Sita Names Separation as the Greatest Sorrow
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 64
Doha 64 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ram's enchanting counsel fills Sita's eyes with tears. Words meant to cool become burning moonlight to the chakravaka bird because they carry the wish to leave her behind.
Vaidehi cannot answer at first. She restrains tears, gathers courage, falls at Kausalya's feet, joins her hands, and asks forgiveness for the impropriety of speaking.
Ram's counsel seeks her highest good, she acknowledges. Yet after deep reflection she has found no sorrow equal to separation from the beloved. Sita does not dismiss forest hardship; she weighs every hardship against divided life and names the greater pain.
At Kausalya's feet, Sita answers every forest danger with the one suffering she cannot survive: separation.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनि मृदु बचन मनोहर पिय के। लोचन ललित भरे जल सिय के।। सीतल सिख दाहक भइ कैंसें। चकइहि सरद चंद निसि जैंसें।। उतरु न आव बिकल बैदेही। तजन चहत सुचि स्वामि सनेही।। बरबस रोकि बिलोचन बारी। धरि धीरजु उर अवनिकुमारी।। लागि सासु पग कह कर जोरी। छमबि देबि बड़ि अबिनय मोरी।। दीन्हि प्रानपति मोहि सिख सोई। जेहि बिधि मोर परम हित होई।। मैं पुनि समुझि दीखि मन माहीं। पिय बियोग सम दुखु जग नाहीं।।
Hearing the gentle, enchanting words of her beloved, Sita's beautiful eyes filled with tears. How did that cooling counsel become a burning pain? As the autumn moonlight scorches the chakravaka bird through the night. No reply came from the stricken Vaidehi (daughter of Videha), for her pure and loving lord wished to leave her behind. Forcibly holding back the tears in her eyes, the daughter of the earth gathered courage in her heart. Falling at her mother-in-law's feet with folded hands, she said: 'Forgive me, O goddess, for this great impropriety of mine.' 'My lord and life has given me the very counsel that would bring about my highest good.' 'Yet I have pondered deeply in my heart and seen that there is no sorrow in this world equal to separation from one's beloved.'