Every day Ram
sent few of his men to make a tour around the kingdom and know about the
welfare of his people and how they felt under his reign. One evening when his
men were telling him what they saw or heard in Ayodhya, a soldier quietly stood
on a corner. When Rama asked him what he saw or heard, he remained quite. He
was hesitant to inform the king about what he had heard. Finally he told Rama
that a washer man, while castigating his infidel wife, was saying, "I am
not a coward like Rama who would take back his wife even after she had lived in
another man's house for an year."
Rama was
shocked to hear the words of the washer man. He knew that his Sita was pure and
blameless, but how would he convince the masses of Sita's purity. He had to
take a step for the people of his kingdom reproached him and Sita for setting a
bad example.
Next day, he
called his counselors and asked them what the people of Ayodhya said about him
and Sita. The counselors reluctantly informed him of the slender attached to
his acceptance of Sita after get abduction by Ravana. They told him that not
everyone was convinced with the fire ordeal Sita has passed as a proof of her
purity.
Rama's heart
was filled with grief and his eyes were filled with tears. He called his
brothers and informed them about his decision to exile Sita. Both Bharata and Lakshmana
tried to dissuade Rama from his decision, but he said, "My duty as a king
is above my personal sorrow."
Rama them
ordered Lakshmana to take Sita to the forest and leave her there. So, Sita was now
to be send into a second exile. But in this exile, she was not only alone but
also pregnant. She had to endure the hardships of a forest life and the affliction
of staying away from her family yet again.
Weeping for
her Lord, Sita sat under a tree when Saga Valmiki saw her. He took her into hides
hermitage and looked after her as his daughter. In due course, Sita gave birth
to twin sons who were named Lav and Kush.
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