# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 8 — Mantharā turns Kaikeyī’s mind *Kaikeyī defends Rāma, Mantharā argues that his descendants will exclude Bharata’s line and urges Rāma’s exile* Portion: Mantharā and Kaikeyī’s two boons · Verses: 27 · Ref format: 2.8. ## Sequence - 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 (8.1–5) - 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 (8.6–10) - Mantharā argues that Rāma's own son will succeed him, shutting Bharata's branch out of the royal line (8.11–16) - she claims Bharata's long absence has weakened his position and that Rāma may exile or kill him once his power is secure (8.17–19) - 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 (8.20–22) - she warns that Kausalyā will repay earlier slights (8.23–26) - her final proposal is explicit: Kaikeyī must obtain the Kingdom for Bharata and have Rāma banished (8.27). ## Verses **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: **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. **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. **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. **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. **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: **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. **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?” **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. **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.” **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: **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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? **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. **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? **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.