Seeing Rama determined upon carrying out his father's behests, Kaucalya
with her voice choked with vapour begot of tears, spoke unto him the
following pious words. "How shall this virtuous-souled one, beloved of
people and who has never experienced misfortune before, live on grains
gleaned, being born of me to Dacaratha? How shall that Rama live upon
fruits and roots, whose servants and attendants fare on well cooked
rice? Who shall believe, or believing who shall not be afraid, that this
highly accomplished descendant of Kakuthstha, favourite of the king, is
going to be exiled? Certainly Destiny, who crowns or afflicts people
with happiness or misery, is the most powerful agency in the world, or
why shalt thou, Oh pleasing Rama, fly as an exile unto the forest? This
great and incomparable fire of sorrow issuing from my mind, inflamed by
the wind of thy absence, increased by the fuels of lamentation and pain,
kindled by hard sobs, obtaining the oblations of tears, vomiting the
smoke of vapour begotten of anxious thoughts--the result of counting
upon the days of thy return, shall consume me, making greatly lean, when
deprived of thy presence, as does the fire burn the dry grass in summer.
Like unto a cow following its young one shall I follow thee, Oh my
darling, wherever shalt thou go." Hearing those words of his mother,
Rama that best of men, spoke the following words unto her, who was
greatly troubled with sorrow. "The monarch has been duped by Kaikeyi;
myself resorting to the forest, surely shall he resign his life, if cast
off again by thee. There is nothing more cruel for women than the
forsaking of their husbands; it does not behove thee therefore, to think
even of this opprobrious action. Do thou serve this descendant of
Kakuthstha, my father, and the lord of the earth as long as he
lives--know thou this to be the eternal virtue."
Thus addressed by Rama, Kaucalya of auspicious looks, being gratified
greatly; spoke unto him, the remover of her sorrows. "Truly it is."
Rama, the foremost amongst religious men, being spoken thus, said to his
mother, who was greatly disturbed with sorrow, again in the following
strain. "Proper it is both for thee and me to carry out father's words:
he is thy husband, and my best preceptor and the lord and master of all
people. With great pleasure shall I abide in thy words after passing
these nine and five years in the great forest." Thus addressed,
Kaucalya, bearing great affection for her son, sorely pained and having
her eyes full of tears, spoke unto her beloved son the following words.
"Oh Rama, I shall not be able to live amongst these co-wives, if art
thou resolved to go to the forest for the discharge of thy father's
behest; do thou take me with thee, Oh Kakuthstha, like unto a wild hind.
Rama, supressing his feeling, spoke unto his mother who was lamenting,
thus, saying:--"Husband is the deity and master of the wife as long as
she lives; so the monarch being the lord can deal with thee and me in
any way he likes. That highly intelligent lord of men living, we should
not consider ourselves as without a master. Bharata is also pious and
beloved of all people in speech--he, intent on the performance of
religious services, shall attend upon thee always. Do thou now take care
that on my retiring the monarch does not wear away by the pangs of my
separation, that this terrible sorrow may not kill him. Do thou look
after the welfare of the old king always. The woman, who serves not her
husband being engaged in excellent religious rites and fasts, shall fare
wretchedly in the life to come; and a woman gets at the excellent abode
of the celestials by serving her husband. Even those who do not worship
and bow unto the celestial's should serve their husbands alone being
intent upon their welfare Such is the virtue that should be always
pursued by women according to the _Vedas_ and _Smritis_. Do thou beguile
thy time, Oh worshipful one, expecting my return, by worshipping the
celestials with flowers and oblations unto the fire and serving well the
Brahmins. Engaged in discipline and fasting and devoted to the services
of thy husband thou shalt attain thy best desire, on my return, if this
foremost of pious men lives then. Being thus accosted by Rama, Kaucalya
being distressed with the thought of separation from her son spoke unto
him with tears in her eyes the following words "Oh my darling! it is
beyond my power to dissuade thee from thy firm resolution for going to
the forest; it is impossible to avoid this hour of separation. Go thou
my son, with an earnest heart; may thou fare well; my anxiety shall be
removed on thy return. Attain shall I then great happiness, when thou,
Oh great one, shalt return after satisfying your vows and making thyself
freed of debts unto thy father. Incomprehensible is the action of
Destiny in this world, Oh my son, as it drives thee away unto the
forest, Oh Raghava, neglecting my request. Do thou now repair, Oh mighty
hero, and come back in peace, and console me with soul-soothing, tender
words. Oh my darling, shall that day ever come, when I shall see thee
return from the forest, wearing bark and matted hair." With great
earnestness, the worshipful one began to eye Rama, determined to go as
an exile unto the forest and spoke unto him auspicious words and became
desirous of performing benedictory ceremonies.