Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 9 of 119 · 66 verses
The Two Boons
Her face blazing with anger, Kaikeyi declares: “Today I will send Rama to the forest and have Bharata consecrated. How can I do it?” Manthara reminds her of what Kaikeyi herself once told her. Long ago, in the war of the gods and asuras, Dasharatha took Kaikeyi with him to help Indra against the demon Shambara of a hundred illusions, at the city of Vaijayanta in the south toward Dandaka. Wounded and senseless in a night attack, he was carried from the battlefield by Kaikeyi and saved. Grateful, he granted her two boons, which she said she would claim when she wished.
“Now claim them: Bharata’s consecration and Rama’s exile for fourteen years. In fourteen years Bharata will win the people’s love and take root. Go into the chamber of anger, lie on the bare floor in a soiled garment, do not look at him or speak to him, weep. He loves you; he would walk into fire for you and cannot bear your anger. Don’t be tempted by jewels he offers. Make him swear first, then name the boons.” Kaikeyi, led astray like a filly off the road, praises Manthara extravagantly, admiring her hunchbacked body as beautiful and full of the wiles of Shambara, and promises her a golden garland and fine clothes once Bharata is king.
Manthara urges her: “You don’t build a dam after the water is gone. Get up and act.” Kaikeyi, proud in her power as the favourite, goes with her to the chamber of anger, strips off her pearl necklace and ornaments, lies on the bare ground, and says: “Either tell the king I am dead here, or Bharata gets the earth with Rama in the forest. I want no gold, jewels or food. If Rama is crowned, this is the end of my life.” She lies on the bare floor like a fallen kinnari, her face dark with fury, like the sky with its stars sunk in darkness.
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एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी क्रोधेन ज्वलितानना । दीर्घमुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य मन्थरामिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
So addressed, Kaikeyi, her face blazing with anger, sighed long and hot and said to Manthara:
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अद्य राममितः क्षिप्रं वनं प्रस्थापयाम्यहम् । यौवराज्येन भरतं क्षिप्रमद्याभिषेचये ॥ २ ॥
“Today I will quickly send Rama from here to the forest, and today I will quickly have Bharata consecrated as crown prince.
इदं त्विदानीं सम्पश्य केनोपायेन साधये । भरतः प्राप्नुयाद् राज्यं न तु रामः कथंचन ॥ ३ ॥
“Now look into this: by what means can I achieve it, so that Bharata gets the kingdom and Rama in no way?”
एवमुक्ता तु सा देव्या मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी । रामार्थमुपहिंसन्ती कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ४ ॥
So addressed by the queen, Manthara, who saw evil, wishing harm to Rama’s cause, said to Kaikeyi:
हन्तेदानीं प्रपश्य त्वं कैकेयि श्रूयतां वचः । यथा ते भरतो राज्यं पुत्रः प्राप्स्यति केवलम् ॥ ५ ॥
“Well then, look, Kaikeyi, and hear my words, how your son Bharata alone will obtain the kingdom.
किं न स्मरसि कैकेयि स्मरन्ती वा निगूहसे । यदुच्यमानमात्मार्थं मत्तस्त्वं श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ ६ ॥
“Do you not remember, Kaikeyi? Or, remembering, do you hide it? You wish to hear from me what concerns yourself.
मयोच्यमानं यदि ते श्रोतुं छन्दो विलासिनि । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि श्रुत्वा चैतद् विधीयताम् ॥ ७ ॥
“If you wish to hear it from me, playful one, listen; I will tell you; and having heard it, act on it.”
श्रुत्वैवं वचनं तस्या मन्थरायास्तु कैकयी । किंचिदुत्थाय शयनात् स्वास्तीर्णादिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ८ ॥
Hearing Manthara’s words, Kaikeyi raised herself a little from her well-spread bed and said:
कथयस्व ममोपायं केनोपायेन मन्थरे । भरतः प्राप्नुयाद् राज्यं न तु रामः कथंचन ॥ ९ ॥
“Tell me the means, Manthara: by what means can Bharata get the kingdom, and Rama in no way?”
एवमुक्ता तदा देव्या मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी । रामार्थमुपहिंसन्ती कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १० ॥
So addressed by the queen, Manthara, who saw evil, wishing harm to Rama’s cause, said to Kaikeyi:
पुरा देवासुरे युद्धे सह राजर्षिभिः पतिः । अगच्छत् त्वामुपादाय देवराजस्य साह्यकृत् ॥ ११ ॥
“Long ago, in the war of the gods and asuras, your husband, helping the king of the gods, went with the royal sages and took you with him,
दिशमास्थाय कैकेयि दक्षिणां दण्डकान् प्रति । वैजयन्तमिति ख्यातं पुरं यत्र तिमिध्वजः ॥ १२ ॥
“going to the south toward Dandaka, Kaikeyi, to the famous city called Vaijayanta, where Timidhvaja lived.
स शम्बर इति ख्यातः शतमायो महासुरः । ददौ शक्रस्य संग्रामं देवसङ्घैरनिर्जितः ॥ १३ ॥
“He was known as Shambara, a great asura of a hundred illusions; he gave battle to Shakra and was not conquered by the hosts of gods.
तस्मिन् महति संग्रामे पुरुषान् क्षतविक्षतान् । रात्रौ प्रसुप्तान् घ्नन्ति स्म तरसापास्य राक्षसाः ॥ १४ ॥
“In that great battle the rakshasas, attacking by force, killed men who lay wounded and asleep at night.
तत्राकरोन्महायुद्धं राजा दशरथस्तदा । असुरैश्च महाबाहुः शस्त्रैश्च शकलीकृतः ॥ १५ ॥
“There King Dasharatha fought a great fight with the asuras, and the mighty-armed one was cut to pieces with weapons.
अपवाह्य त्वया देवि संग्रामान्नष्टचेतनः । तत्रापि विक्षतः शस्त्रैः पतिस्ते रक्षितस्त्वया ॥ १६ ॥
“Senseless, he was carried off from the battle by you, queen; even there, wounded by weapons, your husband was protected by you.
तुष्टेन तेन दत्तौ ते द्वौ वरौ शुभदर्शने । स त्वयोक्तः पतिर्देवि यदेच्छेयं तदा वरम् ॥ १७ ॥
गृह्णीयां तु तदा भर्तस्तथेत्युक्तं महात्मना । अनभिज्ञा ह्यहं देवि त्वयैव कथितं पुरा ॥ १८ ॥
“Pleased with you, he gave you two boons, lovely one. You said to your husband, queen: ‘I will take the boons when I wish, husband,’ and the great soul said, ‘So be it.’ I knew nothing of it, queen; you yourself told me long ago.
कथैषा तव तु स्नेहान्मनसा धार्यते मया । रामाभिषेकसम्भारान्निगृह्य विनिवर्तय ॥ १९ ॥
“Out of affection for you I have kept this story in my mind. Stop the preparations for Rama’s consecration and turn them back.
तौ च याचस्व भर्तारं भरतस्याभिषेचनम् । प्रव्राजनं च रामस्य वर्षाणि च चतुर्दश ॥ २० ॥
“Ask your husband for those two: Bharata’s consecration and Rama’s exile for fourteen years.
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि रामे प्रव्राजिते वनम् । प्रजाभावगतस्नेहः स्थिरः पुत्रो भविष्यति ॥ २१ ॥
“For with Rama exiled to the forest for fourteen years, your son will become firm, having won the people’s affection.
क्रोधागारं प्रविश्याद्य क्रुद्धेवाश्वपतेः सुते । शेष्वानन्तर्हितायां त्वं भूमौ मलिनवासिनी ॥ २२ ॥
“Enter the chamber of anger today as if in anger, daughter of Ashvapati, and lie on the bare ground in a soiled garment.
मा स्मैनं प्रत्युदीक्षेथा मा चैनमभिभाषथाः । रुदन्ती पार्थिवं दृष्ट्वा जगत्यां शोकलालसा ॥ २३ ॥
“Do not look at him or speak to him; when you see the king, weep on the ground, consumed with grief.
दयिता त्वं सदा भर्तुरत्र मे नास्ति संशयः । त्वत्कृते च महाराजो विशेदपि हुताशनम् ॥ २४ ॥
“You have always been your husband’s beloved; I have no doubt of it. For your sake the great king would even enter fire.
न त्वां क्रोधयितुं शक्तो न क्रुद्धां प्रत्युदीक्षितुम् । तव प्रियार्थं राजा तु प्राणानपि परित्यजेत् ॥ २५ ॥
“He cannot anger you, nor bear to look at you angry. To please you the king would give up even his life.
न ह्यतिक्रमितुं शक्तस्तव वाक्यं महीपतिः । मन्दस्वभावे बुध्यस्व सौभाग्यबलमात्मनः ॥ २६ ॥
“The lord of the earth cannot transgress your word. Slow-witted one, understand the strength of your good fortune.
मणिमुक्तासुवर्णानि रत्नानि विविधानि च । दद्याद् दशरथो राजा मा स्म तेषु मनः कृथाः ॥ २७ ॥
“King Dasharatha will offer you jewels, pearls, gold and gems of many kinds; do not set your mind on them.
यौ तौ देवासुरे युद्धे वरौ दशरथो ददौ । तौ स्मारय महाभागे सोऽर्थो न त्वा क्रमेदति ॥ २८ ॥
“Remind him, fortunate one, of the two boons Dasharatha gave in the war of the gods and asuras; then the matter will not escape you.
यदा तु ते वरं दद्यात् स्वयमुत्थाप्य राघवः । व्यवस्थाप्य महाराजं त्वमिमं वृणुया वरम् ॥ २९ ॥
रामप्रव्रजनं दूरं नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च । भरतः क्रियतां राजा पृथिव्यां पार्थिवर्षभ ॥ ३० ॥
“When Raghava himself raises you up and offers you a boon, first bind the great king with an oath, then choose this boon: ‘Let Rama be exiled far, for nine years and five; let Bharata be made king of the earth, bull among kings.’
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि रामे प्रव्राजिते वनम् । रूढश्च कृतमूलश्च शेषं स्थास्यति ते सुतः ॥ ३१ ॥
“With Rama exiled to the forest for fourteen years, your son will grow up and take root, and remain for the rest of his life.
रामप्रव्राजनं चैव देवि याचस्व तं वरम् । एवं सेत्स्यन्ति पुत्रस्य सर्वार्थास्तव कामिनि ॥ ३२ ॥
“Ask for Rama’s exile as that boon, queen. So all your son’s aims will be achieved, loving one.
एवं प्रव्राजितश्चैव रामोऽरामो भविष्यति । भरतश्च गतामित्रस्तव राजा भविष्यति ॥ ३३ ॥
“Exiled in this way, Rama will become no longer Rama (no longer delightful to the people), and Bharata, his enemy gone, will be your king.
येन कालेन रामश्च वनात् प्रत्यागमिष्यति । अन्तर्बहिश्च पुत्रस्ते कृतमूलो भविष्यति ॥ ३४ ॥
संगृहीतमनुष्यश्च सुहृद्भिः साकमात्मवान् । प्राप्तकालं नु मन्येऽहं राजानं वीतसाध्वसा ॥ ३५ ॥
रामाभिषेकसंकल्पान्निगृह्य विनिवर्तय । अनर्थमर्थरूपेण ग्राहिता सा ततस्तया ॥ ३६ ॥
“By the time Rama returns from the forest, your son will have taken root inside and out, will have won over men and gathered friends, self-possessed. I think this is the right moment; free of fear, stop the king from his resolve to consecrate Rama.” So, by her, she was made to take harm in the guise of good.
हृष्टा प्रतीता कैकेयी मन्थरामिदमब्रवीत् । सा हि वाक्येन कुब्जायाः किशोरीवोत्पथं गता ॥ ३७ ॥
Delighted and convinced, Kaikeyi said to Manthara; for by the hunchback’s words she had gone off the road like a filly.
कैकेयी विस्मयं प्राप्य परं परमदर्शना । प्रज्ञां ते नावजानामि श्रेष्ठे श्रेष्ठाभिधायिनि ॥ ३८ ॥
Kaikeyi, filled with amazement, most beautiful to look at, said: “I do not despise your wisdom, best of women, who advise what is best.
पृथिव्यामसि कुब्जानामुत्तमा बुद्धिनिश्चये । त्वमेव तु ममार्थेषु नित्ययुक्ता हितैषिणी ॥ ३९ ॥
“Among hunchbacks on earth you are supreme in judgement. You alone are always devoted to my interests, wishing me well.
नाहं समवबुद्ध्येयं कुब्जे राज्ञश्चिकीर्षितम् । सन्ति दुःसंस्थिताः कुब्जाः वक्राः परमपापिकाः ॥ ४० ॥
“I would not have understood what the king intended, hunchback. There are hunchbacks who are badly shaped, crooked and most wicked;
त्वं पद्ममिव वातेन संनता प्रियदर्शना । उरस्तेऽभिनिविष्टं वै यावत् स्कन्धात् समुन्नतम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“but you are bent like a lotus by the wind, lovely to see. Your chest is full, swelling up to your shoulders,
अधस्ताच्चोदरं शान्तं सुनाभमिव लज्जितम् । प्रतिपूर्णं च जघनं सुपीनौ च पयोधरौ ॥ ४२ ॥
“and below, your belly is smooth, with a fine navel, as if shy; your hips are full and your breasts well rounded.
विमलेन्दुसमं वक्त्रमहो राजसि मन्थरे । जघनं तव निर्मृष्टं रशनादामभूषितम् ॥ ४३ ॥
“Your face is like the spotless moon; ah, how you shine, Manthara! Your hips are polished, adorned with a jewelled girdle.
जङ्घे भृशमुपन्यस्ते पादौ च व्यायतावुभौ । त्वमायताभ्यां सक्थिभ्यां मन्थरे क्षौमवासिनी ॥ ४४ ॥
अग्रतो मम गच्छन्ती राजसेऽतीव शोभने । आसन् याः शम्बरे मायाः सहस्रम् असुराधिपे ॥ ४५ ॥
“Your shanks are well set and both your feet long. With your long thighs, Manthara, in linen garments, walking before me, you shine exceedingly, lovely one. The thousand illusions that were in Shambara, lord of the asuras,
हृदये ते निविष्टास् ता भूयश् चान्याः सहस्रशः । तदेव स्थगु यद् दीर्घं रथ-घोणम् इवायतम् ॥ ४६ ॥
मतयः क्षत्र-विद्याश् च मायाश्चात्र वसन्ति ते । अत्र तेऽहं प्रमोक्ष्यामि मालां कुब्जे हिरण्मयीम् ॥ ४७ ॥
“are lodged in your heart, and thousands more. That very hump of yours, long like the nose of a chariot, is where your thoughts, your knowledge of kingship and your illusions dwell. Here I will hang on you a golden garland, hunchback,
अभिषिक्ते च भरते राघवे च वनं गते । जात्येन च सुवर्णेन सुनिष्टप्तेन सुन्दरि ॥ ४८ ॥
लब्धार्था च प्रतीता च लेपयिष्यामि ते स्थगु । मुखे च तिलकं चित्रं जातरूपमयं शुभम् ॥ ४९ ॥
“when Bharata is consecrated and Raghava gone to the forest; and with fine, refined gold, lovely one, having gained my aim and confident, I will anoint your hump. And on your face I will have a bright golden tilaka made,
कारयिष्यामि ते कुब्जे शुभान्याभरणानि च । परिधाय शुभे वस्त्रे देवतेव चरिष्यसि ॥ ५० ॥
“and fine ornaments for you, hunchback. Wearing fine clothes, you will move about like a goddess.
चन्द्रमाह्वयमानेन मुखेनाप्रतिमानना । गमिष्यसि गतिं मुख्यां गर्वयन्ती द्विषज्जने ॥ ५१ ॥
“With a face that challenges the moon, of incomparable look, you will walk in the foremost way, proud among your enemies.
तवापि कुब्जाः कुब्जायाः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः । पादौ परिचरिष्यन्ति यथैव त्वं सदा मम ॥ ५२ ॥
“Hunchbacks adorned with every ornament will serve your feet too, hunchback, just as you always serve mine.”
इति प्रशस्यमाना सा कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत् । शयानां शयने शुभ्रे वेद्यामग्निशिखामिव ॥ ५३ ॥
Praised so, she said to Kaikeyi, lying on her bright bed like a flame of fire on an altar:
गतोदके सेतुबन्धो न कल्याणि विधीयते । उत्तिष्ठ कुरु कल्याणं राजानमनुदर्शय ॥ ५४ ॥
“One does not build a dam when the water has gone, fortunate one. Get up, do what is good for you, show the king your resolve.”
तथा प्रोत्साहिता देवी गत्वा मन्थरया सह । क्रोधागारं विशालाक्षी सौभाग्यमदगर्विता ॥ ५५ ॥
अनेकशतसाहस्रं मुक्ताहारं वराङ्गना । अवमुच्य वरार्हाणि शुभान्याभरणानि च ॥ ५६ ॥
तदा हेमोपमा तत्र कुब्जावाक्यवशंगता । संविश्य भूमौ कैकेयी मन्थरामिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ५७ ॥
So urged, the large-eyed queen, proud in the intoxication of her good fortune, went with Manthara to the chamber of anger. The lovely woman took off her necklace of many hundreds of thousands of pearls and her costly fine ornaments; then, golden as she was, under the sway of the hunchback’s words, Kaikeyi lay down on the ground and said to Manthara:
इह वा मां मृतां कुब्जे नृपायावेदयिष्यसि । वनं तु राघवे प्राप्ते भरतः प्राप्स्यते क्षितिम् ॥ ५८ ॥
“Either you will report me to the king as dead here, hunchback, or, with Raghava gone to the forest, Bharata will obtain the earth.
सुवर्णेन न मे ह्यर्थो न रत्नैर्न च भोजनैः । एष मे जीवितस्यान्तो रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते ॥ ५९ ॥
“I have no use for gold, nor jewels, nor food. This is the end of my life, if Rama is consecrated.”
ततः पुनस्तां महिषीं महीक्षितो वचोभिरत्यर्थमहापराक्रमैः । उवाच कुब्जा भरतस्य मातरं हितं वचो राममुपेत्य चाहितम् ॥ ६० ॥
Then the hunchback spoke again to the queen of the lord of the earth, Bharata’s mother, with very forceful words, good for her and harmful to Rama:
प्रपत्स्यते राज्यमिदं हि राघवो यदि ध्रुवं त्वं ससुता च तप्स्यसे । ततो हि कल्याणि यतस्व तत् तथा यथा सुतस्ते भरतोऽभिषेक्ष्यते ॥ ६१ ॥
“If Raghava obtains this kingdom, you and your son will surely suffer. So, fortunate one, strive so that your son Bharata is consecrated.”
तथातिविद्धा महिषीति कुब्जया समाहता वागिषुभिर्मुहुर्मुहुः । विधाय हस्तौ हृदयेऽतिविस्मिता शशंस कुब्जां कुपिता पुनः पुनः ॥ ६२ ॥
So the queen, deeply pierced, struck again and again by the hunchback’s arrows of words, put her hands to her heart and, utterly bewildered, in anger, again and again said to the hunchback:
यमस्य वा मां विषयं गतामितो निशम्य कुब्जे प्रतिवेदयिष्यसि । वनं गते वा सुचिराय राघवे समृद्धकामो भरतो भविष्यति ॥ ६३ ॥
“Either you will report to the king that I have gone from here to the realm of Yama, hunchback, or, with Raghava gone to the forest for a long time, Bharata will have his wish fulfilled.
अहं हि नैवास्तरणानि न स्रजो न चन्दनं नाञ्जनपानभोजनम् । न किंचिदिच्छामि न चेह जीवनं न चेदितो गच्छति राघवो वनम् ॥ ६४ ॥
“I want no coverlets, no garlands, no sandal, no collyrium, no drink or food, nothing at all, nor life itself here, unless Raghava goes from here to the forest.”
अथैवमुक्त्वा वचनं सुदारुणं निधाय सर्वाभरणानि भामिनी । असंस्कृतामास्तरणेन मेदिनीं तदाधिशिश्ये पतितेव किंनरी ॥ ६५ ॥
Having spoken these very cruel words and put away all her ornaments, the passionate woman lay down on the bare, uncovered earth, like a kinnari fallen from the sky.
उदीर्णसंरम्भतमोवृतानना तदावमुक्तोत्तममाल्यभूषणा । नरेन्द्रपत्नी विमना बभूव सा तमोवृता द्यौरिव मग्नतारका ॥ ६६ ॥
Her face covered with the darkness of swelling fury, her finest garlands and ornaments cast off, the king’s wife was downcast, like the sky covered with darkness, its stars sunk.