Mother Sita had cursed these three in Gayaji
It was afternoon. The time for Pind Daan was passing and Sita ji’s anxiety was increasing. Then Dasharatha’s soul demanded Pind Daan. Read the story in detail….
In Valmiki Ramayana, there is a reference to Dasharatha’s soul getting salvation by offering Pind Daan by Sita. During the exile, Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita reached Gaya Dham to perform Shraddha during Pitru Paksha. There, Ram and Lakshman proceeded towards the city to collect the necessary materials for the Shraddha ritual.
It was already afternoon there. The time for Pind Daan was passing and Sita ji’s anxiety was increasing. Then Dasharatha’s soul demanded Pind Daan. Sita ji, alone on the Falgu river in front of Gaya ji, was confused. Taking the banyan tree, Ketaki flowers and cow along with the Falgu river as witnesses, he made a lump of sand and offered it as Pinda Daan for the late King Dasharatha.
When Lord Ram and Lakshman returned after some time, they said that as time was running out, I myself performed Pind Daan. Ram asked Sita for proof as to how Pind Daan could be performed without material. Then Sita ji said that the sand of Falgu river, Ketaki flowers, cow and banyan tree can testify to the Shraddha ritual performed by me. But the river Falgu, the cow and the flowers of Ketaki, all three denied this. Only the banyan tree said the right thing. Then Sita ji meditated on Dasharatha and requested him to testify.
Dasharatha ji accepted Sita ji’s prayer and announced that at the last moment Sita herself gave him Pind Daan. Ram became convinced on this but when the three witnesses lied, Sita ji got angry and cursed them that Falgu river – go, you will remain a river only in name, there will be no water in you. For this reason the Falgu river remains dry in Gaya even today.
The cow was cursed that despite being worshipped, she would eat the lies of the people. And cursed the Ketaki flower that it would never be offered in worship.
The banyan tree received the blessings of Sita ji that it would have a long life and would provide shade to others and a devoted woman would remember you and wish for the long life of her husband. This is the reason why even today the cow has to eat grass, Ketaki flower is prohibited in the puja and in the absence of water in Sitakund on the banks of river Falgu, even today Pinda Daan is given only with sand.
The banyan tree received the blessings of Sita ji that it would have a long life and would provide shade to others and a devoted woman would remember you and wish for the long life of her husband. This is the reason why even today the cow has to eat grass, Ketaki flower is prohibited in the puja and in the absence of water in Sitakund on the banks of river Falgu, even today Pinda Daan is given only with sand.
!! Jai Shri Ram !!