Rāmāyana | Ayodhyā Kaṇḍa | Chapter 30

30. Rāma's Permission to Sītā

[Sītā lashes out at her husband and makes it clear that she would not live without him. Understanding her spirit, Rāma permits her to accompany him and tells her to distribute all her luxurious possessions among her servants and Brahmins.]

To Rāma who was trying to appease the daughter of Janaka regarding living in the forest, she spoke the following addressing her husband. 30.1

That Sītā pleading for a very noble demand to Rāma who had a broad chest, out of her love for him and out of pride started blaming him. 30.2

"Oh Rāma, I do not know what the king of Mithilā who was also a lord of Videha thought of you, who are a woman in man's garb, before accepting you as his son in law?" 30.3

"Alas if the people say that there is no lustre in Rāma who is like the sun god, it would be something told out of ignorance." 30.4

"You want to desert me, who does not have any refuge, out of sorrow and fear. Please tell me the reason for that." 30.5

"Oh Valorous one I am like Sāvitrī who faithfully flowed Satyavān the son of Dyumatsena and please know that I am under your subordination." 30.6

"Oh blemish less Rāma, I am not like any other ordinary woman who brings disgrace to the family. My mind will not even think about anyone except you and so I shall go to the forest along with you." 30.7

"Oh Rāma, I am your youthful wife who has been living under your control as a virtuous wife. Why are you interested in handing over to me to someone else like an actor?" 30.8

"Oh blemish less Rāma, Whose welfare are you speaking about. For whose sake are you preventing me from coming along with you, though I shall be subservient to you." 30.9

"You being my lord, do not merit to go to the forest without me. I would be always with you whether to do penance in the forest or towards a journey to heaven." 30.10

"I would not feel even a little amount of discomfort on my way if I travel behind you as I will it as a luxurious journey on a luxurious coach." 30.11

"With you on the way the harsh thorny plants like Kuśa, sāra and Īṣikā as well as other trees, will be to me as soft as cotton or the skin of a black deer." 30.12

"Oh attractive one, the sand raised by the stormy wing would be considered as a dust of sandal by me and will not cause me harm." 30.13

"When I live in the middle of the forest and walk in the forest, I will lie down on the meadows of green grass and I would get more happiness than sleeping on the couch spread with carpets."30.14

"Even you bring a little quantity of leaves, roots and fruits and give it to me, they would taste like nectar to me." 30.15

"There I will not think of my mother, father or home, while I enjoy the seasonal flowers and fruits of the forest." 30.16

"There you will not be able to see me bored and so you would not become sad due to my activities and I will not be a burden to you." 30.17

"Your company is like a heaven to me and being away from you is like hell and so understand my love to you, and go with me to the forest." 30.18

"I am a determined lady bent upon going to forest and if you do not take me there, immediately I will drink poison, but I will not live with my enemies." 30.19

"Oh lord, if you abandon me there would be no life for me who is sad and so it would be better for me to die." 30.20

"I would not be in a position to tolerate sorrow, even for a moment and how can I tolerate it for fourteen years." 30.21

Thus caught in the grips of great sorrow, she cried pitiably, embraced her husband tightly and wailed in a loud voice. 30.22

Like a she elephant pierced by poisoned arrows she lashed at Rāma with rain of words and unrestrained tears, like a flame produced by rubbing one stick to another. 30.23

Out of great distress tears which were like crystals sprang from her eyes which were like the water on a lotus leaf. 30.24

Her face which was like the spotless full moon, due to the flowing of tears from her expressive eyes withered like lotus plucked from water. 30.25

Rāma hugged her who appeared fainted due to great sorrow, by his hands, pacified her and told her. 30.26

"Oh lady, I do not desire even heaven at the cost of your grief and there is not even a little fear in me like the self-created being." 30.27

"Oh auspicious lady, without knowing about your real view on this matter, I never wished you to live in the forest though I am capable of protecting you." 30.28

"Oh daughter of Mithilā, since you were created for going to the forest with me, as a self-respecting man, I cannot abandon you as I cannot abandon my fame." 30.29

"Oh lady who has thighs like the trunk of an elephant, this was the Dharma practiced earlier by beings like Suvarchala following the sun." 30.30

"Oh daughter of Janaka, I could not say, "I will not go there" when the truth nourished by my father ordered me to go to the forest." 30.31

"Oh lady with well-formed posteriors, Obedience to father and mother is an act of Dharma and because of that I do not want to disobey their truthful order and continue to live." 30.32

"Mother, father and Guru are always within our reach, and so how can we not obey them and then try to worship God who is not visible?" 30.33

"Oh lady with pretty eyelashes, those three are equal to the three worlds and in this world there is nothing as holy as them and so they are to be worshipped." 30.34

"Oh Sītā, Neither truth nor charity nor sacrifices with payment of Dakṣiṇā are considered as efficacious as doing service to father." 30.35

"If one fulfils the desire of father [elders?], it is not even slightly difficult to achieve heaven, money, grains, knowledge, sons and all other pleasures." 30.36

"Great men who are devoted only to the service of their father and mother, would easily attain the worlds of devas or Gandharvas or Lord Vishnu or Lord Brahma or any other desirable worlds." 30.37

"Whatever command my father who is well established in the path of truth and Dharma, gives, I desire to obey them as they are indeed the eternal truth." 30.38

"Oh Sītā, my mind is determined to take you to the Daṇḍaka forest as you are determined to follow me and say that you would live there." 30.39

"Oh exquisitely handsome lady whose eyes are like wine, you have been created to accompany me to the forest and so you can follow me and assist me in doing my Dharma there." 30.40

"Oh wife, Oh Sītā, You have taken the auspicious decision which is highly fitting to the Dharma of your family, yourself and myself." 30.41

"Oh lady with auspicious posteriors, commence doing all that is necessary to reside in the forest and without you even heaven will not please me." 30.42

"Give jewels to the Brahmins and food to the beggars and gifts to all the needy persons. Do not delay and do all this with great speed." 30.43

"Give to your servants costly ornaments, blessed apparels, whichever things are charming and meant for entertainment, couches palanquins and all other such things. Give all the rest to Brahmins." 30.44- 30.45

That lady Sītā, understanding that her husband was favourable for her departure to the forest was greatly pleased and started distributing her things. 30.46

That famous one, having heard the words of her husband, with happiness completely filling her heart, That lady with heart willing to give, started giving away her wealth and gems. 30.47

This is the end of Thirtieth Sarga of Ayodhyā Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.