Dasaratha's Dilemma
By Joy Jones
We are
particularly
proud to present this next piece, as it carries enormous historical
significance. For years, scholars have disputed whether or not
Valmiki the poet was an actual person, and thus the author of the Ramayana, or simply a figment of a
storyteller's imagination. If Valmiki were a fictional
character that would mean the Ramayana
probably had its roots in the equivalent of a bedtime story that
expanded through retellings and developed fame with time.
However, if Valmiki did in fact exist, that would lend great support in
favor of the view that the Ramayana
depicts actual events and that the characters were real. As I
stand before you, I am excited to announce that we have uncovered
documents that lead us to believe Valmiki was indeed an Indian
poet, and the Ramayana
was not only his poetic creation, but was based on real characters and
actual events. We have discovered Valmiki's notes from an
interview with a man named Nagarjuna, whom we believe to be the
equivalent of King Dasaratha's bodyguard. Nagarjuna tells the
story of King Dasaratha's dilemma surrounding the succession of the
throne and how this tied in with duty-related issues of Dharma...
I had been working for old King Dasaratha, peace be with him, for many years by the time he made the decision to pass the throne on to his son, Rama. I wasn't surprised by his choice. Because of my duty to protect the king, I was with him at all times. I observed him when he would spend time with his sons, and while there is no doubt in my mind that he loved them all dearly, there was always something special about how he interacted with Rama. It was almost as though he could sense Rama's greatness, even before Rama destroyed the Rakshasas.
In fact, I remember now that it was when Viswamitra took Rama and Lakshmana with him to combat Rakshasas in the forest that King Dasaratha, peace be with him, began to view Rama as unique. As he watched his sons pass through the gates of Kosala, he told me his son was destined for greatness and that the gods wanted him to aid Rama in his journey. I think it was that moment in which the king came to understand his true duty as Rama's father.
That's why it wasn't a surprise to me when he named Rama as his successor. Considering his position as king of Kosala, it was natural that King Dasaratha, peace be with him, would have assumed that his greatest gift to Rama would be to offer him the throne. Because I was always by his side, the king would often disclose his inner thoughts to me. I don't pretend to believe he valued my opinions - I think he spoke to me simply because I was there and offered a listening ear. But I think it soothed him to be able to express himself, and he told me that he was passing the throne to Rama before his death so he could personally guide him through the initial transition.
Everything was going according to plan until that wretched Manthara intervened. The old hunchback was always grumbling as she made her way through Ayodhya. I had stopped saying good morning to her early on because her glare made it clear that such a greeting was in vain. Although she was very small, Manthara was filled with so much anger. I think she encouraged Kaikeyi to request her two promises from King Dasaratha, peace be with him, simply because she enjoyed watching other people suffer.
After Kaikeyi demanded that Bharata be made the successor and that Rama be exiled for fourteen years, King Dasaratha, peace be with him, mourned the turn of events and struggled with determining the just course of action. As I mentioned, the king was convinced the gods wanted him to assist Rama. Duty to the gods would seem like sufficient reasoning to make a decision, but King Dasaratha, peace be with him, was distraught because he also took very seriously his duties as a husband. By marrying Kaikeyi, he had also promised the gods that he would honor and protect her. So, what was he to do? How could he dishonor his wife by breaking a promise he had made to her? On the other hand, how could he prioritize worldly obligations over duties inspired by the heavens? The king was always a spiritual man, and he was very torn over this apparent conflict of Dharma.
Valmiki, you already know what happened after this, so I will just offer you my interpretation of the course of events, since I rarely am allowed to express my true opinions. It seems to me that what appeared to be a conflict of Dharma was actually nothing of the sort. I didn't understand at the time why King Dasaratha, peace be with him, was so dedicated to Kaikeyi. But after I learned that she had saved his life in battle, I appreciated their relationship in a way I had never been able to before. I respect the king for remaining true to his word and granting Kaikeyi her wishes. It went against everything he wanted for Rama, and yet he set aside his desires in order to honor his marital commitments. In the end, I believe everything worked out for the best. It was because Rama went into exile that he was able to fulfill his Dharma by defeating Ravana and the Rakshasas and protecting the world from evil. What had appeared to be a conflict of Dharma was actually a complex plan that fit together perfectly, and all of the king's various duties were ultimately fulfilled.
Thank you, Valmiki, for listening to my story. It is not actually my story, but rather the story of a noble king and his divine son. I feel it is my duty to share the truth, and I am honored and humbled to have been in the presence of such greatness.
Introduction
Sita's Devotion
Bharata and Brotherhood
Drona's Dharma Karma
I had been working for old King Dasaratha, peace be with him, for many years by the time he made the decision to pass the throne on to his son, Rama. I wasn't surprised by his choice. Because of my duty to protect the king, I was with him at all times. I observed him when he would spend time with his sons, and while there is no doubt in my mind that he loved them all dearly, there was always something special about how he interacted with Rama. It was almost as though he could sense Rama's greatness, even before Rama destroyed the Rakshasas.
In fact, I remember now that it was when Viswamitra took Rama and Lakshmana with him to combat Rakshasas in the forest that King Dasaratha, peace be with him, began to view Rama as unique. As he watched his sons pass through the gates of Kosala, he told me his son was destined for greatness and that the gods wanted him to aid Rama in his journey. I think it was that moment in which the king came to understand his true duty as Rama's father.
That's why it wasn't a surprise to me when he named Rama as his successor. Considering his position as king of Kosala, it was natural that King Dasaratha, peace be with him, would have assumed that his greatest gift to Rama would be to offer him the throne. Because I was always by his side, the king would often disclose his inner thoughts to me. I don't pretend to believe he valued my opinions - I think he spoke to me simply because I was there and offered a listening ear. But I think it soothed him to be able to express himself, and he told me that he was passing the throne to Rama before his death so he could personally guide him through the initial transition.
Everything was going according to plan until that wretched Manthara intervened. The old hunchback was always grumbling as she made her way through Ayodhya. I had stopped saying good morning to her early on because her glare made it clear that such a greeting was in vain. Although she was very small, Manthara was filled with so much anger. I think she encouraged Kaikeyi to request her two promises from King Dasaratha, peace be with him, simply because she enjoyed watching other people suffer.
After Kaikeyi demanded that Bharata be made the successor and that Rama be exiled for fourteen years, King Dasaratha, peace be with him, mourned the turn of events and struggled with determining the just course of action. As I mentioned, the king was convinced the gods wanted him to assist Rama. Duty to the gods would seem like sufficient reasoning to make a decision, but King Dasaratha, peace be with him, was distraught because he also took very seriously his duties as a husband. By marrying Kaikeyi, he had also promised the gods that he would honor and protect her. So, what was he to do? How could he dishonor his wife by breaking a promise he had made to her? On the other hand, how could he prioritize worldly obligations over duties inspired by the heavens? The king was always a spiritual man, and he was very torn over this apparent conflict of Dharma.
Valmiki, you already know what happened after this, so I will just offer you my interpretation of the course of events, since I rarely am allowed to express my true opinions. It seems to me that what appeared to be a conflict of Dharma was actually nothing of the sort. I didn't understand at the time why King Dasaratha, peace be with him, was so dedicated to Kaikeyi. But after I learned that she had saved his life in battle, I appreciated their relationship in a way I had never been able to before. I respect the king for remaining true to his word and granting Kaikeyi her wishes. It went against everything he wanted for Rama, and yet he set aside his desires in order to honor his marital commitments. In the end, I believe everything worked out for the best. It was because Rama went into exile that he was able to fulfill his Dharma by defeating Ravana and the Rakshasas and protecting the world from evil. What had appeared to be a conflict of Dharma was actually a complex plan that fit together perfectly, and all of the king's various duties were ultimately fulfilled.
Thank you, Valmiki, for listening to my story. It is not actually my story, but rather the story of a noble king and his divine son. I feel it is my duty to share the truth, and I am honored and humbled to have been in the presence of such greatness.
~
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Author's Note: Because I told Sita's story
from such a personal, first person account, I wanted to depict King
Dasaratha's situation from an outsider's perspective, while maintaining
a personal element. The character Nagarjuna is my fictitious
creation, designed to carry out this goal. I love King
Dasaratha's story with respect to Dharma because it illustrates how
sometimes we do not understand the meaning of things until after the
actions occur. While this can be frustrating at times, I think
there is also something quite beautiful and poetic about it. I
think King Dasaratha is a perfect example of the virtue of loyalty and
commitment.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Buck,
William. Ramayana.
Berkeley:
University of California Press, Ltd., 1976.
Photo:
"Inside the Temple at Ramashawarum" by Louise Jenks. Turtle
Clayworks, India 2004.
Introduction
Sita's Devotion
Bharata and Brotherhood
Drona's Dharma Karma