3.65. lakshmaNa reasons

Hari Om.

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

After much grief and futile searches for sItA, rAma is utterly devastated and feels completely hopeless of any breakthrough. That is the critical time when lakshmaNa rises to the occasion, musters courage and enthuses rAma to extend the search. Responding positively to lakshmaNa, rAma agrees and as they go further, a herd of deer was asked by rAma about the whereabouts of sItA. Lo and behold, the deer, got up in unison and looking in the southern direction into the skies, ran a few steps and then looked at the duo, conveying them the first information of the direction in which sItA was taken. rAma was in no frame of mind to decode this, although he noticed that the deer felt like conveying something to him. From their calculated act, lakshmaNa surmised that they were to go in the south western direction in search of her. They proceeded in that direction and soon enough found streaks of flowers which rAma recognised to be in the braid of sItA. Then they saw the debris of a chariot, carcasses of the donkeys that pulled it, broken bow, destroyed parasol, dead charioteer, quivers of arrows, marks of blood everywhere. Then they saw graceful footmarks which made it evident that sItA was running hither and thither and another large footmark followed it. They reconstructed that sItA was chased by a demon. It was getting clear that they were on the right track. The signs of violence there upset rAma and he wanted to put an end to the creation of gods did not hand over sItA intact. He was in an indescribable rage and resembled the terrifying rudra, Siva when he was about to vanquish the demon tripura. Taking his bow from lakshmaNa, rAma wanted to fill the skies and the worlds with deluge of arrows and besiege the creation. The rage was unsettling the entire creation. Onwards…

Beholding a hitherto unseen form of rAma who was in a terrifying rage, holding his bow and determinedly looking at it with deep sighs in order to string the arrows and bring an end to the world by unleashing an unceasing inferno, much like how the fiery and angry rudra does to the universe at the end of the creation, lakshmaNa’s throat went dry and with folded palms he pleaded with rAma –

“O rAma, having been compassionate, self-restrained and engaged in welfare of every being, you ought not destroy the nature out of rage.

पुरा भूत्वा मृदुर्दान्तस्सर्वभूतहिते रतः।

न क्रोधवशमापन्नः प्रकृतिं हातुमर्हसि।।3.65.4।।

चन्द्रे लक्ष्मीः प्रभा सूर्ये गतिर्वायौ भुवि क्षमा।

एतत्तु नियतं सर्वं त्वयि चानुत्तमं यशः।।3.65.5।।

The pleasantness of the moon, effulgence of the Sun, agility of the wind, forbearance of the earth and peerless fame and reputation are ingrained in you. For the blunder of one person, you should not punish the entire world.

Going by the foot prints, it seems like only one person fought here and there was no presence of an army. The earth has deep marks of the hooves and the rims of the wheels and blood is splashed all over indicating the battle that took place here was indeed intense. But I do not know whose broken chariot with its accessories and weapons is lying here and how it all happened.

नैकस्य तु कृते लोकान्विनाशयितुमर्हसि।।3.65.9।।

युक्तदण्डा हि मृदवः प्रशान्ता वसुधाधिपाः।

The calm and gentle kings give only appropriate punishment and therefore you should not destroy the entire world due to the fault of one. Just as the well meaning good people do not harm someone who has taken a vow for doing good, the seas, the mountains, the gods, demi gods or the demons cannot afford to antagonize you. Aided by me, the second bowman and the insights of the great sages, you should scan for the abductor of sItA thoroughly in the oceans, rivers, mountains, caves, forests and elsewhere. We will together search for her in the world of gods and demi-gods as well till we find her.

If the gods, do not get your wife back intact after you have tried by other amicable and conciliatory means, then you can take appropriate action by unleashing your thunderbolt like arrows and destroying the worlds”.