Ram Meets Kaikeyi First and Removes Her Blame
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 244
Doha 244 · Movement 1 of 2
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Compassionate Ram knows the longing within every afflicted person and honors each heart according to its own way. With Lakshmana beside him, he removes the burning grief of the multitude as one sun appears within countless vessels.
After Guha's blessed meeting, Ram sees the mothers bent like tender creepers struck by frost. He goes first to Kaikeyi, whose straightforward heart has become immersed in devotion through repentance.
Ram falls at her feet and consoles her. He places responsibility upon time, action, and destiny rather than allowing accusation to crush his mother. The one most visibly injured by her demand becomes the first to protect her from its blame. Compassion moves directly toward the heart everyone else might avoid.
Among all the grieving mothers, Ram goes first to Kaikeyi and lifts blame from the feet before which he bows.
Read the passage from the Manas
आरत लोग राम सबु जाना। करुनाकर सुजान भगवाना।। जो जेहि भायँ रहा अभिलाषी। तेहि तेहि कै तसि तसि रुख राखी।। सानुज मिलि पल महु सब काहू। कीन्ह दूरि दुखु दारुन दाहू।। यह बड़ि बातँ राम कै नाहीं। जिमि घट कोटि एक रबि छाहीं।। मिलि केवटिहि उमगि अनुरागा। पुरजन सकल सराहहिं भागा।। देखीं राम दुखित महतारीं। जनु सुबेलि अवलीं हिम मारीं।। प्रथम राम भेंटी कैकेई। सरल सुभायँ भगति मति भेई।। पग परि कीन्ह प्रबोधु बहोरी। काल करम बिधि सिर धरि खोरी।।
Karunakar, the compassionate and all-knowing Bhagavan Rama, understood every heart among the afflicted people. Whatever way each person longed to remain near Him, He graciously honored that very wish in that very manner. With his younger brother at his side, in a single moment He removed everyone's terrible burning grief. This is no great matter for Rama, just as one sun casts its reflection in ten million ghatas at once. Meeting the Kevat, love overflowed. All the purajan, the townspeople, praised his blessed fortune. Rama beheld the sorrowful mothers, who appeared like tender creepers struck down by frost. First, Rama met Kaikeyi. With simple, straightforward swabhav, her mind was now soaked in bhakti. Falling at her feet, He consoled her once more, placing the responsibility of kaal, karma, and vidhi upon His own head.