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Kausalya tells Rama to bathe quickly, eat something sweet, and then go to his father. He tells her that his father has given him the kingdom of the forest, and asks her leave. Hearing him, she shrinks and asks the cause. She tells him that if the order is his father’s alone, he should not go. Then Sita hears the news, comes, and sits with her head lowered.
In this episode of the Ramcharitmanas the minister’s son explains the cause to Kausalya. Dharma and love surround her wit. She prays for Rama’s protection, and tells him to go happily to the forest. Sita worries in her mind about his going. Kausalya tells Rama how she has reared Sita, and asks what his order is. Rama satisfies his mother, and begins to instruct Sita.
Mother, son, and daughter-in-law
The main figures in this episode
- Rama the son, whom his mother tells to bathe and eat something sweet before he goes to his father. He tells her that his father has given him the kingdom of the forest, and asks her to give him leave with a glad mind. He says that after fourteen years in the forest he will come and see her feet again. When she clings to his feet, he raises her and consoles her. He satisfies her with dear words, and begins to instruct Sita, setting out the forest’s virtues and faults.
- Kausalya Rama’s mother, who tells him to bathe and eat something sweet before he goes to his father. Hearing him ask her leave for the forest, she asks the cause. She tells him that he has done well, prays that the gods and the ancestors guard him, and tells him to go happily. She clings to his feet, lamenting. She blesses Sita, tells Rama how she has reared her, and asks what his order is.
- Sita Rama’s wife, who hears the news, rises distressed, bows to her mother-in-law’s feet, and sits with her head lowered. In her mind she asks whether his company will be with body and life both, or with life alone. With her nails she scratches the ground, her anklets sound, and she sheds water from her eyes. Rama begins to instruct her.
- The minister’s son who, observing Rama’s mood, explains the cause to Kausalya. He is given no name.
Something sweet, and the kingdom of the forest
Kausalya went on. “Son, I would give myself for you. Bathe quickly, and eat something sweet that pleases your mind. Then go to your father, child. It is very late. Your mother would give herself for you.”
His mother’s words were very favorable. They were as if flowers of the gods’ tree of love, filled with the honey of happiness, and the root of prosperity. Hearing and seeing them, the bee of Rama’s mind was not lured.
Knowing the course of dharma, Rama said to his mother in a very soft voice: “Father has given me the kingdom of the forest. There, in every way, my great work lies.”
“Give me leave with a glad mind, mother, so that joy and blessing come on the way to the forest. Do not, in love’s power, be afraid by mistake. There will be joy, mother, by your grace.”
“Living fourteen years in the forest and making father’s word true, I will come and see your feet again. Do not let your mind be downcast.”
The wound of cool words
Rama’s humble, sweet words struck the mother’s breast like arrows, and rankled. Hearing the cool words, she shrank and dried up, as the javasa dries up when the monsoon rain falls on it.
The dejection of her heart could not be told at all. It was as if a doe had heard a lion’s roar. Her eyes were wet, and her body trembled. It was as if a fish had eaten the foam and were dazed. The commentary reads the foam as the foam of the first rain.
Holding patience, and looking at her son’s face, the mother spoke in a choked voice. “Son, you are dear as life to father. Seeing your deeds, he was glad every day.”
“He fixed a good day to give the kingdom. For what offense did he say go to the forest? Son, tell me the cause. Who has become a fire to the Sun’s line?”
Observing Rama’s mood, the minister’s son explained the cause. Hearing the matter, she stayed as if mute. Her state could not be described.
Between dharma and love
She could neither keep him nor say go. Both ways there was a terrible burning in her breast. In the commentary’s reading, she thought: “While the moon was being written, Rahu got written. The Creator’s way is always contrary to everyone.”
Dharma and love both surrounded her wit. Her state became that of a snake that has caught a muskrat. In the commentary’s reading, she thought on: “If I keep my son by urging, dharma goes, and there is enmity between brothers. If I say go to the forest, there is great loss.”
In a strait, the queen fell wholly into worry’s power. Then, clever, understanding a woman’s dharma and knowing the two sons, Rama and Bharata, alike, Kausalya spoke, simple by nature, holding great patience. The commentary reads a woman’s dharma here as a wife’s devotion to her husband.
“Son, I would give myself for you. You did well. A father’s order is the crown of all dharma.”
“Saying he would give the kingdom, he gave the forest. Of that I have not the least grief. Without you, Bharata, the king, and the people will have fierce affliction.”
The father’s order, and both parents’ word
“If it is father’s order alone, son, then do not go, knowing the mother greater. If father and mother have said go to the forest, then the forest is like a hundred Ayodhyas.”
“The forest gods are your father, and the forest goddesses your mother. The birds and beasts are the servants of your feet. In the end, dwelling in the forest is fitting for a king. At the sight of your age, there is pain in my heart.”
“The forest is greatly fortunate, and Ayodhya ill-fated, which you, Rama, have left. If I say, son, take me with you, doubt would arise in your heart.” In the commentary’s reading, the doubt would be that his mother wants to stop him on that pretext.
“Son, you are very dear to everyone. You are the life of life, the living of the heart. Such as you are, you say, ‘Mother, I go to the forest.’ And I, hearing the words, sit and regret.”
“Considering this, I do not insist, swelling a false love. I would give myself for you. Holding to a mother’s bond, do not let remembrance slip away.”
The water of fourteen years
“May all the gods and the ancestors guard you, master, as the eyelids guard the eyes. The term is the water, and dear ones and kin are the fish. You are a mine of compassion, and you bear the load of dharma.”
“Considering this, do that remedy by which you come and meet everyone alive. I would give myself for you. Go happily to the forest, making servants, kin, and the town orphans.”
“Today the fruit of everyone’s merit is spent. Fearful time has turned adverse.”
Lamenting in many ways, she clung to his feet, knowing herself most ill-fated. A terrible, unbearable burning spread through her breast. The laments could not be told. Raising his mother, Rama took her to his breast. Then, saying soft words, he consoled her.
Sita sits with her head lowered
Hearing the news at that time, Sita rose, distressed. Going to her mother-in-law, and bowing to her two feet, she sat with her head lowered.
The mother-in-law gave her blessing in a soft voice. Seeing her very delicate, Kausalya was distressed. Sita, a mass of form, pure in her love for her husband, sat with her face lowered, worrying.
In her mind Sita thought: “The master of my life wants to go to the forest. With which one of merit will his company be? Body and life both, or life alone? The Creator’s doing cannot be known at all.”
With the nails of her lovely feet she scratched the ground. The anklets sounded sweetly, and the poet describes their sound. It was as if, in love’s power, they made entreaty that Sita’s feet should not leave them.
From her charming eyes she shed water. Seeing this, Kausalya spoke. “Son, listen. Sita is very delicate, and dear to mother-in-law, father-in-law, and kin.”
Sita, the pupil of her eye
Kausalya went on. “Her father is Janaka, the jewel of kings. Her father-in-law is the sun of the Sun’s line. Her husband is the moon to the night-lotus wood of the Sun’s line, a treasury of virtue and form.”
“Moreover, I have gained a dear daughter-in-law, a mass of form, handsome in virtue and good conduct. Making her the pupil of the eye, I have made love grow. I have kept my life fixed in Sita.”
“Like a wish-creeper, I have cherished her in many ways. Watering her with the water of love, I have reared her. As she flowered and fruited, the Creator turned contrary. What the outcome will be cannot be known.”
“Apart from the bed, the lap, and the swing, Sita did not set foot on the harsh ground. I have watched over her like a life-giving root. I do not tell her to trim the lamp’s wick.”
“That same Sita wants to go along to the forest. What is the order, Rama? The chakora relishes the savor of the moon’s rays. How can she set her eyes to face the sun?”
“Elephants, lions, night-walkers, and many evil creatures roam the forest. Son, does a handsome life-giving root look well in a garden of poison?”
The mother’s support, and Rama’s instruction
Kausalya spoke on. “For the forest Brahma made the Kol and Kirata girls, strangers to the pleasures of the senses. Their nature is hard, like the stone-worm’s. They never have affliction in the forest.”
“Or the wives of ascetics are fit for the forest. They have given up every enjoyment for tapas. How, son, will Sita live in the forest? She is frightened at the sight of a monkey painted in a picture.”
“Is the swan maiden, who ranges the handsome lotus woods of the lake of the gods, fit for a puddle? Considering this, whatever the order is, I will give Sita that counsel.”
“If Sita stays at home,” the mother said, “there would be great support for me.” Her dear words were as if steeped in the nectar of good conduct and love.
Hearing them, and saying dear words full of discernment, Rama satisfied his mother. He began to instruct Sita, setting out the forest’s virtues and faults.
The course of the episode
Kausalya told Rama to bathe and eat something sweet before going to his father. Rama said that his father had given him the kingdom of the forest, and asked her leave. He would live fourteen years in the forest, he said, and come and see her feet again. She asked the cause, and the minister’s son explained it. Dharma and love surrounded her wit. She told Rama that he had done well, and that if the order was his father’s alone, he should not go. She prayed that the gods and the ancestors guard him, told him to go happily, and clung to his feet, lamenting. Rama raised her and consoled her. Sita heard the news, came, bowed to her mother-in-law’s feet, and sat with her head lowered. Kausalya blessed her. Sita wondered in her mind whether body and life both would keep his company, or life alone. Kausalya told Rama how she had reared Sita, and asked what his order was. If Sita stayed at home, she said, she would have great support. Rama satisfied his mother with dear words, and began to instruct Sita.
The same story, elsewhere: Valmiki’s Ramayana, chapter 8: The Exile of Rama, the City’s Lament, Guha, and Chitrakuta.
Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, Ayodhyakand, doha 53 to 60, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.