Rama, paused and looking at Lakshmana with disapproving eyes and said "Lakshmana, you know pretty well that despite my pointing out the difficulties, problems, hurdles, hazards, hassles and hardships of the forest life, Seetha has come in tow with me to Dandaka forest when I started for the peregrination. Now leaving her alone you have come here. I did not expect this kind of thoughtlessness from you. I consider this as an outright dereliction of duty.
"When I became forlorn on my leaving for Dandaka forest she stood with me as a partaker in my woes. She now is alone in the hermitage.
"Without whom I am disinclined to live even for a moment, such a Seetha who is like the daughter of deities and who is my life-force, has been left to fend for herself by you in the hermitage.
"I am not keen to rule either heavens or the earth, oh, Lakshmana, without the daughter of Janaka whose aspect glisters like gold. Vaidehi is dearer to me than my life. I sincerely hope that no harm has befallen her.
"When I am dead for the sake of Seetha and when you get back to Ayodhya alone, you will find that Kaikeyi very happy that her wishes are accomplished thus. Lakshmana, on the other hand, because of the death of her son my austerely mother Kausalya will humbly get into the servitude of Kaikeyi, anyhow!
"If Seetha, the princess from Videha, does not receive me with her usual gleeful smile on my arrival at the hermitage, oh, Lakshmana, then I could not live any longer. Say Lakshmana, whether Vaidehi is alive or not? Or, on your becoming unmindful of your guard is she consumed by rakshashas? She who is softish by her nature and youngish by her age has never experienced the despair of separation from me, and now by my dissociation she will be despairing brokenheartedly, so it seems.
"That impostor and highly impudent rakshash Maareecha who shouted loudly as, 'Oh, Rama, oh, Lakshmana,' might have caused apprehension even in you.
"Vaidehi must also have heard that voice which is similar to that of mine, and frightened she might have hastened you, and I hope you have come to see me now.
"At any rate you should not have left Seetha alone as the diabolical rakshashas, seeing her without any protection may do any harm to her.
"Raw-flesh eating rakshashas are distraught as I have liquidated Khara. Seeing Seetha alone those ghastly ones would have liquidated Seetha by now. There is no doubt about it. Lakshmana, what I can possibly do in the present situation?"
Then Rama looked at Lakshmana anticipating some explanation. But seeing Lakshmana was silent Rama pointedly asked his brother "I left her in the hermitage because you were were there to protect her from any harm. For what reason you came to me on abandoning Maithili?
"The ominous premonition I had earlier after that cry of that rakshash before dying, oh, Lakshmana, seems to have become a reality on seeing you, coming to me leaving off Maithili. Seeing your coming without Seetha at a distance my left eye twitched and my left shoulder pulsated, and oh, Lakshmana, my heart too fluttered."
Lakshmana replied "I have not come here of my own volition leaving her off either independently or intentionally. I left her alone because she virtually drove me out by her hurtful words.
"On hearing that grievous and agonized cry in your voice she shuddered with fear and wept passionately owing to her intense love for you and asked me peremptorily go and assist you. I told to her that no one, human, god or rakshash can cause panic to you and the cry was a hoax. I explained to her that someone, presumably a rakshas, mimicked your voice in this way and pleaded her to control herself. I further told her that my esteemed brother who can safeguard even gods and as such it was ridiculous to believe that that cry for help was his.
"I also told her that someone wanted me to leave the hermitage, leaving her unprotected must have mimicked my brother's voice.
"I further told her 'Enough is your slipping into consternation and you be undismayed. There is none in all the three worlds who are now alive, or going to be born, to defeat Raghava in any given battle of any terrible nature. My brother Rama is undefeatable even by all gods along with Indra in their van.'
"Probably due to her deep love for you she retorted tartly with tears running from her eyes 'Now I realize that you have been harboring only an impure and nasty perspective to possess me on the utter ruination of your brother. Now I know the reason why you are refraining to rush towards Rama even though he is inordinately yelling. It is now obvious that Bharata made some arrangements with you, and that is the reason why you have closely followed Rama in exile. You are an adversary of Rama comporting yourself in disguise, following him because of me, and waiting for a leeway from Rama. So, that is the reason why you are not rushing to Rama.'
"When Vaidehi spoke to me thus, I, suppressing my tears, hurriedly came out of the hermitage to you with anger reddening my eyes and trembling my lips."
Rama who was deluded by angst said "Your coming over here leaving her alone in the hermitage is not proper. In spite of the fact that you know that I am capable enough to foil the rakshashas, you have come out because of the angry words of Maithili. I am unable to justify your such action. The reason that you came out leaving her alone on hearing the bitter words of an angry lady is not at all acceptable. I resent your hasty action and I am not at all happy with you.
"Your action was completely contrary to my instructions which you totally disregarded. It is a dereliction of your obligations in every respect.
"By the way the deer was indeed a rakshash. He fell flat when my arrow hit him down. Before dying by the hit of the arrow he left the deer's body to become a piteously bewailing rakshash wearing bracelets and the like ornaments.
As a last act, mimicking my voice, he uttered those highly gruesome words, whereby you have come here forsaking Maithili."
Both Rama and Lakshman hurried and arrived in the proximity of the hermitage which seemed to be empty. Rama hurriedly entered the hermitage and searched for Seetha. Alas! there was no Seetha. Then he rushed out and went round the places of pastime of Seetha. No Seetha there either. And again he dashed in to the hermitage again only to find it empty. Then he rushed out to some other place of playtime of Seetha yelling and calling Seetha by name. Seetha was not found anywhere. It was clear that she was abducted.
"When I became forlorn on my leaving for Dandaka forest she stood with me as a partaker in my woes. She now is alone in the hermitage.
"Without whom I am disinclined to live even for a moment, such a Seetha who is like the daughter of deities and who is my life-force, has been left to fend for herself by you in the hermitage.
"I am not keen to rule either heavens or the earth, oh, Lakshmana, without the daughter of Janaka whose aspect glisters like gold. Vaidehi is dearer to me than my life. I sincerely hope that no harm has befallen her.
"When I am dead for the sake of Seetha and when you get back to Ayodhya alone, you will find that Kaikeyi very happy that her wishes are accomplished thus. Lakshmana, on the other hand, because of the death of her son my austerely mother Kausalya will humbly get into the servitude of Kaikeyi, anyhow!
"If Seetha, the princess from Videha, does not receive me with her usual gleeful smile on my arrival at the hermitage, oh, Lakshmana, then I could not live any longer. Say Lakshmana, whether Vaidehi is alive or not? Or, on your becoming unmindful of your guard is she consumed by rakshashas? She who is softish by her nature and youngish by her age has never experienced the despair of separation from me, and now by my dissociation she will be despairing brokenheartedly, so it seems.
"That impostor and highly impudent rakshash Maareecha who shouted loudly as, 'Oh, Rama, oh, Lakshmana,' might have caused apprehension even in you.
"Vaidehi must also have heard that voice which is similar to that of mine, and frightened she might have hastened you, and I hope you have come to see me now.
"At any rate you should not have left Seetha alone as the diabolical rakshashas, seeing her without any protection may do any harm to her.
"Raw-flesh eating rakshashas are distraught as I have liquidated Khara. Seeing Seetha alone those ghastly ones would have liquidated Seetha by now. There is no doubt about it. Lakshmana, what I can possibly do in the present situation?"
Then Rama looked at Lakshmana anticipating some explanation. But seeing Lakshmana was silent Rama pointedly asked his brother "I left her in the hermitage because you were were there to protect her from any harm. For what reason you came to me on abandoning Maithili?
"The ominous premonition I had earlier after that cry of that rakshash before dying, oh, Lakshmana, seems to have become a reality on seeing you, coming to me leaving off Maithili. Seeing your coming without Seetha at a distance my left eye twitched and my left shoulder pulsated, and oh, Lakshmana, my heart too fluttered."
Lakshmana replied "I have not come here of my own volition leaving her off either independently or intentionally. I left her alone because she virtually drove me out by her hurtful words.
"On hearing that grievous and agonized cry in your voice she shuddered with fear and wept passionately owing to her intense love for you and asked me peremptorily go and assist you. I told to her that no one, human, god or rakshash can cause panic to you and the cry was a hoax. I explained to her that someone, presumably a rakshas, mimicked your voice in this way and pleaded her to control herself. I further told her that my esteemed brother who can safeguard even gods and as such it was ridiculous to believe that that cry for help was his.
"I also told her that someone wanted me to leave the hermitage, leaving her unprotected must have mimicked my brother's voice.
"I further told her 'Enough is your slipping into consternation and you be undismayed. There is none in all the three worlds who are now alive, or going to be born, to defeat Raghava in any given battle of any terrible nature. My brother Rama is undefeatable even by all gods along with Indra in their van.'
"Probably due to her deep love for you she retorted tartly with tears running from her eyes 'Now I realize that you have been harboring only an impure and nasty perspective to possess me on the utter ruination of your brother. Now I know the reason why you are refraining to rush towards Rama even though he is inordinately yelling. It is now obvious that Bharata made some arrangements with you, and that is the reason why you have closely followed Rama in exile. You are an adversary of Rama comporting yourself in disguise, following him because of me, and waiting for a leeway from Rama. So, that is the reason why you are not rushing to Rama.'
"When Vaidehi spoke to me thus, I, suppressing my tears, hurriedly came out of the hermitage to you with anger reddening my eyes and trembling my lips."
Rama who was deluded by angst said "Your coming over here leaving her alone in the hermitage is not proper. In spite of the fact that you know that I am capable enough to foil the rakshashas, you have come out because of the angry words of Maithili. I am unable to justify your such action. The reason that you came out leaving her alone on hearing the bitter words of an angry lady is not at all acceptable. I resent your hasty action and I am not at all happy with you.
"Your action was completely contrary to my instructions which you totally disregarded. It is a dereliction of your obligations in every respect.
"By the way the deer was indeed a rakshash. He fell flat when my arrow hit him down. Before dying by the hit of the arrow he left the deer's body to become a piteously bewailing rakshash wearing bracelets and the like ornaments.
As a last act, mimicking my voice, he uttered those highly gruesome words, whereby you have come here forsaking Maithili."
Both Rama and Lakshman hurried and arrived in the proximity of the hermitage which seemed to be empty. Rama hurriedly entered the hermitage and searched for Seetha. Alas! there was no Seetha. Then he rushed out and went round the places of pastime of Seetha. No Seetha there either. And again he dashed in to the hermitage again only to find it empty. Then he rushed out to some other place of playtime of Seetha yelling and calling Seetha by name. Seetha was not found anywhere. It was clear that she was abducted.
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