Thus addressed, Kaikeyi, with her countenance flaming in wrath, sighing
hot and hard, spoke unto Manthara, saying,-- "Even this very day will I
speedily send Rama into the forest and without delay install Bharata in
the royal heir- apparentship. Do thou now see by what means I can effect
this. Bharata must obtain the kingdom and never Rama." Thus addressed by
the noble one, the. wicked-minded Manthara, envious of Rama's interest,
thus spoke unto Kaikeyi,--"Ah! O Kaikeyi, consider: Listen to my words,
telling thee how thy son alone will obtain the kingdom. Dost thou not
remember, O Kaikeyi, or concealest although remembering, wishing to hear
from me of the means for thy welfare which thou thyself hadst before
communicated unto me? If, O dalliance loving damsel, it is thy wish to
hear it as told by me, listen thou, I will tell it thee. And having
heard it, do thou act accordingly." Hearing Manthara's words, Kaikeyi
raised herself a little from her tastefully spread bed, and said,--"Do
thou tell me the means. By what means, O Manthara, Bharata will gain the
kingdom, and in no wise Rama." Thus addressed by the worshipful one, the
wicked- minded Manthara,--envying Rama's interest, thus spoke unto
Kaikeyi:--"Formerly during the wars of the gods and Asuras, thy husband
taking thee along, went with the royal saints for the purpose of
assisting the king of the celestials. O Kaikeyi, in Dandaka, situated
towards the south, there is the city known by the name of Vaijayanta,
where dwelt Timidhvaja, otherwise called Samvara, --possessed of an
hundred conjurations, and a mighty Asura. That unreproved one gave
battle unto Sakra accompanied by the celestials. And in that mighty
conflict the Rakshasas during the night used to drag by main force
persons asleep having their bodies cut all over, and kill them. Then
King Dacaratha warred with the Asuras most heroically. And that mighty
armed one, O worshipful lady, losing his senses in consequence of wounds
received from weapons, was removed from the field by thee. In that
imminent danger, thy husband, sadly cut by weapons, was preserved by
thee. Thereupon gratified, he, O, thou of gracious presence, granted
thee two boons. Whereupon thou didst say,--'I shall receive from my lord
the boon whenever I shall wish.' Thereupon that high-souled one
said,--'So be it.' I did not know anything about this, O respected one;
and it was thou who didst formerly communicate this (unto me). And it is
because I bear affection unto thee that I have not forgotten it. Now do
thou forcibly make the monarch desist from installing Rama; and ask thy
husband for these two boons,--the installation of Bharata, and the exile
of Rama into the woods for fourteen years. On Rama having been banished
into the woods for fourteen years, thy son securing the affections of
subjects, will be firmly established (on the throne). Entering the
anger-chamber to day, do thou, O daughter of Acwapati, clad in soiled
garment, lie down on the uncovered floor. Do not look at him, nor speak
to him aught. Do thou on beholding the lord of the earth, over-whelmed
with grief, weep only. Thou hast always been the favorite wife of thy
husband. Of this I have not the least doubt. For thy sake the monarch
can enter into a flame. He can never anger thee, nor can he eye thee
when angered. For compassing thy pleasure the king can renounce life
itself. Therefore the monarch can never set aside thy word. O senseless
lady, do thou now reflect upon the strength of thy good fortune. King
Dacaratba will offer thee rubies and pearls and gold and gems of various
kinds; but do not thou bend thy heart to them. Do thou, exalted dame,
bring into Dacaratha's recollection the two boons which he had granted
thee at the time of the war between the gods and Asuras, and thou shalt
not fail to achieve thy objects. And when that descendant of Raghu,
raising thee will go to bestow the boons, do thou then binding him fast
by oath, unfold unto the monarch the boons,saying,-- 'Send Rama unto the
forest for nine and five years, and let Bharata, becoming on earth the
foremost of monarchs, carry on the Government.' And Rama having been
banished for fourteen years, thy son growing (in the interval) firm and
fast, will remain (on the throne) during the rest of his life. Do thou,
therefore, O worshipful one, demand even the banishment of Rama; for by
this it is, O damsel, all interests will be secured unto thy son. Thus
banished Rama will no longer maintain possession of the hearts of the
people; and thy Bharata with his foes put out, will be the king. By the
time that Rama returns from the forest, thy son, thy prudent son along
with his friends, securing the hearts of the people externally and
internally, will have been firmly established on the throne. Now is the
time, I apprehend. Renouncing fear, do thou forcibly make the monarch
remove from his mind his intention of installing Rama."
Having been thus made to accept that for good which was really evil,
Kaikeyi, desirous of obtaining the boons, was filled with delight. And
at the words of the hump-backed woman, that exceedingly beautiful
Kaikeyi experienced the height of pride, and betook herself to this
wrong course, like a mare attached to her young, (springing up after
it). And she said to Manthara,--"O excellent wench, O speaker of things
fair, thy wisdom I do not dishonor. In ascertaining the propriety or
otherwise of actions, thou art the very first of hump- backed women on
earth. And ever intent on my interest, thou seekest my welfare. I had
not, O hump-backed one, (ere this) apprehended the endeavours of the
king. O hump- backed one, there are many deformed, crooked and unsightly
women (on earth); but thou alone down, lookest beautiful like a lotus
bent by the breeze. Thy breast weighed down by thy hump, is high near
the shoulders; and beneath is thy belly graced with a goodly navel,
which hath grown lean from shame (on holding the attitude of thy bust.)
Thy buttocks are spacious; and thy breasts are firm. Thy countenance is
like the bright moon, Ah! O Manthara,how lovely dost thou look! Thy hips
are smooth, and is decked with chains; and thy thighs and legs are of
large proportions. O Manthara, O thou clad in linen garment, O graceful
damsel, with thy pair of spacious humps, thou goest before me like a
she- crane. In thy heart reside all those thousand-conjurations
belonging to that lord of the Asuras, Samvara; and besides thousands
there are many more. Intelligence and policy and conjurations reside in
thy elevated hump resembling the nave of a chariot- wheel. When Bharata
hath been installed and Rama gone to the woods, I will, O hump-backed
one, furnish thy hump with a garland made, O beautiful one, of well
melted gold. And when I shall have attained my object and be happy, I
will smear thy hump with sandal paste. O hump-backed one, I will prepare
for thy face an excellent _tilaka_ of gold; as well as other ornaments.
Wearing elegant apparel, thou wilt go about like a very goddess. With an
incomparable countenance challenging the moon himself, thou wilt attain
pre-eminence, defying thy foes. Even as thou servest me, other
hump-backed women adorned with every ornament will serve thy feet."
Thus praised by Kaikeyi, as she was lying down on a white bed, like unto
fire upon the sacrificial dais, Manthara addressed her, saying,--"O
blessed one, when water has flown out, it is not proper to set up a
dyke. Arise. Do thy welfare. Show thyself unto the king." Puffed up with
the pride of good fortune, that noble lady of expansive eyes thus
encouraged (by Manthara), went with her to the anger- chamber. (Having
entered the chamber), that exalted lady put off her pearl neck-lace
priced at many hundreds and thousands of gold, together with other
elegant, beautiful and rich ornaments. Then sitting down upon the
ground, Kaikeyi, comparable unto gold, under the influence of Manthara's
words, spoke unto her, saying--"Do thou, hump-backed one, tell the
monarch, that I am dead at this place. On Raghava having gone to the
forest, Bharata will obtain the earth. I do not require gold, or gems,
or repasts; this will be the end of my existence if Rama be installed."
Again the hump-backed woman addressed Bharata's mother in exceedingly
cruel language fraught with good unto Bharata and evil unto Rama,--"If
Raghava attaineth the kingdom, thou wilt surely grieve along with thy
son. Therefore, O blessed one, do thou strive so that thy son Bharata be
installed."
Thus momentarily pierced by the wordy shafts shot by Manthara, the queen
exceedingly surprised, laying her hand on her bosom, wrathfully broke
out,--"Either beholding me gone unto the regions of Death, thou wilt
apprize the king of it, or Raghava repairing unto the forest for a long
time, Bharata will attain his desire. If Raghava doth not repair hence
into the forest, I will not desire beds, nor garlands, nor sandal paste,
nor colyrium, nor meat, nor drinks, nor life." Having said these cruel
words, and thrown off every ornament, the wrathful dame lay down on the
ground having no covering, like a fallen Kinnari. Casting away her
excellent garlands and ornaments with her countenance clouded with the
gloom of wrath, the King's wife became sunk in thought looking like a
sky enveloped in darkness, with the stars hid.