Ram, the Ascetic Prince

Kaikeyi, the wife of king Dasharath, was raised among her seven brothers to be an able warrior. During a war between Dasharath and Samhasur, Kaikeyi served as Dasharath’s charioteer. In one particular duel, the wheel of Dasharath’s chariot broke and he was wounded in the chest, leaving him unconscious. It was then up to Kaikeyi to save her husband’s life. She proved her valour by quickly fixing the chariot, driving it skillfully and safely moving her husband away from the battlefield. Owing his life to her, Dasharath promised Kaikeyi two boons, which she could use whenever she wished.However, it is not until many years later, on the joyous occasion of Sri Ram’s coronation, that Kaikeyi, at the instigation of an old maid, Manthara, uses the two boons to execute a wicked plot. Wishing to see her own son Bharat installed as the king of Ayodhya, Kaikeyi conspires to have Shri Ram banished to the woods in exile for fourteen years, seeking the same from Dasharath as her first and second boon respectively. Dasharath is bound by his solemn promise to fulfil her wishes. He pleads with her repeatedly to reconsider her vile demand; shocked, distraught and overrun by grief, the king falls down unconscious upon hearing her wish, leaving the remorseless Kaikeyi to convey her instructions to Prince Ram on his behalf. Lord Ram understands the need to fulfil his father’s promise and keep his word. He does not want his father’s word to be questioned even for a moment. To him his father’s word and will are paramount. He asks for no explanation and sets about carrying out his father’s orders with serene calm.This instance shows amongst other things, Shri Ram’s reverence and dedication to his father and takes us to a realm where duty is clear and immutable.To Ram, his father’s word and will were paramount.