Ayodhya Kand

King Dashratha decided to hand over his kingdom to his eldest son Ram to retire into Vanaprastha life, a state of life where one gets rid of all worldly attachments and possessions to lead ascetic life for the welfare of common masses. The proposal was unanimously approved by his kingly priest Vashishtha and all the ministers. But in between, Kaikeyi gets informed of coronation of Ram and she was misguided by her most faithful friend & servent Manthara. Mischievous Manthara told Kaikeyi that the king under a tricky, treacherous and mischievous plan had sent Bharat to his maternal house and took decision of coronation of Ram with the convenience of Kaushalya without any knowledge of Kaikeyi. The plan of coronation was ill intended against Kaikeyi by the King and Kaushalya and it put black shadow on her future status and on future status of her son, Bharat. Kaikeyi got shocked and with convenience of Manthra immediately prepared a strategy to stop coronation of Ram and send him to forest for fourteen years, to lead an ascetic life and Bharat should be called back from his maternal uncle's house for coronation. When King Dashratha went to the palace of Kaikeyi to give this happy surprise of coronation of Ram, he found her in different form. When he came to know that she was quite unhappy over the decision of coronation of Ram, he tried his best to convince her about his good intentioned plan of coronation of Ram but it was totally in vain. Sometime back the King had committed to fulfill her two demands as and when those were required by her. So, on this occasion she pressed those two demands for its fulfillment. In this respect, she was cautioned by Manthra that unless the king gave his firm commitment by taking oath in the name of Ram, she should not disclose her intention. When the King gave his firm commitment by taking oath in the name of Ram, she asked that Bharat should be coroneted and Ram should be sent to forest for fourteen years leading ascetic life. The great shock pervaded entire Ayodhya and it was fully sunk in the ocean of a great sorrow. Ram took entire incident very graciously and nobly. There was not a slightest sign of sorrow on his face. He not only maintained tranquility of mind and heart rather pacified his remorsing father, shocked mother and entire family members, and affectionate  subjects of Ayodhya. Ram was to take first step in his grahasthya jivan, the second stage in his life when he would be called upon to carry out family, social, public responsibility and education and training imparted by his preceptor sage Vashishtha and attained by Ram both were put to test. Both preceptor and his disciple were of unparallel character and velour of not only in their time but of thousand and thousand years of past and future. The Geeta characterizes such rare personality as "Sthitipragya", one who holds unwavering state of mind under any turbulent circumstances of sentiments, emotion and passion. He remains steadfast. Ram commanded the ship of Ayodhya amidst all devouring and ever rising tide. Finding his father in a very distressed position, he inspires him to be dispassionate because Ram finds it an auspicious occasion and all round welfare contained in it for him. 

Ram expects consent of his father for his fourteen years sojourn to forest as because he finds his own welfare in the sojourn of forest. Generally people find his welfare in leading a very comfortable material life but Ram finds his welfare in the welfare of common people who are oppressed and suppressed. He foresees his presence in the forest  more necessary to fight against evil and devil tendencies which were using forest as a sanctuary of evils and devils. He also asked his father not be passionate and weak signs should not find a place in discharging his duty due to attachment and weak love and affection. This will damage his name, fame and reputation and the effect will be more dying in comparison to dying a death. Dispassionate Ram proceeded to his forest sojourn taking silent consent of his father as a permission accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Laxman. When Bharat returns from his maternal uncle's home to Ayodhya, he is shocked to know that due to him Ram was exiled to forest for fourteen years by his mother causing so much damage to Ayodhya and its subjects and ultimate death of his father Dashratha. He was deeply distressed and suffering from guilty consciousness although he was no way guilty for his mother's deed because he was not knowingly or unknowingly a party to it. After performing shradh ceremony of his father, he proceeded to forest to get Ram back. He appealed Ram to return to Ayodhya and take rein of the Kingdom and he would perform the order of the father and remain in forest for fourteen years. Ram advices his affectionate brother to be dispassionate. Unnecessarily he should not bother himself that due to him he was sent to forest. Neither Bharat nor Mother Kaikeyi is responsible for all these deeds because every things is destined and if happens as per well settled plan of nature and there used to be some good reasons behind all these. That having realized ever embracing love, affection and faith of Ram in him, his sorrow disappears and he surrenders himself at the disposal of Ram. Now he entreats that Ram should act in the interest of common mass, in the interest of oppressed and downtrodden people and not as per desire of Bharat. Bharat seeks an instruction from Ram and also asks for his slipper (charan paduka-as a support) to pass a period of fourteen years. Although Ram was feeling shy to give his Charan Paduka to Bharat but he could not have denied it taking into account the compassion of Bharat.

Thus Ram controls ever devouring tide of compassion and makes Bharat comfortable. The soil of Ayodhya is proud of her son Ram, who as a Nishkam Yogi renunciating entire possessions material and/or immaterial, has taken a vow to establish all embracing culture of Ayodhya by eradicating all evil and devil tendencies.