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SHRI RAM'S LAMENTATION
A wild and dreadful forest. The forest was dense and dark with countless huge trees, bushes, plants and coiling creepers. Stillness and silence filled the atmosphere. It was pitch-dark in the forest. Nothing was visible. Terrified by the loud roars of lions Sita ran higher and thither in search of a refuge. There was no road or footpath. The entire area was uneven, stony, flinty and thorny. The forest abounded in thorny bushes. Sita kept cursing herself. "I must have committed great sins in my earlier lives and those sinful karmas of mine have brought about these calamities. I have to experience the bitter fruits of my sinful karmas." For a little while, Sita found consolation in the philosophy of karma. But the very next moment her heart writhed in anguish and she began lamenting over her misfortune. At times, she stumbled over something and fell down, upon stones. She continued to travel thus stumbling, falling and then getting up and again walking and then getting up and again walking. She did not know in which direction she was walking. She kept trudging on the stony ground. She proceeded thus without resting or pausing “When can I get food ? Where can I get food ? Will I get food at all ?" These questions did not appear in her mind. “Where can I get shelter ? Can I get the help of someone ?” She did not worry about these things. She continued to walk through the forest stumbling on stones, falling down; getting up and then moving on.
Just then she saw a plain at a distance. It was even and without any impediments like thorny bushes or stones. Some soldiers had put up their tents on that plain. An army seemed to be camping there. The soldiers were engaged in their routine activities. When Sita saw that military camp she began to shudder
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