Ayodhya Kaanda
64 - Dialogue between king Dasaratha and Kaikeyi; Dasaratha's lamentation; Sumantra goes to the palace and, returning from it, sends Sri Rama to His father
Chaupais
Description
The king was stricken with grief and his limbs began to droop; it looked as if a wish-yielding tree had been knocked down by a female elephant. His throat was dry and speech failed his lips; he felt miserable like a fish out of water. Kaikeyi plied him once more with pungent and harsh words, injecting poison as it were into his wound, "If this was what you intended doing in the long run, what emboldened you to say 'Ask, ask'? Can both these things happen at the same time, O sovereign of the earth-to laugh a boisterous laugh and to look grave, to enjoy the reputation of being generous and yet be stingy? Is it possible to remain unscathed while playing the hero? Either go back upon your word or forbear; pray do not wail like a woman. Life and wife, sons, home, wealth and land have been spoken of as no better than a straw in the eyes of a man who is true to his word."