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news that his father had decreed that he
was to go to forest.
"Something troubles the mind of my
lord,"
thought
Sita,
"but
what
can
anything matter so long as there is our
love?" And she asked him: "What is the
matter? Why do you look so strangely?"
Rama told the story briefly and then
added: "Princess, my love, I can well
imagine your sorrow at having to part
from me and stay here. Janaka's daughter
requires not my guidance to her duty. Be
thoughtful of the comfort of the King and
the three Queens, your mothers. Do not
expect any better treatment than that given
to the other princesses in the palace. Be
respectful to Bharata who will be ruler
and guard against any offence to his
feelings. Your love for me, I trust, will not
grow any less during this absence. I shall
return from forest after these fourteen
years. Till then do not neglect customary
rites and ceremonies. Mother Kausalya in
her sorrow will need your attentive care.
Bharata and Satrughna are dear to me.
You will look upon them as your brothers.
Conduct yourself as befits your royal race
and your own nature. Avoid extolling me
so as to give possible offence to other
good men. I must go to the forest today.
Keep your mind steady and calm."
When
Sita
heard
this
unexpected
speech, her love for Rama manifested
itself as anger that he should for a moment
conceive that she could consent to part
from him and live in comfort in the palace
while he was a homeless wanderer in
pathless forests. "A fine speech you have
made, knower of dharma. It is to me a
strange doctrine that a wife is diverse
from her husband and that his duty is not
hers, and that she has no right to share in
it. I can never accept it. I hold that your
fortunes are mine, and if Rama has to go
to the forest, the command includes Sita
also, who is a part of him. I shall walk in
front of you in the forest ways and tread
the thorns and the hard ground to make
them smooth for your feet. Do not think
me obstinate. My father and mother have
instructed me in dharma. What you tell
me is totally opposed to what they have
taught me. To go with you wherever you
go, that is my only course. If you must go
to the forest today, then today I go with
you. There is no room here for any
discussion. Do not think that I cannot bear
forest life. With you by my side it will be
a joyous holiday. I shall not be a source of
trouble to you. I shall eat fruit and roots
like you and I shall not lag behind as we
walk. I have long wished to go to the
woods with you and rejoice in the sight o
f
great mountains and rivers. I shall spend
the time most happily among the birds and
flowers, bathing in the rivers and doing
the daily rites. Away from you, I do not
care for Heaven itself. I shall surely die if
you leave me behind. I implore you to
take me with you. Have pity on me. Do
not forsake me now."
Beginning in anger, her speech ended
in sobs. Rama explained to Sita that life in
the forest was not as easy as she thought
and set out at great length the difficulties
and dangers and again insisted that she
should not think of accompanying him.
Sita's eyes filled with tears. "Tigers,
lions, bears, snakes none of them will
come near me. They will flee from us at
the sight of you. The sun, rain, wind and
hunger and the spikes and thorny shrubs
you speak of, I shall endure them all
cheerfully. I am not in the least afraid, and
on the other hand you may be certain life
will depart from this body if you leave me
here and go."
"When I was in Mithila," she said, "the
Brahmanas