Back In Ayodhya
Back in Ayodhya, Dashratha slept peacefully after he came to
know about the success of his sons in their contribution to Vishvamitra’s
mission. It was time for him to retreat and trust his kingdom to his sons. But
what kind of kingdom? He knew Rama’s aversion for ruling a kingdom, and Laxman
was inseparable from his brother. Could he then think of Bharata as his
successor? No, he must not take Rama for granted. Besides, Bhrata was alienated
from the place of his birth because he had lived away from it since childhood.
Dashratha knew that Bharata would be only too happy to see Rama crowned. Rama
can be persuaded to accept the crown. It is his right and responsibility.
Kaikeyi’s thoughts were difficult to understand. She had
always concealed her feelings from him.All these years she had held aloof. She
was taken for granted when her father gave her in marriage to Dashratha.
Dashratha always had a feeling that she concealed her resentment behind custom
and protocol. Nevertheless, he was held captive by her rugged charm and
athletic beauty, both of which belonged to this world. She was not the
legendary angel to whom poets would pay tributes. She had no fear. Her language
and manners were often brusque and offensive. The traditional festivities and
Queenly fanfare never interested her. However, she was a very dependable person
in times of crisis. Her physical courage and insight into the world of politics
surprised those who did not know her well.
However, her feelings for Rama were never accessible to
anyone, not even to Rama himself. She was undemonstrative to the point of
appearing hostile at times. Dashratha was fond of all his sons. Every one of
them had a character of his own. But Dashratha had misgivings about Rama’s
future. Rama would not speak his mind; but when he did , it was with utmost
clarity and ruthlessness. Added to this was his lack of interest in statecraft.
Dashratha was sometimes amused to notice that in some respects Rama and Kaikeyi
were similar and in other respects they complemented each other. Both were
aloof to the point of haughtiness for those who did not know them and yet took
them for granted. Both were undemonstrative of their feelings and when they did
express them, it was without effusion. Sometimes their sense of humour was
sardonic. They differed in one respect. Rama had no interest i n the
matters of kingdom. He stayed away most of the time from the conferences of
ministers. But Kaikeyi had an innate insight in the matters of political
diplomacy. Her insights were strengthened by her pragmatism. Dashratha would
often discuss his problems with her and her opinions, often tersely expressed,
would suddenly open up new ways of looking at the problems in hand. When Bharat
grew up, he realized that his mother was a strange alchemy. He had nicknamed
her as ‘the wise one in the palace’, though he disapproved of her acerbic
tongue very often.
If Rama was an ascetic, Kaikeyi was an atheist. She never
worried about the good or bad consequences of her actions. In spite of all the
complexity in their relationship, Rama and Kaikeyi did not hate each other.
Rama according to all those who knew him, was incapable of hatred. But none
could vouch that for Kaikeyi, for behind her unruffled exterior, neither love
nor hatred could generate any passion. Kaikeyi was simply inscrutable. Only
Rama knew that Kaikeyi, for some unknown reason, perhaps a reason she herself
did not understand, could not express her feelings in an appropriate manner.
Next to Laxman it was Kaikeyi who was capable of understanding the depth of
Rama’s mind. Kausalya and Dashratha were the perennial mother and father
figures. Their sons had never grown up in their eyes. Kaikeyi had silently
followed their growth from childhood to adolescence and from there to
adulthood. Dashratha would get perturbed by her sullenness whenever he indulged
Rama in the days of his childhood. However, he had also noticed that she would
secretly send some small gift or sweets to Rama through Manthara. This change
in her behavior was noticed by Dashratha after Rama’s return from his
pilgrimage when he had given up all interest in the life of the palace. It
comforted him to think that with the passage of time Kaikeyi had mellowed down
perhaps. He remembered how, when Rama had a fall from the horseback once while
learning to ride, she who was watching from her window, had rushed to the scene
barefoot. But on reaching there, she coldly rebuked the trainer and told him to
be more careful in future. Except that, she did not pause there to speak to
anyone.
However, she explicitly disapproved of Dashratha’s fondness
for Rama otherwise. Over time, Dashratha had learnt what displeased her.
Generally he would not speak about Rama in her presence. He had never opposed
the decisions she took regarding Bharat and accepted her prerogative in those
matters. When she sent Bharat to be brought up in her father’s palace, everyone
thought it was an act of expressing contempt for the way of bringing up princes
in her husband’s palace.
Kaikeyi never explained actions or motives. She never
sounded visionary or philanthropic. Dashratha did not spend much time in
finding out how her mind worked. But his instinct always told him that by some
uncanny predetermination, her seemingly absurd ideas yielded beneficial
results.
The news of the killing of Tataka and other rakshasas was
too good to be true. Vishvamitra’s confidence in the two princes was not
misplaced. Dashratha’s initial apprehensions and trepidations were put to rest.
On the day when his messengers brought the news to him, he went straight to the
quarters of Kaikeyi. She too had received the news.
She met him at the gate of her palace and and walked in with
him. He could feel the controlled elation in her gait. When they sat down they
beamed at each other. Her eyes sparkled as if to say,”Didn’t I tell you?”
Dashratha said, “Finally they stood the test of time. The
princes of Ishvaku dynasty have done me proud.”
“Indeed!”said Kaikeyi.
Dashratha was glad that she shared his feelings.
“They must come back now,”said Dashratha. Kaikeyi laughed.
“Vishvamitra is not going to let them,” she said.
“He has no right to decide that. He extracted a promise out
of me. I kept it. That’s it. They are my sons.”
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