Shiva explains why he has decided to accept Lord Ram’s “orders”, which is
actually a polite request, in verse nos. 3-4 herein below.
All these events add upto one conclusion: There was no problem if Shiva marries
Uma.]◊ÊÃÈ Á¬ÃÊ ªÈ⁄U ¬ ̋÷È ∑Ò§ ’ÊŸË – Á’Ÿ®„U Á’øÊ⁄U ∑§Á⁄U• ‚È÷ ¡ÊŸËH 3H
ÃÈEg ‚’ ÷Ê°Áà ¬⁄U◊ Á„UÃ∑§Ê⁄UË – •ÇÿÊ Á‚⁄U ¬⁄U ŸÊÕ ÃÈEgÊ⁄UËH 4H
mātu pitā gura prabhu kai bānī. binahiṁ bicāra kari'a subha jānī. 3.
tumha saba bhām̐ti parama hitakārī. agyā sira para nātha tumhārī. 4.
One should keep the words of one’s parents, a guru (moral preceptor and teacher) and
the Lord (here meaning both the worshipped deity as well as one’s Master)^1. (3)
You are my well-wisher in every imaginable way, and therefore I will
willingly accept your orders by keeping them on my head (which is another way of
saying that I am bowing my head before you and accepting your instructions without
questions).’ (4)
[Note—^1 A similar idea is expressed at other places in Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya
Kand—(i) Chaupai line nos. 1-4 that precede Doha no. 177 in relation to Bharat
accepting the principle that one should always obey his seniors such as parents and
guru (moral preceptor and teacher); and (ii) Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes Doha
no. 315 where Lord Ram gives this advice to his younger brother Bharat, saying that
if one follows the path advised by one’s parents, guru and Lord, then even if that path
is not auspicious, the person’s efforts still won’t go in vain.]
¬ ̋÷È ÃÙ·©U ‚ÈÁŸ ‚¢∑§⁄U ’øŸÊ – ÷ÁQ§ Á’’∑§ œ◊ ̧ ¡Èà ⁄UøŸÊH 5H
∑§„U ¬ ̋÷È „U⁄U ÃÈEgÊ⁄ U ¬Ÿ ⁄U„U™§ – •’ ©U⁄U ⁄UÊπ„ÈU ¡Ù „U◊ ∑§„U™§H 6H
prabhu tōṣē'u suni saṅkara bacanā. bhakti bibēka dharma juta racanā. 5.
kaha prabhu hara tumhāra pana rahē'ū. aba ura rākhēhu jō hama kahē'ū. 6.
The Lord (Sri Ram) was satisfied when he heard Lord Shiva’s words which were
infused with elements of ‘Bhakti’ (devotion), ‘Vivek’ (wisdom) and ‘Dharma’
(rightousness, propriety, noble conduct)^1. (5)
The Lord (Sri Ram) told Shiva—‘Oh Har (Shiva)! Your vows have been
kept^2. Now please be kind to keep in mind what I have told you.’ (6)
[Note—^1 Three things are mentioned here—viz. ‘Bhakti’, ‘Vivek’ and ‘Dharma’. Lord
Shiva was a devotee of Lord Ram, and had the highest degree of devotion for his
revered Lord, i.e. for Lord Ram. Bhakti requires that one should be submissive,
devoted and loyal towards the revered deity whom he worships. A devotee must
regard his worshipped Lord as his best well-wisher, and all the orders of the Lord are
to be honoured without question. So, since Shiva humbly accepted whatever his
revered Lord Ram advised him to do, the former’s answer is said to be soaked in
‘Bhakti’.
Shiva’s acceptance had elements of ‘Vivek’ and ‘Dharma’ because he was aware
of the principle that one must honour the words of his parents, his guru and his Lord.
He was also aware of the fact that the body that commits a sin must be punished, but
the Atma is incorruptible. Sati had been severely punished because she died by
burning herself. Uma was absolutely flawless. Whatever vestiges of past sins that
might have remained clinging to her Atma were eliminated when Uma did severe