2.19. Dignity, thy name is rAma!

Hari Om.

Let us begin the nineteenth sarga of the ayOdhyakAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

King daSaratha was in no position to summon rAma. kaikEyi did so, and he stayed silent in approval. Now rAma, aboard his glorious chariot, moved through the royal highways, delighting the citizens to no end. He entered the inner chambers of his father, and was shocked to find him in a terrible state of being. His thoughts ran wild to divine the reason and, unable to find one, he asked kaikEyi. She broke the news about the boons that the king is obliged to honour. She extracted the promise from rAma to abide by her wish and then conveyed the wish to him! rAma was in no distress upon learning about her wish. Onwards…

Even after listening to those harsh words of kaikEyi, which were akin to death, rAma’s acceptance of her wish was immediate. There wasn’t any sign of distress on him! He reassuringly said – “Be it so, O dEvi, I shall at once go to the danDaka forests, donning bark and matted locks. Let there be no doubt about that. Be assured. I shall keep the word of my well-wisher, guru, father and above all, the king. However, it hurts me the most that the king did not tell me himself about the consecration of my brother bharata. If he orders, I am ready to give up wealth, kingdom, my life and even sIta for bharata. Why is my father shedding copious tears looking at the ground? Please console him. Let swift messengers leave at once and fetch bharata. I am ready to leave for the danDaka forests right now for fourteen years, and honour the tacit order of my father”.

kaikEyi was relieved and happy to see the determination of rAma to leave for the forest and honour the word of the king. She hurried him even more and said – “The messengers shall go at once to fetch bharata on your part, rAma, it is improper to delay your departure further. It is only out of shame that the king is unable to speak to you. Don’t make much of that. Only you can remove this guilt from his mind, by proceeding immediately to the forest. Bear in mind, as long as you don’t leave for the forest, your father would be sulking so, and would neither bath nor partake food”.

The king couldn’t take this any longer, felt disgusted and fainted on his golden couch. rAma sprang to his side and held him. kaikEyi was unsparing. She saw no room for any compassion here and, just as a horse is whipped to make it gallop fast, she asked rAma to hasten his departure.

Unwavering and composed rAma turned to kaikEyi and told her – “O dEvi, I have no desire to live in this world for the sake of wealth. Know me to be akin to the Rshis in living for the sake of dharma alone on this earth.

नाहमर्थपरो देवि लोकमावस्तुमुत्सहे।

विद्धिमामृषिभिस्तुल्यं केवलं धर्ममास्थितम्।।2.19.20।।

If there is anything that can be done to please my worship-worthy father. I shall do it even at the expense of my very life. There is no greater dharma in this world to do other than following the command of father or serving him. Even if the king has not asked me explicitly to do so, in accordance with your word, I shall leave for the danDaka forests. You have actually exercised more power than even the king and prevailed on him for appointing bharata as the heir apparent and so, it is certain that you feel I lack some quality to deserve this. I shall leave right away after taking leave of my mother and sItA today, to spend fourteen years in the forest. It becomes your duty O dEvi to ensure that bharata rules righteously and serves father well.”

Father daSaratha wailed piteously upon hearing these determined words of rAma and fainted again. rAma touched the feet of his father and circumambulated him, bowed to kaikEyi and left the inner chambers at once. As he stepped out he saw his well-wishers. Brother lakshmaNa, that enhancer of sumitrA’s joy, was brimming with tears of rage and followed him at once. rAma went around the vessels of water kept for crowning respectfully and slowly moved away from those. rAma was the darling of everyone. His resplendence didn’t diminish one bit due to the loss of the kingdom, just like the night cannot reduce the splendour of the moon!

न चास्य महतीं लक्ष्मीं राज्यनाशोऽपकर्षति।

लोककान्तस्य कान्तत्वाच्छीतरश्मेरिव क्षपा।।2.19.32।।

rAma was determined to go to forest and as such, no one could dissuade him. He was beyond all worldly affairs.

न वनं गन्तुकामस्य त्यजतश्च वसुन्धराम्।

सर्वलोकातिगस्येव लक्ष्यते चित्तविक्रिया।।2.19.33।।

Right away rAma gave up the parasol, the royal umbrella that provided the shade, the chariot, sent away his convoy and kinsmen, absorbed the shock and the sorrow in his dignified countenance. The highly self-controlled and self-possessed rAma entered the chambers of his mother by walk, to break the unpleasant news to her. There was no change in disposition or countenance or behavior of the truthful and dignified rAma – no one around him could fathom what had happened, he was as cheerful as before. The bliss that was his habit didn’t shed him just like the moon in the autumn season doesn’t shed its brightness. He had a sweet word or two for everyone and exchanging pleasantries with everyone thus entered the chambers of his mother. Brother lakshmaNa was self-controlled and followed rAma without betraying his rage. Entering his mother’s chamber that was full of festivities and gaiety, rAma didn’t share the news of his exile with any of his well-wishers assembled there, for fear of causing disappointment to them.