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welcome.
|
But
|
I
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have
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promised
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protection
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to
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the
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rishis
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in
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Dandaka and now that I have received
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your blessings, I must return to that
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forest."
|
And Agastya answered: "What you say
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is right." Then the Sage gave to Rama the
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bow made by Viswakarma for Vishnu and
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an inexhaustible quiver, as well as a
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sword. He blessed him saying, "Rama,
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destroy the rakshasas with these weapons
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which of yore Vishnu gave me."
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Agastya advised the prince to spend the
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rest of his exile at Panchavati.
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"May God bless you, O, Prince," said
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Agastya, "take good care of Sita who for
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love
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of
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you
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cheerfully
|
submits
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to
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hardships to which she was not born or
|
accustomed. Women are by nature fond of
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comfort and averse to hardship but no
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such weakness is found in Sita. She is like
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Arundhati.
|
Wherever
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you
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are,
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Ramachandra, with Lakshmana and Sita
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by your side, the place will be filled with
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beauty. But Panchavati is itself a beautiful
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spot and Sita will love to live there, secure
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in the protection of you both. Fruit and
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roots are there in abundance. Stay there on
|
the bank of the Godavari. The period of
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your exile is coming to an end. You will
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soon fulfil your father's plighted word.
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Like Yayati, Dasaratha is served by his
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eldest son."
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31. THE SURPANAKHA EPISODE
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THE
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Princes
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and
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Sita,
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following
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Agastya's instruction, took the way to
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Panchavati. On the way they met a huge
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figure perched on a big tree. They took it
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to be a Rakshasa.
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"Who are you?" asked Rama in an
|
angry
|
tone.
|
The
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vulture
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however
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answered in a voice full of mildness and
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affection: "My child, I am your father's
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aged friend." Then he proceeded to tell his
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story.
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Jatayu was the brother of Sampati, the
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son of Aruna the dawn-god, who was
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brother to Garuda the great eagle-vehicle
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of Vishnu.
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He said: "When you leave Sita alone
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and go hunting in the forest, I shall be
|
looking after her safety."
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The prince was pleased and accepted
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the offer of the bird with gratitude. They
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then proceeded on their journey.
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Rama was thrilled by the beauty of
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Panchavati and gratefully offered praise in
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his thoughts to Agastya for recommending
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the spot to them. He told Lakshmana: "We
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can build our ashrama and enjoy our stay
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here for any length of time. Those hills are
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near and yet not too near. Look at those
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herds of deer. The trees with their flowers
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and the sweetly singing birds, the river,
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the clean sand, everything is beautiful.
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Choose for us a good site and build a
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cottage."
|
Lakshmana did as he was told. He
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constructed an ashrama.
|
Valmiki pauses here to explain the skill
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and
|
swiftness
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of
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Lakshmana's
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