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The princess sought her own pleasure by
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going to the forest with her husband and
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would not be dissuaded.
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Lowering his eyes as he was leaving,
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Rama said: "Father, I leave behind my
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mother Kausalya, blameless and tender-
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hearted lady, bereft of her son in her old
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age. This sudden fate is bitter to her as
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death, but she consents to live only for
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your sake, to share your sorrow and
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console you. She is incapable of harboring
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an unkind thought towards anyone, and
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she has never before felt the pang of such
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poignant parting. Be kind to her when I
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am no longer here and, when I return a
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fter
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my long exile in the hope of putting my
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head on her feet, let me not hear that she
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has died of sorrow." Thus Rama spoke,
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unable to bear the thought of his mother's
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grief. As Rama went out speaking thus,
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Dasaratha could not endure the sight and
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covered his face with his hands.
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18. TO THE FOREST
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AFTER Rama left his father's presence
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with these words, the stricken King lay
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prostrated in speechless sorrow, and it was
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some time before he could muster his
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faculties sufficiently even to think.
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When he recovered some strength, he
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muttered half unconsciously: "Surely I
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must in a previous birth have inflicted
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hideous suffering to loving hearts. I must
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have torn calves from their mothers,
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children
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from
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their
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parents,
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husbands
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from their wives. How else could I suffer
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thus? And death does not come when we
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want it. And I have to endure the torture
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of always having before my mind's eye
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my godlike son deprived of his birthright
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and forced into the bark-garments of a
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hermit. O life, how bitterly you cling to
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those who w
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ould be rid of you! Rama has
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gone into exile and yet I do not die! Rama
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... Rama ... Have you gone? ..."
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A little later, his mind clearer, the King
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said: "Sumantra, get ready the chariot and
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take my sons and Janaki to the frontier of
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the kingdom."
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Lakshmana touched the feet of his
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mother Sumitra and uttered the single
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word "Mother." She embraced him, kissed
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his head and said: "Your devotion to your
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brother has filled your mother's heart with
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pride and joy. It is your duty, child, to
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guard and serve Rama. Always stand in
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vigilant watch by Rama's side in the
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forest. Your elder brother is to you both
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preceptor and king. This is the dharma of
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our
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race.
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Go
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with
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my
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blessing,
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Lakshmana. In the forest, regard Rama as
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your father and look upon Janaki as
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myself and the forest will be to you as
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Ayodhya. Go cheerfully, my dear son, and
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God bless you."
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In the Ramayana, Sumitra is a woman
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of few words and mature wisdom and
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great tact and infinite courage, full of
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faith, in whom 'hope shines like a fame
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when it has gone out in all others.' The
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tradition is that Sumitra knew Rama's
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divinity and the purpose of his incarnation
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and that this enabled her not only to
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comfort Kausalya but to see a holy
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ministration
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in
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Lakshmana's
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sharing
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Rama's exile.
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Sumitra said: "Ascend the chariot, O
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Prince. God blesses you. Tell me where I
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am to drive, for the fourteen-year period
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has begun, my Prince."
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Sita got up the chariot cheerfully.
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Kausalya had made up for her a packet of
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personal requirements. The shields, bows
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and arrows and other weapons of the two
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brothers
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