Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 7 of 119 · 36 verses
Manthara
Manthara, a hunchbacked maidservant who came with Kaikeyi from her father’s house, happens to climb onto the moon-white roof of the palace and sees Ayodhya decked out: roads sprinkled and strewn with lotuses, flags and banners, people freshly bathed, brahmanas with garlands and sweets, temple gates whitewashed, music everywhere, elephants and horses excited, cattle lowing. Amazed, she asks a nurse standing nearby, beaming in white linen, why Rama’s mother is giving away wealth. The nurse, bursting with joy, tells her: tomorrow, under Pushya, King Dasharatha will consecrate Rama as crown prince.
Furious, Manthara hurries down and wakes Kaikeyi: “Get up, fool! Why are you sleeping? Danger is upon you. You boast of your good fortune, but it is as fickle as a river in summer.” Kaikeyi, troubled, asks what is wrong. Manthara tells her the king will crown Rama: “This is endless ruin for you. Your husband talks of dharma but is a cheat, sweet-spoken and cruel; you are so pure-hearted that he deceives you. He has sent Bharata away to your relatives so that he can establish Rama with no rival. You have held an enemy in your lap like a snake. Act now; save your son, yourself, and me.”
But Kaikeyi rises joyful as the autumn moon, gives Manthara a splendid ornament, and says: “This is the dearest news you could bring me. I see no difference between Rama and Bharata. I am glad the king will crown Rama. Ask for any reward you like.”
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ज्ञातिदासी यतो जाता कैकेय्या तु सहोषिता । प्रासादं चन्द्रसंकाशमारुरोह यदृच्छया ॥ १ ॥
Manthara, a maid of the household, of unknown birth, who had lived with Kaikeyi since her girlhood, happened to climb onto the palace, which shone like the moon.
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सिक्तराजपथां कृत्स्नां प्रकीर्णकमलोत्पलाम् । अयोध्यां मन्थरा तस्मात् प्रासादादन्ववैक्षत ॥ २ ॥
From that palace Manthara looked over all Ayodhya: its royal roads sprinkled, strewn with lotuses and water lilies,
पताकाभिर्वरार्हाभिर्ध्वजैश्च समलंकृताम् । सिक्तां चन्दनतोयैश्च शिरःस्नातजनैर्युताम् ॥ ३ ॥
adorned with costly flags and banners, sprinkled with sandal-water, full of people who had bathed their heads,
माल्यमोदकहस्तैश्च द्विजेन्द्रैरभिनादिताम् । शुक्लदेवगृहद्वारां सर्ववादित्रनादिताम् ॥ ४ ॥
resounding with the best of brahmanas holding garlands and sweets, the doors of the temples whitewashed, resounding with every instrument,
सम्प्रहृष्टजनाकीर्णां ब्रह्मघोषनिनादिताम् । प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वां सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम् ॥ ५ ॥
crowded with delighted people, echoing with the chant of the Veda, the best elephants and horses excited, cattle and bulls lowing,
हृष्टप्रमुदितैः पौरैरुच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम् । अयोध्यां मन्थरा दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमागता ॥ ६ ॥
garlanded with raised flags by glad and joyful citizens. Seeing Ayodhya so, Manthara was filled with great surprise.
सा हर्षोत्फुल्लनयनां पाण्डुरक्षौमवासिनीम् । अविदूरे स्थितां दृष्ट्वा धात्रीं पप्रच्छ मन्थरा ॥ ७ ॥
Seeing a nurse standing not far off, her eyes wide with joy, dressed in white linen, Manthara asked her:
उत्तमेनाभिसंयुक्ता हर्षेणार्थपरा सती । राममाता धनं किं नु जनेभ्यः सम्प्रयच्छति ॥ ८ ॥
“Why is Rama’s mother, who is so devoted to wealth, giving money to the people, filled with the highest joy?
अतिमात्रं प्रहर्षः किं जनस्यास्य च शंस मे । कारयिष्यति किं वापि सम्प्रहृष्टो महीपतिः ॥ ९ ॥
“Tell me, why are these people so very happy? What is the lord of the earth, so delighted, going to do?”
विदीर्यमाणा हर्षेण धात्री तु परया मुदा । आचचक्षेऽथ कुब्जायै भूयसीं राघवे श्रियम् ॥ १० ॥
The nurse, bursting with joy and in the greatest delight, told the hunchback of the great good fortune of Raghava:
श्वः पुष्येण जितक्रोधं यौवराज्येन चानघम् । राजा दशरथो राममभिषेक्ता हि राघवम् ॥ ११ ॥
“Tomorrow, under Pushya, King Dasharatha will consecrate as crown prince the sinless Rama Raghava, who has conquered anger.”
धात्र्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा कुब्जा क्षिप्रममर्षितः । कैलासशिखराकारात् प्रासादादवरोहत ॥ १२ ॥
Hearing the nurse’s words, the hunchback, at once resentful, came down from the palace that was like a peak of Kailasa.
सा दह्यमाना क्रोधेन मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी । शयानामेव कैकेयीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १३ ॥
Burning with anger, Manthara, who saw evil, said to Kaikeyi as she lay:
उत्तिष्ठ मूढे किं शेषे भयं त्वामभिवर्तते । उपप्लुतमघौघेन नात्मानमवबुध्यसे ॥ १४ ॥
“Get up, fool! Why are you lying down? Danger is coming upon you. Overwhelmed by a flood of misfortune, you do not know your own state.
अनिष्टे सुभगाकारे सौभाग्येन विकत्थसे । चलं हि तव सौभाग्यं नद्याः स्रोत इवोष्णगे ॥ १५ ॥
“Unlucky one with the face of good fortune, you boast of your good fortune. But your fortune is fickle, like the stream of a river in the hot season.”
एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी रुष्टया परुषं वचः । कुब्जया पापदर्शिन्या विषादमगमत् परम् ॥ १६ ॥
Spoken to so harshly by the angry hunchback who saw evil, Kaikeyi fell into deep dejection.
कैकेयी त्वब्रवीत् कुब्जां कच्चित् क्षेमं न मन्थरे । विषण्णवदनां हि त्वां लक्षये भृशदुःखिताम् ॥ १७ ॥
Kaikeyi said to the hunchback: “Is all not well, Manthara? I see your face downcast and you deeply distressed.”
मन्थरा तु वचः श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या मधुराक्षरम् । उवाच क्रोधसंयुक्ता वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा ॥ १८ ॥
Hearing Kaikeyi’s sweet words, Manthara, skilled in speech, spoke in anger.
सा विषण्णतरा भूत्वा कुब्जा तस्यां हितैषिणी । विषादयन्ती प्रोवाच भेदयन्ती च राघवम् ॥ १९ ॥
Growing still more dejected, the hunchback, as if seeking her good, spoke to dishearten her and to set her against Raghava:
अक्षयं सुमहद् देवि प्रवृत्तं त्वद्विनाशनम् । रामं दशरथो राजा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति ॥ २० ॥
“An endless, very great ruin has begun for you, queen: King Dasharatha will consecrate Rama as crown prince.
सास्म्यगाधे भये मग्ना दुःखशोकसमन्विता । दह्यमानानलेनेव त्वद्धितार्थमिहागता ॥ २१ ॥
“I am sunk in fathomless fear, filled with grief and sorrow; as if burning in fire, I have come here for your good.
तव दुःखेन कैकेयि मम दुःखं महद् भवेत् । त्वद्वृद्धौ मम वृद्धिश्च भवेदिह न संशयः ॥ २२ ॥
“Your sorrow, Kaikeyi, would be a great sorrow for me; your prosperity would be my prosperity here, there is no doubt.
नराधिपकुले जाता महिषी त्वं महीपतेः । उग्रत्वं राजधर्माणां कथं देवि न बुध्यसे ॥ २३ ॥
“Born in a king’s family, you are the chief queen of the lord of the earth. How do you not understand the harshness of the ways of kings, queen?
धर्मवादी शठो भर्ता श्लक्ष्णवादी च दारुणः । शुद्धभावेन जानीषे तेनैवमतिसंधिता ॥ २४ ॥
“Your husband talks of dharma but is a deceiver; he speaks gently but is cruel. You know him with a pure heart, and so you have been tricked.
उपस्थितः प्रयुञ्जानस्त्वयि सान्त्वमनर्थकम् । अर्थेनैवाद्य ते भर्ता कौसल्यां योजयिष्यति ॥ २५ ॥
“He comes and offers you empty comfort; but in substance your husband will join Kausalya to fortune today.
अपवाह्य तु दुष्टात्मा भरतं तव बन्धुषु । काल्ये स्थापयिता रामं राज्ये निहतकण्टके ॥ २६ ॥
“The wicked man has sent Bharata away to your relatives, and at daybreak he will set Rama on the throne, with every thorn removed.
शत्रुः पतिप्रवादेन मात्रेव हितकाम्यया । आशीविष इवाङ्गेन बाले परिधृतस्त्वया ॥ २७ ॥
“An enemy in the guise of a husband, child, has been carried in your lap like a venomous snake, as a mother would, wishing him well.
यथा हि कुर्याच्छत्रुर्वा सर्पो वा प्रत्युपेक्षितः । राज्ञा दशरथेनाद्य सपुत्रा त्वं तथा कृता ॥ २८ ॥
“As an enemy or a snake left unchecked would do, so King Dasharatha has done to you and your son today.
पापेनानृतसान्त्वेन बाले नित्यं सुखोचिता । रामं स्थापयता राज्ये सानुबन्धा हता ह्यसि ॥ २९ ॥
“By that wicked man with his false comfort, you, child, always used to happiness, have been ruined with all your kin, by his setting Rama on the throne.
सा प्राप्तकालं कैकेयि क्षिप्रं कुरु हितं तव । त्रायस्व पुत्रमात्मानं मां च विस्मयदर्शने ॥ ३० ॥
“So, Kaikeyi, do quickly what is good for you while there is time. Save your son, yourself and me, you who look so surprised.”
मन्थराया वचः श्रुत्वा शयनात् सा शुभानना । उत्तस्थौ हर्षसम्पूर्णा चन्द्रलेखेव शारदी ॥ ३१ ॥
Hearing Manthara’s words, the lovely-faced one rose from her bed, filled with joy, like the crescent of the autumn moon.
अतीव सा तु संतुष्टा कैकेयी विस्मयान्विता । दिव्यमाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रददौ शुभम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Greatly pleased and filled with wonder, Kaikeyi gave the hunchback a splendid divine ornament.
दत्त्वा त्वाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रमदोत्तमा । कैकेयी मन्थरां हृष्टा पुनरेवाब्रवीदिदम् ॥ ३३ ॥
Having given the ornament to the hunchback, Kaikeyi, best of women, delighted, spoke again to Manthara:
इदं तु मन्थरे मह्यमाख्यातं परमं प्रियम् । एतन्मे प्रियमाख्यातं किं वा भूयः करोमि ते ॥ ३४ ॥
“Manthara, what you have told me is the dearest news. This dear news you have told me: what more can I do for you?
रामे वा भरते वाहं विशेषं नोपलक्षये । तस्मात् तुष्टास्मि यद् राजा रामं राज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति ॥ ३५ ॥
“I see no difference between Rama and Bharata. So I am pleased that the king will consecrate Rama in the kingdom.
न मे परं किंचिदितो वरं पुनः प्रियं प्रियार्हे सुवचं वचोऽमृतम् । तथा ह्यवोचस्त्वमतः प्रियोत्तरं वरं परं ते प्रददामि तं वृणु ॥ ३६ ॥
“Nothing could be dearer to me than this; your words are nectar, good to hear, you who deserve kindness. Since you have told me this, choose a boon even greater than this gift, and I will give it to you.”