Tears flowed down Dasaratha’s eyes, ceaselessly
His wide open eyes stared afar lifelessly
After reporting Rama’s exile, Sumanthra had just left
Since Rama left, in Dasaratha’s actions, life was bereft
The day his sons left, he stood at the gates for long
Unable to believe his favourite Rama was gone
Once the chariot disappeared, he fell in a swoon
His wives rushed to him, and held him soon
He awoke to see Kaikeyi, holding him close
To unimaginable heights his anger arose
He shook her off and pushed her away
He warned her angrily to stay at bay
“I renounce you today for your wicked act
We are no more tied by our marriage pact
To rule the kingdom, I hope Bharatha will not choose
If he does, rights to perform my cremation, he will lose”
To be with Rama’s mother, he longingly opted
To Kausalya’s chambers he immediately departed
He was made to lie on a silken bed
It soon became wet by the tears he shed
Now that Sumanthra, in detail, had exclusively reported
About how The Divine Three, to the jungle were deported
The King’s state fell from bad to worse
In his memory flashed, a long forgotten curse
Like a helpless man he loudly wailed
To see and hear his senses failed
He called to Kausalya, his hands searching in the air
He regretted for showing her, before Kaikeyi, lesser care
Already sad, Kausalya was now easily irritated
She censured him with angry words, fully frustrated
Unusual to her nature, she spoke a lot
She made bitter remarks that were tart
“You deprived my son of kingship, breaking norm
Did my son bring upon your Kaikeyi, any harm?
To exile my son when Kaikeyi was bent
All you could do was to remain silent!
On seeing Kaikeyi, you always melted like wax
Unaware, to cut yourself, you were polishing that axe
You have made me stand deprived of all
Wanting what more from me do you hysterically call?”
Dasaratha felt, he deserved the scolding
Kausalya’s hands, he caught for holding
His hands searched for her face and touched her cheek
Remorsefully he spoke, with a voice that was meek
“Kausalya! Please be kind to me dear
Your husband’s death is already near
I know, I deserve to be verbally whipped
In my duty to you, as a husband, I have slipped
Yet! I beg of you to show me some mercy
I know, for the mother of my Rama, it would be easy
In spite of my misgivings, you have always been good
Upholding this noble quality of yours, you always should”
Hearing her majestic man plead, giving up pride
All feelings of hatred, from Kausalya’s heart dried
In to her heart, womanly feelings for a husband rushed
Remorseful tears from her eyes profusely gushed
“What did I do now, losing my mind?!
How could speak I words, so unkind?!
Knowing well that you are morally great
How did I treat you with disrespect and hate?!
Forgive me my Lord! You have not wronged
To cause dissension between us, fate has longed”
Saying thus and crying, she kept his head on her lap
At last, their hearts were bonded with a thick love strap
At last, Kaikeyi lost and Kausalya won
Now, Dasaratha’s and Kausalya’s souls were one!
Both of them mourned the ill luck of their son
Who, even in sleep would commit, mistakes none!
In Dasaratha’s mind, memories of the past flooded
Dasaratha realised, towards death, he was headed
The burden in his heart, he wanted to lessen
He spoke to his wife, almost like a confession
“Kausalya! My beloved lady! Do you hear?
I’ve lost my sight and my death is near
For this state of mine, I know the reason
For a sin I committed, this is harvest season”
Kausalya was shocked by her husband’s declaration
To her, this was unbelievable information
To know what happened, she became keen
Dasaratha narrated the happenings while he was a teen
“I was then young and robust like a bull
Even my moustache had not grown to its full
In all kinds of warfare I was trained
To excel in archery, I always strained
Soon to expertise level, I became skilled
To test my skills, I went hunting and killed
That particular day, I had hunted for long
Night insects had started to hum their song
I thought it was time to try my favourite shot
Which, was to hear the sound and hit the spot
Sabthavethi was the name of the technique
To excel in that, one needs to be unique
I waited nearby a river, with a wild hunch
‘Animals would come, for their thirst to quench’
Gulping sound I heard, from a distant spot
An elephant to be drinking, I wrongly thought
Towards that direction, an arrow I shot
Ignorant of the miseries, it could wrought
In return, I heard a young man’s painful cry
Realising my folly, my throat went dry
I ran towards the spot with hope after hope
But with the speed of fate, I could not cope
I had hit a young man, as I feared
All over his fallen body, blood was smeared
From his chest, the arrow I shot protruded
Deep into his lungs, the arrow must have intruded
Hit by shock and my arrow, he confusedly wailed
On the ground, towards the river, hot blood trailed
“To be punished thus, what is my crime?
Why should I die, before it is time?
Even to die young, I don’t mind
But who’ll care for my parents, old and blind?”
His words pierced my heart with unbearable guilt
I walked unsteadily towards him on the silt
Nearby him in submission, I humbly knelt
Not knowing how, the situation must be dealt
With painful eyes, he asked me who I was
I explained how the accident came to pass
At first he was angry but cooled down later
Being a sincere ascetic, he was no hater
Realising in my act, no harm was intended
Even without me trying, he became contended
Without me asking, he forgave me
With words of love, he tortured me
“Accidents happen. Leave it Sir!
To face inevitable death, I don’t care
Only when I think of my helpless parents
My heart is flooded with painful torrents
My parents and I live in a nearby cave
They needed nothing as I was their slave
I loved them and they loved me
After my death, how will they be?”
Saying thus he inconsolably cried
Then to speak, he pitifully tried
I too cried beating my head
Catching my hand, the following he said
“Could you please pull this arrow out?
It hurts me bad that I want to shout
Anyway my life is ebbing, believe me
At least from this pain, relieve me”
As per his words, I pulled out the arrow
He left his body, leaving me to sorrow
Sitting on the bank, I cried a lot
Then composing myself, I filled his pot
With water for his parents, I searched for their place
With the marks he had left, I could easily trace
Ready to accept any punishment they give
I stood before them, no more wanting to live
They thought it was their son
Remaining silent just for fun
The old man spoke giving out a chuckle
On his son, his confidence was muckle
“Son! What is the reason you newly play
By silently standing, what do you say?
We like to hear your loving voice
Only because of you, living is our choice”
First I gave the unlucky couple some water to drink
My silence was pushing their patience to its brink
To speak the truth I gathered strength
Their son’s death, I narrated at length
The unsuspecting couple was completely shaken
Like a deer that was, by a tiger, unawares taken
Unable to believe, they cried so bitter
While they cried, their bodies shook in a jitter
While the old mother was still crying
The father composed himself after much trying
He suddenly caught me by my hair
His anger now was a flare!
“Why have you not yet, killed us both?
To torture people have you taken any oath?
If you had killed us without disclosing the news
To us, you could have been of much more use”
Not knowing to answer I fell at their feet
To my death, I wanted them to beat
Realising my state, the old man’s anger subsided
To be taken to his son, in me he confided
On my shoulders I carried them both
To the spot where I sinned, inviting loathe
They sat with their son’s head on their lap
They couldn’t believe or digest this bitter hap
Beating their head and chests they wailed piteously
Then they asked me to arrange for cremation courteously
I placed their son’s body on logs of wood
They lit up the pyre and silently stood
The old man turned to me and calmly spoke
He had regained his composure and no more broke
He looked as if he was newly born
His sorrow was now completely gone
“You have done me both good and bad
Though to curse you it makes me sad
I am unable to forgive, the killing of my son
For that act of yours justice must be done
Though I can curse that your head must burst
Considering your good side, I will not be worst
One day in future, like me, you too will die
Separated from your son and heaving a sigh!”
Saying thus the couple entered the pyre
Soon they were ashed by the fire
This happened long before we wed
From my memory it was long shed
Now that time has come for me to reap
In my memory this incident stands too steep”
Saying thus Dasaratha, closed his eyes
Kausalya helplessly hoped that these were lies
Dasaratha lay with closed eyes for a while
Remembering something he opened it with a smile
“Kausalya! I don’t think Bharatha will accept to rule
Bharatha may try to bring back Rama, if I am no fool
Do you remember something Bharatha did?
While he was just a five year kid”
Dasaratha talked with a smile forgetting grief
Seeing him like that, Kausalya got some relief
“To sit or stand near Rama’s side
The other three brothers always tried
Regarding this they always fought
One on the other complaints they brought
Once Bharatha came running to me
Near Rama’s side he wanted to be
Lakshman and Shatrugnan would not allow him near
Bharatha said this with his chubby cheeks wet with tear
I somehow tried to console my boy
I talked to him hoping to give him joy
“Being away from Rama is good for you
As Rama’s black colour may stick to you
You are white
So pleasant for the sight
But Rama is dark
So not worthy of talk”
What I said only made him sad
In his little eyes I became bad
He jumped from my lap and ran in a craze
And came back applying kajal all over his face”
Saying this Dasaratha became stilled
Again in his heart sorrow was filled
His favourite son’s name, for sometime he chanted
And then again loosing composure he loudly ranted
After sometime he went into sleeping
Life was no more for his keeping
While in sleep, his soul had left
As a man of his word, his glory was heft!
Not just a king, he was his citizens’ father!
Not just a man, he was God’s own father!
His reputation stood tall by the sacrifice of Ram!
Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!
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