June 18 - Sargas 41 and 42 of Ayodhya Kanda.
Valmiki evokes images of a desolate and spiritless Ayodhya reeling after the banishment of Sri Rama. Nature is gloomy. All the elements are dark and foreboding. People are listless and grieving, not interested in others. Life has lost all its colour.
Dasharatha has been watching the dust raised by Sri Rama's chariot. When it stops Dasharatha again collapses. Kausalya rushes to lift him up. As she holds his right arm, Kaikeyi comes to raise him from the left. Dasharatha recoils from her touch.
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तां नयेन च सम्पन्नो धर्मेण विनयेन च ।
उवाच राजा कैकेयीं समीक्ष्य व्यथितेन्द्रियः ॥
कैकेयि मामकाङ्गानि मा स्प्राक्षीः पापनिश्चये ।
नहि त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि न भार्या न च बान्धवी। ॥
भरतश्चेत् प्रतीतः स्याद् राज्यं प्राप्यैतदव्ययम् ।
यन्मे स दद्यात् पित्रर्थं मा मां तद्दत्तमागमत् ॥
Dasharatha, who was a man full of softness of heart, righteousness and culture, recoiled from Kaikeyi and said in obvious discomfort from her touch:
"Kaikeyi, you with your sinful resolve! You dare not touch my limbs. I don't want to set my eyes on you any more. I disown you as my wife and annul any relationship. The bonds of our marriage are broken. Anyone who has anything to do with you is disowned by me.
"If Bharata gladly accepts kingship free from encumbrances and rules Ayodhya, let his obsequential (rites for the dead forefathers) offerings not reach me in my after-life."
Dasharatha then begs that he is taken to Kausalya's palace. He does not rest well there, even though he rests on the royal couch. In the most woeful voice imaginable, in the middle of the night, he laments,
न त्वां पश्यामि कौसल्ये साधु मां पाणिना स्पृश ।
रामं मेऽनुगता दृष्टिरद्यापि न निवर्तते ॥
"Dear Kausalya, would you please touch my hand? I cannot see you at all. My sight that followed Rama as he left has not returned to me even now."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
