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270
JAIN RAMAYAN
"Dear prince, your politeness will brighten the history of the Ikshvaku line of Kings".
"Oh you venerable one. All this is the result of the grace of Bhagwan Rishabhdev".
Rajgrihi was plunged in grief. The people of the city were grieved at the prospect of the separation from the King. They were shedding tears. All the people of Magadha, young and old were experiencing sorrow which had enveloped their minds like the darkness of the night of the newmoon day. It was as if the sun, the source of all light had lost his radiance. The sighs and weeping of noble women were heart-rending. Large numbers of people from various parts of Magadha thronged to the palace.
Why had this atmosphere of sorrow appeared ? Why had the faces of the people grown gloomy? There was only one cause for this.
King Dasarath was going to Ayodhya for good. The royal family that had bestowed peace and felicity on the people of Magadha and had won their love and affection was now going away to Ayodhya. Oh! What a mockery this is ! Neither those that were leaving nor those that were bidding farewell to them were happy. Those who were going away were going away because of a necessity; and those who were bidding them farewell were doing so unwillingly. All were plunged in grief. As a matter of necessity they had to carry on their daily activities. This is the futility of samsar.
Now, the eyes of the people of Magadha and the members of the royal family were not fixed upon the golden chariot of King Dasarath but they were fixed on King Dasarath himself who was sitting in his chariot with a blank mind. Dasarath was worried and agitated not as the King of Magadha but as an individual who had loved those people.
Ram and Lakshman who shone like gods sat on either side of Dasarath. Their eyes also were not bright. They were not enthusiastic. They sat with blank minds watching intently the large crowds of people thronging the streets of Rajgrihi. All seemed to be saying, "Oh you beloved one! The star of our
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