"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 hullaballoo," 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."
"Iwant to know everything," said Vasishtha emphatically.
She hastened to say, "Of course, you are our spiritual
mentor and guide and you have every right to demand an
explanation." While she spoke, Vasishtha saw Kausalya
writhing and squirming, and Dasaratha stirring. Dasaratha
was evidently aware of what was going on in the room
though unable to take part in the conversation. Lest either of
them should begin to say things at cross-purposes with her,
Kaikeyi said, "Your wisdom sustains us, sir. You will realize
that nothing untoward has happened. Before I had even
spoken fully, Rama understood and agreed. It's the others
who are making all this fuss. Rama has surrendered his right
to the throne in favour of Bharatha, and will stay away in the
forest for fourteen years. It's a thing that concerns primarily
himself, and he has accepted it without a word, with much
grace. But these others think …" She swept her arm to indicate several hostile persons.
Vasishtha understood, but still asked, "What is the cause
of this change?"
Kaikeyi, whose good manners had reached their limit,
now said, "If my husband will speak, he can—otherwise
please wait. Just tell those assembled that there is a change
in the programme."
"That we will see later," said Vasishtha. "First we must
revive the King." He stooped over the King lying on the
couch, gently lifted his head, and helped him to sit up. "We
need you, Your Majesty. You are our lord and captain. What
is to happen if you are withdrawn like this?"
The King went on mumbling, "Kaikeyi, Kaikeyi …"
Vasishtha said, "The Queen, Kaikeyi, is most considerate.
She will do nothing that goes against your wishes. I am sure
she will be obliging and helpful. There has been no
opportunity to discuss these questions with her Majesty, our
immediate concern being your welfare." Kaikeyi listened
passively to this hopeful statement by Vasishtha.
Dasaratha, clutching at a straw of hope, asked, "Does she
relent? If she does, Rama will be King; and as to my
promise, let her ask for any other fulfillment she may think
of… ."
Relieved to find the King improving, Vasishtha turned to
Kaikeyi and appealed to her with all the humility he could muster in his tone. "Everything is in your hands… . Please
consider yourself as the benefactress of humanity. The
whole world will be grateful to you for your help. Please
reconsider."
Kaikeyi became emotional: "If one cannot depend on the
promise of a famous king," she hissed, "life is not worth
living. After all, I have done nothing more than ask for the
fulfillment of his own voluntary promise, and you talk as if I
had committed a crime!"
"You do not realize the evil consequences of your act, nor
are you willing to listen and understand when we try to
explain. Your obstinacy is inhuman," said Vasishtha. When
she appeared unaffected, he went on: "The King's tongue
never uttered the words of exile; you have passed this on as
his own command, knowing that Rama would never question
the truth of it. You have used your position as his favourite
queen."
No matter how he argued and persuaded, Kaikeyi held
her ground with cynical calm. "Oh, Guruji, you too talk like
these ignorant, self-centered people who find fault with me
without understanding."
Finally the King burst out, "Oh, devilish one, you ordered
him into exile! Is he gone? In seeking you as a mate, I sought
my death. Those cherry-red lips I thought sustained me, but
they have only been a source of the deadliest poison to
finish me off now. This sage be my witness. You are no longer my wife, and your son shall not be entitled to cremate me when I die."
Kausalya, when she saw her husband's plight, was most
moved and tried to comfort him in her own way. Concealing
her own misery at the prospect of Rama's exile, she told her
husband clearly, "If you do not maintain the integrity and truth
of your own words, and now try to hold Rama back, the world
will not accept it. Try to lessen your attachment to Rama and
calm yourself."