Sumantra, the wise minister, spoke with earnestness to Queen Kaikeyi. He said, “Just as, when a king passes away, the kingdom is inherited according to age, so now you wish to deprive the rightful heir, the lord of the Ikshvaku line, of his due. Let your son Bharata become king and rule the earth if you so desire; but know this—we will follow wherever Rama goes. No Brahmin should remain in your realm, for today you are about to commit an act so unrighteous that it shakes the very foundation of dharma. “We will all walk the path that Rama takes, abandoned by relatives, Brahmins, and the virtuous alike. What joy will you find, O Queen, in gaining the kingdom, when your heart is set on such a disgraceful deed? It is a wonder the earth does not split open at once beneath someone whose conduct is like yours. Even the terrible, blazing, and awe-inspiring curses of the great Brahmarshis do not harm one who is so determined to send Rama into exile. “Who, after cutting down a sweet mango tree, would tend a bitter neem? Even if you water a neem tree with milk, it will not become sweet. Truly, your lineage seems to follow your mother’s ways, for it is said that honey does not flow from a neem tree. We have heard before of your mother’s evil nature. Once, a benefactor granted your father an excellent boon—the power to understand the speech of all creatures. “While resting on the bed of Jṛmbha, your father heard the sounds of many beings and laughed again and again. Your mother, angered and wishing for her own destruction, demanded to know the reason for his laughter. The king replied, ‘If I reveal the reason, I will die at once—this is certain.’ Yet your mother insisted, ‘Tell me, whether you live or die, you must not deceive me.’ Thus pressed by his beloved, the king of Kekaya truthfully recounted the story of the boon. “The boon-giver then advised the king, ‘Let this not be spoken of, O lord of the earth, whether it leads to death or destruction.’ Hearing these words, your father, his mind at ease, dismissed your mother and enjoyed himself like Kubera. In the same way, you too, following a path trodden by the wicked, are seized by delusion and hold fast to this false resolve, O you who see only evil. “There is truth in the saying: ‘Men follow their fathers, women their mothers.’ Do not act thus; accept what the lord of the earth, your husband, has said. Attend to his wishes and become the refuge of these people. Do not, urged by sinful minds, cause your husband—equal to the king of the gods, the sustainer of the world—to fall into unrighteousness. Your sinless husband, the illustrious king Dasharatha, lotus-eyed, will not break a promise, even if made in error. “Let Rama, the eldest, generous, accomplished, and protector of all beings and of his own duty, be consecrated as king. For, O Queen, if Rama is sent to the forest, abandoning his royal father, the world will speak only reproach of you. Let Raghava protect the kingdom and be free from distress, for none but Raghava is fit to dwell in this noble city.” Having spoken both gently and harshly, Sumantra, with folded hands, again stirred Kaikeyi in the royal assembly. Yet the queen showed no agitation or distress, nor did her face betray any change in color. Now begins the thirty-sixth chapter of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa. Afflicted by the weight of his promise, King Dasharatha, with tears and heavy sighs, spoke again to Sumantra, “O charioteer, have the army—resplendent with jewels and all four divisions—quickly prepared to accompany Rāghava. Let the women who live by their beauty, eloquent speakers, and wealthy merchants adorn the prince’s well-arranged troops. Those who depend on him, and those with whom he delights in strength—after bestowing many gifts upon them—assign them here as well. “Let the chief weapons, the townspeople, the carts, and the skilled forest hunters follow Kakutstha. Hunting deer and elephants, drinking wild honey, and seeing many rivers, perhaps he will not remember the kingdom. Whatever stores of grain and treasure are mine, let all accompany Rama as he dwells in the lonely forest. Performing sacrifices in holy places, giving abundant gifts, and meeting with sages, may he live happily in the forest. Mighty-armed Bharata will rule Ayodhyā, and may all desires be fulfilled for the illustrious Rama once more.” As Kaikeyi listened to these words about Kakutstha, fear seized her; her face dried and her voice choked. Distressed and frightened, her lips parched, Kaikeyi turned toward the king and spoke.