||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 6 – Ayodhya Kandam

The conversation between King Dhasharatha and Devi Kaikeyi

The people were extremely cheerful in the city of Ayodhya, engaged in the decoration of the houses and the streets. The entrance of the palace gate was crowded with people. Rama’s childhood friends arrived in large numbers to greet him, and they engaged in pleasant conversation about the welfare of the family, later they returned to their homes.  The people of Ayodhya collectively prayed “Oh! Bhagavan, there is no one in this world virtuous and compassionate as Rama, Oh! Bhagavan kindly blesses us to have Rama who is Seethapathi as our Master, in all our births. Kindly, bless us to have the opportunity to serve that Seethapathi relentlessly.”

Devi Kaikeyi was traumatized by intense grief and anger; spend her night in the Kopagriha, proved herself as there is none could escape from the destruction from the company of evil-minded people.  King Dhasharatha happily approached the chamber of Devi Kaikeyi, was stunned to hear her presence in Kopagriha. He could not move his legs; it has become too weak could not walk further, understood his strong support system has failed. King Dhasharatha who is valorous, fought against the powerful enemies on the battlefield could not fight against the cupid arrows of Kamadeva. King Dhasharatha went to the Kopagriha, could control his grief watching her pitiable state. She has abandoned all her royal attires and ornaments; it was all over the floor. She was attired in dull cotton clothes and lying on the floor, her costume was well suited for her future state as a widow.  King Dhasharatha went closer to her and asked “Oh! Pranapriye, why are you so angry?” and touched her hands were thrown in anger, she behaved like a hissing serpent. King Dhaharatha did not recognize her anger like a venomous serpent; he took all effort to pacify her “Oh! Sumukhi,  Oh! Sulochani, Oh! Sweet toned like Cuckoo, Oh! Gajagamini, tell me the reason for your anger. Oh! Priye, who caused grief to you? I will sieve their head off. Oh! Devi, who should be crowned as King? Who should be exiled from the Kingdom? Oh! Devi, who is your enemy, if its male or female deity, no matter I will not spare them, Oh! Sundari, you know my conduct, I am like a Chakora bird to watch your lustrous face resembles the full moon. Oh! Priye, my subjects, my army, my sons, and all my wealth and my life are under your safe guardian. I am not lying to you, I promise on Rama, Oh! Devi, ask me for anything with a pleasant face, adorn those exquisite ornaments on your marvelous body, Oh! Devi understands the difference between the auspicious and inauspicious time, and leave this unpleasant costume immediately.”

Devi Kaikeyi thinking of those two boons smiled and started to adorn all those ornaments like a dull-minded, it was like the hunter playing to its prey.   King Dhasharatha felt relieved and began to speak affectionately “Oh! Sundari, all your wishes are going to get fulfilled soon, all the houses in the city are in extreme bliss and festivities. Tomorrow I am going to crown Rama as the King of Ayodhya. Oh! Sulochani, get yourself dressed in marvelous clothes.” Devi Kaikeyi could not bear these words, her heart ached which was already wounded badly, she covered her pain with a pleasant smile. King Dhasharatha could not make out the difference in her, as she was trained well under the wicked Mandhara. King Dhasharatha was an excellent ruler, but could not measure the ocean-like depth of the heart of the woman. Devi Kaikeyi pretend to be happy, with an attractive smile she spoke “Oh! Rajan, you have prompted me to ask for those two boons several times, but you are not willing to give them. If I ask for that boon, I doubt you could give me or not.”

King Dhashartha began to speak with a smile “Oh! Devi, I know you very well, you like to get angry very often, you have kept your boon without asking from me, I easily forget things, so I have completely forgotten that kindly do not blame me for that. You can ask four boons now, the Raghu clan never forgets their promises, and there is no bigger sin than forgetting one’s own promises, so you can ask for the boons.  The Veda and scriptures strongly affirm that ‘Truthfulness’ is the source of fortune and goodness, even Manusmrithi states the same. I have promised those boons on Raghurama who is the essence of fortune and piousness.” King Dhasharatha took all efforts to cheer the queen, but she smiled at him, she was like the bird covered its eyes with leather not to attack any other creatures. She understood King wanted to perform the coronation of Rama at the earliest, but she decided to reveal her real nature to him.

Devi Kaikeyi speaks “Oh! Pranapriya, kindly listen to my words, kindly crown Bharatha as the King of Ayodhya, I bow before you and asking you the second boon, kindly fulfill my desire, Oh! Swami, Let Rama live in the forest for fourteen years, like a Tapasvi, and live away from the Kingdom of Ayodhya.” King Dhasharatha got shocked listening to the boons of Kaikeyi, he hurt badly like the palm tree hit hard by the lightning. He held head with both the hands and closed the eyes, could not control his grief, he cried out loudly “You have uprooted my desires like Kalpavriksha that was already started flowering, you have behaved like an untamed female elephant and destroyed it, and you have installed the foundation stone of misfortune to destroy the city of Ayodhya. Otherwise, an unfortunate incident like this won’t happen during the auspicious hours. I have trusted a woman heartily, like a Yogi who undertakes severe practices lost his fruitful results due to his ignorance.”

Devi Kaikeyi felt extremely annoyed and spoke “Is Bharatha not your son? Have you bought me for money? If I have spoken harshly like sharp arrows piercing your ears, why did you promise things without my knowledge? You have to follow my advice or refuse it. You are truthful King in the clan of Raghu, let us forget about the boons, and get ill fame in the world. You have thought I would ask for a handful of flattened rice and decided to offer two boons. King Shibhi, Dhadheechi, and Bali sincerely followed their promises; they did not bother about their lives or wealth.” In this way, Devi Kaikeyi showered words that hurt him harshly like the salt on the wounds. The righteous King Dhasharatha hit hard on his head and cried out “You have brutally attacked me on my weak spot.”