Chapter 25

Bharat and Shatrughna Leave Ayodhya

Prince Bharata had left for the kingdom of Kaikeya in the Northwest, escorted by his ever-vigilant maternal uncle Yudhajit who had camped in Ayodhya for a sufficiently long time with the explicit intention of overseeing the political interest of Bharata, Kaikeyi and his own kingdom on the Northwest of the continent. Bharat’s bonding with Shatrughna being strong and natural; the two brothers were seen as a distinctive and inseparable unit among the four sons of Dashratha.

Kaikeyi had always identified Bharat’s welfare and political future as closely tied up with the fortunes of her father’s state. She saw the two brothers off with a heart rather heavy and full of forebodings at this time in the course of the events. Bharata who had attained a mature understanding of the complex realities of his relationships and the political undercurrents defining them, watched his mother’s silence as she placed her hands on the heads of both the brothers simultaneously. He was trying to read her mind and as usual she was careful not to betray any sign of what she was contemplating at the back of her mind.

The days when he could chide her playfully for her unjustifiable fits of willfulness were over now. He had begun to see an inscrutable pattern of reason behind her behaviour; but he could not yet read it clearly. As always, she refused to divulge what was going on in her mind. While in her presence, he was able to feel something hardening inside her. When he had entered her chamber along with Shatrughna, he could not fail to notice the absence of smile on her face, though she observed all the courtesies and the protocol correctly.

At the time of farewell she had looked at him steadily for some time, as if she was trying to gauge his inner strength. Bharat had met her gaze with a stubborn note of circumspection and she had tried to veil her feelings as she asked them if they were happy while they were here, during this very significant period of their life. Then she had said to Bharat, “God speed my son; I need you very much.” Bharat had watched the hardening, and the struggle of her veiled feelings, trying to break through the wall.

“Mother, take care”, he had said briefly before taking leave.

Bharat had been to take leave of his father before coming to see his mother. Normally both of them would be together at the time of saying adieu to him, on all previous occasions. This time he noticed the tacit estrangement between the two. He had felt sad that over the period of time his parents were not able to achieve harmony and peace in their relationship. The distance between them seemed to have widened and it seemed as if his father was growing tired of his mother’s inscrutable behavior and was developing a kind of indifference or some sort of belated defiance towards her. He also noticed that his father tended to be a little secretive about the political realities facing the kingdom of Ayodhya. He was warm as he showered his benediction but there was no word of advice for his two sons regarding their conduct of life in the near future, although the time pointed to the need of it. He had a feeling that for some unknown reason, his father was eager to see him out of Ayodhya as soon as possible.

Both brothers had received a whole lot of worldly advice from Kausalya and Sumitra on how to keep their young brides happy without letting them interfere too much in their own princely responsibilities. The two couples had hardly got to know each other during those days of hectic ceremonies and festivities. The counseling was artless and answering to the necessity of the time.

Rama was warm and Laxman sedate at the time of leave-taking. But Bharat’s mind was perplexed by the thought of something going amiss.

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