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Question regarding Kaikeyi

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M.K. Krishnaswamy • March 8, 2003 


Dear Members,

The question asked is: why do we condemn Kaikeyi when what she did served the purpose of the Avatara Purusha by sending Rama to the forest?

Perhaps, the best judge of Kaikeyi is her own son Bharata. On the death of Dasaratha, Vasishta sent a messenger to request Bharata's return to Ayodhya urgently, with the specific instruction not to mention anything about the events relating to Sri Rama's banishment to the forest or of Dasaratha's death.

Valmiki has recorded that Bharata at first enquired of the messenger about the welfare of his father Dasaratha, Queen mother Kausalya, step-mother Sumitra and his brothers  in respectful terms. Finally, enquiring about his own mother, even without knowledge of her action in sending Rama to the forest, he referred to her in these uncomplimentary terms!
 
Aatma-kaamaa sadaa chaNDii 
krodhanaa praagnya-maaninii;
Arogaa chaapi me maathaa 
kaikeyii kimuvaacha ha       (Ayodhya Kanda, Canto 70, Sloka 10)
"The one who always seeks to gain her own ends,
who is violent and given to wrath
and who considers herself as very wise -- my mother Kaikeyi, 
how is her health and what did she say?" 

Later, when he arrived in Ayodhya and came to know of what had happened, Bharata used the harshest words-ever to blame and condemn his mother. This is one of the great exceptions to the rules of conduct: maatru devo bhava.

Dasan,

Krishnaswamy M.K.



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