"Honoured Lord," he said, "what use have I, who am departing to
the forest to live on what sylvan nature yields, for an army or the glittering equipage of
a royal pageant? After gladly renouncing the throne, what use have I for its trammels?
Would it not be covetous folly, after having parted with the elephant, to burden oneself
with the ponderous chain? Father, I have cheerfully relinquished my claim to the kingdom
in favour of Bharata and his mother, and with it all the incidents of royalty.
For my fourteen years of forest life I
require nothing but bark garments such as Rishis wear and simple necessaries of forest
life such as spades and baskets." Hardly had Raama spoken these words when the
unabashed Kaikeyi hastened to produce the forest dress! He had kept ready and gave it
herself without a blush to Raama. Then and there Raama dressed himself in bark. And in
these garments be shone like a Rishi. Lakshmana too changed into bark dress, while
Dasaratha watched all this in helpless anguish. |
