Hari Om.
Let us begin the one hundred and fifteenth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The mission of rescuing sItA from lanka was coming to fruition. Along with the peerless valour of rAma and lakshmaNa, the enormous vAnara army and key inputs from vibhIshaNa and his ministers ensured the defeat of the rAkshasa army. vibhIshaNa was crowned the king of lanka. rAma sent hanumAn to inform sItA about the conquest and know her reaction. She wanted to unite with him at the earliest. On learning this, rAma instructed to bring her with due honour. However there was no thrill of the victory in rAma’s tone. He seemed upset for some reason. While he fought enthusiastically all this while, he seemed unexcited. As sItA came decked in great jewellery, she approached rAma in the middle of a sea of demons and vAnaras who were all eager for a glance of hers. She walked to where rAma was and lifted her hand to catch a glimpse of his mmon like countenance. She was filled with joy and astonishment at meeting him after a long time. He didn’t look into her eyes and his gaze was fixed on the earth. Onwards…
Then addressing sItA who by his side with her body slightly in the bent posture reflecting respect, rAma suppressing the anger in his heart spoke –
“O auspicious lady, the enemy stands defeated by me in the battle. Whatever my manliness ought to have accomplished has been done by me.
गतोऽस्म्यन्तममर्षस्य धर्षणा सम्प्रमार्जिता ।
अवमानश्च शत्रुश्च युगपन्निहतै मया ॥
I have dealt firmly with the audacious slight inflicted at me and have obliterated the enemy and the insult that was hurled at me. Today my manliness stands victorious and my enterprise has borne fruit. I can be myself today, having accomplished my vow (to vanquish rAvaNa). Whatever demerit that I incurred unfortunately by providence when the fickle rAkshasa abducted you when you were lonely has been set right by my manly efforts. If one is not able to wipe out the insult meted out to him by his effulgence then he is called lack lustre and is not enterprising. The praiseworthy efforts of hanumAn to leap across the ocean and devastate lanka have been fruitful. The valorous effort of the army of sugrIva and his counsel to me have been fruitful. The efforts of vibhIshaNa who is devout to me having given up his brother of poor conduct have been fruitful”.
As rAma stated thus, tears welled up in the beautiful eyes of sItA. Her tears seemed to add fuel to the raging anger inside him and he continued, knitting his eyebrows, continuing to gaze the earth, he spoke bitterly to sItA amid vAnaras and demons –
“Whatever a slighted man ought to do, I have done that. I have won you back in the same manner the sage agastya won the southern direction by his peerless penance. Let it be known to you, O auspicious one, that I didn’t run this entire enterprise of war which resulted in the conquest aided my well-wishers for your sake. It was to safeguard my reputation and that of my exalted clan from aspersions and save it from ignominy. I can’t behold you like someone with afflicted eyes can’t behold a lamp on account of the blot you have got on your conduct!
O sItA, therefore you have my permission to go wherever you want in the ten quarters and I don’t have anything to do with you. Which illustrious man will consciously take back a wife who has lived in another’s house? You were taken on his lap by rAvaNa and his evil glance has fallen on you and so how can I take you back into my exalted clan?
प्राप्तचारित्रसन्देहा मम प्रतिमुखे स्थिता ।
दीपो नेत्रातुरस्येव प्रतिकूलाऽसि मे दृढम् ॥
O good lady, I have won you back only to win my renown back. I say this with a clear mind that. I have no interest in you. You may seek shelter from wherever you want, may it be from lakshmaNa or bharata or Satrughna or sugrIva or from vibhIshaNa. You can make up your mind. Seeing your captivating beauty and winning appearance, would rAvaNa have let you alone for long”?
That lady who met her beloved after long and deserved to hear pleasant words from him shook to the core hearing those devastating insinuations and wept bitterly feeling like a creeper mauled by an elephant.
Here we conclude the one hundred and fifteenth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 6.116. sItA gives a fiery reply
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 