Hari Om.
Let us begin the twenty eighth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Shuddering at the very thought of rAma going to the forest by himself and she having to stay without him, sItA makes her case in a myriad ways to accompany rAma to the forest. She appeals emotionally, quotes scriptures about the duty of a woman, recalls the prophecies told earlier by soothsayers about her stay in forest and above all makes it clear that she will not be able to survive alone without rAma. On his part, rAma tries his best to dissuade her from her desire citing the hardships of forest life. She is not done yet! Her pleadings reach a high point and she wails uncontrollably to get the permission from him to accompany him to the forest. Onwards…
As rAma continued to console and coax sItA out of her insistence to accompany him, she was agitated on not getting the consent of rAma. She was upset and upbraided the broad-chested rAma out of her deep affection and love for him and said –
“Was my father, the lord of mithila, vidEha aware that his son-in-law was a woman in the guise of man! It would be utter falsehood, if anyone out of ignorance says rAma doesn’t possess the splendor of blazing sun! Then what are afraid of O rAma, and why are you unwilling to take me along with you; I have no other refuge than you. I follow you as faithfully as the celebrates sAvitri of the yore followed her husband satyavantha and like her my submission to you is complete. I have never even looked at another man other than you even in my mind and I am not one to bring disrepute to the clan. I am your wife, blessed with youth and your care for long, and yet, like an actor (in a play) you want to put me under someone else’s care and move on to the forest? You may choose to be loyal and devoted all whom you mentioned (e.g. bharata, kausalya, daSaratha et al), but know that whether it is to the forest or heaven I must accompany you.
As I go with you rAma, I will not complain of being tired anywhere but I will indeed feel that I am on a pleasure trip. Be rest assured, the kuSa grass and reeds on the way will feel soft and pleasant like cotton or the skin of an antelope. The dust that settles on my body due to the winds shall be regarded as scented sandalwood powder by me. I shall deem it more pleasurable and comfortable to sleep on the meadows of grass than on excellent couches. The leaves or fruits or roots whether in large quantity or small that you will bring forth for me shall be like nectar for me. I shall not remember my parents or home and relish the flowers and fruits in the forest. Therefore, think of it in anyway, I will not be a burden upon you and will bring sorrow in any manner to you O rAma. O rAma, know that wherever I am with you is heaven for me and without you is hell, therefore please go to the forest gladly along with me.
If you don’t take me along, I prefer instant death by consuming poison to staying back here surrounded by adversaries and being in their control. If you forsake me O rAma, it is better that I court instant death than live abandoned by you. O rAma, I cannot bear this terrible and tragic sadness of separation from you even for a moment, let alone for fourteen years”!!!
इमं हि सहितुं शोकं मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे।
किं पुनर्दशवर्षाणि त्रीणि चैकं च दुःखिता।।2.30.21।।
[in this slOka mahaRshi uses 10+3+1 to indicate fourteen. it almost looks prophetic since this is how the three phases of their forest life of fourteen years was spent – 10 years in the forest in various hermitages, three years in panchvaTi and one year in which sItA was in lanka]
Deeply grief stricken sIta wailed loudly and piteously and was exhausted and embraced her husband tightly and wept loudly. The pent up grief in her heart on account of refusal of permission to go to the forest with rAma rolled down from her lotus like eyes profusely and copiously as she felt like a baby-elephant being attacked by sharp arrows. Her beautiful large eyes that usually shine like the moon withered like lotuses plucked out of water. She was exhausted and almost lost her senses in rAma’s arms.
And then rAma, tightly embracing her and holding her up said – “O dEvi, if your in grief I do not relish even the heavens. I have no fear from any quarter, just like lord brahma. Unaware of your intentions, I did not like the thought of your stay in the forest even if I am highly capable of protecting you. Since you were born to go to the forest with me O maithili, I cannot forsake you just like a self-respecting man cannot forsake his reputation. You shall follow me like the virtuous suvarchala of the yore who followed the Sun (god).
In fact, I am being sent to the forest in conformity of the word of father who is governed by truth. It is indeed a sacred duty to obey one’s parents. Hence there is no way I can live by not following that. By transgressing the commands of parents and the guru who are in our reach, how are we to reach god who is intangible? Truth, charity, worship, yajna or sacrifice are not as powerful as the service offered to one’s father. By fulfilling the wishes of father, one can attain the heavens, be blessed with wealth, prosperity, progeny, learning or any other comforts. Great men that are devoted to the service of their parents attain the high worlds of the gods, there is no doubt at all. My father is a stickler to the truth and dharma and as such I wish to obey his words implicitly, because that is dharma. O sItA, I am not too inclined to see you living in the forest with me, but I am relenting seeing your determination to accompany me. O beautiful sIta, follow me then to the forest and help me practice my dharma by being my partner in dharma. O sItA, you have taken a great decision befitting your exalted self, myself and our clan. Therefore begin the preparations for our forest life right away sItA, without you even the heavens will not please me.
Give away the household articles, clothes etc. to your attendants, jewels and gold to the brAhmins and food to the mendicants. Hurry up, let us not delay”.
sItA was overjoyed to know of the consent of rAma to her forest sojourn with him and at once got ready to give away the possessions.
Here we conclude the twenty eighth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
Click for word by word meaning from IITK website
Click to listen to the audio by SrIrAma ghanApATi
Next: 2.31. lakshmaNa too gets the nod
Previous: 2.29. sItA insists…
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 