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O life! baffling !"
O samsar!
Six Years in Lanka
169
Your ways indeed are mysterious and
Shri Ram said to the divine sage, "O you greatest of sages! What are you thinking of so deeply? My...."
Narad interrupted Shri Ram and said in a severe voice, "O king! I have come here straight from Ayodhya. I am unable to describe the sight of anguish, I saw there. I find no words to describe that sight. Your mothers are steeped in grief and anguish. I was unable to bear with the sight of the anguish of Kausalya and Sumitra. I felt that I had not seen such a sight before. Living here in the prosperous and magnificent city of Lanka built by the Prativasudev, Ravan and enjoying the service and devotion of Vibhishan and Sugriv, you have forgotten your mothers. This is indeed amazing." Narad's voice resounded everywhere. It flowed like a stream. Shri Ram and Lakshman kept hearing the words of Narad in silence and stupefaction. They did not repudiate Narad's words. In fact, they became speechless and silent. The tears flowed from Sita's eyes endlessly.
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"You are so deeply immersed, in your enjoyments that you have lost all count of time but for Kausalya and Sumitra, every moment is like a mountain to cross. Every moment is like a year for them. When I saw those mothers lamenting over the separation from their sons, repeatedly saying, "O child Ram! O child Lakshman!" my heart melted away and I came running to Lanka so that I might take you to Ayodhya".
At once, Shri Ram began to weep like a child. His voice was choked with grief. He said with great difficulty restraining his overflowing sorrow : "O divine sage! Enough, I am unable to hear this account of the grief of my mothers. We have indeed committed an unparadonable blunder. We had indeed forgotten all about our mothers but we will not repeat this blunder. Now, without a moment's delay, we shall proceed to Ayodhya.
Lakshman ! Bring Vibhishan at once."
Within a few moments, Vibhishan appeared before Shri Ram.
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