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notice noble traits, which add brightness to the aura that surrounds the personality of Kausalyā. Every character in the epic Rāmāyana is associated with some lofty ideal. Daśaratha is an ideal king, husband and father. Kausalya is an ideal wife, mother and a mother-in-law. The progeny of Dasaratha are ideal sons, ideal husbands, ideal friends and ideal enemies as well. Sita is an ideal daughter, ideal sister, ideal wife and an ideal daughter-in-law. Like her twenty first century counterparts, Sita did not ask her husband, "Why did you take such a foolish decision? Do you expect me to abide by your stupid whims? You can enjoy hardships if you want, but you can't expect me to sacrifice my comforts." Sita was an epitome virtue. She could never even dream of humiliating either her husband or in laws. She said to Kausalya, "Mother, your blessings will always bring about graces in abundance, while we are in the forest. I cannot endure the hardships of jungle by my own virtue, but your blessings will confer enormous strength in me. I shall now follow the steps of Aryaputra Rama, as the fragrance of a flower follows the wind."
step mother to Rama, she loved him so much that she willingly allowed her own son to follow the footsteps of Rama.
Queen Kausalyā was still weeping when Lakşmana went to her Chamber. She said, "My son Rāma has forsaken me. Your presence is the only balm to my wounded heart. You are the only ray of light that will brighten the gloom and despair that is in my heart. Rama has already left... atleast you stay here. Who would lit my funeral pyre if you are not here?” Laksmana replied, "You are the most blessed woman on the earth. How can the consort of King Dasaratha, and mother of Rama, weep and lament like a commoner? I was alwlays a slave to Rama, am, and shall remain all my life. I beseech you to gather courage and grant me a permission to follow Rama."
The trio on the way to Forest
On hearing Rama's decision, Laksmana was awrath. He thought, "My worthy father is a simple man. He has handed over the crown to Bharata and freed himself from the debt, but I cannot afford to remain quiet. I can declare a war against Bharata, dethrone him, and request Rama to take the reins of administration in his own hands, but Rama is a man of noble ideals. He does not value power. He will never accept the throne, and my father.... will his journey to salvation be a serene experience, if he knows what I am planing? Let Bharata be the ruler. I am a sibling of Rama. I am born to serve my elder brother. Let me follow him, as a shadow follows an object."
On seeing Rama, Laksmana and Sitā dressed up in simple clothes like common people and leaving for the woods, the citizens of Ayodhyā began to lament. Rama had embraced the austere ascetic life to honour his father's promise. Sitā and Lakşmana were following him in order to serve him. On seeing them leave Ayodhyā, the people felt that the very soul of Ayodhyā was fleeing its body. The glitterati and the proletariat together followed Rama, weeping loudly. They were cursing Kaikeyi and their own fate.
Accompanied by his consorts, King Dasaratha too followed Rama with a laden heart. Rāma pacified him with sweet, soothing words and requested them to return to the palace.
Having made this resolve, he bowed down before King Dasaratha and mother Sumitra and said, "My elder brother Rama has just left for the jungle to fulfill the promise that my father gave to mother Kaikeyi. He is being accompanied by Sitā. I am a slave of Rama. May I join them in order to serve ?" Queen Sumitrā was a noble lady. She said, "Son, you are a blessing to my womb, you are desirious of serving your elder brother during his sojourn in the forest. How can prevent you? I confer all my blessings on you. Rama has already left. Hurry, orelse you may not reach him." Though Sumitra was anal &
Bharata was so disturbed that he nearly lost his equilibrium. He refused to ascend the throne, and forgetting his limitations as a son, began to rebuke Kaikeyi in very harsh words. Seeing the plight and anguish of Bharata, Dasaratha immediately dispatched his vassals and ministers to bring back
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