Sita's tiff with Rama

Rama then went to His own apartment

To see the queen of His Heart’s compartment

Pondering on things He had to do

Before starting towards the nature’s zoo

He talked within Himself about His future

That a desire for kingdom He must not nurture

“On my return if I dispute for the royal kingship

That would spoil between brothers, the beautiful kinship”

“Bharatha by then would have ruled for fourteen years

Gaining people’s good will and dispelling their fears

It would be like uprooting a fruit yielding tree

To sow a seed out of mere mental spree”

“Bharatha, on my return, will embrace me

And make me his advisor for ever to be

Incase, like Kaikeyi, if Bharatha changes

I would go serve father in the Himalayan ranges”

He thought so because it was a regular trend

For Kings to become ascetics at the end

Entrusting their kingdom to a worthy one

And to live on mountains renouncing comfort and fun

Thinking about His future life

He walked towards His beloved wife

There, Sita greeted Him with the broadest smile

Asking Him where He had been all this while

Sita did notice that Rama was not very casual

His smile and look were not like usual

She couldn’t get the intimate look He normally gave

And that child-like smile creating a joyful wave

Rama silently took her hand and made her sit

Then told her the story His fate had knit

Sita understood the cause of Rama’s thinking

And made her decisions before a blinking

“So Dear Lord, when are we starting?

Forest life would be delightfully startling!”

“Sorry my girl, it’s not going to be, ‘we’

Life in the forest is only for me”

Now gentle Sita was deeply disappointed

From Rama her life, she felt, she was disjointed

She always thought herself to be body and Rama its soul

Now, in the belief she had, Rama had driven a hole

What hurt her most and tortured her rough

Was that Rama had not understood enough

About the kind of love she had for Him

And that He had thought of her love as just a whim

She felt the very meaning of her life to be crushed

From the eyes that adored Rama, angry tears gushed

For the first time in her life she decided to fight

To demand from her Husband and get her right

“When did you and I become two?

Why do you take a pledge, you can’t live up to?

How did you decide that I am the lowly kind?

Who’ll let her husband to the forest and stay behind”

“In the comforts of the palace, enjoying life

Not taking part in her husband’s strife

I’ve always thought of me as your inevitable part

But look at the place you’ve given me in your heart!”

“Is that all? Or is there more?

Words of mistaking you have, to pour!”

Rama asked her with a witty smile

That never bore a trace of guile

“What is the pledge you are talking about?

On my earnest intentions you create doubt”

On seeing His smile, her turmoil vanished

But the sulking she did was not yet finished

“Did we not pledge during our marriage day

That like the sun and its light we would stay

Always with each other in pleasure and pain

Sacrificing for each other, individual gain”

“I haven’t said anything that contradicts our oath

What I propose is good for both

I thought if you stay back, you’ll take care of mother

While I spend my life in the forest, honoring my father”

“By which both of us are sharing my duty

And also at heart the longing and pity

I never said that you’ll be happy without me

I only requested you to bear the separation for me”

Sita was determined not to give up her thought

Reasons favoring her request, in a minute, she brought

“Mother will have my three sisters here

And also your three brothers, why do you fear?”

“In the jungle you’ll be all alone without joy

Wandering here and there like an orphan boy

How could I leave you thus and be content

Fighting on a daily basis, fear and ferment”

“Dear, taking you along would not be a wise man’s act

To live in the jungle one needs skill and tact

The forest is full of wild and dangerous creatures

And a climate that would spoil your beautiful features”

“Dear Lord, have I spoilt your happiness any day

Or did I by mistake hurt you in any way

Why do you come up with reason after reason?

Why don’t you just be frank and stop this treason?”

“I think you don’t like to see my face

Please do tell me, if that is the case

I’ll disappear from your life without a trace

But please, don’t put me through this separation phase”

“When you lift your bow and tighten its string

What harm can wild creatures and demons bring?

While you are not here to look at my face

What good is for me my beauty and grace?”

Rama did not know how to explain

All He wanted was her to remain

In the comforts of the palace from physical strain

And just wait for Him, which would not go vain

He did not want His angel, to walk the difficult road,

Who was the best of the gifts, His life had bestowed

He always kept in mind that she was a king’s daughter

And therefore the comfort she deserves must not falter

So, He decided to take a stance very strict

Hoping in His heart that He could restrict

Sita from insisting on joining Him

And spoke with an expression serious and grim

“Girl, I am happy about your love for me

But some obedience in you, I like to see

Please let me go without a talk

And bid me a smiling farewell, as I walk”

Sita now started to cry so bitter

For a moment she lost words to utter

She then became furious like a tigress

With much more vigour she started to regress

“You are a coward I would say without much deliberation

To protect your wife you show so much hesitation

My father only wanted a strong young man

Failing to realise, strong men can’t what a brave man can!”

“Even frail ascetics live with their wives in the woods

Protecting their beloveds under their hoods

But You! Strong one! Belonging to a Kshathriya clan

Like the meek and weak you propose your plan”

Rama was not provoked by her remark which was tart

He knew those words came from a loving heart

Anyway He stood His grounds, firm

And insisted she bear the separation term

“You call me a coward I don’t care

For your well being is what I always care

You stay, while I cross the country’s border

To my dutiful wife, that’s my order!”

Seeing Rama could not be moved even by contempt

Sita who was desperate made her final attempt

“This order from you is completely unfair

Why do you cause me difficulty and despair?”

“This cruel order of yours, I am unable to abide

I am also unable to be at your side

Failing in either way, I wish not to live

Hence, my life to death, I’ve decided to give”

“Before crossing the border of this nation

Please do perform my ritual cremation

I will jump off the window and smash my head

So that before you start I will be dead”

Saying thus Sita rushed towards the window

Whatever she wanted, Rama decided to endow

He pulled her to Himself with a smile, amused

From Sita’s desperate heart despair diffused

Rama wiped off her tears that flowed with joy

And appreciated her for her ploy

“You’ve defeated me with your determination

I am happy to see your relentless dedication”

Sita thanked Rama for His consent a million times

And apologized for the fuss a zillion times

She cried, cried and cried endlessly

And fell at Rama’s feet selflessly

“Drunk by your love, I knew not what I did

Your decision though right, I had to forbid

For I wish not to live away from your side

Hence obedience to you, I was unable to abide”

“Me defeating you is nothing but an exaggeration

Even if I did, I did it with your limitless compassion

Forgive me, for this unavoidable tiff

For being adamant, stubborn and remaining stiff”

“There is nothing to forgive, for you were not wrong

I am blessed to get a wife who loves me strong

Give away everything, all that you have got

To our maids and servants, before we start”

Sita gave away all her jewels in gleeful delight

With joy in her eyes that were glowing bright

She also gave her fine costumes away

For attachments to things, she had kept at bay

After giving away all that they possess

Sita and Rama changed to simple dresses

Lakshman by then had made his decision

And fell at Rama’s feet, seeking permission

He caught hold of Lord Rama’s feet

And spoke his wish, very concrete

“I do not know to talk like my sister-in-law

Trying to convince you with words, I may flaw

I have decided to cling on to your merciful leg

Until you sanction me, the gift I beg

Please do allow me to come with you

And give me the privilege of serving you”

Rama accepted the request without a word

Lakshman got ready fetching his arrows and sword

Thus Sita and Lakshman persuaded in joining Ram

Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!