The Women Beg Kaikeyi to Spare Ayodhya
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 50
Doha 50 · Movement 1 of 3
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The elder women urge Kaikeyi to abandon anger and avoid becoming the cause of grief and disgrace for millions. Let Bharata be crowned, but why must Ram go to the forest?
Ram has no greed for rule. If another boon is required, let him live at the guru's house. Preserve the family's honour, remove the stain, and bring him back before the road carries him away.
Ayodhya without Ram will be day without sun, body without life, and night without moon. Their counsel accepts Kaikeyi's stated wish for Bharata while separating it from cruelty. Even at the last moment, another path remains open if she will see it.
The women place Bharata's crown before Kaikeyi again, asking only that Ram's light remain in Ayodhya.
Read the passage from the Manas
अस बिचारि उर छाड़हु कोहू। सोक कलंक कोठि जनि होहू।। भरतहि अवसि देहु जुबराजू। कानन काह राम कर काजू।। नाहिन रामु राज के भूखे। धरम धुरीन बिषय रस रूखे।। गुर गृह बसहुँ रामु तजि गेहू। नृप सन अस बरु दूसर लेहू।। जौं नहिं लगिहहु कहें हमारे। नहिं लागिहि कछु हाथ तुम्हारे।। जौं परिहास कीन्हि कछु होई। तौ कहि प्रगट जनावहु सोई।। राम सरिस सुत कानन जोगू। काह कहिहि सुनि तुम्ह कहुँ लोगू।। उठहु बेगि सोइ करहु उपाई। जेहि बिधि सोकु कलंकु नसाई।।
Thinking thus in your heart, abandon this anger. Do not become the cause of grief and disgrace to millions. Certainly give the crown prince position to Bharat. What business does Rama have in the forest? Rama is not hungry for the kingdom. He is steadfast in dharma and indifferent to worldly pleasures. Let Rama go and live at the guru's house instead. Take such a different boon from the king. Find some way to remove this sorrow and this stain, and protect the honor of the family. Bring Rama back with determination. He is going to the forest; do not pursue a different path. As a day without the sun, as a body without life, as a night without the moon, so shall Ayodhya be without the Lord. O angry queen, think upon this in your heart.