Dasharatha Says His Life Cannot Continue without Ram
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 33
Doha 33 · Movement 1 of 2
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A fish might live without water and a serpent endure without its jewel, Dasharatha says, but his life cannot continue without Ram. Seeing his son is the breath by which he remains alive.
The tenderness only feeds Kaikeyi's fury like ghee poured upon flame. She rejects every appeal as enchantment and demands either the promised boons or public disgrace.
With bitter irony she calls Ram a saint, Dasharatha wise, and Kausalya clever. She vows to return whatever good she imagines Kausalya wished for her. Love's plainest confession cannot enter a mind now organized around retaliation.
Dasharatha offers the naked truth of his dependence on Ram, and Kaikeyi hears only another scheme.
Read the passage from the Manas
जिऐ मीन बरू बारि बिहीना। मनि बिनु फनिकु जिऐ दुख दीना।। कहउँ सुभाउ न छलु मन माहीं। जीवनु मोर राम बिनु नाहीं।। समुझि देखु जियँ प्रिया प्रबीना। जीवनु राम दरस आधीना।। सुनि म्रदु बचन कुमति अति जरई। मनहुँ अनल आहुति घृत परई।। कहइ करहु किन कोटि उपाया। इहाँ न लागिहि राउरि माया।। देहु कि लेहु अजसु करि नाहीं। मोहि न बहुत प्रपंच सोहाहीं। रामु साधु तुम्ह साधु सयाने। राममातु भलि सब पहिचाने।। जस कौसिलाँ मोर भल ताका। तस फलु उन्हहि देउँ करि साका।।
A fish may perhaps survive without water, and a serpent may endure in misery without its jewel. But I speak from my true heart, with no deceit: my life simply cannot go on without Rama. Understand this in your heart, O wise beloved. My very life depends upon seeing Rama. Hearing these gentle words, her wicked mind blazed all the more, like a fire that flares when ghee is poured upon it. She said: 'Why do you try a million schemes? Your enchantments will find no purchase here.' 'Give what you promised or take the disgrace. I have no taste for your elaborate deceptions.' 'Rama is a saint, and you are oh-so-wise. Rama's mother is clever too; she has taken everyone's measure.' 'Whatever good Kausalya has wished for me, let me repay her with that very fruit.'