← 2.7 Mantharā’s alarm, Kaikeyī’s joy · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.9 Mantharā’s plan for the boons →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 8: Mantharā turns Kaikeyī’s mind

Summary. Kaikeyī defends Rāma, Mantharā argues that his descendants will exclude Bharata’s line and urges Rāma’s exile

Sequence

  1. Mantharā throws aside the gift and insists that Kaikeyī is celebrating her own humiliation → she predicts that Kaikeyī will become Kausalyā's servant and Bharata's household will lose its standing (2.8.1–5)
  2. Kaikeyī defends Rāma: he is virtuous, the eldest, and entitled to succeed; he will protect his brothers → she expects Bharata to inherit in time and says Rāma serves her even more attentively than he serves Kausalyā (2.8.6–10)
  3. Mantharā argues that Rāma's own son will succeed him, shutting Bharata's branch out of the royal line (2.8.11–16)
  4. she claims Bharata's long absence has weakened his position and that Rāma may exile or kill him once his power is secure (2.8.17–19)
  5. she contrasts Rāma's close bond with Lakṣmaṇa against Bharata's vulnerability; in the wording of this translation, she now says Kaikeyī's son should leave for the forest (2.8.20–22)
  6. she warns that Kausalyā will repay earlier slights (2.8.23–26)
  7. her final proposal is explicit: Kaikeyī must obtain the Kingdom for Bharata and have Rāma banished. (2.8.27)

Verses 2.8.1–27

2.8.1

mantharā tv abhyasūyyainām utsṛjyābharaṇaṃ ca tat
uvācedaṃ tato vākyaṃ kopaduḥkhasamanvitā

But Mantharā, resentful of her, cast off that ornament and then, filled with anger and grief, spoke these words:

Words: mantharā — Mantharā; tv — but; abhyasūyyainām — being indignant at her; utsṛjyābharaṇaṃ — casting off the ornament; ca tat — and that; uvācedaṃ — spoke this; tato — then; vākyaṃ — speech, words; kopaduḥkhasamanvitā — filled with anger and grief

2.8.2

harṣaṃ kim idam asthāne kṛtavaty asi bāliśe
śokasāgaramadhyastham ātmānaṃ nāvabudhyase

“Why have you shown this joy at so wrong a moment, you fool? You do not perceive that you yourself stand in the very midst of an ocean of grief.

Words: harṣaṃ — joy, delight; kim idam — why this; asthāne — out of place, at the wrong time; kṛtavaty asi — you have shown; bāliśe — O foolish one; śokasāgaramadhyastham — standing in the midst of an ocean of grief; ātmānaṃ — yourself; nāvabudhyase — you do not perceive

2.8.3

subhagā khalu kausalyā yasyāḥ putro 'bhiṣekṣyate
yauvarājyena mahatā śvaḥ puṣyeṇa dvijottamaiḥ

Fortunate indeed is Kausalyā, whose son is to be consecrated tomorrow, under the Puṣya star, by the foremost of brahmins, to the great office of heir-apparent.

Words: subhagā — fortunate, blessed; khalu — indeed; kausalyā — Kausalyā; yasyāḥ — whose; putro 'bhiṣekṣyate — son will be consecrated; yauvarājyena — with the heir-apparency; mahatā — great; śvaḥ — tomorrow; puṣyeṇa — under the Puṣya (asterism); dvijottamaiḥ — by the best of brahmins

2.8.4

prāptāṃ sumahatīṃ prītiṃ pratītāṃ tāṃ hatadviṣam
upasthāsyasi kausalyāṃ dāsīva tvaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ

You will wait upon that Kausalyā — who has won very great joy, exultant, and rid of her rivals — like a serving-maid, your palms joined in homage.

Words: prāptāṃ — who has attained; sumahatīṃ — very great; prītiṃ — joy, delight; pratītāṃ — exultant, confident; tāṃ — her; hatadviṣam — whose foes are destroyed; upasthāsyasi — you will wait upon, attend; kausalyāṃ — Kausalyā; dāsīva — like a serving-maid; tvaṃ — you; kṛtāñjaliḥ — with palms joined

2.8.5

hṛṣṭāḥ khalu bhaviṣyanti rāmasya paramāḥ striyaḥ
aprahṛṣṭā bhaviṣyanti snuṣās te bharatakṣaye

Rāma's chief women will surely be delighted, while your daughters-in-law will be joyless at Bharata's downfall.

Words: hṛṣṭāḥ — delighted; khalu — indeed; bhaviṣyanti — will be; rāmasya — of Rāma; paramāḥ — chief, foremost; striyaḥ — women; aprahṛṣṭā — joyless; bhaviṣyanti — will be; snuṣās — daughters-in-law; te — your; bharatakṣaye — at the ruin of Bharata

2.8.6

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītāṃ bruvantīṃ mantharāṃ tataḥ
rāmasyaiva guṇān devī kaikeyī praśaśaṃsa ha

Seeing Mantharā speaking thus, greatly aggrieved, Queen Kaikeyī then extolled the very virtues of Rāma:

Words: tāṃ — her; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; paramaprītāṃ — greatly displeased; bruvantīṃ — speaking; mantharāṃ — Mantharā; tataḥ — then; rāmasyaiva — of Rāma alone; guṇān — the virtues; devī — the queen; kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; praśaśaṃsa ha — praised indeed

2.8.7

dharmajño gurubhir dāntaḥ kṛtajñaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ
rāmo rājñaḥ suto jyeṣṭho yauvarājyam ato 'rhati

“Rāma knows dharma, is disciplined by his elders, grateful, truthful of speech, and pure; being the king's eldest son, he therefore deserves the heir-apparency.

Words: dharmajño — knower of dharma; gurubhir — by his elders/teachers; dāntaḥ — disciplined, restrained; kṛtajñaḥ — grateful; satyavāk — truthful of speech; śuciḥ — pure; rāmo — Rāma; rājñaḥ — of the king; suto — son; jyeṣṭho — eldest; yauvarājyam — the heir-apparency; ato 'rhati — therefore deserves

2.8.8

bhrātṝn bhṛtyāṃś ca dīrghāyuḥ pitṛvat pālayiṣyati
saṃtapyase kathaṃ kubje śrutvā rāmābhiṣecanam

Long-lived, he will protect his brothers and dependents like a father. Why do you burn with grief, O hunchback, on hearing of Rāma's consecration?”

Words: bhrātṝn — brothers; bhṛtyāṃś ca — and dependents, servants; dīrghāyuḥ — the long-lived one; pitṛvat — like a father; pālayiṣyati — will protect; saṃtapyase — you burn with grief; kathaṃ — why, how; kubje — O hunchback; śrutvā — having heard; rāmābhiṣecanam — the consecration of Rāma

2.8.9

bharataś cāpi rāmasya dhruvaṃ varṣaśatāt param
pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyam avāpsyati nararṣabhaḥ

And Bharata too, that bull among men, will surely obtain the ancestral kingdom after Rāma, once a hundred years have passed.

Words: bharataś cāpi — and Bharata too; rāmasya — after Rāma; dhruvaṃ — surely; varṣaśatāt — after a hundred years; param — beyond, after; pitṛpaitāmahaṃ — of fathers and forefathers, ancestral; rājyam — the kingdom; avāpsyati — will obtain; nararṣabhaḥ — the bull among men

2.8.10

sā tvam abhyudaye prāpte vartamāne ca manthare
bhaviṣyati ca kalyāṇe kimarthaṃ paritapyase
kausalyāto 'tiriktaṃ ca sa tu śuśrūṣate hi mām

When such prosperity has arrived and is at hand, O Mantharā, and good fortune is yet to come, why do you torment yourself? Indeed, he attends upon me even more than upon Kausalyā.”

Words: sā tvam — you who are such; abhyudaye — prosperity, rise; prāpte — having arrived; vartamāne ca — and being present, ongoing; manthare — O Mantharā; bhaviṣyati ca — and (that which) is to come; kalyāṇe — good fortune, blessing; kimarthaṃ — why, for what; paritapyase — do you torment yourself; kausalyāto 'tiriktaṃ — more than Kausalyā; ca — and; sa tu — he indeed; śuśrūṣate — serves, is attentive; hi — for; mām — me

2.8.11

kaikeyyā vacanaṃ śrutvā mantharā bhṛśaduḥkhitā
dīrgham uṣṇaṃ viniḥśvasya kaikeyīm idam abravīt

Hearing Kaikeyī's words, Mantharā, deeply distressed, drawing a long, hot sigh, spoke this to Kaikeyī:

Words: kaikeyyā — of Kaikeyī; vacanaṃ — words, speech; śrutvā — having heard; mantharā — Mantharā; bhṛśaduḥkhitā — deeply distressed; dīrgham — long; uṣṇaṃ — hot; viniḥśvasya — having sighed, breathed out; kaikeyīm — to Kaikeyī; idam abravīt — spoke this

2.8.12

anarthadarśinī maurkhyān nātmānam avabudhyase
śokavyasanavistīrṇe majjantī duḥkhasāgare

“Blind to the disaster ahead, out of folly you do not perceive yourself sinking in an ocean of sorrow spread wide with grief and calamity.

Words: anarthadarśinī — failing to see the coming ruin; maurkhyān — out of folly; nātmānam — not yourself; avabudhyase — you perceive; śokavyasanavistīrṇe — spread wide with grief and calamity; majjantī — sinking; duḥkhasāgare — in an ocean of sorrow

2.8.13

bhavitā rāghavo rājā rāghavasya ca yaḥ sutaḥ
rājavaṃśāt tu bharataḥ kaikeyi parihāsyate

Rāghava will become king, and after him whoever is Rāghava's son; but Bharata, O Kaikeyī, will be shut out from the royal succession.

Words: bhavitā — will become; rāghavo — Rāghava (Rāma); rājā — king; rāghavasya ca — and of Rāghava; yaḥ sutaḥ — who is the son; rājavaṃśāt — from the royal line; tu — but; bharataḥ — Bharata; kaikeyi — O Kaikeyī; parihāsyate — will be excluded, cast out

2.8.14

na hi rājñaḥ sutāḥ sarve rājye tiṣṭhanti bhāmini
sthāpyamāneṣu sarveṣu sumahān anayo bhavet

For not all a king's sons succeed to the throne, O proud lady; were they all to be installed, a very great disorder would arise.

Words: na hi — for not; rājñaḥ — of the king; sutāḥ — sons; sarve — all; rājye — in the kingship; tiṣṭhanti — stand, remain; bhāmini — O passionate/proud lady; sthāpyamāneṣu — if they were being installed; sarveṣu — all; sumahān — a very great; anayo — disorder, misrule; bhavet — would arise

2.8.15

tasmāj jyeṣṭhe hi kaikeyi rājyatantrāṇi pārthivāḥ
sthāpayanty anavadyāṅgi guṇavatsv itareṣv api

Therefore, O Kaikeyī, kings place the reins of the realm upon the eldest, O faultless-limbed one, even when the other sons are endowed with virtues.

Words: tasmāj — therefore; jyeṣṭhe — upon the eldest; hi — indeed; kaikeyi — O Kaikeyī; rājyatantrāṇi — the reins of the kingdom; pārthivāḥ — kings; sthāpayanty — place, establish; anavadyāṅgi — O you of faultless limbs; guṇavatsv — among the virtuous; itareṣv api — even the others

2.8.16

asāv atyantanirbhagnas tava putro bhaviṣyati
anāthavat sukhebhyaś ca rājavaṃśāc ca vatsale

That son of yours will be utterly cast down, O tender one, shut off like a helpless orphan from all comforts and from the royal line.

Words: asāv — that one; atyantanirbhagnas — utterly cast down, ruined; tava putro — your son; bhaviṣyati — will be; anāthavat — like one without a protector; sukhebhyaś ca — and from comforts; rājavaṃśāc ca — and from the royal line; vatsale — O tender, affectionate one

2.8.17

sāhaṃ tvadarthe saṃprāptā tvaṃ tu māṃ nāvabudhyase
sapatnivṛddhau yā me tvaṃ pradeyaṃ dātum icchasi

I have come here for your very sake, yet you do not understand me — you who would give me a reward at a moment that spells your rival's triumph.

Words: sāhaṃ — I who am such; tvadarthe — for your sake; saṃprāptā — have come; tvaṃ tu — but you; māṃ — me; nāvabudhyase — do not understand; sapatnivṛddhau — at the prospering of a rival co-wife; yā — who; me — to me; tvaṃ — you; pradeyaṃ — a gift, something to be given; dātum icchasi — wish to give

2.8.18

dhruvaṃ tu bharataṃ rāmaḥ prāpya rājyam akaṇṭakam
deśāntaraṃ nāyayitvā lokāntaram athāpi vā

Surely, once Rāma has secured the kingdom free of rivals, he will have Bharata sent off to some far country, or else to another world.

Words: dhruvaṃ tu — surely; bharataṃ — Bharata; rāmaḥ — Rāma; prāpya — having obtained; rājyam — the kingdom; akaṇṭakam — free of thorns, unopposed; deśāntaraṃ — to another country; nāyayitvā — having caused (him) to be led away; lokāntaram — to another world; athāpi vā — or else

2.8.19

bāla eva hi mātulyaṃ bharato nāyitas tvayā
saṃnikarṣāc ca sauhārdaṃ jāyate sthāvareṣv api

For while still a child Bharata was sent by you to his uncle's home; and affection is born of nearness, even among unfeeling things.

Words: bāla eva hi — while still a child; mātulyaṃ — to the maternal uncle's home; bharato — Bharata; nāyitas tvayā — was sent away by you; saṃnikarṣāc ca — and from nearness; sauhārdaṃ — friendship, affection; jāyate — is born, arises; sthāvareṣv api — even among immovable (inanimate) things

2.8.20

goptā hi rāmaṃ saumitrir lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāghavaḥ
aśvinor iva saubhrātraṃ tayor lokeṣu viśrutam

Saumitri is the protector of Rāma, and Rāghava likewise of Lakṣmaṇa; the brotherhood of those two is famed throughout the worlds, like that of the Aśvins.

Words: goptā hi — is the protector; rāmaṃ — Rāma; saumitrir — Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa); lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi — and Lakṣmaṇa too; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava (Rāma); aśvinor iva — like the two Aśvins; saubhrātraṃ — brotherly affection, brotherhood; tayor — of those two; lokeṣu — in the worlds; viśrutam — renowned, famed

2.8.21

tasmān na lakṣmaṇe rāmaḥ pāpaṃ kiṃ cit kariṣyati
rāmas tu bharate pāpaṃ kuryād iti na saṃśayaḥ

Therefore Rāma will do no harm whatever to Lakṣmaṇa; but that Rāma would do harm to Bharata — of this there is no doubt.

Words: tasmān — therefore; na — not; lakṣmaṇe — to Lakṣmaṇa; rāmaḥ — Rāma; pāpaṃ — harm, evil; kiṃ cit — any at all; kariṣyati — will do; rāmas tu — but Rāma; bharate — to Bharata; pāpaṃ — harm; kuryād — would do; iti na saṃśayaḥ — of this there is no doubt

2.8.22

tasmād rājagṛhād eva vanaṃ gacchatu te sutaḥ
etad dhi rocate mahyaṃ bhṛśaṃ cāpi hitaṃ tava

Therefore let your son depart to the forest, straight from the royal palace; for this pleases me, and it is exceedingly to your good.

Words: tasmād — therefore; rājagṛhād eva — from the very royal palace; vanaṃ — to the forest; gacchatu — let (him) go; te sutaḥ — your son; etad dhi — for this; rocate — pleases; mahyaṃ — me, to me; bhṛśaṃ — exceedingly; cāpi — and also; hitaṃ tava — to your benefit

2.8.23

evaṃ te jñātipakṣasya śreyaś caiva bhaviṣyati
yadi ced bharato dharmāt pitryaṃ rājyam avāpsyati

Thus there will be welfare for your kinsmen's party, if only Bharata should rightfully obtain the ancestral kingdom.

Words: evaṃ — thus; te — your; jñātipakṣasya — of the party of kinsmen; śreyaś caiva — and welfare, benefit; bhaviṣyati — will be; yadi ced — if; bharato — Bharata; dharmāt — by right, lawfully; pitryaṃ — paternal, ancestral; rājyam — the kingdom; avāpsyati — will obtain

2.8.24

sa te sukhocito bālo rāmasya sahajo ripuḥ
samṛdhārthasya naṣṭārtho jīviṣyati kathaṃ vaśe

That comfort-bred boy of yours, a born rival of Rāma — his own fortunes lost, how will he live under the sway of a prospering Rāma?

Words: sa — he; te — your; sukhocito — accustomed to comfort; bālo — the youth; rāmasya — of Rāma; sahajo — born together, natural; ripuḥ — enemy, rival; samṛdhārthasya — of one whose ends are accomplished, prosperous; naṣṭārtho — he whose fortunes are lost; jīviṣyati — will live; kathaṃ — how; vaśe — in subjection, under the power

2.8.25

abhidrutam ivāraṇye siṃhena gajayūthapam
pracchādyamānaṃ rāmeṇa bharataṃ trātum arhasi

You ought to save Bharata, who is being overpowered by Rāma as a lord of the elephant-herd is assailed by a lion in the forest.

Words: abhidrutam — assailed, run upon; ivāraṇye — as if in the forest; siṃhena — by a lion; gajayūthapam — the leader of an elephant-herd; pracchādyamānaṃ — being overwhelmed, overshadowed; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; bharataṃ — Bharata; trātum arhasi — you ought to save

2.8.26

darpān nirākṛtā pūrvaṃ tvayā saubhāgyavattayā
rāmamātā sapatnī te kathaṃ vairaṃ na yātayet

Rāma's mother, your rival, whom you once spurned out of pride in your good fortune — how should she not repay that enmity?

Words: darpān — out of pride; nirākṛtā — slighted, rejected; pūrvaṃ — formerly; tvayā — by you; saubhāgyavattayā — through possession of good fortune; rāmamātā — Rāma's mother; sapatnī te — your co-wife, rival; kathaṃ — how; vairaṃ — enmity; na yātayet — would she not repay, avenge

2.8.27

yadā hi rāmaḥ pṛthivīm avāpsyati dhruvaṃ pranaṣṭo bharato bhaviṣyati
ato hi saṃcintaya rājyam ātmaje parasya cādyaiva vivāsa kāraṇam

For when Rāma gains the earth, Bharata will surely be lost; therefore contrive the kingdom for your son, and this very day devise the means to banish the other.

Words: yadā hi — for when; rāmaḥ — Rāma; pṛthivīm — the earth (sovereignty); avāpsyati — will obtain; dhruvaṃ — surely; pranaṣṭo — lost, ruined; bharato — Bharata; bhaviṣyati — will be; ato hi — therefore; saṃcintaya — contrive, devise; rājyam — the kingdom; ātmaje — for your son; parasya — of the other (Rāma); cādyaiva — and this very day; vivāsa — banishment, exile; kāraṇam — the means, cause

← 2.7 Mantharā’s alarm, Kaikeyī’s joy · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.9 Mantharā’s plan for the boons →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

Plain text: /text/2/8.md · JSON: /data/2/8.json