66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

you. I cannot live without you.”
“Your place is beside your husband. You will have to
comfort and nurse him. You must see that he is not sunk in
sorrow by my exile. You cannot leave him now. Also, later,
my father may want to engage himself in the performance of
religious rites for his own welfare, and you will be needed at
his side. After living in the forests, I will come back—after all,
fourteen years could pass like as many days. If you
remember, my earlier stay in the forests with Viswamithra
brought me countless blessings; this could be a similar
opportunity again, for me. So do not grieve.”
Kausalya now realized that Rama could not be stopped.
She thought, “Let me at least beg my husband’s help to hold
him back from this resolve… .” However, when she reached
the King’s chamber and saw his condition, she realized the
hopelessness of her mission. As he lay there stunned and
silent, she understood that he must be in some dreadful
dilemma. Unable to bear the spectacle of an inert, lifeless
husband, she uttered a loud wail. Her cries were so loud that
the guests in the assembly hall were startled, and requested
Sage Vasishtha to go up immediately and find out the
cause. All kinds of music, chanting of hymns, prayers,
laughter, and talk had filled the air; but this sudden intrusion
of wailing destroyed the atmosphere of joy. Vasishtha
hurried on. He found the King looking almost dead, Kaikeyi
sitting apart and watching the scene unperturbed, and