| Chapter 4 : Wood -Apple Episode | ||
SITA: I offered obeisance to the rock and was wondering how to cross the stream, when I saw a neat row of stepping stones laid across it. I quickly, crossed the stream and resumed my journey through the thick forest. The first light of dawn was filtering through the thick foliage overhead. Morning fog had reduced the visibility considerably. Just then, through the fog, I saw at a distance a hazy image of a man. I could not recognise him, but I could make out what he was upto. That stranger was clearing the forest path of thorns and stones, and subsequently plucking the leaves and flowers from the bushes and spreading them on the path which I was walking. I froze in terror. My heart started pounding wildly: Who is this stranger? Will he harm me if he sees me in this uninhabited part of the forest.? But before I could think further, the image of the stranger had vanished into the fog. I was in a fix, whether to proceed further or return to the hermitage. Finally, my determination to fulfill my husband’s wish overpowered me and I gingerly stepped forth on the same path on which I had seen the hazy stranger. My heart guessed that, the stranger had unknowingly worked to my benefit by clearing the path through the forest, just before I was due to traverse it. With the first blush of the morning, the youthful Sun was peeping over the eastern horizon. I felt as if the Sun smiled to me and said: SUN: Oh! SITA, listen to me with care Be there, rain, hail or storms mighty Whatsoever be the events in life, Never leave your path of duty. I folded my hands in Namaskar (salutation) to the Sun and offered my thankful prayers to Him. As I moved ahead, I could now see the mighty mountain looming ahead of me. My heart missed a beat, for the mountain was huge and tall, way beyond my imagination. It was standing with its head held up high through the clouds, that engulfed its peak. I felt very impressed by the majesty of the mountain and heard it say: MOUNTAIN : Janaki ! (daughter of King Janaka) One who abides by Truth, persistence and industriousness She alone shall deserve the love of God, One who adopts these virtues She alone shall walk with the head held up high. I humbly prayed to the mighty mountain: “There is a wood-apple tree on your peak. Please give me the strength to reach it , so that I can accomplish my duty of fulfilling my husband’s wish . I am determined to complete this mission of mine. Please help me. “ I started climbing the mountain with a fresh enthusiasm and eventually reached its peak. I was completely tired by the time I reached there, but when I saw what I saw there, I felt rejuvenated. There, in all its glory was the WOOD-APPLE TREE. With a huge trunk, rising high into the sky, and a rich green canopy of branches and leaves ,casting their shadow over a large circumference of over ten thousand paces on the ground , the tree was laden with thousands of full grown lush green wood-apples . Each fruit appeared to be dancing in the gentle sunrays that fell on it. I approached the wood-apple tree and humbly prostrated myself to it with prayer:” Please give me some of your fruits to fulfill my husband’s wish.” |
