March 14 - Sargas 49,50 and 51 of Uttara Kanda.
Sage Valmiki meets and consoles Sita and offers her a very caring and reassuring welcome with the rishipatnis eager to serve her.
A devastated Lakshmana hears from Sumantra the inside story of Sage Durvasa's conversation with King Dasharatha wherein he had foretold the series of events and the background to their developments. Lakshmana feels much better after hearing this.
***
Young ascetics of Valmiki's ashrama saw a weeping Sita nearby. They rushed to their guru and said,
अदृष्टपूर्वा भगवन्कस्याप्येषा महात्मनः ।
पत्नी श्रीरिव सम्मोहाद्विरूति विकृतानना ॥
"Revered Sage, We have seen just now, nearby, a lady whom we have not seen before. Apparently, she is the queen of a great king and looks like goddess Lakshmi herself. She is weeping in utter melancholy and her face looks most wretched."
"She indeed looks like a celestial or goddess fallen from heaven, on the bank of the Ganga. She is sobbing loudly. Her distress seems unbecoming of her. She is alone and miserable. Perhaps you should attend to her immediately and console her, revered sir! The fact that she is near our ashram appears to indicate she has come to you for refuge."
The sage used his inner vision of spiritual power and in an instant understood everything. He walked briskly, followed by his disciples, to where Sita was sitting. Valmiki carried a pot of water.
Verily by his setting his eyes on her, Sita felt better. He now spoke in the tenderest of words.
स्नुषा दशरथस्य त्वं रामस्य महिषी प्रिया ।
जनकस्य सुता राज्ञः स्वागतं ते पतिव्रते ॥
"Oh, Devi Sita, I know you to be the daughter-in-law of King Dasharatha and the beloved queen of Sri Rama. You are the daughter of King Janaka and immaculate in your purity and devotion to your husband. Welcome, oh, queen!"
आयान्ति चासि विज्ञाता मया धर्मसमाधिना
अपापां वेद्मि सीते त्वां तपोलब्धेन चक्षुषा
विस्रब्धा भव वैदेहि साम्प्रतं मयि वर्तसे
"Oh, Devi, by my spiritual divination, I have come to know all that has transpired thus far. I also know by my spiritual power that you have committed never any sin. Sita, have faith. Be reassured that henceforth you are in my care, oh Vaidehi!"
"Live in our ashrama. There are many great rishipatnis (women ascetics married to the rishis) who shall gladly take very good care of you, as their own daughter. Please take this अर्घ्य water (it is the time-honoured way to receive a guest with a pot of water)." "Come with me".
Devi Sita heard these wonderful words of the sage and bowed low at his feet. Nodding in acceptance, she got up and walked behind him with folded hands. The rishipatnis saw this and rushed forward, full of joy to receive this very special lady.
"Oh, Revered Sage! Welcome back to the ashrama. Please tell us what we should do as we are eager to do your bidding."
सीतेयं समनुप्राप्ता पत्नी रामस्य धीमतः ।
स्नुषा दशरथस्यैषा जनकस्य सुता सती ॥
अपापा पतिना त्यक्ता परिपाल्या मया सदा ।
"This lady who has arrived here is Devi Sita, the wife of the noble Sri Rama; the daughter-in-law of King Dasharatha, and the daughter of King Janaka. She is divinely pure and blemishless but has been sent away by her husband. Henceforth her care is going to be my responsibility always."
"Please give her your greatest care and boundless affection. As the queen of Sri Rama, and on my instruction, she must be shown the highest respect always and taken care of extremely well at all times. Consider her as worshippable."
Thus, Sage Valmiki arranged for Devi Sita to be welcome and revered, and cared for in his ashrama.
***
Lakshmana was devastated as he travelled back with Sumantra. "Oh, Sumantra, look at the state of Sri Rama. Would a greater calamity ever strike him than this separation from Sita? He was compelled to forsake her now, after suffering fourteen years of exile in the forest.
दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम् "The course of Destiny can never be altered." "The one who can conquer if he desires all the gods, demons, and celestials in battle has to surrender to Destiny like this!"
"Oh, Sumantra, what great Dharma has Sri Rama accomplished by abandoning Sita like this merely on account of the most uncharitable and inappropriate words of these Ayodhyavasis? "
After listening to Lakshmana go on like this for a while, Sumantra replied.
"Oh Lakshmana, I have known this for a long time.
भविष्यति दृढं रामो दुःखप्रायो विसौख्यभाक् ।
प्राप्स्यते च महाबाहुर्विप्रयोगं प्रियैर्दृतम् ॥
"Long ago, Sage Durvasa had told your father, King Dasharatha, that Sri Rama's lot would be full of sorrow and misery. Certainly, he would suffer separation early from his loved ones. In fact, Durvasa had foretold that Sri Rama will abandon Sita, you, Bharata, and Shatrughna too, over time."
"The King had foresworn me to withhold this from you, Bharata and Shatrughna. The sage Durvasa stated this in the assembly where Sage Vashishta and I were present. Afterward, the king forbade me from sharing this with others. Anyway, I have started disclosing this to you against my word. Listen to more of it. But never share this with Bharata and Shatrughna."
Lakshamana was sitting up, all attention.
"Long ago, Lakshmana, Sage Atri's venerable ascetic son Sage Durvasa was visiting Sage Vashishta when your father went to the Kulaguru's ashrama to pay his respects. The king saw the extraordinary spiritual radiance of Sage Durvasa and humbly asked him to foretell the future of the Ikshwaku line and what the future held for Sri Rama."
"The sage wanted the king to listen to a story of what happened long ago. When the daityas and devas were fighting each other once, the daityas sought protection from Sage Bhrigu's wife. When they were hiding in her ashrama, Lord Vishnu came and discovered them. He was extremely angry that the rishipatni was sheltering miscreants. He cut off her head with his chakra. Sage Bhrigu thereupon came and cursed Mahavishnu that he shall be born as a human and suffer untold misery in the world including separation from his wife."
Sage Bhrigu later deeply regretted his curse. He began to propitiate Mahavishnu earnestly. Mahavishnu blessed him with a smile and said he would make the sage's curse come true for the sake of the welfare of the three worlds. That Vishnu has now been born, oh, Dasharatha, as your son, Sri Rama. Know that although Sri Rama will have to suffer the terrible tragedy of separation from his wife, he shall rule for 11,000 years and all his citizens will be prosperous and happy. He will perform several Ashvamedha yajnas with generous offerings. Devi Sita will bear him two sons. Your lineage will continue and be known forever for its glory."
Sumantra concluded by telling Lakshmana to accept the course of events stoically as preordained. Lakshmana calmed down in acceptance.
Soon it was dusk and the two camped on the bank of the Gomati/Keshini river for the night.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
