Though the first story of the Rama Avatar was written by Valmiki, the more popular version is the Ramcharita Manas written by Tulsidas in the 16th century.
The Manas is primarily a work of deep devotion but it combines exquisite poetry and theological inquiry. The reader can experience all three in the "chhand" (as the specific verse form is called) that announces the birth or appearance of Rama through the womb of Kaushalya [1].
Kaushalya is perturbed by the realization that she has given birth to the divine and raises certain questions that come to her mind.
Kaushalya’s Questions
The first question is direct and simple. Kaushalya asks with folded hands, “How should I worship you, O Infinite One?”
Later in the chhand, Kaushalya remarks that the fact that "the Lord has appeared from my womb" and it is something that even the wise cannot comprehend. Both the words "my" and "womb"
are independently important. Kaushalya wonders why has she been chosen as the mother of God in his avatar as Rama. Kaushalya also wonders how the infinite greatness of God can fit into the small space of a womb. God has been described in the Vedas as having a multitude of universes in every pore of His being.
Manifestations of God
The questions are answered in reverse order. Kaushalya realizes without being told that the greatness of God lies in that he can assume any manifestation at will – from the infinitesimally small to the infinitely great. Therefore his fitting into a womb should not have come as a surprise.
This discussion links to one of the most frequent allegations made against Hinduism, which is that Hindus believe in multiple Gods and Goddesses. Hindus believe in a single God who can manifest himself in multiple forms.
Since God gives succor to humankind any entity that offers succor is seen as a manifestation of God. Thus the river Ganga, without which the Indian heartland would be a barren waste, is revered as a mother Goddess.
Kaushalya’s Earlier Life
Reincarnation is central to the Hindu belief system and this is the issue of Kaushalya’s second question. God recounts the tale of one of Kaushalya’s earlier lives in answer to her question of why she was the chosen mother.
Then Kaushalya was Aditi, the wife of sage Kashyap. She had given birth to the demi-Gods Indra, Surya, Agni and the rest. However she expressed a desire to the Supreme God that she wished that He would be born to her. God then assured Aditi that when he would descend on earth in his avatar as Rama, she would be his mother. This is why Kaushalya, a reincarnation of Aditi, was chosen to give birth to Rama.
How Should I Worship You
The direct question “How should I worship you?” remained to be answered. And God gave a direct reply, “As a mother showers love on her child.”
Hinduism advocates forming relationships with God and worshiping Him by living out those relationships. Suite101 writer Martin Bohn has authored The Five Bhavas [2], in which he has described five relationships that the devotee can form with God. One of them is the Vatsalya Bhava or the "mother-child relationship."
It was this relationship that was prescribed to Kaushalya. Tulsidas writes in this chhand of the Ramcharita Manas that as soon as Kaushalya voiced her acceptance the Supreme God manifested himself as a baby and started crying. Till then he had appeared before Kaushalya in his resplendent four-armed manifestation.
Questions and Answers in Hinduism
The resolution of issues through a question answer session as narrated in this episode is a hallmark of Hindu scriptures. Two classic examples more often cited are the Yaksha Prashna and the Bhagvad Gita.
References
[1] Tulsidas; Ramcharita Manas; As accessed at http://www.astrojyoti.com/ramacharitamanas/bal166-198.pdf (p.189)
[2] Martin Bohn; The Five Bhavas; As accessed at http://hindu-practice.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_five_bhavas
