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Rāmā assured them that their life was safe, no matter whatever they told him. After much persuasion and coaxing, Vijaya said, "Lord, I have no words to report what the people are discussing at villages, hamlets and cities. Yet, since you have assured me the safety of my being, I must tell you everything. The people are raising questions regarding the moral aspect of devi Sita's character. They say Rāvana had abducted devi Sita against her will. She stayed at Lanka for a prolonged period against her will. She might or might not have accepted Ravana's amourous proposals, but Rāvana was a lewd person. Beautiful women were his weakness. Probably, he must have threatened her, enticed her, mentally tortured her, or physically forced her into accepting his love, or he might have simply imposed himself and had relation with her against her will, for desirous have no morals.
The learned say, the character of a woman and luck of man may change any moment. Even the dieties, who master various branches of knowledge, cannot predict the character of woman and the future of a man. Their arguments have no grain of truth, but they are logical. Even a false comment, accepted at mass, appears to be true. This shoud'nt be ignored.
and delt seriously, as it can malign the fame of Surya dynasty."
When Rāma heard this, his sorrow knew no bounds. He was about to lament, but a man of impeccable background does not express his emotions in public. In a very composed voice, he thanked the spies and asked them to retire. When the spy Vijaya left, Rāma thought, "Woe to my birth and upbringing in the royal family. Though enormous powers are conferred on the kings, they are in fact ordinary menials, who serve the lowest of the subjects. A true devotee is scared of the wrath of a deity, a king likewise cannot afford to offend the feelings of his subjects. Sitä is loyal to me. She is a sati and has no blemish, yet she is bringing me illrepute. I can endure it on personal level, but how can I tarnish the name of Surya dynasty?"
Rāma, spying in disguise
One night, Rāma left the palace, disguised as a commaner, so that he could hear the gossip of the people. He heard a group of people questioning the character of Sita. They were saying, "A frail women can be forcibly abducted by a strong man, how can we believe that Rāvana would have controled himself for so long and retain the purity of Sita? Surely, Ravaṇa must have forced Sita to have relations with him and look at Rāma, he still hasn't left her. He is indeed blinded by her beauty and does not care for the glory of Surya dynasty. A member of royal family cannot just ignore the public opinion, shame to Rāma." When Rāma heard this, his heart was filled with gloom and dispair. He returned to the palace and dispatched the spies for their routine rounds.
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