amarx

chitra __1 katha/

No. 105 Rs. 2

THE STORY OF 'S FATHER Our Amar Chitra Katha, Dasharatha, has been drawn mainly from 's famous epic poem— . , an evil , had performed severe penances and obtained a boon from Brahma. No celes­ tial being, be it Yaksha, Gandharva or Deva, could kill him. Armed with this boon, he invaded Amaravati, the city of the Devas and played havoc among its inhabi­ tants. Distressed, they appealed to Vishnu. On earth at that time, Dasharatha, the prosperous, wise and just king of , bent on obtaining a son, was engaged in performing a series of sacrifices. To help the Devas Vishnu decided to manifest himself on earth and destroy Ravana, since Brahma's boon did not protect Ravana from men. And he chose to be born as four sons to the three queens of Dasharatha. As Dasharatha delighted in his growing sons, parti­ cularly in Rama the eldest, little did he dream that the curse, hurled at him for a sin committed by him in ignorance when he was a mere lad, would materialize with an impact that would be the death of him.

° Paper used for the printing of this book was made available by the Government of at concessional rates'1

Printed by H. K. Nasta at IBH Printers, Marol Naka, Mathuradas Vissanji Road, Andheri East, Bombay-400 059 and published by H. G. Mirchandani, for India Book House Education Trust, 29, Wodehouse Road, Bombay-400039. Editor: Anant Pai Associate Editor.- Kamala Chandrakant Illustrations: M. N. Nangare DASHA RATH A,THE SON OF fidft AND IN DU/V\ATI, WAS THE 6ELOVED CROWN PRINCE OF AYODHYA, THE CAPITAL OF THE FLOURISHING KINGDOM OF KOSRLA ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER SARAYU. LIKE HIS FATHER, YOUNG DASHARATHA WAS A SKILFUL ARCHER.HE COULD HIT HIS TARGET GUIDED ONLY BY SOUND. AND HE LOVED TO EXERCISE THIS SKILL.

ONE DARK, I RAINY NIGHT I AS DASHARATHA WAS LOOKING OUT FOR GAME

f,A WHAT’S THAT? ^ ^ A THIR5TY e l e p h a n t’s t r u n k , OUT FOR ITS FILL! -

1 r - amar chitra katha HE ///MED AT THE SOUND AND LET H/S DEADLY ARROW FLY. WHEN THE ARROW FOUND ITS MARK

AH ! MURDER. BItT'N, I HAVE HARMED NONE. AH ! MY POOR, OLD, BUND PARENTS! I LEAVE Y O U , HELPLESS. B lfi

DASHARATHA HAD MIS­ TAKEN THE GURJ3LE OF THE HERMIT'S FILLING p it c h tk . FOR THE SOUND OF AN ELEPHANT DRINKING WATER Wk

FOR A MOMENT HE THEN, HE RAN TO THE SPOT FROM WHERE STOOD PETRIFIED. THE HUMAN CRY HAD COME. AS SOON AS THE DYING YOUTH SAW HIM —

O PRINCE, MY THIRSTY PARENTS ARE WAIT­ ING AT THE HERMITAGE NEAR BY. GO AND TELL THEM ABOUT ME.BUT FIR5T WHAT REMOVE THIS ARROW. LET f HAVE I done! > DEATH RELIEVE ME OF THIS PAIN. 1 who am a VIRTUOUS PRINCE, THE DASHA RATH A DID AS HE WAS TOLD. PROTECTOR OF THEN, FILLING THE PITCHER WITH L THE. WEAK' i WATER HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE HERMITAGE. DASHARATHA MEANWHILE.THE JUST THEN THEY HEARD HERMl TflGE — FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.

' OUR 50N HAS BEEN AWAY A LONG WHILE, COULD SOME­ THING HAVE HAPPENED A H ! THERE V TO HIM ? > YOU ARE AT LAST. QUICK., GIVE ME THE WATER. I CAN­ NOT BEAR THE THIR5T ANY LONGER.

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TEARS FLOWED DOWN DASH ARATHA^S FF)CE AS HE STOOD THERE, SPEECH­ LESS WITH QUILT. [ f O VENERABLE^ ONE, I AM NOT YOU R SON . MY SILENT, MY NAME IS SON ? YOU KN DASHARATHA. THAT YOU ARE ) I HAVE COM­ OUR VERY LIFE. MITTED A SPEAK TO V HEINOUS SIN DEAR- SON AND 5TAND BEFORE YOU, ^ SAD AND ftlMKREPENTANT.

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f)ND DASHARATHA TOLD THEN) WHAT HE HAD UNKNOWINGLY DONE. amar chitra katha THE OLD COUPLE 5AT STUNNED FOR ft FEW SECO N D S. TH EN PftST THE CHOKING GRIEF CftlYlE THE WORDS

IT WAS MY 50N. r YOUR SON TOO OUR ONLY 50N SHALL BE PARTED YOU KILLED HIM FROM YOU. AND YOU 5HALL DIE GRIEVING FOR HIM

ft THOROUGHLY SHftKEN DftSHftRftTHft RETURNED TO HIS PftLftCE.

B U T THE INCIDENT GRftDUftls SOON ftFTER } ON THE ftDV/CE OF HIS MINISTERS LY FftDED FRO/Y) HIS MEMORY. FIND SPlRITUftL GUIDES,DftSHftRftTHft MftRR/ED ONE DftY ftdft SENT FOR HIM . KftUSftLYfi, ft PRINCESS OF KOSftLft. r ~ r ■ -i

DASHARATHA,EVER SINCE YOUR MOTHER DIED THE KINGDOM HAS BECOME A BURDEN TO ME. YOU HAVE COME OF AGE. NOW YOU RULE THE LAND AND LET ME RETIRE TO A ^ t h e f o r e s t, DASHARATHA DflSHARftTHA WAS A NOBLE, V/RTUOUS KING AND WAS LOVED BY DLL . SO RENOWNED FOR VALOUR WAS HE THAT EVEN IN DR.A , KING OF THE DEVAS, SOUGHT HIS HELP IN HIS WARS WITH THE ASURA5.

BUT DASHARATHA WAS IN ORDER TO WIN THE BEAUTIFUL KAIKEVI, DASHARATHA UNHAPPY. KAUSAL Yft MADE Ft PROMISE TO ASHWAPA THI. HAD N O T BORNE HIM ANY SONSj THE SON BORN

• TO SHALL I SHALL SEEK BECOME THE CROWN THE HAND OF PRINCE AND SHE, THE LOVELY QUEEN MOTHER. DAUGHTER OF ASH WA PATH I, LORD OF THE

THE YEARS PASSED, BUT KAIKEYI TOO FAILED HIM.

I SHALL WED , sTHE GENTLE PRINCESS [V OF MAGADHA.5HE IS SURE TO BEAR ME A SON. /

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BUT 5UM/TRA TOO REMAINED A BARREN WIFE

5 amar chitra katha MEANWHILE IN DRft, KJNG OF THE DEWS, IWft5 IN DftSHftRfi THft TURNED TROUBLE ONCE ftSft/N. ONE DAY— TO KMKEY I . r-T=E3------y / J S S fi w ° K| Ne > L°RD /J [/ SEEKS YOUR I-SHALL LEAVE m Sk ^ ]5 L ® J r ^ :^F W I help ^&^in5t IMMEDIATELY. (gk Q A\ rk TH E ASU RA fi T V SHAM BARA. y

LORD, LET ME COME WITH S VOLL "'s» i\.

HA,HA, MY X ' DEAR ONE, A > BATTLEFIELD 15 NO PLACE FOR YOU

BUT I AM NO 8ESIDE5,MY THEN COME,LOVABLE ORDINARY WOMAN LORD, I DO ONE. COME WITH I AM THE DAU6H- NOT WISH j v ME TO THE BATTLE- TER OF THE TO BE HERE J k . FIELD. ^ ■j£n\ INVINCIBLE ALONE J B f c k K A5HWA- W ITH O U T^ PATHI. you . y i n

6 DASHARATHA THE BATTLE WAS A TERRIBLE ONE AND THE WERE ROUTEDBUT ft WOUND­ ED DftSHARATHA LftY ON THE FIELD , SENSELESS, ALMOST DEAD. KAIKEYI RODE UP TO Him IN HER CHA RIOT. [

DEAR HUSBAND, I WILL NOT LET YOU LEAVE ME. I WILL NURSE YOU BACK TO A V FULL LIFE. S

SHE HAD HIM REMOVED TO HER TENT ftND FROM THEN ON KAIKEYI BECAME TENDED HIM DAY AND NIGHT TILL HE DASHA RATHA’S FAVOURITE QUEEN. REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS. AS SOON AS THE GENTLE YOUNG SUMITRA, UNABLE HE OPENED HIS EYES — TO BEAR HIS NEGLECT, SPOKE HER HEART O UT TO WHOSE SPE­ ------^ ^ KAIKEYI,MY DEARE5T AT THIS MOMENT,WITH CIAL PROTECTION SHE ENJOYED. QUEEN,YOU HAVE YOU ALIVE, I HAVE ALL BROUGHT ME BACIC / I NEED,MY LORD. TO LIFE. ASK ANY / _L ASIC FOR THE TWO BOON5 WHEN I ^ NEED THEM.

EVER SINCE THE BOLD KAIKEYI MIND, ACCOMPANIED SUMITRA. OUR LORD TO LET US THE BATTLE­ NUE FIELD, HE TO SERVE NO EYES FOR HIM WITH US. IT HURT5 LOVE AND ME. DEVOTION.

7 4 amar chitra katha SUCH INFATUATIONS DO BUT NONE OF THE THREE QUEENS BORE NOT LAST LONG. PER- - DftSHftRATHft ft SON. ft5 THl HAPS ONLY TILL YEARS PASSED, DftSHft- ONE OF US BEARS J) RRTHft'S YEftRN/NG HIM A SON. FOR ft SON GREW. f)T L P iS T - I SHALL PERFORM A SACRIFICE AND OB­ TAIN A SON TO RULE THE KING­ DOM

ORDERS WERE GIVEN ftND THOUGH Kft/KEYI WftS HIS ftLL WERE REftDY FOR THE Fft VOURJTE, THE JUST KING GRftND SftCR/FlCE. FIS THE FIRST TOOK THE PftYftSft TO SftCR/F/C/ftL FIRE BLftZED, KftUSftLYft, HIS CHIEF QUEEN , ft BEING HOLDING ft BOWL ftND GftVE HER HftLF OF IT. O F ‘PftYftSft’* SUDDENLY EMERGED FROM IT.

O KING,GIVE THI5 TO YOUR WORTHY QUEEN5 AND THEY SHALL BEAR YOU V SO N S. ^

' PARTAKE OF THIS DEAR WIFE, AND BEAR ME V A SON. >

* ft GRUEL MFIDE OUT OF MILK,SUGftR ftND RICE. DASHARATHA ■ THEN HE WENT TO 5UMITRA AND AG HE WAS ABOUT TO DO 50, A GAVE HER ft FOURTH OF WHAT WAS THOUGHT SUDDENLY STRUCK LEFT. I------1------7------HIM AND HE CHANGED HI5 MIND I 5HALL 7 I SHALL GIVE THE GIVE HER REST TO ONLY HALF KAIKEYI. OF IT AND GIVE THE RE5T TO GENTLE i 5UMITRA.

WITHIN A YEAR, KAUSALYA /9/YD THOUGH ALL FOUR. PRINCES DELIGHTED THE GAVE BIRTH TO RAM ft-, KAtKEY/ HEART OF DASHARATHA, RAMA, THE ELDE5T, WAS HIS TO } AND SUMITRA, FAVOURITE. INDEED, HE WAS THE FAVOURITE OF ALL WHO HAD THE {PAYAS A ’ AYODHYA. n m H r ------TWICE, TO L AKSHMANA AND — f—1-----1 J V HE HAS EVEN BECOME THE k SHATRU6HNA. THOUGH THE Lttg* \ FAVOURITE OF KAIKEYI AND PRINCE 5 LOVED EACH OTHER — SUMITRA FOR HE J S S S i LOVE5 ^ND HONOURS I - S r S k X THE/Y1 HE D0E5 f P f ^ n HIS 0WN m o t h e r . llU !» jWrT^- i i [ HE WOULD fYlAKE J 1 1 1 ^ ” "jnk ^ L l X AN IDEAL KING J ■ K f e , I iW FOR AYODHYA. f

11 Ur R m p \ 15 DEARER. TO f THAN LIFE ** ITSELF. AND 5HATRU6HNA 15 PARTIAL TO BHARATA. I WA5 WI5E TO GIVE THE j * DOCILE 5UMITRA ^ w\~ , THE 5ECOND J B ! PORTION. amar chitra katha BUT I m BOUND BY /M A FEW DAYS LATER. YE6, AAV LORD. BUT PROMISE TO KAIKEyfS RAMA 15 OUR ELDE5T FATHER WHEN ( HOW WELL BHARATA SON AND 15 AN IDEAL MARRIED HER., f l 5HOOT5! KAIKEYI, PRINCE. BE5IDE5 HE MY BELOVED,HE LOVE5 ME EVEN WILL MAKE AN MORE THAN HI5 EXCELLENT KING, y V OWN MOTHER. A

iWifAnr.. Hi*,,,.

d a s h a ra t h a w a s H appy t o h e a r , t h is SENS/1Y6 REJECTION RS WIFE, KAUSALYA MAGNIFIED HER ROLE HER W0RD5 RS HOUSEWIFE. ONE DAY RS SHE REA5SURE ME A5 ] EXAMINED THE EXPENSES OF I WOULD HAVE < THE QUEEN5’ APARTMENTS — RAMA RULE AFTER ME.YET, I MU5T f KAIKEYI SPENDS TAKE CARE TO < MORE THAN WE KEEP KAIKEYI JM DO. IF ONLY S IN THI5 FRAME j p THE KING WOULDN’T INDULGE MM STRIVING TO KEEP KAIKEYI HAPPY ALWaYS h e r s o . i m m t DASHARaTHA NEGLECTED KauSALYA AND 5 UMITRA. I------I I Tl I d r

10 DASHARATHA SHE SENT FOR. THE KAIKEYI, EXTRAVAGANCE /Y\Y APARTMENTS AND YOUNGER. QUEEN. IS BADj EVEN IN REGAL MY PERSON MUST QUARTERS. BE WORTHY OF MY LORD, TH E KING.MORE SO AS HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS LEISURE HOURS WITH ME.

THE TBUNT HURT KAUS ALYA BUT SHE WISELY MAINTAINED HER. SILENCE.

DASHARATHA WHO OVER: MEANWHILE THE CHILDREN HAD GROWN INTO HEARD THE/R CONVERSA­ HANDSOME YOUTHS, f______^ d : ------H IT IS TIME THE / TION WAS PERTURBED. j g y l PRINCES w e r e ; i KT 3 MARRIED. L

JUST THEN — LORD, TH E I------7— RENOWNED I a ! SA6E,VISHWA- I MITRA,IS E HERE. J THEIR QUARRELS SHOULD > NOT SPOIL RRMA’S < CHANCES. I MUST ENSURE THAT SUCH 5ITUATIONS DO NOT COME UP AGAIN. f

DASHARATHA AND THE OTHERS RUSHED OUT TO WELCOME THE SAGE a mar chitra katha LATER

0 VENERABLE ONE, / O KING* CAN I BE OF ANY ' CERTAIN RAK- SERVICE TO YOU ? SHA5A5* FREQUENT­ 1 PROMISE TO LY SPOIL MY GRANT ANY WISH 5ACRED RITUALS. OF YOURS.

SEND YOUR V ; ELDE5T SON, ~ THE VALIANT RAMA,WITH ME ONLY HE CAN DESTROY^ j THEM, m «/

DASHARATHA WAS STUNNED. HE VISHWfiMITRfl WAS ENRAGED COULD HARDLY SPEAK. O KING, YOUR WORDS RAMA IS BARELY ARE UNWORTHY OF YOUR A MERE BOY. NO ! I CANNOT LIN EASE. YOU GAVE PART WITH MY FIRST­ ME A PROMISE AND y BORN. IF YOU LIKE, NOW SAY YOU A MV FRIENDS AND \ CANNOT KEEP I WILL HELP YOU.

$ * DEMONS DASHARATHA AS THE ANGRY 5.AGE WAS ABOUT TO STOMP OUT, THEN LET VASISHTA, DASHARATHA’S SPIRITUAL GUIDE,TURNED LAKSHMANA TO THE KING . j— GO WITH

“ . RAMA, y

KEEP YOUR WORD.' SEND RAMA. THIS MIGHTY SAGE CAN BRING NOTHING BUT GOOD FOR SO RAMA AND LAKSHMANA YOUR SON. WENT WITH VISHWAMITR.A.

A FEW DAY5 LATER, ENVOYS WE COULD NOT AN EXCELLENT FROM THE COURT OF , HAVE HOPED FOR . PROPOSAL! . THE KING OF , CAME A BETTER, TO THE COURT OF DASHARATHA. ALLIANCE

THEN LET US PROCEED EARLY TOMORROW. WE’LL TAKE BHARATA AND WITH US.

AT MITHILA, JANAKA AND HIS - YOU A R E ^ X YOUNGER BROTHER GAVE THEN,I AGREEABLE h ROYAL WELCOME .LATER.— I WOULD GLADLY HAVE MY SECOND DAUGHTER, , WEI LAK5H/HANA

WE BRING GLAD TID­ INGS. , THE DAUGHTER OF OUR VALIANT KIN6,HA5 BEEN WON BY RAMA. OUR KING AWAITS YOUR PLEASURE AND INVITES YOU THERE.

' - \ >1 * • . /}~;y amar chitra katha AS WAS THE CUSTOM JANAKA WAS OVERJOYED. IN THOSE DAYS, VA5I- 3HTH.A ANSWERED ON THEN LET THE BEHALF O F DASHARATHA. FOUR PRINCES BE MARRIED ON THE SAME DAY.THE ROYAL FAMILIE5 OF KOSALA AND MITHILA SHALL

WHILE THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WEDDINGS WERE GOING ON, KAIKEYI’5 BROTHER, YUDOHA JIT, CA/V)E TO MITHILA AND PRESENTED HIMSELF BEFORE DASHARATHA.

WELCOME, MY FATHER SENT iWUDDHA- M E TO AYODHYA JIT. IT IS TO TAKE BHARATA THE PRO­ TO OUR. KINGDOM FORTU­ POSAL 15 FOR A FEW YEARS. NATE THAT kYOU ARE ACCEPTED. IF I HEARD THE'NEWS HERE YOU ARE WILL­ THERE AND FOLLOW­ NOW.' ING WE WOULD ED YOU TO ALSO ACCEPT MITHILA. YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER’S DAUGHTERS FOR BHARATA AND SHATRUGHNA.

AS SOON AS THE ARRANGEMENTS WERE OVER, AN AUSPICIOUS DAY WAS FIXED AND THE NUPTIALS PERFORMED. DASHARATHA DftSHftRft TH ft ftND THE YOUNG COUPLE 5 RETURNED TO ft JU&ILFINT ftVODHYft. ftT THE PftLftCE^DftSHftRftTHft’S W/l/£S STOOD JOYOUS ftND EXPECT ftNT. WELCOME, DEAR, DAUGHTERS. MAY YOU KNOW ONLY HAPPINESS IN L YOUR NEW / 'V k / rrv HOME. / A v v/ V. (W v -

ft FEW MONTHS LETTER,, ftS THE YEftRS WENT BY, RAM ft’S EXCELLENCE, NOW ftS ft DASHARftTHft SENT FOR. HOUSEHOLDER.,ENDEARED HIM EVEN MORE TO THE ftGE~ BHARATft. ING K IN G . O N E D A Y -______' I 5HALL 5EE RAMA YOU MAY NOW GO CROWNED YUVRAJA, r . i WITH YOUR UNCLE WITHOUT ANY DELAY. TO YOUR GRAND­ I SHALL ANNOUNCE FATHER. MY DECISION AT fiN ASSEMBLY OF ELDERS, KINGS AND WISE MEN.

DftSHftRftTHft SOON /V)ftDE HIS WISH KNOWN TO HIS COUNSELLORS.THEN ...AND AS TIME 15 RUNNING OUT THERE 15 LITTLE NEED TO INVITE ASHWAPATHI AND JANAKA TO THE . CORONATION. /I

15 amar chitra katha AT THE ASSEMBLY, AFTER DASHftRATHA ANNOUNCED HIS DECISION

iF ANY AMONG YOU FEEL THAT THIS CHOICE IS THAT OF A FOND FATHER. AND NOT A JUST KING, LET ME KNOW WHAT

THE K/N6S IQND SAGES AT THE SftBHft DASHARATHA WAS WEIGHED THE MATTER. CAREFULLY .THEN — PLEASED. HE TURN ED TO SUMANTRA, O JU5T KING, INSTALL HIS FAVOURITE RAMA AS THE HEIRr COUNSELLOR.. APPARENT. WE, THE BRING RAMA K PEOPLE, LOOK HITHER.. . FORWARD TO IT.

ft LITTLE LATER RftMft ENTERED THE ASSEMBLY, DASHARATHA t h e KING EMBRACED HIM AND MADE HIM SIT ON /) THRONE, SPEC/ALLY MADE FOP HIM, NEXT TO HIS OWN.

WE,THE KING AND THE PEOPLE,PROPOSE TO INSTALL YOU AS THE HEIR-APPARENT.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OVER., PREPARED FOR. THE WORST, RAMA RAMA RETURNED TO HIS STOOD BEFORE DASHARATHA .BUT—

OWN• • CHAMBER.. LATER.—

THE KING WOULD LIKE TO GEE YOU ALONE. MY SON, I HAVE DECIDED TO HAVE YOU INSTALLED TOMOR­ ROW IT6ELR LET YOUR FRIENDS PROTECT YOU WELL TONIGHT. FOR, ARE THE HAZARDS THAT THREATEN .AFFAIRS LIKE THIS.

RAMA LOOKED UP, AMAZED WHICH IN MY A BUT BHARATA OPINION 'MAKES IS AWAY FROM THE TIME MOST THE CAPITAL... OPPORTUNE FOR YOUR INSTAL­ HAVE THE LS. LATION. y PEOPLE. PROMPTED THE KING TO REVERSE A HASTY DECISION ? WELL, WHATEVER HAPPENS IS FOR THE BEST. amar chitra katha BUT THE MINDS OF EVEN WHEN THE NEWS FATHER., RIGHTEOUS AND REACHED KA US ALYA BHARATA DEVOUT MEN ARE 15 VIRTUOUS INCONSTANT SO YOUR MAY MY GLORIOUS AND... CORONATION MUST 8E SON LIVE LONG. HELD TOMORRO HERE,ACCEPT THESE YOU MAY FOR BRINGING SUCH 60 NOW. AUSPICIOUS TIDINGS.

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MANTHARA, KA/KEY/’S HUNCH-BACKED CHILDHOOD NURSE AND CONFtDANTE,HAPPENED TO SEE TH/5.

WHAT! THE THRIFTY KAUSALYA GIVING J,-#;. AWAY GEMS ■1 „ m * a -* j. j. . AND GOLD ! iq

SHE TURNED TO A MAID NEAR BY. WAS 5HOCKED. WHY IS BUT HADN’T THE CHIEF DASHARATHA QUEEN SO PROMISED THE HAPPY? KINGDOM TO MY KAIKEYI’S S O N ? I MUST INFORM HER OF THE TREACHERY AFOOT.

18 DASHARATHA ft LITTLE LATER, RAM A CAME TO HIS MOTHER’S APARTMENTS.SUM/TRA, LAKSHMANA ftND SITft WERE ALREADY THERE, r

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X.

K >1 MOTHER, THE PRIE5TS 5AY THAT SITA MUST FAST WITH ME J TONIGHT. PLEASE ARRANGE ALL THAT WE WILL NEED FOR IT. Ml A leftUS ft LYft TREMBLED W/TH DELIGHT TO HEftR THE WORDS r LflKSHMANA, ” SHE HftD EVER HOPED TO HEftR. MY LIFE AND THIS 0 R.RMA, YOU MUST KINGDOM,TOO, ARE THE HEARTS YOURS. RULE OF SUM I TRA’S SONS rX . WITH ME. .

MEANWHILE, IN HER ELEGftNT CHAMBER , AS KAIKEYI AWAITED 11 p DASHARATHA, SHE REFLECTED ON HER GOOD FORTUNE. T ill EVER SINCE I CAME A5 HIS BRIDE TO AYODHYA,THE KING K HAS NEVER LET ME KNOW A k j MOMENT OF PAIN OR NEGLECT. EVEN BHARATA’S ABSENCE DOES NOT PAIN ME. RAMA BY HIS DEVOTION DOES NOT LET ME FEEL IT. IF ONLY KAUSALYA TOOK /V\ORE KINDLY amar chitra katha HER PLEASANT MUSINGS WERE. THE LORD 15 IN HI5 RUDELY INTERRUPTED BY BUT ALL 15 ILL WITH YOU. MANTHARA’S RAUCOUS VOICE. O MY INNOCENT ONE ,THE CRAFTY KING HA5 5ENT WAKE UP, KAIKEYI YOUR. 50N AWAY,ONLY YOUR GOOD DAYS TO INSTALL HI5 RAMA A5 ARE ABOUT TO v COME TO A V RUDE END. y

^WHY,MflNTNA- ^ y f / y V ) Rft! YOU ARE PALE^^S^I WHAT’5 THE MATTER? ^ 15 ALL WELL WITH MY LORD?

KAIKEYI ’5 FACE LIT UP. SHE TOOK OFF HER. NECKLACE FIND MY VIRTUOU5 HERE,TAKE THI5 RAMA?HEIR- ASK FOR ANY APPARENT? OTHER REWARD YOU HAVE AND IT SHALL BROUGHT v BE YOURS. A ME HflPPV NEWS.

A DISGUSTED /V1ANTHARA FLUNG RAMA WILL NOT LET THE ORNAMENT ASIDE. HER.BESIDES,IF THE KINGDOM BE RAMA’S DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND? IT WILL BE BHARATA’S WITH HER. SON A5 THE TOO. RAMA 15 ABOVE , HEIR.-APPARENT, PETTY DI5TINC- / KAU5ALYA WILL TION5. HUMILIATE YOU. SHE HAS A LONG MEMORY.

y DASHARATHA ------i------MANTHARA BREATHED HARD WITH EXASPERATION. I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF IMPOSSIBLE ! THE CORONATION THAT! OF RAMA WILL CUT BHARATA OFF THE ROYAL LINE FOR EVER. IT 15 YOUR DUTY A5 A KSHATRIYA MOTHER-TO PROTECT THE ROYAL RIGHT5 OF YOUR 50N AND HIS DEPEN- M DA NTS. T— m rr'm u ZsZil

YES, WHEN RAMA MY SON MUST BECOME BECOMES KING,HE WILL THE KING. THIS VERY BANISH BHARATA OR. DAY I WILL SEND RAMA KJLL HIM.THEN, MY TO THE FOREST AND HAUGHTY ONE,YOU INSTALL BHARATA WILL BE A SLAVE IN ON THE THRONE. THE ROYAL HOUSE­ HOLD. HAVE NO DOUBTS ABOUT r AH, KAIKEYI LISTEN TO ME THEN.

21 amar chitra katha REMEMBER THE TWO BOON 5 DASHARATHA HAD OFFERED YOU MANY YEARS AGO.

LAJION OF BHARATA AND THE EXILE OF RAMA FOR. FOURTEEN YEARS. BY THAT TIME BHARATA CAN BE A POPULAR. KING AND AN INVINCIBLE MONARCH.

WHEN SHALL NOW! CAST OFF YOUR FINERY I DEMAND AND ENTER THE CHAMBER OF THE BOONS? PROTEST. DO NOT 5PEAKTO THE KING WHEN YOU SEE HIM . LET ONLY YOUR, TEARS FLOW, UNCONTROLLED, LET YOUR. SOBS WRENCH HIS HEART.

ft FEW MINUTES L ft TER, HOW WISE YOU ARE,MANTHARA! I WOULD NEVER. HAVE YQU HAVE ALWAY5 SUSPECTED THE KING’S BEEN HIS FAVOURITE. MOTIVES. YOU SHALL HAVE SO BE BOLD AND ALL THE POWER- AND MONEY ACHIEVE YOUR YOU WANT WHEN BHARATA ENDS. IS INSTALLED. DASHARATHA

AT THAT MOMENT, DASHARATHA WAS. DASHARATHA HURRIED THERE. WAY TO THE QUEEN’S APARTMENTS. HE WAS AMAZED AND DISTRESSED BY WHAT HE SAW. ( I WILL GO TO x KAIKEYI FIRST 5HE HAD ALWAYS SEEN THE HEIRr APPARENT IN O KAIKEYI, v RAMA. X WHY ARE YOU IN TEARS? TELL ME WHY YOU ARE SAD. I’LL IMME­ DIATELY 5ET MATTERS RIGHT.

WHERE f IN THE f THI5 IS 15 QUEEN CHAMBER, UNUSUAL. KAIKEYI? OF PROTEST, KAIKEYI AWAY YOUR FROM HER v MAJESTY. CHAMBER? AT THIS HOUR?

IN THE CHAMBER OF - PROTEST? TILL TODAY NOT ONE OF MY QUEENS HAS FOUND THE NEED TO USE IT. r

HA5 " ANYONE OFFENDED r YOU? HAS ANYONE REPRI­ MANDED YOU? amar chitra katha KBI KEY I SLOWLY LOOKED UP. YOU KNOW THAT EXCEPT RAMA WHO IS MY VERY NO, MY LORD. I WANT LIFE,THERE 15 NO ONE SOMETHING DONE. DEARER. TO ME THAN IF YOU PROMISE YO U. I SWEAR. BY RAMA TO DO IT

REMEMBER. THE TWO NAME THE BOONS YOU HAD 800NS AND I OFFERED ME MANY SHALL SEE YEARS AGO? I WANT THAT TH EY THEM NOW.IF YOU ARE YOU RS. , REFUSE I WILL GIVE ^ UP MY LIFE. ^

DftSHRRBTHf) WhS STUNNED. HfiD HE HEARD RIGHT? NO-O-O-OJ I MAY BANISH KAUSflLYA ^OR SUMITRA BUT 1 NEVER RAMA,MY \ ELDEST SON , /jfc WHOSE LOVE I y/L SUSTAINS MY ** ’V LIFE. XT'

THEN LET MY SON BE PROCLAIMED HEIR- APPARENT AND LET RAMA BE BANISHED TO THE FOREST FOR FOURTEEN YEARS.

24 DASHARATHA O SINFUL WOMAN , WERE NOTHING STAINS THAT FAIR- ALL YOUR. PRAISES FOR NAME AS A BROKEN RAMA UTTER-ED WITH PROM ISE 5 AND A PROMISE AN ULTERIOR. MOTIVE? y TO ONE WHO SAVED , YOU WILL STAIN THE \ THE KING AND THE FAIR. NAME OF OUR. / ROYAL LINE. ROYAL FAMILY WITH / THESE BOONS. X v ASK FOR.... sC

SUMITRA WILL NEVER. f SO THAT IS IT. TRUST ME IF I BANISH THE KINGDOM GOES RAMA. AND KflUSALYA ? TO RAM A, ONLY TO KAUSALYA, THE PER­ PLEASE KAUSALYA. FECT WIFE , WHOM j NO! SH E CANNOT I HAVE HURT ONLY / BE THE QUEEN TO PLEASE YOU. jM MOTHER. I RAMA V MUST GO! amar chitra katha KAIKEYI} DON’T YOU RAMA HAS NEVER HURT ANYONE. REMEMBER HOW RAMA AM I TO WOUND HIM WITH YOUR L HAS ALWAYS LOVED PITILESS DEMAND? KAIKEYI, I AM L . a n d WORSHIPPED > i T \ YOU? __

YOUR FUTILE WORDS TIRE ME. WILL YOU KEEP YOUR PROMISE OR WON’T O w YOU ?

FINDING HER- UNMOVED, DftSHflMTHfi FELL PIT HER, FEET. O GREAT KING, I SWEAR. THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BY MY OWN BHARATA DESPISE ME AS THE GREAT THAT NOTHING BUT KING WHO BARTERED THE EXILE OF RAMA HIS 50N AWAY FOR A AND THE INSTALLATION FICKLE WOMAN. O v. OF MY SON, WILL a KAIKEYI, I BEG YOU, V PACIFY ME. SAVE ME FROM PUBLIC RIDICULE AND DISGRACE.

26 DASHARATHA

MY BELOVED SON WILL OBEY ME.OH THAT IT WERE NOT SO! FOR IF HE DOES I WILL DIE. O KING, DO KAIKEYI, I CONSENT. NOT RAVE LIKE LET RAMA 60 TO THE ONE MAD. INSTALL MY FOREST AND LET THE ' SON ON THE THRONE PREPARATIONS FOR AND BANISH TOMORROW, BE FOR YOURS. MY FUNERAL. r

SHOCKED BY HER. CRUEL TO MAKE SURE THAT HER. PLANS SHOULD WORDS, DASHARATHA FAINTED. NOT FALL THROUGH, KAIKEYI ANSWERED JU S T THEN,; AN ANXIOUS FOR. DASHARATHA. SUmNTRF) SENT BY CAME THERE. O SUMANTRA, EXCITED ABOUT THE COMING EVENT THE KING HAS HAD A SLEEPLESS NIGHT HE IS TIRED. BRING RAMA HERE MY LORD, TO HIM FOR HIS BLESSINGS. QUICK! IT IS TIME FOR. THE CEREMONY. WE AWAIT YOUR. ORDERS. J

THE EFFICIENT QUEEN TOO, 15 .IMPATIENT TO 5EE RAMA INSTALLED , I MUST HURRY. amar chitra katha LATER. , WHEN THE UNSUSPECTING WHY 15 MY MOTHER-, Pm n PRESENTED HIMSELF FATHER WAN HAVE I BEFORE HIS FATHER. — (------771 AND DRAINED OFFENDED > OF JO Y ? MY FATHER?

WHEN KAIKEYI TOO PRESENTED THE SHAMELESS KAIICEYI WHOSE HEART HAD A STERN COUNTENANCE — BEEN NUMBED BY CUPIDITY, FACED RAMA.

0 MOTHER, HAVE THE KING H0LD5 YOU ^ YOU SPOKEN HAR5H DEARER THAN TRUTH. HE WORDS TO MY CANNOT COMMAND YOU FATHER? WHY LE5T IT HURT YOU. IF DOES HE GRIEVE? YOU PROMISE TO OBEY TELL ME THE HI5 WISHES I 5HALL CAUSE, MOTHER 5PEAK.

FOR SHAME, MOTHER! WHEN MY FATHER, COMMANDS,! OBEY WITHOUT FLINCHING. AND... RAMA NEVER GOES BACK ON HI5 WORD.

28 DASHARATHA KA/KEYI THEN YOU ARE MY MOTHER, AND THERE 15 NO GREATER. t o l d R .m n YET KNOW ME NOT. ON VIRTUE IN THI5 WORLD A LL A B O U T YOUR ORDER. ALONE I THAN SERVICE TO THE TWO WOULD WILLINGLY ONE’S PARENTS IN BOONS. WITHOUT SURRENDER. NOT ONLY THOUGHT, WORD AND EXPRESSING THE KINGDOM BUT ALSO DEED.SO LET ft TRACE OF SITA AND MY VERY BHARATA RULE DISAPPOINT­ LIFE. THE KINGDOM. MENT RA/Y\ft FACED KAIKEYI.

ICAIKEYI IMPATIENTLY INTERRUPTED WHEN KALI6ALYA HEARD THE O RAMA, HIS DECLARATIONS. \------TERRIBLE NEWS FROlY) RAMA — THE GOOD FORTUNE NOW THAT YOU AND I SHALL OF A WOMAN WHO HAS HAVE TO GO, GO AND TAKE KNOWN THE COMPLETE RAMA ,DO NOT LEAVE OF MY DEVOTION OF HER. HUS­ DELAY. I SHALL MOTHER. AND BAND, HAS NEVER BEEN HAVE BHARATA OFFER MY MINE.YEARS HAVE I BROUGHT CONSOLATION WAITED TO SEE YOU IMMEDIATELY. / N . £> TO SITA. INSTALLED AND TASTE OF HAPPI - NES5.AND NOW WITH A VICIOUS KAIKEYI IT WILL BE LIFE-IN-DEATH amar chitra katha gftMft DIO NOT TRY TO CONSOLE. ftS RfiMfl LEFT FOR- THE FOREST, HIS MOTHER.. INSTEAD — WITH LflKSHMflNfl FIND SITFI WHO INSISTED ON GOING WITH HIM, DFlSHfiRRTHFl COLLAPSED WITH GRIEF. MOTHER., KPllKEYI REACHED OUT TO HELP HIM. MY FATHERls COMMAND K EEP AWAY, O VILE BINDS U5 KAIKEYI,YOUR TOUCH v BOTH. WILL POLLUTE ME. YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR BOONS BUT AS A WIDOW. FOR I WILL NOT LIVE LON6

T J T 3 T

YES,MY WORTHY SON. MAY YOU BE HAPPY IN EXILE. I SHALL SERVE YOUR FATHER DUTI­ FULLY WHILE I PRAY FOR YOUR SAFE RETURN

30 DASHARATHA - — f- ON THE FIFTH DAY AFTER RDMA LEFT, KAUSALYA, UNABLE TO O KINS, RESTRAIN HERSELF ANY LONGER,TURNED UPON THE KING. IGNORING ME YOU BANISHED MY SON. I MAY NOT EVEN FOLLOW HIM LEST YOU BE DESOLATE. YOU HAVE RUINED ME AND MY SON AND ALL AYODHYA.

FULL OF ANGUISH, DASHARATHA KAU5ALYAf MOVED BY THE GREAT MONARCH*5 PLEADED WITH HER. HUMILITY, WA5 ASHAMED OF HER OWN OUTBURST.

PLEASE, KAUSALYA, O LORD, DO NOT I ENTREAT YOU, SHAME ME. A WELL- I AM YOUR HUSBAND, BRED WOMAN VIRTUOUS OR SHOULD NEVER. WORTHLESS. AND MAKE A SUPPLICANT I KNOW YOU TO OF HER. LORD. BE WISE. PARDON MY TRANSGRESSION. amar chitra katha ON THE SIXTH NIGHT O F RAMA’S DEPBR.TUR.Eyf) /V)EDLEW O F PAST DEED5 RACED ACROSS DASHARATHA'S BEFUDDLED MIND, BUT ONE STOOD OUT CLEAR.— THE KILLING OF THE INNOCENT YOUTH. HE HALTINGLY NARRATED THE WHOLE f ------INCIDENT TO KAUSALYA.THEN

J V \ X His FATHER?S ^ C V ' \ CURSE HAS COME N T / TRUE. I DIE YEARN- > ( ING FOR MY SON. O KAUSALYA,I CANNOT SEE YOU COME NEAR. AND TOUCH ME.

SEEING THAT HIS END WAS NEAR,KAUSALYA SENT FOR SUMITRA.

O MY PRINCE, MY SON, iu u u u u L4 LJCJUU t_ll_| l_| U| NO! LORD WHERE ARE YOU ? DO NOT LEAVE O KAU5ALYA ! AH, > US AND G O .- GENTLE SUMITRA!^!^

OVERCOME 6Y GRIEF FOR HIS EXILED SON BUT ALL KA/KEY/’S EFFORTS TO SECURE DASHARATHA, A VICTI/V) OF HIS OWN ijr ■ i THE THRONE FOR HER SON WERE FUTILE. KARMA, BREATHED HIS LAST. H I I FOR BHARATA WOULD NOT ASCEND IT. WHEN RAMA REFUSED TO RETURN TO AYODHYA TILL HE HAD FULFILLED HIS PLEDGE, BHARATA PLACED RAMA’S SLIPPERS ON THE THRONE AND RULED THE KINGDOM FOR HIM, TILL HE RETURNED TO BE THE KING.

32 c? DASHA AVATAR & THE TEN INCARNATIONS OF VISHNU

TEN STORIES RETOLD IN 96 PAGES Kalki

THE AVATAR CONCEPT IS THE VERY CORNERSTONE OF HINDU THEOLOGY, Buddha ACCORDING TO IT THE SUPREME POWER MANIFESTS ITSELF IN ANIMAL OR HUMAN FORMS ON EARTH, WITH THE DIVINE MISSION OF CLEANSING IMMORTAL IT OF THE PERIODICALLY INCREA­ PICTORIAL SING EVIL.

Krishna THE AVATARS WHICH ARE CONSI­ Matsya DERED MOST SIGNIFICANT ARE TEN IN NUMBER AND THEY FORM THE am ar '‘DASHAVATAR” . THESE TEN START chitra WITH THE FORM OF A LOWLY FISH Rama AND WORK UP TO THE NOBLE MAN, Kurma \katha/ CAST IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.

THE AVATARS ENABLE THE COMMON FOLK TO SPEAK OF OR LISTEN TO STORIES OF DIVINE DOINGS WHICH ISA SIMPLE WAY OF PROCEEDING TOWARDS GODHEAD. [

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