June 17 - Sargas 39 and 40 of Ayodhya Kanda. Amidst lamentations and protestations, Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana leave for the forest in a royal chariot driven by Sumantra.
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King Dasharatha is described as collapsing, recovering, uttering the name of Rama in extreme distress, and lamenting his situation.
मन्ये खलु मया पूर्वं विवत्सा बहवः कृताः ।
प्राणिनो हिंसिता वापि तन्मामिदमुपस्थितम् ॥
न त्वेनानागते काले देहाच्च्यवति जीवितम् ।
कैकेय्या क्लिश्यमानस्य मृत्युर्मम न विद्यते ॥
Dasharatha laments: "Indeed I believe that I must have tormented many beings and deprived them of their children, for me to now experience this situation as my due reward.
"Alas! It seems the time for my death is still not come, as life is not leaving my body even after suffering this grievous torment from Kaikeyi."
Dasharatha tells Sumantra to arrange the best royal chariot and drive Rama to the edge of Ayodhya himself.
Dasharatha also orders that the finest clothes and ornaments be brought at once to Sita, and they should be in sufficient quantity to last her the entire fourteen years of her forest sojourn. This is done immediately. Sita once again wears her royal robes and looks her usual self - a goddess.
Then some words from Kausalya to Sita are equally piercing.
तां भुजाभ्यां परिष्वज्य श्वश्रूर्वचनमब्रवीत् ।
अनाचरन्तीं कृपणं मूर्ध्युपाघ्राय मैथिलीम् ॥
असत्यः सर्वलोकेऽस्मिन् सततं सत्कृताः प्रियैः ।
भर्तारं नानुमन्यन्ते विनिपातगतं स्त्रियः ॥
स त्वया नावमन्तव्यः पुत्रः प्रव्राजितो वनम् ।
तव देवसमस्त्वेव निधनः सधनोऽपि वा ॥
Then Kausalya clasped her daughter-in-law in an embrace and smelled her head (a traditional act in our country for elders showing affection and blessing to a youngster) as Sita remained very dignified and unperturbed.
"It is not true that people are treated well by their dear ones always. Wives do not show respect and love for their husbands when they are down and out.
"But please remember that my son should not be slighted or ill-treated by you, Sita, even though he is going into this exile in the forest. Regard him as your god, regardless of if he is in utter penury or is wealthy."
To this Sita gives a most fitting reply:
न मामसज्जनेनार्या समानयितुमर्हति ।
धर्माद् विचलितुं नाहमलं चन्द्रादिव प्रभा ॥
नातन्त्री वाद्यते वीणा नाचक्रो विद्यते रथः ।
नापतिः सुखमेधेत या स्यादपि शतात्मजा ॥
"Noble queen Kausalya, you should not equate me to women without virtue. It is impossible for me to abandon Dharma just as a moon cannot lose his radiance.
"A veena does not remain a veena if it loses its strings. A chariot does not remain a chariot if it loses its wheels. Similarly a woman cannot be happy without her husband even if she has a hundred sons."
Then it is the turn of Rama to reassure Kausalya that the fourteen years will pass in a jiffy and he will be back. She and other queens are exhorted by him to take the best care of Dasharatha.
Valmiki concludes this sarga by saying that the loud wailing and remonstrations of all the ladies around rose up like a discordant beating of drums.
Then Sumitra is taken leave of by Lakshmana. Her words are also sacred.
व्यसनी वा समृद्धो वा गतिरेष तवानघ ।
एष लोके सतां धर्मो यज्ज्येष्ठवशगो भवेत् ॥
रामं दशरथं विद्धि मां विद्धि जनकात्मजाम् ।
अयोध्यामटवीं विद्धि गच्छ तात यथासुखम् ॥
"Dear son Lakshmana, of impeccable virtue, in times of distress or in times of prosperity, Sri Rama is your refuge and resort. It is the timeless tradition of Dharma that one should be devoted and steadfast to one's elder brother always.
"Lakshmana, let me tell you the best mindset for you. Consider Rama as Dasharatha himself in terms of your filial duty, consider Sita to be myself, your mother. And consider the forest to be your beloved Ayodhya. Proceed thus, dearest, at peace with your situation."
These words of Sumitra are often quoted to demonstrate the value system people lived by in Ramayana times. We will see time and again the character and commitment of Lakshmana. This was born of great inspirations from Sumitra.
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The brothers and Sita mount the royal chariot. Its splendour is in stark contrast to everyone's mood. Sita is being sent with a full set of clothes and accessories for her fourteen years in the forest. The brothers are carrying their divine weapons, The entire Ayodhya is up in wailing. Dasharatha and the queens run behind the chariot. Rama tells Sumantra to speed away. The citizens don't want the chariot to advance at all. A king to be utterly pitied, in a situation no one should ever be in human history, is walking behind the chariot. What woeful imagery indeed.
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यमिच्छेत् पुनरायातं नैनं दूरमनुव्रजेत् ।
इत्यामात्या महाराजमूचुर्दशरथं वचः ॥
His ministers told the king Dasharatha, "your majesty, one should not accompany for a great distance anyone in bidding goodbye whom one wants to return. It is inauspicious."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
