Ramayana Chapter 27 Meeting with Ministers

Ramayana

Chapter 27

Meeting with Ministers

King Dashratha entered the assembly- hall where the rulers of the other small neighboring kingdoms were also present beside the ministers of Dashratha. The haste behind all these actions did not go unnoticed by them. Speculations were rife over the political signals behind the marked absence of King Janaka of Mithila and the King of the Kaikeya region of the Northwest frontier, both of whom were the significant allies and mighty supporters of Ayodhya. The urgency behind the need to call the meeting was explained by King Dashratha himself, but there was no allusion to either of these two vitally important family-allies. The risk of confrontation and a possible outcome of a bloody feud over the share in the power vested in the throne of Ayodhya could not be ruled out.  Many saw a shrewd deliberation behind this significant exclusion which could not be easily glossed over. The diplomatic circles outside of Ayodhya were divided in opinion over the relative merit and the demerit of this gesture. There was no agreement whether this should be viewed as a gesture of political sagacity or as a cause for alarm. The ministers close to Dashratha however, thought it wise on the part of Dashratha to keep both the kings out of the arena of politics at this crucial point in the historically significant stage of the future that was evolving for Ayodhya. Almost everyone present in the assembly was nevertheless, a well-wisher of Dashratha because the stability and peace in that entire vastly spread-out region of the north and the south was closely tied up with the stability and peace in Ayodhya; and moreover, Ayodhya was the guardian of the sovereignty of their kingdoms. They had seen in the past that the kings of Kaikeya and Videha had not posed a threat to the sovereignty of Ayodhya and respected the independent existence of one another.

Everyone listened in anxiety and trepidation to the words uttered in utmost gravity by the wizened king as he addressed them with courtesy, soliciting their accord and co-operation in the action he was contemplating in the best interest of all of them.

“I have looked after my subjects with solicitude and love that a father bestows upon his children. I have been inspired and guided by my illustrious ancestors of the great Ishwaku dynasty. They knew that this earth has to be preserved and nurtured so that she may be the perfect dwelling –place, another heaven, for all those who are born and live here; that she may be the sphere of love and harmony to all. Protection, not destruction, preservation, not greed, has been the motto of my ancestors and that is the philosophy they bequeathed on me. We have learnt the use of power to defend our peaceful terrain from attack and prevent attacks on the neighboring kingdoms.  I have spent my life in carrying out the command of my ancestors. It was most holy for me. I pay my debt of respect and gratitude to them because the memory of their noble deeds and courage in the face of adversity did not let me swerve from the path of justice and valour. Our valour and grandeur were always harnessed to the goals that were just and good. The state of Ayodhya has been brought to perfection by their unfaltering wisdom and alertness.  I have tried to preserve their wise traditions of nurture and care in all my efforts. But I can no longer hold the reins of this noble mission. You can see that I have not the energy to run this responsibility any more. My beloved eldest son Rama, the heir apparent to this kingdom, has returned victorious from his mission of surveying and offering protection to the sages and the peaceful dwellers of the forests. He and his younger brother Laxman have had the opportunity of studying the art of fighting and weaponry under the guidance of sage Vishvamitra. Both these sons of mine have endeared themselves to all by their exemplary conduct and noble heart. My purpose in calling this assembly should be more than obvious to all of you by now. I want to trust this kingdom to my son Rama.  All of us know that Rama is more of a philosopher than a ruler. But philosophers are best rulers because they prefer not to rule while they are ruling. Philosophers should rule because justice demands that they rule. It is in the interest of all of us that we be ruled by a philosopher rather than by a politician or an epicure. I am speaking out my most intimate thoughts to you because I hold your interest uppermost in my heart. If you feel that my proposal is in the right direction, please endorse it without reservation. Then I shall forthwith proceed with the ceremony of the coronation of Rama and bestow good fortunes and the gift of well-being on all. I shall seek your co-operation and welcome all suggestions in this worthy endeavour. However, if you have a better proposal than this which will better serve the interests of all, I am more than willing to give it a thought.  Because when thoughts arise in the common sphere of the neutral space of several minds working in harmony, they always have a wider perspective on the predicament than the view of a single mind like mine.”

The King had yet to complete what he had to say when the whole congregation stood up like one man and their cheers and sounds of jubilation went up to touch the sky. The sagacious counselors, the wise ones with deep knowledge of statecraft and war, those with the knowledge of economy and the finance—all the gems of wisdom in Dashratha’s council of ministers, dispersed in small homogeneous groups to discuss and consult one another on the matter. Whatever be their area of expertise, they all knew Dashratha’s mind like the palm of their hand.

Ramyana Chapter 26. Forward to Coronation

Ramayana

Chapter 26

Forward to Coronation

Dashratha was suddenly weary. Weariness was all over the body, soul and the mind. The wedding festivities were over long since, but his nightmare which had been chasing him all along ever since their return from Mithila would still wake him up any time of the night. That sudden attack on their caravan by the ancient Brahmin sage Parashurama in the wilderness of the forest, the dust storm, Parashurama’s unconcealed hatred for the warrior race which was reflected in the ferocity of the attack as well as in his vitriolic language when he addressed Rama—everything would flash before his mind’s eye vividly. The fact of Rama’s controlled retaliation in the face of the vicious provocation was worthy of a great warrior. But Rama was still his darling son whom he would like to shield from all possible dangers of life.

Circumstances were changing rapidly. Vishwamitra had warned him and Vasishtha in several ways and sometimes in no uncertain terms. But the statesman and the king in him had grown weary. He remembered how he had deprived Rama of love and the attention that was his due in childhood and the father in him would be distressed long over those days for which there was no compensation. He would gladly give anything to have those days back again and recompense what he had held back, mostly out of his excessive fear of Kaikeyi.

Now the festivities and the religious ceremonies being over, the political pressures were assuming overriding proportions and his ministers were constantly reminding him of the need to evaluate those concerns which he had been refusing to look at. The bottomline of all the suggestions and counsel was that the king should entrust the princes with greater responsibilities in administration. Distribution of power was a complex issue. Dashratha was suddenly awakened to a new thought in one of his ruminations with the ministers. Why not give a thought to handing over the kingdom completely to Rama? He must do it now while he is still competent to guide the affairs of the state from the rear, thought he. That way he would be able to control any possible feuds that may arise as a result of Rama’s coronation and he would be able to achieve a peaceful transition of power. All this had to take place in his lifetime. He realized that there was little time on hand to waste or spare.

He expressed his desires and thoughts to Sumanta when they were alone by themselves. Both of them had been thinking along the same lines, though Sumanta had not articulated his thoughts till then. There was no doubt about Rama’s capability. Dashratha remembered the prediction of the royal astrologers that Rama was the incarnation of God Vishnu and that he had a mission. Dashratha knew, or rather apprehended what the mission was. Wars and conquests, subjugation of enemies! What else were warriors born for? But was this young ascetic really born for this path? Dashratha’s heart would sink in apprehension, under the weight of the thought of the fateful prospect of the deep inner rift that was going  to cast a shadow over the life of his wise young son.

But there was no time to waste on introspection of this kind. Dashratha knew that Rama was trained in body and soul by two great masters like Vasishtha and Vishvamitra. Vasishtha had disciplined Rama’s mind while Vishvamitra had taught him the skills of war. Sumanta assuaged his fears and tried to remove his misgivings. “Rama would be a grand charioteer”, he said, “able to control the white and the dark horses with poise and grace through peace as well as war”

Dashratha’s mind was somewhat restored to peace and both he and Sumanta set about the business of convening that crucial meeting with the ministers to discuss the new plan of action.

Ramayana Chapter 25. Departure of Bharat and Shatrughna

Ramayana

Chapter 25

Bharat and Shatrughna Leave Ayodhya

Prince Bharata had left for the kingdom of Kaikeya in the Northwest, escorted by his ever-vigilant maternal uncle Yudhajit who had camped in Ayodhya for a sufficiently long time with the explicit intention of overseeing the political interest of Bharata, Kaikeyi and his own kingdom on the Northwest of the continent. Bharat’s bonding with Shatrughna being strong and natural; the two brothers were seen as a distinctive and inseparable unit among the four sons of Dashratha.

Kaikeyi had always identified Bharat’s welfare and political future as closely tied up with the fortunes of her father’s state. She saw the two brothers off with a heart rather heavy and full of forebodings at this time in the course of the events. Bharata who had attained a mature understanding of the complex realities of his relationships and the political undercurrents defining them, watched his mother’s silence as she placed her hands on the heads of both the brothers simultaneously. He was trying to read her mind and as usual she was careful not to betray any sign of what she was contemplating at the back of her mind.

The days when he could chide her playfully for her unjustifiable fits of willfulness were over now. He had begun to see an inscrutable pattern of reason behind her behaviour; but he could not yet read it clearly. As always, she refused to divulge what was going on in her mind. While in her presence, he was able to feel something hardening inside her. When he had entered her chamber along with Shatrughna, he could not fail to notice the absence of smile on her face, though she observed all the courtesies and the protocol correctly.

At the time of farewell she had looked at him steadily for some time, as if she was trying to gauge his inner strength. Bharat had met her gaze with a stubborn note of circumspection and she had tried to veil her feelings as she asked them if they were happy while they were here, during this very significant period of their life. Then she had said to Bharat, “God speed my son; I need you very much.” Bharat had watched the hardening, and the struggle of her veiled feelings, trying to break through the wall.

“Mother, take care”, he had said briefly before taking leave.

Bharat had been to take leave of his father before coming to see his mother. Normally both of them would be together at the time of saying adieu to him, on all previous occasions. This time he noticed the tacit estrangement between the two. He had felt sad that over the period of time his parents were not able to achieve harmony and peace in their relationship. The distance between them seemed to have widened and it seemed as if his father was growing tired of his mother’s inscrutable behavior and was developing a kind of indifference or some sort of belated defiance towards her. He also noticed that his father tended to be a little secretive about the political realities facing the kingdom of Ayodhya. He was warm as he showered his benediction but there was no word of advice for his two sons regarding their conduct of life in the near future, although the time pointed to the need of it. He had a feeling that for some unknown reason, his father was eager to see him out of Ayodhya as soon as possible.

Both brothers had received a whole lot of worldly advice from Kausalya and Sumitra on how to keep their young brides happy without letting them interfere too much in their own princely responsibilities. The two couples had hardly got to know each other during those days of hectic ceremonies and festivities. The counseling was artless and answering to the necessity of the time.   

Rama was warm and Laxman sedate at the time of leave-taking. But Bharat’s mind was perplexed by the thought of something  going amiss.

Ramayana Chapter 24 The Choice Unknown

Ramayana

Chapter 24

The Choice Unknown

After the departure of the mysterious messenger, Kaikeyi started spending hours in solitude to reflect upon the portents of his visit. She began to see the shape of the things hidden inside the contours of the speedy events that had been taking place since the day Vishvamitra had arrived unannounced in the conference hall of king Dashratha. Vishvamitra had fulfilled his mission and returned to his hermitage, but he had only played his part in the larger processes of history evolving slowly. He was a visionary who knew the truth from the distant far-away vantage point in future. His mission was to initiate the forces that needed to be awakened if the future was to evolve in the right direction for Ayodhya and all the neighboring states stretching right up to the state of Kaikeya—her father’s kingdom. Vishvamitra had given Rama a foreknowledge of the nature of the threat posed to Ayodhya and all the states in the north lying under the shadow of the great Himalayan ranges.  The threat could emerge from the dark forests stretching to the south and ending at the sea in the south. The kings and the princes of small kingdoms had displayed their ineptitude and ignorance from the way they had rallied together to subdue Janaka over the question of the marriage of his daughter Seeta. The signs of the imminent chaos could be seen in the sudden appearance of sage Parashurama on the scene immediately after Rama’s marriage to Seeta. Rama was emerging in the forefront of the vortex of the historical-political turmoil and it was the demand of the times that he must be brought to the center of the vortex. There was no other way and the sages knew it. That was why even Vasishtha had given a tacit consent to Vishvamitra’s maneuvering. The truth began to unfold slowly before her eyes. What lay hidden in the folds of the future was something that was not yet clear to her. Where was it leading to? Did it lead in the direction of chaos, status quo, or the evolution of a new order?

What intrigued her most was the burden of responsibility that the messenger had cast upon her. Her mind was spinning in all directions, especially when she saw the wave of happiness that had surged all around and engulfed the entire kingdom of Ayodhya at that moment. She had no part to play in their celebration, but the immensity of the fateful implication of the choice that lay before her was surrounding her on all sides and the resentment that she should feel at her ostracized state in the palace was insignificant now.

Things had reached a feverish pitch as the excitement of the sacred rituals and the ceremonies brought on almost a delirium of joy among the women of the royal household. Manthara was flitting in and out of her mistress’s room in anger and frustration as she watched the ceremonies of welcome to the new princesses. Gradually a fit of panic seized her as she saw Kaikeyi being driven into isolation and as she reflected on Kaikeyi’s withdrawal from the scenes of excitement she was filled with an increasing sense of insecurity. She tried to probe deeper into Kaikeyi’s silence but there was an unusual coldness in Kaikeyi’s demeanor which Manthara saw as a dangerous sign of admission of defeat.

Possessing a foresight and vision is not a happy gift when you are surrounded by a pack of an ignorant crowd who are blissfully free of the burden of choice that is to decide their fate. At no other time in her life had Kaikeyi felt so forsaken and alone as she felt now.    

Ramayana Chapter 23 Forebodings of the Future

Ramayana

Chapter 23

Forebodings of the Future

A wizened old brahmin was seen by Kaikeyi on that morning, as she stood on the balcony overlooking the garden-path. He was stopped at the gate to her mansion by the sentry, but the old man was apparently undaunted by the obstruction in his way to the mansion. He appeared to be arguing with perseverance but the sentry did not seem to pay heed to his arguments. Kaikeyi was struck by something that carried significance to her. She sent an attendant to the gate with the royal insignia and had the man brought into her presence.

When the man appeared in her presence she realized that he was not really as old as he appeared to be from a distance and he was not a destitute either. When he took off the shawl which covered his head she saw that his bare shoulders were quite strong and there was a spark in his eyes which he deliberately concealed by keeping his eyes fixed on the ground. When he looked up and as their eyes met, she realized that he had come there with some grave purpose.

“I may not need an introduction,” he said as he flourished a parchment from under his arm and handed it to her.  Kaikeyi cast a glance at it and returned it to him.

“Have you understood who has sent me here?” He asked.

Kaikeyi said, “You have come from Indra, the Lord of Gods.”

She tried to hide her astonishment and said, “I should take you to the presence of the King then.”

The man hastened to say, “No need for that Honorable Lady. I have been instructed to hold conference exclusively with you.”

Kaikeyi was deeply engrossed in silence. He studied her for a moment and then said, “Listen carefully. Remember that you are a part of a royal dynasty which has been chosen by destiny to determine the course of history in a decisive way and moreover you have been assigned a role in it. The Gods who rule over this continent are locked in a battle with the Asuras who are wreaking havoc in this part of the earth and unless they are vanquished the Gods themselves are under threat. There is only one person who can take the challenge and it is going to be a long drawn-out battle”

Having said that, the man stopped to let her respond. Kaikeyi responded with guarded silence. She was not unaware of the situation. Her brother Yudhajit had, in fact, come all the way from the kingdom of Kaikeyas and stayed here long after his arrival from Mithila with the wedding party. His secret agents had been busy gathering information on the political scenario and Yudhajit had kept her informed of the politically fragile condition of Ayodhya during this time.

But she did not speak anything of what she knew. The man sent by Indra was a shrewd manipulator. He knew that Kaikeyi would not easily fall into the trap. He said, “I know that your secret agents have apprised you of the imminent danger.  The king has to come to a point of decision; but as everyone knows, he will not. He cannot deal with the problem which is going to assume a massive proportion in the future. Rama is the person who must look into this and he will not be able to do it sitting here in the luxury of the palace. We know that you are aware of the problem and also of its solution. We know that you have apprised Rama of the situation that prevails now.”

Kaikeyi looked at him in surprise as she heard this from him; especially his mention of her secret conference with Rama, which was rather unexpected for her.

He said, “My words should not cause a surprise. We among the Devas know everything."

Kaikeyi’s thoughts were swimming in a deep vortex. She realized what it was leading to.

He said, “You among all the members of the royal family are the one who can guide the path of destiny in the chosen direction. I leave it to you to find a way to do this. But you have to do this. The time has come close at hand.”

He paused for a while and said, “Can I extract a promise from you?”

There was a grim silence.

The man said, “You will have to act and you will. There is no alternative.”  

Before she could form a reply the man had got up from his seat and left her to ponder over the answer in the doom of her solitude.