"I make no distinction between the two. It's all the same to
me. Rama is the one who was born to it, and as a mother it
makes me proud and happy… ."
"You, Rama's mother!"
"Yes, don't you know that one in Rama's position should
count five mothers: the one who has borne him, a
stepmother, a father's sister, an elder brother's wife, and the
wife of the guru—all these have equal rank as mother. You
understand why I feel happy about Rama? I adore him. I'm
his mother as well as Kausalya is. And so make no mistake
that I'm a fool and do not understand things!" At which Kooni
beat her brow with her palms with such force that Kaikeyi
said, "You have hurt yourself—a contusion big as my thumb!"
"I'd be happy if I killed myself or had not been born at all,
rather than see all the treachery that goes on in this world,"
wailed Kooni. "My sorrow, now, is for you, the doom thatwailed Kooni.
"My sorrow, now, is for you, the doom that overhangs you. It rends my heart to see the carefree
innocence of your heart—it reminds me of the little dove
flitting at the jaws of a wildcat."
All this amount of talk prepared Kaikeyi's mind to be
receptive to what Kooni said next: "Your husband, the
Emperor, is very cunning; he is capable of great trickery,
unsuspected by you; great depths of trickery indeed,
unbeknown to you, such depths as you cannot suspect even
in your wildest dream. You and he are unequals. He was old
enough to be your father when he asked for your hand; and
your father refused the proposal, of course. But the old
bridegroom was intoxicated with the spectacle of your
beauty and youth, and was prepared to promise anything.
He vowed to your father that he'd make the son borne by you
the heir to the throne. Iwas the only one who overheard it. No
one else knows about it. Now when the time came, the old
man advised Bharatha sweetly: 'Why don't you go and
spend a few days with your grandfather? He has been
asking you so long.' And forthwith got him and his
inseparable brother Sathrugna out of the way. He would
have sent you away too—but for the fact that he can't survive
even a single day without your caresses! Your charms are
still potent. You will have to save yourself with their aid before
it's too late… . Rama should not be enthroned tomorrow."
"Why not? The King may have his own reasons; and I see
no difference between Rama and Bharatha.""Do you know how people can change overnight?
Tomorrow this time, he will be a different Rama. His only aim
will be to stay long and strong in his seat, and to achieve it
he will remove all hurdles. The chief hurdle will be Bharatha,
who may assert his claim any time and win it by public
support. Rama will banish him or break him down or behead
him. You will no longer be a queen, but an ex-queen, of an
ex-king, and will probably be reduced to the status of being
the handmaid of the queen mother Kausalya."
"Never! how would she dare!" cried Kaikeyi involuntarily.
"Let her try!"
"By this time tomorrow, it could happen; it's bound to
happen sooner or later." Thus Kooni had brought Kaikeyi to
the brink of panic, before spelling out the remedy: "Do you
remember that Dasaratha was saved by you at one time,
and there are two ancient promises of his to be fulfilled?
Leave alone his promise to your father: you are not
concerned with it. But hold on to the two promises given to
you. Demand first the banishment of Rama to the forests for
fourteen years, and secondly the crowning of Bharatha in his
place immediately."
"Impossible conditions; you must be drunk."
"No, quite practical, only go about it this way… ."
Thus it happened that when Dasaratha sought Kaikeyi's
company, as was his wont, he did not find her in her company, as was his wont, he did not find her in her
chamber or the garden. A maid told him, "She is in the kopagruha."
"Why, why there?" He had had a tiring day. He had had
meetings again and again with his chief spiritual mentor,
Vasishtha, and his chief minister, Sumanthra, going into
details of arrangements for the next day's ceremonials and
festivities. "I will be the host for the whole city tomorrow," he
had said; "let no one feel any want." Again and again he had
mentioned how every home and street and building should
be decorated and brightened; and how musicians, dancers,
and entertainers should be ready at the assembly hall before
the dawn, and how the state elephant and horses and
chariots should move in the procession of the newly crowned
king; and named the streets through which the procession
should pass. "People would love to see Rama on the throne
and watch him in a procession. Every man, woman, and
child must have a chance to look at him. Tell those
conducting the procession to move slowly but not so slowly
as to tire Rama… ." He had gone into every detail of the
ceremonies. Exhausted, in the evening, he sought Kaikeyi's
company for relaxation.
He did not like the idea of being received by Kaikeyi in the
kopa gruha (the room of anger, which was a part of a
dwelling where one could retire to work off a bad mood); and
when he went in, he found her sprawling on the floor in
semidarkness, hair dishevelled, the flowers she had been wearing torn off, her jewellery scattered, clad in indifferent
clothes, and not noticing his arrival. He stooped down to ask
softly, "Are you unwell?" She gave no answer to his question
till he repeated it, and then answered dully, "Oh, in perfect
health, in every way. No physical sickness of any kind."
"I am sorry. I was delayed. I waited because I wanted to
bring you the news personally. I knew it would make you
happy indeed, and wanted to have the pleasure of watching
your joy."
Kaikeyi condescended to mutter, "I knew it, I am not so
stupid or deaf or blind as not to know what is going on."