# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 43 — Lakṣmaṇa leaves Sītā *He identifies the cry as deception, but her accusations overcome his resolve to stay and he departs toward Rāma* Portion: The golden deer separates Rāma and Sītā · Verses: 37 · Ref format: 3.43. ## Sequence - Meanwhile Sītā hears the cry, believes Rāma is in danger, and urges Lakṣmaṇa to run to him (43.1–4) - mindful of Rāma's order, Lakṣmaṇa stays → Sītā accuses him of pretending friendship while wishing for his brother's death so that he can obtain her (43.5–8) - Lakṣmaṇa answers that no enemy can overcome Rāma and that the voice must be a rākṣasa's deception (43.9–15) - he reminds her that Rāma entrusted her to him and that their destruction of Khara has made them enemies among the rākṣasas (43.16–18) - Sītā grows angrier, accusing him either of pursuing her himself or of acting for Bharata → she insists that she would die rather than belong to another man (43.19–24). - Wounded by her words, Lakṣmaṇa says he reveres her but responds with bitter generalizations about women and calls the forest beings to witness that he has obeyed his brother (43.25–28) - he condemns her suspicion, then agrees to go, entrusting her to the vanadevatās → he notices ominous signs and expresses the hope of seeing her safely with Rāma again (43.29–31) - Sītā repeats that she will kill herself if Rāma is lost and beats her body in grief (43.32–35) - Lakṣmaṇa tries once more to comfort her, but she will not answer → he bows, takes leave, and sets off toward Rāma, repeatedly looking back at her (43.36–37). ## Verses **3.43.1** ārtasvaraṃ tu taṃ bhartur vijñāya sadṛśaṃ vane uvāca lakṣmaṇaṃ sītā gaccha jānīhi rāghavam Recognizing that cry of distress in the forest as like her husband's, Sītā said to Lakṣmaṇa, 'Go, find out about Rāghava.' **3.43.2** na hi me jīvitaṃ sthāne hṛdayaṃ vāvatiṣṭhate krośataḥ paramārtasya śrutaḥ śabdo mayā bhṛśam For neither my life nor my heart holds steady in its place; I have plainly heard the cry of one in utmost distress, calling out. **3.43.3** ākrandamānaṃ tu vane bhrātaraṃ trātum arhasi taṃ kṣipram abhidhāva tvaṃ bhrātaraṃ śaraṇaiṣiṇam You must save your brother, crying out in the forest; run quickly to that brother who seeks refuge, **3.43.4** rakṣasāṃ vaśam āpannaṃ siṃhānām iva govṛṣam na jagāma tathoktas tu bhrātur ājñāya śāsanam fallen into the power of the rākṣasas like a bull into the power of lions. But though thus told, he did not go, mindful of his brother's command. **3.43.5** tam uvāca tatas tatra kupitā janakātmajā saumitre mitrarūpeṇa bhrātus tvam asi śatruvat Then, angered, Janaka's daughter said to him there, 'Saumitri, in the guise of a friend you are like an enemy to your brother, **3.43.6** yas tvam asyām avasthāyāṃ bhrātaraṃ nābhipadyase icchasi tvaṃ vinaśyantaṃ rāmaṃ lakṣmaṇa matkṛte you who in this plight do not go to your brother; you wish, Lakṣmaṇa, that Rāma should perish, on my account. **3.43.7** vyasanaṃ te priyaṃ manye sneho bhrātari nāsti te tena tiṣṭhasi visrabdhas tam apaśyan mahādyutim I think calamity is dear to you; you have no love for your brother; that is why you stand unconcerned, not looking for him of great splendour. **3.43.8** kiṃ hi saṃśayam āpanne tasminn iha mayā bhavet kartavyam iha tiṣṭhantyā yat pradhānas tvam āgataḥ For what should I do, remaining here, when he has fallen into peril — you being the very one who came here chiefly (to protect him)? [c: elliptical; sense uncertain.] **3.43.9** iti bruvāṇaṃ vaidehīṃ bāṣpaśokapariplutām abravīl lakṣmaṇas trastāṃ sītāṃ mṛgavadhūm iva To Vaidehī, speaking thus, flooded with tears and grief, trembling like a doe, Lakṣmaṇa spoke: **3.43.10** devi devamanuṣyeṣu gandharveṣu patatriṣu rākṣaseṣu piśāceṣu kiṃnareṣu mṛgeṣu ca 'Lady, among gods and men, gandharvas, birds, rākṣasas, piśācas, kiṃnaras, and beasts, **3.43.11** dānaveṣu ca ghoreṣu na sa vidyeta śobhane yo rāmaṃ pratiyudhyeta samare vāsavopamam and among the fearsome dānavas, O fair one, there could be found no one who might fight against Rāma, the equal of Vāsava, in battle. **3.43.12** avadhyaḥ samare rāmo naivaṃ tvaṃ vaktum arhasi na tvām asmin vane hātum utsahe rāghavaṃ vinā Rāma cannot be slain in battle; you ought not to speak thus. I cannot bring myself to leave you in this forest without Rāghava. **3.43.13** anivāryaṃ balaṃ tasya balair balavatām api tribhir lokaiḥ samudyuktaiḥ seśvaraiḥ sāmarair api His strength is irresistible, even by the forces of the mighty — even by the three worlds united, with their lords and their gods. **3.43.14** hṛdayaṃ nirvṛtaṃ te 'stu saṃtāpas tyajyatām ayam āgamiṣyati te bhartā śīghraṃ hatvā mṛgottamam Let your heart be at ease; let this anguish be cast off. Your husband will return soon, having slain that finest of deer. **3.43.15** na sa tasya svaro vyaktaṃ na kaś cid api daivataḥ gandharvanagaraprakhyā māyā sā tasya rakṣasaḥ That was clearly not his voice, nor was it any voice of a god; it was an illusion of that rākṣasa, like a phantom gandharva-city. **3.43.16** nyāsabhūtāsi vaidehi nyastā mayi mahātmanā rāmeṇa tvaṃ varārohe na tvāṃ tyaktum ihotsahe You are a trust, Vaidehī, placed in my keeping by the great-souled Rāma; O lovely one, I cannot bring myself to abandon you here. **3.43.17** kṛtavairāś ca kalyāṇi vayam etair niśācaraiḥ kharasya nidhane devi janasthānavadhaṃ prati And, O blessed one, we have made enemies of these night-roamers, O lady, over the slaying of Khara and the destruction at Janasthāna. **3.43.18** rākṣasā vidhinā vāco visṛjanti mahāvane hiṃsāvihārā vaidehi na cintayitum arhasi The rākṣasas, who delight in violence, purposely let loose such cries in the great forest; O Vaidehī, you should not be troubled. **3.43.19** lakṣmaṇenaivam uktā tu kruddhā saṃraktalocanā abravīt paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ satyavādinam Thus addressed by Lakṣmaṇa, angered, her eyes reddened, she spoke harsh words to Lakṣmaṇa, the truth-speaker: **3.43.20** anārya karuṇārambha nṛśaṃsa kulapāṃsana ahaṃ tava priyaṃ manye tenaitāni prabhāṣase 'O ignoble one, whose show of pity is a pretense, cruel disgrace of your line! I think this is what pleases you, and so you speak these things. [karuṇārambha: sense uncertain.] **3.43.21** naitac citraṃ sapatneṣu pāpaṃ lakṣmaṇa yad bhavet tvadvidheṣu nṛśaṃseṣu nityaṃ pracchannacāriṣu It is no wonder, Lakṣmaṇa, that evil should be found among rivals such as you — cruel men, ever moving about in secret. **3.43.22** suduṣṭas tvaṃ vane rāmam ekam eko 'nugacchasi mama hetoḥ praticchannaḥ prayukto bharatena vā You are utterly wicked: alone, you follow the lone Rāma into the forest — for my sake, in disguise, or perhaps set on by Bharata. **3.43.23** katham indīvaraśyāmaṃ rāmaṃ padmanibhekṣaṇam upasaṃśritya bhartāraṃ kāmayeyaṃ pṛthag janam How, having taken Rāma as my husband — dark as a blue lotus, his eyes like lotuses — could I ever desire a common man? **3.43.24** samakṣaṃ tava saumitre prāṇāṃs tyakṣye na saṃśayaḥ rāmaṃ vinā kṣaṇam api na hi jīvāmi bhūtale Before your very eyes, Saumitri, I shall give up my life, without doubt; for without Rāma I will not live even a moment upon this earth. **3.43.25** ity uktaḥ paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ sītayā somaharṣaṇam abravīl lakṣmaṇaḥ sītāṃ prāñjalir vijitendriyaḥ Thus addressed with harsh, hair-raising words by Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, palms joined, his senses mastered, said to Sītā: [somaharṣaṇam: source spelling for romaharṣaṇam, 'hair-raising'.] **3.43.26** uttaraṃ notsahe vaktuṃ daivataṃ bhavatī mama vākyam apratirūpaṃ tu na citraṃ strīṣu maithili 'I dare not make reply — your ladyship is a deity to me; but an unseemly word is nothing strange in women, Maithilī. **3.43.27** svabhāvas tv eṣa nārīṇām eṣu lokeṣu dṛśyate vimuktadharmāś capalās tīkṣṇā bhedakarāḥ striyaḥ This is indeed the nature of women, as is seen in these worlds: women are loose in conduct, fickle, harsh, and sowers of discord. **3.43.28** upaśṛṇvantu me sarve sākṣibhūtā vanecarāḥ nyāyavādī yathā vākyam ukto 'haṃ paruṣaṃ tvayā Let all the forest-dwellers who stand as witnesses hear me: though I speak justly, I have been addressed harshly by you. **3.43.29** dhik tvām adya praṇaśya tvaṃ yan mām evaṃ viśaṅkase strītvād duṣṭasvabhāvena guruvākye vyavasthitam Shame on you! May you perish now, in that you suspect me thus — me who abide by my elder's command — through that evil nature which springs from womanhood. **3.43.30** gamiṣye yatra kākutsthaḥ svasti te 'stu varānane rakṣantu tvāṃ viśālākṣi samagrā vanadevatāḥ I shall go where Kākutstha is; may it be well with you, fair-faced one; may all the forest-deities protect you, O wide-eyed one. **3.43.31** nimittāni hi ghorāṇi yāni prādurbhavanti me api tvāṃ saha rāmeṇa paśyeyaṃ punar āgataḥ For dreadful omens are appearing to me; may I, on returning, see you again together with Rāma. **3.43.32** lakṣmaṇenaivam uktā tu rudatī janakātmajā pratyuvāca tato vākyaṃ tīvraṃ bāṣpapariplutā Thus addressed by Lakṣmaṇa, Janaka's daughter, weeping, flooded with tears, then replied with fierce words: **3.43.33** godāvarīṃ pravekṣyāmi vinā rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇa ābandhiṣye 'thavā tyakṣye viṣame deham ātmanaḥ 'Without Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, I shall plunge into the Godāvarī, or hang myself, or cast my own body down from a precipice; **3.43.34** pibāmi vā viṣaṃ tīkṣṇaṃ pravekṣyāmi hutāśanam na tv ahaṃ rāghavād anyaṃ padāpi puruṣaṃ spṛśe or I shall drink virulent poison, or enter the fire; but I will not touch any man other than Rāghava, not even with my foot.' **3.43.35** iti lakṣmaṇam ākruśya sītā duḥkhasamanvitā pāṇibhyāṃ rudatī duḥkhād udaraṃ prajaghāna ha Thus reviling Lakṣmaṇa, Sītā, filled with sorrow, weeping, in her grief beat her belly with her hands. **3.43.36** tām ārtarūpāṃ vimanā rudantīṃ saumitrir ālokya viśālanetrām āśvāsayām āsa na caiva bhartus taṃ bhrātaraṃ kiṃ cid uvāca sītā Seeing her, wide-eyed, weeping, and stricken in appearance, the dejected Saumitri tried to console her; yet Sītā said not a word to that brother of her husband. **3.43.37** tatas tu sītām abhivādya lakṣmaṇaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ kiṃ cid abhipraṇamya avekṣamāṇo bahuśaś ca maithilīṃ jagāma rāmasya samīpam ātmavān Then Lakṣmaṇa, saluting Sītā, palms joined, and bowing slightly, and looking back at Maithilī again and again, the self-possessed one went to Rāma's side.