Lakshman looked angrily at Ram who stood with his head cast down, like a painted statue. Ram did not make any protest when Lakshman went reluctantly to make the pyre. Sita circumambulated Ram and went towards the blazing fire. Standing with folded palms before it, she said, “If it is true that my thoughts have been set on Ram and never swerved from truth, then let this fire, which is the witness to all minds, protect me. My husband thinks I am tainted. If I am totally innocent, so may the god of fire protect me. If I have never been unfaithful to Ram, in thought, word or deed, let the god of fire protect me. If the earth and the sky and the four quarters and the gods believe that I am sinless, let the god of fire protect me”.
So saying she went round the fire once and then flung herself into the heart of the conflagration. All the rakshasis who had collected there, set up a loud wail of protest. Wearing gold ornaments and yellow silk, Sita glowed like molten gold in the midst of the fire. Ram stood, as if carved out of stone with face fixed to the ground. Though his heart was breaking, he did not do anything to save her, who was dearer to him than his own life. At that moment the celestials came down and spoke to Ram: “How is it possible for you to watch Sita immolate herself in the fire? Dont you know that you are Narayana, the primeval Being and Sita is Lakshmi, your eternal consort. You are Vishnu and you were born to destroy Ravan. Now your task is accomplished and dharma is saved”.
As soon as Brahma finished speaking, Agni, the god of fire, stepped forward from the blaze with Sita in his arms. She was dressed in red and even the flowers she wore in her lustrous tresses were unsinged. “Here is your wife Sita, who is totally without blemish. She was never unfaithful in thought, word or glance. Believe me and accept this jewel among women”.
Tears flowed unchecked down Ram’s eyes and he said, “I know that my wife is as pure and chaste as unsullied snow. I never doubted her even for a moment, but if she had not undergone this ordeal of fire, people would have spoken ill of her and of me. They would have said that Dasharatha’s son, blinded by love for his wife, was willing to take her back even though she had lived so long in the house of another man. I knew full well that Sita would have been totally protected by her purity. Ravan could never have sullied her. Sita is to me, what splendour is to the sun. As a good man cannot abandon a good name so also I can never abandon Sita. If I spoke harshly to her and watched unmoved, when she entered the fire, it was only to vindicate her name before the eyes of all”.
So saying, he went near Sita and looked deep into her lovely eyes as he had been longing to do. When Sita turned her reproachful, tear filled, lotus eyes at him, Ram chided her softly so that none could hear, “0 daughter of the Earth! My beautiful Sita! How could you think even for a moment that I could have doubted you? Why do you think I trudged through the length and breadth of this country if I was not crazy for a glimpse of your bewitching face? Why do you think I faced the wrath of the demon king and risked my life, if I did not crave for you. My dearest love, I did it so that none could ever point an accusing finger at you”. Hearing this impassioned declaration, Sita was pacified and looked at him with all her love pouring out of her eyes. Thus for a long moment, they were lost to the world and gazed long and deep into each other’s eyes to the joy of all who were assembled there.
As they stood hand in hand, the gods brought Ram’s father Dasaratha so that Ram could see him and there was a happy reunion between the three of them. The celestials told Ram to return immediately to Ayodhya for the fourteen years were drawing to a close and Bharat was waiting for his arrival with great anxiety.
Thus ends the eighth Canto called “Trial by Fire” of the Yuddha Kanda in the glorious Ramayana of the Sage Valmiki.
Canto IX: Return To Ayodhya
Next morning Vibhishan came to Ram and said, “I have brought perfumed water for your coronation bath and sandal paste and silken clothes. Please accept them and make me happy”.
Ram smiled and said, “You may offer all these precious things to Sugriv, for my thoughts are all with my dear brother, Bharat. The way back to Ayodhya is long and hard and the fourteen years are coming to a close and Bharat has sworn that he will take his life, if I do not reach by the end of the stipulated time”.
Vibhishan said, “My Lord I will help you to reach in a single day. My brother Ravan took the aerial vehicle, called Pushpaka, from his brother Kubera. It was his prized possession. Please accept my hospitality for a few more days and then you can return to Ayodhya in this vehicle”. Ram was touched by his devotion and said, “Vibhishan I am well aware of your love for me but my heart yearns to return to Ayodhya and see my brothers and mothers and the people of Kosala, who must be anxiously awaiting my arrival. Please bring the Pushpaka immediately so that we can leave at once”.
The fantastic, flower-bedecked chariot, drawn by swans was brought, in readiness for their departure, and Ram, Sita and Lakshman got into it. Even though the Pushpaka was as big as a palace, Ram sat with Sita on his lap, much to her delight, with Lakshman beside him.
He looked at Vibhishan, Sugriv, and all the other vanaras and said, “You have been my true friends. I do not know in what way I can repay you for the love and devotion you have poured on me. Sugriv, please return to Kishkinda with your army. My blessings will always be with you. Angada, my dear child, I can never forget your prowess and as for you 0 Hanuman! We owe our lives to you. Now please give me leave to return to my own city. I have been in exile for so long that my heart yearns to return”.
Sugriv bowed low and said, “Lord, please give us leave to come with you to Ayodhya. We promise not to indulge in any act of destruction, as we monkeys are wont to do. After witnessing your coronation, we promise to return” All the others expressed the same desire.
Ram smiled at their eagerness to accompany him and their promise to behave themselves and said, “I am delighted at the thought that I will enter my ancestral city, accompanied by those who have helped me most. Sugriv, ask your people to get in”.
Now Vibhishan also requested that he and his friends be allowed to accompany him. Ram gladly gave his consent and the whole party got into the Pushpaka and still there was enough place in it for another army!
One of the most endearing things about Ram is his great love for all animals and birds. Monkeys, bears and birds wander in and out of the pages of the narrative, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Ram’s love and regard for his animal and feathered friends shows another unique facet of his character.
The divine chariot could hold all of them and it rose into the air effortlessly. Celestial flowers rained from the sky as it rose up. The vanaras shouted and whooped with joy, peering over the edge at the ground below, which fell at an alarming rate.
Sita’s face glowed with happiness and beauty as Ram pointed out sites of interest to her, through which they had wandered during their long and painful search. The vehicle landed on the other side of the bridge so that Ram could worship at the shrine of Shiva which he had consecrated before he set out. At that time he had made a vow to the three-eyed Lord that he would return and pay his obeisance along with his wife, Sita. After praying, Ram told Sita to have a good look at the wondrous bridge.
“There is the spot where the bridge was constructed. Now we come to Kishkinda, Sugriv’s fortress”.
Sita asked that the chariot may be brought down so that they could take Tara and Ruma, Sugriv’s wives, as well as the wives of the other monkey leaders.
So the chariot landed and the ladies joyfully joined the group. Later he pointed out Rishyarnukha, the place where he had met Hanuman for the first time. “There is lake Pampa, filled with lotuses where I was reminded of you so painfully and where we met the old ascetic-lady, called Shabari”.
“0 look Sita”, he said, “There is our ashrama at Panchavati where you were so cruelly captured. We abandoned it soon after, for I could not bear to stay there without you”. He remained silent for a few minutes re-living the painful scenes of that time and Sita buried her face on his shoulder and wept.
