March 12 - Sargas 44 and 45 of Uttara Kanda.
Perhaps these are the most gut-wrenching moments in Ramayana as events unfold. Sri Rama experiences extreme distress as he is faced with a tragic situation of Ayodhyavasis' uncharitable construct about Devi Sita and their calumny. This compels him to send away Devi Sita to the forest despite her unquestionable purity.
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Sending away his confidants, Sri Rama entered his quarters and asked his diligent doorkeeper to go at once and call his three glorious brothers to come to him immediately. The messenger went and secured instant access to Lakshmana and told him Sri Rama wanted him to come at once. Lakshmana left immediately on his chariot. Told the same message, Bharata rushed on foot, and Shatrughna too arrived immediately on receiving the instruction.
The doorkeeper informed Sri Rama that the three princes had all arrived.
एतेषु जीवितं मह्यमेते प्राणाः प्रियं मम "Oh gatekeeper, usher them inside here. Know that in them is enshrined my life itself, they are so dearly intimate with me."
The brothers, all clad in white, entered the chamber most reverently, and saw a Sri Rama who looked like the moon during the eclipse, dull like the sun at the end of a sunset. His eyes were pouring down tears. Most concerned, they all touched his feet with their heads and stood up. Sri Rama continued to cry as he came from his throne and embraced each one. Seating them, he spoke:
भवन्तो मम सर्वस्वं भवन्तो जीवितं मम ।
भवद्भिश्च कृतं राज्यं पालयामि नरेश्वराः ॥
"Dearest Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna, you are my all, my life. This kingdom is entrusted by you all to me as the ruler, oh royals!
"You have all studied the scriptures, and are endowed with keen intellects. You always follow what is ordained in our scriptures. I am in a predicament and you need to help resolve it."
The three princes felt most concerned by what they saw and what they heard. They waited for Sri Rama to continue.
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Sri Rama, with a face drained of all cheer, continued to his three brothers who were displaying great anxiety.
सर्वे शृणुत भद्रं वो मा कुरुध्वं मनोऽन्यथा ।
पौराणां मम सीतायां यादृशी वर्तते कथा ॥
"Please listen to what I have to say with your full attention. This is about the words being bandied about by Ayodhyavasis about me and Sita.
पौरापवादः सुमहांस्तथा जनपदस्य च । वर्तते मयि बीभत्सा सा मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ॥
अहं किल कुले जात इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् ।
सीतापि सत्कुले जाता जनकानां महात्मनाम् ॥
"You know that calumny and disrepute among our citizenry is a matter of utmost significance. What is being said causes me great revulsion and tears into my entrails. I am born in the noble lineage of Ikshwakus. So also, Sita is born in the high-souled lineage of King Janaka."
"Oh, dear Lakshmana, you well know how Sita was forcibly abducted when she was alone in the hermitage by Ravana, totally against her will. You also know I killed Ravana and released Sita from his captivity. In fact, my mind was in a difficulty at that moment about accepting Sita back after she had been in Ravana's captivity for so long. Indeed, to establish her purity, Sita entered the fire! In your presence, in the presence of all gods, Lord Agni appeared, and admonished me that Devi Sita was immaculately pure and without any taint! So many gods and rishis pronounced Sita to be blemishless. After that, I accepted her. Even Lord Indra urged me to take Sita back.
अन्तरात्मा च मे वेत्ति सीतां शुद्धां यशस्विनीम् " "Lakshmana, my innate soul knows fully well that Sita is pure, and of the most reputable character. That is the important reason for me to have brought back Sita as my queen to Ayodhya.
"But alas! There is now calumny widespread in Ayodhya about Sita! The citizens of Ayodhya city and our kingdom are heaping blame on me. This has caused me endless distress.
अकीर्तिस्य गीयेत लोके भूतस्य कस्यचित् ।
पतत्येवाधमान् लोकान् यावच्छब्दः प्रकीर्त्यते ॥
"Anyone whose name is subjected to rampant slander and calumny among the people is bound to fall into the worst hell and remain there until his reputation is cleared.
अकीर्तिर्निन्द्यते देवैः कीर्तिर्लोकेषु पूज्यते ।
कीर्त्यर्थं तु समारम्भः सर्वेषां सुमहात्मनाम् ॥
"Infamy is condemned by the gods. Fame and a good name are upheld in all the worlds. The fundamental goal of all human endeavour, especially when it comes to the high-souled ones, is to preserve their good name.
अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां युष्मान्वा पुरुषर्षभाः ।
अपवादभयाद्भीतः किं पुनर्जनकात्मजाम् ॥
"Oh, my brave brothers, to cleanse my name from calumny and ill-repute, I shall relinquish even all of you if that needs to be done. If that is the case, what then of Sita!?"
"Dear brothers, you can all see that I am drowning in sorrow. I do not remember feeling this level of sorrow ever before.
"Dear Lakshmana, first thing tomorrow morning, take the chariot usually driven by Sumantra, and escort Sita beyond the borders of Ayodhya, to the banks of the Ganga, in the vicinity of the divine hermitage of Sage Valmiki on the bank of the Tamasa. Please leave her there and come back quickly. You shall strictly adhere to this instruction from me. You shall not say a word about Sita to me. You should carry out my order without thinking. If you disobey me, it shall increase my sorrow. I am swearing on my feet and my life itself that you three shall not say or do anything to oppose me. Such an act will be treachery towards me. Please carry out my orders if you want to obey me. Lakshmana, please do as I say."
"Earlier, Sita had expressed a keen desire to visit the hermitages of rishis on the banks of the Ganga. This will also satisfy that desire of hers."
Throughout his speech, Sri Rama was weeping copiously. He took leave of his brothers sighing like a captured elephant in utter distress.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
