II Bidding Farewell to *Siya Ke Ram* II

In Mithila Princess Sita grew up with the story of famed Raghuvanshis who were known for their Vachan palan not knowing how that Vachan Palan will change her life. She waited for theRaghuvansi who will liberate Mata Ahalya and she believed that Raghuvansi will solve all her problems.

When the little princess dreamed of Raghuvanshi, out there in Ayodhya a young Prince Ram was getting apprised of the 4 pillars of his vansh by his Guru Brahmarishi Vashisth. Vachanpalan, Rajadharma, Swadharma and Tyaag. The young Prince with all reverence believes that as a true Raghuvanshi these pillars needs to be followed not knowing in his need to follow the pillars one day he will lose the most precious person in his life.

In this perfect world of youngsters happen a night where Queen Kaikeyi the second wife of Dasrath is told by her brother that her husband had given a Vachan that her son will be the next king of Ayodhya and now when Dasrath is reminded of that vachan he is showing ignorance.

That night shatters the perception of Queen Kaikeyi that her husband loved her and he married her because of love. When she questions him about Vachan Palan, he tells her brutally that she didn't give him son. They got sons because he did Putrakamesthi. The knowledge of the truth of their marriage breaks Kaikeyi and that day Dasrath's loving wife dies and Bharat's mother take over. Prakriti feel cheated by Sanskriti. She doesn't tell anything at that point, but waits for the appropriate moment to give it back.

Years later comes the second night. A beautiful night where coronation of Young Prince Ram is announced. Entire Ayodhya is happy. But just like the perception of the queen breaks in the night, the next day break the perception of Ayodhya vasis and the royal palace that everything is fine in the palace. The jilted Queen who has been waiting on the wings till that point brings the king to her feet by demanding 2 boons which were given to her. One that her son Bharath will be the king, second Ram will go for 14 year Vanvass. A husband's reluctance to do Vachan Palan results in wife refusing to do Tyaag and their wealth gets divided. Ram Dasrath's son and Bharath Kaikeyi's son. Power of Mahatwakamsha stands poignant in Kaikeyi and with that brutal power she gives the most painful death to Dasrath when she sends Ram , Sita and Lakshman for Vanvass.

Between Dasrath and Kaikeyi they allowed all the pillars of Raghuvansh to fall. The husband in Dasrath refused Vachan Palan and the wife in Kaikeyi refused to do Tyaag. Dasrath the king forgot the Rajdharma when he sent the innocent daughters of Ayodhya to lure Rishisringa so that he can get a son. It was his duty to protect all his subjects, but he exploited them using his wealth and power. Kaikeyi the queen forgot the Swadharma that as a woman it is not right on her part to become the wife of a man who already has a wife. Their marriage was not because of love. Love can never make someone forget Swadharma. Kaikeyi had a lust on Dasrath the warrior and she thought it is love and Dasrath had a need to get a son so he used her lust. It was fine for Kaikeyi till she was his favourite queen. Till she got all the rights. The moment she is jilted love gives place to Mahatwakamsha and in their ego clash Ayodhya and the 4 children suffer.

Now after the mess Dasrath and Kaikeyi has created the onus on correcting them falls on the shoulders of Ram who dreamt of following all the pillars and his wife Sita who believed in the Raghuvanshi. He starts the journey of erecting the fallen pillars with Vachan Palan where he chooses the vanvas given to him. And his wife Sita does the tyag by deciding to accompany him leaving the royal palace. A journey that takes them through many trials and tribulations yet making their bond stronger with love, trust and understanding it feels like everything will be fine once the vanvass is over.

But it was not be. Just like Kaikeyi who faced her perception of love marriage breaking down, Sita too faces her perception breaking down. The 3rd night gives the pregnant queen of Ayodhya Sita a beautiful perception .

The king asks her to go to the ashram and get the blessings of Rishis and their wives with her devar. When she steps out in the night, the king doesn't give her one last glimpse of himself. Queen goes thinking she will soon be back. But the day brings the knowledge to her that, the king had abandoned her because his rajadharma forced him to do so as Praja thinks she is impure. A devastated queen decides to end her life only to be reminded of the wealth she has with her. Their unborn children in her womb. She becomes the mother, living in Valmiki Ashram nurturing her twins.

12 years later a news come to her that her husband is going to do Aswamedha yajna and for that wife has to be there. She is shattered by the news, crying her husband had given her the word she will be the only wife in his life. Rishi Valmiki takes her soul to the palace. She comes, comes angry, pained to see the new woman in her husband's life. But what she sees is her murti. She is satisfied, happy that her husband has done Vachanpalan. Goes back to the ashram and does pooja for the benefit of Ayodhya and Aswamedha. Now when the children demand justice and when Ram knows who Luv and Kush are he comes with his praja and royal family to take her back. She asks for a night.

And 4th night the queen creates the perception for the king and the praja. When she accepts the wedding dress, when she says one night everyone is waiting for her to come back. But she breaks the perception brutally the next day. By doing the Swadharma of being a woman she stands up for the cause of woman against whom the society shows bias and does Tyaag for the cause. This enables the king to do Rajadharma in true sense of delivering justice to woman also by changing the laws of the land. The people who refused to accept his taking back of his wife because of their ignorance sees the light of the day when their queen mercilessly questions them , the king and the way of Raghukul refusing to come back and going to earth. He wants to go, only to realize he cannot because she has handed over their wealth, their kids to him. She uses her power to give justice to others taking moksha herself.

Thus through their personal sacrifice Ram and Sita erect all the 4 pillars. Ram does Vachan Palan and Sita does Tyaag. Sita does her Swadharma enabling Ram to do his Rajadharma.

While the perceptions of Kaikeyi, Dasrath happened due to their selfishness anMahatwakamsha where all pillars fall, Ram and Sita creates the perceptions with their love and freewill to erect the fallen pillars. Dasrath and Kaikeyi divide their children and fight using children as a medium of their fight thus bringing misery to all their 5 kids including Shanta, Ram and Sita clearly keep their children out of their personal battle, never using them as a medium to settle scores. They thus give them a better life and happiness.

Dasrath dies a painful death and Kaikeyi lives an equally painful life loaded with guilt when her son rejects her, Sita makes the choice of dying and Ram by doing the actions she wanted keeps her always alive in his heart and sees her through their children till his last breath.

Little princess of Mithila and the Young Prince of Ayodhya leaves a mark of their love and trust eternally for the world to emulate.