TWO PROMISES REVIVED (PART-5)

"Are you also unwell? Has some food disagreed with you both?" asked the minister anxiously. The queen gave him no answer. The minister softly approached the couch and whispered, "They are waiting for you. Are you ready to come to the assembly?" The King stirred lightly and said, "Tell them all to go back. It's all over. I have been trapped by a demon." Kaikeyi now interposed to explain: "The King has strained himself and has become incoherent. Go and send Rama." Rama arrived, expecting his stepmother to bless him before the ceremonies. At the sight of him Dasaratha cried out: "Rama!" and lapsed into speechlessness. His appearance and behavior made Rama anxious. "Have I done something to upset him? Any lapse in my duties or performance?"

Kaikeyi said, "I'll speak on his behalf; he finds it difficult to say it. Your coronation will not take place today." And then she specified in unambiguous terms what she expected of him. She told all about the original vow and the circumstances that led to it. "It is your duty to help your father fulfill his promise. Otherwise he will be damning himself in this and other worlds. You owe him a duty as his son."

Rama took in the shock, absorbed it within himself, and said, "I will carry out his wishes without question. Mother, be assured that I will not shirk. I have no interest in kingship, and no attachments to such offices, and no aversion to a forest existence." "Fourteen years," she reminded him.

"Yes, fourteen years. My only regret is that I have not been told this by my father himself. I would have felt honored if he told this by my father himself. I would have felt honored if he had commanded me directly."

"Never mind, you can still please him by your action. Now leave at once, and he will feel happy that you have acted without embarrassing him."

"I want you to assure him that I am not in the least pained by this order. I will take your word as his." He saw his father's plight and moved closer.

Kaikeyi said, "I will attend to him. Don't waste your time.

You must leave without delay. That's his wish.""Yes, yes, I'll do so. I will send a messenger to fetch Bharatha without any delay."

"No, no," said Kaikeyi. "Do not concern yourself with Bharatha. I'll arrange everything. You make haste to depart first." She knew Bharatha's devotion to Rama and, uncertain as to how he would react, preferred to have Rama well out of the way before Bharatha should arrive. "I'll take leave of my mother, Kausalya, and leave at once," said Rama. He threw another look at his speechless father and left.

When Rama emerged from Dasaratha's palace, a crowd was waiting to follow him to the assembly hall. Looking at his face, they found no difference on it, but instead of ascending the chariot waiting for him, he set out on foot in the direction of his mother's palace. They followed him.

Rama went up to his mother, Kausalya. She was weak with her fasts and austerities undertaken for the welfare of her son. She had been expecting him to arrive in full regalia but noted the ordinary silks which he wore and asked, "Why are you not dressed yet for the coronation?"

"My father has decided to crown Bharatha as the King,"Rama said simply. "Oh, no! But why?"

Rama said, "For my own good, my father has another command; it is for my progress and spiritual welfare."

"What is it? What can it be?"

"Only that for twice seven years, he wants me to go away and dwell in the forests, in the company of saints, and derive all the benefit therefrom."

Kausalya broke down and sobbed. She wrung her hands, she felt faint in the depth of her bowels, sighed, started out to say things but swallowed back her words. She said bitterly,

"What a grand command from a father to a son!" She asked, "When do you have to go? What offense have you committed?"

Rama lifted his mother with his hands and said, "My father's name is renowned for the steadfastness of his words. Would you rather that he spoke false? … I am thrice blessed, to make my brother the King, to carry out my father's command, and to live in the forests. Do not let your heart grieve."

"I cannot say, 'Disobey your father,' only let me go with you. I cannot live without you."

"Your place is beside your husband. You will have to comfort and nurse him. You must see that he is not sunk in sorrow by my exile. You cannot leave him now. Also, later, my father may want to engage himself in the performance of religious rites for his own welfare, and you will be needed at his side. After living in the forests, I will come back—after all, fourteen years could pass like as many days. If you remember, my earlier stay in the forests with Viswamithra brought me countless blessings; this could be a similar opportunity again, for me. So do not grieve." Kausalya now realized that Rama could not be stopped.

She thought, "Let me at least beg my husband's help to hold him back from this resolve… ." However, when she reached the King's chamber and saw his condition, she realized the hopelessness of her mission. As he lay there stunned and silent, she understood that he must be in some dreadful dilemma. Unable to bear the spectacle of an inert, lifeless husband, she uttered a loud wail. Her cries were so loud that the guests in the assembly hall were startled, and requested Sage Vasishtha to go up immediately and find out the cause. All kinds of music, chanting of hymns, prayers,laughter, and talk had filled the air; but this sudden intrusion of wailing destroyed the atmosphere of joy. Vasishtha hurried on. He found the King looking almost dead, Kaikeyi sitting apart and watching the scene unperturbed, and Kausalya in a state of complete desperation and wretchedness. He quickly tried to estimate the situation. It would be no use questioning Kausalya. He turned to the calm and firm-looking Kaikeyi. "Madam, what has happened?"

"Nothing to warrant all this hullabaloo," Kaikeyi said. "A situation like this ought to be ignored, a purely domestic matter. Do not be perturbed, sir. Go back to the assembly and tell them to be calm. A few changes in the arrangements, that's all. They will be told about it soon."