Answer
The first point we should understand is that the Ramayana describes the transcendental pastimes of Lord Ramachandra and His eternal associates.
What does it mean that these pastimes are transcendental?
It means they are entirely beyond the material modes of nature and are meant solely to manifest transcendental bliss. Therefore, we should not judge these pastimes according to ordinary material standards by asking whether they are fair or unfair, just or unjust, happy or miserable.
Such judgments arise from a material perspective and cannot properly explain the Lord's transcendental activities.
The Ramayana, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Mahabharata are all transcendental scriptures describing the divine pastimes of the Supreme Lord.
Lord Rama and Lord Krishna are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose very nature is eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss (sat-cit-ananda). Every one of Their activities is an expression of transcendental happiness and ultimately produces transcendental bliss for Themselves and Their pure devotees.
Sometimes, however, these pastimes appear to resemble ordinary human experiences.
For example, after Mother Sita was abducted by Ravana, Lord Ramachandra searched for her and lamented, saying, "O Sita, where are you? I cannot live without you."
The acharyas explain that this apparent lamentation is not the sorrow of an ordinary human being who has become attached to his wife. Rather, it is a manifestation of a particular variety of transcendental ecstasy (rasa) experienced by the Supreme Lord.
We should never think that Lord Ramachandra laments because He is overwhelmed by material attachment or illusion.
He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is never covered by maya, never suffers material grief, never experiences defeat, and never undergoes loss as conditioned souls do.
Therefore, His apparent sorrow, separation, and other emotions are all part of His divine lila.
Similarly, Lord Ramachandra's instruction to Lakshmana to leave Mother Sita at Valmiki Muni's ashrama should also be understood as part of His transcendental pastimes, not as an ordinary historical event to be judged by material standards.
These pastimes are enacted for the pleasure of the Lord and His pure devotees and to reveal deeper spiritual truths.
Whether the Lord appears to experience joy, separation, reunion, victory, or lamentation, every one of His activities is transcendental and ultimately expands spiritual bliss.
Thus, the proper approach to understanding the Ramayana is not to evaluate the Lord's actions through material reasoning, but to hear them with faith from the explanations of the bona fide acharyas, recognizing that all of the Lord's pastimes are eternally pure, transcendental, and full of spiritual happiness.
