Kamban, the Tamil poet, begins the Ayodhya Kaanda referring to this marvel of how
the King of Kings allowed himself to suffer the cruel machinations of the hunchback
maid-servant and of a step-mother which deprived him of the sceptre and banished birn to
the forest and beyond the sea.
Dasaratha loved all his, four sons and yet
be bad a special affection for Raama. And the latter deserved it by his royal qualities
and adherence to dharma. Queen Kausalya-like Aditi, the mother of the gods-was proud that
she had such a son as Raama Vaalmeeki has filled pages with the tale of Raama's virtues.
The muni is never satiated drinking from the ocean of Raama's qualities. He describes
Raama's gifts and graces sometimes directly, sometimes as seen and admired by others; thus
and in many other ways he dwells on the qualities that made Raama the ideal man. |
