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Boon to Kaikeyi
The festivities began. In an elaborated marriage ceremony, King Subhamati handed over his daughter to King Daśaratha. Dasaratha told his demure bride, "Devi, you have made this victory possible ! Kindly ask me for any boon. I am obliged to fulfill it." Kaikeyi replied. "I would not demand any boon now. However, keep it as a reserve.. I shall ask you to fulfill it, sometime in the future."
Dasaratha, with his valour, defeated innumerable nobles who were gathered for the svayamvara. They now became his vassals. With his new army, Dasaratha moved towards Rajagrhi. He then vanquished the emperor of Magadha and established his stay over Rajagrhi. Then he dispatched his envoy at Ayodhya and asked his three queens to join him at Rajagrhi. When the queens received this news, they were astonished, and when they got over the initial shock, their hearts rejoiced. They rushed towards Rajagrhi to meet their beloved husband. Though Dasaratha was too eager to return to Ayodhya, he decided to postpone his return journey, for, the shadow of Rāvana was still hovering over Ayodhyā.
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