Ramayna and Valmiki and Kamban-At\yodhyakanda- 5 -revised

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5.Dasaratha becomes desolate

 

Kaikeyi was lying down on the floor when Dasratha came to see her and Valmiki describes it that she was on the floor like a kinnaree bird struck with a poisonous arrow, being afflicted with the poisonous advice of Manthara. Dasaratha came to her palace, white in colour, like the moon approaching the sky with white clouds unaware of the Rahu waiting to swallow him, paanduraabhram iva aakaaSam raahuyuktham niSaakaraH. Here Valmiki describes the palace of kaikeyi to show that the place was full of luxurious things enough to induce the desire of the king. Then Dasaratha became filled with desire for Kaikeyi enquired about her whereabouts. The description of the scene is to imply that the kaama of Dasaratha was his downfall.

 

He was informed that Kaikeyi had entered the inner chamber where she usually went when she was angry. Valmiki refers to Dasaratha as jagatheepathi, Lord of the world, and mahaayaSaah, of great fame, to show that how even the glorious are conquered by kaama, which makes them weak and pitiable. The mental state of Dasaratha when he heard that Kaikeyi was angry portrays the love-stricken frame of mind he was in. He became paramadhurmanaah, very miserable in not finding Kaikeyi and `vishasaadha punarbhooyo lulithvyaakulendhriyah,' became agitated and grief-stricken.

 

Going inside he saw Kaikeyi lying on the ground and tried to pacify her by asking the reason for her anger. Dasaratha, blind with love for Kaikeyi, uttered words which a man of integrity and intent on the welfare of others should not say. He said, `avaDhyo vaDhyathaam ko vaa vaDhyaH ko vaa vimuchyathaam,' meaning, "do you wish to kill anyone who should not be killed and release anyone who should be punished?" This, a king following the path of dharma should not say. He being a sathyasandha the words he uttered inadvertently proved to be true. He said, `aatmano jeevithenaapi broohi yanmansechasi,' meaning that he will fulfil her desire even at the expense of his own life and that is exactly what happened later. Then he said `karishyaami the preethim sukrthenaapi the sape, I promise on my good deeds to do what you desire.' Then Kaikeyi wanted to trap him and said that she will tell him what she wanted only if he promises to give her what she was going to ask. Dasaratha without a slightest idea of what she was going to ask, thinking that she must have wished for something trivial which would be within his power to give, said, impelled by destiny,

Thena ajayyena mukhyena raaghaveNa mahaathmanaa

Sape the jeevanaarheNa broohi yanmanasepsitham.

Yam muhurtham apaSyan thu na jeeveyam aham dhruvam

 

"I promise on Rama, the invincible, great and dearer to me than my own life, without seeing whom even for a moment I will not survive. You tell me what is your wish."

 

It is incredible that after hearing how dear Rama is to Dasaratha, Kaikeyi, if she were in her right mind, could ask such a boon instrumental in causing his death. But here the divine will was stronger and the mind of Kaikeyi was completely deluded.

 

Then Kaikeyi started to speak and .Valmiki says, `vyaajahaara mahaaghoram abhyaagatham ivaanthakam.' She sounded like a sudden death-knell. She called all the devas to be the witness to the promise given to her by the king. She referred to him as `sathyasanDho mahaathejaaH dhrmajnaH sathyavaan suchiH,' the one who never utters a lie and always follows dharma, hence acquired great glory and pure and wedded to truth, thus binding his to his words.

 

She then reminded him of the two boons promised to her during the war with Sambarasura and told him that she wanted it now and if he fails to keep his promise she would not live.

 

Valmiki compares Dasaratha to the deer which runs to the hunter hearing his song and get trapped. He was trapped by his own words and by promising on Rama. Then Kaikeyi dropped the bombshell. The first boon , she said, is that Bharatha should be crowned with the same materials gathered for the coronation of Rama and the second boon is that Rama should go to forest for 14years. She concluded by saying, like the devil quoting scriptures, `sa raajaraajo bhava sathyasangaraHkulam cha Seelam cha hi raksha janma cha;parathravaase hi vadhanthi anutthamamthapoDhanaah sthyavacho hitham nrNaam.'

 

"you are the king of kings and renowned for your truthfulness. Therefore you should not go back on your words. You are bound to protect the honour of your clan, your conduct and your life. The sages say that there is no other means as effective as truthfulness in securing heaven."

 

It was like thunderbolt to Dasaratha. At first he could not believe it and thought that it must be his fevered imagination and unable to bear it he became unconscious for a while. When he regained consciousness he saw Kaikeyi standing relentlessly and started scolding her calling her a venomous serpent which he had carried from afar and cherished in his bosom. He entreated her then and tried to coax her out of it but she was unmoved and stood with her eyes blazing anger. She admonished him saying that if he went back on his word he will kill his reputation as a sathyasandha and reminded him of his clan which consisted of the great Sibi who cut his flesh to redeem his pledge to a bird and Alarka, who plucked his eyes out to keep his word. Then she ended her tirade saying that if Dasaratha did not keep his promise she would die before his eyes.

 

Dasaratha tried again and again to turn her away from her cruel boons appealing to her to consider her love for Rama which she expressed so long and the good qualities of Rama who did not deserve to be banished from the kingdom. He said even if she had her wish. It will only be thwarted as Bharatha will never agree to it. Finally he said that he will not live if Rama goes away and seeing that she was not moved even by this he denounced her as his wife and also Bharatha if he accepted the kingdom. While he was talking like this the night ended and Kaikeyi told him to send for Rama.