Ramayana_VOLUME V with index

Sunayana
THE BROTHERS MEET
Emperor Janaka and his queen, Sunayana come to offer
their Condolences:
When Emperor Dasaratha passed away, the Family Preceptor
Vashishta had sent a message to Janaka, and as soon as he
received it, he and his queen, Sunayana, had come to Ayodhya
for condoling the bereaved. They learnt there about all
developments. When Bharatha arrived, and decided to proceed to
Chitrakoota along with the Mothers, the Royal Preceptor, and the
leaders of the people, Janaka and his queen also accompanied
them 136 . They were waiting long for a favourable chance to meet
Sita and Rama. (RKRV Part I p.459-460)
Queen Sunayana meets the three queens of Ayodhya:
Meanwhile, Sita’s mother directed a maid to find out whether
Kausalya and the other Queens were available for an audience,
and she hurried towards their residences. It was the eleventh day
of the bright half of the Jyeshta month. The Queens met that day,
in the forest—the four of them. Queen Kausalya paid honours to
Queen Sunayana, and treating her with great respect, offered her
a seat. It was the first time the Queens met Janaka’s consort.
As soon as Queen Sunayana saw the Queens of Ayodhya,
Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi, she felt that even the hardest
diamond would melt before their loving conversation, their
tender manners and their compassionate comradeship. She found
that their bodies had become emaciated, and that their heads
136
See Chapter, Janaka - GLOOM OVER AYODHYA
359