Note. — The description oi the closing scene in Rsms's life as given by Valmiki is almost identical with that given above. On the day fixed for his final departure, after having settled his sons Kusa and Lava in the kingdoms of Uttara and Kobala, and despatched Vibhishana to rule i.lc kingdom and worship Vishnu, the family god of the Ikswakus, Hanumatm to live in the world so long as the story of his achievenm?nts lasted, and Jamb* vana till the end of the Kali age, Kama told Vashishtha to prepare ior his departure and let Ins Agnihotra with biasing fires, his Vajpiya and umbrella together with Brahmanas precede him. Theu wearing slender clothes carrying the sacred kusa grass in hand, he walked to the Sarayu river repeating the sacred mantra relating to Brahmana. Silently he went without speaking a word to any ono, without looking at any object, or hearing any sound, or minding the thorns and the stones in the way. Resplendent like the sun shone the lord of the Rnghus, followed on his right by the goddess Lakshtni and on his left the goddess of the earth and his all absorbing power walking in front. All his weapons, bows and arrows followed him in human forms. The Vedas in the form of Brahmanas, the Gay atri, the onkara, the Vashatkara, the great rishie, the great kings, all followed Rama for whom the door of the heavens was open. The inmates of tho royal household, the young and tlie old, slaves and dependents, followed in the train with Bharata and Satrughana.
All the ministers and servants of the kingdom, all the people of the town, together with their Agnihotras, wives, sons and cattle followed Rama being attached to him for his virtues. All had bathed, all were happy and cheerful. None felt in the loast unhappy or ashamed, in following his king. Even those who fell la the way joined the throng till not a creature was left in Ayodhya, Having proceeded a yojana and a half they c. me to the river Sarayu, As Rama reached it there appeared in the welkin the Grand sire Brahma, surrounded: th all the gods and the celestial rishis riding in thousands of celestial chariots. The sky became covered with the residents of the heaveus, theso great souls who had achieved it by their good deeds. Fragrant breezes blew, giving delight to all. Showers of flowers rained from the heavens, drums and trumpets of the celestials sounded as Rama walked into the Sarayu. Then Brahma tho Grand sire said from the heavens. “Come Vishnu, well it is, that thou, 0, Raghava, hast come, may good botide thee.” Do thou together with thy brothers enter the body of Vishnu or any other body thou pleasest, or the eternal Akasa (Brahman) l hou art, O God, the refuge of the world. None knows thee except thy own Maya, the wisdom born of knowledge. Thee the incomprehensible, the imperishable, the undecaying being Do thou enter thy own form. On hearing these words of the Grand sire, Rama resolved to enter his body of Vishnu, together with his brothers. The gods and the sadhyas, there fore, worship Vishnu the god of gods. Then there arose from the gods, the Rishis, the Sadhyas, the celestial Rishis, tiie Gandharvas, the Daityas, Dauavas, the Rakshas and the apsaras, loud acclamations of well done, well done. The gods then happily went to their respective abodes and by the command of Rarna, Brahma gave to all who had followed him the regions of the Santanikas which are full of every happiness and situated uear the world of Brahma. He further told ViBhnu whoever remembers thy holy name at the time of death, even though ho belongs to the lower orders of creation shall attain to these regions, what to he said of those who follow thoe with faith and devotion. Then the monkeys entered their respective divine portion and Sugriva the body of the sun. Then they came to the sacred plaoo known as Gopratraka. As eaoh had bathed in the Sarayu, he relinquished his human torin and mounted a celestial car and went to heaven. Even the brute creatures did so. Having thus established them in their respective regions, the grand sire of the world went to his mansions in the heavens.
The city of Ayodhya which had become bereft of people remained deserted for many years till it was re-peopled in the reign of Raja Rishabha. Valmiki, Uttarakanda, chaps.
The desparture of Rama from the world furnishes as fit a subject for the painter’s brush as it has done for Vnlmiki’s pen. His great epic the giver of delight to all who read and reflect upon it the purifier o( the lives and thoughts, and the bringur of happiness ever- lasting to those who follow the ideals given in it. It is declared to he equal in authority to the veda* embodying as it does the truths thereof.
Thus ends the Uttarakanda of the Adhyatraa Ramayana consisting of 9 chapter* and 400 verses.
Om. Tat. Sat.
Om Santi, Santi, Sauti.