Kaikeyi, at the instigation of Manthara, demanded two boons from Dasaratha, just before the coronation of Rama – the turning point in the story of Ramayanam. How did Kaikeyi get the two boons ? There seems to be more than one answer to this question. But let us see what Valmiki Ramayanam says.
There was a Rakshasa called Shambara who lived in the famous town of Vaijayanta in the forests of Dandaka. He was a ‘maya’ (illusion) warrior. In a fight between Devas and Asuras, Shambara defeated Devas with his magical powers and ruthlessness. He killed the wounded fighters and even those who were sleeping. In the battle that followed Dasaratha joined forces with Indra. Dasaratha was “long armed” and was “unmatched in strength”, but could not get the better of the Rakshasas. He was seriously wounded in the battle and lay unconscious in his chariot on the brink of death. Kaikeyi had insisted that she accompany Dasaratha to the battlefield, which he had reluctantly agreed. Kaikeyi took control of the chariot and drove Dasaratha away from the battlefield. She nursed him and brought him back to life. Dasaratha was pleased with Kaikeyi for saving his life and granted her two boons. She requested the king to allow her to make her prayers at a later date. The king agreed, much to his regret at a later date.
Another version of the story says that while the battle was raging, the pin of Dasaratha’s chariot wheel came off. The wheel was about to come off – something which would have had fatal consequences, given the fierce fighting which was going on. Kaikeyi acted quickly by using her finger in the place of the pin, to hold the wheel of the chariot. The battle continued and she held on bearing immense pain. It saved the day for Dasaratha and he was grateful to Kaikeyi for ignoring her pain to save his life.