- King Dashrath had to command his son to go into exile. Mother Sita said she wished to go with Rama to serve him. Rama denied as his father had commanded him to go alone. Mother insisted. Rama asked her to take permission from his father and mother.
She was never attached to Rama but served him eternally. Mother had to go as she was about to be abducted in the divine drama. - Lakshmana could not think of leaving Rama for a millisecond. He asked Rama. Rama said to Lakshmana that he should take permission from his mother. He went to Mother Sumitra. Mother Sumitra asked him to take permission from Mother Sita as Lakshmana wished to go to the forest with his true mother, Mother Sita. He asked Mother Sita. She shook her head and agreed.
He was not attached to Rama. But, he had to go as he was the one who could kill Meghnatha. He didn’t eat and sleep for fourteen years, and the strengths of such penance could abolish Meghnatha. - The time of the grand departure arrived. Lakshmana had to take permission from Urmila, his wife. Lakshmana asked her if he could go to the forest without her. She replied boldly and agreed. She asked him to remain untroubled for her. She promised to practice intense virtues for the next fourteen years and vowed to stay unstirred in the Oneness.
- Even Urmila did not eat and sleep for fourteen years and practiced intense penance.
- After renouncing the royal robes, Rama, Mother Sita, and Lakshmana left the palace. They paid respects to their elders and walked barefoot. Mother removed all her embellishments except a ring that possessed Rama’s Name.
- Sumanta, the charioteer, was appointed to drop Rama, Mother Sita, and Lakshmana at the borders of the forest. King Dashratha thought that Sumanta would bring his sons back as that was a child’s play. But, when Rama, Mother Sita, and Lakshmana deboarded the chariot, they asked Sumanta to return to the palace. Sumanta insisted but in vain.
- When King Dashratha didn’t find his sons and daughter-in-law, he enunciated Rama’s name and left the physical abode.
- He didn’t utter the name while feeling the presence, rather he was attached to his son. That event of death was pre-destined as he was cursed by the blind parents of Shravana Kumar (they were on their way for a pilgrimage) when he shot the young boy perceiving him as a deer. The parents cursed and said that he would succumb to death in the absence of his beloved sons.
Everything is predestined. If we go with the flow, we will enjoy everything. Attachments are injurious to health (be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual).