Kaikeyi Calls Ruin a Plan Almost Perfected
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 160
Doha 160 · Movement 1 of 2
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Kaikeyi tells Bharata that, with Manthara's counsel, she arranged everything well. Only one part was spoiled by fate: the king departed for Indra's city.
The news strikes Bharata like a lion's roar freezing an elephant. Crying for his father, he falls to the floor and grieves that he did not see Dasharatha depart or receive a father's final entrustment into Ram's care.
He rises only by force of courage and asks the cause of death. Kaikeyi answers by reopening the wound and pouring poison into it. From the beginning she recounts her own hard deeds with satisfaction, unaware that the success she offers as a gift is destroying the son for whom she claims to have secured it.
Kaikeyi presents her triumph, and Bharata receives it first as a father's death and then as poison flowing toward Ram.
Read the passage from the Manas
तात बात मैं सकल सँवारी। भै मंथरा सहाय बिचारी।। कछुक काज बिधि बीच बिगारेउ। भूपति सुरपति पुर पगु धारेउ।। सुनत भरतु भए बिबस बिषादा। जनु सहमेउ करि केहरि नादा।। तात तात हा तात पुकारी। परे भूमितल ब्याकुल भारी।। चलत न देखन पायउँ तोही। तात न रामहि सौंपेहु मोही।। बहुरि धीर धरि उठे सँभारी। कहु पितु मरन हेतु महतारी।। सुनि सुत बचन कहति कैकेई। मरमु पाँछि जनु माहुर देई।। आदिहु तें सब आपनि करनी। कुटिल कठोर मुदित मन बरनी।।
"Son, I had arranged everything well, with poor Manthara as my counselor. But fate spoiled a portion of the plan; the king departed for the city of Indra." Hearing this, Bharat was struck senseless with grief, like an elephant frozen by the roar of a lion. Crying "Father! Father! O Father!" he fell to the ground, overcome by anguish. "I could not see you as you departed. Father, you did not entrust me to Rama's care." Then, summoning his courage, he rose and asked, "Tell me, Mother, the cause of Father's death." Hearing her son's plea, Kaikeyi spoke, probing the wound and then pouring poison into it. From the very beginning she recounted all her own deeds, cruel and hard, with a heart full of satisfaction.