Sita and Lakshmana convince Rama to take them along - Chapter 8

 

In the previous chapter, we saw Lakshmana argue with Rama. , Now we'll see Sita and Lakshmana convince Rama to take them along. 

Sita was in a very happy mood, offering her prayers and was waiting for the arrival of her husband. She was totally unaware of what had happened. So when Rama entered she could sense that something was worrying him. So she asked him the reason why he was so pensive when his crowning ceremony was so imminent. She also wondered why he was not accompanied by the Brahmins chanting the Vedas. Rama simply replied that his father had ordered him to go to the forest. He explained briefly how Kaikeyi had obtained the boon from Dasharatha and by which Bharata would be crowned and he had to go to the forest. Rama asked Sita to respect his father’s wish and also respect Bharata as the crown prince.

Sita replied that she wanted to accompany her husband to the forest. She said that according to the best of Dharmas she had been taught the wife should be with her husband on all occasions and serve him. She said that she would forsake even paradise if her husband were not to be with her and so what to talk about palace life. She, therefore, requested Rama to take her along with him to the forest.

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Rama described at length the various hardships that one had to face in forest life. He mentioned the ferocious animals, crocodiles, and elephants from which one had to be constantly protected. She having been raised in a palace would not be able to face the hard life in a forest. He said that one had to fast at times and serve any rishis who would come as guests not minding the fatigue. There would be no proper place to sleep. Valmiki devotes one full section to driving the fact that forest life was not for Sita. Rama told Sita that she should forget to accompany him to the forest and remain in Ayodhya.

Sita thought over well what Rama said to her and replied calmly defending her point. She said that mere Rama’s presence would drive away all the fearful animals and she needed to have no concern about them. She also said that as a girl she had heard the astrologers predicting that she would be living some part of her life in the forest and those words could not go wrong. Therefore it was by God’s will that she would go along with Rama to the forest. There was also another occasion when a lady who predicts the future had also told her about her living in the forest. Sita said she would love that and had been looking forward to it ever since she was a little girl. She also said that the moment Rama would leave her alone she would be a dead person. She cried profusely and tried to persuade her husband to change his mind.

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Sita persuaded Rama to take her with him. She said that he need not consider her as a burden to be protected. She reminded Rama of the story of Satyavan who was the son of Dhyumatsena and how he was saved by his wife Savitri. It is of interest to note that the well-known story of Savitri and Satyavan is quoted by Sita. She said that all the hardships of the forest would be greatly welcome because she would be with her husband. Life in the forest in the company of Rama, Sita said would be far happier than her staying alone in the palace with all its luxuries.

Rama was pleased with all the arguments of Sita and agreed to her accompanying him. He said that he had advanced all the oppositions in order to find out the real conviction of Sita and be sure that she would not regret it later. Rama asked Sita to donate all her jewels and other precious things to the people and get ready to leave.

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Lakshmana who was witnessing all these requested Rama to let him also go along with them. He said that he would go in front of them in order to clear any obstacles in their path, go in search of their food and guard them when they were asleep. Rama was not to accept this easily. Rama reminded Lakshmana of his duty to serve his parents. He said that Bharata or Kaikeyi the daughter of Ashwapati could hurt Kausalya and Sumitra and Lakshmana should be there to console them. Finally, Lakshmana too convinced Rama who agreed to take Lakshmana along with him. He asked Laksmana to take leave of all his friends and also collect all the weapons, such as bows, arrows, swords, armors, etc. Lakshmana obeyed immediately. Then Rama wanted to perform the charity ceremony (Danam) and sent Lakshmana to fetch Vashishtha’s son Suyajnya and all his disciples. Rama generously gifted Suyajnya with gold jewels for his wife, his cot, thousand elephants, and also the elephant Shatrunjaya a gift Rama had received himself before. He then gave gifts to several Brahmins and to those who chanted The Vedas. Rama especially gave gifts to one of the oldest ministers called Chitratha. All this shows how Rama loved all and cared for them.

Rama then ordered that his personal treasury be brought there and distributed gifts to many people young and old and the needy. There is an interesting case when one Brahmin of Garga gotra called Trijata came to beg Rama for help. He said that he was very poor and was unable to support his family. Rama asked him to throw a stick he was holding as far as possible and he would give him that much of cows. This would show that even in those times there were also Brahmins who were well read in Vedas but were utterly poor. Rama thus distributed all his wealth earned in a righteous way to all the people who came to ask for charity.

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In the next chapter, we'll see Sumantra admonishing Kaikeyi.

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