Neev: Hey everyone! Welcome back to Mythical Masala with Neev! Today, we continue the story of Rama’s exile—and things get super emotional. If you thought the last episode was tough, this one takes it to a whole new level. We're going to explore how King Dasharatha's sorrow pushes him to the edge and how Bharata has to make some really difficult decisions.

Co-host: Yeah, this episode is one of those that hits hard. It's not just about the story, it’s about emotions—family, loss, loyalty, and regret. You know how in Indian movies, people cry a lot? Well, that’s not just for drama—it’s part of the culture. Family bonds run really deep, and people feel things intensely. That’s exactly what we’re going to see today.

Neev: Perfect point! Indians are known to be super family-oriented, and the idea of separation, especially within families, is heartbreaking. For Dasharatha, losing Rama isn’t just sad—it’s like his entire world collapses. He doesn't see himself as a king anymore—he’s just a dad who sent his favorite son away. So, grab your tissues, folks. Let’s dive right in.

Neev: After Sumantra returns to Ayodhya without Rama, the palace feels hollow—like the joy has been sucked right out of it. Dasharatha is beside himself with sorrow, pacing back and forth, barely able to breathe through his grief. Every few minutes, he calls out for Rama, as if somehow, his son might appear.

“He is my perfect son,” Dasharatha murmurs, his voice heavy with regret. “But I… I have failed him. I failed as a father, and that’s why he left me.”

Kaushalya, Rama’s mother, is no better off. Her heart feels like it’s been ripped from her chest. She clings to the hope that maybe she can go to the forest and live with her son. “Take me to the forest, Sumantra,” she pleads. “Let me live with my son, away from this empty palace.”

Co-host: It’s so heartbreaking to see such a powerful king completely fall apart. Usually, kings are all about duty and honor. But here, we see Dasharatha’s human side—the vulnerable father behind the crown.

Neev: Exactly. And this grief brings up something from Dasharatha’s past—something that has haunted him for years. He decides to tell Kaushalya about it, hoping that maybe, just maybe, sharing the story will help him carry the unbearable weight of his regret. Dasharatha began to recount the fateful night that had changed his life forever. He was young, brimming with pride, a skilled archer who could hit his target just by hearing the faintest sound.

Co-Host:
This is where the story gets really interesting! You see, in those days, archers were sometimes trained in a technique called shabdavedi vidya. It means being able to aim at a target just by listening to its sound. It’s like a superpower, but it can also be incredibly dangerous if you’re not careful. And Dasharatha, well, he was about to find out just how dangerous it could be.

Neev: One night, Dasharatha went hunting along the banks of the River Sarayu. He sat hidden in the bushes, waiting for prey when he heard the sound of what he thought was an elephant drinking water. He quickly aimed and shot an arrow in that direction. But instead of the sound of a wounded animal, he heard a human cry. Dasharatha ran towards the source of the sound and found a young man lying on the ground, bleeding from the wound. 

Co-host: This young man’s name was Shravana, and he was a simple, kind boy, and a devoted son, taking care of his elderly, blind parents. He had been fetching water for them when Dasharatha’s arrow struck him.

Neev: As Shravana lay dying, he made one last request to Dasharatha—to bring the water to his parents before telling them of his death. Dasharatha, heartbroken and full of regret, promised to fulfill Shravana’s wish. He took the water to the old couple, who were waiting for their son’s return, unaware of the tragedy that had just unfolded.

Co-host: I don’t think he imagined that everything would go so horribly wrong!

Neev: When Dashratha told the blind parents what had happened, they were devastated. The loss of their son broke them, and as they lay down beside his body, they uttered a curse: “Just as we have lost our son and grieve until death, you too shall die grieving the loss of yours.”

Neev: As Dasharatha lay on his bed, his body growing weaker with each passing moment, it became clear to everyone that the king was slipping away. It had been six long days since Rama had left, and Dasharatha’s grief consumed him like a slow-burning fire.

He whispered, over and over, “Rama... my son,” as if saying it enough times might somehow bring his boy back. But of course, it didn’t. His breath grew shallow, and his hands trembled, like the weight of his regret was too heavy for him to carry any longer.

Co-host: You know, I wonder if anyone tried telling him, “Hey, maybe just stop thinking about Rama for five minutes.” But I get it—when you love someone that much, it’s hard to think about anything else.

Neev: Right? It's like when you lose something super important—like your favorite toy—and no matter how hard you try, you cannot stop thinking about it. Now imagine that toy was your child. That’s exactly how Dasharatha felt. His entire world revolved around Rama, and without him, the king didn’t know how to go on.

In his final moments, Dasharatha turned to Kaushalya, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I can no longer see, Kaushalya. It feels as if I have become blind, like Shravana Kumar’s parents.”

His wife leaned in closer, her hands trembling as she touched his face, but the king’s eyes were already clouded with the fog of his approaching end.

“I don’t have much time left,” Dasharatha said. “If you ever see Rama again, tell him... tell him I loved him with all my heart.”

Co-host: And just like that, the great king of Ayodhya was... logged out.

Neev: Logged out? Seriously?

Co-host: Well, I had to lighten the mood a little! We’ve been drowning in sorrow here. And besides, the way the story flows, it’s almost like Dasharatha ran out of time on his life’s timer—like, bing, session expired.

Neev: Okay, okay. Fair point. But yeah, that’s exactly what happened—Dasharatha’s time ran out. His soul finally gave in to the grief, and the palace fell silent.

As word of the king’s death spread, the entire city of Ayodhya was plunged into mourning. The streets emptied, and all that could be heard was the distant sound of weeping. Kaushalya and Sumitra leaned on each other for support, while even Kaikeyi stood frozen in disbelief, as if only now realizing what her actions had cost.

The loss of Dasharatha wasn’t just the loss of a king—it was the loss of a father, a husband, and a protector. And Ayodhya, the city that had once echoed with music and laughter, now sat in silence, wrapped in sorrow.

Neev: Over in Kekaya, far from the chaos in Ayodhya, Bharata was having a restless night. He tossed and turned in bed, haunted by a strange dream. In the dream, it felt like something precious was slipping away from him—no matter how tightly he tried to hold on, it kept slipping through his fingers.

Co-host: You know that feeling when you wake up, and you know you had a weird dream, but you just can’t remember exactly what it was about?

Neev: Oh yeah, totally. It’s like trying to catch water in your hands, right? And sometimes, those dreams leave you with a weird sense of dread that stays with you the whole day.

That’s exactly how Bharata felt. Even after he woke up, a heaviness lingered in his chest, as if the dream had been a warning. And when messengers from Ayodhya arrived later that morning, his worst fears started to take shape.

They urged Bharata and his brother Shatrughna to return to Ayodhya immediately, without giving them much detail. They just said it was urgent—and when royal messengers say “urgent,” you know something serious is going down.

Co-host: Classic cryptic messenger vibes—like, “Come quick! There’s no time to explain!” Always leaves you wondering if you should panic or just grab snacks for the road.

Neev: Right! But Bharata didn’t have time to joke around. He knew, deep in his heart, that something was really wrong.

He and Shatrughna rode as fast as they could, their horses galloping through forests and fields. The journey felt endless, like time itself had slowed down just to torture him.

Finally, after days of hard riding, they reached Ayodhya. But instead of the lively, bustling city they knew, they found silence. The streets were empty. The usual chatter of merchants and children playing was gone. It felt like the whole city was holding its breath.

Co-host: That’s so eerie. You know that awkward silence when you walk into a room and immediately sense something’s wrong? It’s like when your parents stop talking the second you walk in, and you’re like, “Uh-oh, did I do something?”

Neev: Exactly. Bharata knew right away that something terrible had happened. The palace, which was always filled with life, was now as silent as a tomb. The only sound was the faint echo of their footsteps on the marble floors as they ran from room to room, searching for answers.

Bharata rushed to his father’s chambers, but they were empty. His heart pounded in his chest as he made his way to Kaikeyi’s quarters, hoping for some kind of explanation.

When he finally burst into the room, Kaikeyi greeted him with a smile—a smile that felt completely out of place.

“Your father has gone to the heavens, Bharata. He lived a good life, and now he is at peace.”

Co-host: Yikes. That’s... not exactly the kind of vibe you want when you’re breaking the news that someone’s dad just died.

Neev: Yeah. Kaikeyi really thought she was handling the situation well, but you could tell she was missing the emotional gravity of it all.

Bharata’s heart sank. “Father... gone?” he whispered, as if saying the words aloud would somehow make them more real. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, overcome with grief.

But Kaikeyi wasn’t done. And this next part—oh boy—it hit Bharata like a ton of bricks.

“I also made sure Rama is in exile now, just as I asked. But you don’t need to worry about that. You are the king of Ayodhya now.”

Co-host: “WHAT?!” I can practically hear Bharata’s brain screaming. Like, “Excuse me? You did what now?”

Neev : Right? Can you imagine hearing something like that? First, he finds out his father has died. Then, in the same breath, his mother tells him that Rama—his beloved brother—is gone too, all because of her.

Co-host: That’s not just bad news. That’s “I-need-to-sit-down-for-a-minute” news.

Neev: Exactly. Bharata was stunned. For a moment, it felt like the whole world had tilted on its axis. He looked at his mother, trying to understand how someone he loved and trusted could cause so much pain—and for what? A crown he didn’t even want?

Neev: Bharata stared at his mother, Kaikeyi, as if he didn’t recognize her. The shock of everything she had told him—his father’s death, Rama’s exile, and her role in all of it—left him frozen, unable to process what he had just heard.

“This... This can’t be true,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “Father is gone... and you sent Rama away?” His mind reeled. It was as if the ground beneath his feet had vanished.

Kaikeyi, still unaware of how deeply she had hurt her son, continued in her calm, almost proud tone. “You are king now, Bharata. It is your destiny to rule Ayodhya.”

Co-host: Talk about a tone-deaf response! Kaikeyi thought she was doing Bharata a favor by securing the throne for him, but wow... she completely underestimated how much he loved his brother.

Neev: Bharata left Kaikeyi’s chambers in a daze, his heart pounding in his chest. Anger, sadness, confusion—it all churned inside him like a storm. He stumbled through the palace, trying to make sense of what he had just learned. 

He felt like he couldn’t breathe. His heart was so heavy it felt like it might shatter.

But the moment he saw Manthara, Kaikeyi’s scheming maid, standing smugly in the hallway, something inside Bharata snapped.

Co-host: You know that moment when someone’s been causing chaos behind the scenes, and then they have the nerve to look proud about it? Yeah... not the smartest move, Manthara.

Neev: Exactly! There she was—wearing fine clothes, her jewelry jingling, and a satisfied little smirk on her face, as if she had just pulled off the greatest trick in history.

That’s when Bharata’s brother Shatrughna lost it.

Without saying a word, Shatrughna lunged at Manthara. His anger boiled over, and before anyone could stop him, he kicked her hard, sending her flying across the floor.

Co-host: Whoa! Looks like Shatrughna was done with her nonsense. Honestly, can you blame him?

Neev: Not one bit. It wasn’t just about Manthara—Shatrughna’s kick was fueled by the frustration of losing their father, the exile of Rama, and the betrayal by their own mother. Manthara just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Kaikeyi rushed to help Manthara, but Bharata stopped her with a cold stare. His eyes, usually warm with kindness, now burned with fury and sorrow.

He turned back to his mother and spoke slowly, each word sharp and deliberate. “I want nothing to do with this throne... or with you,” he said. “You have destroyed our family for nothing. I will not be your king, and I refuse to take what belongs to Rama.”

Co-host: Bharata was hurt, but instead of lashing out like Shatrughna, he let his words do the damage—and wow, they probably stung worse than a slap.

Neev: Definitely. Bharata’s words cut deep, and for the first time, Kaikeyi seemed to realize just how badly she had miscalculated. She thought she was securing a future for her son, but all she had done was tear her family apart.

With that, Bharata turned on his heel and marched toward Kaushalya’s chambers, leaving Kaikeyi standing there, stunned and alone.

Co-host: This is turning out to be quite the emotional tearjerker…Should we give our listeners a break?

Neev: Good idea. Well folks, that’s all for today’s episode. We’ve seen some heartbreaking moments—from Dasharatha’s final goodbye to Bharata’s anger and disbelief. It’s a story about family, loyalty, and choices that go beyond just duty.

Co-host: There’s so much to think about as we move forward in the Ramayana. Trust me, there’s more drama to come! 

Neev: And with that, it’s time for a breather! Go grab a cup of chai or a snack, and get ready to join us again soon.

Thanks for listening to Mythical Masala with Neev! We’ll see you next time for the continuation of this incredible journey. Stay mythical, everyone!