gods of three continents cry victory to Rama the Baladeva, bearer of the plough and pestle, and Lakshmana the Vasudeva, bearer of the discus. The Vidyadharas then joyfully consecrate Sita as Rama's chief queen and Vishalya as Lakshmana's.

  5. Rama then grants kingdoms: Lanka to Vibhishana, Kishkindhapura to Sugriva, Shrinagara and the island of Hanuruha to Hanuman, Alakapura, splendid as the realm of the Nagas, to Viradhita, Kishkupura to Nala and Nila, Rathanupura in the southern row of Mount Vijayardha to Bhamandala as overlord of all the Vidyadharas, and the god-given city of Devopanita to Ratnajati, with fitting places for all the other kings. The chapter teaches that the great bring merit from past lives, and by making merit that leads to more merit they enjoy heaven and at last reach nirvana.