Know Your Ramayana 2

now the tragic part:

सौमित्रे मित्र रूपे ण भ्रातु ः त्वम् असि शत्रुवत् ||३-४५-५ Son of Sumitra, you are an enemy of
your brother(Rama)in the disguise of a friend. इच्छसि त्वम् विनश्यन्तम् रामम् लक्ष्मण मत् कृते ||३-
४५-६ Lakshmana,for wanting me you desire Rama's destruction.

Now, we have oft heard of this - "when street dogs bark, why would an elephant even bother!".
Some random people casting aspersions will never bother a person. But, here Sita - whom he
(Lakshmana) verily considered like his mother - she is herself doubting his integrity.

It is very difficult to comprehend this episode. Sita is pictured as a very *human* woman. She
shows her anxiety that something bad might have happened to Rama(!). A jnani wouldn't doubt
Rama's capability at all. Vishwamitra/Vasishta knew Rama was god incarnate.

Lakshmana very well knew Rama's powers. He tries to reason with Sita (despite hearing the harshest,
unbearable words), that nobody can even touch Rama in a battle, not even devatas.
अशक्यः तव वै देही भर्ता जे तुम् न सं शयः |३-४५-११
There is no doubt that your husband is invincible.
But still, the story has to continue,

लक्ष्मणे न एवम् उक्ता तु क् रुद्धा सं रक्त लोचना ||३-४५-२०

Thus told by Lakshmana, she got enraged with bloodshot eyes.
अनार्य (oh ignoble),.. अहम् तव प्रियम् मन्ये रामस्य व्यसनम् महत् |३-४५-२२
i feel, Rama's great pain is very dear to you.
Thus, Sita's guard, Lakshmana, is forced out of the parnakuti, by Sita's own anxiety - regarding Rama's
safety. Lakshmana has no other option to quickly fetch Rama back.
उत्तरम् न उत्सहे वक्तु म् दै वतम् भवती मम || ३-४५-२८
i have no answer for the godly person that you are,
स्वभावः तु एष नारीणाम् एषु लोकेषु दृश्यते || ३-४५-२९
seems like, this is the nature of all women in this world... and, human too is Lakshmana he says,
धिक् त्वाम् अद्य प्रणश्यन्तीम् यन् माम् एवम् विशं कसे || ३-४५-३२
~ for doubting my character, may you perish.

then, ..

corrects himself
गमिष्ये यत्र काकुत्स्थः स्वस्ति ते अस्तु वरानने ||३-४५-३३
let me go find Rama, may you be safe.
रक्षन्तु त्वाम् विशालाक्षि समग्रा वन दे वताः|
may all forest gods protect you.
Sita then expresses her grief at Rama's separation,that she would die if he is not there.

Summary: while everyone rightly condemns/questions Rama's *doubting* & sending a

pregnant Sita to the forest, few link that to this tragic episode of Sita doubting Lakshmana's
character/intentions. That pain Lakshmana faced, perhaps Sita had to be made to go through
the same.
#रामायण
#KnowYourRamayana
#ValmikiRamayana