________________
34
Rāma, Lakşmaņa and Sītā leave Ayodhyā
After convincing King Dasaratha the urgency live like this?" of his departure, Rāma immediately left for the
Rāma said, "Mother, you belong to the clan of woods. The very idea of being separated from his
Ksatriyas.... it is the clan of warriors. You must not worthy son agonised Daśaratha so much that he
shed tears like a commoner! Mother, haven't you swooned. When Rama saw this, he wondered, 'I am
heard this... when a cub of a lion is fully grown up, leaving this palace that offers every pleasure so that
his mother, the lioness, just discards him and lets my father can become an ascetic. He has realised
him become an independent survivor in the cruel the ephemeral nature of the material world and yet,
world. She never worries about the wellbeing or the the idea of being separated from me affects him so
welfare of her young one. I have reached the stage, strongly. My mother is a simple woman, who loves
where I can take care of myself. You are a lioness. her son more than anyone in the world. What would
Pray do not be a disgrace to your clan, by your timbe her reaction, when she learns about what had
idness. If I continue to live here, Bharata will never transpired in the palace.' On reaching Kausalya's
accept the royal crown. It is therefore advisable that chamber, he prostrated himself at her feet and said,
I leave the palace at once." Though his words were "Mother, now onwards you have one more son be
full of love, yet they failed to bring a solace to sides me - Bharata, my younger brother. My worthy
Kausalya, but she stopped weeping. Rama then went father has desired to be a pilgrim on the path of
to the chambers of mother Sumitra, Suprabhā and salvation. It is imperative that he must fulfill all his
Kaikeyi and offered his obeisance to them. He fulpromises, and clear all his debts, before he becomes
filled all his duties as a son, before he stepped out a monk. Bharata will never acccept the regalia in
of the palace. my presence. It is therefore a must that I should retire to the woods. While I am away, my dear
It is said that every word, every syllable from mother.... shower all your love and affection on my the greatest epic of Rama, inspires us to reach the brother Bharata. Your love, your affectionate touch, highest realms of spirituality, and ending our sins, your soothing words would be like divine heal for however great they might be. Rama was the epitome his scalded heart."
of virtue. Kaikeyi and her strong ego brought a great
upheavel not only in Rama's life, but in every life Rāma's words, though spoken with utmost love
that centered around Rāma. Yet, never once, Rama and respect, hit Kausalya's heart like a spear, and
spoke ill of her. He respected her as a mother, and she swooned. When the maids sprinkled sandal
revered her as a queen. wood water on her, she regained consciousness and lamented. "Woe to me! why am I surviving
For an Aryan woman, total adherance to the inspite of these mighty blows of destiny? On one will of her husband, is the true dharma. When Sita hand my husband has decided to forsake the world heard of Rāma's decision, she did not say him, that and walk on the path of eternity. On the other hand if he really wanted to honour the promise of his famy son is about to leave me and settle in the lonely ther, he should have not married her in first place. forest, infested with wild beasts and birds of prey. He had decided to leave the palace, but did not How can I survive without you, my Rama ?.... How, even bother to consult her even once, before taking inspite of all these agonies, my heart is still alive? such hasty steps. How could he discard for the crown How can I breathe, inspite of these unbearable sor- and enormous powers that are associated with it? rows. Only death would bring a solace to my heart... What would happen to her, when he went away? but even the gods of death think that I am too un- He was concerned only about his parents not her. worthy to die! And therefore, I am left to continue A modern woman can think in similar lines but not living this accursed life, which has no meaning and Sita. She was a true sati! Jesubstance! Why and till how long will I continue tooral & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
