Sumantra accompanied Shri Ram till Shringverpur, a Nishaad city outside the boundary of Kosal desh, on the banks of Ganga. The king of Nishaads, Guha came to see Shri Ram.

They both were old friends and we're meeting after a very long time. Shri Ram hugged him tightly. Guha insisted that he, Devi Sita and Lakshman should spend the next 14 years in Shringverpur.

But Shri Ram was firm in his decision about living in the forest, as the condition was imposed on him. Sumantra tried to convince Shri Ram one more time to return back. He had seen how people were lamenting as they crossed Kosal desh.

The citizens were crying and blaming Dashrath for his lust and Kaikeyi for her cunningness. But Shri Ram didn't budge, he insisted on the vanvas, and convinced Sumantra to return.

"Sumantra, Mata Kaikeyi ko tab tak shaanti nahi milegi jab tak woh yeh sunishchit nahi kar leti ki mai van hetu prasthaan kar chuka hu. Jab tak aap iss baat ki pushti nahi dete tab tak woh Pitashree ko bhi shaanti se nahi rehne degi. Iss liye ab aap Ayodhya hetu nikle." Shri Ram said.

Sumantra was left with no choice than to return to Ayodhya. Kaikeyi became happy knowing that Shri Ram left the kingdom. But Dashrath couldn't bear this separataion.

The speed at which the events took place had broken him beyond repair. His old heart couldn't gather courage. After the news told by Sumantra, Dashrath couldn't bear the sight of Kaikeyi, the one who once was his most beloved Queen.

"Mujhe tumse ya tumhare sahiyogiyo se kuch Lena Dena nahi Kaikeyi ! Vivah ke samaye jo vachan diye the maine, mai unn sabka tyaag karta hu ! Mai tumhara tyaag karta hu ! Aur agar tumhare iccha ke anusaar Bharat yeh Rajya swikaar karta hai toh woh mere antim sanskar karne ke adhikaar se vanchit rahega !" Dashrath said.

He then asked to be taken to the chambers of Kaushalya. Dashrath'a health started to deteriorate at an extreme pace, for he could bear the separation and the injustice he did.

It was the sixth day after Shri departure to the forest, when Dashrath remembered an incident from when he was the crown-prince. He told this incident to Kaushalya about the death of a young tapasvi Shravan at his hands.

-- FLASHBACK --

It was the time when Dashrath was the crown prince of Ayodhya, he had gone hunting in a forest. He was proud of Shabd-bhedi skills in archery, in which he could hit the target just based on the sound.

But that unfortunate night Dashrath accidentally shot a young Rishi named Shravan, mistaking the sound the tapasvi made while taking water from a river to be that of a wild elephant.

Shravan lived in the forest with his old and blind parents, he was the sole caregiver to them. And he fulfiled that responsibility with a lot of dedication.

Even while fatally injured he wasn't concerned about his own life but the well being of his parents. He requested Dashrath to inform his father about his death.

Dashrath felt extremely guilty about what he did, even if it happened unintentionally. Nevertheless he went to the parents of Shravan and conveyed the news to them.

They both were shattered but Shravan's father was very dignified. Even while being extremely angry he acknowledged Dashrath's honesty.

"Yadi tum yaha aake apna apraadh swikaar nahi karte, toh vishwas karo mera, ek Rishi ke hatya ke paap se tumhare mastiksh ke 7 tukde ho jaate. Tumhare satya ne tumhari raksha ki hai." He said.

Still Shravan's father wasn't able to handle his grief.

"Mai tumhe shraap deta hu Dashrath, tumhari mrityu bhi putra se virah ke karan hogi !" He cursed.

-- FLASHBACK OVER --

This memory came to Dashrath as a harbinger of his own end. Even in his last moments he kept calling his eldest son Ram. Dashrath passed away soon afterwards and none of his sons were with him at time of his death.

But even then his end was serene, for all he could see was face of Shri Ram, all he could speak was name of Shri Ram. And after breathing the last breath, he went to the refuge of Shri Ram.

"Ram naam satya hai." Concluded Amarsri and Srinav spectating the end of the great Suryavanshi Samrat.

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A/N

Nrip huya Ram-maye
Lagan lagi bas Ram ki
Bani antim saase
Mala Ram ke naam ki

Chahu dishi Ram ka roop nihaare
Keval Ram hi Ram pukaare
Badi sukhad shaantimaye
Ghadiya purn-viraam ki
Bani antim saase
Mala Ram ke naam ki

Om Shanti 🙏

Fun fact about Raja Dashrath - His real name is Nemi. Dashrath is a title which means the one who can fight as effectively as 10 Rathas.