Sarga 56: Lakshmana takes Sita away

When the night had passed, Lakshmana, with a sad heart and downcast mien, said to Suxnantra:—

“O Charioteer, harness swift horses to the most excellent of cars and, by the king’s orders, prepare a comfortable and luxurious seat for Sita, she, in accord with the king’s wish, under my charge, is to visit the retreats of the great Rishis of pious practices, therefore bring hither the chariot with all speed!”

Then Sumantra saying, “Be it so I” yoked some superb horses to a splendid chariot that was well furnished with cushions and, approaching Saumitri, the heaper of honours on his friends, he said:—

“The car is ready, let what must be accomplished be done, O Lord!”

At these words of Sumantra, Lakshmana re-entered the King’s palace and, having approached Sita, that Bull among Men addressed her thus:—

“According to the wish that you didst express to him, that Lord of Men, the king, has charged me to take you to the desired retreats. At the request of our sovereign, I will conduct you without delay to those excellent solitudes of the Rishis on the banks of the Ganges, O Divine Vaidehi. I shall take you to those hermitages inhabited by the Sages.”

At these words of the magnanimous Lakshmana, Vaidehi experienced supreme felicity, so greatly did the thought of the expedition please her and, having furnished herself with costly raiment and jewels of every kind, she prepared to depart, saying:—

“I shall give these jewels as also the excellent robes and various treasures to the wives of the ascetics.”

“It is well”, said Saumitri, causing Maithili to ascend the chariot and, recollecting Rama’s command, he went forward drawn by swift horses.

Thereafter Sita said to Lakshmana, the increaser of prosperity:

“I behold countless inauspicious omens, O Joy of the House of Raghu, observe how my left eye twitches and all my limbs tremble, further my mind is confused and I feel extremely restless whilst all my courage has ebbed away, 0 Saumitri. The earth appears deserted, O Large-eyed Prince, can your brother be happy, O You who art so devoted to him? May all be well with my mothers-in-law without distinction, O Hero! May all beings in town and country be happy!”

Thus, with joined palms, Sita, the divine Maithili prayed, and Lakshmana listening, bent his head and, though his heart was contracted with grief, he cried in joyous accents, “Mayest you too be happy 1”

Meantime they reached the banks of the Gaumati and rested in a hermitage, and the following day, at dawn, Saumitri, rising, said to the charioteer:—

“Harness the car speedily! To-day, with great strength, I shall bear the waters of the Bhagirathi on my head, as did Tryambaka [i.e., The Lord Shiva.].”

Thus commanded, the driver with joined palms, said to Vaidehi:—

“Mount!” and he gave rein to the horses yoked to the chariot, who were as swift as thought, whereupon she, hearing the voice of the charioteer, ascended that excellent car. Thereafter the large-eyed Sita accompanied by Saumitri and Sumantra reached the Ganges, that destroys all sin and, arriving there at noon, beholding the waters of the Bhagirathi, the unfortunate Lakshmana began to weep openly in his profound distress and the virtuous Sita, in her extreme solicitude, observing Laksh-mana’s misery, enquired of him, saying:—

“Wherefore art you groaning? We have reached the banks of the Jahnavi, the object of my desires for a long time and, at the moment of rejoicing, why dost you cause me pain in this wise, O Lakshmana? O Bull among Men, is your grief on account of these two days absence from Rama, you who art ever in attendance on him? Rama is dearer to me than life, O Lakshmana, yet I do not distress myself; do not behave like a child! Let us cross the Ganges and visit the Sages so that I may distribute the raiment and jewels. Having paid homage to the great Rishis, which we owe to them and, passing one day there, we shall return to the city. My heart is impatient to see Rama again, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus, whose chest is like a lion’s, that foremost of men!”

At these words of Sita’s, Lakshmana, wiping his beautiful eyes, hailed the ferrymen and they, with joined palms, said “The boat is ready!”

Eager to cross over that splendid river, Lakshmana boarded the skiff, and his mind pre-occupied, took Sita across the Ganges.