Rama leaves for the forest

1. 2.19. Book 2, Canto 19: Ráma’s Promise

   2.19.1Queen Kaikeyi has just told Rama he must go into exile. Rama, the prince who defeats his enemies, stays calm and is not shaken by her cruel words.
2. 2.19.2Rama agrees to go and live alone in the forest, dressed like a hermit with matted hair, so that his father's promise is kept. He only wants to know why the king seems so harsh today.
3. 2.19.3Rama asks why his father, the king, will not greet him warmly as before. He tells Kaikeyi not to be angry, because he truly means it: he will go to the forest as a hermit.
4. 2.19.4Rama says he could never refuse his father, who is his friend, master and king. His only pain is that his father did not tell him himself that he wanted Bharata, Rama's brother, to be king.
5. 2.19.5Rama says he would gladly give Bharata everything, even his wife, kingdom, wealth and life, without being asked. He would give it even more gladly if it saves his father's honor and makes Kaikeyi happy.
6. 2.19.6Rama asks Kaikeyi to free the king from his shame and give him peace. He also asks why the king lies on the floor looking down, with tears running down his face.
7. 2.19.7Rama tells Kaikeyi to send fast riders to her father's home to bring Bharata back. He will not question his father's words and will leave that very day for the Dandaka forest for fourteen years.
8. 2.19.8Kaikeyi is overjoyed at Rama's answer. Relying on the promise the king made her, she agrees to send the fastest messengers to bring Bharata home.
9. 2.19.9Kaikeyi pushes Rama to leave for the forest right now. She says that if the ashamed king cannot speak to him, Rama should forgive it and not worry about such a small thing.
10. 2.19.10Kaikeyi says the king will not bathe or eat until Rama has hurried out of the city into the forest.
11. 2.19.11The king cries out in grief and faints on his golden couch, and Rama lifts him up. Kaikeyi shows no pity and keeps urging Rama with bitter words, but Rama listens calmly and answers gently.
12. 2.19.12Rama says he does not want to live as a slave to money or gain. He wants to follow the path of right action like the saints, and would not even run from death to please his father.
13. 2.19.13Rama says that, of all duties, the most important is for a son to obey his father's word. Even without hearing it from the king himself, he will go to the forest for fourteen years if Kaikeyi says so.
14. 2.19.14Rama tells Kaikeyi she must think he has no goodness, since she asked the king for this instead of simply asking Rama himself. He will leave today, but first he will comfort his wife Sita and say goodbye to his mother.
15. 2.19.15Rama tells Kaikeyi it is now her job to make sure Bharata follows his father's command and rules the land fairly, as the eternal law requires.
16. 2.19.16The king hears everything, weeping loudly but unable to speak. Rama touches the feet of his fainted father and of Kaikeyi, though she did not deserve it, walks around them both in respect, and leaves the room.
17. 2.19.17At the gate, Rama finds his close friends waiting. His brother Lakshmana, son of Queen Sumitra, follows him with tearful eyes. Rama sees the vases prepared for his crowning that was supposed to happen that day.
18. 2.19.18Rama respectfully walks around the coronation vases without hanging his head or hurrying. Losing the kingdom does not dull his greatness, just as the moon stays lovely to people even as it shrinks.
19. 2.19.19Accepting exile, Rama gives up his claim to rule and shows no sign of worry. He refuses the royal fans and white umbrella used for kings, and sends away his chariot, servants, friends and townspeople.
20. 2.19.20Rama controls himself and hides the grief inside him as he goes to his mother's house to tell her the sad news. The cheerful people around him cannot see any sign on his face that his fortune has changed.
21. 2.19.21Rama has just lost his chance to be king, yet his face still shines like the autumn moon. He greets the crowd kindly in his gentle voice and walks to his mother's house.
22. 2.19.22His brother Lakshmana follows him, deeply upset but hiding it. Rama enters the palace, where everyone is happy and hopeful, knowing his news will destroy their joy.
23. 2.19.23Rama does not let himself break down. He keeps the terrible news to himself for now so that his loyal friends are not hurt by it yet.

24. 2.40. Book 2, Canto 40: Ráma’s Departure

    2.40.1Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana bow at King Dasaratha's feet and walk around him in respect. With the king's permission to leave, Rama and Sita honor the heartbroken queen.
25. 2.40.2Lakshmana lovingly bows at the feet of his mother, Sumitra. She tells him to take faithful care of Rama in the forest.
26. 2.40.3Sumitra tells Lakshmana that Rama is his protector in good times and bad. She says the younger brothers of their family always serve the eldest, give generously, and fight bravely.
27. 2.40.4Sumitra tells Lakshmana to treat Rama as his father, Sita as his mother, and their forest hut as his home city of Ayodhya. Then she blesses him and sends him off.
28. 2.40.5Sumitra wishes her son success, victory over enemies, and happiness, and hopes he comes home joyfully at the end.
29. 2.40.6Sumantra, the royal charioteer, joins his palms in respect and invites Rama to climb into the chariot. He promises to drive him swiftly wherever he wants to go.
30. 2.40.7Sumantra says Rama's fourteen years of exile in the forest must start today, because Queen Kaikeyi, who demanded the exile, is insisting he leave.
31. 2.40.8Once she is ready, Sita calmly climbs into the shining chariot. Rama and Lakshmana jump in after her.
32. 2.40.9The king had given Sita clothes and jewels to last the years away. The brothers pack hunting nets, weapons, armor, a leather basket and a spade into the chariot.
33. 2.40.10Sumantra drives the fast horses forward. As Rama leaves for exile, the whole city of Ayodhya is overcome with grief, and even the horses and elephants cry out.
34. 2.40.11People of every age rush to the chariot and cling to it, weeping. They beg Sumantra to slow down.
35. 2.40.12The people want one last look at Rama before he is gone for years. They say his mother must have a heart of iron to watch him go and survive it.
36. 2.40.13The crowd praises Sita, princess of Videha, for staying by Rama like his shadow. They praise Lakshmana too for faithfully serving his godlike, kind-spoken brother.
37. 2.40.14The people tell Lakshmana his firm loyalty will bring him success and lead him to heaven with Rama. Crying, they keep following the chariot of their beloved prince.
38. 2.40.15King Dasaratha, surrounded by his sad wives, hurries out crying that he must see his dear son once more. The women weep as he comes near.
39. 2.40.16The queens cry like female elephants whose leader has died. The great king looks troubled, like the full moon darkened by an eclipse.
40. 2.40.17Rama tells the charioteer to go faster and not linger, while the people cry out for him to stay.
41. 2.40.18Sumantra, the royal charioteer, has to ignore the people begging him to stop and drives Rama away. So many people cry along the road that their tears settle the dust kicked up by the chariot wheels.
42. 2.40.19The women weep, their tears falling like water splashed from lotus flowers by darting fish. King Dasharatha sees that the whole town shares one sorrow, and he collapses like a tall tree cut at the root.
43. 2.40.20The crowd following Rama's chariot sees the king faint and cries out loudly. They shout Rama's name and grieve for his mother, weeping around the sorrowing queens.
44. 2.40.21Rama looks back and sees his father lying weak and confused, and his mother running after him. Held by his duty to go, he cannot bear to look into his mother's eyes, like a trapped young animal that cannot face its mother.
45. 2.40.22Rama sees his parents, who should be riding in comfort, walking wearily after him. Their despair hurts him like a goad hurts an elephant, so he tells Sumantra to drive on fast.
46. 2.40.23Rama's mother Kausalya runs toward the chariot like a cow rushing to her calf. Rama keeps looking back at her as she cries out wildly for Sita, Lakshmana and her son.
47. 2.40.24The king shouts for the chariot to stop, while Rama shouts for it to go on. Sumantra is torn between the two. Rama says a long, drawn-out sorrow is the worst pain.
48. 2.40.25Rama tells Sumantra to keep going, and if the king is angry, to say he did not hear him. Sumantra obeys, sends the crowd back, and drives the horses at full speed.
49. 2.40.26The king's attendants turn back after honoring Rama, but in their hearts they stay with him. The king's ministers tell Dasharatha that following someone you hope to see return is useless.
50. 2.40.27Weak and downcast, the king listens to their wise advice. Still, he and the queen keep watching their son for as long as they can.