HEARING Rama's words, and seeing him dressed like an ascetic, the king
in the midst of his wives was deprived of his senses. And burning in
grief, the king could not eye Raghava, nor seeing him could that one of
afflicted mind answer anything. Then remaining unconscious for a while,
the mighty-armed lord of earth oppressed by grief began to bewail,
thinking of Rama. "I conclude that formerly I deprived many a cow of her
calf, and took the life of many a creature, and it is for this that the
present calamity has befallen me. (I infer) that life never departs from
the body unless the time comes, for although sore tried by Kaikeyi, my
life does not go out of me, and for I can see before me this one
resembling fire, clad in the dress of an ascetic, having left his fine
vesture. These people are in trouble in consequence of Kaikeyi alone
striving by help of this craftiness to secure her interest." Having said
these words, Dacaratha, his semes overpowered by the vapour of sorrow,
exclaimed "Rama!" and could not proceed further. Then soon regaining
consciousness, the lord of earth with tearful eyes, addressed Sumuntra,
saying,--"Yoking a riding car with excellent horses, do you come hither;
and take the exalted one to the south of the kingdom. The virtuous and
heroic Rama is being banished by his father and mother. Even this
methinks will be asserted as the fruit of the virtues possessed by the
pious." Receiving the mandate of the sovereign, Sumantra endued with
fleet vigour, yoking a car adorned with horses, came there. Then the
charioteer with joined hands announced to the prince that the car
adorned with gold was ready, yoked with excellent horses. The king,
versed in time and place, and pure, speedily summoning his treasurer,
said unto him these words firmly,-- "Do you without delay bring unto
Vaidehi excellent and costly attires and noble ornaments, counting these
(ten and four) years." Thus desired by the foremost of men, that officer
repairing to the treasury, procuring all those, speedily presented them
to Sita. Thereupon that pure-sprung one, Vaidehi, ordered to the forest,
adorned her goodly limbs with those rare ornaments. And thus decked out,
Vaidehi graced that chamber like the effulgence of the Sun irradiating
the welkin with his rays. Then embracing with her arms Mithila's
daughter of noble behaviour, and smelling the crown of her head, Sita's
mother-in-law said,--"Those women that although having always been
carefully tended by their husbands, do not regard them during the
incident of adversity, are in this world reckoned as unchaste.--Even
this is the nature of women: having formerly tasted happiness (at the
hands of their husbands), they, on the accession of an inconsiderable
misfortune, take them to task,--nay, forsake them utterly. Those women
that are untruthful, unmindful, of evil ways, heartless, intent on
unrighteous acts, and whose love is evanescent, are unchaste. Neither
lineage, nor benefit, nor learning, nor gift, nor forbearance of faults,
can secure the hearts of females,--surely their hearts are unstable. But
chaste women of good character, abiding in truth, acting in accordance
with the precepts of superiors, and maintaining the dignity of their
race, single out their lords as the prime means of compassing their
spiritual welfare. Therefore although my son is going to be banished to
the woods, you should by no means disregard him. Whether he be wealthy
or poor, he is unto you like a god." Hearing her mother-in- law's words
fraught with virtue and interest, Sita facing that lady, said with
joined palms,--"I will do all that the noble one says. I know how I
should act by my husband. I have heard all about that (from my parents.)
The worshipful one ought not to place me on the same footing with
unrighteous persons. As brightness doth not depart from the moon, so I
cannot swerve from virtue. The Vina without strings does not sound; and
the car without wheels does not move,-- so although having an hundred
sons, a woman without her husband cannot attain happiness. The Father
gives in measure, the father and the son give in measure,--but who does
not worship that bestower of 'riches fineless'--the husband? O exalted
one, having learnt from my superiors the principal as well the minor
duties, shall I disregard (my lord)? A husband is a deity unto the
wife." Hearing Sita's words which went directly to the heart, Kaucalya
endued with purity of spirit, out of fulness of bliss and bale suddenly
shed tears. Then with joined hands that foremost of virtuous ones
addressed his mother, who, duly honored by all, was seated in the midst
of his other mothers, saying,--"O mother, without indulging in grief,
you should minister unto my father; and the term of my abode in the
woods will shortly expire. You will find these five and nine years pass
away as if in a sleep. Then again, getting me,you will see me surrounded
by my friends and relatives." Having spoken out his mind unto his
mother, Rama attentively eyed his three hundred and fifty mothers. And
with joined hands Dacaratha's son spake words fraught with virtue unto
his mothers afflicted like Kaucalya herseH "If I have said anything
harsh to you in consequence a familiarity, or done any wrong through
ignorance, do you forgive the same. I salute you all." These calm words
of Raghava informed with piety were heard by the ladies overwhelmed with
grief. As Raghava was speaking thus, then arose a loud wail proceeding
from those wives of that chief of men, like unto the cries of Kraunchis.
And the aboA of Dacaratha which formerly resounded with _murajas_,
_panavas_, _meghas_,[141] was now filled with cries of distress and
lamentations.
[141] Musical instruments.