King Dasharatha, seeking to comfort his beloved Kaikeyi, spoke gently to her, saying, “There is abundant wealth, grain, and cattle in those lands, Kaikeyi. Choose whatever your heart desires from them.” Seeing her troubled and fearful, he urged her, “Why do you trouble yourself, O fearful one? Rise, rise, O beautiful Kaikeyi! Tell me truly what has brought you fear; I will dispel it for you, as the sun disperses the morning mist.” Encouraged by his words, Kaikeyi, though comforted, prepared herself to voice a harsh request to her husband. Thus begins the eleventh chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, within the Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa. Kaikeyi spoke sternly to the king, whose heart was pierced by the arrows of love and who was overcome by his deep affection for her. “O lord,” she said, “I have not been wronged or insulted by anyone. But there is a certain wish in my heart, and I desire that you fulfill it. Swear to your promise, if you wish to grant it; then I will tell you what I truly desire.” Dasharatha, smiling slightly, spoke to Kaikeyi, his beloved, as she sat on the ground. He gently took her by the hair and said, “O proud one, you do not realize that there is no one dearer to me than Rama, that tiger among men. By that unconquered, foremost, high-souled Raghava—by Rama, who is worthy of life—I swear to you, speak whatever is in your heart. I surely could not live even for a moment without seeing Rama; by him, Kaikeyi, I swear to fulfill your word. By that Rama, whom I choose above myself, my sons, and all others, Kaikeyi, I swear to fulfill your request. Good lady, consider this in your heart and grant me relief; reflect well, Kaikeyi, and tell me what you think is right. Seeing your own strength, you should not hesitate; I will fulfill your wish, I swear to you by my own merit.” Delighted by these assurances, Kaikeyi revealed her dreadful intent, her words arriving like Death itself. “Since you swear and grant me a boon in due order, let the thirty-three gods, with Indra at their head, hear this. Let the moon and sun, the sky, the planets, night and day, the directions, the world, this earth, the Gandharvas, and all the Rakshasas bear witness. Let the night-wandering beings, spirits, household gods in the homes, and all other beings know what you have spoken. This one, steadfast in truth, of great splendor, knower of righteousness, truthful in speech and pure, grants me a boon—let all the gods hear.” Having embraced and praised the mighty-armed king, the queen spoke further to the boon-giver, her heart overcome by desire. “Remember, O king, what happened before in that battle between gods and demons, when an enemy endangered your life. There, O lord, I protected you, keeping watch and striving; for that, you granted me two boons. Those two boons, O lord, which you gave, I now seek to claim from you, O protector of the earth, O descendant of Raghu. If you do not grant me the boon you promised in righteousness, today, dishonored by you, I will give up my life.” By mere words, the king was brought under Kaikeyi’s control, as if a deer caught in a snare, moving toward his own destruction. She pressed him further, saying, “O lord, you had granted me two boons, and at that time you promised to give them, O king. Now I will declare those two boons to you today; listen to my words: the preparations for Rāghava’s consecration have been made. With that very consecration, let Bharata be anointed for me; this is the second boon, O lord, which you joyfully granted me. At that time, in the battle between gods and demons, you promised; now that time has come: let Rāma dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest for nine and five years. Let Rāma, steadfast and wearing bark and deerskin, become an ascetic; let Bharata today rule the kingdom without obstacle. This is my highest desire; I choose the boon you granted. And today, let me see Rāghava departing for the forest. Be a king of kings, true to your promise; protect your lineage, character, and birth. For in the next world, the sages say, truthfulness is the highest good for men.” Thus begins the twelfth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa. Having heard Kaikeyi’s cruel words, the great king Dasharatha fell into deep thought for a moment and was greatly tormented. He wondered, “Is this a daydream of mine, or is my mind deluded? Or is it some affliction I have experienced, or a disturbance of my mind?” Thinking thus, the king found no comfort at that time; regaining consciousness, tormented by Kaikeyi’s words, he sat distressed and bewildered, like a deer seeing a tigress. He sat on the bare ground, breathing heavily. Like a serpent trapped in a circle, restrained by spells though full of deadly venom, the lord of men, in anger, uttered words of reproach. His mind overwhelmed by grief, he again fell into confusion. But after a long time, the king, deeply afflicted, regained his senses. Enraged, burning with his own energy, he spoke to Kaikeyi: “Cruel one, of wicked conduct, destroyer of this family!