The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  Desiring Rama’s supreme welfare, Lakshmana spoke to him. ‘O immensely intelligent one! Do not grieve. Make efforts with me. O brave one! This excellent mountain is adorned with many caverns. Maithilee is careless and loves to wander around in the groves and forests. She may have entered the forest, or gone to a lake filled with blooming lotuses. Or she may have gone to a river or pond filled with a large number of fish. Perhaps she wished to scare us and has hidden herself in some grove. O bull among men! Vaidehi may have wished to test you and me. O prosperous one! We should make efforts to search for her. O Kakutstha! If you so think, let us search everywhere in the forest for Janaka’s daughter. Turn your mind away from this futile grief.’ Full of affection, Lakshmana said this. Rama controlled himself and, with Soumitri, started to search. Dasharatha’s two sons searched everywhere for Sita, in the forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, the summit of that mountain, caves and peaks. They searched everywhere, but did not find her. Having searched everywhere on the mountain, Rama told Lakshmana, ‘O Soumitri! I do not see Vaidehi here, on this auspicious mountain.’ His brother, blazing in his energy, was wandering around Dandakaranya. Tormented by grief, Lakshmana addressed him in these words. ‘O immensely wise one! You will get back Maithilee, Janaka’s daughter, just as the mighty-armed Vishnu bound up Bali and regained this earth.’ Raghava was thus addressed by the brave Lakshmana. His senses were afflicted by grief. Distressed, he replied in these words. ‘We have searched everywhere in this forest and in the lakes, with blossoming lotuses, and in this mountain, with its many caverns and waterfalls. O immensely wise one! I do not see Vaidehi, whom I love more than my own life.’336 Afflicted by Sita’s abduction, Rama lamented in this way. Overcome by distress and grief, for a while, he lost his senses. All his limbs faltered. He lost his intelligence and his senses. Afflicted and distressed, he sank down. He sighed for a long time, as if during summer. The lotus-eyed Rama sighed many times. With tears choking his voice, he repeatedly exclaimed, ‘Alas, beloved!’ Lakshmana, his beloved relative and knowledgeable about dharma, joined his hands in salutation and subserviently, consoled him in many kinds of ways. He paid no heed to the words that emerged from Lakshmana’s lips. Unable to see his beloved Sita, he repeatedly lamented.

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  Distressed, he addressed Lakshmana in these miserable words. ‘O Lakshmana! Let us quickly go to the river Godavari and find out. Perhaps Sita has gone to the Godavari to fetch lotuses.’ Addressed by Rama in this fashion, Lakshmana, swift in his valour, again went to the beautiful river Godavari. Having searched the place that was full of tirthas, Lakshmana told Rama, ‘I have not been able to find her in the tirthas, nor have I heard her voice. Vaidehi is the one who dispels difficulties. Where can she be? O Rama! I do not know where that slender-waisted one is.’ Hearing Lakshmana’s words, he was miserable and became confused because of his torment. Rama himself directly went to the river Godavari. Having reached, Rama exclaimed, ‘O Sita! Where are you? Just as the creatures had not told Rama about her abduction by the Indra among rakshasas, who deserved to be killed, neither did the river Godavari. All the creatures urged her337 to tell him about his beloved. However, though she was asked by the grieving Rama, she did not tell him about Sita. She was terrified of the kind of deeds the evil-souled Ravana had perpetrated. Thinking about this, the river did not tell him about Vaidehi. His hope of being able to see Sita near the river was destroyed. Rama, devastated at not being able to see Sita, spoke to Soumitri. ‘O Lakshmana! What disagreeable words will I use when I meet Janaka, or Vaidehi’s mother, without Vaidehi with me? I was in the forest, deprived of the kingdom, surviving on forest fare. Vaidehi dispelled all those sorrows. Where has she gone now? I am without my kin and my allies. I cannot see the princess. I think that the nights will be long and I will have to remain awake. I will search everywhere in the Mandakinee,338 Janasthana and Mount Prasravana, in case Sita is found.’

  While those two brothers were conversing with each other in this way, they saw a path along which the earth was strewn with flowers. Rama saw that a shower of flowers had fallen down on the ground. Miserable, the brave one addressed Lakshmana in these grieving words. ‘O Lakshmana! I recognize the flowers that are here. These are the ones I gave Vaidehi in the grove and she fastened them.’339 The mighty-armed one said this to Lakshmana, bull among men. He was angry and spoke to the mountain, like a lion addressing inferior animals. ‘O mountain! Her complexion is golden. Her limbs are golden. Show me Sita. Otherwise, I will destroy all your summits. The fire of my arrows will consume and reduce you to ashes. Without trees and foliage, no one will ever frequent you again. O Lakshmana! If this river does not tell me about Sita, whose face is like that of the moon, now, I will dry it up.’ The enraged Rama seemed to burn everything down with his eyes.

  Then, on the ground, he saw the giant footprints of the rakshasa, left when he departed. He saw Sita’s footprints, overtaken by those of the rakshasa. Terrified in his heart, Rama spoke to his beloved brother. ‘O Lakshmana! O Soumitri! Look at the bits of gold strewn around from Vaidehi’s ornaments and the many kinds of garlands. O Soumitri! Behold. Everywhere, the surface of the ground is covered with colourful drops of blood from wounds, like beads of molten gold. O Lakshmana! I think rakshasas, who can assume any form at will, have divided her up, shared her and eaten her up. O Soumitri! Two terrible rakshasas may have had a dispute and a fight here over Vaidehi. O amiable one! This giant bow has been shattered and is lying down on the ground. It is adorned with pearls and jewels and is decorated with molten gold. Whom does it belong to? Whose golden armour has been shattered and is lying down on the ground? It resembles the rising sun and is decorated with beads of lapis lazuli. This umbrella has one hundred spokes and is decorated with divine garlands. Its shaft has been fragmented and is lying down on the ground. O amiable one! Whom does it belong to? These mules have faces like pishachas and are covered with golden breastplates. They are terrible in battle and are gigantic in size. Who has slain them in a battle? This standard blazed in battle and is like a radiant fire. It has been shattered and fragmented. Whom does this chariot, used for fighting, belong to? These arrows are decorated with molten gold and are as long as a chariot’s wheel. They are strewn around. Who was killed with these arrows and which performer of terrible deeds used them? O amiable one! This is the work of rakshasas who can assume any form at will and are extremely terrible in their hearts. Behold. My enmity has increased a hundredfold and I will bring an end to their lives. The ascetic Sita has been abducted, killed or devoured. When Sita was abducted in the great forest, dharma could not save her. O Lakshmana! Vaidehi has been devoured or abducted. O amiable one! Where are my gods? In this world, who is capable of doing something agreeable for me? O Lakshmana! The brave creator of the worlds, who knew about this piteous account, did not know about this and will be disrespected by all the creatures. I am gentle and am engaged in the welfare of the worlds. I am controlled, though I know about this piteous account. I think it is certain that the lords of the thirty gods take me to be devoid of valour. O Lakshmana! See how the qualities I have obtained have been enveloped in taints.340 From today, all the creatures and the rakshasas will be destroyed. I will restrain the gentle beams of the moon and the great sun will arise. O Lakshmana! The yakshas, the gandharvas, the pishachas, the rakshasas, the kinnaras and men will not be able to find happiness. O Lakshmana! Behold. My weapons and arrows will envelop the sky. Today, I will render the three worlds such that they will be impossible to travel in. I will block all the planets and obstruct the path of the moon. The radiance of the fire, the Maruts and the sun will be destroyed and withdrawn. The summits of the mountains will be shattered. The waterbodies will be dried up. The trees, creepers and shrubs will be devastated. The ocean will be destroyed. O Soumitri! Until my gods return Sita safely to me, this very instant, they will witness my valour. O Lakshmana! An incessant net of arrows will be released from the string of my bow and the creatures will not be able to rise up into the sk
y. The animals and birds will be mangled, devastated and confused by my iron arrows. O Lakshmana! Today, the universe will be in turmoil and all the boundaries will be crossed. I will draw my bow back to my ears and release unstoppable arrows in the world of the living. For Maithilee’s sake, I will not leave any pishachas or rakshasas. In my intolerance and rage, I will shoot arrows that will travel a long distance. Let the gods witness my strength now. When the three worlds are destroyed by my rage, there will not be any gods, daityas, pishachas or rakshasas left. The torrents of my arrows will reduce the gods, the danavas, the yakshas and the rakshasas in the worlds into many fragments and they will fall down. Today, my arrows will destroy all the agreements in the worlds. O Lakshmana! All beings can never counter old age, death, time and destiny. In that way, when I am enraged, there is no doubt that I cannot be repulsed. If you do not show me the beautiful and unblemished one, Sita Maithilee, as used to be the case earlier, I will make the world and the mountains whirl, together with the gods, the gandharvas, men and serpents.’

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  Rama was afflicted because of Sita’s abduction and was about to scorch the worlds, like the fire of final destruction. He glanced at his strung bow and sighed repeatedly. He desired to kill the animals, like the enraged Rudra at the time of Daksha’s sacrifice. This sight of Rama being enraged was not something that Lakshmana had ever seen earlier. With his mouth dry, he joined his hands in salutation and spoke these words. ‘Earlier, you were gentle and controlled, engaged in the welfare of all beings. You should not fall prey to rage. You should resume your natural self. The prosperity of the moon, the radiance of the sun, the speed of the wind, the forgiveness of the earth—all these always exist in you and you also possess supreme fame. I do not know whom this shattered chariot, used for fighting, belongs to. I do not know whom

  the weapon and equipment belong to, nor who shattered them and for what reason. This place has been struck by hooves and an axle. It is sprinkled with drops of blood. O son of a king! This is a spot where a terrible clash has taken place. O supreme among eloquent ones! A single person has been killed here, not both. Nor are there signs of the footprints and conduct of a large army. You should not destroy the worlds because of what a single person has done. Calm kings use the rod of chastisement mildly. You have always been the supreme refuge for all creatures. O Raghava! If you destroy them because of your wife, who will think that you are virtuous? The rivers, oceans, mountains, gods, gandharvas and danavas have behaved like virtuous ones who have consecrated themselves for a sacrifice and have not done anything disagreeable towards you. O king! You should search for the one who has abducted Sita. With a bow in my hand, I will be your second, and the supreme rishis will be our aides. We will search the oceans, the mountains, the forests, the many dreadful caverns and all the lakes in the mountains. We will control ourselves and search the worlds of the gods and the gandharvas, until we have found the person who has abducted your wife. O Indra of Kosala! If the lords of the thirty gods do not peacefully return your wife to you, it is only after that, at the right time, that you should do what you have to. O Indra among men! If you do not get Sita back through good conduct, conciliation, humility and good policy, it is only then that you should use torrents of gold-tufted arrows that are like the great Indra’s vajra.’

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  He341 was tormented by grief and lamented like one who was without a protector. A great confusion pervaded him and he lost his senses. After a while, Soumitri Lakshmana comforted him. He kneaded Rama’s feet and addressed him. ‘O Rama! Like the immortals obtained amrita, King Dasharatha obtained you after great austerities and great deeds. He was attached to your qualities. We have heard from Bharata that it was because of separation from you that the king, the lord of the earth, obtained divinity. O Kakutstha! If you are unable to bear the misery that you are facing now, how will one who is inferior, an ordinary one with limited spirits, withstand it? O tiger among men! If in your misery, you wish your energy to destroy the worlds, to whom will afflicted subjects go, searching for refuge? This is the way of the world. Yayati, Nahusha’s son, went to Shakra’s world and became like him. However, he was touched by bad policy.342 There is maharshi Vasishtha, our father’s priest. In a single day, he had one hundred sons. But they were slain again.343 This goddess, the mother of the world,344 is worshipped by the worlds. O one who resorts to the truth! However, even the earth can be seen to quake. These two extremely strong ones, the sun and the moon, are the eyes of the world and everything is established in them. However, even they are invaded by eclipses. O bull among men! The greatest among creatures, the gods and all creatures who bear bodies cannot free themselves from destiny. O tiger among men! It has been heard that the present gods,345 Shakra and the others, also face the good and the bad. You should not be distressed at this.346 O unblemished one! O brave one! Even if Vaidehi has been destroyed, even if she has been abducted, unlike an ordinary person, you should not grieve. O Rama! Those who are like you and always see the truth, those who are detached in their wisdom, do not sorrow, even when they face a great hardship. O best among men! You should use your intelligence to think about the truth. When they use their intelligence, immensely wise ones know what is right and what is wrong. The results of deeds are not certain, their good and bad aspects have not been seen.347 If a deed is in the heart, but has not been performed, its cherished fruits will not materialize. O brave one! Earlier, you have yourself told me about this several times. You are like Brihaspati himself. Who can instruct you? O immensely wise one! Even the gods cannot comprehend your intelligence. Because of your sorrow, your knowledge is asleep and I am trying to wake it. O bull of the Ikshvaku lineage! Your own valour is both divine and human. Even if you cast your eye on an enemy, he will be killed. O bull among men! Why should you try to destroy everything? You should find out who the wicked enemy is and uproot him.’

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  No sooner had Lakshmana told his elder brother a little bit of those excellent words, Raghava, who could grasp the essence, understood the great gist and accepted it. The mighty-armed one controlled his increasing rage. Holding on to his colourful bow, Rama told Lakshmana, ‘O child! What will we do? O Lakshmana! Where will we go? You should now think about what means we will use to find Sita.’ Rama was afflicted by torment and Lakshmana spoke to him. ‘You should search in Janasthana. It is covered by trees and creepers and populated by many kinds of rakshasas. There are mountains that are difficult to traverse and glades and valleys. There are many kinds of terrible caves, populated by many kinds of animals. There are the abodes of kinnaras and the residences of gandharvas. With me, you should search all these. O bull among men! That is what an intelligent and great-souled person like you should do. They do not tremble because of a calamity, like mountains against the force of the wind.’ Thus addressed, with Lakshmana, he roamed around everywhere in the forest. The angry Rama affixed a sharp and terrible arrow to his bow.

  He saw the greatly fortunate Jatayu, supreme among birds, lying down, with the complexion of a mountain top, and the ground was wet with the blood from his wounds. His complexion was like the summit of a mountain. On seeing him, Rama told Lakshmana, ‘There is no doubt that this is the one who has devoured Sita Vaidehi. It is evident that this rakshasa has been roaming around in the forest in the form of an eagle. Having eaten the large-eyed Sita, he is now resting happily. I will slay him with straight-flying and terrible arrows that blaze at the tips.’ Having said this, he affixed the sharp arrow to his bow and advanced towards the eagle. The angry Rama made the earth, right up to the frontiers of the ocean, tremble. Vomiting froth and blood, the miserable bird addressed Rama, Dasharatha’s son, in grieving words. ‘O one with a long life! You are searching for a herb in this great forest. But Ravana has abducted both that queen and my life. O Raghava! The queen was without you and Lakshmana. While I looked on, the stronger Ravana abducted her. I tried to rescue Sita and in the encounter, destroyed his chariot and umbrella
and also brought Ravana down on the ground here. This is his shattered bow and this is his armour. O Rama! In the encounter, I shattered the chariot that he used to fight. I was exhausted and Ravana severed my wings with his sword. He seized Vaidehi and leapt up into the sky. The rakshasa has already killed me. You should not slay me.’ From him, Rama got to know the account about his beloved Sita. He embraced the king of the eagles and, with Lakshmana, wept.

  He348 was taking a single breath with difficulty and sighed repeatedly. On seeing him, the miserable Rama spoke to Soumitri. ‘I have been dislodged from the kingdom. I am residing in the forest. Sita has been lost. The bird is dead. Like a fire, this kind of adversity is burning me. The great ocean is full. However, such is the nature of my adversity, that were I to enter it, the lord of the rivers would dry up. In the world, with all its mobile and immobile objects, there is no one as unfortunate as I am. Why have I faced this devastating calamity? This aged king of the eagles is my father’s friend. Because of my misfortune, he has been slain and is lying down on the ground.’ With Lakshmana, Raghava said this and many other things. As a sign of affection towards his father, he touched Jatayu’s body. His wings had been severed and he was wet with blood. Rama embraced the king of the eagles. ‘Where is Maithilee, who is like my own life?’ Shedding tears, he fell down on the ground.