The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  Chapter 7(45)

  Miserable in his mind, Lakshmana spent the night. His mouth dry, he addressed Sumantra in these words. ‘O charioteer! Swiftly yoke the horses to the excellent chariot. Cover the auspicious seat with spreads so that Sita can come there from the king’s residence. From the king’s residence, I will take Sita to the hermitage of the maharshis, the performers of sacred deeds. Quickly fetch the chariot.’ Sumantra acted as he was told and yoked the excellent steeds. The extremely beautiful and excellent chariot was equipped with a pleasant couch with spreads. He brought it to Soumitri, who brought delight to his friends, and said, ‘O lord! The chariot has arrived. Do what you have to.’ Thus addressed by Sumantra, Lakshmana entered the royal residence. The bull among men approached Sita and told her, ‘O queen! We have been commanded by the king. I am to take you and quickly go to the auspicious hermitage of the sages on the banks of the Ganga.’ Vaidehi was thus addressed by the great-souled Lakshmana. Filled with unmatched delight, the idea of going appealed to her. Taking extremely expensive garments and many kinds of jewels, Vaidehi prepared to go. ‘I will give these ornaments to the wives of the sages.’ Soumitri agreed to what she had said and made Maithilee mount the chariot. Remembering Rama’s command, they quickly left on those horses.

  At that time, Sita spoke to Lakshmana, who enhanced prosperity. ‘O descendant of the Raghu lineage! I can see many inauspicious signs. My eye is twitching and there is a trembling in my body. O Soumitri! A sense of disquiet can be discerned in my heart. Though I am extremely eager, I am also suffering from a great lack of fortitude. O large-eyed one! To my eyes, the earth seems to be empty. With his brothers, I hope your brother is well. O brave one! In particular, I hope so are my mothers-in-law. I hope all the creatures in the city and the countryside are well.’ Joining her hands in salutation, Sita sought this from the gods. Hearing this, Lakshmana bowed his head down and honoured Maithilee. With his heart dry, he said, ‘All is well.’ They reached a hermitage on the banks of the Gomatee where they could dwell.668 Arising in the morning, Soumitri spoke to the charioteer. ‘Quickly yoke the chariot. Like Tryambaka669 in the mountain, I will today bear the waters of the Bhageerathee on my head.’670 Without thinking about it, the charioteer swiftly yoked the horses, which possessed the speed of thought, to the chariot. He joined his hands in salutation and told Maithilee, ‘Mount.’ Hearing the charioteer’s words, Sita ascended that excellent chariot, together with Soumitri and the intelligent Sumantra. After they had travelled for half a day, Lakshmana saw the Bhageerathee, the store of waters. Miserable, he wept loudly. Sita saw that Lakshmana was greatly afflicted and spoke these words. ‘O one who knows about dharma! Why are you weeping? We have reached the banks of the Jahnavee and I have wished this for a long time. O Lakshmana! This is the time for joy. Why are you distressed? O bull among men! You have always remained at Rama’s feet. Are you filled with grief because you have been away from him for two nights? O Lakshmana! I also love Rama, more than my own life. However, I am not grieving in this way. Do not be childish. Make me cross the Ganga and make me see the ascetics. I will give them these expensive garments and ornaments. I will honour the maharshis, as they deserve. After spending a night there, we will return to the city again.’ Hearing her words, he wiped his auspicious eyes. Using a boat, Lakshmana crossed the sacred Ganga.

  Chapter 7(46)

  The nishadas prepared and brought an extremely large boat. Raghava’s younger brother first made Maithilee climb on to it and then ascended it himself. Lakshmana told Sumantra, ‘Stay with the chariot.’ Tormented by grief, he asked the boatman to steer the boat. Lakshmana reached the other bank of the Bhageerathee. Joining his hands in salutation and with his voice choking with tears, he addressed Maithilee in these words. ‘O Vaidehi! As a result of what people are saying, the noble and intelligent one has asked me to do something that is driving a great stake into my heart. It is better for me to die now. Death would be superior to this. He has engaged me in this kind of task, condemned by the world. O one who is good in vows! Show me your favours and do not be angry with me.’ Joining his hands in salutation and prostrating himself on the ground, Lakshmana said this. He desired death for himself and was weeping, his hands joined in salutation. On seeing this, Maithilee became extremely anxious and addressed Lakshmana in these words. ‘O Lakshmana! I do not understand this. Tell me the truth. I can see that you are not well. Is everything well with the king? I am urging you in the name of the king among men. What is the truth behind you being tormented? In my presence, you are being commanded by me. Tell me.’ When Vaidehi took a pledge in this way, Lakshmana’s senses were distressed. With his face and with his words choking because of the tears, he spoke these words. ‘O Janaka’s daughter! In the midst of the courtiers, he heard the extremely terrible condemnation being voiced about you by the residents of the city and the countryside. O queen! I cannot utter those words in front of you. I have turned my back on those intolerant words671 that were in the king’s heart. As far as I am concerned, you are innocent. But because of those words, the king has cast you aside. O queen! Scared, he has accepted the words spoken by the residents of the city and the countryside and there can be no countering of that decision. I will have to leave you at the end of this hermitage. Though you are expecting, the king has instructed me through his commands. O auspicious one! I will have to leave you here in this sacred and beautiful grove with the hermitages of the brahmana rishis. Do not grieve. King Dasharatha was my father. The brahmana Valmiki, the extremely illustrious bull among sages, was his great friend. Happily seek refuge at the feet of the great-souled one. O Janaka’s daughter! Fast and with great attentiveness, reside there with him. Be devoted to your husband and always have Rama in your heart. O queen! That is the way you will obtain great benefit.’

  Chapter 7(47)

  Janaka’s daughter heard Lakshmana’s terrible words. Overcome by great sorrow, Vaidehi fell down. She regained her senses after a while, but her eyes were full of tears. With a distressed voice, Janaka’s daughter addressed Lakshmana in these words. ‘O Lakshmana! The creator has certainly created my body for the sake of suffering grief. Therefore, today, misery has manifested itself in embodied form before me. What crime have I committed in an earlier life? Whom have I separated from his wife? I am pure in conduct. Nevertheless, the king has abandoned me. Earlier, I resided in a hermitage, following Rama’s footsteps. O Soumitri! The misery put me into turmoil, but I controlled it.672 O amiable one! How will I dwell alone in a hermitage? Tell me. Overcome with sorrow, how will I handle this grief? How will I tell the sage about the injury the king has done to me? What is the reason why the great-souled Raghava has abandoned me? O Soumitri! Indeed, I should not remain alive. I should give up my life in the waters of the Jahnavee. But if I do that, my husband’s royal lineage will laugh at me. O Soumitri! Do what you have been commanded to. I will suffer misery. Abandon me. Follow the instructions of the king. However, listen to my words. In particular, I am joining my hands in salutation before my mothers-in-law. Ask them to accept this honour. I am bowing my head down and worshipping at their feet. Ask about their welfare and that of the king. “Always behave towards the citizens as you behave towards your brothers. This is your supreme dharma and you will obtain excellent fame because of this. O bull among men! Let the citizens benefit from the king following dharma. I am not grieving over my own body. O descendant of the Raghu lineage! Free yourself from the condemnation of the citizens.”’673 Thus addressed by Sita, Lakshmana’s senses were afflicted. He bowed his head down on the ground and was incapable of saying anything. Weeping in a loud voice, he circumambulated her. Then he again mounted the boat and urged the boatman. Bearing the burden of sorrow, he reached the northern bank. Confounded by grief, he quickly ascended the chariot. Like one without a protector, he repeatedly glanced back towards Sita. As he proceeded, Lakshmana saw that she was writhing around on the other bank. From the chariot and from a distance, Lakshmana repeatedly looked back towards her.
Anxious, he repeatedly looked back towards Sita, who was overwhelmed with grief. The ascetic lady was overcome by the burden of grief. The illustrious one could not see her protector.674 She was filled with misery and wept in a loud voice, like a peahen in the forest.

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  The sons of the sage saw Sita weeping there. They rushed to the illustrious Valmiki, supreme in intelligence. The sons of the sage worshipped the feet of the sage, the maharshi. All of them told him about a lady weeping in a loud voice. ‘O illustrious one! O great-souled one! We have never seen anything like this before. There is a wife who is like Shri. She is confounded and is shrieking in a distorted tone. O illustrious one! It is best that you come and see for yourself. She is like a goddess who has been dislodged from the sky. We do not think she is human. You should go and welcome her with proper rites.’ Hearing their words, the one who knew about dharma used his intelligence to determine what should be done. He used the insight obtained through his austerities and went to the spot where Maithilee was. Walking on foot for a short while, the great sage reached the place. Taking excellent arghya, he reached the banks of the Jahnavee. He saw Raghava’s beloved wife there, like one who was without a protector. Sita was overcome by the burden of grief. Valmiki, bull among sages, addressed her in sweet words, as if delighting her with his energy. ‘O queen! O Dasharatha’s daughter-in-law! O Rama’s queen! O Janaka’s daughter! O one who is devoted to her husband! Welcome. Because of the fruits of dharma, I have got to know that you have come. My heart has got to know about all the reasons. O Sita! Through the insight obtained through austerities, I know that you are devoid of sin. O Vaidehi! You are pure in sentiments and you have now come to me. My hermitage is not very far from here. Ascetics engaged in austerities are there. Reside there. They will always nurture you, like their own children. Accept this arghya. Do not be scared and have no anxiety. Do not grieve. It is as if you are in your own home.’ Sita heard the extraordinary words uttered by the sage. She bowed her head down at his feet. Joining her hands in salutation, she agreed. The sage left. Joining her hands in salutation, she followed him at the rear towards the spot where the controlled ascetics, always devoted to dharma, were. They saw the sage coming, with Vaidehi following him. Extremely happy, they came there and spoke these words. ‘O best among sages! O lord! You have come after a long time.675 All of us are greeting you. Tell us what we should do.’ Hearing their words, Valmiki replied, ‘Sita, the wife of the intelligent Rama, has arrived. She is Dasharatha’s daughter-in-law and Janaka’s daughter. Though she is innocent, she has been abandoned by her husband. She must always be protected by me. Look towards her with great affection. Pay heed to my words. In particular, honour her.’ The immensely illustrious one repeatedly assured Vaidehi. Surrounded by his disciples, the greatly ascetic one returned to his own hermitage.676

  Chapter 7(49)

  After seeing that Maithilee Sita had entered the hermitage, Lakshmana was distressed in his mind. He was overcome by a terrible and severe torment. The greatly energetic one spoke to Sumantra, the charioteer who was also a counsellor. ‘Because of the torment on account of Sita, you will behold the intelligent Rama’s misery. What can be a greater misery for Raghava than having to give up Janaka’s daughter, his wife who is pure in conduct? It is evident this is destiny. O charioteer! I think the separation of Raghava from Vaidehi is because of that. Destiny is impossible to cross. When he is angry, Raghava can kill the gods, the gandharvas, the asuras and the rakshasas. But he has to follow destiny. Earlier, because of my father’s command, he had to reside for fourteen years in the extremely terrible and desolate forest. On hearing the words of the citizens, this exile of Sita is a greater grief than that. It seems to me to be cruel. O charioteer! This is a deed that destroys fame. How can it be based on dharma? He acted in this way towards Maithilee only because citizens spoke injurious words.’ Lakshmana said this and many other things.

  Hearing these, Sumantra joined his hands in salutation and said the following words. ‘O Soumitri! You should not be tormented about Maithilee. O Lakshmana! In front of your father, the brahmana had mentioned this earlier. He said that Rama’s misery would be lasting and that he would have few friends. After some time, this great one, with dharma in his soul, would abandon you, Maithilee, Shatrughna and Bharata. O Soumitri! You should mention this to Bharata. When the king677 had asked, Durvasa had told him this. O bull among men! In the presence of the great king, Vasishtha and me, the rishi had spoken these words. On hearing the rishi’s words, the bull among men678 had told me, “O charioteer! Never reveal this in front of people.” O one who is amiable to behold! I controlled myself and never acted contrary to the words spoken by that guardian of the world. O amiable one! I should not have revealed it in front of you either. O descendant of the Raghu lineage! However, if you wish to hear it, listen. The Indra among men had told me about this secret earlier. Nevertheless, I can recount it before you.’ Destiny is extremely difficult to transgress. Hearing these great words, filled with grave meaning, Soumitri replied in the following words. ‘O charioteer! Tell me the truth.’

  Chapter 7(50)

  The charioteer was thus urged by the great-souled Lakshmana. He began to speak the words that had been uttered by the rishi. ‘In ancient times, there was a great sage named Durvasa and he was Atri’s son. He resided in Vasishtha’s sacred hermitage during the rainy season. To see the great-souled priest,679 your greatly energetic and immensely illustrious father had himself gone to that hermitage. He saw the great sage680 seated to Vasishtha’s left, blazing in his energy and resembling the sun. Humbly, he greeted those two sages, best among ascetics. Thus worshipped, both of them welcomed the king. Having been offered padya, fruits and roots, he sat down with the sages. Having sat down with them, he engaged in an extremely pleasant conversation with the supreme rishis. It was midday and the sun was in the middle of the sky. After some time, in the course of the conversation, the king joined his hands in salutation and spoke to Atri’s great-souled son, the store of austerities. “O illustrious one! How long will my lineage last? What will be Rama’s lifespan? What will be the lifespans of my other sons? What will be the lifespan of Rama’s daughter? O illustrious one! I wish to know what will happen to my lineage. Please tell me.”

  ‘Hearing the words spoken by King Dasharatha, the extremely energetic Durvasa started to speak. “Rama will be the lord of Ayodhya for a long period of time. His followers will be happy and prosperous. However, for some reason, the one with dharma in his soul, will abandon the illustrious Maithilee for a long period of time. After ruling the kingdom for eleven thousand years, Rama will go to Brahma’s world. The destroyer of enemy cities will perform many prosperous horse sacrifices. Kakutstha will establish many royal lineages.”681 After telling the king about these lineages that would come, the extremely energetic and immensely radiant one became silent. When the sage became silent, King Dasharatha honoured those two great-souled ones and returned to his excellent city. I heard what the sage had said in those earlier times. Having heard, I secreted it in my heart. There can be no violation of what he said. O Raghava! That being the case, you should not be tormented. O supreme among men! For Sita’s sake and for Raghava’s sake, be firm.’

  Hearing the extremely astounding words spoken by the charioteer, he682 uttered words of praise and obtained unmatched delight. Lakshmana and the charioteer conversed with each other along the route. Since the sun had set, they spent the night near the Gomatee.

  Chapter 7(51)

  The descendant of the Raghu lineage spent the night near the Gomatee. Having woken in the morning, Lakshmana departed. When half of the day was over, the maharatha entered Ayodhya, full of jewels and inhabited by healthy and happy people. The extremely intelligent Soumitri was filled with great despondency. ‘What will I say when I go there and approach Rama’s feet?’ While he was thinking this, he saw Rama’s residence in front of him. It was extremely large and was like the moon. The supreme among men descended near the
gate of the royal residence. He entered without being obstructed, his face hung downwards and distress in his mind. He saw the miserable Raghava, seated on his excellent seat. He saw his elder brother in front of him, his eyes full of tears. With his senses afflicted, Lakshmana grasped his feet. He controlled himself and joining his hands in salutation, spoke these miserable words. ‘O noble one! Placing your command at the forefront, I have abandoned Janaka’s daughter. As commanded, I have left her on the banks of the Ganga, in Valmiki’s auspicious hermitage. O brave one! I have returned thereafter, to serve at your feet. O tiger among men! Do not grieve. The progress of time is like this. Therefore, someone who is spirited and learned like you should not sorrow. All stores of riches are exhausted. Everything that rises up must fall down. Any association ends in disassociation. Life ends in death. You are capable of assuring your soul yourself. You can conquer your mind and all the worlds. O Kakutstha! Why are you then sorrowing like this? Bulls among men who are like you are not confounded in this way. O king! You abandoned Maithilee because of the censure. O tiger among men! Control yourself and resort to your fortitude. Cast aside this feeble intelligence. Do not be tormented.’ Kakutstha was addressed by the great-souled Lakshmana in this way. Filled with great affection, he spoke to Soumitri, who was devoted to his friends. ‘O Lakshmana! O best among men! It is indeed as you have said. O brave one! I am satisfied that you have acted in accordance with my command. O amiable one! My torment has been dispelled and I have withdrawn from it. O Lakshmana! You have entreated me in extremely sweet words.’