June 20 - Sargas 45 and 46 of Ayodhya Kanda.
Valmiki describes how the citizens and venerable Brahmins followed Rama's chariot imploring him to return. Sri Rama found it impossible to shrug them off. In fact deep in the night, just before sunrise, he asked Sumantra to take the chariot quietly across the Sarayu river so that they could proceed into the forest without waking up the citizens.
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आवेक्षमाणः सस्नेहं ताः प्रजाः स्वां प्रजाः इव।
उवाच रामः सस्नेहं चक्षुषा प्रपिबन्निव ॥
या प्रीतिर्बहुमानश्च मय्ययोध्यानिवासिनाम् ।
मत्प्रियार्थं विशेषेण भरते सा विधेयताम् ॥
स हि कल्याणचारित्रः कैकेय्यानन्दवर्धनः ।
करिष्यति यथावद् वः प्रियाणि च हितानि च ॥
ज्ञानवृद्धो वयोबालो मृदुर्वीर्यगुणान्वितः. ।
अनुरूपः स वो भर्ता भविष्यति भयापहः ॥
Sri Rama looked with eyes overflowing with love at the citizens of Ayodhya, considering them to be as much his responsibility as they were the citizens of Ayodhya.
He spoke in tender words to them: "Whatever love and regard the citizens of Ayodhya hold me in, it is my most earnest appeal that the same is extended and imposed in Bharata.
"Bharata has a most worthy and auspicious character as much as he is the dear son of queen Kaikeyi. He will do whatever is dear to the people of Ayodhya and at the same time what ensures their welfare.
"Although Bharata is young, know that he is very wise (the term is ज्ञानवृद्धः meaning as wise as a man of years of life's learning). He is soft-hearted and yet a valorous warrior. He is most appropriate to be your king (for a change you will have a young king!) and will rule so well that you need have no apprehensions at all. "
Despite all Rama's words and assurances, the people do not stop their appeal.
In fact a group of wise and elderly Brahmins, with grey hairs, their radiance acquired through austerities, and their heads shaking with age, have come to importune Rama. They speak directly to the horses and ask that the horses do not take Rama into the forest but bring him back to Ayodhya! Even the horses seem to listen to them.
When Rama does not relent, the Brahmins say their white umbrellas and their years of doing homa and tapas all are at his service. They have decided to follow him to the forest and are not worried about leaving behind their wives or family.
Sri Rama is embarrassed that these holy men of advancing years are walking with difficulty while he is on the chariot. He gets down and asks Sita and Lakshmana also to alight. The three start walking towards the Sarayu river which they need to cross.
At nightfall Sumantra and Lakshmana make grass beds for Rama and Sita to rest. Rama points out to the yonder forest and says, "look, Ayodhya is in distress and confusion after our departure. But the forest is resplendent and awaits us."
Rama says they shall retire without eating as it is their first night of exile.
As Sita and Rama are resting, Lakshmana keeps awake describing Rama's great qualities to Sumantra.
It is almost dawn. Rama wakes up and tells Sumantra that the only way to proceed without the citizens is to quietly cross Sarayu into the forest. Sumantra gets the chariot ready and they cross over.
Rama wants to cover their trail to send back the citizens. He asks Sumantra to drive the chariot in random directions for some distance to leave misleading track marks. Afterwards the three mount the chariot and Sumantra drives them into the forest on the northward auspicious path.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
