June 21 - Sargas 47 and 48 of Ayodhya Kanda.
The citizens of Ayodhya who had gone behind Rama certain that their loving demand for his staying back in Ayodhya will make him return are shocked at day-break when they find no signs of Sri Rama, Lakshmana or Sita. Even the chariot has not left any meaningful track marks to follow. They feel utterly ashamed at having lost Sri Rama.
They talk of giving up their lives. They propose that they go deep into the forest themselves.
Finally, very tired and very dejected, they wend their way back into a city completely shorn of its splendour and activity. Their women are shocked to hear that the citizens have returned without Rama. Nobody is in a mood for any normal activity.
The women tell the menfolk that they should all go away to the forest and somehow join Rama and Sita. They are all convinced that wherever there is Rama there will be joy and prosperity. The women will serve Sita, the men can serve Rama, and in turn those two will take care of all of them. Nature will rejoice in Rama's presence and no danger or difficulty will be faced.
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या पुत्रं पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य प्रवासयति निर्घृणा ।
कस्तां प्राप्य सुखं जीवेदधर्म्यां दुषदटचारिणीम् ॥
न हि प्रव्रजिते रामे जीविष्यति महीपतिः ।
मृते दशरथे व्यक्तं विलोपस्तदनन्तरम् ॥
मिथ्याप्रव्राजितो रामः सभार्यः सहलक्ष्मणः ।
भरते सन्निबद्धाः स्मः सौनिके पशवो यथा ॥
उपशान्तवणिक्पण्या नष्टहर्षो निराश्रया ।
अयोध्या नगरी चासीन्नष्टतारमिवाम्बरम् ॥
"The woman who can banish even the king's eldest son without any qualm, what kind of an evil would she harbour. What joy or peace can we look forward to as ordinary citizens under the care of such an unrighteous and patently dangerous woman?
"After Rama's going away to the forest, the king will certainly not survive. Once Dasharatha is dead, the ruination of Ayodhya will come to be experienced.
"Rama was wrongly and untruthfully sent away to the forest, that too with Sita and Lakshmana. Now under Bharata we will become as helpless as animals tied up by the butcher for slaughter."
Thus, resounding with lamentations and apprehensions, the entire city of Ayodhya shut down. Shopkeepers and traders downed their shutters. Those few who opened their shops found no buyers. The city of Ayodhya resembled a sky without stars in the night.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
