The night spent itself in dead silence. Kaikeyi stayed
where she was on the floor; the King lay on the couch. No
one interrupted them. It was customary not to disturb when
the King was with one of his wives. Even servants kept
themselves out. For all that, it was inevitable that the King
should be sought out sooner or later. There were many
matters on which he had to be consulted. His chief minister
was at his wit's end. "Where is the King? Where is the
King?" was the constant question.
The assembly hall was growing crowded with distinguished guests and the public who thronged in to watch the coronation. Rama, clad in simple silk robes after several
ritual baths and purification ceremonies ordained by the
chief priest, was also ready, waiting for the ceremonial
dress. A little before the dawn, the holy fire was lit in which
offerings were to be placed to please the gods in heaven.
The priestly groups were already chanting the sacred
mantras in unison. Music from many sources filled the air.
The babble of the crowd was continuous. But in the inner ring
where the chief minister and other immediate executives
were assembled, there was concern. "The King should have
arrived by now. He must initiate the rites; he has to receive
the rulers who will soon be arriving… ." The chief minister,
Sumanthra, got up to find out the reason for the delay. Things
had to go according to a time-table in every detail so as to
synchronize with the auspicious movement of the stars. And
any single item delayed would throw the entire ceremony out
of gear. Sumanthra left the assembly hall and went in search
of the King. He hesitated for a moment at the door of the
kopa gruha, but parted the curtains, opened the door, and
entered. The sight before him, naturally, startled him. "Is His
Majesty unwell?" asked the minister. "Asks him yourself,"
replied Kaikeyi.
"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."