Valmiki Ramayana 2.56.31-32: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 56, Shlokas 31-32
चित्रकूटगमनम् तथा पर्णशालाप्रवेशः
Arrival at Chitrakuta and Establishing the Leaf-Hut
वैश्वदेवबलिं कृत्वा रौद्रं वैष्णव मेव च ।
वास्तुसंशमनीयानि मङ्गलानि प्रवर्तयन् ॥३१॥
जपं च न्यायत कृत्वा स्नात्वा नद्यां यथाविधि ।
पापसंशमनं राम श्चकार बलिमुत्तमम् ॥३२॥
vaiśvadevabaliṃ kṛtvā raudraṃ vaiṣṇava meva ca |
vāstusaṃśamanīyāni maṅgalāni pravartayan ||31||
japaṃ ca nyāyata kṛtvā snātvā nadyāṃ yathāvidhi |
pāpasaṃśamanaṃ rāma ścakāra balimuttamam ||32||
राम ने देवताओं के लिए पूजा की। रुद्र और विष्णु को भी भोग लगाया। फिर शास्त्र के हिसाब से जाप किया। नदी में नहा के पाप धोए। आखिरी बलि भी दी।
Rama, offered oblations to Visvadevas, Rudra and Visnu, performed the auspices for the appeasement of the household deity. And having muttered japa silently in conformity with tradition, he took his ablution in the river as enjoined (by the sastras) and offered his final oblations for the expiation of his sins.
FAQs
The verse exemplifies the Dharma of ritual propriety and spiritual discipline. Rama, despite his exile, meticulously follows Vedic injunctions for daily worship, demonstrating that adherence to sacred duty (karma-kanda) remains obligatory regardless of circumstances. This reflects the principle that Dharma is not circumstantial but eternal.
Rama has established his hermitage at Chitrakoot and is performing the daily ritual obligations (nitya-karma) appropriate to a forest-dwelling ascetic. The verse describes his completion of the Vaiśvadeva offering, Rudra-Vishnu worship, household deity appeasement, japa meditation, ritual bath, and final sin-expiating oblation.
The verse emphasizes Rama's virtue of ritual discipline (niyama) and his unwavering commitment to Vedic prescriptions. Despite being a prince thrust into exile, he performs every ritual with exactitude, demonstrating that true nobility lies in adherence to Dharma rather than royal status.
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