Chapter 96 - Shri Rama and Sita see the army approaching

[Full title: Shri Rama and Sita see the army approaching and Lakshmana vows to destroy it].

Having shown Sita the beauties of the river Mandakini, Rama and Sita seated themselves on a rock. Feasting Videhi with venison, Shri Rama, in order to please her, spoke in this wise: “This meat is pure and is rendered delicious by being roasted in the fire.”

While thus conversing with Sita, he observed the dust rising like a cloud, stirred up by the feet of the approaching army of Bharata and heard the tramp of marching warriors at the sound of which the leaders of the elephants with their herds, ran hither and thither in agitation. Seeing the herds of elephants fleeing at the tumult caused by the army, Shri Rama said to Lakshmana: “O Lakshmana, Queen Sumitra is fortunate indeed to be your mother. Is this warlike clamour issuing from the clouds? The herds of elephants dwelling in the dense forest, the wild buffaloes and the deer are fleeing away in terror I Has any king or prince come to hunt in the woods, or has some terrible and bloodthirsty beast entered the forest? Enquire into the matter, O Lakshmana! Even the birds are not carefree in their flight; it becomes you to seek out the cause of this commotion.”

Speedily climbing a shala tree, Shri Lakshmana looked in all directions. First he examined the eastern quarter, then he looked towards the north and there he beheld a vast army composed of elephants, horses, chariots and well-armed infantry!

Describing the approaching army with its elephants, horses, chariots and flags, Shri Lakshmana said to Rama: “O Great One, put out the fire and let Sita enter the cave, do you arm thyself and take up your bow and arrow.”

Shri Rama answered Lakshmana saying: “O Child, ascertain by the symbols on the flags to whom this army belongs.”

The prince listened to Rama’s words and burning with anger desirous of consuming the army, replied: “Without doubt, Bharata, having secured the throne has come to slay us both in order to enjoy rulership, unopposed! See, by that large and beautiful tree is a chariot with a white flag bearing the sign of a pomegranate tree. The soldiers mounted on swift moving horses are coming towards me. I see the riders on elephants also. O Hero, let us both, armed with bows and arrows, climb the hill, or clad in battle array, stand here fully prepared. We shall surely defeat Bharata. To-day, we shall subdue him on whose account all our sufferings have come to pass. O Rama, that Bharata, on whose account, you, Sita and I, have been deprived of our kingdom and cast into tribulation, is approaching like an enemy. He must certainly be slain, O Prince, I see no sin in destroying him. It were no sin to slay one who seeks to injure you. O Prince, he has already wronged you; by slaying Bharata, you canst acquire mastery over the whole earth. To-day, Kaikeyi, avid for the kingdom, will see her son slain in the field. Seeing Bharata slain by me, like a tree uprooted by an elephant, Kaikeyi will suffer great anguish! I shall slay Kaikeyi also, and her friends and Manthara too. O Bestower of Honour, I will free the world of the sinful Kaikeyi; to-day I will let loose my long restrained wrath on the forces of mine enemy, as a fire consumes dried grass. To-day, I will drench the fields of Cittrakuta with the blood of mine enemies. To-day, those elephants, wounded by my sharp arrows and those men slain by me, will be dragged hither and thither by wild beasts. To-day, I will redeem my vow, by destroying Bharata and his army with my bow and arrow.”