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LXXXVII
THE LAST NIGHT AT LANKA
"My lord ! I think we will be in Ayodhya tomorrow morning."
"Yes, dear! We are going to be blessed by the sight of mother Aparajita - Kausalya tomorrow morning. The people of Ayodhya will be eagerly awaiting our arrival. Our four mothers and Bharath would be awaiting our arrival with boundless enthusiasm and elation."
At once, Sita became greatly overwhelmed with joy.
“Bharath! He must be feeling like a fish out of water. He must have experienced great anguish in our absence. Indeed, he is a great man." Shri Ram said looking over the city of Lanka through the window with a feeling of affection. The city of Lanka was immersed in deep sleep. Only the skyhigh towers and palaces of Lanka could be seen shining resplendent in the light of the lamps burning over them. There was silence everywhere, except for the noise of the foot-steps of the guards going up and down the streets and of the occasional barking of dogs. Everywhere silence and stillness reigned supreme.
It was past midnight. Sita could not get sleep at all. She lay restless on her bed thinking of various things. Though she tried her best, she could not get a wink of sleep. She sat up on her bed. She increased the flame of the lamp and made it burn brighter. That was to be her last night at Lanka. They were leaving Lanka the next morning for Ayodhya. Countless pictures of the life of Lanka flashed before her mental eyes one after another.. Many pictures of the past
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