Sri Rama's Ashwamedha Yaga went on for several days in grandeur. Poor people were given food and good clothing to their heart's content. Brahmins and rishis were pleased with the generous gifts and money. On the final day when all the rishis were gathered together in the evening, Valmiki asked Lava and Kusha to recite his 'Ramayana. Another disciple of his played on the flute pleasingly. It was a night of the full moon. The two boys sang the 'Ramayana' to the accompaniment of the flute. The recitation went on all night. The rishis and the Brahmins who had assembled there were overjoyed. The sages and Brahmins, being so pleased, gave gifts to the boys. Valmiki was over whelmed with joy at this appreciation of his poem and of the recitation by his disciples.

During the night when Lava and Kusha were singing, Sri Rama was lying down on the open terrace of his palace. He heard the song of the boys. It was like nectar to him. He sent for the boys the next morning. When they came there, he requested them to sing the 'Ramayana' again. As they sang and as he listened to the story of his own life, he was very pleased. He shed tears whenever there was mention of Seethadevi. Alas, how much had she suffered! She had married him; what happiness had the marriage brought her? Her whole life was full of trouble and sorrow. Sri Rama wiped his tears; hardly able to speak, he asked the boys, "Who are you?’

"We are Seethadevi's sons and disciples of Valmiki," they said.

Sri Rama was stunned at the mention of Seethadevi. 'Did Seetha, whom I sent away to the forest, give birth to these children? Are they then my own sons he thought. He sent for sage Valmiki at

once. When the Rishi arrived, Sri Rama heard from him the story of those two boys in detail. He was very eager to get back Seethadevi and begged Valmiki to fetch her. He gave the assurance that she would again be his queen.

Valmiki sent his disciples to fetch Seethadevi from the ashrama. When Seethadevi arrived, Sri Rama said to her, "Seetha, swear before all the sages assembled here, that you loved me alone and are in truth a virtuous woman. Let the minds of all those who doubt you be cleared. Then I shall take you back." Sage Valmiki protested. He said to Sri Rama, "Lord Rama, Seetha is the most virtuous of women. Please do not test her again and again. Why should she again swear before this gathering? Her mind is already greatly hurt. Do not pain her again. You are verily Lord Mahavishnu, the great Protector of the Universe, and she is your divine consort, Mahalakshmi. Let there be no further test."

But Sri Rama did not agree. He said the test was needed in order to remove the suspicion of people.

Seethadevi felt ashamed. She stood with her head bowed. Tears flowed like a stream from her eyes. All the gods came down from heaven to witness the test of this most virtuous woman. Before all those gods and the rishis, Seetha prayed to the Earth Goddess, "O Mother Earth, if it is true that I have never thought of anybody but Sri Rama, receive me in your arms. O Mother Earth, if it is true that I have always worshipped only Sri Rama, then please receive me. If my words are true at all, O Mother Earth, receive me in your arms."

As Seethadevi uttered these words, the Earth burst open, and a throne rose. Bhoodevi, the Goddess of the Earth, was seated on the throne, which was held up by four serpents. Bhoodevi drew Seethadevi into her arms and embraced her. In a moment, both disappeared into the earth with the throne. The earth, which had opened, closed again.

Seeing Seetha vanish underground, Sri Rama was in great misery. He wept loudly. Seetha was the daughter of Bhoodevi. She had again entered the mother's womb. Sri Rama prayed to Bhoodevi, his mother-in-law, to give his wife back to him; he blamed himself, craved for Seetha, and raved angrily. But it was all in vein.

Then Brahmadeva, the Lord of the Creation, appeared to him and soothed him. "Sri Rama," he said, "You -are no human being, but Lord Narayana. You were born a human being to kill the demon-king Ravana. That mission is over; you must now get back to your own world of Vaikunta. Your wife Seethadevi awaits you there as Lakshmi."

Sri Rama realized that these words were true. His sorrow subsided. The assembled gods and sages were filled with wonder. After some days Sri Rama left the earth and returned to Vaikunta.