The Ideal Couple: PART-4

Today we will understand Rāma's love for Sītā and realize how Rāma considered Sītā to be dearer than His own life.

After killing Mārīcha, Rāma hastened to His hermitage. He noticed many ill-omens and became worried about the safety of His beloved Sītā and Lakshmana. He saw a sad Lakshmana approaching Him and became surprised. Rāghava gently reproached Soumitri for leaving Sītā alone. He expressed His fears about Sītā's well-being.

• "Where is Vaidehī, the sharer of my sorrows, the One of slender waist who followed this hapless Prince dislodged from the kingdom to the Dandaka forest?
• O warrior Lakshmana, where is that Sītā without whom I have no interest to live for a moment, who was like the Daughter of a god and the sustainer of my life?
• O Lakshmana! I desire no lordship of the gods or of the entire earth without Jānakī, that lady of golden complexion.
• I will die if Sītā, the Princess of Videha, is not there to speak to me with Her sweet smile when I return to the cottage, O Lakshmana.

This shows that Rāma's love for Sītā was beyond all materialistic things. He couldn't bear even a moment's separation from Her. He acknowledged Sītā as the sustainer of His life. Brooding and anxious, Rāghava entered His cottage, only to find Sītā missing. Both the Brothers searched the hermitage thoroughly but couldn't find Sītā. Rāma once again questioned Lakshmana and got to know what had happened. He expressed His displeasure on the actions of Lakshmana. Rāmachandra became deeply distressed and wept for Sītā. He assured Himself that Jānakī would have gone to pluck flowers or fetch water from the pond and searched the forest. He called Sītā repeatedly but there was no reply.

Rāma became immersed in a sea of sorrow. He ran from tree to tree, river to river and mountain to mountain, enquiring Sītā's whereabouts.

• "O Kadamba tree, tell me if you have seen my Beloved with a fair face and with love for kadamba flowers.
• O Bilva tree, tell me if you have seen a Lady delicate like your tender leaf, dressed in yellow silk.
• O Arjuna tree, tell me if you know the shy Daughter of Janaka and my Beloved, fond of Arjuna tree. Is She living or not?
• This great Tilaka tree surely knows the Lady who loves to put tilaka marks on Her forehead.
• O Ashoka tree, dispeller of sorrow, by quickly showing me my Darling make me free from sorrow as I am grief-stricken at heart.
• O Jambu tree, do not hesitate to tell me if you know Sītā whose body shines lovely like gold.
• O Karnikāra tree with flowers in full bloom, tell me if you have seen my faithful Beloved who is fond of Karnikāra flowers."

Rāma similarly questioned the mango, jackfruit, Sal, Champak, Ketaki trees, jasmine and Mādhavi creepers. He became distraught and searched Sītā everywhere.

Rāma turned to various animals and pleaded with them to tell Him about Sītā.

• "O deer do you know about Maithilī who has the eyes of a fawn? My beloved who has the restless eyes of a doe may be found among them.
• O elephant tell me if you have seen Her whose thighs are like the trunk of an elephant. O best of elephants, tell me if you know Her.
• O tiger tell me freely and fearlessly if you have seen my beloved Maithilī with a face like the moon."

Raghunātha's eyes became reddened with grief. He imagined that Sītā had playfully hidden from Him and begged Her to return.

• "O lotus eyed darling, why are you running away? I have already seen you. Why are you hiding behind trees and not replying to me?
• O my beautiful Beloved, stay, stay! Have you no compassion for me? You are so fond of fun. Why do you avoid me?
• O Lady of lovely complexion, I can see your yellow silk garment flying while you are running away. If you have love for me, stay on!
• O Lady with a sweet smile! I have never hurt you. When I am in difficulty you should not ignore me."

Rāma feared that Sītā was eaten by various carnivorous demons. He repeatedly exclaimed, "O noble Lady, O Darling, where have you gone? O Sītey!" 

Rāma cried for Sītā, ran speedily through different forests and never gave up. Filled with grief, He shared His sorrows with Lakshmana.

• "O son of Sumitrā, O Lakshmana! Where is my Beloved ? Where did She go? By whom was She abducted or devoured?
• O Sītā if you intend to make fun by hiding behind a tree, I tell you it is enough. Stop it and come to this extremely sorrowful man!
• O gentle Sītā! Those fawns who trusted you and played with you, are now separated from you. Brooding over you, their eyes are brimming with tears.
• O Lakshmana, I cannot live without Sītā. I am filled with deep grief on the account of Sītā's abduction. My late father, the king will certainly see me in the other world.
• My father will surely say: 'Without completing the appointed period of the vow taken, how could you come here ? Fie upon you! You are irresponsible. You are ignoble. You are a liar.'
• O lovely Lady where have you gone, leaving me here like fame deserting a crook? I am helpless, grief-stricken, pitiable, pathetic and disappointed. O Lady of slender waist, leave me not. Separated from you, I will give up my life."

Rāghava sobbed and wailed for Sītā. Lakshmana encouraged Him to not stop the search. Motivating by Lakshmana, Rāma regained His composure and looked for Sītā in various caves, ponds, rivers, forests and mountains. Not able to find Jānakī anywhere, Rāma became distressed. Lakshmana affectionately consoled His Brother in many ways but Rāma repeatedly cried for Sītā. He shed profuse tears and almost lost consciousness in grief. 

With a heavy heart, Rāma repeatedly pleaded with Sītā to come out of Her hiding place. He worried about King Janaka's response to the news of His Daughter's abduction. Rāghava resolved not to enter Ayodhyā without His Jānakī and instructed Lakshmana to leave Him and console Kaikeyī, Sumitrā and Kaushalyā. He told Lakshmana to grant Ayodhyā to Bharata. Seeing His Brother's condition, Lakshmana became agitated. Rāma lamented about Sītā's plight and recollected all His memories with Her. He prayed to the Sun and Wind to disclose Sītā's whereabouts.

• "O Sun God, you know all the happenings of the world. You are witness to all the deeds of the people. Tell me where my beloved Sītā has gone or has been carried off. My grief never ceases.
• O Wind God, there is nothing that you know not in all the worlds. Do tell me if that Lady of a noble race has been abducted or dead or is on Her way."

Rāghava and Lakshmana went to river Godāvarī. Overwhelmed with sorrow, Rāghava shouted for Sītā and enquired the river about Her but Godāvarī remained silent out of fear for Rāvana. A dejected Rāma noticed the deer staring at Him so He enquired them about Sītā. All the deer stood at once and pointed their faces towards the south. Looking at Rāma, the herd of deer ran towards the southern direction. Lakshmana and His Brother followed the deer and noticed many flowers strewn on the earth. Recognising them to be the flowers He had collected for Sītā in the morning, Rāma felt that the sun, wind and earth had favoured Him by preserving Sītā's flowers. As He walked further, He spotted the footprints of Jānakī chased by the huge footprints of a demon. He was bewildered to find a broken chariot, bow and quiver. He spotted Sītā's jewels and garlands. Rāma found dead and injured donkeys and a charioteer. He wondered about everything He had noticed and shared His thoughts with Lakshmana.

Rāmachandra's eyes flamed in anger. Armed with His bow and arrows, He vowed to destroy the universe if Sītā is not restored to Him.

• "If Sītā has been devoured or kidnapped, none in this world or even gods could do anything to make me happy, O handsome Lakshmana!
• O Lakshmana! Even demerits turn into merits when they come in contact with me. Just as the Sun shines, effacing the moonlight, my brilliance will outshine my demerits of exterminating all beings including the demons.
• O Lakshmana, neither yakshas, nor goblins nor demons nor Kinnaras nor humans will be in peace now!
• O Lakshmana! Just see, I will fill the sky with all my weapons and arrows and make all movements impossible in the three worlds.
• I will obstruct the movement of planets and the Moon, destroy the radiance of the Sun, the fire and block the wind, crush the mountain tops, dry up the tanks, destroy the trees, shrubs and creepers and annihilate the oceans. I shall bring about this fatal change at once in the three worlds!
• If the gods do not return my Sītā safely to me, O Lakshmana, they will witness my power right now!
• Lakshmana! No beings will be able to move in the sky. Blocked by arrows released from my bowstring there will be no space left there. O Lakshmana! Now beasts and birds will be confused and destroyed by my darts.You will see them crossing all limits of propriety.
• For the sake of Maithilī I will render this world devoid of goblins and demons with my irresistible arrows pulled up to my ears.
• Now the gods will witness the power of my arrows released in great rage which can hit distant targets. My anger will destroy all the gods, demons and evil spirits. They will be extinghished from the three worlds!
• If my beloved Vaidehī is not given back to me in Her true form I will destroy the three worlds with all animate and inanimate beings!
• Just as all beings in this world cannot avoid age and death, or defy time and fate, none can prevent me at all when I am angry, O Lakshmana!
• I will turn around this entire world including the gods, the gandharvas, human beings, serpents and mountains if they do not show me the Princess from Mithilā, who is blemishless and whose teeth are beautiful!"

Saying so, Rāma took a very powerful arrow and fixed it on the string of His bow. Tormented by separation from Sītā, Rāma looked at His bow again and again and resembled the fire of destruction.

Lakshmana, with folded hands, pacified Rāma and requested Him to calm down and look for Sītā. He reminded that Rāma was the refuge of the three worlds and He Himself destroying the entire cosmos was not appropriate. Lakshmana pointed out that the footprints of the Demon indicated a fight between one or two people not that of armies. He added that all the celestials were not bound to disobey Rama. Lakshmana pressed the feet of Rāghava and comforted Him with soothing and encouraging words. Restraining His anger and grief, Rāma continued His search for Sītā. He noticed a heavily wounded Jatāyu who was initially mistaken to be a demon who had killed Sītā. But as He drew near Jatāyu, He recognized and embraced him. Jatāyu conveyed the news of Sītā's abduction by Rāvana and narrated about the fight. Rāma became greatly saddened and caressed Jatāyu repeatedly. He asked more about Sītā and why Rāvana had kidnapped Her. Jatāyu, with great difficulty, told Rāma that Rāvana had taken Sītā towards the South. While telling about Rāvana's ancestry, Jatāyu breathed his last in Rāghava's arms. Rāma was filled with grief and gratitude. Considering Jatāyu to be King Dasharatha himself, Rāma cremated the noble bird and permitted him to depart to the best of celestial realms.

Rāma continued His journey in search of Jānakī. He granted salvation to Kabandha, graced the hermitage of Shabarī and witnessed her Moksha. Rāmachandra and Lakshmana reached the lake Pampā and caught a glimpse of the picturesque beauty of nature. Rāma became reminiscent of Sītā and lamented for Her. He becamed overwhelmed with pangs of love and yearned for Sītā. He admired the beauty of nature and cried.

• "Sita has Her love truly fixed in me. My love for Her is equally steadfast.
• This cool breeze that carries the fragrance of flowers, that is gentle in its touch feels like fire when I think about my beautiful Beloved
• The pleasant touch of the wind, which made me happy in the company of Sītā intensifies my grief now in Her absence.
• Whatever was endearing to me earlier in the company of Sītā, has turned out to be disenchanting without Her.
• She followed me, O Lakshmana as I was deposed from the kingdom and distraught. Now helpless, how can I live without Her?
• When can I listen to Sītāa's sweet, wholesome and virtuous, incomparable words interlaced with Her gentle smile, O Lakshmana?"

Rāma was again consoled and instructed by Lakshmana to abandon grief. Regaining self-control, He set out in search of Sugrīva as instructed by Kabandha. Rāma met Hanumān and befriended Sugrīva who assured Rāma and resolved to find Sītā. He recollected seeing Sītā getting abducted by Rāvana. Sugrīva revealed that Jānakī had thrown a bundle of ornaments at five monkeys among which he was the fifth member. He fetched the bundle and gave it to Rāma. Filled with deep love, Rāma began crying inconsolably on seeing the ornaments and garment of Sītā. Pressing the ornaments to His bosom, He wept bitterly. Tears streamed down His lotus eyes incessantly. Pleasant memories of His Beloved began gushing into His mind. Rāghava called Lakshmana and showed Him Vaidehī's jewellery. Lakshmana replied, "I recognise neither the armlets nor the earrings. I only recognise the anklets as I used to bow at her feet daily." This shows the respect Lakshmana had for His Sister-in-law.

Caressing Sītā's jewellery tenderly, Rāma firmly said,

• "Tell me, O Sugrīva, to which region that fierce-looking demon has carried away my Sītā, who is dearer than my life.
• Let me know where dwells that huge ogre who has caused this agony to me. I will terminate all the demons.
• O lord of monkeys tell me the whereabouts of that night ranger who has carried off my Darling from the heart of the forest and has troubled Her. I will send him now to the abode of Death!
• By abducting Maithilī he has stirred my fierce anger and has opened the door of his death!"

Sugrīva consoled Rāma and cheered Him up to stay calm. He answered Rāma that he was unaware of Sītā's whereabouts and promised that he would find Her soon. Sugrīva narrated his story to Rāma who empathized with him and vowed to vanquish Vāli. Rāma kicked and hurled the carcass of the demon Dundubhi several miles away with His toe. His arrow pierced through seven Sāla trees and the netherworlds and returned to His quiver. Rāma accomplished these feats to strengthen Sugrīva's faith in Him. Rāghava eventually killed Vāli and handed over Kishkinda to Sugrīva. While waiting in the rainy season, Rāma was deeply reminded of Jānakī. He barely slept as His thoughts were always about His beloved Consort. He stared at the moon and longed for Sītā. Rāghava was greatly consoled by Lakshmana.

The search for Sītā by Sugrīva's army began after autumn. Vānaras were sent in all the four directions to look for Vaidehī. Before the Vānaras left to embark a search in the South, Rāma gave His golden ring to Hanumān, whom He trusted immensely. Rāghava requested Hanumān to deliver His message to Sītā. We get a glimpse of Rāma engrossed in remembering Sītā in Sundara Kānda when Hanumān conveys Rāma's condition to Sītā.

• "Rāma is burning like a furnace due to sleeplessness, grief and intense anxiety just as the three sacred fires in a fireplace.
• On account of sorrow caused by not being able to see you, Rāma of Raghu dynasty is shaken up like a lofty mountain is shaken by an earthquake.
• Oh Princess! Unable to see you, Rāma has found no joy in roaming in delightful forests, rivers and streams.
• Since you left, Rāma has been always thinking sincerely of you, no longer drives away flies or mosquitoes nor insects or serpents from his body.
• Rāma is always lost in thought. He is totally given to grief. Absorbed in love for you, He thinks of none else.
• Rāma, the best of men, never goes to sleep and even if He falls asleep, He mutters 'Sītā! Sītā!' in a sweet voice in His sleep.
• Sighing deeply whenever Rāma sees a fruit or a flower or any such delightful thing, He remembers you and calls you out again and again, saying, 'alas, my Darling!'
• O divine Lady! Prince Rāma is ceaselessly suffering. He keeps talking to you in air. The determined Rāma is only thinking of your recovery."

Today we tried to understand how much Rāma cared for Sītā. Even though He was invincible, mighty and valiant, Rāghava didn't worry about His condition, broke down and sobbed while being separated from His Beloved. This shows how deeply He loved and missed Sītā. He was disinclined to bear even a moment's separation from Her. He was ready to destroy the universe for Her. He talked with trees, animals, birds, rivers and every element of nature to find His Consort. Rāmachandra acknowledged many times that Jānakī was dearer to Him than His own life. His mind was always filled with the thoughts about His Beloved and never desired anybody else. Raghunātha's every action was a step to regain Sītā. His love, selflessness, pining for Sītā and His grief and lamentations in Virāha are so poignant and heart-wrenching that even a rock would melt. Jānakī was always His first priority. Even though physically away from Her, Rāma always had His beloved Consort in His heart.

In the next article, will see the episode of Hanumān meeting Sītā.

Jai Siyā Rām!

Yours,

Hari Priye.