Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 8 of 119 · 39 verses
Manthara Poisons Kaikeyi’s Mind
Manthara throws the ornament away in contempt: “Fool, why rejoice at the wrong time? You do not see yourself drowning in an ocean of grief. The rise of a co-wife’s son is like the approach of death. Rama fears only Bharata, who has an equal claim. Lakshmana is wholly devoted to Rama, as Shatrughna is to Bharata. Tomorrow you will stand before Kausalya with joined palms like a servant, and your son will be Rama’s servant.”
Kaikeyi defends Rama: he is righteous, virtuous, self-controlled, grateful, truthful and pure; as the eldest he deserves to be crown prince; he will care for his brothers and servants like a father; after Rama, Bharata will rule for a hundred years. “Rama honours me even more than Kausalya. If the kingdom is Rama’s, it is Bharata’s too, for he regards his brothers as himself.”
Manthara sighs and presses on: “When Rama is king, his son will be king after him, and Bharata will be cut off from the royal line. Kings do not set up all their sons; they make the eldest king. Rama will surely banish Bharata from the country, or even from this world. You sent Bharata away to his uncle’s as a child; affection comes from nearness. Lakshmana is safe with Rama, but Rama will surely harm Bharata. Let Rama go to the forest; that would please me and be good for you. How will your son, used to comfort, live under the power of his born enemy? Save Bharata, like an elephant pursued by a lion. And Kausalya, whom you once slighted in your pride as favourite, will surely take revenge. When Rama gets the earth, you and Bharata will fall into wretched humiliation. Think of the kingdom for your son, and of a reason to banish the other.”
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मन्थरा त्वभ्यसूय्यैनामुत्सृज्याभरणं हि तत् । उवाचेदं ततो वाक्यं कोपदुःखसमन्विता ॥ १ ॥
Manthara, full of envy, cast away that ornament and, filled with anger and grief, said:
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Manthara Poisons Kaikeyi’s Mind 1 min read.
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हर्षं किमर्थमस्थाने कृतवत्यसि बालिशे । शोकसागरमध्यस्थं नात्मानमवबुध्यसे ॥ २ ॥
“Why have you rejoiced at the wrong time, fool? You do not see yourself standing in the middle of an ocean of grief.
मनसा प्रसहामि त्वां देवि दुःखार्दिता सती । यच्छोचितव्ये हृष्टासि प्राप्य त्वं व्यसनं महत् ॥ ३ ॥
“In my heart I laugh at you, queen, though I am pained with sorrow, since you are happy when you should grieve, having met with a great calamity.
शोचामि दुर्मतित्वं ते का हि प्राज्ञा प्रहर्षयेत् । अरेः सपत्नीपुत्रस्य वृद्धिं मृत्योरिवागताम् ॥ ४ ॥
“I grieve at your folly. What wise woman would rejoice at the rise of an enemy, her co-wife’s son, which has come like death?
भरतादेव रामस्य राज्यसाधारणाद् भयम् । तद् विचिन्त्य विषण्णास्मि भयं भीताद्धि जायते ॥ ५ ॥
“From Bharata alone does Rama fear, since Bharata has an equal claim to the kingdom. Thinking of this I am dejected; fear arises from the one who is afraid.
लक्ष्मणो हि महाबाहू रामं सर्वात्मना गतः । शत्रुघ्नश्चापि भरतं काकुत्स्थं लक्ष्मणो यथा ॥ ६ ॥
“For mighty-armed Lakshmana has gone over to Rama with his whole being, and Shatrughna to Bharata, as Lakshmana to Kakutstha.
प्रत्यासन्नक्रमेणापि भरतस्यैव भामिनि । राज्यक्रमो विसृष्टस्तु तयोस्तावद्यवीयसोः ॥ ७ ॥
“Even by the order of nearness in birth, lovely one, the succession would fall to Bharata, since those two are the younger.
विदुषः क्षत्रचारित्रे प्राज्ञस्य प्राप्तकारिणः । भयात् प्रवेपे रामस्य चिन्तयन्ती तवात्मजम् ॥ ८ ॥
“I tremble with fear for your son when I think of Rama, learned in the conduct of kshatriyas, wise, and acting at the right moment.
सुभगा किल कौसल्या यस्याः पुत्रोऽभिषेक्ष्यते । यौवराज्येन महता श्वः पुष्येण द्विजोत्तमैः ॥ ९ ॥
“Fortunate indeed is Kausalya, whose son will be consecrated as crown prince by the best brahmanas tomorrow under Pushya.
प्राप्तां वसुमतीं प्रीतिं प्रतीतां हतविद्विषम् । उपस्थास्यसि कौसल्यां दासीवत् त्वं कृताञ्जलिः ॥ १० ॥
“You will stand before Kausalya like a servant with joined palms, while she has gained the earth, delight, honour, and her enemies slain.
एवं च त्वं सहास्माभिस्तस्याः प्रेष्या भविष्यसि । पुत्रश्च तव रामस्य प्रेष्यत्वं हि गमिष्यति ॥ ११ ॥
“So you, along with us, will be her servant, and your son will become Rama’s servant.
हृष्टाः खलु भविष्यन्ति रामस्य परमाः स्त्रियः । अप्रहृष्टा भविष्यन्ति स्नुषास्ते भरतक्षये ॥ १२ ॥
“Rama’s chief women will surely be delighted, and your daughters-in-law will be unhappy at Bharata’s ruin.”
तां दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतां ब्रुवन्तीं मन्थरां ततः । रामस्यैव गुणान् देवी कैकेयी प्रशशंस ह ॥ १३ ॥
Seeing Manthara speaking so, greatly displeased, Queen Kaikeyi praised Rama’s virtues:
धर्मज्ञो गुणवान् दान्तः कृतज्ञः सत्यवान् शुचिः । रामो राजसुतो ज्येष्ठो यौवराज्यमतोऽर्हति ॥ १४ ॥
“Rama knows dharma, is virtuous, self-controlled, grateful, truthful and pure. He is the eldest son of the king, so he deserves to be crown prince.
भ्रातॄन् भृत्यांश्च दीर्घायुः पितृवत् पालयिष्यति । संतप्यसे कथं कुब्जे श्रुत्वा रामाभिषेचनम् ॥ १५ ॥
“Long-lived, he will protect his brothers and servants like a father. Why are you burning, hunchback, at hearing of Rama’s consecration?
भरतश्चापि रामस्य ध्रुवं वर्षशतात् परम् । पितृपैतामहं राज्यमवाप्स्यति नरर्षभः ॥ १६ ॥
“And after a hundred years, Bharata too, bull among men, will surely obtain the kingdom of his fathers and grandfathers after Rama.
सा त्वमभ्युदये प्राप्ते दह्यमानेव मन्थरे । भविष्यति च कल्याणे किमिदं परितप्यसे ॥ १७ ॥
“Manthara, why are you burning at a time of good fortune that has come, and of good to come? Why are you so distressed?
यथा वै भरतो मान्यस्तथा भूयोऽपि राघवः । कौसल्यातोऽतिरिक्तं च मम शुश्रूषते बहु ॥ १८ ॥
“As Bharata is to be honoured, so even more is Raghava; he serves me even more than Kausalya.
राज्यं यदि हि रामस्य भरतस्यापि तत् तदा । मन्यते हि यथाऽऽत्मानं यथा भ्रातॄंस्तु राघवः ॥ १९ ॥
“If the kingdom is Rama’s, it is Bharata’s too, for Raghava regards his brothers as himself.”
कैकेय्या वचनं श्रुत्वा मन्थरा भृशदुःखिता । दीर्घमुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ २० ॥
Hearing Kaikeyi’s words, Manthara, deeply grieved, sighed long and hot and said to Kaikeyi:
अनर्थदर्शिनी मौर्ख्यान्नात्मानमवबुध्यसे । शोकव्यसनविस्तीर्णे मज्जन्ती दुःखसागरे ॥ २१ ॥
“Seeing only harm, you do not understand your own position out of foolishness, drowning in an ocean of sorrow spread wide with grief and calamity.
भविता राघवो राजा राघवस्य च यः सुतः । राजवंशात्तु भरतः कैकेयि परिहास्यते ॥ २२ ॥
“Raghava will be king, and so will Raghava’s son; Bharata will be excluded from the royal line, Kaikeyi.
नहि राज्ञः सुताः सर्वे राज्ये तिष्ठन्ति भामिनि । स्थाप्यमानेषु सर्वेषु सुमहाननयो भवेत् ॥ २३ ॥
“Not all the sons of a king stand in the kingdom, lovely one; if all were established there would be great disorder.
तस्माज्ज्येष्ठे हि कैकेयि राज्यतन्त्राणि पार्थिवाः । स्थापयन्त्यनवद्याङ्गि गुणवत्स्वितरेष्वपि ॥ २४ ॥
“So kings place the affairs of the kingdom with the eldest, flawless one, or with other virtuous sons.
असावत्यन्तनिर्भग्नस्तव पुत्रो भविष्यति । अनाथवत् सुखेभ्यश्च राजवंशाच्च वत्सले ॥ २५ ॥
“Your son will be utterly broken, cut off from comforts and from the royal line like an orphan, loving one.
साहं त्वदर्थे सम्प्राप्ता त्वं तु मां नावबुद्ध्यसे । सपत्निवृद्धौ या मे त्वं प्रदेयं दातुमर्हसि ॥ २६ ॥
“I have come for your sake, but you do not understand me. You would give me a reward at your co-wife’s prosperity!
ध्रुवं तु भरतं रामः प्राप्य राज्यमकण्टकम् । देशान्तरं नाययिता लोकान्तरमथापि वा ॥ २७ ॥
“Surely, having gained the kingdom without a thorn, Rama will send Bharata to another country, or even to another world.
बाल एव तु मातुल्यं भरतो नायितस्त्वया । संनिकर्षाच्च सौहार्दं जायते स्थावरेष्विव ॥ २८ ॥
“You sent Bharata away to his uncle’s house while he was still a child. From nearness affection is born, even among plants.
भरतानुवशात् सोऽपि शत्रुघ्नस्तत्समं गतः । लक्ष्मणो हि यथा रामं तथायं भरतं गतः ॥ २९ ॥
“Shatrughna too, out of devotion to Bharata, has gone with him; as Lakshmana is to Rama, so is he to Bharata.
श्रूयते हि द्रुमः कश्चिच्छेत्तव्यो वनजीवनैः । संनिकर्षादिषीकाभिर्मोचितः परमाद् भयात् ॥ ३० ॥
“It is said that a certain tree, which foresters meant to cut down, was saved from great danger by the reeds that grew close around it.
गोप्ता हि रामं सौमित्रिर्लक्ष्मणं चापि राघवः । अश्विनोरिव सौभ्रात्रं तयोर्लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Saumitri guards Rama, and Raghava guards Lakshmana; their brotherly love is famous in the world, like that of the Ashvins.
तस्मान्न लक्ष्मणे रामः पापं किंचित् करिष्यति । रामस्तु भरते पापं कुर्यादेव न संशयः ॥ ३२ ॥
“So Rama will do no wrong to Lakshmana at all; but Rama would surely do wrong to Bharata, there is no doubt.
तस्माद् राजगृहादेव वनं गच्छतु राघवः । एतद्धि रोचते मह्यं भृशं चापि हितं तव ॥ ३३ ॥
“So let Raghava go from the royal palace straight to the forest. That is what I want, and it is very much for your good.
एवं ते ज्ञातिपक्षस्य श्रेयश्चैव भविष्यति । यदि चेद् भरतो धर्मात् पित्र्यं राज्यमवाप्स्यति ॥ ३४ ॥
“In this way there will be good for your kin as well, if Bharata, by dharma, gets his father’s kingdom.
स ते सुखोचितो बालो रामस्य सहजो रिपुः । समृद्धार्थस्य नष्टार्थो जीविष्यति कथं वशे ॥ ३५ ॥
“Your child, used to comfort, Rama’s born rival: how will he live, ruined, under the power of one who has prospered?
अभिद्रुतमिवारण्ये सिंहेन गजयूथपम् । प्रच्छाद्यमानं रामेण भरतं त्रातुमर्हसि ॥ ३६ ॥
“You should save Bharata, being overwhelmed by Rama, like the leader of an elephant herd attacked by a lion in the forest.
दर्पान्निराकृता पूर्वं त्वया सौभाग्यवत्तया । राममाता सपत्नी ते कथं वैरं न यापयेत् ॥ ३७ ॥
“Your co-wife, Rama’s mother, was once slighted by you in your pride as the favoured one. How would she not pursue revenge?
यदा च रामः पृथिवीमवाप्स्यते प्रभूतरत्नाकरशैलसंयुताम् । तदा गमिष्यस्यशुभं पराभवं सहैव दीना भरतेन भामिनि ॥ ३८ ॥
“When Rama gains the earth, with its mountains and mines full of jewels, then you, with Bharata, will fall into wretched, unhappy humiliation, lovely one.
यदा हि रामः पृथिवीमवाप्स्यते ध्रुवं प्रणष्टो भरतो भविष्यति । अतो हि संचिन्तय राज्यमात्मजे परस्य चैवास्य विवासकारणम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“For when Rama gains the earth, Bharata will surely be destroyed. So think of the kingdom for your son, and of a reason for banishing the other.”