Dasharatha Rejects Kaikeyi
Ayodhyakanda - Sarga 42
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Ayodhyakanda - Sarga 42
King Dasharatha's heart-wrenching lament as Rama departs for exile. Witness the king's anguish, his rejection of Kaikeyi, and his fears for Rama and Sita's forest life in this poignant Ramayana excerpt.
King Dasharatha, the best of the Ikshvaku dynasty (an ancient royal lineage), kept his eyes fixed on the dust raised by Rama's chariot as it departed for the forest. He couldn't bear to look away until the last trace of dust vanished from sight. As long as he could see his beloved and virtuous son, it seemed as if Dasharatha's body was rising from the earth, yearning for one last glimpse.
When the king could no longer see even the dust from Rama's chariot, he fell to the ground, overcome with grief and despondency. His wives, Kausalya and Kaikeyi, rushed to his side. Kausalya supported his right arm while Kaikeyi, the mother of Bharata, held his left.
Despite his pain, Dasharatha maintained his sense of duty and spoke to Kaikeyi with controlled anger:
"Kaikeyi, you wicked woman, do not touch me! I no longer consider you my wife or even a relation. I renounce you and all who depend on you. You have abandoned righteousness for your selfish interests. If Bharata accepts this kingdom you've secured for him, may any funeral offerings he makes for me be in vain!"
Kausalya, emaciated with sorrow, helped the dust-covered king to his feet and led him back to the palace. Dasharatha, consumed by guilt, felt as if he had committed a grave sin. His countenance dulled like the sun during an eclipse.
The grieving king lamented, imagining the hardships Rama would face in the forest:
"My son, who once slept on luxurious cushions, will now lie on bare ground, using a log or stone as a pillow. He'll rise from the earth covered in dust, sighing like a bull elephant."
Dasharatha's thoughts then turned to how others would perceive Rama:
"Forest dwellers will see the long-armed Rama, lord of the world, wandering unprotected like an orphan."
The king's worry extended to Sita, Janaka's beloved daughter, unaccustomed to hardship:
"Sita, used to every comfort, will now walk through forests, her feet hurt by thorns. Unfamiliar with the wilderness, she'll be terrified by the deep, hair-raising roars of wild animals."
Cursing Kaikeyi, Dasharatha declared he couldn't live without Rama. Surrounded by a crowd of grieving citizens, he entered Ayodhya, which now seemed ominous and desolate. The city's courtyards and mansions were deserted, temples and marketplaces closed, and people weak with grief.
Dasharatha, still thinking only of Rama, entered his palace. Without Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana, it felt as empty as a great lake stripped of its serpents by Garuda (the divine eagle).
With a choked voice, Dasharatha asked to be taken to Kausalya's chambers, seeking solace. Even as he lay on the couch, his mind remained restless. The palace, bereft of his two sons and daughter-in-law, appeared to him like a sky without the moon.
In the middle of the night, which felt to him like the night of death, Dasharatha spoke to Kausalya:
"Kausalya, my vision followed Rama and hasn't returned. I can't see you clearly. Please touch me with your hand."
Seeing the king on his bed, still thinking only of Rama, Kausalya sat beside him. Deeply distressed, she sighed and began to lament, marking the end of this sorrowful chapter.
This concludes the forty second chapter (sarga) of Ayodhyakanda, the second book of the Ramayana, the great epic composed by the sage Valmiki.