Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1626

c7.1626

2) *Getting boons.* In days of old there was a battle between the devas and the asuras and Daśaratha went to the world of Devas, with Kaikeyī, in a chariot to help Indra against the Asuras. The devas were in a sorry plight due to the illusive and sorcerous mode of fighting of Śambara the Asura and his men. Daśaratha faced the Asuras in ten directions at the same time and fought with them. In this fight his chariot had to be turned to every direction and up and down so swiftly that the bolt of the wheel slipped out and the wheel was about to come off when Kaikeyī inserted her thumb in the hole of the bolt and kept the chariot safe and steady. The King was not aware of this bravery on the part of his wife. At last when he came to know of this he promised to give her two boons. The queen said that she would ask for those two boons later, as she didn't want anything then. After this the King and the queen returned to their country. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sarga 9; Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa).