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Sarg 21-Lakshman Opposes Kaikeyee's Orders 

Seeing crying Maa Kaushalyaa, Lakshman said - "I also don't like Raam going to forest just on a woman's saying. Raajaa always follows woman's words therefore his own knowledge is lost. He always obeys Kaikeyee. I don't see any other person speaking ill about Raam even indirectly. Can anybody who is so experienced in royal matters behave in this manner as if he has got his childhood again? I say make this your own kingdom before this is known to others. I am standing beside you to protect you and if somebody will come to face you, I will make Ayodhyaa without human beings through my arrows. I shall kill all those people who will be coming from the side of Bharat. It is true that a soft person is always disgraced.

If father will also be with Kaikeyee then I will also  arrest him and if need be, kill him. Even a vulnerable person is to be punished if he becomes arrogant, cannot make difference between evil and good actions and takes a wrong route. On what basis he has given your kingdom to Kaikeyee? By what capacity he can give this kingdom to Bharat?

Hey Devee, I swear by truth, by bow, by the act of giving and by the act of sacrifice, that I am the follower of Raam in every way. If Raam enters a blazing forest, I will enter it first."

Hearing Lakshman's words, Kaushalyaa stopped weeping and said to Raam - "Raam, If you agree with Lakshman, then whatever you do now, do with the consultation of Lakshman, and please do not leave me here after hearing Kaikeyee's unjustified words to me. You can practice the best morality living here and serving your mother too. Maharshi Kashyap also lived in his own house serving his mother and went to Swarg.

As Raajaa is respectable for you, I am also respectable for you, hence do not go to forest. Because if you will not be here, all these comforts are useless to me. It is good to eat grass while living with you, but if you went to forest leaving me here, I will die without taking food. If I fast myself to death for your sake, you will get hell, as the god of Ocean (Varun Devtaa) got for his unjust behavior to Maharshi Pipplaad."

Raam said to Kaushalyaa - "Maa, I cannot disobey my father. I bow to you and ask you favor to go to forest.  Kandu Rishi who was very religious and pious even killed a cow on his father's orders. Our ancestor Raajaa Sagar's sons dug the whole Prithvi on their father's order. Parashuraam cut his mother Renukaa's neck with axe in the forest at his father's orders. These and many others have not disobeyed their father. That is why I am also going to obey him I am not going to set any other example of conduct for your sake. I simply cannot do otherwise.

Then Raam said to Lakshman - "I am fully aware of your devotion and bravery, but you did not understand me, that is why you are troubling Maa and making me sad. Righteousness is the best in the world. Truth is established in righteousness. One who follows righteousness does not move from his promise to whether it is father, mother, or Braahman. Kaikeyee instigated me to go to forest on my father's words only, hence you leave this A-Dharm and follow righteousness."

 Raam again spoke to His mother - "I will definitely go to forest. So Hey Maa, Please permit me to go to forest, and bless me.  As Yayaati left the Swarg and went back to Swarg keeping the truth, in the same way I will also come back to Ayodhyaa after fulfilling my promise.  Maa, You, Seetaa and Lakshman should follow father's directions, this is our eternal custom (Sanaatan Dharm)."

Kaushalyaa came into senses after hearing Raam's cool words and said to Raam -  "In my own right I do not give you permission to go to forest, thus you cannot go away like this leaving me here in sorrow. Your proximity is better than all the living beings." Raam was in great anguish hearing such pathetic words of His mother. But at this time He was the only person who could think properly so He said to Lakshman - "I knew that you have a great strength, but now you are joining mother in afflicting me. In obtaining the good results of actions righteousness, utility and free will are considered. As a wife, who is obedient, who is beloved and who has good sons; good work yield these three things. Only righteous actions should be initiated leaving the ones in which wealth, desire and righteousness do not come together.

One who is after the wealth he is indeed fit to be hated in this world, and so also the one who only needs to fulfill his desire. When father, who is a king and an old-aged, command an action who is that righteous person who will not follow it? So I cannot avoid his orders In fact he is respectable to both of us. To Maa he is her husband, the resource person and the personified law. Raajaa Dasharath is alive and is following his righteous path, then how Maa can go out leaving the city with me like a widow. Please permit me to go to forest As Yayaati came back to Swarg, I will also come back here after completing my exile period. I cannot lose my reputation just for this inferior kingdom alone."

Thus Raam decided to go to Dandak Van convincing Kaushalyaa, and advising Lakshman and circumambulated His mother.

Sarg 22-Raam Convinces Lakshman 

Then Raam started explaining to His angry brother - "Lakshman, You should not be angry like this, hold back your anger and grief, keep patience and maintain your courage. Be happy. Abandon these arrangements made for my coronation and act faultless action. Show the same zeal in terminating my coronation, which you showed at the time of preparation of coronation. Behave in such a way that Kaikeyee shouldn't have any doubts. I do not wish to leave any doubt in her mind. I do not remember disagreeing with my father or mother, however small, any time, intentionally or unintentionally.

  If this coronation was not terminated then my father will be very sad and I do not want him to be sad because of me. That is why I want to go to forest immediately. Soon I have gone to forest, Kaikeyee can coronate her son peacefully. When I have gone to forest wearing Jataa and Tapaswee clothes (deer skin etc) she will be at peace. I do not want to create any kind of trouble to my father also who has taken this hard decision. Lakshman, See the destiny, it has taken kingdom from me and has sent me to exile. This is only my destine which has arisen this thought in Kaikeyee's mind.

You know that I also did not discriminate among mothers, and Kaikeyee also never discriminated between Bharat and me. This may be only by accident. If it is not by accident then how can she, born in royal family, think about me like this? Some ill-fate has befallen on her and me, that is all. And who is able to fight destiny? Even the great Maharshi have been harassed by destiny and ruined by lust and anger.

I am not at all worried on not getting kingdom. You also remove Raajya Tilak things. Let those pots of water, supposed to be used for my coronation, should now be used to bathe me to take the vow of being Tapaswee. But why that water should be used by me? It is royal property, I will use the water drawn by me only. Do not blame mother for behaving like this, she is under the spell of Destiny and you know the power of Destiny."

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