SITA"S SECOND EXILE 0

Sita raised her two sons in the forest. Under the guidance of Saga Valmiki, they learnt the scriptures and the art of using various weapons. Lav and Kush grew into wise and brave boys, skilled in the art of archery and sward fighting. Valmiki also taught them the Ramayana. With their enchanting and melodious voices, Lav and Kush sang the Ramayana in Valmiki's ashram and the nearby villages.

On Saga Agastya's advice, Rama decided to perform the Ashwamedha yagna in Ayodhya to establish his sovereignty over the surrounding lands. Saga Agastya told him, "Get a white horse, worship it and leave it to wander freely. Wherever the horse goes; your soldiers should follow it. Your army would have to fight against the king who dares to stop it and challenge your sovereignty."

Rama invited renowned sages likes Vashishta, Kashyap, Valmiki, Jabali and others for the yahna. Vibheeshan and his ministers, Sugreev, Hanuman, Jambuvan and others were also invited. Rama thought that all from his family and friends would be gathered at this great yagna except for his wife Sita. So he ordered for a gold statue of Sita to be made. During the yagna, Sita's golden statue was placed by Rama's side.

Rama's horse freely moved from one land to the other. From wherever the horse passed, people came in huge crowds to welcome it and acknowledge the supremacy of Rama. But few who tried to stop it were defeated by Rama's army.

At last when the horse came to the banks of River Ganga, Lav, not knowing the significance of the horse, stopped it and tried it. Lav challenged Rama's soldiers to defect him if they wanted to free the horse. Lav, skilled in the art of warfare, severed the arms of the soldiers when they tried to free the horse.

Lakshmana was furious when he saw his injured soldiers. He then sent his most skillful generals to defect Lav. But none of these generals could withstand the powerful arrows of Lav.

After the defeat of the generals, Hanuman was sent to fight Lav. When Hanuman saw this tender looking boy, he could see in him the image of his dear Lord. But still obeying the command of Rama to destroy all who stop the horse, Hanuman uprooted a tree and threw it on Lav. But Lav shot a volley of arrows and cut the tree into pieces. Then finally Lav shot a special arrow at Hanuman, and he fell down unconscious.

When Lakshmana came to fight Lav, he shot powerful arrows at Lav which were all neutralized by him. For a short span, Lakshmana became unconscious by an arrow shot by Lav. But when he regained consciousness, he hit a deadly arrow at Lav who fell down unconscious.