That lover of virtue, thinking of the miseries of the forest, resolved
not to take Sita with him, who was versed in religious lores and had
spoken thus. And consoling her whose eyes were stained with tears, that
virtuous-souled one spoke unto her the following words with a view to
prevent her from going. "Oh Sita, thou art born of an illustrious family
and ever intent on the performance of religious deeds; do thou practise
virtue here as it may conduce to the happiness of my mind. Oh Sita, Oh
thou of the weaker sex, do thou act up to my counsels; there are evils
enough in the forest, do thou learn them from me who am about to dwell
in it. Renounce therefore. Oh Sita, thy intention of flying as an exile
unto the forest, which for its impenitrableness is said to abound in
evils. It is for thy welfare that I give utterance to these words;
happiness there is none, it is always covered with miseries. The
roarings of the lions living in the caves of mountains, swelling with
the sounds of the waterfalls, produce a very painful impression upon the
ears; so the wood is full of misery. Animals, all maddened, sporting in
solitude, seeing (man), approach to attack him; so the wood is full of
misery. The rivers are full of crocodiles, sharks, and other fearful
animals, muddy and impassable and always infested with infuriated
elephants; the wood is full of misery. There the wayfares are covered
with creepers and thorns: they are void of drinking water and ever
resounded with the noise of the wild fowls; so the wood is full of
misery. Being exhausted with the toil of the day, the dwellers of the
wood have to sleep in night on the bed made of leaves fallen from the
trees on the surface of the ground; so the wood is full of misery. With
the (supply of) fruits that have fallen from the trees man of self
discipline must content himself morning and evening; so the wood, O
Sita, is full of misery. One has to fast, O Maithili, according to his
might, to wear matted hair and bark, to adore the deities and his
ancestors according to due rites, every day to serve the guests that
come to him, and observing the rules of asceticism, to bathe every day
thrice, namely, in the morning, in the mid-day and in the evening; so
the wood is full of misery. One has to offer presents of flowers
collected by his ownself unto the altars, O Sita, according to the rites
of the ascetics; so the wood is full of misery. Those that dwell in the
forest will have to remain content, having practised moderation in food,
O Maithili, with whatever edibles are attainable in the forest; so the
wood is full of misery. There are always violent winds, darkness,
hunger, and great fear; so the wood is full of misery. Reptiles, many
and of various kinds, creep there on the path, O excellent lady, with
haughtiness; so the wood is full of misery. And snakes living in the
rivers and of crooked course like them, always await the wayfarers,
hindering the passers-by: so the wood is full of misery. Birds,
scorpions, insects mosquitos and wild gnats, always disturb the
dwellers, O fair one of the weaker sex; so the wood is full of misery.
There are trees full of thorns, having their branches moving to and fro,
and the _kusa_ and _kasa_ grasses with thorny blades constantly
undulating; so the wood is full of misery. There are various physical
afflictions and divers fears and great misery consequent upon living in
the forest. Anger and desires are to be renounced, the heart is to be
set on ascetic austerities, fear in the fearful objects is to be cast
off; so the wood is full of misery. Thou shouldst not therefore go unto
the forest--it forebodes no good unto thee. Weighing well, have I
concluded that the forest abounds in innumerable evils." While the
high-souled Rama, resolved thus not to take Sita with him unto the
forest, she, greatly sorry, did not accept his words and spoke unto him
in the following way.