Baal Kaand | Ayodhyaa Kaand | Aranya Kaand | Kishkindhaa Kaand | Sundar Kaand | Yuddh Kaand | Uttar Kaand
 

Home | V-Raamaayan | Ayodhyaa Kaand

Previous | Next

Sarg 37-Raam Wears Tapaswee's Clothes 

Hearing Siddhaarth's words, Raam said to Dasharath - "Father, I have already sacrificed all comforts, now I will get comfort in forest only. I have sacrificed my desires also, that is why there is no need to send anything with me. When I have abandoned elephant then what to do of its rope? All these things are now for Bharat only. Give me only Tapaswee clothes which I will wear in forest for 14 years." Hearing this Kaikeyee immediately shamelessly brought those clothes for them and said - "Put these on."

Raam put off His fine clothes and wore the two clothes of Tapswee (loin cloth and upper cloth. Lakshman also changed His clothes but Seetaa got scared seeing Her forest-like clothes. Her eyes filled with tears and She looked at Raam. She did not know how to wear them so She erred again and again in the process of wearing them.

Raam came quickly to help Her wearing those clothes. All women started weeping seeing this. They said to Raam - "Seetaa is not commanded to go to forest. Leave Her here. At least we will see Her face till you come back from the forest. You may go to forest with Lakshman but Jaanakee is not fit to go to forest. You are righteous, you will go to forest, but let Seetaa stay here." Even after hearing this Raam put on the Tapaswee clothes to Seetaa.

Seeing Seetaa wearing those clothes, Vashishth Jee said to Kaikeyee - "O wicked Kaikeyee, you have misled the king. Seetaa will not proceed to forest. She will sit on the throne which was awarded to Raam. Wife is the soul of all. So Seetaa is also the soul of Raam. She can rule the Prithvi. If Seetaa will go with Raam then we will also go with them. Even the whole city will go. Bharat and Shatrughn will also go to forest. You rule here alone.

Where Raam is not the king, that place is not the kingdom. Wherever He will live only that place is the kingdom. Bharat is not going to obey you as you want him to. You will see that even animals and birds and trees are also turning their face to Him. O Kaikeyee, Instead of giving Seetaa Tapaswee's clothes give beautiful jewelry to Her." Thus saying so Vashishth Jee prevented Seetaa to wear those clothes. 

He further said - "You asked the Var to send only Raam to forest, then if Seetaa is going to serve Him then why Seetaa should wear such clothes? You should send Her adorned with jewelry. These clothes are not for Her. She should be sent there along with Her attendants and with conveyances." But Seetaa didn't change Her mind in spite of Vashishth's suggestion because She wanted to live like Her husband.

Sarg 38-Dasharath Opposes Seetaa's Attire

Seetaa wore the same Tapaswee clothes. Seeing this people standing there wept and abused Dasharath. Raajaa again said to Kaikeyee - "Seetaa does not deserve to go to forest wearing these clothes. Rather She is not at all fit foe forest life. Has this pitiable daughter of Janak done any harm to any one so that She is standing like dumbfounded Tapaswinee in these clothes in the midst of men? I have not given any word for Her going like this, so let Her go happily with all her valuables. A cruel pledge was made by me which will burn me like the bamboo flower eats bamboo itself." Dasharath was too sad and seeing no end of this sorrow fell down unconscious.

Then Raam said to His father -"My mother Kaushalyaa is old and is of very soft nature, she will not accuse you. And you also know this that she will also be sad in my absence. She has never experienced my separation before, so please take care of her and do thus that she should be alive till I come back."

Sarg 39-Dasharath Orders Sumantra to Take Raam to Van

Hearing Raam's words and seeing Him clad in Tapaswee's clothes Dasharath again got unconscious. When he gained consciousness, he thought himself, "I have separated many mothers from their sons, killed many people, I think I am bearing the result of the same Karm. Nobody dies without his Kaal. I have made so many people sad because of Kaikeyee alone, but Kaal doesn't want to make me his victim. I am seeing my princess in Tapaswee guise. Hey Raam." He couldn't say a word after this. After a few moments he told Sumantra to see them off up to the border of the city.

Sumantra immediately brought the chariot and informed Raam about its arrival. After this Dasharath asked his treasurer to bring enough clothes and jewelry for Seetaa for 14 years. He immediately brought all these things and gave them to Seetaa. Jaanakee wore Her royal clothes and jewelry. 

Maa Kaushalyaa embraced Her and blessed Her and said - "Women do not serve their husbands in their poverty, after having enjoyed pleasures in the past, such is the nature of bad women. Neither a noble descent, nor good deeds, nor learning, nor a gift, nor even entertainment can capture a woman's heart, their husband alone is the only sacred entity for her."

Seetaa said to her - "I know how to behave with my husband. I have also heard it earlier. I will not fall from my virtue. Veenaa (an Indian musical instrument) cannot be played without chords, chariot cannot move without wheels, then how a wife can live without her husband. Even with a hundred children she cannot live happily. Mother, father and son  can give only limited happiness, but husband gives her unlimited happiness." Hearing this Kaushalyaa started weeping with happiness and agony.

Raam said to His mother - "You do not worry too much, just take care of my father. My exile period will end soon. Fourteen years will elapse only in sleeping. Then you will see me duly arrived here." and looked at His 350 step-mothers too and said to them too - "Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. I now take leave from all of you." Dasharath all wives started weeping again.

Home | V-Raamaayan | Ayodhyaa Kaand

Previous | Next