Ramayan Part 12 - Rama Obeys Father's Orders Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

The day doesn’t wait for any one.
Yes, it broke out with the dawn,
Minding not the events foregone,
Nor whatever destined to happen.
.
Vashista with his disciples,
With holy waters in vessels,
From various sacred rivers
Waited near the palace doors.

The courtiers and the citizens,
Not knowing the reasons,
Why there was a delay in start,
Assembled near the palace gate.

Dasaratha was like a fish
Out of water, nearing his finish,
But still had hope fervent,
That she would, perhaps, relent.

Kaikeyi was totally adamant,
Upon her demands, she was bent.
To bring Ram, a man was sent.
She was upto, what she meant.

Ram came and saw his father,
Lying speechless on the floor,
The reasons why he asked her,
Paying due respects to her.

“What happened to my father?
Why he’s so silent, Oh mother?
What offence I’ve committed?
Please tell me.” Ram asked.

“Your father’s two boons old,
I now got them; what he told,
That you shall go to the wood,
And Bharata shall be crowned.”

So said Kaikeyi in a voice stern,
But Ram took it easy, in his turn.
His father’s orders to obey,
He told her that he was ready.

He touched at once their feet,
As a mark of his high respect,
And hurried towards his mother
To tell and take leave of her.

City or forest makes no difference,
For Ram’s suffering and sacrifice,
In his earthly life, on every occasion,
Exposed his equanimity and compassion.

This part daily those who read,
No doubt, they are blessed,
By Ram’s strength and grace,
To bear any sorrow they face.