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52
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAN
being degraded in future and instigates her to get the two boons fulfilled by Daśaratha, viz. coronation of Bharata and banishment of Rāma for fourteen years (2.9.20). Then Kaikeyi's heart gets aflame with jealousy. She falls into the trap and exploits Dasaratha's pullisanimity for her demands. Dasaratha gets distressed with these cruel demands. He implores Kaikeyi to give up her wilfulness and to allow him to coronate Rama (2.13.22). But Kaikeys does not swerve from her decision. Dasaratha feels ashamed of asking Rāma to go in exile. It is Kaikeyi who in the name of Dasaratha asks Rāma to go to Dandakāranya for fourteen years (2.18.35-37). Rāma readily accepts the command and starts for the journey. Lakşmaņa gets ferocious and passes scandalous remarks against Daśaratha (2.21.12). He tries to excite Rama to occupy the throne by force, but the latter pacifies Lakşmaņa by telling him that he will remain loyal to the orders of his father (2.22.15). Lakşmaņa also accompanies him to the forest. Sīta also wants to go along with her husband. First her request is not granted by Rāma. At this Sītā gets enraged and abuses Rāma (striyam puruşavigraham 2.30) Ultimately Rāma takes her along with him.
After their departure Daśaratha dies in extreme grief (2.64.78) of separation from his sons. On this occasion Bharata and Satrughna are not there.
In the TR a divine element has been introduced. Sarasvati, at the request of the gods, pollutes the mind of Manthara (2.12) and induces her to instigate Kaikeyi. At one place Bharadvāja tells Bharata that it was not the wickedness of Kaikeyī, but Sarasvati had led her astray (2.206).
In the TR Dasaratha is ready to anoint Bharata (2.31) but does not want Rama's exile. Kaikeyi does not yield.
In the PCV and the VR, Kausalya is unwilling to send her son to the forest, but in the TR she does not prevent Rāma. On the contrary she considers it to be an honour for a son to obey the orders of his parents (2.55-57).
In the TR Sīta is not referred to as abusing Ráma for not taking her along with him. Rāma permits her when he finds her determined to accompany him. Lakşmaņa does not oppose his father's decision. He tells Nişāda at one place that it is all due to misfortune (2.92).
The PCR agrees with the PCV. The PCS agrees with the PCV, but Kaikeyi is depicted to be jealous at the coronation of Rāma (22.6.7). Bharata labels Dasaratha as 'mahāmayandhu' (22.10.6) i. e. impudent. Lakşmaņa is ready to imprison Bharata for crowning Rama but Rāma himself pacifies Lakşmana. The period of exile is
