51. FIRST AMONG THE ASTUTE :

THE boldest and most strong-minded
woman may, if kept in captivity for a long
period, lose heart and become depressed.
Sita hoped month after month that her
lord would discover her whereabouts and
come to her rescue. Sick with
disappointed hope, alone in the midst of
enemies, she clung to life only from an
abiding faith in the love of Rama that
made her feel that he would surely come.
The Rakshasis plied her with what
from their point of view was well-meant
counsel. "Won't you listen to our advice?
You are a human and so lack sense. You
still hold on to this wretched man-husband
of yours. Your proper place is our King's
bedchamber. That is the place for every
kind of pleasure. But spurning his offer,
you are forever thinking of your worthless
husband. Why are you still fond of this
luckless wretch driven out of his
kingdom? You will never see him again.
Yield to Ravana and be happy."
Sita, hearing these words, could only
shed tears.



"What sinful words you utter!" she
said. "Never can I do what you say. You
tell me that Rama is poor, wretched, and
an exiIe from his home. All this I know.
But among us of the race of men, no wife
would think of giving up her husband on
such grounds. It is wicked for the
Rakshasa king to desire me for his wife.



As the sun's brightness belongs
inseparably to the sun so do I belong to
Rama. As Sachi is faithful to Indra, or
Arundhati to Vasishtha, so am I ever to
Rama."



The Rakshasis gave up all hopes of
persuading her and said to one another:
"What can one do with a stubborn fool
like this? It is best to eat her before she
gets too thin with brooding!"



"I am in the family way," said one. "I
have a great longing for human flesh. I
shall tear her out and make a meal of her
soft body. We shall strangle her and report
to Ravana that she died of grief," said
another. "The King is lost in unavailing
grief because of this obstinate woman.
Once he knows that she is dead, he will
forget all about her and sleep soundly."
Another said: "I long to eat her liver. It
must be very tasty."



Another added decisively: "Let us kill
her and share her limbs. Fetch some sauce
and strong liquor. Let us feast on her and
drink and dance in the temple of
Nikumbhila."



Hearing these horrible words and
seeing these terrible forms, Sita broke
down and cried aloud. Her physical
courage failed and nature had its way. She
sobbed like a child. But even in her sobs
her mind was clear and it was fixed on
Rama.



"In Janasthana Rama destroyed
thousands of Rakshasas. Why does not
Rama come yet to redeem me? The
warrior princes who killed Viradha in
Dandaka, why are they still indifferent to
my fate? It could only be that they do not
yet know where I am! Jatayu, the vulture
king, was slain by the Rakshasa. If he at
least were alive, he would have told them
the news that he saw the Rakshasa
carrying me. But he gave up his life in
trying to save me. But how long, will
Rama remain ignorant of my being here?
How long can Lanka and the Rakshasas
survive? It is certain that, in every house
in this city, Rakshasa widows will soon be
lamenting loudly. It is certain that this city
of Ravana and the whole Rakshasa race
will perish."



Thus she thought within herself and
slowly recovered courage. But soon again
other thoughts came to her and filled her
with gloom.



"Could it be that Rama gave up his life,
unable to bear my loss? It might well be
so. Otherwise, could he neglect me and
leave me all alone these so many days?
Indeed he is happy now and with the
Gods. I must have been guilty of many
sins to be thus left to suffer. My heart
must be made of stone. How else can I
suffer all this and yet survive? Yet
something tells me that Rama is alive else
I should be dead!"



Then again another thought occurred to
her. "Perhaps he has resolved to spend his
life in penance and has laid aside all
thought of me. No, no. How could a
warrior forsake his duty and, leaving his
wife in the hands of his foe, take up the
life of sanyasa? How foolish of me even
to think of this! The fact is that they do
not know where I am. Could it be that
Rama has lost his love for me? 'Out of
sight, out of mind,' they say. Could it be
that he has forgotten me? Fie, fie! What a
sinful thought! How can my Rama forget
me? He never can. And what wrong have
I committed that he should cease to think
of me? This cannot be the reason. Perhaps
Ravana has played some trick and
treacherously slain the prince."



Thus her mind wandered from one sad
thought to another and sank ever deeper in
the sea of sorrow. She decided that it was
best by hanging herself. She could hang
herself with her long braid of hair round
her neck and jump down from a branch of
the Simsupa tree.



Having failed in their attempt to
persuade Sita, the Rakshasis did not know
what to do next. Some went to inform
Ravana of their failure. Some stayed
behind to look after Sita.



Appearing among them Trijata, a
Rakshasi, reprimanded them, saying: "O
foolish ones, you are talking nonsense!
Listen to me, I shall tell you of a dream
that I dreamt. The time has come when
Lanka shall be destroyed."



Then she proceeded to recount in detail
the terrible dream that she had dreamt:
"I saw in my dream Rama, shining like
a sun, come to Lanka to find Sita. I saw
Ravana entering the abode of Yama. I saw
Rama mounting Sita on his elephant and
carrying her home. I saw Ravana and all
the Rakshasas, clad in soiled garments and
dragged away by Yama."



Relating this dream to the Rakshasis,
Trijata warned them: "Don't persecute this
saintly woman. Don't seek your own
destruction. Fall at her feet and beg for
grace."



Even as Trijata was speaking to her
companions, Sita, who resolved to slay
herself, suddenly began to see many good
omens.



Her left eyelids, hand, and foot
throbbed auspiciously. A vague courage
once again came into her heart. All ideas
of self-destruction disappeared.
Hanuman, sitting hidden above and
watching all that happened in the grove,
wondered what he should do next.
One might imagine that, having
reached Lanka and seen Sita, Hanuman
had nothing more to do. But he was not so
easily satisfied. He thought within
himself.



"I have done something which no one
else could do. I have crossed the sea and
discovered Sita. I have seen the city of the
Rakshasas and noted its defences. All that
a spy can do without revealing himself to
the foe, I have done. But the situation here
is fraught with danger. If I go back now to
report what I have seen to Rama and my
king, who knows what meanwhile will
happen here? Before Rama, Lakshmana
and the Vanara host arrive here, Sita,
unable to bear her suffering, might put an
end to her life. All my labors would then
be lost. It is not enough to have seen Sita.



I must talk to her, give her news of Rama
and put hope and courage into her heart,
so that she may hold with life in spite of
all. How would Rama receive me if I
return without speaking to Sita? I must
find some way of speaking to Sita."
In the rosary of Hanuman's name
occurs the title, Buddhimatam
Varishtham, 'First among the Astute.' It is
a true description.



"In what form should I appear before
Sita? In what language should I speak to
her? If suddenly a monkey came and
spoke to her in this Asoka grove, Sita
would surely suspect foul play and
imagine that Ravana was playing some
new trick on her. If I appeared suddenly
before her, she might cry out in fear. In
her present condition this is most likely to
happen. The Rakshasis guarding her, who
have now fallen asleep, will be startled
awake and discover me. They would
know that I have come from their enemy
and in disguise, and they would bring the
Rakshasas to attack me. A great battle
would ensue. Of course I shall slay most
of them. But the task of comforting Sita
and bearing news of her to Rama would
be jeopardised if I were to be captured and
held a prisoner here. This would never do.



Even if I escape being caught and come
out successful in the struggle, I might be
wounded and lose strength and be unable
to cross the sea. What then would I have
gained having seen Sita? One should
never do things in a hurry. One should
keep in mind one's main business. King
Sugriva and Rama are confidently
awaiting my return. Even a little fault on
my part now may lead to great disaster.


The first thing to do is to speak with Sita
and put joy and hope in her heart. I must
approach her in such a way that she can
never for a moment entertain a doubt
about my good faith. Well, I shall recite in
a sweet low tone, and for her hearing
only, the story and virtues of Rama. Her
heart would then be filled with joy and
trust, displacing suspicion. Only thus can I
proceed."


So he thought and, still hidden by the
branches of the tree, he began to utter in a
low voice, the sweet words, "Rama,"
"Rama."


NEXT :52. SITA COMFORTED


Continues.....