Shri Ram punishes Jayant ( Devraj Indr Son)

The Dandak forest in which Shri Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman resided was not a palace but a dense place with thorns, stones, wild animals, thick jungle trees and wicked demons. In such dense forest, they had a small hut fort themselves, fruits and tubers to eat and the clothing of a hermit. Yet, they were there for each other.

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Shri Ram and Mata Sita were a delightful sight to all, and the sages felt blessed to see the divine couple. Lakshman spent all his time in serving them both and dedicated himself to take care of each and every need of Shri Ram and Mata Sita. The beauty of the forests delighted the three and often they used to have discussions about the changing beauties of the season.

Shri Ram and Mata Sita used to enjoy long walks on the river banks, collect flowers, and spend time with each other in the threshold of nature. Mata Sita used to shine with the radiance of love what Shri Ram had for her and the whole nature rejoiced them.

एक बार चनी कु सुमा सुहाए, ननजा करा भ  ण राम बनाये II

सीतहह पहहरे प्रभु सदारा बठे, फहिका ससला परा सुमदारा II

सुरपनत सुता धरी बायसा बेषा, सट्िा चाहता रघुपनत बल देखा   II

सीता चरण कमका अनत भागा, मरहा मंदमनत कारण कागा   II

Once, Shri Ram strung beautiful a garlands of flowers and adorned them on Mata Sita. After spending some time adorning her, Shri Ram slept on Mata Sita’s lap while she fanned him with her saree.

Jayant, son of Devraj Indr, wanted to test the might of Shri Ram as if an ignorant  person was trying to test the power of the Almighty. He took the form of a crow, sat on Mata Sita’s lap and started pecking her. Mata Sita did not want Shri Ram’s sleep to be disturbed and took all the pain of the crow pecking her. After sometime, blood ran from her foot and Shri Ram woke up when it touched him. Looking at Mata Sita’s bloodshed leg, Shri Ram became furious on the crow. He took a small shaft of reed, spelled it and directed it as an arrow on the crow.

Jayant took his original form and took flight, and the reed followed him everywhere. He approached his father, but Devraj Indr refused him shelter as he upset Shri Ram. He went to all the gods and goddesses of the three worlds, but none dared to give him shelter. Feeling pity for Jayant, Rishi Narad asks him to surrender to Shri Ram himself. Jayant rushes to Shri Ram and falls at his feet. He begs for forgiveness for having such a foolish thought and seeks protection from the powerful reed acting as an arrow. The compassionate Shri Ram feels merciful and aids him. As he cannot take back his arrow, he lets Jayant go with the loss of one eye. Such was the immense love Shri Ram had for Mata Sita and he could not bear to see her in pain.

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Although, Jayant tried to do a foolish thing, his story in fact became an important part of Ramayan. Known to only Shri Ram and Mata Sita, this incident later becomes an important identification which Hanuman recited as told by Shri Ram to Mata Sita and made her believe that he was an ally sent by Shri Ram, during the time she was kept hostage in Lanka.