Kaikeyi's Two Boons

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.11.1)

तं मन्मथशरैर्विद्धं कामवेगवशानुगम् । उवाच पृथिवीपालं कैकेयी दारुणं वचः ।। ११.१ ।।

taṃ manmathaśarairviddhaṃ kāmavegavaśānugam | uvāca pṛthivīpālaṃ kaikeyī dāruṇaṃ vacaḥ || 11.1 ||

To that king, protector of the earth—pierced by the arrows of desire and yielding to the force of passion—Kaikeyi spoke these harsh words.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.11.2)

नास्मि विप्रकृता देव केनचिन्नावमानिता । अभिप्रायस्तु मे कश्चित्तमिच्छामि त्वया कृतम् ।। ११.२ ।।

nāsmi viprakṛtā deva kenacinnāvamānitā | abhiprāyastu me kaścittamicchāmi tvayā kṛtam || 11.2 ||

"O King, I have not been wronged by anyone, nor insulted by anyone. But I do have a certain wish, and I want it fulfilled by you."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.11.3)

प्रतिज्ञां प्रतिजानीष्व यदि त्वं कर्तुमिच्छसि । अथ तद्व्याहरिष्यामि यदभिप्रार्थितं मया ।। ११.३ ।।

pratijñāṃ pratijānīṣva yadi tvaṃ kartumicchasi | atha tadvyāhariṣyāmi yadabhiprārthitaṃ mayā || 11.3 ||

"If you truly wish to grant it, then first make me a solemn promise. Only then shall I tell you what I have desired."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.11.4)

तामुवाच महातेजाः कैकेयीमीषदुत्स्मितः । कामी हस्तेन संगृह्य मूर्धजेषु शुचिस्मिताम् ।। ११.४ ।।

tāmuvāca mahātejāḥ kaikeyīmīṣadutsmitaḥ | kāmī hastena saṃgṛhya mūrdhajeṣu śucismitām || 11.4 ||

The mighty king, smiling faintly and overcome by desire, ran his hand through the hair of Kaikeyi of the gentle smile, and spoke to her thus.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.11.5)

अवलिप्ते न जानासि त्वत्तः प्रियतरो मम । मनुजो मनुजव्याघ्राद्रामादन्यो न विद्यते ।। ११.५ ।।

avalipte na jānāsi tvattaḥ priyataro mama | manujo manujavyāghrādrāmādanyo na vidyate || 11.5 ||

"Do you not know, O proud one, that except for Rama, tiger among men, there is no one dearer to me than you?"

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.11.6)

तेनाजय्येन मुख्येन राघवेण महात्मना । शपे ते जीवनार्हेण ब्रूहि यन्मनसेच्छसि ।। ११.६ ।।

tenājayyena mukhyena rāghaveṇa mahātmanā | śape te jīvanārheṇa brūhi yanmanasecchasi || 11.6 ||

"By that unconquerable, foremost, great-souled Raghava, for whom alone life is worth living, I swear to you—now speak whatever your heart desires."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.11.7)

यं मुहूर्तमपश्यंस्तु न जीवेयमहं ध्रुवम् । तेन रामेण कैकेयि शपे ते वचनक्रियाम् ।। ११.७ ।।

yaṃ muhūrtamapaśyaṃstu na jīveyamahaṃ dhruvam | tena rāmeṇa kaikeyi śape te vacanakriyām || 11.7 ||

"He without whom I could surely not live even a moment—by that very Rama, O Kaikeyi, I swear to carry out your word."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.11.8)

आत्मना चात्मजैश्चान्यैर्वृणे यं मनुजर्षभम् । तेन रामेण कैकेयि शपे ते वचनक्रियाम् ।। ११.८ ।।

ātmanā cātmajaiścānyairvṛṇe yaṃ manujarṣabham | tena rāmeṇa kaikeyi śape te vacanakriyām || 11.8 ||

"That bull among men for whom I would give up my very self and my other sons besides—by that Rama, O Kaikeyi, I swear to fulfil your word."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.11.9)

भद्रे हृदयमप्येतदनुमृश्योद्धरस्व मे । एतत्समीक्ष्य कैकेयि ब्रूहि यत्साधु मन्यसे ।। ११.९ ।।

bhadre hṛdayamapyetadanumṛśyoddharasva me | etatsamīkṣya kaikeyi brūhi yatsādhu manyase || 11.9 ||

"O gracious one, weigh even this heart of mine and set it at ease. Consider all this, O Kaikeyi, and tell me what you judge to be good."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.11.10)

बलमात्मनि जानन्ती न मां शङ्कितुमर्हसि । करिष्यामि तव प्रीतिं सुकृतेनापि ते शपे ।। ११.१० ।।

balamātmani jānantī na māṃ śaṅkitumarhasi | kariṣyāmi tava prītiṃ sukṛtenāpi te śape || 11.10 ||

"Knowing well your power over me, you need not doubt me. I shall surely do what pleases you—this I swear even by my own merit."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.11.11)

सा तदर्थमना देवी तमभिप्रायमागतम् । निर्माध्यस्थ्याच्च हर्षाच्च बभाषे दुर्वचं वचः ।। ११.११ ।।

sā tadarthamanā devī tamabhiprāyamāgatam | nirmādhyasthyācca harṣācca babhāṣe durvacaṃ vacaḥ || 11.11 ||

That queen, her whole mind bent upon her purpose, spoke—out of partiality and delight—the harsh words that had risen in her intent.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.11.12)

तेन वाक्येन संहृष्टा तमभिप्रायमागतम् । व्याजहार महाघोरमभ्यागतमिवान्तकम् ।। ११.१२ ।।

tena vākyena saṃhṛṣṭā tamabhiprāyamāgatam | vyājahāra mahāghoramabhyāgatamivāntakam || 11.12 ||

Delighted by his words, she gave voice to that most dreadful intention which had come upon her mind, as though death itself had arrived.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.11.13)

यथा क्रमेण शपसे वरं मम ददासि च । तच्छृण्वन्तु त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः ।। ११.१३ ।।

yathā krameṇa śapase varaṃ mama dadāsi ca | tacchṛṇvantu trayastriṃśaddevāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ || 11.13 ||

"As you have sworn in due order and are now granting me a boon, let the thirty-three gods, with Agni at their head, hear it."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.11.14)

चन्द्रादित्यौ नभश्चैव ग्रहा रात्र्यहनी दिशः । जगच्च पृथिवी चेयं सगन्धर्वाः सराक्षसाः ।। ११.१४ ।।

candrādityau nabhaścaiva grahā rātryahanī diśaḥ | jagacca pṛthivī ceyaṃ sagandharvāḥ sarākṣasāḥ || 11.14 ||

"The moon and the sun, the sky, the planets, night and day, the quarters, this whole world and earth, together with the gandharvas and the rakshasas—"

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.11.15)

निशाचराणि भूतानि गृहेषु गृहदेवताः । यानि चान्यानि भूतानि जानीयुर्भाषितं तव ।। ११.१५ ।।

niśācarāṇi bhūtāni gṛheṣu gṛhadevatāḥ | yāni cānyāni bhūtāni jānīyurbhāṣitaṃ tava || 11.15 ||

"—the beings that roam by night, the household deities that dwell in homes, and whatever other creatures there be—let them all bear witness to what you speak."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.11.16)

सत्यसन्धो महातेजा धर्मज्ञः सुसमाहितः । वरं मम ददात्येष तन्मे शृण्वन्तु देवताः ।। ११.१६ ।।

satyasandho mahātejā dharmajñaḥ susamāhitaḥ | varaṃ mama dadātyeṣa tanme śṛṇvantu devatāḥ || 11.16 ||

"This king—true to his word, of great splendour, versed in righteousness, ever self-composed—is granting me a boon; let the gods hear this of mine."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.11.17)

इति देवी महेष्वासं परिगृह्याभिशस्य च । ततः परमुवाचेदं वरदं काममोहितम् ।। ११.१७ ।।

iti devī maheṣvāsaṃ parigṛhyābhiśasya ca | tataḥ paramuvācedaṃ varadaṃ kāmamohitam || 11.17 ||

Having thus bound the great archer-king by oath and called the gods to witness, the queen then spoke on to him—ready to grant the boon, infatuated as he was with desire.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.11.18)

स्मर राजन् पुरा वृत्तं तस्मिन् देवासुरे रणे । तत्र त्वां च्यावयच्छत्रुस्तव जीवितमन्तरा ।। ११.१८ ।।

smara rājan purā vṛttaṃ tasmin devāsure raṇe | tatra tvāṃ cyāvayacchatrustava jīvitamantarā || 11.18 ||

"Remember, O King, what once happened long ago in that war between gods and demons. There the enemy struck you down, and only your life was left to you."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.11.19)

तत्र चापि मया देव यत्त्वं समभिरक्षितः । जाग्रत्या यतमानायास्ततो मे प्रददौ वरौ ।। ११.१९ ।।

tatra cāpi mayā deva yattvaṃ samabhirakṣitaḥ | jāgratyā yatamānāyāstato me pradadau varau || 11.19 ||

"There too, O King, it was I who kept watch and strove to protect you. Then you granted me two boons."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.11.20)

तौ दत्तौ च वरौ देव निक्षेपौ मृगयाम्यहम् । तवैव पृथिवीपाल सकाशे रघुनन्दन ।। ११.२० ।।

tau dattau ca varau deva nikṣepau mṛgayāmyaham | tavaiva pṛthivīpāla sakāśe raghunandana || 11.20 ||

"Those two boons that were given, O protector of the earth, O joy of the Raghus, I now come seeking, kept in trust with you alone."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.11.21)

तत्प्रतिश्रुत्य धर्मेण न चेद्दास्यसि मे वरम् । अद्यैव हि प्रहास्यामि जीवितं त्वद्विमानिता ।। ११.२१ ।।

tatpratiśrutya dharmeṇa na ceddāsyasi me varam | adyaiva hi prahāsyāmi jīvitaṃ tvadvimānitā || 11.21 ||

"Having rightfully promised it, if you do not now give me the boon, then dishonoured by you, I shall give up my life this very day."

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.11.22)

वाङ्मात्रेण तदा राजा कैकेय्या स्ववशे कृतः । प्रचस्कन्द विनाशाय पाशं मृग इवात्मनः ।। ११.२२ ।।

vāṅmātreṇa tadā rājā kaikeyyā svavaśe kṛtaḥ | pracaskanda vināśāya pāśaṃ mṛga ivātmanaḥ || 11.22 ||

By mere words, then, the king fell under Kaikeyi's power, plunging like a deer into the very snare of his own ruin.

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.11.23)

ततः परमुवाचेदं वरदं काममोहितम् । वरौ यौ मे त्वया देव तदा दत्तौ महीपते ।। ११.२३ ।।

tataḥ paramuvācedaṃ varadaṃ kāmamohitam | varau yau me tvayā deva tadā dattau mahīpate || 11.23 ||

Then she spoke further to him—the boon-giver, lost in desire—"O King, O lord of the earth, the two boons which you granted me then—"

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.11.24)

तौ तावदहमद्यैव वक्ष्यामि शृणु मे वचः । अभिषेकसमारम्भो राघवस्योपकल्पितः ।। ११.२४ ।।

tau tāvadahamadyaiva vakṣyāmi śṛṇu me vacaḥ | abhiṣekasamārambho rāghavasyopakalpitaḥ || 11.24 ||

"—those very two I shall declare this day; hear my words. The arrangements for Raghava's consecration have already been made."

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.11.25)

अनेनैवाभिषेकेण भरतो मेऽभिषिच्यताम् । यो द्वितीयो वरो देव दत्तः प्रीतेन मे त्वया ।। ११.२५ ।।

anenaivābhiṣekeṇa bharato me'bhiṣicyatām | yo dvitīyo varo deva dattaḥ prītena me tvayā || 11.25 ||

"With this very anointing, let my Bharata instead be consecrated. This, O King, is the second boon you once granted me with affection."

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.11.26)

तदा देवासुरे युद्धे तस्य कालोऽयमागतः । नव पञ्च च वर्षाणि दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः ।। ११.२६ ।।

tadā devāsure yuddhe tasya kālo'yamāgataḥ | nava pañca ca varṣāṇi daṇḍakāraṇyamāśritaḥ || 11.26 ||

"The time has now come for that which was granted then, in the war of gods and demons. For fourteen years let Rama dwell in the Dandaka forest—"

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.11.27)

चीराजिनजटाधारी रामो भवतु तापसः । भरतो भजतामद्य यौवराज्यमकण्टकम् ।। ११.२७ ।।

cīrājinajaṭādhārī rāmo bhavatu tāpasaḥ | bharato bhajatāmadya yauvarājyamakaṇṭakam || 11.27 ||

"—let Rama become an ascetic there, clad in bark and deerskin, his hair matted, while Bharata this very day takes up the uncontested office of crown prince."

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.11.28)

एष मे परमः कामो दत्तमेव वरं वृणे । अद्य चैव हि पश्येयं प्रयान्तं राघवं वनम् ।। ११.२८ ।।

eṣa me paramaḥ kāmo dattameva varaṃ vṛṇe | adya caiva hi paśyeyaṃ prayāntaṃ rāghavaṃ vanam || 11.28 ||

"This is my supreme desire; I ask for nothing but the boon already given. And this very day let me see Raghava setting out for the forest."

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.11.29)

स राजराजो भव सत्यसंगरः कुलं च शीलं च हि रक्ष जन्म च । परत्र वासे हि वदन्त्यनुत्तमं तपोधनाः सत्यवचो हितं नृणाम् ।। ११.२९ ।।

sa rājarājo bhava satyasaṃgaraḥ kulaṃ ca śīlaṃ ca hi rakṣa janma ca | paratra vāse hi vadantyanuttamaṃ tapodhanāḥ satyavaco hitaṃ nṛṇām || 11.29 ||

"Be that king of kings, true to your pledge; guard your lineage, your character, and your birth. For sages rich in austerity declare that speaking truth is the highest good for men in their dwelling in the world beyond."