3.59. lakshmaNa explains, rAma disapproves

Hari Om.

Let us begin the fifty ninth sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

As an anxious rAma anticipating the worst outcome hurried to the hermitage, he came across a downcast lakshmaNa coming towards him. This fortified both his suspicion and grief. He was ever more sure that all would not be well with sItA. The loving lakshmaNa who always fulfilled the untold wish of rAma incurred his wrath for transgressing his order to guard vaidEhi until he returns. He chastised him for leaving her alone and felt that given the enmity they have with the demons, especially after vanquishing khara, they must have struck at them as per a plan. They together hurried to their hermitage and looked for sItAboth inside and at other nearby places where she was likely to be present. Not finding her anywhere around, rAma questioned lakshmaNa further. Onwards…

Overcome by anxiety and sorrow, rAma looked at lakshmaNa who had left the hermitage leaving sItA alone behind and questioned –

“I had instructed you to stay here and guard maithilI. Having entrusted her to you, I went and yet, you chose to leave her alone? As such I was returning haunted by bad omens and as soon as I saw you at a distance without sItA, my left eye twitched, my left arm shivered and I lost a heart beat or two. Now all the worst fears that are tormenting my mind about vaidEhI (sItA) seem to have come true”.

Having been asked thus, the virtuous and sorrowful lakshmaNa replied to the grieving rAma –

“I didn’t come hereof my own desire but was instigated by her strong words to go for your rescue. She heard the loud cry of “alas sItA, alas lakshmaNa” in thy voice and overcome by fear of your safety and prompted by her love for you asked me to rush to you at once. As she repeatedly asked me to go to you, to instill courage and confidence in her, I said –

O dEvi, I don’t see a demon that can terrify rAma into uttering those demeaning words. He who can rescue the gods from their difficulties, how can he utter such mortifying words like “save me O sItA”! The words “save me O lakshmaNa” also sound artificial to me. Surely, for some reason, some demon has mimicked the voice of my brother. Therefore, O fair lady, please desist from being dejected. Be brave, you ought not feel anxious like an ordinary woman.

अलं वैक्लब्यमालम्ब्य स्वस्था भव निरुत्सुका।

न सोऽस्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु पुमान्वै राघवं रणे।।3.59.14।।

जातो वा जायमानो वा संयुगे यः पराजयेत्।

न जय्यो राघवो युद्धे देवैश्शक्रपुरोगमैः।।3.59.15।।

Enough of this bewilderment and frustration. Be calm and positive. There doesn’t exist or will be born a man in the three worlds who can defeat rAma in a combat. Even by the gods led by indra, rAma is invincible.

When I tried to pacify vaidEhI’s fears thus, she shed copious tears out due to the delusion of her senses and spoke these unpalatable harsh words to me.

It seems that you are interested in me and want to get me once rAma is no more. But there is no way you will obtain me. You must have been commissioned by bharata to follow rAma undercover and harm him. Hence you are not rushing to rAma’s rescue even after hearing his cries.

Thus spoken to by sItA, I could stay there o longer and with my eyes turned red and lips shivering, I rushed out of the hermitage, O rAma”.

Hearing this, rAma who was deeply overcome by sorrow, told lakshmaNa –

“O lakshmaNa, I am not happy with you for having transgressed my instructions to leave her alone. This was a grave mistake. Period. You are well aware of my capability to vanquish he demons and yet angered by maithilI’s angry words, you rushed out of the hermitage leaving her alone. This is a definite disobedience of my order. The demon in the form of the deer who lured me out of the hermitage and took me very far, lays dead in his original form having struck by my arrow. As the life left his body he uttered those words adapting my voice hearing which you rushed out of the hermitage leaving sItA alone”.