Urmila
Urmila was watching the garden-path leading to her father’s conference-room where she and Seeta were rarely allowed. She knew at this moment King Dashratha and her father were engaged in a talk. There was not a soul around except the sentry guarding the gate. No sound penetrated the silence outside.
Seeta’s marriage to prince Rama! There was nothing else that people talked about these days. It was being talked about in the palace, in the streets and by-lanes of Mithila, in every household of Mithila. In the palace they were walking hurriedly and bumping into each other, and laughing joyously. Yet there were many things missing. Urmila was missing; and so many other things, which people failed to notice in their obsession for Seeta’s marriage. Urmila was rather glad to be on the periphery, because that was how she liked to look at everything---watching from the periphery, silently disengaged, like a star out of the orbit.
This time she enjoyed her solitude for another reason. She liked to play with the memory of a certain moment. She liked to look at it from all angles and read several meanings into it. Then thinking that she had spent enough time in indulging herself, she would come out of it only to go back to it with a greater eagerness.
In the great excitement that followed Rama’s victory over the stubborn ancient bow, she had hugged Seeta and kissed her impulsively on the cheek. That was the moment when she saw Laxman looking at her with a spark of amusement in his eyes. And then she found that those eyes followed her everywhere. She began to take delight in the game of hide and seek, finding safety in the fact that the royal protocol did not permit them to speak to each other.
Urmila found out that this young man would meticulously avoid contact with women and was rather skeptical about love. He seemed to take pride in the splendor of his celibacy. For that reason she thought him rather vain, but charming nevertheless. He did not seek her attention, but was happy when he received it. She liked his childlike simplicity. The more she thought of him the more she began to fall in love with her solitude.
As she stood watching the conference-room, the thought of Laxman returned to her mind. She tried to imagine him by her side and then laughed at the idea because in her imagination she could not think of him as away from his brother. And any way, why would she try to separate him from his brother? That was the prerogative of his wife--- whoever and wherever she may be!
Just then her personal attendant rushed in excitedly.
“ O my princess, fortune is shining upon you today! And may it continue to shine in the days to come; may it shine forever!”
Urmila was aware that since King Dashratha’s arrival, messages, errands and news were going around in frenzy. A princess needs not to get carried away and trust them unless she is apprised officially. Still she was curious to know because any news, true or false or half-truth was significant these days.
The attendant was eager to break the news. Without waiting, she said, “Soon you will come to know, but let me tell you first. His Highness has promised to give you in marriage in to Rama’s younger brother Laxman.
Urmila closed her lips tightly to contain her surprise. Then, as was the custom, she removed the pearl necklace and gave it to the attendant.
Soon she returned to earth from her dream-world and wondered what role she was going to play in future in the royal household of Ayodhya.
Brides for All
In the conference room, Janaka was joined by his brother Kushadhwaja who ruled over a state on the bank of a river that ran close to the state of Videha. Kushadhwaja’s state originally belonged to King Sudhanva who had demanded from Janaka the great bow of Shiva and Seeta both. Janaka’s refusal led to a battle between Sudhanva and Janaka and after killing his enemy in the battle, Janaka had established his own rule in the conquered state with his brother Kushadhwaja as the new king.
Everybody rejoiced over Janaka’s decision to offer Urmila to Laxman. The ties between the two kingdoms were going to be doubly secured thereby.
Vishwamitra, the great diplomat and an erstwhile king, always thought ahead of everyone. He said, “Now that you are thinking of strengthening the ties between Ayodhya and Mithila, let me also say something; please listen. I know that this wise king Kushadhwaja who is gracing the conference with his presence; he too has two beautiful daughters. I will choose them as brides for prince Bharat and his valiant brother Shatrughna. All these sons of Dashratha are bright, young, just, and endowed with godlike valour.”
He addressed Janaka and said, “His Highness, offer these two princesses in marriage to Bharat and Shatrughna and secure the ties further. You are a noble and wise king; do not hesitate.”
Vishwamitra looked at Vasishtha to seek support. Vasishtha expressed satisfaction. Janaka felt assured. He said to both the sages, “It’s a good augury for our royal family that we are ordered by you to establish a bond with the great Ishwaku dynasty. We seek your blessings and abide by your command. Let these four valiant princes marry our four daughters on the same day.
It was an event which was both unprecedented and unanticipated. Dashratha had been waiting for the safe return of Rama and Laxman from Vishwamitra’s project of conquest of forests. The thing turned out to be more than an ordinary victory. Today all his sons were going to marry in the same royal family. The political gain could not be discounted. There was no time for Dashratha to make arrangements for bringing his wives and other women of the family to Mithila. In fact, the whole affair was tacitly controlled and channelized by Vishvamitra.
The proposal that Dasharatha’s other sons should marry Kushadhwaja’s daughters was accepted without bias, and immediately thereupon, Janaka pointed out that the next two days were ruled by Purvafalguni constellation; the day after however, was ruled by Uttara-falguni constellation which is supposed to be most auspicious for solemnizing marriage. Having said this, Janaka got up and thanked Vasishtha and Vishvamitra; offered them the preceptorship of Mithila and requested them to guide the religious ceremony as they would do it for Ayodhya.
Dashratha went back to his camp with his sons and the retinue, performed the religious rites prior to the wedding-ceremony and graced the occasion by donating four million cows to the Brahmins in Mithila.
A Surprise
Surprisingly, on the day when Dashratha had donated cows to Brahmins in anticipation of his sons’ weddings, Bharat’s maternal uncle, Prince Yudhajit, arrived in Mithila. He had been to Ayodhya to take Bharat, his nephew, to Kaikeya, his father’s state in the north-west of India, as his father was longing to see his grandson. On being told that Dashratha had left for Mithila with Bharat and Shatrughna, he came all the way down to Mithila.
Yudhajit was always civil and sober in his manners. His coming to Mithila uninvited, therefore did not give offence to Dashratha. Yudhajit however, was forewarned of something happening which had far-reaching consequences. The news of Rama’s marriage had of course been the centre of discussions everywhere. But when Yudhajit reached Ayodhya nobody knew of the further developments which had led to Bharat and Shatrughna’s betrothal to Kushadhwaja’s daughters.
Anyway, Yudhajit did not see anything amiss in what had taken place. He was happy for Bharat.
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