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Warmly embracing Guha again, Rama
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said: "Brother, I know how deep is your
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love for me. Your wish is itself as good as
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hospitality rendered. I am bound by my
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vows and must refuse anything more. I
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have come to dwell in the forest and not to
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enjoy life as a chieftain's guest. These
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horses are my dear father's favorites. Pray
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feed them well. We shall be content with
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simple food and rest for the night."
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They lay under the tree for the night.
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Guha
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and
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Lakshmana
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kept
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awake,
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conversing with Sumantra.
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Said Guha to Lakshmana: "Brother, do
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go and rest. There is a bed made ready for
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you. My men will keep careful watch.
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None dare do anything in the forest
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unknown
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to
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me.
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Have
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no
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anxiety
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regarding Rama. Do sleep."
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Lakshmana replied: "How can I find
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sleep, Guha? Here, lying on the bare
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ground, is Sita, daughter of the great
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Janaka and daughter-in-law of the great
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Dasaratha.
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The
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great
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Purushottama
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himself who could subdue the three
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worlds lies stretched on the grass. How
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can I sleep who sees this? I wonder how
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Ayodhya
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is
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bearing
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it.
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He
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queens'
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apartments must be loud with wailing. I
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even doubt if at this moment Kausalya
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and my mother are alive. My father
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indeed found strength somehow to say to
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Rama, 'Go to the forest,' but I doubt if he
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has strength enough left to survive Rama's
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actual departure. And if he has passed
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away, our mothers too will have given up
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their lives. And here we are, deprived
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even of the privilege of doing the last
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offices to the dead. In any case it is hardly
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possible that our father and mothers will
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be alive to greet us, when we return to
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Ayodhya after our term in the forest."
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Thus spoke Lakshmana in sorrow.
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Guha was in tears. The night was spent in
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such sad conversation.
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Early
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next
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morning,
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Rama
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told
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Lakshmana: "We must now cross the
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river. Ask Guha to make ready a boat big
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enough for crossing this broad river."
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Guha ordered his men to get this done and
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informed Rama.
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Sumantra bowed low and stood before
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Rama seeking his further commands.
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Rama understood Sumantra's unuttered
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grief and, laying his hand on Sumantra's
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shoulders,
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said:
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"Sumantra,
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return
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to
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Ayodhya with all speed and be at the side
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of the King. Your duty is now to look
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after him."
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"O
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Rama,"
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exclaimed
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Sumantra,
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"rectitude, learning and culture seem to be
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of no value. You and your brother and
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Vaidehi are going to live in the forest.
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What is going to be our lot? How are we
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going to fare under Kaikeyi's rule?" He
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now wept like a child.
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Wiping the tears from Sumantra's eyes,
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