15. TWO PROMISES REVIVED (Part - 6)

"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."