ज्ञातिदासी यतो जाता कैकेय्या तु सहोषिता। प्रासादं चन्द्रसंकाशमारुरोह यदृच्छया॥
A woman, brought up with Kaikeyī, who formerly served as a maid-servant the family of her maternal uncle, at her own will, ascended the palace resembling the moon.
सिक्तराजपथां कृत्स्नां प्रकीर्णकमलोत्पलाम्। अयोध्यां मन्थरा तस्मात् प्रासादादन्ववैक्षत॥
Mantharā beheld from the palace the highways of Ayodhyā well watered all round, and strewn with lotuses, and adorned with standards bearing gay pennons.
पताकाभिर्वराहा॑भिर्ध्वजैश्च समलंकृताम्। सिक्तां चन्दनतोयैश्च शिरःस्नातजनैर्युताम्॥ माल्यमोदकहस्तैश्च द्विजेन्द्रैरभिनादिताम्। शुक्लदेवगृहद्वारां सर्ववादित्रनादिताम्॥ सम्प्रहष्टजनाकीर्णा ब्रह्मघोषनिनादिताम्। प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वां सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम्॥
With thoroughfares and roads leading along undulating lands; sprinkled with sandal water, and crowded with men who had performed their ablutions, and echoing with the accents of regenerate ones bearing garlands and sweetmeats in their hands; and resounding with the sounds of musical instruments; and filled with many folks; and singing with Veda chantings; and with its horses and elephants delighted, and cows and bulls emitting roars.
हृष्टप्रमुदितैः पौरैरुच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम्। अयोध्यां मन्थरा दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमागता॥
And with standards displaying flags erected by the exhilarated citizen. Upon seeing Ayodhyā (in such excitement) Manthară was seized with exceeding surprise.
सा हर्षोत्फुल्लनयनां पाण्डुरक्षौमवासिनीम्। अविदूरे स्थितां दृष्ट्वा धात्री पप्रच्छ मन्थरा॥
Mantharā, seeing a nurse hard by clad in white silk, with her eyes expanded with delight, asked her, saying.
उत्तमेनाभिसंयुक्ता हर्षेणार्थपरा सती। राममाता धनं किं नु जनेभ्यः संप्रयच्छति॥ अतिमात्रं प्रहर्षः किं जनस्यास्य च शंस मे। कारयिष्यति किं वापि संप्रहृष्टो महीपतिः॥
What for Rāma's mother although closefisted, is cheerfully and with the greatest possible alacrity dispensing wealth to the people? And what for is the general overflow of joy? And what does the delighted monarch purpose to do.
विदीर्यमाणा हर्षेण धात्री तु परया मुदा। आचचक्षेऽथ कुब्जायै भूयसी राघवे श्रियम्॥ श्वः पुष्येण जितक्रोधं यौवराज्येन चानघम्। राजा दशरथो राममभिषेक्ता हि राघम्॥
There upon bursting with very great delight, the nurse communicated to the hump-backed woman the high fortune awaiting Rama, saying, To-morrow under Pusya, king Dasaratha will install the sinless Rāghava having his anger under control, as heir-apparent to the throne.
धात्र्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा कुब्जा क्षिप्रममर्षिता। कैलासशिखराकारात्प्रासादादवरोहत॥
Hearing the words of the nurse, the humpbacked one, speedily growing angry, descended from the edifice resembling a summit of the Kailasa hill.
सा दह्यमाना क्रोधेन मन्थरा पापदर्शिनी। शयानामेव कैकेयीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Burning in ire, the sin-seeking Mantharā addressed Kaikeyi, lying down, saying.
उत्तिष्ठ मूढे किं शेषे भयं त्वामभिवर्तते। उपप्लुतमघौघेन नात्मानमवबुध्यसे॥
Up, you senseless one! What for are you down? A great danger approaches you. You understand not that a mighty grief overflow you.
अनिष्टे सुभगाकारे सौभाग्येन विकत्थसे। चलं हि तव सौभाग्यं नद्याः स्रोत इवोष्णगे॥
You boast of good fortune while misfortune is yours in the shape of luck. Your good fortune is surely unstable like the tide of a river during summer.
एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी रुष्टया परुषं वचः। कुब्जया पापदर्शिन्या विषादमगमत्परम्॥
Thus addressed by the sin seeking humpbacked (hag) in exceedingly harsh language, Kaikeyi became afflicted with great grief.
कैकेयी त्वब्रवीत्कुब्जां कच्चित्क्षेमं न मन्थरे। विषण्णवदनां हि त्वां लक्षये भृशदुःखिताम्॥
And Kaikeyi said to the hump-backed one, Is any evil present, O Mantharā? I do find you with countenance fallen and sore distressed with grief.
मन्थरा तु वचः श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या मधुराक्षरम्। उवाच क्रोधसंयुक्ता वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा॥ सा विषण्णतरा भूत्वा कुब्जा तस्यां हितैषिणी। विषादयन्ती प्रोवाच भेदयन्ती च राघवम्॥
The hump-backed Mantharā, skilled in speech, who really sought Kaikeyi's welfare, hearing the latter's sweet-accented words, displaying sorrow greater than Kaikeyi's own, lamenting, and enlisting Kaikeyi's feelings against Rāma, uttered words inflamed with anger, saying.
अक्षयं सुमहद्देवि प्रवृत्तं त्वद्विनाशनम्। रामं दशरथो राजा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति॥
O worshipful one, an enduring and terrible destruction is imminent to you. King Daśaratha will install;; Rama as heir-apparent.
सास्म्यगाधे भये मग्ना दुःखशोकसमन्विता। दह्यमानानलेनेव त्वद्धितार्थमिहागता ॥
I have been sunk in a fathomless fear; and afflicted with grief and heaviness. And as if burning I, seeking your welfare, have come to you.
तव दुःखेन कैकेयि मम दुखं महद्भवेत्। त्वद्वृद्धौ मम वृद्धिश्च भवेदिह न संशयः॥
For, O Kaikeyi, great wax my grief on witnessing your sorrow; and my advancement progress along with you there is no doubt about this.
नराधिपकुले जाता महिषी त्वं महीपतेः। उग्रत्वं राजधर्माणां कथं देवि न बुध्यसे ॥
Born in a race of king you are the queen of this lord of earth. Why did not you then realise the sternness of royal morality.
धर्मवादी शठो भर्ता श्लक्ष्णवादी च दारुणः। शुद्धभावेन जानीषे तेनैवमतिसंधिता॥
Your maintainer speaks most morally; but is crafty for all that: he speaks blandly, but has a crooked heart. Him you take as of blessed condition, and therefore are gulled.
उपस्थितः प्रयुञ्जानस्त्वयि सान्त्वमनर्थकम्। अर्थे वाद्य ते भर्ता कौसल्यां योजयिष्यति॥
Speaking to you soft words bare of substance, he will, his heart on the alert, to-day compass the welfare of Kausalyä.
अपवाह्य तु दुष्टात्मा भरतं तव बन्धुषु। काल्ये स्थापयिता रामं राज्ये निहतकण्टके॥
Having sent Bharata to the home of your relatives, that wicked-minded one will establish Rāma in his ancestral kingdom rid of its thorn.
शत्रुः पतिप्रवादेन मात्रेव हितकाम्यया। आशीविष इवाङ्गेन बाले परिधृतस्त्वया॥ यथा हि कुर्याच्छत्रुर्वा सर्पो वा प्रत्युपेक्षितः। राज्ञा दशरथेनाद्य सपुत्रा त्वं तथा कृता ॥
You O girl, in consideration of your welfare, have like to a mother taken to your lap a venomous snake in the form of your husband, Even what is done by an enemy or a serpent left alone, is being done by Dasaratha of wicked ways and false soothing speech, to you and your own son.
पापेनानृतसान्त्वेन बाले नित्यं सुखोचिता। रामं स्थापयता राज्ये सानुबन्धा हता ह्यसि।२९।। सा प्राप्तकालं कैकेयि क्षिप्रं कुरु हितं तव। ऋयस्व पुत्रमात्मानं मां च विस्मयदर्शने॥
And, O girl, deserving as you are of happiness, the king having established Rāma in the kingdom; you will be annihilated along with your own. The time has come, 'O Kaikeyi, do you on the spur enter upon that which would turn to your advantage. And, O you, influenced by surprise, do you deliver yourself, me and Bharata also.
मन्थराया वचः श्रुत्वा शयनात्सा शुभानना। उत्तस्थौ हर्षसंपूर्णा चन्द्रलेखेव शारदी॥
Hearing Mantharā's words, that one of graceful countenance filled with delight, and looking like the autumnal moon light, rose up from her bed.
अतीव सा तु संतुष्टा कैकेयी विस्मयान्विता। दिव्यमाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रददौ शुभम्॥
Inspired with exceeding joy, Kaikey7, struck with surprise, made to the hump-backed woman a present of an excellent and elegant ornament.
दत्त्वा त्वाभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रमदोत्तमा। कैकेयी मन्थरां हृष्टा पुनरेवाब्रवीदिदम्॥ इदं तु मन्थरे मह्यमाख्यातं परमं प्रियम्। एतन्मे प्रियमाख्यातं किं वा भूयः करोमि ते ॥
And having given her the ornament, the paragon among the fair Kaikeyi joyfully, addressed Manthara, saying, O Manthara! highly welcome is the that you have communicated to me. And surely you have told me what is dear to my heart, what shall I do for you?
रामे वा भरते वाहं विशेषं नोपलक्षये। तस्मात्तुष्टास्मि यद्राजा रामं राज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति॥
Difference find I none between Rāma and Bharata. Therefore, delighted am I that the king purposes installing Rāma in the kingdom.
न मे परं किंचिदितो वरं पुनः प्रियं प्रिया सुवचं वचोऽमृतम्। तथा ह्यवोचस्त्वमतः प्रियोत्तरं वरं परं ते प्रददामि तं वृणु॥
There is no other ambrosial speech that is excellent and acceptable to me, compared with the installation of Rāma. Therefore do you ask of me whatever reward do you want and I shall give you. news