Ramayan of Valmiki and Kamban-Ayodhya kanda-17-Dasarath dies of grief

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17. Dasaratha dies of grief

 

Sumanthra and Guha were watching Rama till they disappeared from sight and Sumanthra sorrowfully returned to Ayodhya on seeing whom returning without Rama people were desolate. The whole Ayodhya was without lustre and so was the king. Sumanthra approached Dasaratha who, on seeing him coming alone fainted and regaining consciousness could not speak to him. Then Kaousalya desolate with grief, admonished him saying that he need not fear to talk to Sumanthra since Kaikeyi was not there. Then Sumathra conveyed the message of Rama to Dasaratha. When Dasaratha asked him whether Lakshmana nad Seetha said anything he told him that Lakshmana reproached Dasaratha for sending Rama ot forest sayng that it was totally unjust even if it was to fulfil the boon given to Kaikeyi. Lakshmana further said that how could Dasaratha maintain his dignity as a king after such an act.Finally Lakshmana said that, to him Rama is the father, brother and all relation henceforth, implying that he didinot consider Dasaratha as his father anymore. Then Sumanthra said that Seetha did not say a word but was profusely shedding tears at the injustice done to her husband.

 

Then Kousalya could not contain herself and accused the king of having done a great harm to Rama and to herself, who looked upon him as her sole support. She said that Dasaratha could share the happiness of Kaikeyi and Bharatha and be free from worry because Rama will never touch the kingdom once given to Bharatha even after he returns from the forest. Thereupon Dasaratha appealed to her noble sentiments and asked her to have pity on him whose heart is torn asunder by grief equally. Then Kousaylya became her noble self once more and asked his forgiveness. Then Dasaratha said he could remember the curse upon him and said that he was then paying the price of his misdeed done while he was young.

 

Dasaratha was skilled in shooting an arrow at the unseen target guided by the sound. Once he sent an arrow hearing the sound of an elephant drinking water and it turned out to be a hermit boy who was filling his pitcher with water, which sound Dasaratha mistook as the gurgling sound of a beast drinking water in the stream. He was shocked to hear a human voice crying and went to the place and found the boy dying with his arrow.

 

The boy recognized him as the king of Kosala and told him that he swerved in his duty as a king which is to protect his subjects and not to kill them. He said that he was carrying water for his aged and blind parents and told the king to take it for them and fall at their feet and ask for forgiveness for killing their only son out of negligence. When the boy died Dasaratha did as he was told. The griefstricken parents of the boy wanted to be taken where their son lay dying and unable to bear the separation they mounted the funeral pyre of their son and died, after telling the king that because his sin though unpardonable was done in ignorance he may live but he would die of grief due to separation from his son like themselves. Dasaratha was young at that time to feel the full import of their curse but now he could see that what happened was the result of his curse.

 

So saying he died but the queens Kousalya nad Sumithra thought that he had only fainted, as he often did after Rama had gone to forest and being fatigued, they also slept without knowing that the king had died. He was found dead by the attendants who came to wake him up in the morning and the hole palace was plunged in grief.

 

It was decided to send for Bharatha and they kept the body immersed in oil and sent word to Bharatha..