Kaikeyi Enters the Chamber of Anger
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 23
Doha 23 · Movement 1 of 2
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Kaikeyi praises Manthara as her truest servant and promises to cherish her like the pupil of the eye if tomorrow fulfils the plan. Then she honours the maid and enters the chamber of anger.
Tulsidas sees a seed of calamity planted in fertile soil. The appointed hour becomes rain, deceit supplies water, the two boons unfold as leaves, and sorrow waits as fruit.
Kaikeyi arranges every detail of her angry appearance while celebration fills the unsuspecting capital. Music and malice now occupy the same city, separated only by palace walls. No citizen sees that the root of a kingdom's grief has already broken through the soil.
Beneath Ayodhya's flowering celebration, the hidden seed of calamity sends out its first leaves.
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कुबरिहि रानि प्रानप्रिय जानी। बार बार बड़ि बुद्धि बखानी।। तोहि सम हित न मोर संसारा। बहे जात कइ भइसि अधारा।। जौं बिधि पुरब मनोरथु काली। करौं तोहि चख पूतरि आली।। बहुबिधि चेरिहि आदरु देई। कोपभवन गवनि कैकेई।। बिपति बीजु बरषा रितु चेरी। भुइँ भइ कुमति कैकेई केरी।। पाइ कपट जलु अंकुर जामा। बर दोउ दल दुख फल परिनामा।। कोप समाजु साजि सबु सोई। राजु करत निज कुमति बिगोई।। राउर नगर कोलाहलु होई। यह कुचालि कछु जान न कोई।।
The queen held the hunchback dearer than life and praised her cunning again and again. 'No one in this world serves my interests as you do; you have become my anchor when all else was drifting away.' 'If Providence fulfills my heart's desire tomorrow, I shall make you the very pupil of my eye, dear friend.' Honoring the servant in every way, Kaikeyi then proceeded to the chamber of anger. The servant was the seed of calamity, the rainy season its appointed hour, and Kaikeyi's wicked mind the fertile soil. Watered by deceit, the sprout burst forth; the two boons became its leaves, and sorrow its final fruit. Having staged every detail of her angry scene, she set about destroying the kingdom through her own evil counsel. Meanwhile great celebration filled the royal city, and not a soul suspected this wicked plot.