Satataharitam - Short Stories On Narayana

Rama Navami

Sita sat under a tree in the magical Dandakaranya, watching as her husband strolled around their little hut, watering the plants they'd specifically been growing for their consumption.

In her hand, she had some wild flowers in many colours, that she was stringing together to make a garland, just like that. She'd wanted to do something to keep herself occupied.

What had ended up occupying her mind, however, was very different. Her eyes refused to look anywhere but at her husband, who seemed to become even more magnetic every time she glanced at him.

She looked down at the flowers for a moment and smiled. Maybe he wasn't so different from those flowers after all. It was his Mukharavinda capturing all of her attention anyway. 

She looked up at him again. Had she ever seen a face as delicate as his? Every time she held his face in her hands, it was like she was caressing a soft, freshly bloomed lotus. Even these forest flowers couldn't rival that.

She hadn't seen as many colours in her many years in the forests as she had in his eyes. Deep inside the forests, nature blossomed and was brilliant and colourful. But it was as if her Rama's eyes held all of those colours and more. Everything, with a softness that was unparalleled.

She smiled to herself, just holding back from giggling at how lovesick she was.

Rama had this habit of caressing the plants, maybe even whispering a word or two to them, because he had always heard that speaking to plants made them grow better. He loved those plants just as he loved everything else in nature. He loved to share his love with the life around him, those little plants and animals. They kept him such wonderful company.

Sita saw him kneeling down to one new, young plant, and noticed how his smile widened like he'd received some response from the plant. She thought she'd just about melt and become one with her mother Bhumi right there because of just how adorable her husband was.

She wasn't usually that dramatic, though, so she was quick to gather herself and the flowers she seemed to have dropped while gawking at her beautiful husband.

Suddenly, she remembered that she had to do something. Something special, because it was that beautiful man's birthday in a couple of days. They'd celebrated every year but it had never been grand enough to satisfy her.

Rama, however, had been not only satisfied but overjoyed too with the celebrations every year. With the little sweets and flowers for gifts, or maybe some games from their gurukula days, his birthdays had been lovely for him. Sometimes, he'd just sit under the starry skies and call that his celebration.

However, Sita was determined to set up an actual celebration this time. And, she needed her little brother to help out with that.

She gestured to Lakshmana, who was far away, seemingly warming up before his daily workout, to come over. He was disappointed to stop doing the high-knees, but he hurried over to her.

"Yes, Bhabhi?"

She patted the ground hext to her, asking him to sit. He did. "Birthday celebration a little grand this year?"

Lakshmana shrugged. "For Bhaiya, yes. For me, absolutely not."

Sita glared at him, eyes narrowed. "Do you really think I'd plan your birthday celebration with you?"

He shrugged again. "Maybe Bhaiya, um, ran out of ideas?"

"Irrelevant."

"Right."

"Will you help with setting stuff up for Rama? For you, we'll decide how to make it special so shut up about that-"

"Yeah, yeah. What is the idea?"