In plain words
In history we find no man of such noble qualities who looked on women as mothers. Honouring Rāma's command, he set out to leave Sītā, then far gone with child, in a hermitage of the sages. At that moment Sītā asks. "Lakṣmaṇa! There is dharma in Rāma's sending me to the forest for fear of the people's blame. Ruling the people well is the dharma of kings. To give the people an ideal life is the king's duty. To give up everything without distinction of his own and others' and look to the people's welfare is the king's rule. His fame alone is my joy. Though he gives me up, I have no grief. May Rāma's fame flourish for ever. But you are my husband's younger brother. How can you leave me in this forest and go back. How does your heart agree to leave me alone, far gone with child as I am? Could you not stay here a while and give me courage." She said this. Then Lakṣmaṇa: "Mother! All this time I have not seen even your face. What a wrong it would be for me to stay near you when Lord Rāma is not by your side. Ignorant people have hurt your heart, which is free of qualities and selfless. If I stay near you at this time, I shall be the one who brought you ill fame. I would offer even my life at your feet, but I will not let ill fame come to you. Besides, it is Rāma's command. Rāma is my all. If I disobey His command, my very life will not remain. So, Mother, forgive me and send me away," and grieving, he bows to her. The steadfast Lakṣmaṇa would not accept even the kingdom that came his way, declared that Rāma alone was fit to be king, held Rāma's presence to be his own treasure, and set out for the forest in a moment. He was the supreme devotee who grasped the divine principle with a selfless heart, gave up his own interest, offered everything to God and followed Rāma.
Bharata too followed this same path. All the brothers followed the principle of Rāma. That is why the name Rāmāyaṇa for the story of Rāma has come true and stands, "Rāma is Dharma in visible form", Rāma is the embodiment of Dharma. What is Dharma? Today worldly dharmas are growing in number. If you inquire which is the Vedic dharma, the mind is bewildered. "Dharma is so called because it upholds": we may say with our lips that Dharma is what carries us across, what upholds the world. Every object has its own dharma, equal to its very life. For fire, the power to burn is its natural dharma. If fire has no power to burn, it becomes charcoal, not fire. For sugar, sweetness is its natural dharma. If sugar lacks the dharma called sweetness, it is no better than sand. For the campaka flower, fragrance is its natural dharma. Without fragrance it is no campaka at all.
The nature that springs from the principle of man's heart is Dharma. But man today falls under influences and forgets his own nature. Educated or uneducated, what is the dharma natural to all men? We must respect others in the way that makes us happy when others respect us. We must not hurt others by doing the things that hurt us when others do them.