Chapter 37 - Shri Sita still desires to enter the forest

[Full title: Despite the instruction of Vasishtha, Shri Sita still desires to enter the forest].

Hearing the words of the chief minister Siddhartha and those of the king, the gentle prince humbly made the following reply: “O King, having renounced all pleasures to live on the products of the forest, what need have I for wealth, an army or other requisites? Who will concern himself with the ropes binding the howdah to the elephant when he has parted with the elephant? O Great One, such am I, what occasion have I for an army in the forest? Let it be given to Prince Bharata. Bring me garments of bark. I go to pass fourteen years in the forest, and need but a spade to dig for roots and fruit and a creel and basket. I wish to start without further delay.”

Hearing his words, Kaikeyi rose up and brought the robes of bark, and in the midst of the assembly without shame, addressed Prince Rama saying: “Put them on.”

Shri Ramacandra receiving the raiment from Kaikeyi, discarding his rich apparel, put on the dress of bark. Shri Lakshmana also putting off his beautiful robes, put on the dress of an ascetic in the presence of his father. Shri Sita dressed in a lovely silken sari, seeing the robes of bark proffered her, was startled, like a doe at the sight of the fowler’s snare.

The Princess Janaki, endowed with excellent qualities, received the bark dress, in shame and distress. Versed in the duties of a faithful spouse, she, addressing her god-like husband, her eyes suffused with tears, said: “How do the ascetics put on the robes of bark?”

Shri Sita, ignorant of the custom, remained confused. Unskilled in the art of wearing robes of bark, putting one end of the vestment round her neck and holding the other in her hands, she stood perplexed. Then Ramacandra, chief of the good, approaching the princess, fastened the robe of bark over her silken sari. All the ladies of the court, perceiving Rama assisting Sita in putting on the dress of bark, began to weep and timidly addressed the illustrious Rama: “O Beloved Prince, your father has not granted Shri Sita permission to enter the forest. Do you enter the forest in accordance with the king’s behest, but let not Janaki go with you. Let our life be fruitful beholding her face. Let Lakshmana go with you for your protection, but the beautiful Sita is not fitted to dwell in the forest like an ascetic. O Rama, prompted by dharma, go without delay as you desirest but, we entreat you, leave Princess Sita with us.”

Shri Rama, knowing that Sita was not willing to stay there in his absence, disregarding the request, helped Sita to don the bark raiment. Shri Vasishtha, the king’s preceptor, seeing Sita attired in the habit of an ascetic, was displeased, and said to Kaikeyi: “O Destroyer of your Dynasty, O Evil-minded Kaikeyi, you have deceived the king and now exceed the boons granted to you, you are dead to all good sense. It is not for Princess Sita to enter the forest, let her rule in the place of Rama till he return. The wife is, as it were, half of her spouse, therefore, what is his due is hers also. Shri Sita being the half of Shri Rama is in his absence entitled to the throne. Should Shri Sita accompany Rama, then I and all the people of Ayodhya will follow him. Where Rama goes with Sita, there will follow the guards, the people of the kingdom and the citizens of the capital. Yea, even Prince Bharata and Prince Shatraghuna, assuming the robes of ascetics will accompany their elder brother. Then this kingdom abandoned by men, peopled by trees alone, will be governed by you, O You, bent on the destruction of your subjects. Know well, that is no kingdom where Shri Rama is not king, but the forest in which Rama dwells becomes the kingdom. The king unwillingly consenting, may bestow the kingdom on Bharata, but Bharata will never accept the crown, nor will he honour you as his mother, if he be the true son of King Dasaratha. Even if you should die, yet will Prince Bharata, acquainted with the ancient law, refuse to rule the kingdom as long as his elder brother, Shri Ramacandra lives. You, desiring the advancement of your son, Bharata, seeking to make him king, art in reality bringing him to grief, since all will follow Shri Ramacandra. O Kaikeyi, you shalt see beasts, snakes, deer, birds and even trees, bend before Rama, swayed by his love, not to speak of men. O Lady, remove the dress of bark and let Sita be attired in royal robes, the ascetic’s garb ill befits her.”

The Guru Vasishtha forbade Sita to don the robe of bark and said to the queen: “O Daughter of the King Kaikeya, you have demanded the exile of Rama alone, let Sita be clad in royal robes when accompanying Rama. The boon exacted by you did not imply the exile of Shri Sita, therefore, let the princess, beautifully arrayed and adorned, enter the forest in a royal chariot.”

Despite the instruction of the resplendent sage, chief among the brahmins and the king’s preceptor, Shri Sita, not relinquishing the ascetic’s dress, desired to enter the forest, attired like her lord.