In the previous chapter we saw about the Qualities of Rama, Now we'll see How Dasaratha's plans are shattered by Kaikeyi's Plot.
Rama’s life takes a serious turn due to one woman called Manthara who was a hunchback and who had been sent by Kaikeyi’s father when she left home after her marriage as her personal servant. Her mission was to serve her mistress and do everything to keep her happy and safe. She was puzzled to see so much activity in Ayodhya and went to enquire. As soon as she learned that Rama was to be crowned she was so angry and she rushed to Kaikeyi’s apartments. When she found Kaikeyi in a very happy mood she went into a rage. She shouted to Kaikeyi how she could be so stupid and ignorant and not realize what was happening. But Kaikeyi was still ignorant about the coronation ceremony to be held the next day as this was fixed all of a sudden.
The king did not have the time to inform her. So Manthara informed Kaikeyi that Rama was going to be crowned the next morning. Kaikeyi was so pleased that she gave away nice jewels to Manthara as gifts and said more would be coming. Manthara threw all that on the ground and made a scene. She said to Kaikeyi that the king had let her down and even cheated on her because the king loved her the most but forgot her at the right time. She said that if Rama were to be crowned then she would become the servant of the queen Kausalya, Rama’s mother. Kaikeyi laughed away and said that Rama loved her even more than his mother and she had nothing to fear but only to rejoice. But Manthara was adamant. She said that Bharata had been sent away in advance by plan so that the king could crown Rama. (We know that this is not true because Bharata had been invited by his grandfather). However, Manthara used several arguments and finally convinced Kaikeyi that she should stop this ceremony at once. She even suggested how to do it.
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Manthara’s plan was as follows. She wanted Kaikeyi to ask the two boons from Dasharatha which he had promised to grant her at any time. But Kaikeyi had totally forgotten about this incident so asked Manthara what it was about. Manthara reminded her of the incident that took place a long time ago. Indra the Chief of the Devas was fighting a war with Asuras and their chief Sambaran who was an expert in illusory war fare was giving the Devas a hard time. King Dasharatha who was fighting this war to help Indra at one point fell unconscious and then Kaikeyi cleverly took him out of the war field and saved his life. Dasharatha was so pleased with her that he granted her two wishes which she could ask for whenever she wanted. So Manthara suggested that Kaikeyi demand Dasharatha to grant her then the two wishes, namely to crown Bharata instead of Rama and to banish Rama from the country to live in a forest for fourteen years. Manthara said that in that period Bharata could consolidate his position and Rama would be gone forever. By her clever insistence, Manthara changed totally the mentality of Kaikeyi who otherwise was a good person. Kaikeyi agreed and praised Manthara. She even said that those with a hunch back were blessed with sharp intelligence and gave her more presents. Manthara insisted that Kaikeyi put up a great scene and be intransigent with the king and left.
Kaikeyi then dressed in dirty clothes, removed all her jewels and threw them away on the ground with tears in her eyes and disheveled hair left her bed, and lay down on the ground wailing awaiting the arrival of Dasharatha.
Dasharatha had a special love for Kaikeyi who was the prettiest among his queens and hence had a great weakness for her. He came rushing to her apartment because he wanted to announce to Kaikeyi first the happy news. He did not find Kaikeyi in her usual place which was richly furnished and decorated. He was told that the queen was very angry and was in a room that Valmiki describes as a room to express anger (Krodhagruham). It is interesting that there were rooms to suit the moods of the queen. Dasharatha became very anxious and rushed to see his queen.
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He found her in such a sorry plight. Valmiki compares her to, an Apsaras woman pushed from the heavens, a deer caught in a net, and an elephant being hit by a poisoned arrow. Dasharatha totally unaware of the reason for her plight sat beside her and patted her lovingly. He tried to appease her by saying that he would punish the one who had dared to harm her, get all the best doctors if she was unwell, and promised to grant her anything that she desired. He prayed to her to tell him what was tormenting her and promised to remedy it at once.
This
is somewhat characteristic of Dasharatha to promise before he even knew what was going to be asked. Remember he made the same mistake with Vishwamitra. He offered Vishwamitra anything
that he would desire even before he had asked anything. Later when Vishwamitra asked for Rama to
be sent with him he hesitated to do
so.
Kaikeyi got up and told the king that she was neither unwell nor was insulted by anyone. She added that however she had a desire in her mind that she wanted Dasharatha to accomplish and she would disclose it only if he assured her of granting it. Dasharatha had a weakness for Kaikeyi as we mentioned earlier and he was under her complete control. So he said that he would certainly fulfill whatever her desire was and added that he swore this by Rama who was most dear to him and whose separation he could not stand even for a minute. This is indeed ironic. Kaikeyi reminded him that he comes from a dynasty where his ancestors stood steadfastly on what was promised, got his full assurance that he would grant her wishes, and then expressed herself. She said, “Let Indra, the Devas, the sun, the moon, the sky, the planets, all the cardinal directions, and the earth all hear that the king Dasharatha has promised to grant my wishes”. With that preamble, she reminded Dasharatha that during the war between Indra and Asuras she saved his life, and in gratitude, he had promised to grant her two wishes. She demanded that he grant them to her then. She threatened that if Dasharatha did not comply with her request then she would die on the spot. Dasharatha felt cornered. Kaikeyi solemnly asked Dasharatha to stop the coronation of Rama and instead make her son Bharata the crown prince. The second wish was that Rama should be sent to the forest where he should spend “five plus nine years”.
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King Dasharatha just
swooned as soon as he heard Kaikeyi, and after
some time having recovered and spoke angrily comparing her to a snake that he had fed and kept in his palace. He asked her what harm did Rama do to her and what was the reason to be so harsh on him. He said he would sacrifice anything but his dear son Rama. He described the
great qualities of Rama which made him the best choice to be crowned. He rolled on the ground lamenting.
He tried all methods and arguments but Kaikeyi was adamant. She told
Dasharatha why he gave his word and then regretted
following it by which
he was only going to bring shame to Ikshvaku kings. Dasharatha used the
argument that even Bharata who followed Dharma would certainly disagree
with her wishes.
Valmiki describes in great detail Dasharatha’s miserable plight and how he tried his best to convince Kaikeyi. He has devoted 114 couplets on this topic, one of
the longest Sargam.
Dasharatha even went to the
extent of saying that he would never be able to survive after banishing Rama and then Kaikeyi as a widow could enjoy the kingdom with her son. He begged her to be kind to her old husband and said
that by nature Kaikeyi was good but someone had surely poisoned her mind that she had turned to be so cruel. All these arguments made Kaikeyi angrier. She said to Dasharatha that he was not behaving like a king. She asked him to
think of the great king Shibi who cut his flesh and offered it to the eagle in order to protect a bird. She reminded him of the great king Alarka who gave away his eyes
to a very learned Brahmin. She
said that he too should keep up his word and crown Bharata and send Rama away to the forest. Dasharatha finally said that all the
preparations for the ceremony would finally serve for his funeral which would be performed by
Rama. He insisted that neither Kaikeyi nor her son had any right to participate in it and he renounced all relations with them. This shows how much Dasharatha was hurt and shattered.
The night ended and the dawn was breaking in. The auspicious day under the star Pushya had come. Guru Vashishtha along with his disciples collected all the various things needed for the ceremony
and went to Rama’s palace. The streets were cleaned and people started gathering to witness the coronation of
Rama. He saw Minister Sumantra
and asked him to bring all the necessary things for the ceremony. What were these things? Just to name a few out of interest: a chair made of wood
from a fig tree, gold pots containing Ganges water, nine different grains
(Nava Dhanyam), perfumes, honey, curd, ghee, puffed rice, diamonds, a white umbrella, a white cow, a lion, a beautiful horse, various musical instruments to play on the occasion, etc. Music seems to have played an important part in their lives. He also asked Sumantra to go and get the king as the auspicious time was nearing.
Sumantra hurried to the palace and
started waking up the king. It was customary that he woke up the king by
singing a few verses wherein he wished all the best in the day and many good
and auspicious things. When Dasharatha heard this he was all the more pained.
He found the king in a very miserable state unable even to speak. Kaikeyi,
therefore, ordered Sumantra to bring Rama there quickly. Unaware of what had
happened Sumantra obeyed her orders and went to call Rama enthusiastically
because he wanted to pay his respects to him that morning. On the way, he saw
that all the preparations were going on to start the ceremony and all the
ministers and many others had assembled. The place was filled with various
things ready for the religious rites and Vedic Brahmins were ready to start
their ceremony. Sumantra saw also well-dressed women and musicians with their
instruments who had assembled for the ceremony. They all asked Sumantra where
the king was and why there was a delay. So Sumantra rushed back to Dasharatha
and told him that people were waiting for him as it was time for the ceremony
to start. King Dasharatha asked Sumantra why he did not execute the order of
getting Rama there. So Sumantra went to see Rama and to bring him to see his
father.
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