Manthara Wraps Her Warning in Wounded Loyalty
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 16
Doha 16 · Movement 1 of 2
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Manthara pretends that Kaikeyi punishes honesty and prefers pleasing lies. She laments her own ugliness and helpless station, claiming that whoever becomes king can bring no gain or loss to one born a servant.
Then she recasts malice as sacrifice. Her nature deserves burning, she says, only because she cannot bear to watch the queen's ruin. The few harmful words become, in her account, reluctant service offered for Kaikeyi's welfare.
Flattery, self accusation, and wounded loyalty weave together. Manthara makes resistance look like cruelty and suspicion look like gratitude. By asking forgiveness for a supposed blunder, she draws the queen toward requesting the poison again.
Manthara disguises the blade as wounded devotion and waits for Kaikeyi to ask that it be uncovered.
Read the passage from the Manas
एकहिं बार आस सब पूजी। अब कछु कहब जीभ करि दूजी।। फोरै जोगु कपारु अभागा। भलेउ कहत दुख रउरेहि लागा।। कहहिं झूठि फुरि बात बनाई। ते प्रिय तुम्हहि करुइ मैं माई।। हमहुँ कहबि अब ठकुरसोहाती। नाहिं त मौन रहब दिनु राती।। करि कुरूप बिधि परबस कीन्हा। बवा सो लुनिअ लहिअ जो दीन्हा।। कोउ नृप होउ हमहि का हानी। चेरि छाड़ि अब होब कि रानी।। जारै जोगु सुभाउ हमारा। अनभल देखि न जाइ तुम्हारा।। तातें कछुक बात अनुसारी। छमिअ देबि बड़ि चूक हमारी।।
All my hopes were fulfilled at once, but now I must speak with a different tongue. This wretched head of mine deserves to be broken, for even good words cause you pain. Those who speak lies and weave false tales are dear to you, while I, O mother, am made the villain. I too shall now speak only flattery to please my master; otherwise I will keep silent day and night. The Creator made me ugly and helpless. One must reap whatever He has sown. Whoever becomes king, what loss is it to me? A servant I was born; can I ever become a queen? My very nature deserves to be set ablaze, for I cannot bear to watch your ruin. That is why I spoke a few words in your interest. Forgive me, O Queen, for my great blunder.