Ram & Sita: Me Without You is Incomplete: part 6
Aranya Kanda (contd)
The golden deer story. We are all familiar with it. This is perhaps one of the most human moments in Ram and Sita's story. Whether it was a divine act in the larger scheme of things or just a to err is human moment,' its one of the most talked about discussed incidents from the epic. Sita's desire to have a golden deer as a pet and Ram's desire to please his beloved wife played a crucial role in this mishap. Lakshman's words of caution were lost to both husband and wife. Sita, mesmerized by the deer and Ram mesmerized by his wife's desire ignored Lakshman's warning.
Sita came out of the asrama to gather flowers for her puja. She crossed to the karnikara and asoka trees, and the flowering bushes that grew in their shade. Suddenly the golden deer stepped out from behind a tree. Sita almost dropped her basket. Her eyes were riveted to the bewitching creature. She called to it, as she did to the other deer that frequented the asrama. But this beast appeared not to understand her. Excitedly, Sita called Rama and Lakshmana. The deer stood quivering, quite near her, then ran a small way off when it saw the princes coming. When Lakshmana saw the golden stag he stopped in his stride, scowling. He said to his brother, "Be careful, Rama, this is no deer. I don't know why, but I feel strangely sure that this is our old friend Maricha." But Sita cried, "Oh, Rama, just look at this creature. How beautiful he is. I have never wanted anything as I do this deer. He can be a companion for me here, and a wonder when we take him back to Ayodhya. I beg you, take him alive for me." When Rama saw the deer, he too was bewitched. How could anything so indescribably beautiful be evil? He said to Lakshmana, "Not even Indra's Nandana or Kubera's Chaitra will have a deer like this one. Look at its tongue when it feeds: like a small streak of lightning. I must capture the creature for Sita. Even I am enchanted by it; how she must want it for herself. "Besides, if it does turn out to be Maricha, I will kill him. But if it is not the rakshasa, then Sita shall have an exquisite pet. She never asks me for anything; I can't refuse her this."
Menon, Ramesh (2004-05-26). The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic (p. 198). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kindle Edition.
Foreseeing the direction this discussion was headed, Sita interrupted him. "This deer has stolen My heart. My dear dexterous Rama, please bring me this beautiful deer. I know you are very gracious. Please know that I want to play with this deer and take it back with us to Ayodhya where it will be the pride of the royal gardens. I haven't seen such beauty anywhere. Look at its nimble movements, its sweet bleating, its rich texture, its delicately shaped limbs, it is simply astounding. O Rama, You are truth personified, I know that once You commit to something, You will never return without accomplishing Your mission. Even if You were unable to capture it alive, its skin would also serve as an excellent seat. I know as a wife, I shouldn't be pestering You into things not of common interest, but in this case I am helpless as My happiness resides in having this deer! O righteous one, please fulfill my desire." Gently touching Rama, she smiled at Him.5 Lakshmana quickly said, "O Rama! Don't be deluded by this demon. The demons are surely planning on shifting tides in our lives. I can clearly see some sinister plot here."6
Rare things are not to be taken for granted and missed. I am sure that such a deer can neither be found in Indra's Nandana Kanana gardens nor in Kubera's Chaitraratha gardens. Kings venture out into the forests not only to hunt and sharpen their archery skills, but also to collect rare forest treasures. In fact most kings fill their treasury with these rare commodities from the forests. This deer is definitely worth keeping as a collection. Which mind will not be allured by such a beautiful object? When even I am attracted by it, Sita is definitely justified in asking for it.
Vilas, Shubha (2015-12-30). Ramayana: The Game of Life - Book 3 - Stolen Hope (Kindle Locations 2360-2369). . Kindle Edition.
The golden deer, an often used metaphor to teach us humans to not desire an illusion led to the heartbreaking separation of Ram from his beloved wife. If anyone has doubts about Ram's love for Sita, the narrative after he loses her in the forest should dispel any such doubts. Ram's grief on losing Sita has been described by various poets and writers in detail. Here are a few examples:
When Maricha has been killed and the brothers realize that something is terribly wrong, they rush to the hut where Sita had been left alone. If I go back to our settlement and find that St is not there to greet me with her sweet smile and her gentle words, I shall kill myself!' continued Rma . . . Rma called out to St again and again. She has been abducted! She is dead! She has been eaten!' . . . But though he searched high and low, Rma could not find his beloved in the forest. His eyes red from weeping, he seemed like a madman as he ran from tree to
tree, from the mountains to the river, weeping more and more as he plunged deeper and deeper into an ocean of grief.
But though he searched high and low, Rma could not find his beloved in the forest. His eyes red from weeping, he seemed like a madman as he ran from tree to tree, from the mountains to the river, weeping more and more as he plunged deeper and deeper into an ocean of grief . . . Rma called out as he ran hither and thither in the forest. He leapt and jumped and spun around as if he were crazy. He could not stand still for a moment, so he ran through the forests, over the mountains and down to the streams and rivers. (Sattar 292- 93) Finally, with a lot of help from Lakshmana, Rama calms down and thinks about how to rescue Sita. As they wait for the rainy season to end and for the great monkey army to gather, Rma was not happy. He thought constantly about his abducted wife who was dearer to him than life. He would lie down every night, but the beauty of his surroundings made it impossible for him to sleep. Never really free from sadness, Rma would find his eyes brimming with tears at times like this.
Sattar, Arshia (2011-06-09). Lost Loves: Exploring Rama's Anguish (Kindle Locations 845-850). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.
Not only Ram, Sita's plight without her beloved husband is equally heart breaking:
Meanwhile, in her captivity, Sita has grown wan and pale as she pines for her beloved Rama. She thinks of him constantly, holding him in her heart and she begs Hanuman to tell Rama to rescue her, to tell him how she cannot live without him. Have pity on me and make sure that I am reunited as soon as possible with Rma. I yearn for him so! Remind him of the blade of grass he sent after the crow that put out one of his eyes. Tell him to remember the vermillion he smeared on my cheek when the one on my forehead had been wiped off! . . . Tell him, "I have treasured and protected this jewel, born from the sea, that I am sending you now. I would look at it and think that I was looking at your face and it would make me happy! I cannot live like this for much longer . . . I will hold on for another month, but after that, I cannot be separated from you, great prince!"'
Sattar, Arshia (2011-06-09). Lost Loves: Exploring Rama's Anguish (Kindle Location 1208). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.
Here is Lakshman's version of his brother, Ram after they realized Sita was missing:
Shattered vessels, fruits and roots strewn on the floor, a broken water pot, shriveled grass mats - all these were clear indicators of a struggle. Panic engulfed my otherwise-calm brother. He frantically ran from one room to another room calling out to Sita. She was neither in the prayer room, nor even in the bedroom or the guest room. Not seeing Her indoors, Rama dashed out of the house and began calling out to Sita as loud as He could, like the man who had just discovered that the valuable treasure He had hidden inside the house had been stolen. Rama looked like the soul that had quit the body for a while only to return and find the body gone. In His frenzy, He began running aimlessly, searching for her. He looked around and noticed that the woodland trees were weeping sap and their flowers were withering. The animals that had gathered around stood like weeping statues. He sank to the ground, cupped His face with palms and began crying piteously into them: She's gone! She's gone!' A few seconds later, He got up and rushed toward the Godavari river, His arms raised above His head, and began calling out to Sita again. As the river flowed, so did Rama's tears. I followed, close at heel. We scanned the length and breadth of the river, but there was no hint of Sita. On returning to the hermitage, closer inspection of the surroundings revealed fresh evidence. The picture was becoming clearer. A little distance away from the hermitage lay strewn flowers from Sita's hair. Rama thanked the sun and the earth for preserving them. He immediately recognized the flowers as the ones He had plucked for her that morning and had even seen Her gently tuck them into Her tresses. Now they lay scattered in the dust, stamped and trampled violently.
My brother lost his senses the moment He saw Sita's ravaged accessories. Her memories weakened Him. Between sobs, He said: Where could She have disappeared? How can I exist without Her? How can I leave My body in the forest and return to Ayodhya like a ghost? Have the wily demons cheated Me of My happiness? Have the nocturnal demons stolen Her or gobbled Her up? Or is My Sita playing a trick on Me by hiding cleverly from My vision? Is She unable to understand that Her innocent trick has left Me distraught and caused Me such pain? Lakshmana, without Sita I will die. If I die, how will I face My father Dasaratha in the other world? And if I continue to live, I cannot return to Ayodhya without Vaidehi. How will I face My father-in-law Janaka? For Me, death will be painful, living in the forest will be painful as will returning to Ayodhya. Why will the citizens of Ayodhya accept as their protector a person who cannot even protect his own wife? I do not know what abominable acts I may have committed in My past lives to be in this state now. I lost My kingdom, I was deprived of being with My people, I was disconnected from My mother, Destiny robbed Me of My father and now I have lost the very purpose of My existence, Sita. It seems that the demons have stolen My hope.
Vilas, Shubha (2015-12-30). Ramayana: The Game of Life - Book 3 - Stolen Hope (Kindle Locations 3213-3226). . Kindle Edition.
Here is another heart wrenching description:
Rama ran in and out of the kutila. He looked for her under her favorite trees. He called her name over and over again. He sobbed like any man who had lost his wife. Suddenly, he cried in hope, "She must have gone to fetch water." They ran to the river, but she was nowhere on its banks. The trees seemed to droop around them; the deer were forlorn and the flowers all sorrowful. Rama, unhinged, went up to the trees. "Have you seen her?" he cried to the kadamba and the tilaka, the asoka, the karnikara and the kritamala. But they stood mute, on the eloquent verge of speech. He cried to the grieving deer, "She loved you so much. She must have bid farewell to you before she went." But the deer could not speak either. He looked at them, his tears welling over. "Her eyes are like yours," he said, and stroked their faces.
Grief making his movements stiff, he turned to Lakshmana. "I cannot live without her! But I can't die either: my father in heaven will not look at my face, because I did not protect Sita." Lakshmana took him in his arms, and Rama sobbed against his brother's shoulder. Lakshmana stroked his head: "Don't give in to sorrow like this. I am sure she is not dead. This is such a vast forest; she may be hidden in any of a hundred caves. We must not despair, or all will surely be lost. Instead, let us search for her. Calm yourself; dry your eyes and be brave again."
Rama howled, "When my father died, Sita was with me and I could bear the grief. For her smile made me forget everything else. But now what will I do? Who will keep my heart from breaking? Lakshmana, I can't live without her." His brother winced to see Rama in such torment. But there was little he could do, save wait for him to recover some composure. Then some deer, which had been friendly with Sita, came and nuzzled their heads
in Rama's hands. He caressed them blindly, crying, "Look at their eyes: they have something to tell us!" In quaint chorus, the deer pointed their long faces to the southern sky, to show where Sita had gone. Quickly they lifted their heads, to show that she had been borne away like the wind. Numb with grief, Rama did not understand at first. But Lakshmana cried, "South! She was taken south and through the air. Rama, we must go that way."
Menon, Ramesh (2004-05-26). The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic (p. 211). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kindle Edition.
...to be contd
Edited by bheegi - 9 years ago
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