||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 8 – Ayodhya Kandam

 Sumanthra meets the King Dhasharatha

Devi Kaikyei continued to pour harsh words upon King Dhasharatha, he spoke “You have right to speak, you can talk whatever you feel, it is not your fault, it was my ill fortune that instigating you as a ghost to talk against me. Bharatha never agrees for your desire, the ill fate attacked your intellect, everything happening due to my previous sins, it is like huge waves thrashing me. This beautiful city of Ayodhya which is the abode of happiness and prosperity would flourish again and again under the regime of Rama. All his brothers will serve him sincerely; his fame would spread in the three worlds. Your ill fame and my guilt never fade away, even after our deaths. You can do whatever you like; I don’t want to see your face, cover it, or do not come before me. Kindly do not speak a single word until I die, I bow before you. Oh! Ill fortunate one/Dhurbhagyavathi, you will regret your deeds.” King Dhasharatha argued with her for some time and soon fell down unconscious; she looked at him and stood silent.

King Dhasharatha who was grief-struck regained consciousness after some time, uttered the name “Rama Rama’ like the bird got its wings cut down, and thought “The night should not get over, no one should approach Rama with the tragic news, Oh! Surya, who is the father of Surya clan, kindly do not bring the day to the city of Ayodhya. You would feel disappointed to watch the pitiable state of Ayodhya.” The wickedness of Kaikeyi and the prayers of Dhasharatha were too powerful, thus King Dhashartha grieved over the inauspiciousness in the family.

It was early morning, King’s men began to play the music on Veena, flute, and Shankha to wake the King from the sleep, the poets sang in praise of the King, musicians sing endless virtues of the King, and all those were hit hard like arrows in his heart. All those divine music roused hatred in the King like the widow dislikes wearing ornaments and colorful clothes. That night no one slept in the Ayodhya, all of them excited to witness Rama’s coronation ceremony and waited enthusiastically. There was a huge crowd waited on the entrance of the palace, there were ministers and attendants, they looked at the Balasurya and whispered to each other “Why did King so late to wake up? Why Ayodhyapathi is not present in the main entrance? What will be the reason for it? Ayodhyapathi has never been late to wake up before the sunrise, we feel very uncommon today. Oh! Sumanthra, go to the chamber of the King and wake him up. We can start the celebration with the permission of the King.”

Sumanthra entered the chamber of the King with a racing heart, the whole atmosphere of the chamber was terrifying, could not step forward, it was dreadful like a demon, it has the appearance of the abode of troubles and afflictions. Sumanthra did not get any information from the attendants so he directly went into the chamber of Devi Kaikeyi and King Dhasharatha. He praised the King as usual and seated on the floor, suddenly his eyes fell on the ground where the King who was looked bluish like lotus flower plucked out from its stem and his face was pale with intense grief, Sumanthra could not control his distress, looked at Devi Kaikeyi who was stood like the inauspicious, was dressed up in dull clothes?

Devi Kaikeyi spoke “King did not sleep in the whole night, all that he utters “Rama Rama’ throughout the night, God only knows, he is not willing to talk anything. Therefore you go and bring Rama immediately, after that we can speak.” Sumanthra looked at the King, who was also keen to talk to Rama. On his way, Sumanthra understood Rani Kaikeyi must have done something unpromising to the King, he rushed to Rama at a great speed, could not control his sorrow, his legs were not moving forwards as the way he wanted. Sumanthra thought what would the King speak to Rama? Sumanthra met the ministers and attendants on the entrance gate, they enquired the reason for his grief swollen face, but he pacified them and moved to the fortress of Rama.