Tulasidas felt immensely happy and once again touched Anjaneya's
feet in reverence. He danced in ecstasy chanting Sri Rama's sacred
name and crouched behind the bush as directed by Anjaneya. He
was all eyes as he watched.
Tulasidas
waited and waited. Two princes on horse-back passed that way.
Tulasidas sat there, his mind fixed on Lord Rama. But Sri Rama
and Lakshmana did not come at all. After a long, time
Anjaneya appeared in the disguise of the same old man. Tulasidas
once again clasped his knees and prayed: "Lord Anjaneya,
I have waited so far, but Sri Rama and Lakshmana haven't come
Don't you pity me even now? Won't you show me Sri Rama and Lakshmana
no at least?" Anjaneya said with a smile: "Did you not
see two princes on horseback? They were Sri Rama and Lakshmana."
Tulasidas was very unhappy as he realized his own ignorance. "Miserable
that I am, my own eyes turned out to be my enemies," he said
weeping. Once again he prayed to Anjaneya.
He seemed to hear Anjaneya speaking from the sky: 'Go to Ayodhya;
you will have darshan of Sri Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana in their
gracious form.'
There are
other stories also about how Tulasidas was able to see Sri Rama
and Lakshmana.
It is said
that after some years Tulasidas had another opportunity of seeing
Sri Rama; it is also said Sri Rama asked him to put a mark of
sandal paste on his forehead.
There is an
episode in the 'Ramacharitamanasa'. When, after crossing the river
Yamuna, Sri Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana step into Chitrakoota,
a young hermit prostrates a their feet. He is overcome with devotion
and forgets himself. Seetha Devi bestows her blessings on him.
|