Verse twenty eight of the Ramayana Chaupai
Samaachaar suni Laxman aaye, Dhanush baan sang param suhaaye
O hearing the news Laxman came armed with his supreme bow and arrows
Bole sang chaloongaa Raam
O say Ram, we will go together
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
Laksmana, Rama's ever vigilant and valiant brother, makes all haste to join the unfolding drama. He is at the ready for the journey ahead. There is no question that he has already set out for the arduous venture into the woods with his beloved brother and sister in law. However, he politely and cheerfully asks in his intense brooding manner, brow furrowed and eyes wide, “Dearest brother please say that you will take me and your beloved with you. You are the wellspring of our will to live! Surely we will both die malnourished if we remain here without you.”
Raam Lakhan Mithilesh Kumaari, Ban jaan kikari taiyarri
O Ram Lakshman and the Princess of Mithilia left to prepare for the journey to the forest
Rath mein baith gaye sukh dhaam
and spend the last night in the joyful land
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
The blessed three make preparations to leave for the forest that very night. It was a very simple mater of exchanging their royal attire for the clothing of an aesthetic hermit. Gold bracelets, crowns laden with jewels, and necklaces of precious stones were replaced by prayer beads, sacred threads, and hair of matted locks bundled together on the crown of the head for the brothers, and a veil for the beautiful Sita. Dazzling white and gold robes were discarded for simple orange cloth made of course fabric and tree bark. King Dasharatha, however, insists out of guilt for the wretched state of his beloved daughter in law, that she take a few articles of jewelry. The heroic pair of Rama and Lakshman took their mighty divine bows and arrows they received from their journey as youths with Sage Vishwamitra.
Avadpuri ke sab nar-naari, Samaachaar sun byaakul bhaari
O all the men and women of Ayodhya heard the news with distress in their hearts
Machaa Avadh mein ati kohRaam
all in Ayodhya felt the loss of Lord Ram
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
Adorable Lord Rama, blessed Sita, and valiant Laksmana finished with preparations and quietly enter the royal chariot driven by Chief Minister Sumantra. They made their way through the streets of Ayodhya in the dead of night. They did not make it very far before the citizen's houses lit with candle light like fire spreading across branches in a bonfire. They quickly surround the royal vehicle demanding that they too follow their beloved prince into the forest. Glorious with words of dharma and compassion, dearest Rama tried his best to remind them of their duty and beloved life in the grand city of Ayodhya. Still, the people insist that they too leave the city accursed without their Lord despite Rama's every effort to dissuade them. They follow him through the outskirts of the city till the early morning hours until finally Lord Rama and his party stopped for rest.
The people follow their darling prince, taking sleep on the hard sandy ground filled with pebbles and thorny plants. They spoke no complaint as they were with their beloved, falling asleep with surprising ease. Barely few hours had passed when Rama and his party awoke stealthy embarking once again on their journey, stirring not one of the dear Aryans, noble people, from their rest as they were blissful in the arms of their dearest Rama. Blissful as their dreams were, when they finally awoke their agony was just as great. They waled aloud, “Lord, we can not live without your love and goodness lighting our days! So much greater than the sun and more vital than the breath! We will surely die without you!” Some citizen eventually turned to anger at the very one they loved so dearly. It was they who encourage the others to return to the city. They claimed that no Lord worth his title would abandon a people that loved him so much, and that they were better off without him. Many said this with tears in their eyes betraying their dishonesty to themselves. But what could they do to carry on?
As the aspirant moves along the spiritual path they develop detachment and dispassion from material objects and physical situations. Seekers realize that it is more inline with spiritual progress to live simply and in harmony with nature. Cravings for food and sense objects, anger and excitement fade away like clouds in the sky to reveal the pure blue sky of consciousness and truth. One naturally wants to deepen their experience of bliss and contentment, happiness for no reason. More advanced study is needed, which requires more time and effort put into a practice that is not supporting worldliness. The lines of what is good and bad becomes fogy in the mind, and there is a great movement to keep the aspirant in place, in routine of the familiar and worldly way of life.
Lord Rama (Knowledge, Soul, Truth), Sita Devi (purified intellect, discrimination, devotion), and Laksmana (dispassion, will, selfless service) are the qualities that the sadhaka, spiritual practitioner, takes when going to the forest, deeper spiritual practice. The king, queen, head minister, and all the citizens of Ayodha represent attachments and desires to various habits and belief systems that have served the seeker well up until this shift of need for spiritual enlightenment. These beloved friends and family, patterns in the mind, are hard to let go of, but the aspirant has all the qualities one needs to continue to advance on the spiritual path. The opportunity arises from the selfishness of the very mind that does not want to let go. Queen Kaikeyi's betrayal of the wishes of the king and the people of Ayodhya are not in isolation. She is afraid of being removal from the system which has supported her for so long. This system is Ayodhya and its rule, though very helpful to a certain point of development, the higher faculties of the mind develop as Lord Rama, Sita, and Laksmana.
There is a deeper need than all the riches and comforts of the Kingdom. Noble Lord Rama, embodiment of dharma, has come to uphold those ideals which support the life of the very kingdom or mind which gave birth to him. This Empire of the Sun now rejects him as he does not conform to its selfish desires represented in the Queen Kaikeyi. This is a natural progression as we grow, we need to let go of what is no longer helpful. However, dear schoolmates who move away, stuffed animals that wear out, luxurious houses that fall apart, expensive to maintain cars, family members that grow old and pass away, and so many other instances encourage our growth in letting go. I have often wondered if the greatest lesson in life was learning to let go and make the best of what is before us. Lord Rama shows us the dharmic way to act in these difficult times of letting go. Focus on the bright side. I will learn from sages and saints, and our benevolent mother nature in the forest. I will learn to serve Ayodia better and return in 14 short years. He embraces those that need embraced and gives kind words to those who need them, yet remains firm and positive in his demeanor at all other times. This is the best way to help those around us through difficult circumstance. The inner dialogue we have with ourselves when the mind is having trouble letting go for the more enlightened path needs such an approach for its own wellness. It knows this deep down in the heart of hearts.