jaisriramramo.

RAMAYANA He touched his father's feet and paid the same filial worship to Kaikeyi. Dasaradha uttered in a low voice the name of Raama and stopped.  He could speak no more. He could not look straight in to the face of Raama. Raama was perplexed and filled with apprehension at the sight of his father., lying there unable to speak, in the grip of some agony--what it could be Raama could not even guess. He turned to Kaikeyi and said; " Mother , this is indeed strange.  No matter how angry he was, my father would speak sweetly to me .  Have I without knowing it offended him in any matter? Has some   sudden  sickness struck him down? Has some one spoken rudely to him? Do tell me what has happened. I can bear this suspense no longer".  Bold Kaikeyi seized the chance and said: " The King is angry with no one. There is nothing wrong with his health. But there is some thing in his mind which he is afraid to tell you. That is all. He is afraid...

RAMAYANA At that movement the King was speechless with agony, but Kaikeyi boldly answered for him and told Sumantra: The King spent the night talking of Raama's coronation and had no sleep . So now he is in a slumber . Go at once and bring Raama." Thus the clever woman sent Sumantra  to fetch Raama to convey the King's  command. She knew that Dasaradha had agreed but had not the strength to do what had to b done. Hence Kaikeyi resolved that she would herself do what needed to be done. Sumanthra went to Raama's palace . Seeta and Raama were getting ready for coronation. Then Sumanthra gave to Raama the message that the King and Queen Kaikeyi wanted his presence. Raama hastened to obey. Th unexpected delay and these strange goings and comings roused doubts, but no one dared to talk of them. The men concerned hoped that somehow things would turn out right and went on with their allotted work. The streets were brightly decorated; the great hour was ap...

RAMAYANA He concluded that he had no alternative but to fulfill his word to his cruel wife and left the ordering of things entirely to Kaikeyi. Day dawned . The hour fixed for the coronation was approaching . The procession of Vasistha and his disciples carrying the golden vessels containing the waters of holy rivers was coming towards the palace. The great street was decorated and was crowded with eager men and women. They rejoiced to see Vasistha and his disciples march to the palace with the holy waters, paraphernalia of installation. As they saw the honey , curds, clarified butter, fried rice , sacred grass, flowers, maidens, elephants, horses,and chariots, the white umbrella ,the bull, the horse and the tiger- skin  seat moving to the accompaniment of music from many instruments, the people made loud and jubilant acclamations which filled the air. Vasistha approaching the palace gate, saw Sumanthra and said to him: "Pray , go in at once and inform the King tha...

RAMAYAN Poor Dasaradha was in extreme agony. pulled by natural affection on one side and by the moral obligation to fulfill a pledge on he other. He had fondly hoped that Kaikeyi would relent and that some how the conflict of duties would be resolved.   But now he saw that this was not to be.  He had still one faint hope " Raama is  in no way bound by my premises and pledges. Strong as he is in people's love and in his peerless prowess, he may disregard my promise, and stand on his own rights--but I cannot conceive his doing so, for my slightest wish has always been scared to him.  Yet,  if by some chance he did so, it would save the situation."  In the confusion and anguish of his heart, the old king consoled himself with such false hopes, forgetting that Raama would never think of disregarding his fathers's promise and that filial obedience was a fundamental rule of his life. But the false hopes did not persist long. He felt that his ...

RAMAYANA BUT   she answered: "Have done with this foolery, she that you do not break your word and drive me to keep mine, and kill myself.  It is useless for you to try to evade." The king said " With due rites and in the presence of Fire , I took your hand and called you wife. Here and now I renounce you, and with you the son you bore. Night is gone, the dawn is near and the morning will see not Raama's coronation, but my funeral," Kaikeyi cut him short.  "You are prattling vainly. Send at once for Raama. Let him come here. Tell him the kingdom is Bharata's and he should go to the forest.  Keep your promise . Do not waste time," Dasaradha groaned . " Very well . Let me at least set eyes on Raama's face.  My death is near. Let  Raama come. Let me see his face before I die . Tied down by dharma this old fool is helpless.  And again he fell unconscious. Contd..next. BHAGAVAD-GITA 7-13 De luded by the three modes ...

RAMAYANA AGAIN, AFTER WHILE, THE old king cried: "What good you will gain by sending Raama to the forest. I fail to see . The only result will be that the whole world will despise you. After many years of prayer and penance.  I had Raama by the grace of God . And him I now banish into the forest.  I, most wretched of men" Lifting his eyes to the sky , he said: " Oh night!  Stay   on . For when you pass and day dawns, what shall I do ? What shall I say to those eager crowds, who, full of love   for Raama. will be awaiting  the coronation festivities? O heavens! Stay still for my sake with your stars! No, no stay not for then, I must keep looking at this sinful woman. Depart at once, O night , so that I may escape this face." Thus delirious and conscious by turns, the poor old man suffered agony--a king who had reigned for sixty-thousand years. " Pity me, Kaikeyi ,"he said," Forget the harsh things I uttered in anger.  I beg you in the ...

RAMAYANA " iF i tell to go to the forest, yes, he will cheerfully obey and go the forest. My self and then Kausalya and Sumitra will die.  How will you enjoy the kingdom thus secured, O sinful foolish woman,? "And will Bharata agree to your plans? If he does agree, he shall not perform my obsequies. O shameless woman,my life's  enemy, kill your husband and attain widowhood to enjoy the kingdom with your son. O, how sinful are women and how pitiless.No, no, Only this woman is cruel. Why should I insult other women? what a pity that my Bharata should have this monster for a mother! No, I can never do this. Kaikeyi, I fall at your feet and beg you , Have some pity on me!"  The king rolled on the ground writhed in agony. What shall we say of this scene? A great emperor, famous for his long and g lorious  reign, crying and rolling on the ground , clasping his wife's feet and begging for mercy. It was like Yayaati thrown back to earth when,  his a...

RAMAYANA WITH THIS FIRM DECLARATION, Kaikeyi stopped. Dasaratha stood speechless, staring at his pitiless wife. Was this lovely creation really  Kaikeyi or a demon? Then, like a huge tree felled by a forester with his axe, the King shook and toppled down and lay stretched unconscious on the floor in pitiful ruin. Regaining his senses after a while he spoke in a low voice: "Kaikeyi, who has corrupted your mind   to see me dead and our race destroyed? what evil spirit has possessed and makes you dance in this shameless fashion.? Do you really think that Bharata  will agree to be king after sending Raama to the forest?  He never will, and you know it. Can I possibly bear to tell Raama to go to the forest? Will not the kings of the world despise me, saying, This uxorious old dotard has banished his eldest son, the best of men"? Don't you see that they would be laugh at me?  It is easy enough for you to say 'Send Raama away to the forest' but can Kausalya or ...

RAMAYANA T O THE KING THUS STRUGGLING IN A SEA OF GRIEF, P itiless Kaikeyi spoke cruel words. "King, if having promised the boons you regret it and will be forsworn, what sort of king would you be and what right would you have to speak of Satya and Dharma? How can you face other kings? Will you shamelessly confess to them, ' Yes, Kaikeyi saved me from death and I gave her a promise, Later, I was sorry, I gave it and I broke it? What else could you tell them? All monarchs will shun you as a disgrace to their order! and common people will laugh scorn at their rulers and say,  'Kings break promises even when given to their queens. Do not expect kings to keep their word,'. Do you not know that Saibya , to redeem the pledge he gave to a bird , cut the very flesh off his bones and gave it away? Have you  not heard of Alarka who plucked his eyes out to keep his word? The sea stays with in its limits and does not overflow the land, because it feels bound by its ag...