जय श्रीराम!
पित्रा दत्तां रुदन् रामः प्राङ्महीं प्रत्यपद्यत ।
पश्चाद्वनाय गच्छेति तदाज्ञां मुदितोऽग्रहीत् ॥७॥
Notes: The previous night, Daśaratha, after due deliberation with his advisors and Guru and everyone else, had come to the decision to make Śrī Rāma the Yuvarāja. He had lost no time in summoning Śrī Rāma from his palace to bless him and inform him of this momentous decision. Now, at day-break, suffering the heart-break from Kaikeyī 's cruel demands, unable to say "No" to her, Daśaratha had again sent for Śrī Rāma.
It was Kaikeyī's wish that there should be no delay lest there be protests or impediments in sending away Śrī Rāma. She wanted him gone quickly from public view. So, even as the whole capital was waking up in a mood of exultation that they would witness today the momentous coronation, a somewhat bewildered Śrī Rāma answered his father's summons.
Now what did he hear? Kaikeyī spoke on his father's behalf as he was in no condition to speak at all. As Daśaratha lay wallowing in sorrow, his order that was conveyed was that Śrī Rāma should lose no time and go away as a hermit to the forest to dwell there for fourteen years.
What was Śrī Rāma's ostensible reaction? First to the happy announcement, and now to this dismal order? Kālidāsa says that at first, on receiving the decision of his father handing over responsibility to him as the Yuvarāja, Śrī Rāma was sad! "He received the order to rule the earth from his father, crying." The son realised that the change of guard meant that his father felt weak and aged, and would no longer shine as the supreme Emperor of Ayodhyā that he had been for so long. So Śrī Rāma did not congratulate himself. He empathised with his father and shed tears. Śrī Rāma's reaction was contrary to the usual conduct of sons impatient to take over property and power from their aged fathers.
And what was Śrī Rāma's reaction to the order of exile? Kālidāsa says that Śrī Rāma reacted with happiness to this strange, twisted, royal order! His reaction was not one of rebellion, disappointment or self-pity. He realised that the first decision to make him the Yuvarāja was taken out of his own sweet will by Daśaratha who knew it was the right time to hand over the kingdom. It was of course a sad moment for the one retiring from the helm of affairs. But now, this, second, order had been wrung out of the Emperor by a wilful and wicked queen. If there was anyone who could assuage the horrific distress of Daśaratha, it would have to be only Śrī Rāma who should stand by his father with a stoic smile and bear the brunt of this tragedy by going away to the forest "cheerfully". That is what made Śrī Rāma focus on his duty, and comply with the gladness of heart of a Dhārmic son, not one protesting against this "injustice". This again is so contrary to what ANY SON WOULD SAY TO SUCH AN ORDER.
It's no wonder that the greatest mystics and sages say that we are purified by just uttering the name of this divine hero, Śrī Rāma!
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जय श्रीराम!
