Chapter
16(b)
Gloom over Ayodhya
Satrughna
noticed the sense of alarm and anxiety that had
overcome his brother; he suggested a few times that a
halt could be made for food and drink; but,
Bharatha did not heed; he stayed silent. Moreover, they
observed a series of bad omens encountering them as they
drove along. Crows cawed raucously from positions and
directions foreboding evil. Dogs howled piteously, in an
eerie tone. These signs of calamity ruffled the calmness
which Satrughna had heroically maintained until
then.
When they arrived at
the main gate of the City of Ayodhya, and looked up,
the fear was confirmed; for, the festoons of mango leaves
had not been renewed for days. Only dried leaves were
hanging across the moaning gate way. They were beating
against the wind, as if gnashing in anger and sorrow. Why
were green leaves not hung across? What had happened to
the City? Why this neglect, this sign of distress? The
brothers guessed that some terrible bolt of sorrow had
fallen on the Capital.
They
entered the City and drove on. The Royal Stables for
horses and elephants were at the very entrance; when
Bharatha's eyes fell on them, his heart broke; he lost
control over himself. For, he found the animals standing
without moving a muscle, heads bent and eyes streaming
tears. The mahouts and grooms stood with a heavy load of
grief, unable to lift their heads. When they drove
further into the City,they found the doors of all the
mansions on both sides of the road closed, as if the
people inside declined to welcome any one in. The roads
themselves were dusty and unswept. The few citizens who
were up and moving suddenly turned their gaze away, when
they saw the chariot that was coming in. When they
recognized Bharatha, they shed tears.
The
diamond bazaar was closed; so were all shops, all over.
Bharatha could not find the tongue to inquire from anyone
the reason for the pall of gloom that hung over the
City.He was petrified at the unforeseen signs of
distress. The chariot entered the Royal Palace. The
guards received them silently, with no acclamation of
joy, the traditional shouts of Jai,
Jai; they stood
mute and bent; they could not raise their eyes, for they
were tears overflowing. The brothers were now convinced
that some unspeakable calamity had overtaken the City;
they alighted from the chariot and ran into the
palace.
Kaikeyi had noted that
her son had come; she went forward with great joy to
receive him. The bevy of maids who rose with her and
walked behind her were groaning in sorrow. Bharatha
looked at their faces and stood stunned where he stood,
unable to speak even a single word. But, Kaikeyi started
to speak. She said, "Son! Is your uncle well?" Bharatha
gave some indistinct reply to that question and pressed
forward with his own query, "How is father? How is my
eldest brother? How is my other brother? How are my
aunts, the queens?"
At this, Kaikeyi was
rendered mute. Tears gathered in the eyes of the maids
who stood around. He realized that some terrible news was
being hidden from him; he asked, "Mother! Where is
father? At this, the maids burst into sobs and tears.
Seeing them, Kaikeyi too sensed that she should not delay
any longer; she too shed tears and acted the role of a
grief-stricken woman. Bharatha could not unravel the
mystery unaided; he prayed to his mother to explain to
him what had happened to whom, and why every one was so
overcome with sorrow.
At this, Kaikeyi
replied, "Son! What shall I say? I was very happy that
with the help of Manthara, I was able to achieve
all that I desired; but, with the very first step, my
success has broken into bits; the Gods cast an
unpropitious eye on it. The Emperor, your dearly beloved
father, has left for Heaven". Kaikeyi started sobbing
aloud. No sooner did these words fall on his ear, than
Bharatha rolled on the ground like a she-elephant at the
roar of a lion. He cried out, "Alas, "Father!" as he
fell. Like a plantain tree cut asunder, Satrughna too
fell flat on the floor. Their agony was indescribable,
immeasurable. Bharatha sat up pressing his head with both
hands, and wept aloud. He cried out, "Father! We could
not be present round your bed when you drew your last
breath. O! what great sinners are we? Of the four sons,
all the four could not reap the same merit. And this
Bharatha and this Satrughna are the worst, the most
unfortunate. During the last moments, you would have
talked so lovingly to us. You would have given us
invaluable blessings and directions for life. Well, we
must be grateful that Rama was there with you. You would
certainly have told him what you wished to convey to us.
Brother! Rise. Come with me. We shall go to Rama and find
out what father has left as message for us. Mother! Tell
us where Rama is now". Bharatha stood up, ready to go. He
was waiting only for his mother's reply.
Kaikeyi said, "Son! If
Rama were here, your father would not have breathed his
last, don't you realize that? Rama is not in the City,
don't you know? This was like pouring poison into a
wound; Bharatha was shocked by the new blow. Bharatha
asked, "Mother! Rama is my very breath. Where has Rama
gone?" Bharatha was on the brink of collapse, Kaikeyi
replied quick and fast: "Whereto? Do you ask where he has
gone? Well. To the forest". "May be", Bharatha
intervened, "But, why has Rama who has gone to the forest
not returned yet?"
Kaikeyi's answer was
delivered calmly and with deliberation. She said, "Son!
We have no time to relate and listen to that long story.
First, busy yourself in arranging for the last obsequies
of your father!" From this, Bharatha learnt that his
mother was trying to hide some unpleasant secret from
him. So, he asked the whereabouts of Sita and Lakshmana,
one after the other. The mother replied, "They both have
followed Rama into the forest. They will not be returning
to this City until after fourteen years. Thus did your
father command". Kaikeyi delivered this statement, with a
firm, hard voice.
Kaikeyi saw that
Bharatha was rendered increasingly desperate and
distressed by her statements; so, she drew her son near
and, stroking his head, she started consoling him saying,
"Son! There is no need to lament over your father. He
was, while alive, engaging himself continuously in a
series of meritorious activities and so, his soul would
have attained heaven. Your duty now is to follow the
ideal he has set before you, to earn similar fame by
meritorious deeds and rule over the Empire happily.
Increase his fame and renown by your own wise and
merciful rule and maintain the great name of the
dynasty." Kaikeyi endeavoured to heal the lacerated heart
of her son by these and similar words.
But, they struck his
heart like a dagger-thrust. Each word hit him like a
hammer-stroke. Satrughna developed a burning sensation
all over his body, as he listened to her. But, he kept
quiet; he did not scream. Bharatha, however, rose
suddenly, deciding to discover the truth, for, he felt
that his mother was deceiving him by her words, keeping
some facts away from him and talking in riddles. He drew
Satrughna along and rushed out of the room towards
the apartments of Kausalya, the eldest queen and the
mother of Rama.
And what did he see
there! Kausalya was rolling on the floor, in her
dust-ridden clothes, lamenting aloud, "O Lord! Lord.
Rama, Rama!" Her maids themselves sunk in sorrow, were
nursing her into some sort of courage. Bharatha could not
restrain himself. Crying out "Mother! Mother!" he
collapsed on the floor at her feet. Queen Sumitra too was
there, with Kausalya. Both of them recognized Bharatha
and Satrughna, and, they suddenly fainted away.
Recovering, they clasped each other in a fit of agony and
wept aloud; it was a scene that would have melted the
hardest stone. The brothers could not bear the weight of
sorrow; they fell on the floor.
"Mother! Take me to
father; tell me the reason why he passed away. Why did my
dear brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, proceed to the forest,
with Sita? It is all a mystery to me; save me from this
agony; tell me why". Bharatha pleaded pitifully, clasping
the feet of Kausalya. Kausalya embraced him tenderly and
replied, "With your return, my son, I am consoled a
little. Seeing you, I can forget the pang of separation
from dear Rama. You are as much as Rama to me; I make no
distinction". Even while saying so, she interrupted her
words, with sobs and groans, and the cry, "Ah! Rama! Can
I keep alive for fourteen long years, while you spend
them in the forest? Have you resolved that I should be
reduced to ashes by the sorrow of separation, just as
your father was? Alas how unfortunate am I?" Bharatha
suffered even more at these outbursts. His imagination
pictured all kinds of tragedies and miseries, for, he was
not yet aware of the truth. He prayed: "Mother! Do not
keep facts away from me. Trust me. Tell me why Rama went
away into the forest, and why father breathed his last;
tell me and save me from this tangle of
confusion."
Kausalya was ever
simple and straight-forward and very compassionate by
nature. She took Bharatha to be Rama himself returned.
She drew Bharatha near her, and wiping her tears off, she
said, "Son! Bharatha! Be bold. Do not grieve over the
past; such grief is useless. Strange things do happen
when times are not propitious and circumstances so
conspire. Of what benefit is it to lay the blame on some
one? No one should be found fault with. It is my destiny
to live on with this load of sorrow. This cannot be
avoided; it must be endured by me. But, you are young.
You are like the sun at the hour of early dawn. Remember
that.
"My dearly loved
darling, Rama, in obedience to father's order, wore
apparels of fiber, tied his matted hair into a topknot,
and is now moving about in the jungle. Sita, who cannot
live away from him even for a moment, is with him,
clothed in a bark-garment. Lakshmana attempted to prevent
Rama from going into the forest, but his efforts were of
no avail. He declared that Ayodhya without Rama was a
jungle for him; he followed Rama. All this happened
before my very eyes. O! What a sinful soul should I be
that I still live!
"I could not go with
them, nor would my life depart, when they left; how shall
I describe my miserable plight? My heart is really carved
out of adamantine stone. O tender-hearted Rama! You
suffer so much now, since you were born of me. Or else,
why should you? Alas! Rama! How much suffering you have
to endure, living on fruits and roots, and wandering
about in the terror-striking recesses of the jungles!"
She groaned aloud once and fell in a faint on the
floor.
Bharatha saw all this
and listened to what was told him; but the puzzle still
remained unsolved. He was struggling in fear and anxiety,
unable to delve into the mystery. Meanwhile, a message
was brought by Minister Sumanthra that the royal
preceptor, Sage Vasishta, had asked that Bharatha should
go to him. Sumanthra too burst into tears when his eyes
fell on the brothers. He clasped Bharatha to his breast;
the brothers too could not control their grief. Bharatha
hoped that Sumanthra at least would throw light on the
mystery hanging over the tragic events in the Capital; he
tried various means to draw Sumanthra to giving him an
account of the happenings; but, Sumanthra did not like to
speak on them; he thought Bharatha and Satrughna had
already been told what had happened by those whom they
had met before his arrival.
They went to the
Preceptor together. Bharatha and Satrughna fell at the
feet of Vasistha and wept aloud. He raised them up, with
affection and sympathy, and taught them many a moral and
philosophical lesson, in the process of consoling them.
"Already, there has been much delay; it is not advisable
to delay any further", he said, and directed Bharatha to
prepare himself for performing the funeral rites of his
father. Bharatha was lost in thought for a long while;
then, he pleaded with the Preceptor Vasishta. "Master!
This is a duty that has to be carried out by the eldest
son, and Rama is the eldest of us four. Now you are
proposing that I should carry it out. Is this just? Is
this right? You have preserved the body all these days;
keep it so for two or three days more. We shall proceed
to where Rama is, Satrughna and I, and bring him back
with us. Please give us permission to do so."
Vasishta replied, "Son!
You are a simpleton! Rama would not like to return
earlier than the period which has been fixed. He honours
the word, when once given. How ever much you might plead,
Rama will not enter Ayodhya until the fourteen years are
over. Therefore, give up that plan of yours; perform the
obsequies of your father and later, you can do whatever
you desire." Vasishta spoke in this strain again and
again to convince Bharatha of the futility of his
idea.
Bharatha found that he
could not avoid obeying the preceptor. He agreed; the
father's body was bathed, and the rites laid down in the
Vedas preliminary to cremation were duly gone through.
Meanwhile urged by an irrepressible yearning, Bharatha
went straight into the apartments of Kausalya and
Sumitra, and falling at their feet, he prayed, "Mothers!
No. You must desist from immolating yourselves in the
funeral pyre of father. If you try to do so, I
will not perform the last rites for him."
He secured from them
the promise that they would not. Both of them were much
impressed by his love and affection. They could not but
comply with this request. They said, "Son! We shall act
in accordance with your desire."
Then the body was taken
and placed on the pyre of sandalwood piled on the bank of
the Sarayu River. Bharatha performed the last rites with
scrupulous correctitude, evincing a faith in the Vedas
which was a thousand times more than what Vasistha
expected and foresaw. He gave away in charity, in the
name of his father, the sixteen prescribed articles, in
plenty. He gave cows, lands, gold, houses, clothes, food,
horses, elephants, coins, and other valuables. The
recipients extolled throughout his generosity and filial
piety.
But the feudatory
kings, the scholars and priests, and the common people
could not reconcile themselves to the absence of Rama.
That sorrow gnawed their hearts. That agony of separation
caused pangs of pain every moment. They knew they were
helpless; there was no way out. Rama would never give up
the plighted word. He would not return, whatever the
inducement; he would not come back to Ayodhya until the
fourteen-year period was over. They had to accept that
fact. So they steeled their hearts to bear with
the agony and decided to keep alive, awaiting his
return, hoping to rejoice when the term of exile
ends.
Meanwhile, Vasishta the
Royal Preceptor, gathered the feudatory rulers, the
vassal kings, the ministers, sages and monks, the wise
men of the Empire, and leaders among the people, and held
a Conference. First he administered words of advice
according to the Dharmasastra,
the canons of moral law, on the duties and obligations of
rulers. He narrated, in the beginning, the entire series
of events from the plot woven by Kaikeyi to the day when
Rama left for the forest. Then Vasishta dilated upon the
high qualities of the deceased Emperor - his adherence to
Truth, his elevated standards of conduct, his high
spiritual attainments, his regal splendour, and his
loyalty to Vedic injunctions, which made him a generous
patron of countless Yajnas,
Yagas
and other ceremonial rites. Vasishta then went on with
the narration of the attempt made by the Emperor to
celebrate the Coronation of Rama and the obstacles that
came in his way, which resulted in the exile of Rama and
the death of the Emperor himself through grief at the
separation from his dearly beloved son.
Bharatha and Satrughna,
who were unaware of these tragic developments at the
Capital now being described by their Preceptor, were
overwhelmed with anger, as well as sorrow and a sense of
shame. They bent their heads; their hearts were filled
with contrition. Streams of tears flowed down their
cheeks. The persons assembled before them could scarce
lift their eyes towards them. Even Vasishta wiped his
eyes which were fast filling with tears. The hall was
saturated with gloom; a silence fell over the assembly;
all men sat like stone images.
Bharatha and Satrughna
could not any more listen to what Vasishta was narrating;
they were too full of anger at Kaikeyi for her
nefarious conduct. Bharatha cursed himself that he was
born of such a mother; he was so ashamed at this
consequence of his own evil deeds in past lives that he
could not lift his head or look any one in the face. They
were anxious to leave the hall and get away.
Vasishta knew what
their feelings were; he went near them with comforting
counsel. "Son", he said "there is no use lamenting over
the past. What has happened has happened. Now, we must
think and resolve upon what has to be done. Your father,
I must say, was fortunate in all respects. Why grieve
over him? Listen to me; bow your head to his command. He
has granted you the authority to rule over this Empire.
It is right that you accept his grant and honour his
order. Your father agreed to be separated from Rama,
since he could not bring him self to breaking his own
plighted word. He gave up his life, since he had immense
love and affection towards Rama. He died in order to
redeem his promise; there is no doubt about that. He knew
that honouring a promise once made is more valuable than
life itself. That is why he was ready to face death
itself rather than go back on his word. And, consider,
Rama too went into exile in the forest with his wife in
order to honour his word!
"It is the glory of the
Ikshvaku royal line that every one belonging to it would
sacrifice anything for the sake of keeping the word once
given. That is the splendour which you share. You too
must now act according to your fathers word and
accept the responsibility of administering the kingdom.
May you attain all auspiciousness in the task. May
success and prosperity attend on all your undertakings. I
have ventured to advise you thus, only because of the
affection and compassion I have towards you; or else, I
would not have laid on your shoulder this heavy
responsibility. I know you can maintain the fair name of
your father; you have the administrative ability, the
skill, and the courage needed for taking up this burden.
Do not hesitate or doubt. Accept the charge."
Vasishta patted
Bharatha on his back and blessed him. Bharatha took his
loving advice and when the Preceptor finished, he rose
quickly from his seat, and fell prostrate at his feet. He
struggled to speak, for he was in inconsolable
grief; his lips were quivering; his throat was unclear.
Words could hardly shape themselves on his tongue. He
said, "Master! Are these words of yours really an
indication of your love and compassion? No, in fact, you
have no love, no compassion towards me. For, if you had,
you would have never agreed to place all this burden on
me. You are sentencing me to this punishment without the
least compassion. This Empire that drove the holiest and
purest person into the jungles, this Empire that plunged
the entire population into years of incessant
tears, this Empire that has lost its most
righteous ruler, this Empire that has brought eternal
infamy to its ruling dynasty, the Ikshvaku Line, this
Empire that has brought about the pathetic state
of widowhood on mothers Kausalya, Sumitra and the rest,
this Empire that has degraded itself in so many ways -
you are now entrusting to me!
"Alas, this is the
consequence of the sins I have committed, the consequence
of this unfortunate fellow being born from the womb of
that embodiment of cruelty and hatred, Kaikeyi. Instead
of inflicting this punishment on me, please earn some
spiritual merit by sending me to where Rama is. I can
make my life worthwhile and save myself, by engaging in
the task of sweeping the paths ahead of them, to make
them soft for his feet. I cannot remain in this place a
moment longer."
Bharatha fell at
Vasishta's feet and prayed for permission to leave for
the forest. At this, the Ministers of the State rose with
folded hands and said, "Lord! It is not proper to
continue this state of affairs long; we are having no
ruler now. You cannot escape the responsibility which the
Preceptor is imposing on you. After Rama returns, you can
act in the way you prefer, but now, please accept our
prayers. Protect the realm and promote the prosperity of
the people. Take up the reins."
Bharatha did not reply
to their importunities. He wanted instead leave to go to
mother Kausalya and see her for a while. Vasishta readily
agreed. Bharatha and Satrughna moved out of the
Assembly, and made their way straight to the palace of
Kausalya. They fell at her feet and Bharatha told
her, "Mother! Pray pardon this unlucky Bharatha who has
been the cause of all this calamity, having been born
from the womb of that wicked woman, Kaikeyi. This cursed
fellow is the source of miseries of the realm. Give me
permission to leave for the forest. I cannot walk or move
about even a moment in this city of Ayodhya with head
erect, after my master and lord, Rama has left it on
account of me. This Empire belongs as of right to the
eldest son; this insignificant fellow has no right over
it. I do not need this burden, I shall not bear
it. Bless me, so that I can leave immediately". Bharatha
stood waiting, filled with grief.
Kausalya mustered
courage and started to comfort Bharatha. She said,
"Bharatha! Consider the circumstances and give up your
grief. This is no time for wavering. Rama is out there in
the midst of the forest region. Your father is in Heaven.
Your mothers, kith and kin, your friends and well-wishers
and the subjects are sunk in deep sorrow. All are now
looking forward to you as their sole refuge and resort.
Realize that all this has happened because the times were
not propitious and so deeds of men became crooked and
shocking; take courage and decide. Obey the directions of
your father. Bow your head to the command of the Guru,
Vasishta. Honour the petitions of the people. Act as the
ministers are praying you should."
Kausalya was holding
his hands fondly in hers, while she was trying to
persuade him to accept the authority of the monarch of
the realm. Her words touched him with a strange softness,
as if they were cool sandal paste over a burning heart.
They were sweet to the ear, and very appealing to hear.
For, Kausalya had no word of condemnation for his mother
who had caused this string of disasters; she entertained
not even the least doubt regarding his loyalty; Bharatha
felt immensely happy and relieved when he listened to her
words. He was delighted beyond measure when he noted how
broad her heart was and how sincere her affection towards
him. He had not calculated even in his wildest dream that
Kausalya would treat him like this, when her own son was
an exile for fourteen years in the forest, and
also pour out such plentiful affection on him, who was
the son of another wife of her husband! What a
difference, he wondered, between his own mother, Kaikeyi,
and Kausalya. He could not gauge it by any unit of
measurement. He found in Kausalya the completion and
fulfillment of the love that should fill the
heart.
He folded his palms and
importuned, "Mother! Your words filled with tenderness
and love are like a shower of cool rosewater on my
lacerated heart. Perhaps, you mistook me for Rama! But,
alas, I am not that pure-hearted Rama. Bharatha, born of
Kaikeyi; I have a crooked nature, inherited from her. I
am mean, with no sense of shame. I am the enemy of Rama.
You have taken me to be Rama and spoken so kindly, so
affectionately. Your heart is so set upon Rama that you
address every one as you address Rama himself. I am
speaking the truth, mother! Listen to me, and pay heed to
my prayer."
"Mother! Only those who
are established in righteousness deserve to rule. When
persons of devious intelligence and shady skills like me
rule the realm, the earth will degenerate into an image
of the nether regions. Selfish pushers, narrow-minded
adventurers, greedy vultures, pomp-loving personalities,
self-centered individuals, persons suffering from chronic
envy, these do not deserve the right to rule. They harm
the interests of the people whom they rule over; they
undermine the foundations of righteousness. The kingdom
will be ruined by them. Only those who tread the path of
virtue and righteous conduct deserve to rule over others.
I can discover only one such, and he is Rama. I do not
know of any other. Therefore, I shall leave this very
instant, and clasping the feet of Rama, pray to him. I
shall bring him back with me to Ayodhya. Grant me the
permission; bless me without further delay". Bharatha
prostrated before Kausalya and waited for the
answer.
Bharatha's words
soothed the heart of Kausalya to a large extent. She
said, "Son! In you I find surging forth the self-same
feelings my Rama has. Looking upon you, I can bear a
little the agony of separation from him. So, if you too
proceed to the forest, what is to happen to us? If you
declare that your going is inevitable, then, take me too.
For whom have I to spend my days within this Ayodhya?
Having lost the husband, and having become distant from
the son, the wife has not yet dissolved herself in the
agony of the loss. Go, secure the permission of the Guru,
Vasishta; we shall enter the forest, and spend at least
some time with Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. I can then end
this life of mine." When she spoke thus Bharatha derived
some consolation and peace of mind.
Thereupon, Bharatha
fell at the feet of Kausalya and Sumitra, and rose to
proceed towards the palace of Kaikeyi.
Bharatha walked first
and Satrughna followed him. They were heavy with grief
and resentment that Kaikeyi, putting her trust in
Manthara, had brought about such havoc. They tried hard
to suppress the anger that rose within them. At last,
they entered the palace. They saw at the entrance
Manthara herself, elaborately bejeweled, waiting to
receive them. Satrughna could not tolerate that sight; he
dragged her down by the hair and rained blows on her. She
bawled out, 'Ayyo' 'Ayyo' and when the sound reached the
ears of Kaikeyi, she ran to the spot, and started rating
Satrughna for his action.
Taking advantage of the
opportunity, Bharatha let him self go, with uncontrolled
indignation. He shouted at her, "Fie upon you, blackest
sinner! You placed faith in this wicked woman's words and
committed despicable sin. How was it that your heart did
not break in twain when this woman's disastrous counsel
entered it? How could your tongue pronounce those baneful
boons? Did it not turn into ashes, when it uttered those
abominable desires? With what face can you dare reside in
this palace? Aren't you ashamed to move within its
precincts? Alas! How did the Emperor place his faith in
the words of a person so evil as you are? Blinded by
lust, he agreed to barter away the son, in order to win
the wife; the conspiracy you hatched was mean and fraught
with misery. You polluted the pure heart of the Emperor;
you set the Kingdom on fire; you have destroyed the
dynasty and its glory; you have brought eternal disgrace
on the Royal Line of Raghu; your crooked, poisonous heart
has achieved all this ruin. To declare you as my mother
is a dire sin. How could you decide that, when you harm
another, your son will attain good fortune? Are not the
children of others as dear to them as yours are to you?
Women who plan ill for other's children are only out the
water from the tank. I am unable to decide whether I have
to laugh or weep at your banal
stupidity."
"Instead of fouling
these minutes conversing with you, I would rather
proceed to the presence of Rama, and pray to him to
come back to Ayodhya so that I can return with him. In
case, he declines to return, I am determined to stay with
him as Lakshmana has done, and be happy serving
him. I shall not look on your face again."
Saying this, Bharatha
turned his back on her, and started with his brother.
Kaikeyi ruminated on her erroneous action; she lamented
at the turn her plot had taken; she felt that wicked
plans by whosoever entertained might grant only temporary
happiness. But they are certain to pave the way to
ultimate downfall; she found no means of escape; she
could not find words to express her remorse and sorrow;
so, she stood petrified and dumb.
Kaikeyi got disgusted
with Manthara. She realized the truth. She felt delighted
at the righteous stand taken by Rama. And she hung
her head in shame at the recognition of her own
sin.
contents
of this Vahini
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