Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty first sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
As rAma came to bid good bye to sItA on his way to the forest to honor the word of his father, a frank discussion ensued between rAma and sItA. She had absolutely no qualms on his decision to honor the words of his father, her only worry was that she didn’t want to live away from rAma even for a moment! And she forcefully argued her point on dhArmic lines as to how her life is entirely submitted to rAma. When he invoked the terrible life at the forest and exemplified in various ways to deter her from her insistence, her frustration reached a crescendo. She slightly slighted rAma by questioning his manliness at such meek utterances about the difficulties of forest life and the dangers that could be lurking there for her. That seemed to have settled the matter as rAma calmly tells her that although he is capable of protecting her he would not like her to come to the forests. And finally, rAma relents to let her come to the forest and asks her to give away her possessions in charity. She is thrilled beyond measure. The riches never meant anything for her in comparison to rAma.
Brother lakshmaNa who was already present there heard the exchanges between rAma and sItA. He was moved by deep grief welling in his hearts and tears running down his cheeks, clasped the feet of his brother rAma and said these words to the determined sItA and rAma – “if you have really made up your mind to go to the forest infested with beasts, I would like to accompany you and walk ahead wielding the bow! Accompanied by me you shall roam around in the forests full of birds and beasts. O rAma, without you I do not desire the exalted words of the gods, or all the wealth in the world and even immortality”!
न देवलोकाक्रमणं नामरत्वमहं वृणे।
ऐश्वर्यं वापि लोकानां कामये न त्वया विना।।2.31.5।।
Thus lakshmaNa also made his mind firm to go to the forest along with rAma and sItA. rAma tried in a myriad ways to dissuade lakshmaNa from his decision.
Unimpressed by the words of rAma, lakshmaNa said again – “O rAma, you have earlier given me permission to accompany you and now on what account are you preventing me from joining you? I would like to know the reason behind your denying my company. It creates a doubt in my mind”. Brother rAma held the folded hands of lakshmaNa who was imploring intensely and said affectionately –
स्निग्धो धर्मरतो वीरस्सततं सत्पथे स्थितः।
प्रियः प्राणसमो वश्यो भ्राता चापि सखा च मे।।2.31.10।।
“O lakshmaNa, you are affectionate, you are dhArmic, you are valorous, you tread the right path. You are as dear to me as my very life and you are an obedient brother and buddy to me. But if you also accompany me, who will take care of mother kausalyA and sumitrA? King daSaratha used to shower his grace on all as the god of cloud. But now he is tied by the noose of passion towards kaikEyi and so he will not take care of his other two chief wives. Brother bharata will rule by the tunes of kaikEyi and he will not bother to serve the other two mothers. So, you stay back to look after them even by yourself or by securing the favor of the king. You will amply demonstrate your devotion to me by doing this. As you know, serving the elders is a peerless virtue. Our mothers will grieve bereft of us and therefore for my sake, please stay back and attend to them”.
Listening to these words of rAma the eloquent son of sumitrA gently rebutted – “O rAma, aware of your splendour, bharata will of course pay respect to kausalyA and sumitrA and take care of them. There is no doubt about it. Further, the noble mother kausalya has a thousand villages under her control. She is capable of giving shelter to a thousand people like me, including sumitrA. O rAma, make me your follower. There is no breach of dharma in that. Following you, I shall become accomplished.
कुरुष्व मामनुचरं वैधर्म्यं नेह विद्यते।
कृतार्थोऽहं भविष्यामि तव चार्थः प्रकल्पते।।2.31.22।।
Holding the paraphernalia such as bows, arrows, crow bar and basket, needed for dwelling in forest, I shall go ahead of you making your path accessible. I shall everyday gather roots, fruits and other forest products fit for the life of ascetics and offer to you. As you go around the meadows and forests along with dEvi vaidEhi, I will do everything that is necessary to enable your life in the forest”.
Brother rAma was pleased to hear these words from saumitri and asked him to go and take leave of his friends and instructed him – “O saumitri, go and fetch the two majestic bows, the quivers that never runs out of arrows, glorious golden swords, armors which have been carefully deposited in the residence of AchArya vasisTha. These were conferred on us by lord varuNa himself in the yajna of king janaka”.
Delighted, the determined lakshmaNa at once took leave of his friends and collected the said weapons from vasisTha’s residence. He fetched those and immediately submitted to rAma who was pleased by the promptness and punctuality of lakshmaNa and said –
“O slayer of enemies, dignified lakshmaNa, I would like to give away my wealth in charity to brAhmins. The best of them live here devoted to their teachers and preaching dharma and they are dependent on me for their livelihood. Please fetch suyajna, the son of vasisTha and the best among brAhmins along with others. I shall take their blessings before beginning the sojourn to the forest”.
Here we conclude the thirty first sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 2.32. rAma gives away all his wealth
Previous: 2.30. sItA is inseparable from rAma
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 