weekend devotional corner.-seetha ram ka vanwaas

aapadaam apahartaaram daataaram sarvasaMpadaam.h .
lokaabhiraamam shriiraamam bhuuyo bhuuyo namaamyaham.h ..

" I bow again and again to Sree Rama who removes (all) obstacles and grants all wealth and pleases all. "

The prince Rama, having been invoked blessings by his mother, after performing salutation to Kausalya and remaining firmly in his virtuous path, set out his journey to the forest. Entering the king's highway filled with people, he made it shine with his splendour and stirred the hearts of the people because of his excellent qualities.

Sita, practising austere vows for the coronation ceremony, did not hear anything on that matter. She was thinking of installation of Rama alone as prince Regent in her heart. As she knows what is to be done and is aware of rules relating to kings, Sita herself delighted in her heart, performed the worship of the gods and was waiting for the prince. Thereafter Rama, slightly turning his face down , entered his own house which is well decorated and is filled with rejoicing people all around. Sita sprang up from her seat and was trembled to see her husband stricken with sorrow, his mind perturbed with anxiety. By seeing her, Rama the virtuous man could not contain that grief existing in his mind and hence it got unveiled. Seeing him pale-faced, perspired and without endurance, Sita (stricken with grief) spoke thus :"What is this now, my Lord! Oh , Rama! It is indeed told by learned brahmanas that today's constellation Pushya (which is presided by sage bR^ihaspati) which is propitions, is suitable (for coronation). Why are you sadly disposed? Your handsome face does not shine splendidly as it should when covered by an umbrella as white as water-froth and provided with a hundred ribs. Nor your lotus-eyed face is not being fanned (as it should ) by superior chowries shining like a moon and a swan. Nor the overjoyed and eloquent bards Sutas and Maagadhas (who sing portions of epic poems and ancient ballads ) are seen here, praising you with auspicious words . Nor brahmanas who are well-versed in Vedas, have not placed , as per prescribed rites , honey and curds on your head after you had taken the head-bath All ministers, chiefs of Associations, citizens and country-folk, duly decked with ornaments, are not inclined to go along with you. Why the main carriage used for travelling and pleasure, tied with four horses decked with gold ornaments and with excellent speed does not go ahead of you ? Oh, valiant prince! A glorious elephant which is worshipped for its good characteristics, resembling a mountain crowned with a dark cloud is not seen ahead in your pageantry. Oh, brave man pleasant sight! I do not see marching before you an elephant having been placed in front with an excellent seat embroidered in gold meant for you While coronation is getting ready now, the colour of your face is appearing strange. Even happiness is not being seen (in you). Why is it?

Rama then replied thus to Sita, who is lamenting : "Oh, Sita! My venerable father is sending me to a forest in exile. Oh, Sita ! You are born in a great family. You know what is right and you practise virtue . Hear me in what sequence this exile has fallen to my lot today. Two great boons were given to my mother Kaikeyi long ago , by my father Dasaratha who is true to his promise. Now that the arrangements initiated by the king for my coronation are getting ready , Kaikeyi came out with that promise of boons, turning the situation to her own advantage by grounds of morality I have to dwell in Dandaka forest for fourteen years .Bharata is being appointed as vice-regent by my father Before setting forth to the unpeopled forest, I came to see you. I should not be praised at any time in the presence of Bharata . Men endowed with power and fortune indeed do not tolerate praise of others . Therefore, my virtues should not be extolled by you in front of Bharata. You cannot be attended to, in a special manner, at any time by him. You can stay familiar to him, by behaving with him conformably. The princely kingdom is given to him by the king permanently. Oh, Sita ! He is fit to be rendered gracious by you, more so because he is going to be the king.As for me, keeping up the pledge of my father, I leave for the forest today itself. Oh, Sita of magnanimous mind! Remain courageous. Oh, Sita the good and faultless lady ! After I leave for the forest frequented by the sages, you can give yourself up to religious vows and fastings. You can rise up in dawn , perform worship of the deities as per precept and do salutation to my father , king Dasaratha. Keeping in front the righteousness alone, you have to respect the aged Kausalya, my mother who is getting emaciated by grief. For me all my mothers are equal in my eyes in point of fondness, love and the way in which they have looked after me (in my childhood). Hence the rest of mothers also deserve to be saluted always by you You, in particular, should regard Bharata and Satrughna, as your brothers or sons. Bharata is indeed king and the master both for the kingdom and for our family . Hence, you should not do what is displeasing to him at any time. Kings being pleased by one's good character and served by exerting one's self become happy with those ones. They get angry if it is to the contrary. Kings abandon even their own sons, if they are antagonistic and accept even other people if they are befitting. Oh good lady ! You as such dwell here, doing conformably to the will of Bharata the king, remaining devoted to righteousness and with a vow of truth as your end. Oh, my dear Sita ! I shall go to the great forest. You should stay here only, without doing offending any one. Listen to my words"

Sita, who speaks kindly and deserves kind utterances, after hearing Rama's words, became angry out of sheer love and spoke thus to her husband, "Oh, Rama the prince! What words these are you speaking? These meaningless words certainly are to be laughed at by me after hearing. Oh noble prince, father, mother, brother, son and daughter-in-law enjoy the fruits of their own merits and reap each his or her due.A wife only gets fortune of her husband. For that reason, I am also destined to dwell in the forest. To a woman, father or son or self or mother or female companion are not the recourse. Husband alone is forever the best recourse either in this world or after her death Oh, Rama! If you set forth now itself to the forest, which is difficult to penetrate, I shall walk ahead of you, by trampling down thorns and grass with long pointed stalks. Oh, brave man! By abandoning, the impatience and anger as water that is poured away on quenching one's thirst and having faith in me take me (with you). There is no fault in me that would warrant me to be left alone by you.. Protection under the feet of the husband is better than being on top of a lofty building or in aerial cars or in moving through the sky. My mother and father taught me in many ways how I should conduct myself . I need not be told as what I have now to do. I shall proceed with you to the forest which is inaccessible, which is devoid of people, filled with various types of animals and inhabited by tigers and jackals.Caring not for sovereignity of three three worlds and thinking on the voe of serving my husband, I shall dwell in the forest happily as I would be staying in our father's house. Oh, brave man! performing service to you regularly, having the necessary discipline, observing chastity, I would like to stay with you in the forests which smell like honey. Oh, Rama, the bestower of honour! Here in the forest, you are indeed capable of protecting other people also. Why to tell about my protection? Today no doubt, I will come to forest along with you. Oh, the illustrious! I, with this intention, cannot be prevented to do so. I shall live only on roots and fruits always, no doubt. Living along with you, I shall not create any unpleasantness to you. With you the learned and the lord, I shall not have fear anywhere. I wish to see rivers, mountains, small lakes and grooves. I shall be comfortable, by coming together with you, the courageous man. I desire to see lotus- ponds filled with swans, water-fowls and excellently flowered. Oh, the large eyed lord! Remaining dedicated to you, I shall take bath regularly in those lakes and with full of joy, I shall sport with you. Thus spending even a hundred thousand years in your company I shall never find any weariness. Heaven also will not be acceptable to me otherwise, without you. Oh tiger among men and scion of Raghu! Even if in heaven there is residence for me without you, I do not like it. I shall proceed to the forest, which is very much inaccessible and occupied by monkeys, elephants as well as other animals. Clinging to your feet alone, I shall dwell in the forest as though in my father's home. Therefore, grant well my prayer and usher me- me without any other thought, whose mind is fondly attached to you and who am determined to die if separated from you. Due to this, there will be no burden to you from me."

Rama did not feel inclined to take Sita along with him eventhough she was speaking as aforesaid. To hold her back from coming to the forest, he also started describing fully of the various afflictions she might have to face in a forest life.

Thinking of difficulties one will be called upon to bear in the forest, Rama who was fond of righteousness did not form the idea of taking Sita who was speaking as aforesaid. Soothening with kind words to Sita, whose eyes were blemished with tears, the virtuous Rama spoke again as follows, for the purpose of making her turn back: "Sita! Your are born in a high lineage, ever devoted to righteousness. Perform your own virtue here, which is agreable to my mind. Oh Sita, the delicate! Do whatever I tell you. There are many inconveniencs in the forest. Know them from me. Oh, Sita! Let your thought made about forest be given up. It is indeed said that forest with its wilderness is fraught with many dangers. This advice is given by me, keeping your welfare in view. I do not ever consider a forest as comfortable. It is always uncomfortable. The sounds created from waterfalls in hills and from lions resding in mountain caves are unpleasant to hear. That is why living in a forest in uncomfortable. Large wild animals which are fearless and intoxicated sporting in the desolate forest; come forward with fury after seeing me. Oh, Sita! That is why living in forest is uncomfortable. Even streams filled with crocodiles full of mire are difficult to be crossed by rut elephants also. Hence dwelling in a forest is always very much uncomfortable. Pathways covered with creepers and thorns, echoed with noise of wild cocks, are water-less and very difficult to enter. Hence dwelling in a forest is hardship. One worn out with fatigue has to sleep in nights on a bed of fallen leaves. Hence, living in a forest is very much a misery. Oh, Sita! With mind disciplined day and night, one has to necessarily satisfy ourself with fruits fallen from trees. Hence, living in a forest is a suffering. Oh, Sita the princess of Mithila! Fasting is to be done to the point of utter exhaustion. Clothes of bark are to be clad and mass of matted hair has to be worn on the head. The celestials, the ancestors, the guests who arrive are to be worshipped always according to the preseribed rites. Bath is to be performed three times a day at appropriate time by the one moving in the forest, with one's mind kept in restraint. Hence, living in a forest is very much a misery. Oh, Sita the innocent! Offering is to be done with flowers gathered by oneself at the altar, according to the rites prescribed by sages. Hence, living in a forest is a hardship. Oh, Sita the princess of Mithila! The dwellers of forest are to be satisfied with whatever food is obtained there. Hence, living in forest is a misery. Great storms visit the forest, covering with too much of darkness . There are always hunger and great perils too prevailing there. Hence, dwelling in a forest is very much a misery. Oh, Sita! Various creeping animals of different forms roam about on earth with pride. Hence dwelling in a forst is a great misery. Snakes dwelling in rivers, moving crookedly like rivers, stay obstucting the pathways. Hence, living in forest is a great misery. Oh, frail princess! Flying insects, scropions, insects including mosquitoes and files always annoy every one. Hence, forest is full of hardship.Oh, Sita! Forest is full of trees, kusa grass and bambooes with ends of their branches spread on all sides. Hence, living in a forest is a great misery. An inhabitant living in a forest has to face various bodily troubles and panics. Hence, forest- life is readily a misery. Anger and greed are to be abandoned by the dwellers of forest. Devotion is to be bestowed on asceticism. What needs to be feared, should not be feared. Hence, living in a forest is a suffereing. Therefore, do away with the idea of your coming to the forest. Forest life is not indeed bearable for you. Reflecting now carefully on the matter, I perceive forest as having too many disadvantages."

"Oh Rama, the very wise! Know all those disadvantages you mentioned about dwelling in the forest become advantages to me, if your affection is placed before them. Antelopes, lions, elephants, tigers, sarabhas(legendary animal with eight legs), birds, yaks and all others which roam in the forest, run away after seeing your form, since they have never seen your figure before. When there is cause for fear, who would not have fear? As per the command of the elders, I also should go along with you. My life is to be abandoned here, if I were separated from you. Even Devendra the Lord of celestials, by his strength, cannot over power me, who is in your vicinity. Verily such a thing was taught to me by you, that a woman disunited from her husband should not be able to survive. Besides, formerly in my father's house it was heard by me from the month of brahmanas that I was destined to stay really in a forest. Ever since I heard this word from brahmanas who can interpret marks on the body, I was always eager to stay in a forest. That prediction of dwelling in the forst is to be realised by me. I must accordingly accompany you to the forest, it cannot be otherwise. I shall be the one who has fulfilled the brahmana's word. I shall accompany you to the forest. The time has come for brahmana's words to come true. I know that in the forest, sufferings indeed are many and are invariably obtained by men having unformed minds. While I was an unmarried girl, the prediction about my dwelling the forest was heard by me in my father's house from a female mendicant having good manners, in the presence of my mother. In the past, you have been really pleased for many a time to take me along with you indeed for the tour of a forest, as longed by me. May all be well with you! I am waiting for a journey to the forest. A work-out of adventurist is really delightful to me. Following my husband with loving devotion, I shall become sin-less; for husband is the supreme deity to me. Even after my death, I shall stay united with you. On this subject, the meritorious words of brahmanas is being heard thus:- In this world, which women was given away to whom by parents with water according to the moral code binding on them, that woman belongs to him alone even after death. By what reason now are you thus not willing to take me, the women having good conduct, devoted to her husband and belonging to you, from this place? You ought to take me, who is a devotee, so devoted to husband, who is distressed who feels alike in pleasure and pain and shares your joys and sorrows. I shall take resort to poison or fire or water for dying, if you are not willing to take me, afflicted as I am, as above."

Eventhough she requested him in many ways about setting out to the forest, he did not agree to take her to the forest, which is a solitary place. After hearing Rama's words, seetha was sorrowful, moistening with earth as it were with burning tears, trickling down her eyes. Rama the prudent man then pacified in many ways, to avert that Seetha with red lips, who was sorrowful as above.

Seetha daughter of Janaka being pacified by Rama in the matter of living in the forest, spoke the following words to her husband. Distressed and highly agitated, the said Seetha reproached Rama having a broad chest, from affection and pride in the following words:- "Oh, Brave man! What my father, the king of Mithila belonging to the country of Videha, think of himself having got as son-in-law you, a woman having the form of a man? It is a pity if these people of Ayodhya through ignorance tell the falsehood that excellent valour is lacking in Rama as in a blazing sun. For what reason are you cast down or whence fear in you, for which you are willing to desert me, for whom there is no other recourse. Know me to be as dependent on your will as Savitri who was devoted to Satyavan the son of Dyumatsena. I will not see, even in thought, anyone except you as any other woman bringing disrepute to her family would! I shall accompany you to the forest. I am a young girl, lived for a long time with you, a chaste woman and your wife. How would you like an actor intend to deliver me to others by your own will? Be you always dutiful and obedient to him, whom you speak of welfare, for whose sake I am being kept back.(But it is improper to ask me to stay obedient to him). It is not proper for you as such to set out to the forest without taking me. Any term of austerities or forest or even heaven, let it be to me with you only. To me, who follow you behind, there will be no tiresomeness. I shall remain in the path without any fatigue, as remaining in a place of recreation or as in a sleep. While walking with you, blades of kusha grass, shrubs by the name of kaasa, reeds and rushes and plants with prickles which fall in the path will touch my soles like a heap of cotton or soft deerskin. I shall reckon the dust raised by the strongest wind that will cover my body as sandal dust of highest advantage. While dwelling in the forest, in its midst, I shall lie down on green grass. Will lying in beds with carpets be more comfortable than that? Leaves, tubers and fruits either a little or abundant in quantity brought and given by you yourself will be like nectar to me. Enjoying the flowers and fruits belonging to various seasons there, I shall neither recollect my mother nor father nor my home. Hence, you are not justified to see anything unpleasant there. There will be no annoyance to you because of me. I will not be difficult to be maintained. Your companionship will be a heaven to me. Without you, it will be a hell. Oh, Rama! By knowing thus my great love, obtain supreme joy with me. On the contrary, if you do not take me, who is not alarmed of the forest as such, I shall drink poison now itself. But on no account would I bow to the enemies. As a result of grief I will not be giving to live even afterwards when abandoed by you. Death is therefore better at the time of your relinquishment itself. I cannot bear this grief even for a moment, why again fourteen years in misery."

Seetha, burnt by grief, having got exerted, lamented much piteously, embraced her husband and cried a lot with loud voice. Perscuted with many homilies like a female elephant pierced with poisoned arrows, she shed tears that had long been held back even as a piece of wood would emit fire(throught attrition with another). Crystal-like tears woozed from her eyes because of grief, like water-drops from two lotus flowers. Her face with shining brilliance of the moon and having longish eyes, withered with tears as a lotus flower pulled out from water. Then Rama embraced her, with arms, who was depressed and had fainted as it were, spoke the following words, fully reassuring her.

"Oh, Seetha with the auspicious face! I do not relish even heaven while you are in grief. There is indeed no fear whatsoever to me, like the god of Brahma. Eventhough I am able to protect you, without knowing your entire opinion, I do not like to take you to the forest. It appears that you are created indeed for dwelling in the forest with me. Hence, you cannot be left behind by me, like the honour by a man of self-regard. Earlier, righeousness (like fulfilling the father's command) was practised by good men. Now, I shall follow that righteousness, like Suvarchala(wife of the sun) following the sun. I cannot desist from not going to forest. That word, of my father, made strong by his truthfulnes is taking me to the forest. Being obedient to father and mother is one's sacred duty. That is why, I do not wish to survive, in violation of that duty. Mother, father and teacher are at our own disposal. By negelecting them as such, how can we worship god, who is not at our disposal, by various modes? The triad of mother, father and teacher is the world-triad. There is none other in the world equal to it. Hence, this triad is worthy of worship. Oh, Seetha! In which manner service to father is regarded as strengthening, in the same manner truth or sacrificial rites where presents are received by officiating priest are not strengthening. By compliance with the wishes of one's elders, heavenly bliss or riches, foodgrains or learning, sons or amenities of life-nothing whatsoever is hard to obtain. High souled men, wholly devoted to their parents obtain the regions of gods and the gandharvas, the seventh heaven presided by Brahma, the seventh heaven presided by Brahma (the creator) and Goloka (the highest heaven abiding in cows and presided over by Sri Radha and Sri Krishna the first couple). I desire to obey in the same manner as to how my father, abiding in truthfulness and virtue, commands me. That itself is indeed the law of morality, which is eternal. My mind was depressed to take you to the forest of Dandaka. But you are saying that you will reside in the forst, duly determined to follow me. Since you were allowed to come to forest, Oh Seetha the timid lady, follow me and become my help-mate. You adopted very auspicious resolve, suitable in all ways to me and to your race. Now itself, begin with duties appropriate for living in exile. Oh, Seetha! Even a heaven is not a liking to me without your presence. Give valuable gifts to Brahmanas and food to mendicants. Be very quick. Do not delay. Give to the various classes of your dependents whatever costly ornaments, beautiful and fine articles of wearing apparel, gadgets used for sports, my couches, conveyances and other articles left after satisfying brahmanas."

Seetha the divine lady, elated to know her departure acceptable to her husband, quickly set about, making gifts. Thereafter, the illustrious and pure-minded lady, becoming delighted on hearing the speech of her husband, started giving riches and valuable gifts to virtuous souls.