The attempt on Vibishana

Right at that moment Ravana decided to kill Vibishana and decided to use the javelin known as Shakti, a missile that was made by his father-in-law, Mayan…

With the death of Indrajit, Ravana’s position became extremely difficult. He could not retrace his steps now. Even if he wanted – did he want it or not is another question for another day – he could not return Sita now, for that would put his personality in a very poor and despicable state. Had he done so, he would have been blamed of cowardice. It was a do or die situation for him. He pressed his core army into service.

As we have seen already, just the entry of the core army into the battlefield sent panic all around in the Vanara army and all senior leaders, with the exception of Sugriva, Hanuman and Angada, had run away from the field. After collecting his army with the help of Angada, Rama went to encounter the core army of Ravana, single-handed.

But before going there to face them, Rama anticipated that Ravana would march into the field in his absence on the Vanara army and he put Lakshmana in charge of the Army to stand guard over it and he entrusted the work of counselling and assisting Lakshmana, to Maruti.

As was rightly anticipated by Rama, Ravana marched in with whatever army he was left with – that itself was immense – on the Vanara army guarded by Lakshmana. It was now the turn of Lakshmana to face Ravana and lead his army, using all his skills of leading, manoeuvring and reconnoitring. After a long and tiresome tussle, Ravana realised that it was not so very easy to stage a victory over Lakshmana. ‘vem samaththu ari ivanai velvadhu ambaathi.’ ‘It is not at all possible to win this fellow, who is a lion among men in battle,’ he thought and decided to use the ‘sam-mohana’ astra.

This was the same astra that Arjuna had used – when he was masqueraded as Brahan-nala in the Virada Parva – against his masters and the Kaurava forces. The Mohana (or the sam-mohana) astra is known to hold everyone in the area under its spell for a very long time, enabling the user either to go away or use some other powerful missile to kill all of them conveniently when they were all inactive.

Vibishana clearly read his intentions and he saw Ravana taking up the divine missile, as did Lakshmana. He has always been remaining close to Lakshmana – as also Rama whenever he was in the field, but has now been ordered to be with Lakshmana – and quickly told Lakshmana that the Mohana astra was the creation of the Lord Supreme and is so powerful as to put an end to even Lord Shiva – kotramum sivan thanai azhippadhu – and it could not be countered by any missile excepting the Narayana astra. Lakshmana used the divine missile at the right time and destroyed the Mohana astra of Ravana in mid-air.

Ravana could not contain himself. He was so enraged at his younger brother who was counselling his enemy and nullifying all his efforts. ‘vIdaNan sol viNduvin padaikkalam vittan.’ Lakshmana used the Narayana astra on the advice of Vibishana. ‘mUdu vem sina mOhaththai nIkkalum munindhaan.’ Ravana was enraged when the Narayana astra (used on the advice of Vibishana) destroyed his missile. ‘maadu nindravan upaaynagaL madhithida vandha kEdu nam thamakku’ ‘This is all due to the regular and right counselling of Vibishana and because of him I am put at a disadvantage and all my efforts go waste, thought Ravana. ‘manam koNdu kiLarndhaan.’ When his thoughts ran this-wise, he was enraged.

Right at that moment he decided to kill Vibishana and decided to use the javelin known as Shakti, in fact a missile that was made by his father-in-law, Mayan, the Rakshasa architect, and father of Mandodhari, which was given to him as a wedding gift. One of the mightiest and most potent of all weapons. He threw the unstoppable javelin on his brother, Vibishana.

It is now the duty of Lakshmana to protect Vibishana, who has been his counsellor, and above all, who has been given abhaya by his brother.

Remarkable hero

‘If this missile cannot be stopped, I will offer myself to it instead,’ Lakshmana decided quickly, in a split-second. He pushed Vibishana aside and ran towards the javelin…

This particular javelin of Mayan, gifted to Ravana, is celebrated as unfailing. Unlike other missiles that can be countered, this one, though comparatively limited in its power had a remarkable and distinct quality. ‘vitta pOdhin oruvanai vIttiyE mILum.’ It won’t return unless it kills the person on whom it is thrown (or the person who is closest to it in its path). ‘patta pOdhu avan naan mugan aayinum padukkum.’ And when it strikes, it would kill the victim, even if it is Brahma on whom it is aimed.

Even as Ravana took the javelin from his arsenal and was performing the rites and circumambulating the missile before he could throw it, Vibishana, on whom it was to be hurled, understood the intention of Ravana and said ‘ayya eedhu en uyir azhikkum.’ This would kill me my Sire. ‘pirindhu seyyam aam poruL illai.’ And there is nothing that we can do to stop it.

Though Lakshmana smiled and assured Vibishana that he would parry it with the right missile and save Vibishana, he could not do anything to stop it. Whatever arrow, weapon or missile that he used on it did not have any effect on it and it was surging ahead towards Vibishana. There was no time left for Lakshmana to do anything now. There was only one thought reigning supreme in his mind. He had a duty to protect Vibishana, especially due to the fact that Rama had extended him his personal protection. ‘A person who has been assured of abhaya by Rama should not in any way be harmed’ was the refrain that was ringing in the mind of Lakshmana.

‘If this missile cannot be stopped, I will offer myself to it instead,’ he decided quickly, in a split-second. He pushed Vibishana aside and ran towards the javelin, which was adorned with eight bells and was making a loud noise in the course of its flight and was spitting fire.

‘thOrppen enninum pugazh nirkkum,’ he thought as he ran towards it. There is no doubt that I will be defeated when this lance strikes me and when I succumb to it. I will die. More than that I would be considered as having been defeated by this wretch. But that doesn’t matter. I would have, with my life, saved Vibishana and by that would have done what I could, in saving the word given to him by my brother. The reputation that I would gain thus, would be sufficient to wipe me clean of the blot that my name might suffer because of this defeat at the hands of Ravana.

‘pugazh nirkkum.’ My fame would stand behind me. ‘dharumamum thodarum.’ And Dharma would have been established. ‘aarppar nallavar.’ The good and the wise would bless me. ‘adaikkalam pugundhavan azhiyap paarppadhu en’ I would earn disrepute if I see and allow Vibishana who has come to my brother seeking his protection, to be killed in my very presence. ‘nedum pazhi vandhu thodarvadhan munnam Erpen en thani maarbil.’ Before my name is humbled by such disrepute, let me take this on my chest.

So saying, Lakshmana ran ahead of all the Vanara leaders who had by this time read his mind and were trying to offer themselves instead of Lakshmana and were prepared to die in their attempt to save Lakshmana. But the determination of Lakshmana was so great that he went ahead of all of them and took the javelin in his chest.

”Flung with terrible impetuosity and cracking like a thunderbolt, that javelin flew with force towards Lakshmana in the forefront of the battle………Flying with great violence and flaming like the tongue of Vasuki (the lord of serpents) the javelin, which was full of extraordinary splendour, descended on the broad chest of Lakshmana. Pierced grievously by the javelin, which had penetrated very deep due to the (tremendous) force exerted by Ravana, Lakshmana thereupon fell to the ground.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Canto C, Sloka 32, 35, 36)

A solider to the core

That is the last battle in the Ramayana that Lakshmana waged, in the Yuddha Kanda. A soul so devoted to his brother, who valued his words so much…

Enraged by that act of Ravana, Vibishana pounced on him with mace in hand as he was preparing to move away from the field and killed his horses and charioteer. But Ravana ignored him this time. He had achieved what he wanted. It was now time for him to celebrate his victory for he knew very clearly that there could be no war after the fall of Lakshmana. ‘vendri en vayamaanadhu’ Victory is mine now. ‘veedaNap pasuvaik kondru inip payan illai.’ Of what avail killing this Vibishana who is as harmless as a cow? Ravana, so thinking, left the place quickly to his palace, leaving Vibishana unharmed.

This incident is narrated differently in Valmiki. It takes place in the presence of Rama, in Valmiki Ramayana while Kamban shows Rama far, far removed from the place, fighting the core army of Ravana. But the fact remains that both the Poets depict Lakshmana so very willingly rushing towards the lance of Ravana to save Vibishana.

Though the Vanara host was grief stricken, they now knew that this situation can be overcome with the help of Hanuman and once again he was pressed into service to bring the herbs. Visalayakarani, for expelling an arrow from the body, healing the wound and relieving pain, Savarnyakarani, for counteracting the discolouration caused by a wound, burn, etc., and restoring the original colour to the skin Samjivakarani for bringing an unconscious person to consciousness and Samdhani for joining a fractured bone.

Hanuman brought the mountain of herbs again, restoring Lakshmana back to normalcy. When Lakshmana woke up, he did not quite forget what was to have happened to Vibishana and listen to his first words on restoration to life: ‘vizhundhilan andrO matru av veedaNan?’ Is Vibishana safe? Did that missile of Ravana do him any harm?

That is the last battle in the Ramayana that Lakshmana waged, in the Yuddha Kanda. A soul so devoted to his brother, who valued his words so much that he did not hesitate to give up his very life in a very critical moment to save one who had surrendered unto his brother and who was assured of protection by him. The events then lead to the final war of Rama and Ravana, pushing the role of Lakshmana to the backseat.

And after the killing of Ravana, it was Lakshmana who enthroned Vibishana and crowned him, at the behest of Rama, who refuses to enter the palace or even the city for he was serving his term of exile. It may be recalled here that it was Lakshmana who performed the coronation ceremony of Sugriva as well.

The events that follow are not very happy. From this point of time, Lakshmana is entrusted with duties which he himself could not bear; but nonetheless he did them without questioning. One such was the Agni Pravesha, for which Lakshmana was ordered to arrange the pyre. The same fire ordeal that Sita threatened to perform before Lakshmana in the Aranya Kanda to pressurise him to go in search of Rama.

Now, we are not going to discuss Agni Pravesha in its complete detail as it is essential to study this incident from two different angles, from that of Rama and from that of Sita. We will see the role of Lakshmana alone now and the implicit obedience that he showed to his brother, here and in the Uttara Kanda.

Kamban did not write the Uttara Kanda in Tamil. Hearsay has it that Kamban did not want to. ‘I cannot write any further to depict the travails of my mother, Sita,’ was what Kamban gave out as his reason for not doing so. The great epic was then completed by OttakUththar. We will go into what Valmiki and OttakUththar have portrayed to complete our study of Lakshmana.

The fire ordeal and Lakshmana

The strongest of love had to be put to the most burning of all acid tests simply because Rama happened to be the king…

Though it is widely believed that Rama was in doubt at this moment on the purity of Sita, there is enough circumstantial evidence to show that he did not have any such suspicion at heart, though he does not say so openly. When such an occasion arose again in the Uttara Kanda, he states openly that he does not suspect Sita. It was an extremely difficult role that he was performing as in him remained inextricably entrenched the roles of a King and also a husband. In playing these two roles, he identified himself more as a king.

This was a situation when responsibilities and roles overlapped and Rama was more concerned in saving the fair name and reputation of the lineage of Ikshvaku. But in the process, he had of necessity, to cause untold injury to his loving and loyal wife, whose separation for about ten months made him nearly lose his equanimity, his balance, why, even his desire to live any more at times. The strongest of love had to be put to the most burning of all acid tests simply because Rama happened to be the king and because of his penchant for Dharma, which he put above all – above himself even.

Despite all that, the fact remains that the kind of abrasive, cruel and callous words that he used against Sita – as reported by Valmiki and however toned down they might be by Kamban – in the Yuddha Kanda make the hearts of all of us bleed. And it is more agonising when we look for evidence and find that Rama is not speaking from his heart, though he puts up a totally different exterior, at the risk of exposing himself to strong criticism on his love, his faith and respect for his endeared wife. It is not possible to come to the right conclusion unless we persist in our study till the Uttara Kanda to read into the mind of Rama at this point of time.

Seen from the angle of Sita, this incident wears an even more gruesome appearance. Here was she, so happy moments ago, in the anticipation of seeing the very core of her being, the very reason for her existence, for whose sake she went through turmoil of an incomparable nature. And when she came face to face with him, he was wearing a totally different mask.

“Speaking as aforesaid in a voice choked with tears and weeping (all the while), Sita appealed (as follows) to Lakshmana, who was absorbed in thought and feeling (sore) distressed:- ‘(Pray) raise for me a pyre, (the) only antidote against this calamity. I no longer desire to survive, smitten as I am with false reproaches. I will enter a fire, which is the (only) course appropriate for me, renounced as I am in public gathering by my husband, who is no longer pleased with my virtues.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Canto CXVI, Sloka 17-19)

Read in this context, the fire ordeal that Sita threatened to go through in the Aranya Kanda – in Kamba Ramayana – appears in a different shade. Was that a preparation for this scene? Was it preordained by the cruel hands of fate that Lakshmana who stopped her by his obedience at that time was required to prepare her pyre now? Very moving.

The fire ordeal and Lakshmana

The strongest of love had to be put to the most burning of all acid tests simply because Rama happened to be the king…

Though it is widely believed that Rama was in doubt at this moment on the purity of Sita, there is enough circumstantial evidence to show that he did not have any such suspicion at heart, though he does not say so openly. When such an occasion arose again in the Uttara Kanda, he states openly that he does not suspect Sita. It was an extremely difficult role that he was performing as in him remained inextricably entrenched the roles of a King and also a husband. In playing these two roles, he identified himself more as a king.

This was a situation when responsibilities and roles overlapped and Rama was more concerned in saving the fair name and reputation of the lineage of Ikshvaku. But in the process, he had of necessity, to cause untold injury to his loving and loyal wife, whose separation for about ten months made him nearly lose his equanimity, his balance, why, even his desire to live any more at times. The strongest of love had to be put to the most burning of all acid tests simply because Rama happened to be the king and because of his penchant for Dharma, which he put above all – above himself even.

Despite all that, the fact remains that the kind of abrasive, cruel and callous words that he used against Sita – as reported by Valmiki and however toned down they might be by Kamban – in the Yuddha Kanda make the hearts of all of us bleed. And it is more agonising when we look for evidence and find that Rama is not speaking from his heart, though he puts up a totally different exterior, at the risk of exposing himself to strong criticism on his love, his faith and respect for his endeared wife. It is not possible to come to the right conclusion unless we persist in our study till the Uttara Kanda to read into the mind of Rama at this point of time.

Seen from the angle of Sita, this incident wears an even more gruesome appearance. Here was she, so happy moments ago, in the anticipation of seeing the very core of her being, the very reason for her existence, for whose sake she went through turmoil of an incomparable nature. And when she came face to face with him, he was wearing a totally different mask.

“Speaking as aforesaid in a voice choked with tears and weeping (all the while), Sita appealed (as follows) to Lakshmana, who was absorbed in thought and feeling (sore) distressed:- ‘(Pray) raise for me a pyre, (the) only antidote against this calamity. I no longer desire to survive, smitten as I am with false reproaches. I will enter a fire, which is the (only) course appropriate for me, renounced as I am in public gathering by my husband, who is no longer pleased with my virtues.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Canto CXVI, Sloka 17-19)

Read in this context, the fire ordeal that Sita threatened to go through in the Aranya Kanda – in Kamba Ramayana – appears in a different shade. Was that a preparation for this scene? Was it preordained by the cruel hands of fate that Lakshmana who stopped her by his obedience at that time was required to prepare her pyre now? Very moving.

A painful decision

Rama was not satisfied with the good reports that Bhadra was giving him. He wanted to know both the good and bad points that people discussed about him…

Lakshmana had to stand witness to more than one saddening situation. The repudiation of Sita in Lanka, and its sequel, the fire ordeal and the emergence of Agni from the pyre that Lakshmana was required to raise, by Sita, and to which Rama consented (by ‘facial expression’ says Valmiki and by ‘movement of the eye’ says Kamban) however painful as they were, ended in happiness in that the divine couple lived happily. Sita did not carry this in her heart and the love and pure joy that existed between them is seen by the fact that Sita conceived and expressed her desire to spend some time in the forests, when Rama asked her about her wish, when he heard from her that she was bearing the promise of his love in her.

On the next day, when Rama was sitting amidst holy and respectable visitors like Vijaya, Madhumatta, Kasyapa, Mangala, Kula, Suraji, Kaliya, Bhadra, Dantavaktra and Sumagadha, he asked them about what the people were talking about him, Sita, Bharata, Lakshmana, Satrughna and Kaikeyi. When he received reports from them that assured of the happiness and pride of the people on his glorious victory over Ravana, Rama did not feel satisfied with that. He wanted to know the actual facts and told Bhadra:

“Leaving nothing, tell me everything exactly as it is. What are the good and ill words that the citizens speak? Now, after having heard, I shall practice what is good and refrain from evil actions. Tell me with confidence and without fear and mental anguish, what ill the people in the town and in the country are speaking (about me)”. (Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Canto XLIII, Sloka 9-11)

And Bhadra replied: “O King! Listen how the citizens talk good and ill words (about you) at the crossroads, in the markets, on the streets, in the forests and in the groves. ‘By constructing a bridge across the sea, Sri Rama has performed a difficult feat, unheard of as having been accomplished by former kings and even by gods and demons. Besides, Ravana, difficult to be vanquished, was killed along with his army and mounts. The Vanara and the Rksa along with the Rakshasas were brought under control. Having killed Ravana in battle and fetched Sri Sita, Sri Rama (a scion of Raghus) took her into His house again, renouncing anger (caused by the polluting touch of Ravana). What must be the pleasure in his heart born out of conjugation with Sri Sita? Why does not Sri Rama censure her, who formerly had been forcibly carried away by Ravana, and even taken to Lanka, first who went into the Asoka grove and remained under the control of the Rakshasas? Such conduct of our wives shall have to be suffered by us also, since whatever a king does, the subjects follow.” (Ibid, Sloka 14-19)

This happens to be the fate of great leaders, when they live. That shows even Sri Rama was not spared by loose tongues! We are not talking of the lesser lot of the leaders who do not care for values and have no qualms about living their personal lives as they please.

But Rama had the greatest respect for public opinion, in however limited a circle in which it was nurtured. He felt that he should make amends. It was a very difficult decision that he had to take. Once again, we are not going into details of this incident now and limiting ourselves to the role of Lakshmana on whose lot the burden of the execution of the agonising decision by Rama fell.

The painful decision II

“Sita, (pure of conduct) has been handed over to me by Mahendra in the presence of gods and my inner conscience bears testimony to her purity and nobility…”

I understand from a few personal mails addressed to me by readers that an impression is created that we have discussed the Agni Pravesha incident in full. No. We have not. We have not even touched the fringe of the question as yet. What we have seen is restricted only to the role of Lakshmana in that scene and how he had to stand witness to the most excruciating drama unfolding before his eyes and the irony of his having to rise the pyre for Sita to perform the fire ordeal with his own hands, whereas in the Aranya Kanda, it was a threat of this same fire ordeal that forced him to move away from her, leading to the dramatic turn in the story and quickening the process of the fulfilment of the purpose behind the avatar.

This is a question which will be taken up later – as has been stated already – and until then let me assure the readers who have expressed unhappiness in my trying to ‘justify’ the act of Rama that I am not here to justify and in fact I am nobody to hold the scale either in favour or against Sri Rama. Sri Rama’s moral stature is his pedestal and he needs no props from weaklings like me. I have been trying to be as honest and as sincere as possible in my attempts at presenting the epic as it has been narrated by the great Poets. My role is just to present the case as it is in the epic with interpretations supported by evidence. Let me give my word for it. I have not interpolated and I never will.

The repudiation of Sita for a second time in the Uttara Kanda is one such question, which will be studied in detail later. We are restricting ourselves to the role played by Lakshmana here and to show how he completely effaced his personal opinion and practised obedience and nothing but obedience and had never questioned Rama. This is in sharp contrast with what Bharata did. He did not relent when Rama asked him to go back and assume kingship. He argued endlessly and made Rama to accept his proposal to come back at the end of the term of fourteen years and accept the throne back from him. He did not stop with that. He saw to it that Rama appointed him as his representative. Ayodhya was ruled by Rama in absentia for these fourteen long years, in the form of his sandals. We have discussed this under Bharata. (See: ‘Property of Impropriety I’, ‘Property of Impropriety II’ ‘It is your kingdom in all wisdom’ and ‘Faith will move mountains’)

That kind of uncompromising stand was unknown to Lakshmana. He had his own opinions. But that doesn’t matter to him. When Rama was shocked and pained by the unfavourable report that he heard of Sita, he decided to send her away to the forest and most conveniently Sita had asked for a visit to the forests, at a time when she was on the family way. On taking such a decision, he summoned his three brothers and told them what he had decided. Rama, who is used to democratic ways – as we have seen in several instances, more importantly, in his decision to accept Vibishana under his fold – does not wait for the opinion of anyone in this matter. He simply decides and announces his decision to his brothers and none else, including Sita.

“You surely know, O good ones, how Sita was taken away by Ravana from the lonely forest and how I vanquished him. So on that account it dawned on me then that I could on no account bring Sita to this city, who had dwelt in Lanka with Ravana. To convince me Sita at that time entered the fire before you, O Lakshmana (son of Sumitra)! Fire-god, the bearer of oblations to gods declared that Sita was free from sins, so also Vayu, who dwells in the sky, (so also) proclaimed the two – sun and moon before the gods Sita is free from sins before all the Rishis. In Lanka Sita, (pure of conduct) has been handed over to me by Mahendra (the lord of gods) in the presence of gods and the Gandharvas and my inner conscience bears testimony to her purity and nobility.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Canto XLV, Sloka 5-10)

Take her away

Delivering his order, Rama retired to his apartment sighing as an elephant. The difficult task was left to Lakshmana to carry out.

‘I returned to Ayodhya only after the purity of Sita was established beyond doubt,’ continues Rama. ‘But even after the fire ordeal, the people, it seems have not been convinced about her purity and that is what the sages who have come to the palace report.’

“As long as the word of infamy circulates, so long one does fall in the lower regions (hell). Infamy is censured even by the gods and fame gains credence in the world. Indeed all great souls endeavour for fame O heroes among men, how much it is incumbent to leave Sita. All of you see me submerged in the ocean of sorry. I do not see any greater misfortune than this, O Lakshmana (son of Sumitra) ascending the chariot driven by Sumantra, and made sitting Sita therein leave her beyond the confines of the kingdom.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Canto XLV, Sloka 13-16 {Part})

‘Crossing the Ganga, leave her somewhere near the hermitage of Valmiki and come back,’ Lakshmana was ordered. The verses quoted clearly show the great pain that Rama was going through in taking this decision. Strangely, Rama is so very different in arriving at this decision. It is not usual for him to announce decisions without discussing them in full. He might have or he might not have his own opinions in the matter. He might accept the opinion of others present or he might not. That is a different issue. But he would never announce a decision without getting to know the opinion of others and after the issue has been sufficiently discussed, he would let them know his decision. And when he does so, he would give the reasons, logic and the necessity to arrive at such a decision.

But he wears a totally different garb in this scene. He is not prepared to discuss this at all. It was not a very big gathering either. The group is limited only to the brothers and none else. And the kind of force with which the words are delivered would stop anyone from expressing his opinion at all. Rama must have sensed that Lakshmana would protest this time. He knew his alter-ego after all. He effectively sealed the tongue of Lakshmana with a rather high-sounding command that he is never seen uttering. For the first time in the entire epic we find him using such phrases as ‘do what I say.’

“Do what I say and (remember) I am not to be answered with a view to leaving Sita. Therefore O Lakshmana, (son of Sumitra) go soon and carry out my behest. Any resistance on your part will cause me extreme displeasure. I swear to you by my feet and also my life that whosoever speaks out to pacify me in any manner while I speak, shall always be inimical to me as he will shatter all that I desire. If you are prone to be at my command, then show respect to me, take away Sita from here, this very day, do what I say.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Canto XLV, Sloka 19-23)

Delivering his order, Rama retired to his apartment sighing as an elephant. The difficult task was left to Lakshmana to carry out. He was supposed to take Sita who had expressed her desire to behold the hermitage on the banks of the Ganga. He was not supposed to reveal to her that she would be left there. He was to convey the decision of Rama to her only in the deep jungle.

The pain of duty

‘Take heart Lakshmana and do not weep… the separation from your brother won’t last longer than two days,’ Sita teased…

Sita was excessively happy when Lakshmana came to her for taking her to the ascetics in the hermitages. She immediately collected the most precious of gems and costliest of garments. ‘I will distribute these to the spouses of ascetics,’ she said so happily, not knowing what was to befall her in the jungle. However puzzled she was by the bad omens when she got into the chariot readied by Sumantra and driven by Lakshmana, she did not have the least little suspicion in her heart. ‘Lakshmana, my right eye throbs and my limbs shiver. There is some indescribable pain in my heart. I am afraid that these point to some cause for anxiety, distress and pain.’ So saying she uttered a prayer.

‘thaam uru thuyaram thaiyalar ariyaar,’ sings OttakUththar. She did not infer that the bad omens pointed to her own travails. ‘saarndha ith dhur kuri adhanaal,’ Let the difficulties that these evil tidings point to, ‘thU manam udya en kaNvarkkum,’ (not affect) my husband of the purest of hearts ‘thuniyil en kozhunda-maarkum,’ my brothers-in-law who do not nurse hatred in their hearts ‘mamiyarkkum’ my mothers-in-law, ‘vaan kiLai thanakkum,’ all my relatives ‘vaLa nagaraththil vaazhvOrkkum,’ and all the citizens of this rich country ‘theemai ondru indri,’ not suffer any trouble or turmoil ‘nanmayai viduga dheivamE,’ let all be well with them O my Lord!

Lakshmana, who had just taken the reins in hand, heard this prayer and was pained beyond words at the innocence of Sita, whom he held in high regards as his own mother. “Thus Sita prayed to the gods with folded hands; Lakshmana then hearing this and paying homage to Sita (the daughter of the Lord of the Mithila), with his head bending and with a heavy heart said, ‘All is well’ as if he was pleased (to say so).” (Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Canto XLVI, Sloka 18)

Lakshmana’s brave exterior did not last long however. He could not bear this pain any further as they reached the banks of Ganga and half-a-day had passed. Sita was happily spending her time close to the river, with Lakshmana standing guard and not a single other soul in their proximity. Unable to control himself any more, Lakshmana broke. He wept noisily. Sita could not understand this. This was not the Lakshmana that she had known! She had never seen him weeping!

‘Aha Lakshmana! I know what ails your heart. You are not able to bear the brunt of separation from your brother. You are so used to be by his side always. Take heart my boy! He is my husband too! It is going to be a sojourn here only for two days. We will go back to him soon,’ she said. “Why do you cry, having come to the banks of Ganga (the daughter of Jahnu) (where to come) was only desire felt since long (surely); at this hour of joy, O Lakshmana, do not make me depressed. You remain always at the side of Rama, O best of men; is it that separated as you are from him for (just) two nights, you are grieved? Sri Rama for me too, is dearer even than my life, but no sorrow comes to me (so) please act not as a foolish one.” (Ibid, Sloka 25-28)

That intensifies the pathos of the situation. These affectionate words of Sita, with a mild tinge of a playful tease, increased the pain in the heart of Lakshmana. They had by then ferried the river across and had reached the other bank of Ganga.

Hari Krishnan