143. Both the brothers held by the rakshash Kabandha.

                  Both the brothers were trudging through the off the beaten track of the thick forest. After crossing over that highly horrendous and dense forest, both those spryly energetic brothers moved ahead, speedily. Thereafter, they had to enter the highly thickset Krauncha forest. They entered it undauntedly and determinedly. Before the disappearance of Seetha, both the brothers were ambling (along with Seetha, of course) mostly for pastime and/or entertainment. Now they were walking purposefully as they had to find Seetha or at least some lead about her whereabouts. Those two brothers who were disquieted by the abduction of Seetha were now agog to find her, and they intently explored that forest. After passing over that Krauncha forest and on going further from there they came across another horrendous forest. After going further they saw a cave. When they went near the cave they noticed a rakshashi nearby that cave. She was massive in shape and misshapen in her face. She was pot-bellied, overblown, pachydermatous, head hair shaggy, body shape lumpy-bumpy, and she was going on eating massive beasts.
                     And that rakshashi saw the brothers, too. As Lakshmana was preceding his brother, that rakshashi saw Lashmana first and clearly and she did not care to see the other one, as she was terribly hit by the arrows of Kamadeva. She dropped whatever she was eating and rushed to Lakshmana and clung him fiercely  and told him "I am Ayomukhi, by my name. You won me by your heroic personality. You are the first male to attract me. Your are very lucky. I hereby pronounce that you are my lover, hero and my husband. Romance with me on the  mountaintops, in rivers, and on sandy isles, till the end of this life." Lakshmana became nauseated and furious, and upraising his sword he sheared off her nose, one ear, and one of her breasts. That rakshashi was terribly shocked by this act and ran out yelling with pain.
                The duo then traveled further into the forest and entered a very dense area of that forest. Lakshmana told his brother "Brother, my left arm is shuddering strongly and my heart is pulsating in the same way when I am in distraught. And something is troubling me. These forebodings seem to portend something bad to us is imminent. It is, however, heartening to see and hear this eerily dreadful bird known to be Vanjulaka is loudly ululating as though presaging our triumph in any given conflict that may ensue." 
                Almost immediately they heard a boisterous brouhaha which seemed to completely shatter down that forest. Both the brothers were quite piqued to note that the noise resembled an unbearable windstorm. When they were looking for the cause of that noise, Rama saw a giant-bodied and equally gigantesque-chested rakshash. At the same instant Lakshmana saw him, too. Then they both went near him to see him clearly.  What they saw was the waylaying rakshash named Kabandha, who had an overgrown body but without any neck or head. What he had was a big mouth in paunch and a couple of long, nay very long hands. And he
looked like a huge mountain. His hair was horripilating and thickset. His skin looked as if a dark cloud was covering his bodiless body, and his voice was like a thunder. He had only one eye on his forehead and the forehead was situated on his chest. That single eye with incisive and sharp-sight was broad beaming and wide angling, on which were winglike eyelids. That monster was now licking his giant mouth as he had just finished a good eats. His food was the highly brutal bears, lions, predators, and elephants, and he was outstretching both his loooooooong arms, each of which was stretchable to a yojana distance. Have a look at the imagination of an artist of that rakshash.

           
            That rakshash stayed waylaying the pathway of both the brothers, while catching bears, divers flights of birds, and numerous other animals, gripping them with both of his long-reaching hands and hauling them towards his mouth at his paunch, or dropping them off if they were unpalatable. On travelling a krosha distance, they saw Kabandha, whose body was colossal, and who was heinous and hideous, and who was like living trunk fenced by its shoulders and arms, and who by his physique was very deadly in appearance.
                Both the brothers were quite amazed to see the huge body (?) or should I say 'massive mass of flesh?' Before they could figure out what was happening, the loooooong arms of Kabandha snatched them both i.e. one in each arm. Holding them side-by-side in his fists he started wringing them with all his might.
                The action was so sudden the brothers were completely nonplussed. They could not reach for their swords or bows and arrows. They were stunned to see what had happened to them. However, Rama did not lose his composure, but Lakshmana became highly agitated and anguished. He told Rama "Oh, brother, I do not see how I could get out of the grip of this rakshash. I think that it is better you leave me and get yourself released from the hold of the rakshash somehow. Offer me as an offering to this mammoth creature, and you go and get Seetha. Please do not forget me when you return to Ayodhya and enthroned." Rama told Lakshmana calmly and composedly "Chillax, my dear chap. I am sure we will get out of this plight safely." Amused by this conversation between the brothers, Kabandha thundered "Who are you two? Your shoulders are akin to the bull-humps, and you are shouldering longbows and brandishing broad swords, how have you come to this place? Anyhow, I now have come across my most dainty morsel. Hope that you two will be better than the last one.
                "Anyhow, I am very much interested to know why and how you two chaps have come here. Tell me quickly. I am highly ravenous. Hope you two would taste as good as you look." 
===========================================================

142. Rama saw the fatally wounded Jataayu.

               After hearing Lakshmana, Rama's immediate reaction was a complete wonderment. Lakshmana, his dear brother very nicely, without anyway wounding his feelings, pointed out how erroneous his intended action was. Rama had to agree to the most expedient course of action suggested by his brother. Looking at Lakshmana very affectionately, Rama nodded and smiled. Then propping against his bedazzling bow asked Lakshmana. "I agree with you in toto, my lad. What shall we do now?" 
              Lakshmana replied "Firstly, let us search thoroughly this Janasthaana which is rife with many rakshashas, and replete with manifold trees and climber-plants.
             "Then let us try the mountains, glens and caves. There are divers and pernicious caverns tumultuous with diverse packs of predators. And we should not ignore the     mansions of kinnaraas and palaces of gandharvas."
            Rama totally agreed and they started roving the  forest. Then they beheld Jataayu who was completely covered by blood and was buckling. They did not recognize him. Rama told Lakshmana "That must be the one who killed and eaten my Seetha. It is apparent that this rakshash is hiding here in the semblance of a bird and is now reposing comfortably. I am going to kill him now." 
              When the ireful Rama rushed towards the bird, that bird spewing up frothy blood pathetically and looking at Rama and calling him by name. Then Rama recognized him and rushed to him. When he neared Jataayu, the bird said
"Oh, my boy Rama, thank god I am alive to see you. That rakshash Ravana stole your wife Seetha. I tried to rescue her. 
As I have became very old I could not. Ravana overpowered me. When I became overtired Ravana gashed my wings and flew skyward taking Seetha with him.
              "Somehow I lived to tell you the news. Now please kill me and relieve me of this agony."
               Hearing the news Rama's bow fell down. He was both relieved and angry. Relieved because he got the news about Seetha and angry because she was kidnapped by that rakshash, Ravana. He hugged Jataayu affectionatelly.  And he wept. With utter sorrow Rama told Lakshmana "I was deprived of my kingdom and I am sent into the forests. Now, Seetha is misplaced and the death of this bird. This kind of misfortune of mine would incinerate even Agni, the Divine-Incinerator. Even if it were to be a plethoric and limitless ocean, and now if I were to enter it, or take a swim to the other shore of blissfulness, even that Lord of Rivers would run
completely dry, owing to my misfortune, it is definite. There will not be any greater unfortunate being in this world than me, even if all the sessile and mobile beings are put together, by whom such a complicated catastrophic enmeshment as this is derived. This decrepit kingly eagle is the friend of my father and is terminally gashed and recumbent on the floor owing only to the backlash of my misfortune." 
             Thus lamenting in that way Raghava patted the body of Jataayu along with Lakshmana instancing his parental regard.
             On hugging that kingly eagle whose wings were hacked off and who were bloodstained, Rama murmured "she who is identical with my live,... where is my Maithili..." And Rama wept and collapsed on the  earth due to deep sorrow.
              Rama after recovering told Lakshmana "Lakshmana, this lofty bird fought for us and has been fatally wounded." Then looking at Jataayu with great concern and asked him kindly "Oh, Jataayu, please let us know how this thing has happened to you. What happened to Seetha? Why Ravana was taking my wife?"
              Jataayu with great difficulty replied. With a feeble voice he said slowly and haltingly "Ravana abducted and was carrying away Seetha. I tried to stop him. In our tussle he hacked both my wings when I was overtired, and went southward taking the princess of Videha, Seetha, along with him. 
            "That rakshash is the son of Vishravasa.  He is also a step-brother of Kubera..." He could not say anything beyond this. Looking at Rama he exhaled his last breath. The inert body of Jataayu collapsed onto the surface of earth.
             With a deep sorrow Rama told Lakshmana "This bird which for years together lived fearlessly in the Dandaka forest, a habitat of rakshashas, has been hacked to death, because of me.
             "As to how the celebrated and highly renowned king Dasharatha is venerable and honourable for me, likewise this lord of birds is also a venerable and honourable one to me. Oh, Soumitri, get the firewood and I will cremate this lord of birds who expired because of me. I will mount this lordly bird onto the pyre and cremate ." 
             Then Rama addressed the inert body of Jataayu "Oh, greatly mighty king of eagles, you were being the friend of my father and also that you lost your life because of me, I am cremating you as if I am your son. I sincerely wish that you depart to the unexcelled heavenly world destined for the virtuosos of Vedic-rituals, and for the practisers of ascesis amid Five-Ritual-fires, and for those who never retreated in combats."
              Rama then mounted that lord of birds onto the pyre and with deep sorrow incinerated that eagle in a flaring fire of pyre, as he would do in respect of his own deceased close relative. Then the brothers hunted a big and robust-bodied animal and offered it to the deceased soul of that bird. Drawing up the flesh of that killed animal and lumping it to gobbets, Rama placed those gobbets on pleasant greenish pasture lands as obsequial offerings in respect of that bird Jataayu. Rama then chanted Vedic hymns that were employed in such funerals of one's own paternal people, as it was believed that they lead the soul of the departed to heaven. Then both the brothers went to the River Godavari and with the water of that river performed ablution for that king of eagles, Jataayu.  Both the brothers then had their funeral baths in the waters of the river Godavari and then made water oblations to the king of eagles.
                That king of eagles Jataayu, who did a creditworthy deed of stalling and combating Ravana, but felled by that Ravana, went away to the merited and auspicious heavenly realms of his own, after consecrated by Rama.
                Then both the brothers started moving south to find the whereabouts of Seetha.
======================================================

141. Lakshmana restrains Rama.

               Lakshmana was completely nonplussed and bewildered on seeing Rama's reaction. Being very close to him from his babyhood, Lakshmana had, of course, seen Rama getting angry. However, the anger of Rama he was now seeing was something like that of the God of all Gods namely Rudra. With the view to pacify him, Lakshmana told Rams with folded palms "Dear brother, this anger, in my opinion, is quite unbecoming of you. In the earlier occasions when you got angry, you were self-collected and self-controlled and delighted in the well-being of all the beings. But presently, slipping into such a fury you are discarding your own disposition, which is unbecoming of you.
                 "You not only have the grandeur of the moon, the splendour of the sun, the motion of the wind and the composure of the earth but also an unexcelled honour.
                "It will not be appropriate to destroy all the worlds for a single knave's felony. It is unclear as to whose combat-chariot is this, or by whom, or by what reason it is shattered with its weaponry and paraphernalia. This place looks very ghastly. By the look of the grooves made by the hooves of ungulates and by the wheels of a chariot and the wet earth wetted by blood, it is very clear that a fierce combat took place here. No army seems to have been employed here. The combat seemed to be between two antagonists. In view of these evidence it does not seem to be appropriate for you destroy all the worlds for the misdeed of a single person. 
                "You have avowed yourself that you always will be the protector for all beings. No one can view the abduction of  your wife as an act of grace.  All altruists are good and kind to you.
                "Oh, Brother, the most sensible and proper course of action for us would be to search for him who abducted Seetha. I am sure the sublime sages in this forest will suggest some useful pointers in this regard.
               "Let us search the oceans, rivers and forests. And also divers dreadful caves and different lakes. Let us intently search all the worlds including that of gods until the abductor of your wife is located by us. In case any heavenly lord is not going to bestow your wife propitiously, despite our utmost humanly effort, then we will crush him and his world.
               "In case you with your traits of sincerity, solidarity, simplicity, and scrupulosity are not able to get back Seetha, then you may throw the whole of the universe to turmoil with the torrents of your arrows which have swift egress as they are with golden-handles which are stuffed with eagle feathers, and which mirror up the Thunderbolts of Mahendra in their trajectories." 
                 It seemed to Lakshmana that Rama did not seem to be fully convinced of his point of view. He therefore, decided to press his point of view more forcefully. Accordingly Lakshmana stooped and holding reverently and affectionately the feet of his dear brother and said "Oh, Rama, as gods have reaped ambrosia after a prolonged churning of Milky Ocean, you are a reap of King Dasharatha's superlative ascesis as well as by his superior acts of benevolence etc.
                 "Our father was an enlivener of all and that king was beholden only to your rosy endowments.
                "If you, a man of great grit is unable to withstand this anguish chanced on you, then how an ordinary individual whose boldness and courage is ordinary can withstand it.
              "You know very well that an evil doer cannot escape forever. Let us therefore think calmly and rationally. I am positive that we will surely get a lead.
               "Your blazing away all the worlds will also affect innocent people and you surely would not like them to be affected. 
               "Brahmarishi Vashishta, who is also the priest of our father, lamented for sometime when his hundred sons were killed by Vishvamitra; he did not take any retaliation against Vishvamitra (for the reason that those sons were destined to be killed by Visvamitra). 
                "This Mother Earth who is venerated by all animate and inanimate, and also by celestial beings, undergoes tremors and earthquakes every now and then.
                 "Even the great sun and the moon are eclipsed periodically. 
                 "You very well know that these things happen because of destiny. Even very great incorporates like earth and such like planets and even the gods and all corporeal beings, cannot avoid destiny.
                  "We do not yet know exactly what happened to Seetha, killed or kidnapped. It is not proper for you to become sad and/or worried about what happened to her, like any ordinary commoner. Start thinking rationally. Persons of your like who are always equable in their outlook, will remain calm and composed even when they are undergoing desperate straits, and they will not just sadden like this. 
                   "Oh brother, what I was telling you were told me by you on different occasions. As your thinking process seemed to have been stunted, I am just echoing your percipience and not a harangue or a diatribe.
                   "There is nothing you gain by completely annihilating all the worlds because of a single soul's malefaction. Let us find him out and destroy him."

===========================================================

140. Every cloud has a silver lining.

                  Both the brothers became highly desperate. They did not know what to do to find what happened to Seetha. Rama told Lakshmana "It seems that I did a lot of wrongs due to which I am now in such a plight. I am getting misery after misery.
             "I am deprived of the kingdom, departed from my own people, my father departed and I am detached from my mother, and Lakshmana, now Seetha is lost and I do not have any clue as to what has happened to her or where she is now.......". He continued telling Lakshmana what could have happened to Seetha, what she would have done and things like that. He also recalled some happy instances, incidents and anecdotes connected with Seetha. 
               In order to cheer up his brother, Lakshmana told Rama "Oh, noble brother, banish that anguish and brace yourself with fortitude. We will definitely get some clue soon."

             Rama just nodded and asked Lakshmana in a pitiable voice, "Lakshmana, go quickly to the River Godavari and see whether there is any indication of Seetha's going to the Godavari to fetch lotuses."

            Lakshmana immediately went again to the river Godavari. After some time he returned and reported to his brother that he again searched but there was no clue about Seetha. Then Rama himself went and made a thorough search. He could not find any clue.
            He told his brother "Oh, kind Lakshmana, this Godavari is talking to me anything but a reply regarding Seetha. Without Vaidehi, oh Lakshmana, how can I face the king Janaka or my mother Kasusalya. 

            "Lakshmana, look at those burly animals. They are looking at me as though to tell me something about Seetha." Then Rama facing those animals and asked them loudly "where is Seetha?"

            The animals then started acting in a strange way. They rose to their feet in a trice and facing themselves southward showed skyward with their snouts. And they ran in the direction in which Maithili was carried away and then stopped to look back at Rama. They repeated this a few times. Lakshmana guessed what the animals were trying to convey.

"Oh, Bro, See, those animals are pointing the southern direction. Let us go in that direction. I am sure that Maithili will be found or at least we will get some useful information about her."
            Rama agreed and both the brothers sallied forth to further south. After going some distance they noticed that the ground was bestrewn with flowers. They seemed to have fallen from a person. Seeing them Rama exclaimed "Lakshmana! I recognize these flowers. I gave them to Vaidehi and she tucked these very flowers in her bun. These flowers are carefully safeguarded by the sun, as they are not withered yet, by air as they are not swept by it, and by the glorious earth, too, as they are not spoilt by that, thus I deem that these naturals, sun, air, and earth are really very kind to me by proffering a helping hand to me."
               Rama then shouted at the mountain asking it whether it had seen Rama. The mountain answered by echoing the question of Rama. Rama then cried at the mountain that he will burn it down by his arrows.
             Rama then told Lakshmana "Now I will ask the river Godavari. If it does not answer me then I will dry it up."

            When there was no reply from the river, either, Rama took his bow and was getting ready to burn the mountain and dry up the river. When he was about to take an arrow from the quiver his eyes fell on some gigantic footprints of a rakshash as well as small and very pretty footprints, which Rama immediately recognized as the footprints of Seetha. The positions of the footprints of Vaidehi clearly indicated that she appeared to have run fearfully here and there in a helter-skelter manner. These footprints were followed by the large footprints. It was therefore obvious that the rakshash followed her. They also noticed a broken bow, broken quiver, and broken and variously bestrewn chariot. They also noticed many beads of jewelry and many bits of garlands of Seetha. Rama told his brother "See Lakshmana, many beads of jewellery and many bits of garlands of Vaidehi have indeed fallen down, and oh, Soumitri, they are strewn around. Also the surface of the earth is everywhere interspersed with big and small blood drops that are akin to golden droplets. Oh, Lakshmana, it seems that some rakshashas killed and eaten Vaidehi.

             "It looks that a fierce clash had occurred here, Soumitri. Was it between two rakshashas themselves on account of Vaidehi? Oh, Lakshmana, see the great bow studded with pearls and gems. This beautiful bow  perhaps belongs to some rakshash.
            "See this golden armor studded with lapis gem beads similar to the rising sun in its shine is splintered and fallen to earth. Look at this regal-parasol with a hundred spokes embellished with divine festoons. Oh, its central-shaft is wrecked and it is felled to earth.These ghost-faced mules with golden breastplates are macabre in form and massive in frame, but they appear to have been hewed down in a battle. See this combat-chariot is irradiant and similar in shine to the flaring fire with a pennon, but it is broken and battered down, as well.

               "These frightful looking arrows are gilded and they are as much as a chariot's axle in their thickness, but their arrowheads are shred and they are manifoldly shredded and strewn around.

               "Lakshmana, see these two quivers packed with arrows are completely shattered, and the charioteer is stone dead with whip and bridles still in his hands. I wonder whose charioteer he might be!

              "Evidently this is the modus operandi of a rakshash, and seeing this my animosity has grown hundredfold to eradicate them.

              "The highly stony-hearted rakshashas who are guise-changers by their wish have either abducted, or killed or eaten my saintly Seetha. It is said that rectitude saves such saintly persons, but that rectitude has not saved Seetha while she is being abducted.
              "Why is this happening to me? I try to be righteous, kind and just to everyone. Then how gods can allow such a thing to happen to me? I will now pack the heaven with my arrows in such a way that no one there will be able to make any move, whatsoever in all the three worlds.

                "I will make all the three worlds quiescent by completely blockading all the planetary bodies. I will make both the sun and moon stay put. Then everything will be overcast with darkness. Mountaintops will be completely pulverized, water receptacles will be dried out, and trees, creeping-plants and shrubberies will be destroyed, and oceans depleted, thus I will bring the triad of the worlds to naught. 

               "If the gods are not going to safely restore my dear Seetha to me, oh, Soumitri, then I will show them  what my blitzkrieg will be. No one will be able to fly high in the sky, oh, Lakshmana, as there will be a labyrinth of my arrows. Bombarded with my iron-shafts this world will be thrown to complete disorderliness, Lakshmana, you are now going to witness how the animals and birds will be dazed and devastated. Because of Maithili I will render this mortal world clean by killing all rakshas by my unstoppable arrows. Let the gods witness now the impact of the blazing and thorough going arrows of mine, projected by my wrath and released by my fury.

                "After the triad of worlds is completely ruined by my anger there will not be any god, rakshash or phantom. In fact, none will survive. Whatever worlds of gods, or monsters, or even those of rakshashas are there, they will be splintered and falling down apiece by the fusillades of my arrows. Whether she is abducted, or even if she is killed, oh, Soumitri, if the gods are not going to give back my Seetha I will now jeopardize these worlds with my arrows.

                "If my ladylove is not returned in a fine fettle as she was before my running after that Golden Deer, I will be annihilating the triad of worlds in its entirety, together with its mobile and static beings, and I will be scorching the entire universe with my arrows." 

                After thus spitting out his anger, Rama with his eyes reddening in fury and his lips jerking spasmodically, girded up his jute-cloths and deerskin and twined up the mass of his matted-hair. Rama then grabbed his bow and gripped it tightly and taking the appropriate missile (arrow) from the quiver told Lakshmana "Like all living beings cannot counteract the ageing, dying, fate and the Time at anytime, I cannot be contained when I am in a great fury.

               "If that princess of Mithila is not returned to me in fine fettle as she was when she was with me, then I will devastate the whole of this universe together with its gods, immortals, humans, floras and faunas, mountains and waters and all that."

===========================================================

139. Rama rues over the absence of Seetha.

               Rama did not know what to think or do. Horrendous thoughts flooded his mind. Has she been abducted? Or, has she gone out in search of me? Or, has some rakshash took her away? Total misery enfolded him. Seeing him so miserable, the trees of that woodland also seemed to be weeping, their flowers were witheringly weakening and their birds were weepingly warbling. All the animals were whiningly weeping. The entire woodland seemed to have lost all the charms and looked utterly shattered as its georgic deities had completely abandoned it. Rama was standing there not knowing what to do. He started weeping and went on weeping and weeping. 
                Rama could not ward off the various unpleasant thoughts as to what could have happened to his dear Seetha. 'Has that bashful Seetha been abducted by the grudging rakshashas, or slain by the very same grisly rakshashas, or savoured by some gruesome beasts, or else she strayed in this forest while looking for me? Perhaps she might have playfully shrouded herself in this grimly forest. Maybe she
has gone to pick-up some flowers or fruits, or again gone to the lotus-lake, or gone to the river for water.' 
              Rama then ran out and searched for Seetha from tree to shrub, from hill to hillock, from river to rivulet, and revolving around them he wailed for Seetha, as he did not find her.
              Like a madman Rama asked the trees "Oh, Kadamba tree, did you see a lady who is a lover of Kadamba flowers, one with a lovable face and a love of mine? Please tell me if you know.
            "Oh, Bilva tree, have you seen one who is dressed in yellowy-ochry silks, whose skin likens to the silkiness of thine leaflets, breasts to thine rotund and silky Bilva fruits?  Please tell me.
            "Thou Arjuna tree, if you know where is she, who is a lover of thine Arjuna flowers and the ladylove of mine, please tell me.  Please tell me whether that slender-waisted daughter of Janaka is alive."
             In this vein Rama was asking each and every tree and animal around the hermitage.
              Rama in utter misery looked at his brother and clasping his winning shoulders told him "Oh, Lakshmana, where could Vaidehi  go?  Soumitri, has anyone stole her away? If so who?"
              Then facing the woodland he cried "Oh, Seetha, are you hiding yourself behind trees wishing to poke fun at me? If so I declare and accept defeat; I am unable to find you. Finish your fun and games and come to me. I am unable to bear the anguish any longer."
              As there was no reply he turned to lakshmana and said "Really Lakshmana, I will not live long without Seetha. I am enveloped in high anguish caused by the abduction of Seetha, and this alone will kill me, and on my going to the other world my father and that great king Dasharatha will definitely deride me saying, 'when I have directed you for a fourteen years exile, and when you too have assuredly agreed and promised me for that term, how come that you are now in my presence in this ultramundane world without completing that term of fourteen years exile, besides breaking your own word of honour. You have therefore, become a willfully disobedient, despicable and dishonest person. And fie on you.'"
              Then turning to the woodland Rama cried "Anguish seared and bewildered me and I am woebegone with broken down buoyancy, and oh, beautiful lady, jilting such an woeful one as I am, where have you gone? Don't you know that I cannot live without you?"
               Rama was greatly affected by only one factor namely the absence of Seetha, whereas Lakshmana was triply affected by alpha - Seetha's absence, beta - his going out leaving her alone in the hermitage and gamma - seeing the misery of his dear brother. He thought that he should do something to alleviate the misery of his brother Rama. He thought that some diversion may do the trick. With that in view he told Rama "Oh, dear brother, there is no point in getting desperate. Let us make some efforts to find out where she has gone or at least try to get a clue as to what has happened to her. These mountains have many caves. May be she is in one of them. Both of us know very well that Maithili likes to saunter in the woodlands. We also know that she is even infatuated with waters. As such while sauntering in the forest she might have gone to the fully bloomed lotus-lake, or to the river that is adorned by the fast moving fishes. May be she is hiding somewhere just to know our reaction.
               "Dear bro, I strongly suggest that we start searching the forest in its entirety to locate her. Let us quickly do so. I am sure that you will agree that there is no point in getting disheartened." 
                Rama agreed. Then both the brothers started a thorough search for Seetha in the forests, on mountains, at riversides and lakesides. Alas! They could not find Seetha or even a clue as to where she might be.
               Lamenting this and that Rama languished owing to the abduction of Seetha and became a pitiable one. All the limbs of Rama fluttered, his faculties became non-functional, his fervor frozen, he became forlorn and flustered, and he sank down breathing heavily and crying repeatedly 'ha, Seetha...' with tears stifling his throat. Though Rama had many a kinsfolk who held him dear, now there was only one single one, namely Lakshmana, his most dear and obedient brother who was already anguished for Rama's sadness. 

              Rama was so depressed and anguished he started wailing and started talking inarticulately to Seetha "Flowers fascinate you very much, my dear, hence you veil yourself with the full bloomed branches of Ashoka tree, but that alone is amplifying my anguish because you both have presently become tormentors.

            "Maybe, both your thighs liken to the stalks of banana plants, thinking so, now you have lapped them in groovy banana plants; but I can distinguish which is which, thus now I caught sight of them, oh, lady, you are inapt at least to cover them from me. Oh, lady, you are facetiously glorying in the boscage of fully bloomed Karnikaara trees which is really a wafting worry to me, rather than the fragrance of those flowers oh, glorious lady, enough, enough is this facetiousness of yours. I am aware of your humour, lady, and I know that you are jocose, but in a place like hermitage unmerited is this sort of raillery, even if it is good-natured. Hence, you come back, oh, wide-eyed one, your cottage is empty."   

                Then turning to Lakshmana he said "Oh, Lakshmana, very evidently the rakshashas have either gorged up Seetha, or perhaps abducted her. Otherwise why is she not returning to me who is whiny indeed for her. Indeed these teary-eyed mobs of deer look as if to explain that the nightwalkers have gluttonised my lady. Ha! My graceful lady, to where you have strayed now... Ha! Chastely and best complexioned lady, now the ambition of my queen mother Kaikeyi will be fulfilled, as I will be breathing my last owing to your straying.

                "I have come to the forests with Seetha and have to go back to Ayodhya without Seetha. How, in all but name, can I step into an oblivion called my palace-chambers. People will denounce me as a vigourless and pitiless person, and my ineptitude will indeed be self-evident, for Seetha is led away from me by some tactical being. When the king of Mithila Janaka asks after the well being of all the three of us after the completion of forest living, how do I have the face to stand him?

                "On seeing me without Seetha the king of Videha will be distraught by the perishing of his daughter, and he will defiantly go under the preponderance of perplexity. Instead, I prefer not to go to the city Ayodhya that is ruled by Bharata, because it must be comforting to one and all under his rule, but not to me as Seetha will not be with me... else if, that end of my life occurs now and if I were to go to heaven, even that heaven will be a void to me without her. I believe so.

              "Hence, Lakshmana, you go back to that auspicious city Ayodhya forsaking me in forests, because I have no existence without Seetha! On tightly hugging Bharata you shall tell him that 'Rama authorises you to reign the earth.' Oh, Lakshmana, on revering my mothers Kaikey, Sumitra, and Kausalya  you tell them my good bye, and you as the one who effectuates whatever is assigned to you, you have to effortfully protect my mother Kausalya by doing whatever she says. Oh,Lakshmana, you shall clearly inform in detail about this demise of Seetha, also that of mine, to our mothers."

              Thus Raghava, the dejected, looked at every corner of the forest in his search, and bewailed because his dear Seetha was not found and missing from him. Even Lakshmana became wheyfaced, disheartened and highly overwrought, by the fear of uncertainty looming large on them.

=============================================================

138. Rama chastised Lakshmana.

                 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.

=========================================================

137. Worried Rama meets Lakshmana.

                You or I cannot rescue Seetha. Her husband Rama only can. What is he doing now and where is he?  Come, let us go and see him.
               Rama of course heard the last cry of that rakshash, Maareecha. As already stated, Raghava then killed another spotted deer and on taking its carcass, he hurried towards his hermitage. Rama was not quite sure why that rakshash cried so. However, Rama was sure that Maareecha cried so with some malevolent intentions. 'Is it something to do with Seetha? May be, but no harm will come to her as Lakshmana is guarding her.' Rama was thinking on these lines while he was returning hurriedly to the hermitage. While Rama was so hurrying anxiously to see Maithili, he heard a deafening howl of a jackal from his rear. On hearing that threatening and hair-raising howl of the jackal Rama became overly anxious about Seetha as he had heard that such a howl by a jackal was not a good omen. He could not help thinking "Huh! As to how this jackal has howled I deem that as inauspicious. Has some rakshash devoured Seetha? Both Seetha and Lakshmna must have heard the shout of Maareecha mimicking my voice. If Lakshmana believed that it was actually my voice he will instantly rush to my near. No. Lakshamana would definitely recognize it as a hoax. If Maithili listens, she will hasten him to go over here and Soumitri instantly would rush here leaving her off.
            "It is now very clear that Maareecha's becoming a Golden Deer was only to sidetrack and take me away from the hermitage, and his shouting words 'ha, Lakshmana, ha, Seetha,' is something to do with Seetha. Are the rakshashas collectively intending to do away with Seetha?
             "Hopefully both  Seetha and Lakshmana, in my absence are safe. Owing to my devastating Janasthaana I have become a harboured grudge for the rakshashas." 
             While Rama was rushing back to the hermitage doleful animals and birds were crowding him and circumambulating him  from his left side to right and letting off frightening shrieks. Rama was in the knowledge of the fact that such action by birds and/or animals were bad omens. It seemed that the birds and animals were trying to inform him of something bad.
            Then Rama saw Lakshmana coming towards him with a lacklustre face. Though Rama was happy to see his dear brother, was very apprehensive that he left Seetha. He reproached him saying "Lakshmana, your coming here leaving Seetha alone in the hermitage is deplorable. Oh, dear bro, I have a harrowing feeling that something is amiss. This has been accentuated by some inauspicious forebodings that have manifested themselves to me. I am very much apprehensive about Seetha. I shudder at the thought that some forest ranging rakshashas might have devoured her, or else they might have kidnapped her. Oh, dear Lakshmana, I hope that we will be seeing Seetha all intact and alive without any harm. 
               "By the way that deer was actually a rakshash. He led me off quite a distance and evading me very smartly and in irritation I killed him. While dying he rolled back to his original form of a rakshash.
               "Now I am feeling very uneasy. My heart is woeful and ipso facto I am woebegone; my left eye is also fluttering erratically. Oh, Lakshmana, these things forebode bad omens. Something seems to have happened to Seetha.  Has she been whisked away, or, wiped out, or, wandering around on a wrong way in search of me?"
=============================================================

136. Seetha imprisoned at Ashoka Vana.

                The dirty, unscrupulous, immoral and unethical words of Ravana fell into the ears of Seetha like boiling lead. She became very angry. She wanted to hit that Rakshash in such a way that it hurts him very much. She cannot shout which was not in her nature and not proper, either. With tears brimming both her eyes she was staring at her sari with her bend head. Suddenly she saw something sticking in her sari. She became curious and examined what it was. It was a blade of straw! For a moment she wondered how it got stuck into her sari. But that was quite immaterial. And she suddenly got an idea. She took that straw and placed it in front of her with a disdain in her face. Looking at the straw she said "Rama's father was a resolute king known as Dasharatha. That king was a kingly rampart for righteousness, a kingpin abiding in forthrightness and thereby his kingliness is well renowned in all the worlds, and my husband Rama is the son of such a king.
              "Apart being the son of such a great king Dasharatha, Rama in his own merit is highly renowned in all the three worlds for his ambidexterity and perspicacity. That son Rama is my husband and he is god to me.
               "He is born in the great Ikshvaku's dynasty and is himself a great-resplendent one with his shoulders like those of a lion. He along with similarly lion-shouldered and great-resplendent brother of his, namely Lakshmana, will surely come and squeeze the life out of you.
                   "If you had tried to take me in the presence of Rama, you too would have been killed by him and by now you too would be sprawling on earth, like Khara in Janasthaana.  As you do not have the guts to face him, you foxed him.
                  "If only you have the courage to face him then those gilded arrows of Rama will utterly batter your body, as the waves of River Ganga will be battering that river's riverbanks. 
                  "Even if you cannot be killed either by gods or by rakshashas, you will not be disenthralled by Rama while you are alive, for you hatched a very great animosity in him against you.
                 "That mighty Rama will become the terminator of the vestige of your life, and as with an animal fastened to the stake of sacrifice your life too will become irretrievable.
                 "If  Rama glances you with his rancour-torched eyes, you rakshash, you will be completely burnt down, as with Love-god burnt down by the Furious Shiva.
                 "Rama can hurl down the moon from the sky onto earth, or else extirpate it if need be. And he can desiccate an ocean to come and rescue me from here.
                 "Kiss 'good bye' to your liveability, your prosperity, your vivacity and  your faculty. Thus Lanka is going to be widowed by a single misdeed of yours.
                  "Your action to separate me from the propinquity of my husband, with a diabolic deed of yours will not result in any ultimate happiness for you.
                "The arrows of my husband will dislodge the arrogance, insolence, puissance and impudence from every limb of yours.
                 "Likewise, I am the solemnly pledged legitimate wife of one who steadied himself in righteousness, and such as I am, it is impossible for you, a basely rakshsash, to trespass or to touch me even. How a she-swan ever frolicking with majestic swans in bunches of lotuses can leer at a water-crow sneaking in a bunch of grass?
                 "Oh, rakshash, you may either trammel or vandalize this inertial body of mine. I claim neither this body nor life of mine as my own. But I am intolerant to bear with any disrepute on this earth." 
                  The reaction of Ravana was mixed. He was very angry and at the same time amused. He thought that in due course of time, with some persuasion and threat Seetha would agree to his wishes. He therefore said "Oh, angry lady Maithili, listen to my words. A period of twelve months is given to you. And, listen carefully, if you do not change your mind within that period, then the cooks will slice you to pieces for the purpose of a morning meal."
               Then Ravana told the rakshashis taking care of Settha "You do your best to kill her pride. Take her to the center of Ashoka Vana, where you all shall blockade and guard her stealthily.
             "You threaten her with dreadful admonitions and again speaking imploringly you all have to bring her under control, as a wild she-elephant of age will be brought under control."
               As per the orders of Ravana, Seetha was taken to the Ashoka grove. That Ashoka grove was surrounded with trees that yield fruits to every savour, and now they were diversely flowered and fruited. Further, those gardens were highly adored by all-time lusty birds. In the midst of the rakshashis, Seetha looked like a deer surrounded by tigresses.
              In the Ashoka vana, Seetha was seated under the shade of a large tree and all the rakshashis started to intimidate her. Seetha simply closed her eyes and shut her ears too (by mental will power) and started to reminisce about her dear husband and about her brother-in-law Lakshmana.  When she felt about the improbability of their coming here, she was distraught with alarm and anguish, and then she swooned.
=====================================================

135. Ravana proposed to Seetha.

                After dispatching those eight ghastly rakshashas, Ravana felt greatly at ease. He was exceedingly satisfied with what he had achieved and was quite amused in his heart of hearts that he had accomplished a great feat, that too in such a wonderful manner. Though he did not want to, but he could not divert his attention to something else from musing about Seetha whose thought was constantly tormenting him immensely. As his dear sis Shoorp correctly predicted, he was being excruciatingly and continually tormented with the arrows of the Love-god, Manmatha. He got a terrible urge to see Seetha.  He therefore got up and rushed to the beautiful chamber and beheld Seetha, who was surrounded by the rakshashis guarding her, was overwhelmed with ruefulness, her eyes were brimming with tears and she looked like one browbeaten and downtrodden. Seetha's face was downcast unwilling to see anyone or anything. Ravana thought that if she sees the grandeur of the palaces (outside and inside) she would become cheerful. He accordingly ordered the guards to lead her behind him. That paradisaical palatial residential complex of Ravana consisted of innumerable cupolaed skyscrapers, with thousands of females living therein, frequented by diverse bevies of birds, and comprised of numerous gemstones. The pillars were amazingly gilded with engraving of ivory, gilt, quartz, silver etc., and some of them were even embossed with diamonds and with lapis gems, which were highly pleasing to look at. The drumbeats of divine drums were echoing in the entire complex, and its archways were adorned with the gild of pure gold.
                 Ravana walked up the wonderful golden staircase along with Seetha. On the way up, Ravana was pointing out through the windows the rows of skyscrapers with windows that were made of ivory and silver, to Seetha. 
                Ravana flaunted the multiple stories of his own palace which was all over white-marbled and diamond encrusted. He continued to flaunt the wellsprings and leisure pools from which diverse flowers had sprung and overspread them. He felt sure that after seeing his wonderful, great, excellent, superb, marvellous, sensational and mega palaces and the contents therein, Seetha would be highly pleased and more than willing to become his dear wife. He told her with arrogance laced with quite a lot of lust "Oh, Seetha, I am the master of all the rakshashas in the world. There are thirty-two crores (i.e. 320,000,000) of first rated rakshashas in Lanka alone; and this figure does not include the weak, old and very young rakshashas.
                  For every single work of mine a thousand servitors will rush in eagerly. Such as I am, I pledge the entire life of mine along with the suzerainty of this sovereign land of Lanka to you, oh, broad-eyed lady, for you are loftier than my life. Oh, Seetha, you will become an empress for all of the those countless females of exquisite beauty, oh, dear, if only you marry me.
                "I do have numerous attractive, charming, comely, fine, beautiful, lovely and elegant wives. But none of them match your demeanor and allurement. There is no point in thinking of Rama. Marry me and I promise that you will be happy forever. 
               "If you think that Rama will come to rescue you, perish that thought. It is impossible to assail this Lanka even for Indra with all of the gods, as an ocean roundly enshrouds this Lanka which is hundred yojanas wide. There is no one to match my vitality among gods or yakshas or gandharvas or sages or anyone in any world. What do you expect from that dethroned, hapless, seer and vagrant Rama whose lifespan is very limited, for after all, he is a human with a very low vitality?
                 "Oh, Seetha, if you think sanely you will realise that it was a mistake that you married Rama. Touch your heart and ask yourself and you will surely get the answer that I am your most fitting husband. Shed your fallacious hypocrisy and apotheosise me who is your most seemliest husband. Oh, jumpy lady, I need not tell you that your youth is not permanent. Hence before you cease to be young accept me as your husband and let us enjoy all the blitheness together. 
               "Do not be thinking about Rama. He cannot come over here crossing the ocean.
               "By marrying me you will be ruling over this great empire of Lanka as the empress of Lanka. I and all the gods who are at present under my rule will become your royal stewards.  And all mobile and stationary entities of whom I am the ruler will become yours.
               "I am sure that you will be elated on marrying me and then will delight me. Wave your damnable dwelling in the forests bygone off as your bad luck. And what dutiable good deed is to be done by you in marrying me, you do that now, and secure the fruits of that good deed here by marrying me.
               "Oh, Maithili, here the fragrance of all the garlands are divine and the beauty of the jewellery is topmost. You will dress up with them along with me when you become my wife.
                "By my might I grabbed an aircraft known as Pushpaka from my brother Kubera in a war with him, which is similar to the great sun in its shine. That aircraft is expansive and exhilarating, also its speed is unimaginable. Oh, Seetha, in that you can cheerfully fly about along with me, after you marry me.
             "Oh, lady I assure you that your comely countenance, your shining lotus like visage which is quite immaculate, fairish and eyeful will all be brightened by marrying me. 
             "Oh, Vaidehi, it seems that you are embarrassed to consort with me. But what that is approaching you in the form of queen-hood is absolutely compatible with the tradition. Therefore shed your embarrassment and marry me.
               "Let these two feet of yours be massaged by my ten heads, for I am your subordinate and servant. Please agree to marry me."
==========================================================

134. Seetha drops jewellery at Sugreeva.

             Ravana did not seem to have heard the rattling of Seetha. She became utterly despondent. Without knowing what to do next she was simply looking down at the Mother Earth. Suddenly she noticed some five figures looking like humans gaping at them (i.e. Ravana and her) from a mountaintop. She realized that they were not exactly humans but vanaras and that they looked prominent and honest. On an impulse Seetha took out some of her auspicious ornaments in the upper fringe of her sari, bundled and dropped them in the midmost of those five Vanaras. She fervently hoped that 'these creatures will show them to Rama.'
Comment.
 Experts of Valmiki Ramayana have some different opinions in this regard. Some opine that Seetha tore her upper cloth and bundled the ornaments while some others feel that the whole of the upper cloth was dropped. The Indian sari worn by women of yore (say in the time of Ramayana) was in a different fashion, where they wore sari like the present day dhoti with pleated back stuffing like men, but they also used an upper cloth enough to cover their busts. A three-piece dress was a must, either to a man or a woman in India. It comprised of a loincloth dhoti or sari, and a shirt-like or a jacket-like bust cover, and an upper-cloth to hang on the shoulder to men or to muffle the bust for women. So some say the whole of upper cloth of Seetha was dropped bundled with ornaments.
End Comment.
               Fortunately Ravana had not noticed her action. His concentration was getting back home quickly and safely. However, he was concerned about the wailing of Seetha.  In case that Rama heard it he may be chasing him, or will chase him shortly. He was confident that Rama cannot follow him after he (i.e. Ravana) crossed the ocean. Once he reached his homeland Lanka he will be absolutely safe and secured. And he did cross the ocean down underneath and advanced facing the City of Lanka. Until then he was looking sideways and back to see if Rama or Lakshmana was chasing him. As they cannot fly like him or walk on the water he became much relieved.
               On going towards the city Lanka that had fine symmetrical  roadways, he then entered his own palace chambers in which royal servants were thronging at many doorways as that palace had very many chambers, naturally. 

Ravana placed down Seetha, whose eyelashes were blackish and who was in deep bewilderment caused by the whimpering, there in one of his palace chambers. He ordered the rakshashis guarding that chamber that no one should see Seetha without his permission. He further told them that whatever she wished to have, like gold, jewels, pearls, apparels or adornments should be given to her. He also told them that they should behave very courteously and submissively to her and  whosoever spoke unpleasant words to her in the least, either unknowingly or knowingly, her life would become unpleasant for herself." 

              Then he went to his personal chamber and sitting on his favorite couch thinking about the best course of further action. And he got it. He summoned eight highly vigorous rakshasas and told them "You immediately take all the assault weapons and and go to Janasthaana pronto. One human guy called Rama obliterated Khara and all his forces. I am sending you there as I know that you cannot be defeated. Stay in that Janasthaana which is now void of any rakshashas. 
             "That human Rama seem to bear some grudge against me. I for myself will rest in peace only on eliminating him who has eliminated Khara and Duushana. While you remain in Janasthaana you have to send me the information about Rama's activities and deportment. Do not go heedlessly against that human guy, for that Rama appears to be too dangerous, and on your going there heedfully, you have to continually try for the elimination of that guy.
              "As you have proved your mettle in war a number of times, I and sending you all to Janasthaana." 
              The eight rakshashas went to Janasthaana as ordered.
             Then Ravana felt immensely happy that he got Seetha and for the well-wrought action against Rama.
==============================================================