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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 The drama as painted by Valmiki shows Sita extremely agitated and pouring verbal acid over Lakshmana. She says things, which she otherwise would not have dreamt of saying. It was indeed unkindly and unbecoming of her to accuse Lakshmana of motives that could not even be in the innermost recesses of this most loyal, obedient and self-effacing younger brother, who was nothing other than a child, the eldest son, for this couple until then.
“You are as it were an enemy of your brother in the guise of a friend, O Lakshmana (son of Sumitra) in that you do not rush to the help of your brother (even) in this predicament. For my sake, O Lakshmana, you wish Sri Rama to perish. Surely due to greed for me you do not follow Sri Rama (a scion of Raghu).” (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda, Canto XLV, Sloka 6, 7) “Having served as my husband Sri Rama of lotus-like eyes and dark-brown as a blue lotus, how can I covet an ordinary man (like you)? I shall undoubtedly give up the ghost in your presence, O son of Sumitra!” (Ibid, Sloka 26)
This was something that Lakshmana did not expect and could not take it any more. “I dare not make a reply (to you), since you are a deity to me,” he replies. (Sloka 27-28). “May all be well with you, O lady of charming countenance! Let all the sylvan deities protect you, O large-eyed lady! The fearful evil portents which appear before my eyes indeed make me doubtful whether when come back with Sri Rama I shall be able to see you.” (Ibid, Sloka 33-34)
Critics are rather not convinced about the need for the use of such words. But it should be remembered that though Sita directed such unbecoming words towards Lakshmana, she did not really mean what she said. Her purpose was to push Lakshmana away from that place to go in search of Rama, for her fear was so great. She knew very well Lakshmana would not move from that place unless he is shocked or put under pressure of an extreme kind. Her words were meant to drive him in search of Lakshmana and nothing more than that.
 We hear her heart in the Sundara Kanda, when she speaks of Lakshmana to Hanuman and tells him, ““Inquiries concerning welfare should be addressed on my behalf and in my name to Lakshmana, that heroic and powerful (younger) brother of Sri Rama, who, having renounced garlands and all kinds of jewels…because of whom Sumitra has earned the title of a blessed mother…
who behaves towards Sri Rama as towards his father and treated me as his (own) mother…” This is what she thinks of Lakshmana in actuality, though in her impatience and confused state of mind, she sounded so harsh, with the sole purpose of pushing him away from that place.
Nor did Lakshmana take it into his heart and nurse a grudge against her for having uttered these words. Even when Rama chides him for having left his post of duty and come in search of him abandoning Sita, he does not mention these words to him. Listen to his words:
“I have not come here leaving her of myself by voluntary action. I have sought your presence here only when
urged by her in pungent words.” (Ibid, Canto LIX, Sloka 5) He merely states, ‘pungent words,’ and does not mention what they were! He knew after all, if he informs Rama, the result would not be pleasant.
More follows...
Published on 18th March 2002
Hari Krishnan
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