September 3 - Sarga 75 of Aranya Kanda and sarga 1 of Kishkindha Kanda.
Sri Rama and Lakshmana set out to apporach Rishyamuka in the vicinity of Pampa lake. They are full of optimisim after seeing the ascetic Shabari and her ascent, and bathing in the holy waters in the Matanga ashrama and cleansing themselves of fatigue and dismay. They also offer oblations to their forefathers.
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They come to Pampa lake. Going by Valmiki's description, there is an incomparable display of nature's glory in spring. Everything - trees, flowers, fruits, birds, animals, bees, lotuses in the waters, creepers full of blooms, the wind, the mild sun, fragrances wafting all round, songs of birds, romantic pairs of animals in the mating season, everything is showing the power of nature to make all living creatures join in the circle of life through cohabitation.
But what about Sri Rama? He is without his Sita.
Sri Rama is possessed by extreme pangs of separation and romantic distress as he experiences the unending beauties of spring and the flamboyance of nature around Pampa. Valmiki spares no detail in terms of the descriptions of how the flowers, swaying trees, fragrances, deer and elephants, and birds and bees are busy frolicking romantically. All nature is enslaved by Manmatha (the god of love). This torments Sri Rama.
For the first time, Valmiki shows Sri Rama's utterly sensitive and romantic side, in the viraha taapa (pangs of separation from the beloved). Sri Rama makes beautiful descriptions of nature in its multifaceted splendour and its impetus to romance. But alas, his dear dear beloved wife Sita has been abducted and suffering at the hands of Ravana.
Just a sampler:
अशोकस्तबकाङ्गारष्षट्पदस्ननिःस्वनः ।
मां हि पल्लवताम्रार्चिर्वसन्ताग्निः प्रधक्ष्यति ॥
न हि तां सूक्ष्मपक्ष्माक्षीं सुकेशीं मृदुभाषिणीम् ।
अपश्यतो मे सौमित्रे जीवितोऽस्ति प्रयोजयनम् ॥
"Dear Lakshmana, these ashoka trees's flowers are like fuel cakes, the creepers encircling them have tender copper-coloured leaves that are flaming embers, and the buzz of bees is the crackle of this fire called spring as it burns me.
"Without the company of my beloved Sita, with her delicate long eyelashes, her cascading tresses of hair, her most tender speech - in her absence, I cannot survive this onslaught of spring, and find no meaning in going on living."
Lakshmana, our hero for every difficult situation so far, decides that enough is enough. What is needed is to launch an unrelenting hunt for that Ravana and liberate Sita from his clutches. What is the use of all this crying? He chides Sri Rama:
सोत्साहस्यास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन् किञ्चिदपि दुर्लभम् ।
उत्साहवन्ताः पुरुषा नावसीदन्ति कर्मसु ।
त्यज्यतां कामवृत्तत्वं शोकं सन्न्यस्य पृष्टतः ।
महात्मानं कृतात्मानमात्मानं नावबुद्ध्यसे ॥
"Dear Rama, the time now is to act. I promise you I shall hunt down that Ravana to the corners of the earth, in the netherworld or under the seas if need be, and discover and bring back Sita for you.
"Know that with enthusiasm, there is nothing on earth that cannot be accomplished. And those who act with spirit and enthusiasm do not allow themselves to feel anguish and emotions when they are in the middle of a mission such as ours.
"Give up entirely this distress and emotion riding on your back. You seem to have lost the sense of who you are, what great deeds have been yours, and what is your potential."
Meanwhile, the vanara king Sugriva espies from the mountain these two warrior brothers, carrying mighty weapons and dressed as ascetics, in the vicinity of Pampa lake. He is understandably seriously concerned about his safety and the danger from these warriors.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
