"Jo mai bolne wala hu usse accha hota ki meri mrityu ho jaati. Bhabhi, mere vachano ke karan mujhe dukhi mat hoyiyega." Lakshman said with joined hands and tear filled eyes.

Throughout out the way, Lakshman looked very grim, and reaching the banks of Ganga river, he was finally about to disclose the truth to her.

"Praja mei aapke virudh ayogya baate ho rahi hai. Bahut se log aapke charitra par prashn utha rahe hai. Mujhe pata hai ki aapka charitra ganga jal se bhi adhik pavitra hai. Kintu aapki aur praja, dono ki bhalayi hetu bhaiya ne mujhe aapko yaha chhodne ka aadesh diya hai. Ishvar kare aap Rishiyo ki iss bhoomi mei, apne anusaar sukh-shaanti se rahe." Lakshman said sobbing.

Devi Sita looked dumbstruck, she couldn't speak for a while. Tears were falling from her eyes like streams of river.

But she then regained her composure, reminding herself that she was Shri Ram's Sahadharmcharini, the partner in Dharma.

"Lakshman, tumne toh keval woh kiya jo tumhe karna chahiye tha. Aadarsh roop mei toh iss kshan mujhe apne praan tyaag dene chahiye, parantu meri garbh mei Nath ki santaan pal rahi hai. Mere liye aisa karna uchit nahi hoga. Lakshman, kya apne bhaiya tak mera ek sandesh pahucha doge ?" She asked.

"J-Ji." Lakshman nodded as tears freely rolled down his cheeks.

"Unhe bolna ki maine kaha - 'Hey Nath, mujhe pata hai ki aapko meri charitra ki pavitrata par purn vishwas hai. Aur aapko pata hi maine keval aapse prem kiya hai aur keval aapke hit mei karya kiya hai. Praja mei jo aapki ninda ho rahi hai woh mere karan ho rahi hai, iss liye aap par lage kalank ko mitaane ka uttardaitwa mera hai. Toh aap aise jeeye jisse praja mei aapki kirti aur pratishtha bani rahe aur mai waise jeeyungi jaise ek adarsh patni ko jeena chahiye, woh karte huye ho aapko swikaar hai.' Yeh sandesh apne bhaiya ko dena." Devi Sita said.

"Uchit hai." Lakshman said, crying even more now.

"Aur mera ek sandesh meri shiromani ko bhi dena. Usse kehna ki uski Sitey Maa ne kaha ki - 'Meri anupasthiti mei apne Pitashree ka dhyaan rakhna, kisi bhi paristhiti mei unhe tutne na de. Sadev unki aagya ka palan karna, aur sadev woh karya karna jinse use sukh aur yash mile. Unke iss nirnaye se krodhit na hona, tumse adhik Raj-dharm ki jatilta ko kaun jaan sakta hai ? Apni Pita ki durbalta nahi Shakti banna. Apni Chachishreeyo ko Mata ka sammaan dena. Mera aashirwaad sadev tumhare saath rahega.' Yeh use kehdena." Devi Sita said.

"Jaisi aapki aagya." Lakshman said, he was sobbing loudly now.

He touched her feet and took her leave, mounting on the chariot and leaving.

After he left, Devi Sita sat down and began crying even more profousely now. It seemed as though that the walls of a dam had broken and now the water was flooding.

Some young sagely boys saw her in this state and went straight to their Guru to inform them about her, who was quick to get on his feet and go to her.

He sadly looked at her crying form, much like the lamenting female kraunch bird he had seen some time ago.

"Devi ?" He called.

Devi Sita looked at him and quickly stood up, wiping her tears and joining her hands.

"Aap koi Brahmarishi pratit hote hai ? Apna parichaye dene ki kripa kare." She said humbly.

"Mujhe sab Valmiki kehte hai." He said.

"Pranaam swikaar kare Rishivar." She said bowing her head.

"Aap bina kisi aashraye ke pratit hoti hai. Kripya mere aashram ko hi apna ghar samjhe." Valmiki said.

Devi Sita looked at him a little unsure and he smiled at her.

"Aashraye swikar kare devi, aapke garbh mei Maharaj Ram Chandra ki santaan aur Ayodhya ka bhavishya pal raha hai." He said.

"Aapko kaise pata ?" She asked astonished.

"Pata toh aapko bhi sab hai, Devi." He said with a smile.

On the otherside, sitting on the chariot, Lakshman looked sombre and for the first time in life, defeated.

"Arya-sumant, bhaiya ke jeevan mei hi kyu itni kathinayiya hai ? Kyu virah ki vedna Bhaiya aur Bhabhi ko sehni padti hai ? Dono hi punyatma hai, sadev Dharm ka palan karte hai, dharm ki raksha karte hai, unn dono ne kisi ka bura karna toh dur ki baat, kisi ka bura socha nahi. Fir unke jeevan mei itna dukh kyu ?" Lakshman asked.

"Bahut samaye pehle ki baat hai Rajkumar. Rishi Bhrighu ki patni ne Asuro ko aashraye diya tha, krodhit hokar Narayan ne sudarshan chakra se unka sheesh kaat, adharm ki raksha karne ka dand diya tha. Jab Bhrighu Rishi ko yeh pata chala toh aavegh mei unhone Narayan ko shraap diya ki unhe bhi apni patni Devi Lakshmi ki virah ka kasht sahana padega. Iss karan Lakshmi-Narayan ke avatar, Sita-Ram ko bhi virah ki vedna sehni padegi." Arya-sumant said.

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A/N

You know something hits hard when Lakshman ji starts sobbing loudly~

And one reason why such situations arose and why Shri Ram had to let go of Devi Sita can be attributed to the curse of Rishi Bhrighu, which does find its mention in Valmiki Ramayan.