Talamaddale Procedures - 7 (Narrative: Putrakameshti)

Ayodhya’s Tranquil State

🎶Nirata sukṣhemigaḷu prajegaḷu idurita vanu kaṇḍariyaru | Korate namagille enuta bhūpati haruṣadind iruttiddanu ||

The citizens lived in constant well-being, untouched by any misfortune. “We lack nothing,” proclaimed the king, filled with joy.

Dasharatha speaks:

To secure the welfare of all citizens, a king’s efforts alone are not enough — the people, too, must offer their cooperation. My good fortune lies in having righteous, virtuous, and meritorious citizens living in Ayodhya. They follow the duties appropriate to their varna and ashrama, act with religious discipline, pursue justice, speak the truth, and live with awareness of time, place, purpose, and propriety.

This is what we call sukṣhema — harmonious prosperity. My people are indeed such sukṣhemigaḷu. Their unwavering faith in their chosen deities leaves no room for doubt. They have never suffered — nor even witnessed — famine, storm, disease, or poverty. In Ayodhya, there is no shortage of any noble ideal necessary for life or spiritual progress. Joy, celebration, contentment, and comfort fill this land.

Ah… what is this? A sudden glow is illuminating the royal hall. With curiosity and wonder, I look closely…

The Arrival of Matali

🎶Banda Mātaliya nīkṣisi pīṭhavīyuta |Vandisi besagoṇḍanu || Vṛndārkarigella kṣhemave nīnittā |Bandirpa hadanavēnu ||

Seeing Matali arrive, the king offered him a seat and respectful greetings. “Are all the gods well?” he asked, “What brings you here?”

Dasharatha: Ah! It is Matali, the charioteer of Lord Indra. Welcome, noble one, welcome indeed! Accept my respects. Here, take this seat. In accordance with the ways of this world and the duties of a householder, I extend my hospitality. Please receive it.

Matali: King Dasharatha, I salute you. O noble one, I am moved by your righteous speech and conduct. For the sake of upholding your dharma, I will accept your hospitality. May auspiciousness be yours.

Dasharatha: You are not one to arrive without reason. And yet, it would be discourteous of me to ask bluntly why you have come. Still, I wonder… Are all the gods well? Is there anything I can do to assist in the affairs of the heavenly realm? You may speak freely — there is no need for hesitation. Tell me, what is the matter?

Matali’s Message

🎶Lālisu Daśarathendrane svaraga sampada |Khūḷara vaśavāyitu || Tōḷa satvadi ninageṇeyilladi vijara |Pālisu nīnoḷidu ||

O King Dasharathendra, protect the gods! The treasures of heaven have fallen into the hands of the wicked. In valor and might, there is none to match you.

Matali: Hail to you, King Dasharathendra! Alas — the gods are not well in these times. Because the merits of your sacrifices and rituals have failed to reach them, the divine order has been disrupted. By the deceit of a wicked being, the sacred bond between mortals and immortals has been broken.

The villain is Shambarasura, who with his forces attacked and defeated the gods, plundering the wealth of heaven. I know not the exact boon that grants him such power, but the fact remains — Indra himself has been defeated and now seeks your aid.

In strength of arm, in valor, and in the defense of dharma, none are your equal. Your chariot can move unhindered across all ten directions, and thus you have earned the name Dasharathendra. O radiant one, in this time of crisis, use your boundless might and wisdom to protect the gods, restore the treasures of heaven, and uphold dharma.

Dasharatha’s Vow

🎶Durula Śambarana nigrahisuta nimagāda |Paribhava maresuvenu || Baruve nīkṣhaṇavendu māvaligaruhita |Tannaramane gaitandanu ||

I shall subdue the wicked Shambara and erase your humiliation. I come this very moment — first, to inform my queen Kaikeyi.

Dasharatha: Have no fear. The troubles that have befallen you are as though they have befallen the whole world. I will punish that Shambarasura who climbed to heaven by the path of adharma, and send him down to hell. This is not my victory — it will be yours.

I will come at once. Give me but a moment to inform my wife Kaikeyi. Until then, rest here in comfort.

📜 To be continued next week…

💠 Commentary for Dheemahi Readers

This section forms a bridge episode between Ayodhya’s idyllic peace and the sudden intrusion of cosmic conflict. The dramatic arrival of Matali — Indra’s trusted charioteer — is not just a narrative device, but a symbol of the call to rajdharma that compels a king to look beyond his personal realm to the welfare of all beings.

The contrast is sharp: Ayodhya’s serene citizens, untouched by want or sorrow, and the troubled heavens, stripped of their treasures. The scene sets the stage for Dasharatha’s display of valor in defense of divine order.