Synopsis in prose form :
Lav and Kush reach the age of one year. This marks a joyous occasion in the hermitage. Sakhis of Sita come to wish her; Saints and sages of the forest come to bless the children. The entire forest is full of joy. Yet Sita is unhappy that the father of the children has not yet come to see them.
Link 1:
When Lav – Kush took their first morsel
Sita remembered her Lord
Make the children virtuous
Prayed She for her sons adored.
Song 1: Lav – Kush eat food for first time
As Lav – Kush
eat their first morsel of food today
I pray to you My Lord for this.
I await you every day
Please give the children
Strength immense
Do listen to a mother
May they perform good deeds
And be ever righteous ||1||
Your image is in their eyes
Only you
have to protect them
I have surrendered
myself fully to you my Lord
You only can give knowledge gems ||2||
Song 2 : Lord’s memory
It was that night in the Ashram *
Full of deep silence, everywhere
Sita was breast feeding Lav-Kush
With love and great care ||1||
Sita’s heart filled with affection
On her lips was Rama’s name
One lamp felt her loneliness
One more creature shared the same ||2||
That was the ‘Mother cow’
Seeing Sita sorrowful
Sweetly rang her cowbells
Making her feel hopeful ||3||
It is indeed admirable
Lord’s devotion she could feel
As the cowbells ring
Rama Rama they too peal ||4||
* Ashram means hermitage
Link 2 :
King Rama should not be blamed
His kingdom should always prosper
This was only Sita's wish
The lamps of love she'd nurture ||1||
Sorrowfull at her separation
Yet her heart was dutiful
When the sorrow was uncontrolled
She sang this song soulful ||2||
Song 3: When will you Come Oh Rama!
When will you come Oh Rama!
When will you come…
Everyday I wait for you
From dawn till dusk
When will you come Oh Rama!
When will you come… ||1||
I don’t even feel like eating
Your name is my only hope
When will you come Oh Rama!
When will you come… ||2||
I surrender myself fully
To do you work
When will you come Oh Rama!
When will you come… ||3||
Oh! Lord I will bear all sorrows happily
To propagate the “Raghu” *clan
But when will you come Oh Rama!
When will you come… ||4||
*Raghu refers to the family tree of Rama
Link 3 :
For Sita, time stood still
Though it was passing fast
While taking care of Lav – Kush
Didn’t know a year flew past ||1||
Lav and Kush one year reached
Ashram was with joy arrayed
Sita celebration wished
Sakhis for the children prayed ||2||
Song 4: First Birthday of Lav – Kush
Sita :
The decorated cart has come
Pulled by handsome bullocks
It’s birthday of my Lav – Kush ||1||
Gods and Goddesses have come
Saints and sages have come
It’s birthday of my Lav – Kush ||2||
Rishis have came
Brought sacred books of knowledge
It’s birthday of my Lav – Kush ||3||
Sakhis have come to give blessings
They brought fruits, flowers and plants
It’s birthday of my Lav – Kush ||4||
Birds and animals of forest have come
Peacocks have come, clouds have come
It’s birthday of my Lav – Kush ||5||
Why do tears fill my eyes kind
Uncontrolled wanders the mind
Worthy Rama's not arrived
Father's love twins are deprived
Is this a joyous birthday? (Sita cried !) ||6||
Song 5: Longing
Sita:
The Lord has forgotten me,
He has not come to see me.
Oh clouds on the mountain top,
Please wait for just some time,
Listen to my song of longing,
And narrate my craving to Him. ||1||
Oh mighty lake, do listen,
Spread your waters so wide,
That I may float over them
To His hidden abode in Infinite. ||2||
Link 4
Princes worthy of living in palace
Their life in forest deep began
The worthy sons of King Rama
Who are the heirs of Raghu clan ||1||
Nurtured in the forest Ashram
They lived with their mother
Their face has the kingly glow
Also "Tapascharya"*power ||2||
*"Tapascharya" refers to penance and meditation
Song 6: Childhood of Lav - Kush
Sita:
Twins became one and half year old
They seem to play forever
They walk in a todling manner
And dance their eyes all over ||1||
Making mysterious signs
They flail their arms in the air
They pound their feet on ground
Creating sound together ||2||
I carry Lav on my shoulder
Kush clinging to my side firmly
I run through the forest and dale
The brothers shout in glee ||3||
Song 7: The kin
Sita:
Who, indeed, are the kin of Lav and Kush?
They are the trees, creepers and birds in the bush.
Who, indeed, are the friends who take them out to play?
They are the dogs, peacocks and calves, playful all day
When I hear their happy and playful laughter,
My heart is filled with joy
And blessings shower.
The hermitage accepted Sita
Engrossed with Sakhis friendly
In company of saints and sages
Lav – Kush grew up happily ||1||
Everyday Sita did worship
With wives of sages and seer
The hermitage was like her family
Festivals were celebrated together ||2||
Chaitra* month Nav-ratra* festival came
Sita installed the sacred urn
A beautiful “Kalash*” filled with water
A coconut on the top in turn ||3||
*Chaitra is the first month in Hindu Indian calendar
Nav ratra are the first nine nights of the Chaitra month when worship of Goddess is done
Kalash means a urn
Song 8: Chaitra Nav-ratra
Sita :
The water in the “Kalash” resembles the ocean
The “Kalash” resembles the sky
The mango leaves in it
They resemble life on earth nigh. ||1||
On top of it
The coconut is kept itself
It’s worshipped as truth
It resembles God himself||2||
Song 9: Worship of Chaitra Gauri
On occasion of "Chaitra Gauri" festival
Sita called her Sakhis dear
She applied "Haladi-Kumkum" to their foreheads
Gifted them coconut, fruits and pear ||1||
As Sita offered the gifts
Her eyes welled up with tears
Nostalgic memories of "Ayodhya"
Arose in her heart pure ||2||
Sita then said to her Sakhis
I was the queen of Ayodhya the great
When my friends came to the palace
I gifted gems in a plate ||3||
I wish to give you the same today
What can I place in your hands best
My heart is brimming with love for you
Hands are empty in the forest ||4||
I am giving you the forest wealth
Accept this with your heart fully
Sita then folded her hands
Prostrated to them thankfully ||5||
*Haladi means tumeric. Kumkum means vermilion. Haladi - Kumkum used in combination signifies the act of applying a pinch of Haladi and Kumkum on each others forehead by married ladies as a mark of love and affection.
Link 6:
On the auspicious occasion of “Chaitra Gauri”
Sita applied Haladi- Kumkum to the Sakhis
She made offering to a betel nut
As if Mandodari* it itself is
* Mandodari was wife of demon king Ravana, of Lanka. Ravana had kidnapped Sita when Rama and Sita were in exile.. Rama had subsequently freed Sita from Ravana by killing him in battle , with the help of 'Vanars' which means monkeys and perhaps refers to forest dwellers .
Link 5:
Song 10: Offerings to Mandodari
Sita:
Mandodari suffered an untold grief
A sacred heart she had indeed
But she was beset with misfortunate
Her husband "Ravana" paid her no heed ||1||
My worship today is an apology
For the grief because of me you suffered
Oh My! What is this whisper in my ear
Is it astral Mandodari who has appeared ||2||
Mandodari Said (in astrsal form)
My soul was indeed troubled
It was wandering in sorrow all over
The worship which you today performed
Has filled my soul with peace forever||3||
You also please forgive me
And accept my prayer
There was conflict in our families
Let us resolve it together ||4||
My heart has only this craving
There is this one wish in my mind
Let our cultures prosper
Let happiness be there in all mankind ! ||5||
Link 7:
Mandodari became invisible
Having uttered this testimony
Sita having heard her sincere words
Was filled with peace and harmony
Link 8:
Sita and all her Sakhis
Used to talk animatedly
Everybody was close to each other
And they shared thoughts freely ||1||
Sakhis respectfully accepted
Sita is full of knowledge clear
But still a question arose in their mind
How was she charmed by the deer? ||2||
Knowing the curiosity of the Sakhi
Sita's faced expressed regret
The deer was beautiful, frisky and charming
The entire forest he seemed to enchant ||3||
Song 11: The golden deer
Sita :
I called Lord Rama immediately
And pointed out to him the golden deer
See that marvellous creature
Who roams in the forest in his own splendour ||1||
When the rays of sun fall on him
His body shines like a rainbow colourfully
Oh Lord ! That deer fascinates me
It enchants my mind completely ||2||
For reasons I don’t know
I said to Rama in my folly
My heart has gone out of control
The deer can only make me jolly ||3||
Link 9:
When Sita applied Haladi-Kumkum
That touching moment she remembered
After the defeat of cunning Ravana
She was with Lord Rama reunited
She touched the feet of her Lord
She had only one wish on her mind
I should always remain near to His feet
I should never be separated from Him
End of Chapter 5
Om Shanti! Om Shanti! Om Shanti!