|
Continued from yesterday's instalment
 Kaikeyi was unperturbed. She was the youngest of the three queens and was close to the heart of Dasaratha. She was so kind-hearted. But unbelievable transformation had come over her. She remained calm when Bharata enquired about the whereabouts of Dasaratha.
'dhevar kai thoza vaanagam eiydhinaan.' He reached the heavens, for the Devas to receive him with folded hands.
'varundhal nee endraL.' You need not worry about his death. Unparalleled cruelty!
The mortal frame of Dasaratha was lying embalmed awaiting the arrival of Bharata and Satrughna in the other part of the palace, not even cremated. But that apparently did not affect her in any manner. She did not show any sign of grief. Not even a semblance of it. Bharata could not read anything different in her countenance when he put the question to her. Now, he was shocked. Could there be a mother who remains unaffected by the death of a father and hard hearted enough to give out the information in cold and indifferent voice, as if nothing had happened. 'Who else could choose to tell me thuswise!' he lamented. We see him wailing, weeping and mourning inconsolably. And, Kaikeyi remaining unruffled, maintaining a tough, care-a-damn attitude. Sometimes it is rather cruel to remain calm in the face of grief. This is one such instance. On reflection, one would realise that Kaikeyi was not calm; but was looking anxiously for the right tone to put the message across to Bharata and did not quite know how to make it appealing to him. We will see these in detail when we study Kaikeyi, later.
 The point is he was not yet aware of what had actually happened. He expresses a sudden urge to see Rama. He needed a mother now. His mother was not the one who would lend her shoulder to him to lean on, to share his grief and to console him.
'endhayum yaayum em piraanum em munum andham il perung gunaththu iraaman aadhalaal…' Rama, whose qualities are infinitesimally good is my father, my mother and my elder brother. I need to see him now. I have to fall at his feet. That is the only way for me to come out of the unfathomable grief I am in. Where is he?'
Kaikeyi continued in the same vein. 'devi thambi endru iv iruvarodum kaanaththaan'
He is in the forest with his wife and brother. The drama takes shape now. That leads Bharata to question her further and Kaikeyi letting him know of the fact.
'vaakkinaal varam tharak kondu' The emperor had promised me of two boons. I used them.
'maindhanaip pokkinen vanaththidai' I made the son go to the forest.
'paar unakku aakkinen' and brought the entire world under your possession.
'adhu porukkaamaiyaal neekinaan than uyir nemi vendhu' The emperor could not bear this and he died.
 The poet is so careful in framing the words. He ensures that not even a single word slips out of her mouth, with a tinge of grief, sorrow, guilt or any other emotion. So plain, devoid of all feelings were they - something equivalent to a bland statement like 'I wake up at six o' clock everyday'. Who can bear such a lifeless statement devoid of all feelings, when information on the death of a father and exile of a brother is given out - that too by a mother! Bharata could not take it any more.
More follows…
Hari Krishnan
More
Articles
|
