After Bharatha's departure, Rama left Chitrakuta. Dwelling in
the proximity of Ayodhya, he feared, might encourage
people to come across the river and persuade him to return
home. He felt that such encounters would dilute the value and
purpose of his renunciation. He decided to move farther into
the forests. Though Lakshmana had built at Chitrakuta a hut
with mud, bamboo, palm leaves, wood, and other materials
available in the forest, and decorated and brightened the
floor and walls with colored earth (so well designed and
constructed that Rama was constrained to ask in admiration,
"When did you learn to be such a fine house-builder?")
Rama left this beautiful cottage and moved on. In the course
of their journey, they came upon several sages residing in
their ashrams, all of whom received Rama's party as
honored guests. Among these were Athri and his wife
Anusuya, who gave all her jewellery and clothes to Sita, and
compelled her to wear them then and there. Rama went on
to Dandaka forest, and then on to Panchvati (on the advice
of Sage Agasthya). On the way he noticed, perched on a
rock, Jatayu, the Great Eagle. Jatayu explained to Rama that
although he was now in the form of a bird his origin was
divine. He proved to be possessed of extraordinary ripeness of spirit and wisdom.
He had been a great friend of Dasaratha at one time, associated with him on battlefields;
they had been so close that at one time Dasaratha had
remarked, "You are the soul, I am the body. We are one."
Rama was happy to meet a contemporary of his father's in
this remoteness. Jatayu also welcomed him as his foster
parent. When he learnt of the death of Dasaratha, he broke
down and swore to end his life. But Rama and Lakshmana
pleaded, "Having lost our father, just when we found solace
in meeting you, we cannot bear to hear of your ending your
life. Please desist." In deference to their wish Jatayu
promised to live at least until Rama could return to Ayodhya
after his term of exile, meanwhile taking upon himself the
task of protecting them, especially Sita, during their sojourn
at Panchvati. He led the way to Panchvati on the banks of
the Godavari, suggesting, "While I fly, follow me in the
shadow of my wings."
When Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita reached the Godavari
River's bank, they were enchanted with their surroundings.
Rama felt a great tenderness for his wife, who looked
particularly lovely adorned with the ornaments given by
Anusuya. Rama glanced at her whenever a beautiful object
caught his eye. Every tint of the sky, every shape of a flower
or bud, every elegant form of a creeper reminded him of
some aspect or other of Sita's person.They reached Panchvati, set in sylvan surroundings in the
proximity of the river. Lakshmana, adept as he had proved to
be, had already gone ahead and created a home for them
with clay, thatch, leaves, and wood, enclosed with a fence,
and affording protection from sun and rain, and privacy for
Rama and Sita. Again Rama was delighted with his
brother's engineering and architectural genius, and entered
his new home filled with a sense of wonder. For all its idyllic
charm, and in the joy of companionship of Sita, Rama never
lost sight of his main purpose in settling down in this region
—he had come here to encounter and destroy the asuras,
the fiends who infested this area, causing suffering and
hardship to all the good souls who only wanted to be left
alone to pursue their spiritual aims in peace. Rama's whole
purpose of incarnation was ultimately to destroy Ravana, the
chief of the asuras, abolish fear from the hearts of men and
gods, and establish peace, gentleness, and justice in the
world.
And so one evening, when he noticed in the woods,
amidst the creepers and plants in his front yard, a damsel of
the utmost beauty, he became wary. The damsel's anklets
jingled at her feet when she walked, her eyes flashed, her
teeth sparkled, her figure, waist, and bosom were that of a
chiselled figure. Rama, even the austere Rama, was struck
by her beauty. As she dallied at his gate, he stood staring at
her in wonderment, and when she flashed her smile at him
and approached him half-shyly, Rama said, "Oh, perfect one,you are welcome. May you be blessed. Tell me who you are,
where you have come from, who are your kinsmen, and what
you are doing, so accomplished and beautiful, in this
solitude? What is the purpose of your visit here?"
"Here I answer your question with humility. I am the
daughter of Sage Visravas, son of Pulastya, who was
Brahma's own son; half-sister of that friend of Lord Shiva,
Kubera, the wealthiest man and the most generous in all the
worlds, who lives in the north; and direct younger sister of
one at whose name gods in heaven and emperors of this
world tremble, and who once tried to lift Mount Kailas itself
with Lord Shiva and Parvathi on it. My name is Kamavalli."
Rama asked in surprise, "Do you mean that you are
Ravana's sister?"
"Yes, I am," she replied proudly.
He concealed the many misgivings that stirred in him and
asked, "If you are Ravana's sister, how have you come to
possess this form?"
"I abhorred the ways of my brother and other relations and
their demoniac qualities; I abhor sin and cruelty and prize all
virtues and goodness; Iwant to be different from my kinsmen
and I have earned this personality through constant prayers."
"Oh, beauty, will you explain why, when you happen to be
the sister of that overlord of three worlds, Ravana, you have
not come surrounded with attendants and bearers, but allalone, unescorted?"
She answered, "I have chosen to reject evil-doers such as
my brother and the rest and thrown my lot with those who are
saintly and good; and I shun the association of my own
people, that's the reason why I'm alone. I have come alone
now—mainly to see you… . I want help from you. Will you
grant it?"
"Tell me your purpose. If it's right and proper, I'll consider
it."
"It's not proper for a woman of breeding to state her
innermost feelings, but I dare to do it, driven to desperation
by the attacks of the god of love. Forgive me …"