इमौ मुनी पार्थिवलक्षणान्वितौ।
कुशीलवौ चैव महातपस्विनौ॥
ममापि तद्भूतिकरं प्रवक्ष्यते।
महानुभावं चरितं निबोधत॥
imau munī pārthiva-lakṣaṇānvitau
kuśī-lavau caiva mahā-tapasvinau
mamāpi tad bhūtikaraṁ pravakṣyate
mahānubhāvaṁ caritaṁ nibodhata
imau = these; munī = two sages; pārthiva-lakṣaṇa-anvitau = with the characteristics of princes; kuśī-lavau ca eva = Kuśa and Lava; mahā-tapasvinau = are great ascetics; mama = to Me; api = even; tat = therefore; bhūtikaram = that does good; pravakṣyate = will be loudly recited; mahā-anubhāvam = this greatly potent; caritam = life story; nibodhata = listen.
“These two sages with the characteristics of princes, Kuśa and Lava, are great ascetics. Therefore, this greatly potent life story that does good to even Me will be loudly recited. Listen!”
1 All of these points have already been brought out with evidences in 1.4.7.
2 In other words, He has such prowess because He is the possessor of Janaka’s daughter. As we learn from other scriptures, she is factually His potency.
3 Hanumān, after hearing the above statement of Sītā-devī forgiving the rākṣasīs, immediately remarked that she is well-suited to Rāma as His dharma-patnī.
The author then summarizes the subject in these two verses.
Though these two were dressed as sages, they had the chara-cteristics of princes. Kuśa and Lava, though singers, were great ascetics. Lord Rāma thought, “Therefore, this greatly potent life story will do good to Me, it will sustain Me, who have become emaciated without My beloved wife.”
Some claim that Lord Rāma requested others to listen to the recitation of Kuśa and Lava because they were great souls about to speak on the greatly potent life story of Lord Rāma. [In response, the following can be said.] But that would lead to self-glorification, inappropriate for Śrī Rāmacandra, a dhīrodātta hero who never glorifies Himself. Had the composition been about Him, His listening to it and it being greatly influential on Him (“greatly potent”) would be absolutely inappropriate. Indeed, even an ordinary man [following Vedic dharma] is ashamed to hear a composition on himself. Therefore, the ācāryas understand Lord Rāma’s statement differently.
This composition is not the life story of Lord Rāma; rather, it is the life story of Sītā-devī, for it has already been stated by Śrī Vālmīki that this is the great life story of Śrī Sītā. It is also acknowledged as such by Śrī Parāśara Bhaṭṭa, a respected authority. Even the popular saying about the Bhāgavata, Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa considers the Rāmāyaṇa to be about a woman. And Lord Rāma certainly wanted to hear such a composition about her.1 Therefore, Lord Rāma has said here that this is good for Him, that is, it consoles Him.
As it will be mentioned later, Lord Rāma will be considered of immeasurable power because of Sītā-devī—aprameyaṁ hi tat-tejo yasya sā janakātmajā: “Unbounded is the prowess of the possessor of Janaka’s daughter.” (3.37.18)2 This composition about her will sustain Him even in her absence.
Lord Rāma considered thus: While accepting Vibhīṣaṇa, He had mentioned that even if Vibhīṣaṇa might have been at fault [due to his association with Rāvaṇa], because of his surrender unto Lord Rāma out of friendship, Lord Rāma forgave him:
mitra-bhāvena samprāptaṁ na tyajeyaṁ kathañcana
doṣo yady api tasya syāt satām etad agarhitam
“If one has come to me in a friendly spirit, I will never ever abandon him, even if he has some defect. This is honored by the civilized.” (Rāmāyaṇa 6.18.3)
But Sītā-devī forgave the rākṣasīs who had tortured her earlier on [even though they did not actually surrender unto her].
pāpānāṁ vā śubhānāṁ vā vadhārhāṇāṁ plavaṅgama
kāryaṁ kāruṇyam āryeṇa na kaścin nāparādhyati
“O monkey, a noble person should be compassionate upon all who deserve to be killed, whether they are sinful or pious. Nobody is free from faults.” (Rāmāyaṇa 6.116.45)3
Therefore, Lord Rāma considered her character to be superior to His character.