Doha - 31
"Rama has no greed of sovereignty and is deeply attached to Bharata. I was only going to follow the usage obtaining among the princes, considering the seniority and juniority of the two princes."
Chaupala
"I sencerely tell you swearing by Rama a hundred times, that his mother (Kausalya) never said a word to me in this connection. No doubt I arranged everything without consulting you and that is why my cherished desire has not been realized. Now give up your anger and put on a festal garb; a few days hence Bharata will be the prince-regent. Only one thing has caused me pain; the second been that you have asked for is something incongruous. My heart is still buring with the agony caused by it. Is it anger or jest, or is it all really true ? Tell me with a cool mind Sri Rama's quilt; everybody says Rama is extremely well-behaved. You too spoke well of him and loved him. Hearing now what you have asked, I have begun to suspect (whether your profession of love was genuine) How could he whose temperament was congenial even to an enemy act contrary to the will of his own mother?"
Doha - 32
"No more of jesting or anger my darling; make a reasonable and thoughtful request so that I may now regale my eyes on the sight of Bharata's installation on the throne."
Chaupala
"A fish may rather survive even without water and a serpent may drag on a miserable and wretched existence without the gem in its head. But I tell you sincerely with a guileless heart that I cannot live without Rama. Be assured in your mind my wise darling, that my very existence depends on the sight of Sri Rama." Hearing these soft words the evil-minded queen blazed up like the fire on which has fallen an oblation of clarified butter. She said, "You might as well try millions of devices; but your stratagem shall not avail with me. Either grant my request or earn a bad reputation by refusing it; I am not fond of much wiles. Rama is virtuous, you too are virtuous and wise and no less virtuous is Rama's mother (Kausalya); I have known all of you. I will repay with a vengeance the benefit she has sought to confer upon me."
Doha - 33
"If Rama does not retire to the woods assuming the garb of a hermit as soon as the day breaks, death for me and ill-repute for you will be the result: bear this in mind, O king."
Chaupala
So saying the wicked woman rose and stood up as though it were a swollen stream of passion that had issued from the mountain of sin and, overflowing with the water of anger, was too terrible to look at. The two boons she had asked for represented its banks, her inexorable obstinacy corresponded to its (swift) current and the impelling force of Manthara's words stood for its eddies; uprooting the king like a tree the river headed towards the ocean of adversity. The king now perceived that the demand of the queen was really true, and that it was death itself which was dancing over his head in the disguise of his own consort. Clasping her feet he persuaded her to sit down and implored her, "Pray do not play the axe with respect to the solar race. Ask of me my own head and I will forthwith give it to you; but kill me not by tearing Rama from me Retain Rama by any means whatsoever, or your bosom will burn with anguish all you life."
Doha - 34
When the king saw the malady uncontrollable he dropped on the ground beating his head and sobbing out in most piteous tones, "Rama, O Rama, O Lord of Raghus!"
Chaupala
The king was stricken with grief and his limbs began to droop; it looked as if a wish-yielding tree had been knocked down by a female elephant His throat was dry and speech failed his lips; he felt miserable like a fish out of water. Kaikeyi plied him once more with pungent and harsh words, injecting poison as it were into his wound, "If this was what you intended doing in the long run, what emboldened you to say`Ask, ask? Can both these things happen at the same time, O sovereign of the earth--to laugh a boisterous laugh and to look grave, to enjoy the reputation of being generous and yet be stingy? Is it possible to remain unscathed while playing the hero ? Either go back upon your word or forbear; pray do not wail like a woman Life and wife sons, home, wealth and land have been spoken of as no better than a straw in the eyes of a man who is true to his word."
Doha - 35
On hearing these poignant words the king exclaimed, "Say what will;you are not to blame for it. It is my doom which has possessed you like a devil and is using you as its mouthpiece."
Chaupala
"Bharatha would never covest sovereignty even unwittingly. But the decree of fate however, evil counsel has taken possession of your mind. All that is the outcome of my sins, due to which the tide has turned against me at an inopportune moment Beautiful Ayodhya shall flourish again under the soverignty of Rama, the abode of all virtues.All his brothers shall serve him and his fame shall spread through all the three spheres of creation. The stain on your reputation and my remorse shall not disappear even after our death and shall never go till eternity. Now do whatever pleases you; only keep out of my sight hiding your face. So long as I l live, I beseech you with joined palms pray speak not a word to me again. You will repent in the end, O hapless woman, that you killed a cow for the sake of gut."
Doha - 36
Thus arguing with her in numberless way the king dropped on the ground crying "Why do you bring ruin to all? But a pastmaster in wiles the queen did not utter a word as though busy performing magical rites in a crematorium (to acquire control over ghosts).
Chaupala
Stricken with grief the king repeated the word `Rama' again and again and felt miserable like a bird that has been shorn of its wings, He prayed in his heart, " May the day never dawn nor may anyone go and tell Rama. Rise not, O sun-god, the progenitor of Raghu's race; for you will be pained at heart to see the plight of Ayothya." The king's affection and the relentlessness of Kaikeyi both were the highest of their kind in God's creation. While the king was yet wailing, the day broke and the music of lute, flute and conch was heard at his door. Bards extolled him and minstrels sang his praises; they, however, pierced the king like shafts as he heard them. These and other tokensof rejoicing pleased him not even ornaments repel a widow who has decided to accompany her deceased husband to the other world. None could have a wink of sleep that night since everyone was eagerly longing for a sight of Sri Rama.
Doha - 37
At the door waited a crowed of servants and ministers, who said to one another at the sight of the risen sun, "The Lord of Ayodhya has not yet woken up, what special reason can there be?"
Chaupala
"The king used to wake up during the last watch of the night everyday; his behaviour today appears most strange to us. Getting into the palace, O Sumantra, you go and rouse him; on receiving his orders we may proceed with our work." Sumantra then entered the gynaeceum; but it worse such a dismal appearance that he was afraid to advance. It looked like a monster that would spring on him and devour him; its sight was so repelling. It seemed to be the very abode of calamity and sorrow. Since nobody answered his questions he proceeded to the apartment where the king and Queen Kaikeyi were Greeting the king with the words"Be victorious and live for ever!" and bowing his head, he sat down. He turned pale to behold the condition of the king, who lay on the ground distracted with grief and colourless like a lotus stalk torn from its roots. The minister being too alarmed to ask any question, Kaikeyi, who was full of evil and void of all good, broke the silence.
Chaupala
Doha - 38
"The king had no sleep last night: Heaven alone knows the reason. He has been simply repeating "Rama, Rama" till daybreak and refuses to disclose the secret."
Chaupala
"Therefore, call on Rama and bring him soon; thereafter when you have come back you may ask further details." Judging (from his master's looks) that the king approved of this idea, Sumantra left; he concluded that the queen had contrived some evil design. He felt so distressed with anxiety that his legs refused to move ahead. "What will the king speak to Rama after calling him?" he wondered. Recovering himself he repaired to the gate; and seeing him disconsolate all began to question him. He however, reassured them all and proceeded to the aparment where the Ornament of the solar race (Sri Rama) was. When Sri Rama saw Sumantra coming. He received him with honour, treating the minister on an equal footing with His father. Looking Sri Rama in the face, Sumantra conveyed to Him the royal command and returned with the Light of Raghu's race (Sri Rama) Sri Rama followed the minister in an unbecoming manner: people here and there were grieved to see this.`
Doha - 39
The Jewel of Raghu's went and saw the king in an utterly wretched state like an aged elephant who dropped down in terror at the sight of a lioness.
Chaupala
His lips got parched and his whole frame burned; he looked like helps snake bereft of the gem on its hood. The Lord beheld by the side of His father angry Kaikeyi, who stood there like Death personified counting the last minutes of his life. Sri Rama was compassionate and soft by nature; He witnessed sorrow for the first time in His life, He had never heard of it before. Yet, recovering Himself as the occasion demanded, addressedd His step-mother in the following sweet words, "Tell me, dear mothr, the cause of my father's distress, so that an attempt may be made to remove it." Listen, Rama; the sole cause is this: the king is very fond of you. He had promised me two boons of my choice and I asked whatever I liked. The king, however, was stricken with grief to hear my requests; for he cannot shake off the hesitation on your score."
Doha - 40
"Love for his son on one side and his plighted word on the other: The king is placed on the horns of a dilemma. Obey his command if you can, and rid him of a servere mental torture."
Chaupala
Kaikeyi unhesitatingly spoke these pungent words, which callousness itself was sore distressed to hear. With the tongue for a bow, and words for so many shafts and with the king for a delicate target as it were, it looked as if stiffness had taken the form of a great hero and practised bowmanship. Having communicated the whole incident tot the Lord of Raghus (Sri Rama). She sat like the very incarnation of heartlessness. The Sun of the solar dynasty, Sri Rama, the natural fountain of joy, smiled within Himself and spoke words which were free from all blemish and were so sweet and agreeable that they seemed to be the very ornaments of speech; "Listen, mother: That son alone is blessed, who is devoted to the words of his parents. A son who gratifies his father and mother is rare in this wide world, mother."