66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

to the assembly?” The King stirred lightly and said, “Tell
them all to go back. It’s all over. I have been trapped by a
demon.” Kaikeyi now interposed to explain: “The King has
strained himself and has become incoherent. Go and send
Rama.”
Rama arrived, expecting his stepmother to bless him
before the ceremonies. At the sight of him Dasaratha cried
out: “Rama!” and lapsed into speechlessness. His
appearance and behaviour made Rama anxious. “Have I
done something to upset him? Any lapse in my duties or
performance?”
Kaikeyi said, “I’ll speak on his behalf; he finds it difficult to
say it. Your coronation will not take place today.” And then
she specified in unambiguous terms what she expected of
him. She told all about the original vow and the
circumstances that led to it. “It is your duty to help your father
fulfill his promise. Otherwise he will be damning himself in
this and other worlds. You owe him a duty as his son.”
Rama took in the shock, absorbed it within himself, and
said, “I will carry out his wishes without question. Mother, be
assured that I will not shirk. I have no interest in kingship, and
no attachments to such offices, and no aversion to a forest
existence.”
“Fourteen years,” she reminded him.
“Yes, fourteen years. My only regret is that I have not been
told this by my father himself. I would have felt honoured if he