Sri Rama’s anguish

Finally they reached the southern ocean and  Sugreeva made the army to halt at the sea-shore, stretched with trees.

Sri Rama spoke to Lakshmana as follows:

शोकः च किल कालेन गच्चता हि अपगच्चति |
मम च अपश्यतः कान्ताम् अहनि अहनि वर्धते || (Yuddha Kanda 5th Sarga 4th Sloka)

"It is so said that sorrow gets vanished at the passing of time. But my agony of not seeing my beloved is getting increased every day.”

बह्व् एतत् कामयानस्य शक्यम् एतेन जीवितुम् |
यद् अहम् सा च वाम ऊरुर् एकाम् धरणिम् आश्रितौ || (Yuddha Kanda 5th Sarga 10th Sloka)

"Oh, Lakshmana! It is enough for me that Seetha and myself are resting on one and the same earth and on this fact alone I am able to survive. “

कदा नु राक्षस इन्द्रस्य निधाय उरसि सायकान् |
सीताम् प्रत्याहरिष्यामि शोकम् उत्सृज्य मानसम् || (Yuddha Kanda 5th Sarga 19th Sloka)

“When shall I bring back Seetha, having lodged arrows in Ravana's chest and having abandoned this mental agony?"

कदा शोकम् इमम् घोरम् मैथिली विप्रयोगजम् |
सहसा विप्रमोक्ष्यामि वासः शुक्ल इतरम् यथा || (Yuddha Kanda 5th Sarga 21th Sloka)

“When shall I thrillingly abandon this terrible anguish, born out of my separation from Seetha so soon, as we abandon soiled clothing?"

Lakshmana consoled Sri Rama, who was overwhelmed with anguish.

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It can be understood from the above episode that Sri Rama, who ponders well before beginning to act, expressed his great eagerness in getting back his dear wife Seeta at the earliest.

At no point of time, till his meeting with Seeta after the death of Ravana, he was depicted expressing his desire to give up Seeta as she was residing in Ravana’s house.

As far as I understood, from the day Seeta was abducted to till the time war is completed Sri Rama had been depicted by Sage Valmiki as being anxious to get back Seeta. Except in AGNI PARIKSHA episode, he never behaved in that manner.

As per Srimad Ramayana, Sri Rama did not ask Seeta to prove her chastity by AGNIPARIKSHA. Sri Rama disowns her and asks her to seek shelter elsewhere.  Then the infuriated Seeta offers herself to FIRE TEST.

Here the question arises as to whether Sri Rama could have behaved in that manner and disowned his dear Seeta?

As far as I understood, I firmly believe that Sri Rama's high standard of thinking will not allow him to do in such a way.

The UTTARA KANDA has its roots in AGNIPARIKSHA. If the AGNIPARIKSHA is for the people of Ayodhya, What purpose does it serve if it was carried out in Lanka?

According to UTTARA KANDA, Sri Rama ruled Ayodhya for 11,000 years and Seeta was sent on exile to forests only after completing 10,000 years. 

Everybody who participated in the War, i.e., Sri Hanuma, Vibhishana, Sugreeva, Angada and host of Vanara army, etc, came to Ayodhya to witness the Coronation ceremony of Sri Rama. They were witness to what transpired during the exilement.

 And, the people of Ayodhya came to know about what transpired, including abuduction of Seeta and war in Lanka, during the 14 years of exilement of Sri Rama and others.

Hence, in my view, the episode of Sri Rama giving up of Seeta and the later entering into fire (AGRI PARIKSHA) are all insertions made at a latter date (PRAKSHIPTA).