Valmiki Ramayana Ayodhyakanda Chapter 9 - Kaikeyi Enters the Sulking Chamber

Summary
This chapter describes Manthara's success in turning Kaikeyi's mind away from good towards evil.
Chapter [Sarga] 9 in Detail
evamuktaa tu kaikeyii kopena jvalitaananaa |
diirghamushhtam vinihshvasya mantharaamidam abraviit || 9-2-1
After hearing those words, Kaikeyi with her face burning with anger, had a long and hot sigh and spoke to Manthara as follows:
adya raamamitah kshipram vanam prasthaapayaamyaham |
yauvaraajye cha bharatam kshipramevaabhishhechaye || 9-2-2
"Now itself, I shall send Rama quickly to forest. I shall get Bharata anointed for princely kingdom immediately."
idam tvidaaniim sampashya kenopaayena manthare |
bharatah praapnuyaadraajyam na tu raamah kathamchana|| 9-2-3
"O Manthara! What is the means by which Bharata will get the kingdom but Rama will not get it by any method. Think about it now."
evamuktaa tayaa devyaa mantharaa paapadarshinii |
raamaarthamupahimsantii kaikeyiimidamabraviit || 9-2-4
After hearing her words, the sinful thinking Manthara, spoke thus to Kaikeyi to destroy Rama's benefit of kingdom.
hantedaaniim pravakshyaami kaikeyi shruuyataam cha me |
yathaa te bharato raajyam putrah praapsyati kevalam || 9-2-5
"O Kaikeyi! I am very glad. I shall tell you the means by which your son Bharata only will get the kingdom. Listen to it!"
kim na smarasi kaikeyi smarantii vaa niguuhase |
yaduchyamaanamaatmaartham mattastvam shrotumichchhasi || 9-2-6
"Oh, Kaikeyi! You desire to hear from me the means for your benefit. Have you forgotten about it or are you hiding, even if you have remembered it?"
mayochyamaanam yadi te shrotum chchhndo vilaasini |
shruuyataamabhidhaasyaami shrutvaa chaitad vidhiiyataam || 9-2-7
"O the lady of charms, Kaikeyi! If you desire to hear this from my mouth, I shall tell you. Listen to me. Let it be acted upon after listening to me."
shrutvaivam vachanam tasyaa mantharaayaastu kaikayi |
kimchidutthaaya shayanaatsvaastiirnaadidamabraviit || 9-2-8
After hearing Manthara's words, Kaikeyi slightly rose from the well-laid bed and spoke the following :
kathaya tvam mamopaayam kenopaayena manthare |
bharatah praapnuyaadrajyam na tu raamah kathamchana || 9-2-9
"O Manthara! Tell me the trick by which Bharata will get the kingdom and Rama will not get it under any circumstances."
evamuktaa tayaa devyaa mantharaa paapadarshinii |
raamaarthamupahimsantii kubjaa vachanamabraviit || 9-2-10
After hearing Kaikeyi's words, the sinful thinking, hunch backed Manthara, spoke thus, with an intention to destroy Rama's benefit of kingdom.
tava daivaasure yuddhe saharaajarshhibhih patih |
agachchhattvaamupaadaaya devaraajasya saahyakrit || 9-2-11
dishamaasthaaya vai devi dakshinaam dandakaan prati |
vaijayantamiti kyaatam puram yatra timidhvajah || 9-2-12
"O Queen! Once upon a time, when there was a battle between celestials and demons, your husband Dasaratha went along with you and other holy kings to help Indra in battle, to a famous city called Vaijayata in which the demon Timidhvaja lived in a southern direction in the forest of Dandaka."
sa shambara iti khyaatah shatamaayo mahaasurah |
dadau shakrasya samgraamam devasaighairanirjitah || 9-2-13
"That great demon famously called Shambara, who had several magic effects, defeated all the celestials and conferred battle upon Devendra."
tasmin mahati samgraame purushhaan kshatavikshataan |
raatrau prasuptaan ghnanti sma tarasaasaadya raakshasaah || 9-2-14
"In that great battle, demons approached and forcefully killed men who were injured by arrows and also those who were sleeping at night."
tatraakaronmahaayuddham raajaa dasharatha stadaa |
asuraishcha mahaabaahuh shastraishcha shakaliikritah || 9-2-15
"Then, king Dasaratha fought a great battle there. With their weapons, demons made into pieces the long armed Dasaratha."
apavaahya tvayaa devi samgraamaannashhtachetanah |
tatrapi vikshatah shasraih patiste rakshitastvayaa || 9-2-16
"O Queen! You saved the life of your unconscious husband by taking him away from the battle field. There also, you again saved him, when beaten by demons with their weapons."
tushhtena tena dattau te dvau varau shubhadarshane |
satvayoktah patirdevi yadechchheyam tadaa varau || 9-2-17
grihniiyaamiti tattana tadhetyuktam mahaatmanaa |
"O Kaikeyi with auspicious appearance! Getting delighted, he gave two boons to you. Then, you said, “I shall ask you whenever I require them". He then agreed to it."
anabhijjnaa hyaham devi tvayaiva kathitaa puraa || 9-2-18
kathaishhaa tava tu snehaanmanasaa dhaaryate mayaa |
raamaabhishhekasambhaaraannigrihya vinivartaya || 9-2-19
"O Queen! I do not know what had happened there. You yourself told this story previously to me. I am keeping this in my mind because of my friendship with you. Hence, you have to stop, by force, the arrangements being made for Rama's coronation."
tau varau yaacha bhartaaram bharatasyaabhishhechanam |
pravraajanam tu raamasya tvam varshhaani chaturdasha || 9-2-20
"You ask your husband as two boons, anointing Bharata for princely kingdom and sending Rama to exile for fourteen years."
chaturdasha hi varshhaaniraame pravraajite vanam |
prajaabhaavagatasnehah sthirah putro bhavishhyati || 9-2-21
If you send Rama to forest for fourteen years, your son Bharata will get intimate association in the hearts of the people and will get stabilized in kingdom.
krodhaagaaram pravishyaadya kridddhevaashvapateh sute |
sheshhvaanantarhitaayaam tvam bhuumau malinavaasinii || 9-2-22
Oh, Kaikeyi! Now, enter the room of wrath as if angry with him and lie down on floor without any spread underneath and wearing soiled clothes.
maasmainam pratyudiikshethaa maachaina mabhibhaashhathaah |
rudantii chaapi tam drishhtvaa jagatyaam shokalaalasaa || 9-2-23
As soon as you see Dasaratha, be sorrowful and keep on weeping, without looking at him and without talking to him face to face.
dayitaa tvam sadaa bharturatra me naasti samshayah |
tvatkrite sa mahaaraajo vishedapi hutaashanam || 9-2-24
You are always dear to your husband. I have no doubt about it. King Dasaratha will even jump into a fire for your sake.
na tvaam krodhayitum shaktona kruddhaam pratyudiikshitum|
tava priyaartham raajaa hi praanaanapi parityajet || 9-2-25
The king is not capable of making you angry. He is not even able to see you with anger. He will give up his life for your love.
na hyatikramitum shaktastava vaakyam mahiipatih |
mandasvabhaave buddhyasva saubhaagyabalamaatmanah || 9-2-26
Oh, foolish one! The king will not be able to transgress your word. You realize your abundant strength.
manimuktam suvarnaani ratnaani vividhaani cha |
dadyaaddhasharatho raajaa maa sma teshhu manah krithaah || 9-2-27
King Dasaratha may offer you diamonds, pearls, gold and various other precious stones. Do not care for them.
yau tau daivaasure yuddhe varau dsharatho.adadaat |
tau smaaraya mahaabhaage so.artho maatvaamatikramet || 9-2-28
Oh, Kaikeyi, the great fortunate! you remind Dasaratha of those boons given by him to you in that battle between celestials and demons. See that your benefit does not get thwarted.
yadaa tu te varam dadyaatsvayamutthaapya raaghavah |
vyavasthaapya mahaaraajam tamimam vrinuyaa varam || 9-2-29
Dasaratha himself will raise you from the floor and offer you the boon. Thus , after making him steady, you ask for this boon.
raamam pravraajayaaranye nava varshhaani pajncha cha |
bharatah kriyataam raajaa prithivyaah paarthivarshhabha || 9-2-30
"Oh, king! send Rama to forest for fourteen years. Let Bharata be made as king of this earth".
chaturdasha hi varshhaani raame pravraajite vanm |
ruudhashcha kritamuulashcha sheshham sthaasyati te sutah || 9-2-31
Rama having been sent to forest for fourteen years, your son will stand firmly, having laid his roots and will stay in power for the remaining period.
raamapravraajanam chaiva devi yaachasva tam varam |
evam siddhyanti putrasya sarvaarthaastava bhaamini || 9-2-32
Oh, Kaikeyi! Ask Dasaratha of sending Rama to forest also as a boon. Thus, your son will accomplish all the desired benefits.
evam pravraajitashchaiva raamo.araamo bhavishhyati |
bharatashcha hataamitrastava raajaa bhavishhyati || 9-2-33
Thus, by sending Rama to exile, he will not become amiable to people. Your Bharata will become king, after the enemies having been annihilated.
yena kaalena raamashcha vanaatpratyaagamishhyati |
tena kaalena putraste kritamuulo bhavishhyati || 9-2-34
sugrihiitamanushhyashcha suhridbhih saardhamaatmavaan |
When Rama returns from forest, your wise son will accumulate friends and draw people to his fold, thus establishing roots himself.
praaptakaalam nu manye.aham raajaanam viitasaadhvasaa || 9-2-35
raamaabhishhekasamkalpaannigrihya vinivartaya |
This is the appropriate time for you. Be fearless and by your insistence, make the king turn aside his effort to anoint Rama.
anarthamartharuupena graahitaa saa tatastayaa || 9-2-36
hrishhtaa pratiitaa kaikeyii mantharaamidamabraviit |
Kaikeyi, being brain-washed an unworthy matter as the most worthy matter by Manthara, accepted her well and having delighted, spoke to her as follows:-
saa hi vaakyena kubjaayaah kishoriivotpatham gataa |
kaikeyii vismayam praaptaa param paramadarshanaa || 9-2-37
Though of right thinking in nature, Kaikeyi was very much surprised to hear Manthara's words and like a small girl, got into a wrong path.
kubje tvaam naabhijaanaami shreshhthaam shreshhthabhidhaayiniim |
prithivyaamasi kubjaanaamuttamaa buddhinirnaye || 9-2-38
Oh, Manthara! You are telling very good things. Till now, I have not recognised you as this good. You are the best among the hunch-backed on this earth in making intellectual decisions.
tvameva tu mamaartheshhu nityayuktaa hitaishhinii || 9-2-39
naaham samavabuddhyeyam kubje raajjnashchikiirshhitam |
Oh, Manthara! you always show interest in my well being and wish for my benefit. But for you, I would not have been aware of the king's intentions.
santi duhsamsthitaah kubjaa vakraah paramadaarunaah || 9-2-40
tvam padmamiva vaatena sannataa priyadarshanaa |
There are so many hunch backed persons in the world. Their bodily construction is very bad. They are crooked and dreadful. But you appear lovely, as a lotus flower bent by breeze.
uraste.abhinivishhtam vai yaavat skandhaatsamunnatam || 9-2-41
adhastaachchodaram shaatam sunaabhamiva lajjitam |
Your chest is appearing equally on both sides and is loftily extended unto the shoulder. Below it is the stomach with an excellent navel, which is lean as though it is shy of seeing the loftiness of chest.
paripuurnam tu jaghanam supiinau cha payodharau || 9-2-42
vimalendusamam vaktramaho raajasi manthare |
Oh, Manthara! with perfect hips and well rounded breasts and with your face like an untainted moon you are shining well.
jaghanam tava nirghushhtam rashanaadaamashobhitam || 9-2-43
jaaghe bh^ishamupanyaste paadau chaapyaayataavubhau |
Oh, Manthara! Your waist decorated with golden belt is making sound. Your leg-muscles are well rounded and your feet are tall.
tvamaayataabhyaam sakthibhyaam manthare kshaumavaasinii |
agrato mama gachchhantii raajahamseva bhaasase|| 9-2-44
Oh, Manthara! You are splendid like a royal swan walking before me, with long thighs are wearing a silk sari.
aasanyaah shambare maayaah sahasramasuraadhipe || 9-2-45
sarvaastvayi nivishhtaastaa bhuuyashchaanyaah sahasrashah |
In addition to all those thousand magic effects lying in shambara, the lord of demons, another further thousands of magic effects are lying in you.
tavedam sthagu yaddiirgham rathaghonamivaayatam || 9-2-46
matayah kshatravidyaashcha maayaashchaatra vasanti te |
In your long hunch, which looks like an apex of a chariot, are dwelling your various thoughts, royal arts and magic effects.
atrate pratimokshyaami maalaam kubje hiranmayiim || 9-2-47
abhishhikte cha bharate raaghave cha vanam gate |
Oh Manthara! When Rama goes to forest and Bharata gets kingdom, I shall adore this hunch back with a golden garland.
jaatyena cha suvarnena suvishhtaptena manthare || 9-2-48
labdhaarthaa cha pratiitaa cha lepayishhyaami te sthagu |
Oh, Manthara! After accomplishing the benefit desired by me, I shall, with delight, get your hunch back anointed with well refined gold of good quality.
mukhe cha tilakam chitram jaataruupamayam shubham || 9-2-49
kaarayishhyaami te kubje shubhaanyabharanaani cha|
Oh, Manthara! I shall get beautiful ornaments made and for your forehead auspicious dots of variety done of pure gold.
paridhaaya shubhe vastre devateva charishhyasi || 9-2-50
chamdramaahvayamaanena mukhenaapratimaananaa|
gamishhyasi gatim mukhyaamgarvayantii dvishhajjane || 9-2-51
You will be moving around like an angel, wearing beautiful clothes. You will achieve an important position in the eyes of your adversaries with pride and with your face, incomparably competing with moon.
tavaapi kubjaayaah sarvaabharanabhuushhitaah |
paadau paricharishhyanti yathaiva tvam sadaa mama || 9-2-52
The hunch backed women, adorned with all ornaments, will always do service, at your feet, as how as hunch-backed women, adorned with all ornaments, will always do service at your feet, as how as hunch-backed you are doing it to me.
iti prashasyamaanaa saa kaikeyiimidamabraviit |
shayaanaam shayane shubhre vedyaamagnishikhaamiva || 9-2-53
Manthara in this way being praised spoke these words to Kaikeyi, who was lying in a clean couch like a flame of fire upon the sacrificial altar.
gatodake setubando na kalyaani vidhiiyate |
uttishhtha kuru kalyaanam raajaanamasudarshaya|| 9-2-54
Oh, Kaikeyi the auspicious one! When water has already flown out, there is no use constructing a dam. Now rise and do this purposeful action. Show your influence to the king.
tathaa protsaahitaa devii gataa mantharayaa saha |
krodhaagaaram vishaalaakshii saubhaagyamadagarvitaa || 9-2-55
anekashatasaahasram muktaahaaram varaaganaa |
avamuchya varaaraani shubhaanyaabharanaani cha || 9-2-56
tato hemopamaa tatra kubjaavaakyavashamgataa |
samvishya bhuumau kaikeyii mantharaamidamabraviit || 9-2-57
By surrendering to the words of Manthara and having been thus encouraged by her, Kaikeyi who was of wide eyes, who was proud of her intoxicating beauty, who was a gifted woman and a queen, removed pearl necklace worth in lakhs and other great valuable auspicious ornaments from her body, entered the chamber of wrath along with Manthara, lied on the floor there like a golden wire and spoke to Manthara as follows:
iha vaa maam mritaam kubje nripaayaavedayishhyasi |
vanam tu raaghave praaptebharatah praapsyati kshitim|| 9-2-58
"After Rama's going to the forest, Bharata shall get the kingdom. Or else, you inform the king that I died here itself".
na suvarnena me hyartho na ratnairna cha bhuushhanaih |
eshha me jiivitasyaanto raamo yadyabhishhichyate || 9-2-59
Neither gold nor diamonds nor ornaments are of any use to me. On which day Rama gets anointed for the kingdom, the same day it will be the end of my life.
atho punastaam mahishhiim mahiikshito |
vachobhiratyartha mahaaparaakramaih |
uvaacha kubjaa bharatasya maataram |
hitam vacho raamamupetya chaahitam || 9-2-60
Afterwards, that Manthara again spoke to the seriously talking mother of Bharata that is Kaikeyi the following words which were beneficial to her and not beneficial in relation to Rama.
prapatsyate raajyamidam hi raaghavo |
yadi dhruvam tvam sa sutaa cha tapsyase |
ato hi kalyaani yatasva tattathaa |
yathaa sutaste bharato.abhishhekshyate || 9-2-61
If Rama becomes king, you and your son will be destroyed. Oh, Kaikeyi of auspicious qualities! Hence you try for coronation of your son, Bharata
tathaatividdhaa mahishhi tu kubjayaa |
samaahataa vaagishhubhirmuhurmuhuh |
vidhaaya hastau hridaye.ativismitaa |
shshamsa kubjaam kupitaa punah punah || 9-2-62
Having thus hit by arrows of words employed by Manthara again and again, Kaikeyi felt sad, was angry with the king, by keeping hands on her heart, was surprised with the cleverness of Manthara and praised her time and again.
yamasya vaa maam vishhayam gataamito |
nishaamya kubje prativedayishhyasi |
vanam gate vaa suchiraaya raaghave |
samriddhakaamo bharato bhavishhyati || 9-2-63
If Rama does not go to forest from here, I do not long for any mattresses or garlands or sandal paste or eye-liner or drink or food or even the loaf here.
aham hi vai naastaranaani na srajo |
na chandanam naajnjanapaanabhojanam |
na kimchidichchhaami na cheha jiivitam |
na chedito gachchhati raaghavo vanam || 9-2-64
If Rama does not go to forest from here, I do not long for any mattresses or garlands or sandal paste or eye-liner or drink or food or even the life here.
athaitaduktvaa vachanam sudaarunam |
ndhaaya sarvaabharanaani bhaaminii |
asamvritaamaastaranena mediniim |
tadaadhishishye patiteva kinnarii || 9-2-65
Kaikeyi, thus uttering cruel words, having removed all ornaments, lied on the floor without a mattress like a fallen angel.
udiirnasamrambhatamovritaananaa |
tadaavamuktottamamuulyabhuushhanaa |
narendrapatnii vimanaa babhuuva saa |
tamovritaa dyauriva magnataarakaa || 9-2-66
Kaikeyi, having removed all adornments, having her face covered by the darkness of extreme anger and with her depressed mind, looked like a starless sky in a gloomy night.
|| ityaarshhe srimadraamayane aadikaavye ayodhya kaande navama sargah ||
Thus completes the ninth sarga of Ayodhya Kanda of Srimad Ramayana.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate