Shloka 58
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
कुतो वा ते भयं जातं या त्वमेवंविधं वरम्।।।।राष्ट्रे भरतमासीनं वृणीषे राघवं वने।
kuto vā te bhayaṃ jātaṃ yā tvam evaṃvidhaṃ varam |
rāṣṭre bharatam āsīnaṃ vṛṇīṣe rāghavaṃ vane ||
నీకు ఇలాంటి భయం ఎక్కడి నుండి పుట్టింది, నీవు ఇలాంటి వరం కోరుచున్నావు—రాజ్యంలో భరతుని సింహాసనాసీనునిగా చేయడం, రాఘవుని (రాముని) వనానికి పంపడం?
You are asking for a boon that Bharata should be enthroned in the kingdom while Rama should live in the forest. From where did you get this apprehension?
FAQs
Daśaratha frames Kaikeyī’s demand as arising from fear rather than dharma; righteous action should be grounded in justice and truth, not anxiety-driven manipulation of succession.
After being pressed for boons, Daśaratha challenges Kaikeyī’s request that Bharata be made king and Rāma be exiled to the forest.
Daśaratha’s concern for rightful order (rājadharma) and his attempt—however strained—to reason morally against an unjust demand.