12. TWO PROMISES REVIVED (Part - 3)

"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."