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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 The part that Kausalya plays in the epic is rather short and her qualities come into the fore when Rama breaks the news of Bharata assuming the throne, followed by that of his going to the jungle. Kamban handles the character in a different way to display a matured frame of mind, while human frailties bubble forth in Valmiki. She appears in a very few scenes in the Ayodhya Kanda, while minimum reference is made to her in the Bala Kanda. We meet her once again in Nandhigrama where Bharata is waiting for the arrival of Rama and decides to fall in fire when his arrival gets delayed. We see a brave, practical and affectionate mother there too. A study of the queens deserves our attention but here comes out a finer façade of this gem.
Guha fell at her feet when Kausalya was introduced and after making enquiries about him, Kausalya consoles Guha who is in tears in seeing her in such a condition. She is not at all worried about what has happened. She sounds more like a mother who comforts her child, though her mind is set in agony at the death of her beloved husband and having to go through the pangs of separation from her son. Of course, the present mood is such that there is a ray of hope in the action of Bharata to bring Rama back and her mind is also brimming with the hope that Rama may relent.
‘Do not weep my dear child!’ she tells Bharata.
‘naivileer aleer maindheer, inith thuyaral!’ Do not be overburdened by misery and feel bad about what has happened.
‘naadu iRandh kaadu nOkki mei veerar peyarndhadhuvum nalam aayitru.’ It is for good that ye brave warriors have left the kingdom and moved into the jungle. Even that has resulted in good you see. (And only because of that we could find Guha.)
‘kai veerak kaLiru anaya kaaLai ivan thannOdum kalandhu neevir’ All of you (all the four of you) along with this valiant Guha, who possesses the strength of an elephant,
‘aiveerum oruveeraai agal idaththai nedum kaalam aLiththir endraaal’
all the five of you in unison as a single
entity, protect this world for a long, long time to come.
 Kausalya has heard what Bharata said by way of introduction. Bharata mentions,
‘in thuNayan iraagavanuku.’ He is the companion of my Lord, Rama. Not only that.
‘ilakkuvaRkkum, iLayavaRkkum enakkum mooththaan.’ He is elder to Lakshmana, Satrughna and me. Her motherliness enables her to see what Bharata means, though he divides the relationship into two. He is the companion of Rama and elder brother of all the three of us. And when she blesses, she so affectionately adds, ‘It is all for good my lad. Here is another brother of yours. All the five of you join together in unison as if you were a single entity to protect this world.’
How could this happen at all! How could she sound so very much like Rama! Was it because she was the mother of Rama? Or was it the other way about, was it because Rama was her son?
Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi have sparkling qualities. Yes. Including Kaikeyi. We will take up a study of them after completing our discussion on Guha. Especially the way Kausalya’s character has been built by Kamban, as distinct from Valmiki.
More follows...
Hari Krishnan
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