Prof. Dr. Satya Vrat Shastri's Thai Ramayana 42, Lakshmana is unable to kill Sita

Lakshmana and Sita left Ayodhya as ordered by Rama and entered the forest. Sita in total agony urged Lakshmana to quickly finish the job his brother had wanted done. She said she could not understand her husband's anger as she had never thought of another man. 'The lord of the worlds is my husband. Janaka, the best of seers is my father. A child, perpetuator of the family is in my womb. .., Fate has reduced me to this dreadful and miserable condition.'

She told him, one who looked upon her as his sister, 'My death will repose me in great peace, if I attain it from your hands.' Lakshmana was deeply distressed and felt he had no power to kill her. Sita noticed his distress and thinking that he lacked courage to kill, provoked him, 'Why are you, O Lakshmana,  not killing me? Seeing a woman even ascetics become infirm. If some improper thoughts has arisen, do away with it. You cannot overpower me by force.'

This provocative speech angered Lakshmana and he also thought, 'Sita has come to the forest along with me. If I do not kill her, there will be a new scandal about me.' He also reasoned that in any case it was his brother's order and he had to carry it out! He made his tender heart firm and forcibly drew his sword to attack  Sita who stood before him ready to give up her life. But his sword missed her and fell on the ground. He tried again and failed.  Thinking that seeing her was probably the reason he could not strike her, he closed his eyes and swung blindly with all his might. He again missed and fell unconscious. Probably the sword could not kill an innocent person or it was the chastity of Sita which became a strong shield and protected her.  

Sita  resurrected him with effort and Lakshmana unable to speak, with his face hung down,  very slowly moved back towards the city. On the way he saw a dead antelope. He extracted the heart from it and gave it Rama and said 'I have obeyed you and have done as you directed me to do.' Rama saw the heart and still full of hatred spoke, 'The heart of Sita is as ugly as that of a beast.'  Having spoken these words he became silent. That suspicion should persist in his mind was something strange.

Raghunath said...

Thank God he(Rama) didn't have the benefit of DNA technology! He would have realised that the heart was not human