Lord Rama's Noble Decision

Rama paid His respects to The King and Queen

On seeing His father’s distress He became keen

“Father! I see from your face that your heart is sore

I have never seen you lie on the floor”

Rama touched His father on the shoulder

The king did not speak and stayed like a boulder

Rama’s radiant face emanated rays of worry

For the state of His father, He felt sorry

He was ready to take up incessant pain

Only to make His father smile again

He was ready to give up His very life

Or never again see His beloved wife

Not knowing what troubles his dad

He looked at Kaikeyi who was not sad

“Mother! Why has father’s face lost its glow?

He has never been like this as far as I know”

Grabbing her chance Kaikeyi spoke

Hitting the bull’s eye at the very first stroke

“Your father’s character has become weak

He has something to tell you but afraid to speak”

“Long ago I helped him win a crucial war

He gifted me two boons for being its star

Today I asked him to grant me my boon

Not willing to grant it, he became silent soon”

“What are those boons, may I ask?

What for my father is such difficult task?”

“I wanted Bharatha to become king at his behest

Sending you, for fourteen years, to a thick forest”

Lord Rama’s mind pictured everything clean

He understood everything as though he had seen

He decided to protect His father’s word

And for fourteen years to be a jungle bird

He thought with compassion in His mind

Which, to every being, was eternally kind

That it was better for his father to remain sad

Rather than failing in a promise and become bad

Therefore He spoke words that were chosen

Without hatred to the one who did the treason

“Mother! Bharatha is far more noble than me

The King of this country, he deserves to be”

“I am glad I could stay in solitude and ease

Amidst the mountains and trees, relishing peace

You could have secured those boons for later use

And, ordered me to do this. Would I refuse?”

“To the deepest jungle, this minute I would run

Keep me in your heart as your eldest son

As, from the day I knew, you always did

As a farewell gift that’s what I would bid”

Kaikeyi did melt on hearing Rama speak

But she thought Rama was trying to make her weak

For the deluded mind always sees rope as snake

Not ever knowing genuine from fake!

Rama was not the one who would fight for a chair

For He knew, one always gets his karma’s share

Whether people fight for things or not

Karma distributes to everyone their allotted lot

Thus Rama decided with a resolute mind

To leave the palace and its luxuries, all behind

And to live in a forest following ascetics’ norm

Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!