It didn't take long for Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughan to present themselves in the court.

Reaching there they were shocked to see Shri Ram grief-stricken with tears welling up in his eyes. The weight of Mukut had never been so heavy on his head.

"Bhaiya, sab kushal toh hai na ?" Bharat asked.

"Kuch kushal nahi hai, Bharat. Praja mei chaaro oor, Sita ke virudh baate ho rahi hai. Uss Sati-stree ke charitra par prashn uthaye jaa rahe hai. Mujhe iss baat ka bhaye tha iss liye Lanka mei maine Sita ko Agni-pariksha dene hetu vivash kiya, jisse koi uski pavitrata par prashn na utha sake. Kintu prashn uth gaye, Bharat, prashn uth gaye." Shri Ram said and stopped.

A whirlwind of emotions were raging in his heart, but he managed to control them to the best of his capabilities and maintained his composure.

"Praja ko apni Maharani par vishwas nahi raha.... Shigreh hi praja ko apne Raja par bhi vishwas nahi rahega..... Yeh Mai hone nahi de sakta. Yadi praja ko apne Maharaj par vishwas nahi toh woh nyaye hetu kiske paas jayenge ? Mere hote huye bhi meri praja toh anaath ho jayegi. Yeh Mai kaise hone de sakta hu ?" He said.

"Toh iska kya hal hai Bhaiya ?" Shatrughan asked.

"Raja hone ke naate mai swayam par prashn uthne nahi de sakta. Ek Pati hone ke naate mai apni patni par bhi prashn uthne nahi de sakta. Iss liye maine ek nirnaye liya hai. Mai Maharaj Ram Chandra, Maharani Sita ka tyaag karta hu." He said.

His lips were slightly quivering but he tried hard to maintain his composure.

"Lakshman, kal Sita ko Rajya ke seema ke bahar, Ganga ke tat ke aage wale van mei chhod dena." Shri Ram said.

"Aapki aane wali santaan ka kya ?" Bharat asked.

"Praja meri pratham santaan hai. Unse upar koi nahi." Shri Ram said.

"Bhavishya mei log aap par prashn uthayenge." Shatrughan said.

"Mere charitra par sahastra koti prashn uthe mujhe antar nahi padta. Sita ke charitra par ek prashn nahi uthna chahiye." Shri Ram said.

"Kya aapka yeh nirnaye sahi hai bhaiya ?" Lakshman asked in a low voice.

"Yeh dharm-sankat hai Lakshman. Mera koi bhi nirnaye sahi nahi ho sakta." Shri Ram said.

As he spoke this he choked on his tears, as they freely fell from his eyes. He couldn't hold it back anymore. He remembered how few days back, Devi Sita had told him her wish to spend time in forest and ashrams, at that time he told her that her wish shall be fulfilled.

But never in the wildest of his imaginations and dreams did he thought that her wish shall be fulfilled in this manner.

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A/N

I hope the stance of Shri Ram is very clear from the way this chapter was portrayed.

Also Shri Ram didn't abandon Devi Sita.... Maharaj Ram abandoned Maharani Sita.... There is a big difference.

And the decision of Shri Ram actually worked. Even now, who questions Mata Sita ? Everyone blames Shri Ram. He has created a sympathy for her.