June 7 - Sargas 19 and 20 of Ayodhya Kanda.
Two wrenching scenes. First, how Kaikeyi wants Rama to waste no time in going away to the forest so that when everything is done and dusted, the king will reconcile to it. The second scene of how Kausalya takes the news.
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एवमस्तु गमिष्यामि वनं वत्सुमहं त्वितः ।
जटाजूटधरो राज्ञः प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन् ॥
अलीकं मानसं त्वेकं हृदयं दहते मम ।
स्वयं यन्नाह मां राजा भरतस्याभिषेचनम् ॥
Sri Rama displays unbelievable composure as he replies to Kaikeyi: "Let it be so, I shall proceed to live in the forest in matted locks to uphold the promise of my father. What anguishes my heart is just this - that the king himself did not ever tell me directly that he wants to have Bharata installed as Yuvaraja. "
Kaikeyi does not want to prolong the conversation. She is in a hurry to send away Rama. When Rama says that they should at once send speedy messengers to bring Bharata immediately for the coronation, she says, of course, that is all being arranged, but Rama should not bother with these details and instead hurry to the forest today itself.
यावत्त्वं न वनं यातः पुरादस्मादतित्वरम् ।
पिता तावन्न ते राम स्नास्यते भोक्ष्यतेऽपि वा ॥
तदप्रियमनार्याया वचनं दारुणोदयम् ।
श्रत्वा गतव्यथो रामः कैकेयीं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
नाहमर्थपरो देवि लोकमावस्तुमुत्सहे ।
विद्धि मामृषिभिस्तुल्यं विमलं धर्ममास्थितम् ॥
Kaikeyi is in a hurry. " Oh Rama, as long as you do not depart at once from this city, your father won't either bathe or eat. So would you go away right now?"
Hearing these highly unpleasant and wrenching words of an uncultured Kaikeyi, Rama is yet very equanimous and not distressed. He replies, " You don't know me at all, lady. You could very well have spoken directly to me instead of bothering the king. I would have readily ceded the throne to dear Bharata. I am not after material gains at all, nor a kingdom of riches. Know me to be centred in Dharma and righteousness, blemish-less and comparable to rishis."
In the meanwhile, with every word spoken by Kaikeyi, Dasharatha is collapsing further and further. He is briefly revived by Rama. Rama then takes his leave after paying respects to the parents.
As he proceeds to his mother Kausalya's palace, he waves away all the regal paraphernalia. He sees the golden vessels of holy water ready for the coronation so far intended for him and says a silent prayer. Rama pays due respects to all the guards and priests en route, who shower as usual their affection. None is aware of the turn of events.
But inside the Antahpura, all the ladies are bemoaning this terrible turn of events. They have great pity for themselves, knowing how Sri Rama was always taking care of them even better than the king, and their future as he is being sent away to the forest.
Lakshmana has been a silent and smouldering volcano of anger witnessing the proceedings. He is distressed beyond description, unlike his cool brother. He goes along with Rama to Kausalya.
When Sri Rama enters Kausalya's palace, he sees her engaged in Homa offering to her deity Vishnu, with many priests officiating and with elaborate arrangements. She is all dressed up for his coronation, and has been in prayer through the night. She rushes to Rama and embraces him. She offers him a royal seat and invites him to partake of dainty refreshments. Sri Rama perfunctorily acknowledges them, and begins to tell her what's up.
देवि नूनं न जानीषे महद्भयमुपास्थितम् ।
इदं च तव दःखाय वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणस्य च ॥
गमिष्ये दण्डकारण्यं किमनेनासनेन मे ।
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वत्स्यामि विजने वने ॥
भरताय महाराजो यौवराज्यं प्रयच्छति ।
मां पुनर्दण्धकाराण्यं विवासयति तापसम् ॥
"Dearest mother, you do not know the new situation - one of utter calamity. It portends great sorrow for you, Sita and Lakshmana.
"I am now going away to the Dandakaranya forest. Therefore what is the attraction of this royal seat you offer to me!? I shall live in the dense uninhabited forest for fourteen years. I shall subsist on roots and shoots and wear barks of leaves for clothing.
" The king will install Bharata as the heir apparent - Yuvaraja. He is sending me away to Dandakaranya for doing tapas."
Kausalya grasps the situation in a flash. She swoons. Sri Rama revives her. As she comes to, she speaks words that would move even a stone.
She bemoans her destiny. Would it not have been better for her to have remained barren? At least she would have been saved from this calamity. She has always been ill-treated by Kaikeyi and Dasharatha's other women, despite being the eldest queen. She has enjoyed no great confidence or company with the king. And now this. She will be a mere servant and Kaikeyi will hurt her again and again with cruel words.
Rama is now nearing 28 years of age. Kausalya has been praying and fasting all these years to see the day when he would be king and she would gain some dignity and status. But that is not to be! How cruel is destiny! How come death does not strike her at once? At least the female deer is struck and dragged away by the lion in one swell swoop. But she thinks her heart is like a stone and she is not dying yet!
अथापि किं जीवितमद्य मे वृथा
त्वया विना चन्द्रनिभाननप्रभ ।
अनुव्रजिष्यामि वनं त्वयैव गौः
सदुर्बला वत्समिवाभिकाङ्क्षया ॥
"Dear son, (who always bring delight to me with your face that shines like the moon), indeed, my life henceforth makes no sense without you. I shall follow you to the forest, albeit enfeebled with grief and age, much like a cow follows her calf gone grazing."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
