Sloka 14
The glories of SitA PirATTi to be experienced by the Swan
Meaning:
Oh dear Friend (priya sakha)! After receiving so many of upacArams during your comfortable journey, you will reach your final destination of LankA and see SitA PirATTi there. She will befriend you too! Her birth is a sacred one. She is not born out of a womb of a Mother (ayonijai) like us. She was discovered when Janaka MahArAja ploughed the land to consecrate the yAga bhUmi. Since Her birth is associated with a plough (sItA), She was named sItA. She is undergoing immense sufferings now because of Her separation from me. She is holding on to Her life with the hope of uniting with Me again soon and has therefore gained the title of MahA Pativratai (bhUmau loke mahatIm eka patnI samAkhyam vahati). You will be blessed to see this great pativratai at the end of your travel to LankA.
Sloka 15
Asking the Swan to get the permission of its pEDai for the Journey South
Meaning:
Oh dear Swan! You may have legitimate concerns about the feelings of your dear love, the lotus flower , from whom you were separated as a result of your stay at the far away Maanasarovar lake in the North. You might wonder whether She will now give you permission to be absent for extended periods of time away from home just after your return from North. Yes, these are legitimate worries. It is just right that your consort is happy now after extended separation from you. You have to do however something for Me. Please explain to Her My sorrowful state arising from My separation from My beloved SitA. Please assure her that you will return quickly from this trip after delivering My sandeSam to SitA.
Please talk with her gently and console her. Your wife will understand the sensitivity of the situation as a compassionate woman; She will take pity and extend her permission through the voice of the hovering bee near her. That sound emanating from the bee will be like the sweet sound arising from the strings of the MangaLa vAdhyam, veeNA. There is a reason for your devi to agree to your request. She will give you permission because of her friendship with SitA. She will consider that the removal of SitA’s suffering is more important than her own viraha tApam, when you would be away. It is but natural that noble ladies have dayA for other women exposed to difficult circumstances.
English Commentary by Sri Oppiliappan Sadagopan
The following is pictorial representation of the slokas followed by video for Sloka 14 ‘Mithilapura nayikam vaidehanam alankriyam!‘
Courtesy: Smt Jayanthi Sridharan (Carnatic vocalist)
