Dasaratha Dies
Having done this Huge Sin in ignorance and my senses not in my control “ What shall I do ? Shall I go and tell his parent? Is it better not to inform them? which is good ?” I was thinking. Then I took water in the vessel and followed the path that saint’s son told me to the Hermittage. There I saw his old parents who were helpless blind;were like the birds who have lost wings were rooted to the same place; unable to protect them selves and were talking about their son only and were awaiting his arrival.Thye were not aware that I had spoilt their aspiration. When I reached there owing to fear and sorrow I stood there not knowing what to do.
Hearing my foot steps sound that Saint “ Child ! why are you delaying? Please give the water you have brought. Were you playing in the river so long? Your mother is worrying a lot,come inside fast. Either she or myself had done anything which was unpleasant to you, please do not keep it in mind.You are a Thapasvi(Mendican Saint)! For we who have no place to go , you are our refuge; for we blind you are our refuge; we have kept our Life in you. When that be the case why are you not talking?” said they. My fear grew,voice stammered;but due to control of self and courage I spoke “ I am Kshatriya(warrior); I am Dasaratha; Hey Mahathamans !,I am not your son. Due to Previous Births huge sin I have done a thing which will be ridiculed by Pious people.I came armed to the Sarayu river for hunting, I hid myself to kill an animal. Then I heard a sound as though an elephant was drinking water; keeping that as target I shot an Arrow,it was person who was filling water in a pot. Hearing a “Ayoh” sound I ran and saw . One Thapasvi was hit by my arrow and wincing in pain with Death lurking.Thinking it was an Elephant’s sound I shot the arrow in that place. That caused your son’s death. There I went and removed the Arrow and threw it to releave him of his pain. Immediately he has gone to Heaven. ‘ My parents are Old and Blind; what will I do ?’ Lamenting these words he left for heaven. I have told you what happened.Unknowingly I have killed your Son. I seek your Mercy.
Hearing those cruel words, the Saint was deep in sorrow at the Loss of his son. With folded hands to me, he said “ Having committed this Gory Sin, if you had not told us the truth, your head would have blown to thousand pieces. if Kshatriya Kills a Vanprasthan(Person in Forest praying to God) ; even if he is Devendra(God of celestials) he will fall from his post. If a person shoots with an arrow a Brhamagyani while he is doing penance; then the shooter’s head will break into 7 pieces.But you have done this unknowingly. Repenting, you have immediately come and informed me.hence you are alive till now.If you had done this Sin knowingly your IkshwakuKul (Clan) would have been destroyed. Should I have to say of your fate nay? Please take us to that place. Body, Cloth,Wooden bark/leaves which are soaked in Blood and my son lying on the ground without Life ; we would like to feel our dear child once more.” Said the Parents.
I had accordingly taken them to that place. They then touched him, caressed him ;with grief fell on him and cried. ‘Child ! can’t you speak to us ! Now that we have come, can you not do Namaskaram? You are lying on the ground; are you angry with us?i am dear to you;here you mother has come;see,get up and hug us;please make us listen to your words which are like the Nectar flow.Will now any more hear your Veda adhyanam(learning of vedas) in the late night?AfterSandhyavandhana and Homam; when we wonder when we will lose our son; you will come and sit near us and Lovingly extend courtesy. We do not have energy to do our Karma anushtanams(Daily rituals for Karma fulfillment We have no energy to search for Food;there are none to guide us holding our stick.Who will now come and give us the Fruits, Roots ? Who will treat us like dear guest and feed us ? Your Mother is old and now owing to bereavement. How will I now protect her? Child! do not go to Yama’s(God of Death) house, stop, you ,me and mother can jointly go tomorrow ; please bear with us till then.In this forest we are orphans, no one to take care of us, hapless people,when you are also not there what will we do?Hullo we have also come with you; Addressing Yama “ Lord ! please pardon us for our son for not coming with you. Since we do not have anyone to take care of us except him, Pray please return him to us. Dharmathma and the Lord of world will give Abhyadhanam(Protective Hand ) ‘ said the Father of the slain.
“ This untimely death which has come to you from this king is not appear to be justified as though it was caused due to previous Birth’s sin. You have not done any sin, you have been killed by this Sinner. Due to the Punyam (Good Deeds) you have done and also due to my penance , may you each the world which the Martyr Soldiers attain by not retreating and lay down their life fighting” May you attain the Destination which greats like Sagara, Chaipya, Dileep, Jhanamejhaya, Nahusha, Dhundhumaara and other Emperors attained. May you attain the destination which persons who do Vedha adhyana (Learning of Vedas) , penance and the Pious persons. May you attain the destination which persons who do Donate Earth; Who consistently do Agnihothra;one who Lives with one wife who can bear child; one who gives in Charity countless Cows; one who serves old people ; one who does Vrat(fast) like mahaprasthanam; those who die in the place where Ganga & Yamuna join cremated there .Those who were born in our clan and done have attained Noble Lokas, You are my son, one who killed you should have a horrible time.Thus he often Lamented. Both Father and Mother had started doing the rituals to be done to the Dead body of their dear son. The son of the saints due to his good deeds reached the Noble lokam.Then Devendra came in his Aircraft and took him to Heaven with full formalities. Before he left he did Namsakrams to his old parents “ Due to the Service I did iam reaching the heaven. You too, soon, come and join me shortly.”thus saying he left for heaven.
Later the Father finished his Rituals for his son, seeing me standing with folded hands and scared, “ King ! please kill me now. You have made me childless, when I had one son only. I have no regret in dieing.i should turn you to Ashes for having killed my Sinless Son.Since you have killed him unknowingly I am only cursing you to experience an agonizing Sorrow . You will lose your son and you will die because of sorrow of losing him.But even though you are Kshatriya, since you killed unknowingly the Sin will not accrue to you. The benefit of the Dakshina(Fees)will accrue to the giver.Similarly the agony iam undergoing of Puthra shokam (agonizing grief for the for Loss of dear Son) will follow you as well.You will die because of that.” Thus he lamented in many ways. Then he staked the logs of wood and set fire to it bonding their hands together fell into the Fire and reached Heaven.
When I was thinking for the reason for departure of my Praanan(-Life force, Last Breathe,that without which causes Physical and medical Death), I remembered the heinous crime I unknowingly committed in my Youth by the use of Shabdhavedi Arrow.(Like heat seeking missiles of today, it was sound seeking missile). Just like the person who eats food which will abet the fever or Disease, will have increased Fever/Disease, the sins have engulfed and surrounded me.Kaushalya as per the words(Curse) of that Great Saint, I am going to die today. My eyes have lost their vision to see you. So you please touch me firmly with your hand once.”thus he cried. Really scared “I sent Rama who had not done any Aparadh (Unpardonable acts such as sin, misdemanour,delinquency, infraction, violation, crime, offence, guilt, lawbreaker, crime, outlaw, felony )to the forest, and the act of injustice by me hearing Kayikeyie’s words he accepted it with happiness,is due to the curse of that Saint (Shravankumar’s father)and nothing else.Or else why should a person like me who is steadfastly following Dharma , should stray and take the path of Adharma? Kayikyei who was pious and who had special affinity towards Rama , why should she develope Malice/ Hatred towards him? So much of injustice has been done and Why Rama did not have an iota of jealousy?.Will a intelligent Learned person drive his own son dear to him to the Forest even if the son was a Dhust (Scoundrel, bad, wicked, cruel, cunning, rascal,cruel)? if that is done will he not get angry with his father? Rama let him touch me once, Not required, even if once I can see him is enough for me to be alive. Those going to Yama’s place(God of Death) are they going to see their relations again?I am not able to see you. My memory is faltering.The messengers of Yama are hurrying me to Leave.i am not able to see the great Valaours Dharmathma Rama while I am dieing. What else can be more agonizing? Just like the heat makes little water evaporate and parch the place , similarly the Grief of not seeing Rama is making my Life ebb, parch and Leave. Those who will see Rama’s Face which is akin to Full Moon after 15 years can theybe called Humans?, they should be the Celestials who enjoy Youth fullness for ever.He who has the eyes of the Red Lotus , and the eye brows like Bow, pearls like teeth, and along beautiful nose, looking like the summer moon and blossomed Red Lotus with fragrant Face of Rama; when he returns to Ayodhya after finishing his forest tenure , like the Venus retun t it’s abode, those who witness Rama’s return what Bhagyam (Good fortuens) must they must have accrued? Kaushalya my heart is breaking due to Grief, I am not able to identify the materials by Sound, Touch . Just like the Light fades away once the oil in the Lamp parches, my limbs are weakening. When my Manam{Chitha(Memory)+Inner Conscience Mind +Intellect(Bhuddhi) +Ego} is staggering and stuttering, the senses Faculties destruction is not surprising. Just like the banks of river get eroded during floods , this grief is cutting the orpaned life of mine without it’s self defending faculties. Hey Great Valorous Raghava who is capable of guillotining my Sorrow; the one who has special affection for me !my Lord ! my Arumai( rare, precious, gifted, obedient, respectful, dutiful, affectionate,sensible )child ! where have you gone? Kaushlaya ! I will not survive. Sumanthara disaster has befallen you, HeyKayikeyie who has come to smear the IkshwakuKul(Dynasty), the cruel , wicked Lady , one who has come in the guise of Yama (God of Death) to kill me” thus Dasaratha screamed experiencing the pangs of death, with Rama’s mother and Lakshamana’s mother nearby, having driven his derest child, and in feeble tone lamenting with eye fading, Dasaratha after midnight died unable to bear the grief.(Slokas 79).
****************