One day Devki request Krishna for answers with regards to why she had to spend 14 years in jail as soon as she got married and witness the death of her seven sons. To this Krishna replied “Did you think about all these things when you asked for your boon to be granted by sending me for 14 years vanvas along with my wife Sita.” Devki realised that it her karma for which she was reborn and she was Kaikeyi in her previous life. Krishna further went on to add “Kaushalya on the other hand was deprived of her son for that period of exile and she also had to suffer from the death of her husband. So in this life she enjoyed my childhood as baby Krishna which is exactly for the same period. Even today, people call Krishna as ‘Yashoda ka lala’ and not as Devaki’s son. Nothing can stand between you and your karma.
Kaikeyi was closely involved in setting off the chain of events which culminated in the defeat and death of Ravan. But let us look at her beyond the scope of Ramayan.
Who is King Dashrath?
King Dashrath was a formidable warrior king who got his name because his chariot could move in ten directions (Dash-rath where dash means 10 and rath means chariot). He was so powerful that Indra requested his help to defeat asuras because his chariot could fight in heavens as well and the underworld. While going for any battle he used to take Kaikeyi along as his military advisor and if required she used to become a charioteer for him
While fighting this battle, Dashrath orders Kaikeyi that his chariot should not stop as he wants to fight asuras from all directions. One of the bolt of the chariot wheels gets lose and to hold the chariot steady Kaikeyi uses her thumb and keeps the wheel intact. The demon king, Sambasura manages to injure him with an arrow. She then takes control of the chariot and takes the king to safely and attends his wounds. For her heroic deeds, he grants her two boons which she decides to encash later.
Dashrath was so powerful because it was believed that he was a reincarnation of Swayambhuva Manu the first person on Earth, the child of God Brahma.
Shraddhadeva Manu is the seventh in line of 14 manus first of which was Swayambhuva Manu. As a king it was Shraddhadeva who picked up the small fish which later turned out to be the Matsya avatar of Vishnu. After being forewarned by Vishnu, he built a boat to house his family, animals, seeds and sages to repopulated the earth after the great flood.
After the flood water receded, he began his rule from the city of Ayodhya. Shraddhadeva Manu had ten children out of which Ikshvaku was the greatest who became the next ruler of the Kosala Kingdom, founder and creator of the city of Ayodhya. (A-yodhya – a city which cannot be conquered) Ikshvaku, together with Shraddhadeva Manu also founded the Suryavamsha Dynasty as worshippers of the sun. Shraddhadeva Manu also had a daughter named Ila who marries Budha, the god of planet Mercury who is also the son of Chandra Dev or Lunar God. Together they give rise to the Lunar dynasty or the Chandravamsha. Both Suryavamsha and Chandravamsha are the two kshatriya races to first populate the earth.
King Dashrath was believed to have inherited the powers of the first manu which is Swayambhvua Manu. Which means he was even more powerful than his forefathers Ikshvaku and Shraddhadeva, the creators of the city of Ayodhya in the present universe.
Despite being such a powerful king, he always used to take counsel of Kaikeyi in matters of warfare and strategy. That speaks volumes of this woman in Ancient India.
The story of Kanak Bhawan
Kanak Bhawan was constructed by King Dashrath at the request of Kaikeyi. It was the most opulent and grandest structure at that time. When Ram got married to Sita, she gifted this palace to Sita. After that this place became the permanent residence of Ram and Sita, a status which this place enjoys even today. There is no denying the fact that Kaikeyi loved both Ram and Sita very much, perhaps much more than she loved her own son Bharat.
How could Manthara manipulate a strategist
Immediately after Kaikeyi is born, her mother is send to exile. She grows up without the care of her mother and supposed to respect her father. Her only companion is Manthara who is her nurse. Brought up in the company of seven brothers, it is in such challenging situation that she decides to acquire skills going beyond the grace of a princess to the ferocity of a warrior.
Manthara on the other hand is just a maid servant who accompanies her to Ayodhya as her friend and confidant. Though she is loyal only to Kaikeyi and her son Bharat, prolonged discussion only worsened matters and increases the resolve to Kaikeyi. She can only think of how to secure the throne for Bharat. Signs of a woman who is determined to get what she desires.
What was the character of Kaikeyi like
Kaikeyi was born on a full moon with the planets aligned just right. After marriage she strives to become the most favoured queen by participating in both kingdom affairs as well as matters of war. It is in this role that she shines a fierce and independent woman who knows what is hers and will go to any lengths to get it.
You can might as well imagine her to be the one who is persuasive rather than being the dignified queen who is graceful. This is evident from the fact that before getting married she asks Dashrath to make a promise before the court and all Gods that it is her son who will be the next king and sit on the throne.
However many years later, all the four sons are born almost the same time as a result of the yajna performed by the great Shringirishi. These brothers grow up together with the strongest of the bond. Seeing this Kaikeyi keeps her wish of Bharat being made the king relegated to the background. She could see that among the four, Ram was different as there was some sort of divinity attached to him. Kaikeyi begins accepting him as the true heir to the throne.
But when Ram is about to be crowned Yuvraj, is the time when Manthara is finally able to convince Kaikeyi that once Ram becomes the official heir to the throne, he might banish Bharat from Ayodhya forever. Once Kaikeyi is filled with anger and jealousy she goes to Dashrath and asks for the boons to be granted. It is even believed that she threatened with suicide if her wishes are not granted.
The woman who got away
All along Ramayana she forces us to think that despite her action being destructive in nature, they can be justified for the ultimate good. In fact people are so quick to forgive Kaikeyi as the one who is not evil but Manthara get the same tag quickly.
That is the ultimate art of building a narration in your favour.
I am Manisha Yadav, Founder and Ideologue of Narisakti. MBA Student and Digital Marketing expert, I take your brand online and help you reach more customers.
