Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1627

c7.1627

3) *Request for the boons and the forest life of Śrī Rāma.* As the celebration of anointing Śrī Rāma as the Heir apparent in Ayodhyā was going on, the humpy Mantharā approached Kaikeyī and advised her on the ways of making her son Bharata King and sending Śrī Rāma to forest. At first Kaikeyī refused to agree to this, but at last she succumbed to the repeated advice of Mantharā. Daśaratha came to see Kaikeyī who was lying in grief. Making use of this opportunity Kaikeyī requested for the granting of the two boons promised earlier. One boon was that Bharata should be anointed as heir apparent making use of the preparations made for Śrī Rāma and the other boon was that Śrī Rāma should live in forest, wearing bark of trees and matted hair for fourteen years. When Daśaratha heard these requests he became unconscious. But he granted her wishes.