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Rāma repents
88
When the king came closer to Sitā, she thought that he was a man of evil intentions. She took off her ornaments and threw them before the king. She misunderstood him to be either a thief or a man, desirous of molesting a woman, but the king assured her saying, "Sister, though you have never seen me earlier, pray, trust me. I do not want your ornaments, nor do I intend to molest you. Wear your ornaments and tell me who are you? Which heartless man has forsaken you in this dense forest? Your troubles are troubling me. Please, share your sorrows with me. I am your brother."
Then the king's chief minister, Sumati addressed Sita, "Devī, my master's name is King Vajrajangha. He is the offspring of King Gajavāhana and Queen Bandhudevi of Pundarikapura. My master is an ardent devotee of Jineśvara and treats women, married to other men, as his sisters. We had come to this impregnable forest to catch wild elephants. We have accomplished our task and were about to leave, that is when we heard your lamentations. We are eager to share your woes and trust us, no one will ever know anything that you tell us. Pray, believe us.
Krtāntavadana returns from the woods
General Krtantavadana left Sitä all by herself at the forest named Simhanināda and reached Ayodhyā. He straightaway reached the palace and narrated Sita's las missive word by word. When Rama heard it, he began to lament. He said, "Woe to me! I being scared of some idlers have forsaken my true friend, Sitā. I have left her to keep my foolish pride intact. Alas ! I have discarded a gem and embraced a pile of dust. How cruel was I to drive her out! She is innocent, she is pregnant..... I have treated her like a non living object and she never grumble even once. What's more, she cares for my salvation and asks me to remain loyal to the eternal truth. How did the thought of her abandonment come to my mind?"
NUNUN
Sitā realized that her fears were baseless. She disclosed them everything. Both, the king and his minister wept when they heard Sita's story. Finally, the king said, “Devi, from now onwards you are my sister. Treat me as Bhāmandala and pray, come over to my palace. Rama has discarded you to respect the public opinion and I am sure that after some days, he will realize his folly. He will then set out in your quest, and when he finds you, he will take you back to Ayodhyā, but till then, I think you must stay at your brother's place. A women is safe either at her husband's home or brother's home. Have faith in me and come over to Pundarikapura. Stay at my palace till Rama beckons you to Ayodhya." He, then ordered for a sedan. Sitä mounted it and went to Pundarikapura with King Vajrajangha. She had no qualms now. The king allotted her a special palace next to his and she spent her time in worship and penance.
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