AYODHYA KANDAM

The Book of Ayodhya or the Ayodhya Kandam in Ramayana decribes the preparations for Rama's coronation in the city of Ayodhya, his exile into the forest, and the regency of Bharata.

The wisdom of a father in bringing up the son consists in doing the right thing promptly in time. As the son comes of age, he is to be entrusted both with power and poverty. The youth's dormant talents are thereby drawn out. Opportunity induces him to come out in exuberance. King Dasaratha knew of this law of life and wanted to give effect to it. On his part he was waning in vigour due to age while Rama was waxing in vitality due to adolescence. The right course therefore open to the father, was to crown the son the heir apparent or the Yuvaraja. But it being a public issue he could not decide it all by himself. He first broached the matter to Vasistha and Vamadeva. Receiving their approval he called a council of wise men, the nobles and the representatives of the commoners and invited their views. Though they were all instinctively drawn to Sri Rama the peerless, they studied this state affair independently on its own merit and arrived at the unanimous opinion that Rama should be forthwith installed the crown prince. Now Dasaratha had a premonition that death was knocking at his door. So he wanted this ceremony gone through as quickly as possible. The third day from then was auspicious. So it was fixed and announced. The city was jubilant with a hurried preparation for Rama's coronation on the morrow. Joy was writ on every face. Singing and dancing was going on here and there. Decoration of the capital was in full swing. The king sent for the prince and had it put to him that he was to be crowned the Yuvaraja on the following day. A great duty was on his shoulders. While the city was feasting and making merry over the coming event, both Rama and Sita were to fast and pray. They had to practice increased humility. Sense control was to be a permanent factor in them. Self discipline was the mark of the model ruler. Subordinating personal concern to public interest was to be their motto. Rama received this injunction with reverence, touched the feet of the father with obedience and hastened back to his palace to carry out orders.

In the meanwhile a plot was hatching in the very palace which was expected to be full of mirth and joy. A humpbacked old woman, Manthra by name, a maid servant of Queen Kaikeyi enquired what the unusual fuss was about in the city. She was informed that Rama was to be enthroned as ruler the next day. The alarmed woman hurried with a stern face to the chamber of her queen and queried her. Manthra replied that Rama is going to be installed as the ruler tomorrow. Kaikeyi was delighted to hear the happy news and she gave an ornament as a prize to Mantra for conveying this news of Rama becoming the Yuvaraja. Mantra throws away the award with disdain and upbraids, "Born of a king, be wedded to a king though you be, like a baby you are bereft to kingly intrigues. You are innocent of the fluctuating royal tides. Today you are loved best by the king. Therefore you are held the foremost among the queens. Tomorrow Rama assumes power; automatically his mother will come into prominence. You will be obliged to play second fiddle to her. And that will be your misfortune. By Bharatha becoming his subject it will become your ill luck. You are unwittingly paving the way for your own downfall and that of your son. And how shall I be a mute witness to it? I shall oppose it for all that I am worth. Kaikeyi wondered of how the world views the happening in one way and Manthra, in quite another way. She thought Rama is the beloved of the populace, he is adored by the enlightened; he is the pursuer of the path of righteousness. He is wedded to truthfulness and he is the embodiment of purity. He is the eldest son of the King; as such he is entitled to become the crown prince. Rama loves her more than his mother and therefore she was very sure that her status will not suffer from any set back in his regime. Rama loves all the brother's as part and parcel of himself, so Bharatha will face no handicap in his elder brother's reign. So she sternly told Mantra to cast off her wild conjecture and to join them in the jubilee.


Mantra became more depressed than before and bewailed saying that Rama's son only will be Rama's successor and never his brother. All princess becoming ruler leads to anarchy. A shrewd sovereign sees to it that no brothers on a par with him in administration is kept anywhere nearby. On one plea or another Bharatha was kept far off with his grandfather. All attention and praise is on Rama. After Rama ascends the throne he will manage to banish Bharatha who alone is equal to him in excellence. So Mantra was trying her best to poison Kaikeyi. Manthra told Kaikeyi, "My darling Queen, from the time you were a baby I was nurturing you. I have no other interest in life than your welfare. For good or bad the decision has to be taken today. Here is the solution. Long ago you nursed your King husband to life when he fainted with a deep wound in the war of the gods against the demons. Being pleased with your invaluable service your Lord offered you two boons; but you did not avail yourself of them then. Now the opportunity has come. Resort forthwith to the anger chamber and feign desolation. The fond King is bound to pledge anything to redress your sorrow. Take the promise first from him that he would be true to his words. On his agreeing to grant them, demand the first boon that Rama should go just now in exile into the forest for fourteen years. As the second boon Bharatha has to installed on the throne utilizing the very articles procured for Rama's coronation." Kaikeyi got now completely converted by the crafty hag. She admired the wisdom, far sightedness and state craft enshrined in that seemingly ugly creature. She agreed to play into the hands of Manthra. She thought she was silly all along but had now become sensible. She acted exactly as she was directed by that evil genius.

Now the King Dasaratha had completed the arrangements for Rama's installation as Yuvaraj. As Dasaratha directed his way towards Kaikeyi, the sentinel informed him that the Queen had resorted to the anger room. With concern on the face the King hastened his steps to that room only to find out his spouse drowned in despondency, fallen flat on the floor, tresses disheveled, ornaments scattered and dress dirtied. With a sweet smile the sovereign caressed her on the head and said: "You know that among women you are the foremost to me even as among men Rama is the foremost. Rama is invincible, the best among men, the best of my progeny; he is my life; if I part with, I will perish. Upon that Rama I swear unto you that whatever you ask for will be conceded." Kaikeyi gathers up the newly instilled evil ideas and presents them emphatically, "You have sworn you would carry out my demand. I remind you of the two boons you offered me when I nursed you back to life from the stupefaction caused to you in the terrible warfare between the demons and the devas. The first request is that Bharatha be enthroned utilizing the very articles gathered for Rama's installation. The second request is that Rama clad in bark should retire into the forest this very day and live there in austerity for fourteen years."

The demand came like a bolt from the blue. Dasaratha was dazed. It took him some time to recover. He regretted for the fatal promise that he had made. Then he broke out into wrathful censure, "You the despicable creature, you, the embodiment of sin, you the destroyer of this family, what harm has Rama or I have done to you? Rama is always more devoted and serviceable to you than to his own mother. I have fostered in this mansion a venomous snake in you. I may renounce Kausalya, Sumithra, the kingly wealth and my life even, but I will not abandon my son. I implore you placing my head on your feet." Dasaratha trembled before Kaikeyi even as a deer would facing a tigress. The emperor's enraged emotion expressed itself in various forms. He would swoon and sink to the ground; regain consciousness and cajole her; overwhelmed with grief he would faint and fall flat on the floor. Abandoning the royal dignity and the regal respect the old monarch wept bitterly at the feet of his obstinate. All night passed begging, imploring, wrathful upbraiding, earnest entreaties and woeful crying. But they were of no avail against her iron will. The willful woman stuck to her demand of the fulfillment of the promise.