Ramayana of Valmiki and Kamban-4.Seetha's dilemma and Rama's reply.

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4..Seetha's dilemma and Rama's reply

 

Seetha, on hearing the promise of Rama to the rshis that he would destroy the demons who troubled them, remonstrated with Rama that he could not kill the rakshasas when they have not attacked him. Wielding the weapons in the forest where they have come to live the life of a hermit is itself improper.

 

Seetha mentioned three great sins that result from desire. 1. to tell a lie, miThyaavaakyam, 2. sthreeNaam abhilaashaNam, to desire the wives of others, 3.vina vairam cha roudhrathaa, cruelty without enmity, and said that Rama is not guilty of the first two, because it is a known fact that he will never utter any untruth, and that he is a ekapathnivratha. But now he was about to commit the third sin because he had promised the sages of dandakaranya that he would fight with the rakshasas. He could not fight with them without cause. Seetha said that she was afraid that she might be the cause for enmity with the rakshasas. What she meant was that Rama would have to fight with the rakshasa if they harmed Seetha, thus hinting at what was going to happen.

 

She further said that wearing weapons and advancing to dandakaranya , Rama and Lakshman would be tempted to kill he rakshasas whom they may come across and that would result in sin and cited the story of a Brahmin to prove her point. A Brahmin was living a forest leading ascetic life and doing penance. Indra came there with an intention of causing trouble to his ascetic life and gave him a sword for safe-keeping. To guard it carefully the Brahmin used to carry it in his hand wherever he went and slowly started using it and became violent as a result of which all his penance was lost and he went to hell

 

Saying that to wield a weapon is like carrying fire, Seetha said that she was only reminding Rama of dharma and not advised him. She further said that she did not like anyone who had not done any wrong to be harmed. But was not against punishing the wrongdoer. Then she told Rama to consult Lakshmana also and do what is right as she was not competent enough to teach dharma to one who was vigrahavaan dharmah.

 

Seetha talked as the divine mother who is all mercy. She was the one who showed mercy to Kaksura who did grievous wrong to her and to the rakshasis who harassed her in Lanka.

 

Rama was pleased when Seetha talked thus as it showed her adherence to dharma and her merciful character and he replied to her explaining what was dharma under these circumstances. He said that the supreme dharma of his is to protect those who surrendered to him. He said that he may forsake Lakshmana and even Seetha but not go against his word. Moreover it is the duty of a kshathriya to protect the weak from the oppressors. Hence he was doing only what was dharma. Thus he showed the dharma of saranagathrakshana which was seen through out from the time they entered the forest because of which Ramayana is called the sarangathi sasthra.