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Bibhīşana's Wrath
Beheading of Dasaratha's effigy by
Bibhişaņa
Alert Bibhișana, lurking near the palace of Daśaratha; one night stealthily entered the royal sleeping chamber and noticed the reposing effigy. He pulled out his scimitar and with a mighty stroke beheaded the effigy. He was so overpowered by the love for Rāvana that somehow he gathered the courage to enter the sleeping chamber silently, but after strucking the effigy, he was overwhelmed by terror. He did not wait there even for a moment and check whether he had actually beheaded the king or the effigy. The effigy was hollow within and filled with the liquid lac. When Bibhisana beheaded the effigy, his scimitar dripped in the liquid lac that resembled blood. He thought his task was accomplished, and was overjoyed. He decided to leave for Lanka at once. The ministers rushed to the sleeping chamber followed by Kausalya and other queens. They wept and rebuked the cruel destiny. Soon the news of the assasination of king spread like forest fire. The subjects wept loudly. The commanders and vassals hurried to the palace. The funeral rites were performed and the effigy was consigned to the fire. The ministers were overjoyed, yet maintained their mournful looks and made sure that no one learnt the secret. Bibhişana thought that the death of Daśaratha brought an end to his dynasty; no matter what happened, there would not be a child birth in the Surya dynasty. Janaka's daughter alone cannot cause trouble to Rāvana. In such contingencies, it would be futile to sneak into the palace of Mithila and risk the life. He therefore decided to return to Lankā.
Though both, King Dasaratha and Janaka had donned the robes of ascetic and wandered in jungle, they cannot be called true sages. They had donned the
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