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SOCIAL CONDITIONS
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on the death of her husband are also abandoning me?". The same state of helplessness is evidenced by Aparajita when her son, Rama goes into exile?. Kaikeyi had demanded the coronation of Bharata for the same reason. Bharata wanted to renounce the world along with his father. Kaikeyi could not face this unhappy situation. She got gripped with severe agony. She thought of a plan to avert the situation. She demanded the coronation of Bharata so that she would not be separated at least from her son?. Dasaratha himself told Rāma that Kaikeyi was likely to die in separation from Bharata'. The above evidences prove that women lived in dependency. After the loss of her husband, her son could prevent her from falling victim to a miserable life, but the real happiness of her life depended on her husband, therefore we find that a woman regarded her husband as her lord and address the husband as 'Svāmin' and 'Natha'.
B. Social status or Women outside the House,
Inherent traits of Women :-A very intensive trait of ficklemindedness (capalatā) is associated with the character of woman, Thus Sita though faultless yet at the time of being abandoned in the forest tells Kștäntavadana that women are fickle-minded (94.74). On account of her frailty a woman loses her far-sightedness and becomes the slave of her natural instinct. Kaiheyi's demand of coronating Bharata was of this type. She was promised a boon and it was duly fulfilled by Dasaratha with the consent of Rama and Lakşmaņa. But Kaikeyi had not that wisdom and farsightedness to think in advance as to what would be its consequences. She wanted to keep Bharata along with her and by the pretext o. the boon she became successful. When Rāma and Laksmana went into exile their mothers got distressed and even Kaikeyi could not bear the agony of her co-wives. Therefore, she had to send Bharata and had to proceed herself to call them back. But the promise was promise, the words were words and Rāma did not return inspite of Kaikeyi's en treaties. There she had to admit her fickle-mindedness and lack of foresight.
1. Bhattāravirabiyae, putta alambanam mahiliyže, honti iha jivaloe, cattā tehin
pi pāvāh an-75.so. Puttaya kim me pariccayasi.........hosii puttalambo, pāroho ceva sähãe 31.96,
97; paiputtavirahiyā iha kan saran mahar pavajjāmi 31.99. 3. 31.63-64 4. Tassa viogammi kegai marai 31.75. 5. Mahilā sahāvacavala, adih apehi sahavamăillā, tam me khamahi puttaya, jam
paţikūlam kayain tujjha -32.51.
