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Shri Ram's Lamentation
303
and why you were thus abandoned. I am unable to bear with the sight of your misery.” The king said in a voice, shaken with emotion.
Sita heaved a sigh of relief. The king's compassionate words gave her great comfort, solace and consolation. She realized from his tone and feelings that he was a noble man. She felt as if a great weight had been removed from her heart. Her heart grew light. Just at that point, the Chief Minister Sumati who was with the king said;
"Oh noble woman ! This is king Vajrajang, the valiant hero. He is the son of Emperor Gajavahan and empress Bandhudevi. He is the king of a vast kingdom called Pundarikanagar. He worships and practises the Arhat Dharma. He is the very emodiment of humanity and nobility. He came here with his soldiers to hunt for elephants; and having caught some elephants, he was about to return home, and then he heard your heartrending cries; and came here deeply grieved by your cries. Therefore, kindly give up all your fears; and tell him everything without any hesitation.”
Sita felt greatly relieved, to hear what the Chief Minister Sumati said introducing the king to her. All her fears disappeared. She trusted the king and the Chief Minister and told them all about herself. As soon as they found that it was the noble woman Sita, they were stunned and stupefied. They felt that the person standing before them was not an ordinary woman but a sublime woman, a goddess in human form. Their joy and elation knew no bounds. "So you are the queen of Ayodhya and the wife of Shri Ram, the greatest of men !” Saying this they folded their hands and bowed to her respectfully. This unexpected meeting with Sita filled them with great delight but at the same time the story of her adversities filled them with grief. The tears flowed from their eyes.
The atmosphere grew gloomy. Even now the tears kept streaming from Sita's eyes. Her voice was choked. Her lips were shivering. A little while later somehow managing to restrain his grief, king Vajrajang said to Sita :
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