When Goswami Tulasidas says, “ठु मक चलत रामचद्र बाजत पैजनियााँ”, one can visualise the happiness of mother Kaushalya as she watches her little son Shri Ram walking gracefully with his anklets tinkling with a beautiful sound. Her heart fills with happiness as she watches little Ramji playing and prancing around in the palace of Ayodhya. The same mother had to again watch with pain, when Shri Ram walked away bare foot to the forest to keep up his father’s word. Such is the destiny of Queen Kaushalya who had to see different facets of life, yet took them all in her stride for Dharma.
Kaushlya was the princess of Magadh. She was the daughter of King Sukaushal and Queen Amritaprabha. In the Satya Yug, She was the wife of the Brahmin Dronavasu. They both were bestowed with a boon by Bhagwan Vishnu that he would be born as their son in the Treta Yug. They both reincarnate as Maharaj Dasarath and Kaushalya and the Almighty as their son Shri Ram. As it was pre destined that their son would kill Ravan, Ravan captures Kaushalya, puts her into a wooden box and throws her into the sea. However, she gets saved by Maharaj Dasarath himself and they both get married. Being a diligent and a compassionate person, Kaushalya gained respect of all the people with her loving nature.
Kaushlaya treated her co-wives Sumitra and Kaikeyi as her own sisters, and loved them dearly. Kaushlya along with her son Shri Ram loved Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughan also equally. She always welcomed the thought that Kaikeyi loved Shri Ram dearly and Shri Ram always payed obeisance to Kaikeyi first. She instilled great morals and values in Shri Ram that he would respect all equally. Their bond was so beautiful that when Shri Ram always was appreciated for his deeds in the name of being Kaushlaya’s son and Kaushlaya was praised for being Shri Ram’s mother.
When Mata Sita got married to Shri Ram and came to Ayodhya, she gave Sita all the love of a mother. She suffered deep anguish when she came to know that Shri Ram was leaving to the forest with Sita and Lakshman. Although she had all rights to fight at the injustice and question Kaikeyi for her deed, she does not blame Kaikeyi, but believes it to be an act of karma and blesses Shri Ram to go ahead on his path of duty. She never hates Kaikeyi in spite of the disturbance she caused in the family.
After knowing what has happened, Bharat feels sad to face her, but she in turn consoles the depressed Bharat and gives courage to him. She brings him back onto the path of duty and gives strength to him. They all set out to the forest to request Shri Ram to come back to Ayodhya. Bharat requests her to command Shri Ram to return back, as he knows Shri Ram would follow her command. But, for the sake of upholding truth and her husband and son’s word, she does not. Although the whole family gets separated for the sake of Dharma, she waits in hope that the same Dharma would bring back her family together again and prays for the welfare of her family and the people of Ayodhya.
Kaushalya is an example that if a mother is strong in the family, then in spite of how many ever troubles the family faces, her strength will uphold the family together and bring back happiness once again.