वामेन सीतां पद्माक्षीं मूर्धजेषु करेण सः।
ऊर्वोस्तु दक्षिणेनैव परिजग्राह पाणिना॥
vāmena sītāṁ padmākṣīṁ mūrdhajeṣu kareṇa saḥ
ūrvos tu dakṣiṇenaiva parijagrāha pāṇinā
vāmena = with his left; sītām = Sītā; padma-akṣīm = the lotus-eyed; mūrdhajeṣu = by her hair; kareṇa = hand; saḥ = he; ūrvoḥ tu = by her thighs; dakṣiṇena eva = with his right; parijagrāha = caught; pāṇinā = hand.
He caught the lotus-eyed Sītā by her hair with his left hand, by her thighs with his right hand.
1 Rāvaṇa had been cursed by Nalakūvara, Vedavatī and so on. We will come across this in Canto 7 of the Rāmāyaṇa, the Uttara-kāṇḍa.
2 This appears in the excerpt from Kūrma Purāṇa quoted in the note to texts 3.5.36-37. The reading found there has dharmiṣṭhāṁ (“who was supremely dhārmika”) instead of rāmeṣṭāṁ (“who was dearest to Lord Rāma”) without a significant change in the overall meaning. In the Varanasi edition of Kūrma Purāṇa, this verse appears as 2.33.127. One of the manuscripts used for the edition has rāmeṣṭāṁ instead of dharmiṣṭhāṁ. It is clear from the Varanasi edition that the above verse appears in Chapter 34 of the Venkateswara Steam Press edition.
3 Narasiṁha Purāṇa 48.133 states that after Bharata settled in Nandigrāma, He restrained His eating and ate vegetables, roots and fruits, which can only mean that He exclusively subsisted on vegetables, roots and fruits: sa kurvan bhrātur ādeśaṁ nandigrāme sthito vaśī / tapasvī niyatāhāraḥ śāka-mūla-phalāśanaḥ. Obviously Bharata took up that vow because Rāma had taken up that vow. Texts 49.1-2 of the same Purāṇa note this: gate ’tha bharate tasmin rāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ / lakṣmaṇena saha-bhrātrā bhāryayā sītayā saha / śāka-mūla-phalāhāro vicacāra mahā-vane.
4 The brāhmaṇa devotee of Lord Rāmacandra worshipped Him in rāga-bhakti; therefore Lord Caitanya was pleased with him. Prameya-ratnāvalī 8.8 notes that in vidhi-bhakti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead with four arms and so on is worshipped while the same Lord with two arms is fully worshipped in rāga-bhakti: vidhinābhyarcyate devaś catur-bāhv-ādi-rūpadhṛt / rucy-ātmakena tenāsau nṛ-liṅgaḥ paripūjyate. Kānti-mālā observes that the son of Yaśodā and the son of Kausalyā are worshipped through rāga-bhakti: nṛ-liṅgo yaśodā-stanandhayaḥ kauśalyā-stanandhayaś ca. It should be noted that Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa refers to rāga-bhakti as ruci-bhakti. The reader can find a detailed description of rāga-bhakti in Prabhupāda’s The Nectar of Devotion, Chapters 15 and 16.
5 But one’s engagement in rāga-bhakti cannot be beyond the bounds of scriptural information, understanding and instructions! Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was unhappy with the brāhmaṇa’s misconception, and strove to remove it with direct scriptural evidence. There are other ways one’s engagement in rāga-bhakti can go against the teachings of scriptures. Readers are advised to scrutinize Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s wonderful booklet entitled Rāga-vartma-candrikā that clarifies the true nature of rāga-bhakti.
6 Prabhupāda notes in his purport to this verse that these two verses are from the Kūrma Purāṇa.
He considered the difficulties he could face because of the curses [on him] and therefore [only] caught her by her hair and thighs.1
GLOSS. That a form of Māyā Sītā was created and so on is not stated here [but] it should be gathered from the Purāṇas.
Statements such as the following are found in Chapter 34 of the Kūrma Purāṇa:
sṛṣṭvā māyāmayīṁ sītāṁ sa rāvaṇa-vadhecchayā
sītām ādāya rāmeṣṭāṁ pāvako ’ntaradhīyata
“Desirous of having Rāvaṇa killed, Agni created a Māyā Sītā, took the [real] Sītā who was dearest to Lord Rāma and disappeared.”2
Statements such as the following are found in Chapter 76 of Agneya Purāṇa:
ity uktvā sva-prabhāvena pratibimbaṁ manomayam
yathā-rūpaṁ yathā-veṣaṁ kalpayitvātisundaram
vahnāv ācchādayantī svam agnāv eva samāsthitā
atha māyāmayī sītā . . .
“Having said this, she created a mental reflection of her. That reflection was identical in appearance and costume, and extremely beautiful. Covering herself with fire, she sat on the fire. Then the magical Sītā . . .”
This only shows her entrance [to superior realms], since it is stated in Mahābhārata-tātparya-nirṇaya and other [authentic sources of information] that she [eventually] went to Kailāsa [from there].
NOTE. Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 9.178-218) recounts the following pastime when the Supreme Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited South India:
dakṣiṇa-mathurā āilā kāmakoṣṭhī haite
tāhān dekhā haila eka brāhmaṇa-sahite
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at southern Mathurā from Kāmakoṣṭhī, He met a brāhmaṇa.
sei vipra mahāprabhuke kaila nimantraṇa
rāma-bhakta sei vipra—virakta mahājana
The brāhmaṇa who met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu invited the Lord to his home. This brāhmaṇa was a great devotee and an authority on Lord Śrī Rāmacandra. He was always detached from material activities.
kṛtamālāya snāna kari’ āilā tānra ghare
bhikṣā ki dibena vipra—pāka nāhi kare
After bathing in the river Kṛtamālā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the brāhmaṇa’s house to take lunch, but He saw that the food was unprepared because the brāhmaṇa had not cooked it.
mahāprabhu kahe tānre—śuna mahāśaya
madhyāhna haila, kene pāka nāhi haya
Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear sir, please tell Me why you have not cooked. It is already noon.”
vipra kahe—prabhu, mora araṇye vasati
pākera sāmagrī vane nā mile samprati
The brāhmaṇa replied, “My dear Lord, we are living in the forest. For the time being we cannot get all the ingredients for cooking.
vanya śāka-phala-mūla ānibe lakṣmaṇa
tabe sītā karibena pāka-prayojana
“When Lakṣmaṇa brings all the vegetables, fruits and roots from the forest, Sītā will do the necessary cooking.”3
tānra upāsanā śuni’ prabhu tuṣṭa hailā
āste-vyaste sei vipra randhana karilā
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very satisfied to hear about the brāhmaṇa’s method of worship.4 Finally the brāhmaṇa hastily made arrangements for cooking.
prabhu bhikṣā kaila dinera tṛtīya-prahare
nirviṇṇa sei vipra upavāsa kare
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His lunch at about three o’clock, but the brāhmaṇa, being very sorrowful, fasted.
prabhu kahe—vipra kānhe kara upavāsa
kene eta duḥkha, kene karaha hutāśa
While the brāhmaṇa was fasting, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, “Why are you fasting? Why are you so unhappy? Why are you so worried?”
vipra kahe—jīvane mora nāhi prayojana
agni-jale praveśiyā chāḍiba jīvana
The brāhmaṇa replied, “I have no reason to live. I shall give up my life by entering either fire or water.
jagan-mātā mahā-lakṣmī sītā-ṭhākurāṇī
rākṣase sparśila tānre—ihā kāne śuni
“My dear Sir, mother Sītā is the mother of the universe and the supreme goddess of fortune. She has been touched by the demon Rāvaṇa, and I am troubled upon hearing this news.
e śarīra dharibāre kabhu nā yuyāya
ei duḥkhe jvale deha, prāṇa nāhi yāya
“Sir, due to my unhappiness I cannot continue living. Although my body is burning, my life is not leaving.”
prabhu kahe—e bhāvanā nā kariha āra
paṇḍita hañā kene nā karaha vicāra
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Please do not think this way any longer. You are a learned paṇḍita. Why don’t you consider the case?”5
īśvara-preyasī sītā-cid-ānanda-mūrti
prākṛta-indriyera tānre dekhite nāhi śakti
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Sītādevī, the dearmost wife of the Supreme Lord Rāmacandra, certainly has a spiritual form full of bliss. No one can see her with material eyes, for no materialist has such power.
sparśibāra kārya āchuka, nā pāya darśana
sītāra ākṛti-māyā harila rāvaṇa
“To say nothing of touching mother Sītā, a person with material senses cannot even see her. When Rāvaṇa kidnapped her, he kidnapped only her material, illusory form.
rāvaṇa āsitei sītā antardhāna kaila
rāvaṇera āge māyā-sītā pāṭhāila
“As soon as Rāvaṇa arrived before Sītā, she disappeared. Then just to cheat Rāvaṇa she sent an illusory, material form.
aprākṛta vastu nahe prākṛta-gocara
veda-purāṇete ei kahe nirantara
“Spiritual substance is never within the jurisdiction of the material conception. This is always the verdict of the Vedas and Purāṇas.”
viśvāsa karaha tumi āmāra vacane
punarapi ku-bhāvanā nā kariha mane
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then assured the brāhmaṇa, “Have faith in My words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.”
prabhura vacane viprera ha-ila viśvāsa
bhojana karila, haila jīvanera āśa
Although the brāhmaṇa was fasting, he had faith in the words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and accepted food. In this way his life was saved.
tānre āśvāsiyā prabhu karilā gamana
kṛtamālāya snāna kari āilā durvaśana
After thus assuring the brāhmaṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu proceeded further into southern India and finally arrived at Durvaśana, where He bathed in the river Kṛtamālā.
durvaśane raghunāthe kaila daraśana
mahendra-śaile paraśurāmera kaila vandana
At Durvaśana Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Lord Rāmacandra, and on the hill known as Mahendra-śaila He saw Lord Paraśurāma.
setubandhe āsi’ kaila dhanus-tīrthe snāna
rāmeśvara dekhi’ tāhān karila viśrāma
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Setubandha [Rāmeśvara], where He took His bath at the place called Dhanus-tīrtha. From there He visited the Rāmeśvara temple and then took rest.
vipra-sabhāya śune tānhā kūrma-purāṇa
tāra madhye āilā pativratā-upākhyāna
There, among the brāhmaṇas, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu listened to the Kūrma Purāṇa, wherein is mentioned the chaste woman’s narration.
pativratā-śiromaṇi janaka-nandinī
jagatera mātā sītā—rāmera gṛhiṇī
Śrīmatī Sītādevī is the mother of the three worlds and the wife of Lord Rāmacandra. Among chaste women she is supreme, and she is the daughter of King Janaka.
rāvaṇa dekhiyā sītā laila agnira śaraṇa
rāvaṇa haite agni kaila sītāke āvaraṇa
When Rāvaṇa came to kidnap mother Sītā and she saw him, she took shelter of the fire-god, Agni. The fire-god covered the body of mother Sītā, and in this way she was protected from the hands of Rāvaṇa.
‘māyā-sītā’ rāvaṇa nila, śunilā ākhyāne
śuni’ mahāprabhu haila ānandita mane
Upon hearing from the Kūrma Purāṇa how Rāvaṇa had kidnapped a false form of mother Sītā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very satisfied.
sītā lañā rākhilena pārvatīra sthāne
‘māyā-sītā’ diyā agni vañcilā rāvaṇe
The fire-god, Agni, took away the real Sītā and brought her to the place of Pārvatī, goddess Durgā. An illusory form of mother Sītā was then delivered to Rāvaṇa, and in this way Rāvaṇa was cheated.
raghunātha āsi’ yabe rāvaṇe mārila
agni-parīkṣā dite yabe sītāre ānila
After Rāvaṇa was killed by Lord Rāmacandra, Sītādevī was brought before the fire and tested.
tabe māyā-sītā agni kari antardhāna
satya-sītā āni’ dila rāma-vidyamāna
When the illusory Sītā was brought before the fire by Lord Rāmacandra, the fire-god made the illusory form disappear and delivered the real Sītā to Lord Rāmacandra.
śuniñā prabhura ānandita haila mana
rāmadāsa-viprera kathā ha-ila smaraṇa
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this story, He was very pleased, and He remembered the words of Rāmadāsa Vipra.
e-saba siddhānta śuni’ prabhura ānanda haila
brāhmaṇera sthāne māgi’ sei patra nila
Indeed, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these conclusive statements from the Kūrma Purāṇa, He felt great happiness. After asking the brāhmaṇas’ permission, He took possession of the manuscript leaves of the Kūrma Purāṇa.
nūtana patra lekhāñā pustake deoyāila
pratīti lāgi’ purātana patra māgi’ nila
Since the Kūrma Purāṇa was very old, the manuscript was also very old. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took possession of the original leaves in order to have direct evidence. The text was copied onto new leaves in order that the Purāṇa be replaced.
patra lañā punaḥ dakṣiṇa-mathurā āilā
rāmadāsa vipre sei patra āni dilā
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to southern Mathurā [Madurai] and delivered the original manuscript of the Kūrma Purāṇa to Rāmadāsa Vipra.
sītayārādhito vahniś chāyā-sītām ajījanat
tāṁ jahāra daśa-grīvaḥ sītā vahni-puraṁ gatā
parīkṣā-samaye vahniṁ chāyā-sītā viveśa sā
vahniḥ sītāṁ samānīya tat-purastād anīnayat
“When he was petitioned by mother Sītā, the fire-god, Agni, brought forth an illusory form of Sītā, and Rāvaṇa, who had ten heads, kidnapped the false Sītā. The original Sītā then went to the abode of the fire-god. When Lord Rāmacandra tested the body of Sītā, it was the false, illusory Sītā that entered the fire. At that time the fire-god brought the original Sītā from his abode and delivered her to Lord Rāmacandra.”6
patra pāñā viprera haila ānandita mana
prabhura caraṇe dhari’ karaye krandana
Rāmadāsa Vipra was very pleased to receive the original leaf manuscript of the Kūrma Purāṇa, and he immediately fell down before the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to cry.
vipra kahe—tumi sākṣāt śrī-raghunandana
sannyāsīra veṣe more dilā daraśana
After receiving the manuscript, the brāhmaṇa, being very pleased, said, “Sir, You are Lord Rāmacandra Himself and have come in the dress of a sannyāsī to give me audience.
mahā-duḥkha ha-ite more karilā nistāra
āji mora ghare bhikṣā kara aṅgīkāra
“My dear Sir, You have delivered me from a very unhappy condition. I request that You take Your lunch at my place. Please accept this invitation.
mano-duḥkhe bhāla bhikṣā nā dila sei dine
mora bhāgye punarapi pāilun daraśane
“Due to my mental distress I could not give You a very nice lunch the other day. Now, by good fortune, You have come again to my home.”
eta bali’ sei vipra sukhe pāka kaila
uttama prakāre prabhuke bhikṣā karāila
Saying this, the brāhmaṇa very happily cooked food, and a first-class dinner was offered to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
sei rātri tāhān rahi’ tānre kṛpā kari’
pāṇḍya-deśe tāmraparṇī gelā gaurahari
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that night in the house of the brāhmaṇa. Then, after showing him mercy, the Lord started toward the Tāmraparṇī River in Pāṇḍya-deśa.