Rāmāyana | Āraṇya Kaṇḍa | Chapter 59

59. Lakṣmaṇa Reports to Rāma

[When Rāma finds fault with Lakṣmaṇa, he gives a detailed reply indicating how he was unjustly provoked by Sītā. Rāma still feels that what he did was wrong.]

Rāma the son of Raghu clan enquired from the son of Sumitrā who had to leave the hermitage and come to the forest. 59.1

"In spite of my telling you with confidence in you, why did you leave Sītā along in the hermitage and come over here?" 59.2

"Oh Lakṣmaṇa seeing you who have left Maithili and come over here, I felt that as per my doubt a great sin has been committed." 59.3

"Oh Lakṣmaṇa, seeing you coming alone without Sītā, my left eye started throbbing and so did my shoulder and heart." 59.4

When the son of Sumitrā who had all good qualities was told like this, again drowning all his sorrows told the sorrowing Rāma. 59.5

"I did not of my free will leave her alone and have come here but I was provoked by very angry words of hers." 59.6

"Your shouting in a loud voice, "Oh Lakṣmaṇa, Oh Sītā, please save me" entered in to the ears of Maithili." 59.7

Hearing those words of suffering of yours, that Maithili with love towards you, and greatly scared and crying she told me, "You go, you go." 59.8

"When I was provoked in various ways to go from there, I told Maithili in various words my confidence in you." 59.9

"I do not see anything fearful would happen from Rākṣasas to Rāma and so get relieved and what we heard was told by someone to make you fear." 59.10

"Oh Sītā, he being capable of even saving the Gods is not expected to tell, like a contemptible degraded man "Oh Sītā save me." 59.11

"Oh auspicious lady, for what reason has a Rākṣasa imitating my brother's voice shouted, "Save me, save me." 59.12

The words "Oh Lakṣmaṇa save me" has been uttered by someone in an altered voice and so do not get disturbed about it like a low caste woman." 59.13

"You seem to be greatly agitated but there is no need for that frustration and hold your peace. In all the three worlds no such person is either born or going to be who can win over Rāma in a war and even the devas lead by Indra cannot defeat Rāma in war." 59.14-59.15

"When I told this to Vaidehī whose mind was greatly deluded, in a pitiable manner shedding lot of tears told me." 59.16

"You are having a sinful thought of getting me after the death of your brother but you will never be able to gain me." 59.17

"You are very similar to Bhārata since though you have followed Rāma in spite of your brother shouting for help, you are not going to help him." 59.18

"You are his enemy in disguise and following him for getting me and you were waiting for an opportunity to get Rāma out and that is why, you are not going now." 59.19

"When Vaidehī told like this, I was agitated, and due to anger my eyes turned red and with quivering lips, I came out of the hermitage." 59.20

When the son of Sumitrā told like Rāma became drowned in sorrow and told," Oh simple one, your coming here was a wrong act." 59.21

"Though you knew well that I am competent to oppose the Rākṣasas, you should not have left the hermitage, in spite of the great anger of Sītā." 59.22

"I am not happy with you for leaving deserting her because of the very harsh words spoken by her due to anger." 59.23

"Because of the angry words of Sītā, though you are always obedient to me, you did not obey my orders." 59.24

"That Rākṣasa who took me away from the hermitage in the guise of a deer, has been killed by my arrow and lies dead." 59.25

"Hit by my arrow he felled down with great pain and shouted adapting a pretty voice told those words, which made you desert Sītā and come here." 59.26

This is the end of Fifty Ninth Sarga of Āraṇya Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.