Shatrughna's Fury at Manthara

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.78.1)

अत्र यात्राम् समीहन्तम् शत्रुघ्नः लक्ष्मण अनुजः। भरतम् शोक सम्तप्तम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्॥ 78.1 ॥

atra yātrām samīhantam śatrughnaḥ lakṣmaṇa anujaḥ| bharatam śoka samtaptam idam vacanam abravīt

Then Shatrughna, Lakshmana's younger brother, spoke these words to Bharata, who was tormented with grief and eager to set out on the journey to Rama:

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.78.2)

गतिर् यः सर्व भूतानाम् दुह्खे किम् पुनर् आत्मनः। स रामः सत्त्व सम्पन्नः स्त्रिया प्रव्राजितः वनम्॥ 78.2 ॥

gatir yaḥ sarva bhūtānām duhkhe kim punar ātmanaḥ| sa rāmaḥ sattva sampannaḥ striyā pravrājitaḥ vanam

"That very Rama, whose noble nature is a refuge for all beings in their sorrow—how much more, then, should he have been ours?—has been sent into the forest by a woman.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.78.3)

बलवान् वीर्य सम्पन्नो लक्ष्मणो नाम यो अपि असौ। किम् न मोचयते रामम् कृत्वा अपि पितृ निग्रहम्॥ 78.3 ॥

balavān vīrya sampanno lakṣmaṇo nāma yo api asau| kim na mocayate rāmam kṛtvā api pitṛ nigraham

Why did that very Lakshmana, strong and full of valour, not free Rama from this fate—even by restraining our father?

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.78.4)

पूर्वम् एव तु निग्राह्यः समवेक्ष्य नय अनयौ। उत्पथम् यः समारूढो नार्या राजा वशम् गतः॥ 78.4 ॥

pūrvam eva tu nigrāhyaḥ samavekṣya naya anayau| utpatham yaḥ samārūḍho nāryā rājā vaśam gataḥ

The king, who had fallen under a woman's sway and mounted upon so wrong a course, ought to have been restrained at the very outset, once right and wrong had been discerned."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.78.5)

इति सम्भाषमाणे तु शत्रुघ्ने लक्ष्मण अनुजे। प्राग् द्वारे अभूत् तदा कुब्जा सर्व आभरण भूषिता॥ 78.5 ॥

iti sambhāṣamāṇe tu śatrughne lakṣmaṇa anuje| prāg dvāre abhūt tadā kubjā sarva ābharaṇa bhūṣitā

While Shatrughna, Lakshmana's younger brother, was speaking thus, the hunchback Manthara, decked out in every ornament, happened to appear at the eastern gate.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.78.6)

लिप्ता चन्दन सारेण राज वस्त्राणि बिभ्रती। विविधम् विविधैस्तैस्तैर्भूषणैश्च विभूषिता॥ 78.6 ॥

liptā candana sāreṇa rāja vastrāṇi bibhratī| vividham vividhaistaistairbhūṣaṇaiśca vibhūṣitā

Anointed with the essence of sandalwood and wearing royal garments, she was adorned in various ways with all manner of ornaments.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.78.7)

मेखला दामभिः चित्रै रज्जु बद्धा इव वानरी। बभासे बहुभिर्बद्धा रज्जुबद्देव वानरी॥ 78.7 ॥

mekhalā dāmabhiḥ citrai rajju baddhā iva vānarī| babhāse bahubhirbaddhā rajjubaddeva vānarī

Bound about with bright, many-stranded girdles, she appeared just like a female monkey tied up with ropes.

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.78.8)

ताम् समीक्ष्य तदा द्वाह्स्थो भृशम् पापस्य कारिणीम्। गृहीत्वा अकरुणम् कुब्जाम् शत्रुघ्नाय न्यवेदयत्॥ 78.8 ॥

tām samīkṣya tadā dvāhstho bhṛśam pāpasya kāriṇīm| gṛhītvā akaruṇam kubjām śatrughnāya nyavedayat

Seeing her, that doer of so great a sin, the gatekeeper seized the pitiless hunchback and presented her before Shatrughna, saying:

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.78.9)

यस्याः कृते वने रामः न्यस्त देहः च वः पिता। सा इयम् पापा नृशंसा च तस्याः कुरु यथा मति॥ 78.9 ॥

yasyāḥ kṛte vane rāmaḥ nyasta dehaḥ ca vaḥ pitā| sā iyam pāpā nṛśaṃsā ca tasyāḥ kuru yathā mati

"Here is that very sinful and cruel woman because of whom Rama is in the forest and your father has laid down his body. Do with her as you see fit."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.78.10)

शत्रुघ्नः च तत् आज्ञाय वचनम् भृश दुह्खितः। अन्तः पुर चरान् सर्वान् इति उवाच धृत व्रतः॥ 78.10 ॥

śatrughnaḥ ca tat ājñāya vacanam bhṛśa duhkhitaḥ| antaḥ pura carān sarvān iti uvāca dhṛta vrataḥ

Hearing this, Shatrughna, deeply pained yet firm in his resolve, said to all those who moved about the inner apartments:

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.78.11)

तीव्रम् उत्पादितम् दुह्खम् भ्रातृऋणाम् मे तथा पितुः। यया सा इयम् नृशंसस्य कर्मणः फलम् अश्नुताम्॥ 78.11 ॥

tīvram utpāditam duhkham bhrātṛṛṇām me tathā pituḥ| yayā sā iyam nṛśaṃsasya karmaṇaḥ phalam aśnutām

"Let this woman, who has brought such bitter sorrow upon my brothers and my father, now reap the fruit of her cruel deed."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.78.12)

एवम् उक्ता च तेन आशु सखी जन समावृता। गृहीता बलवत् कुब्जा सा तत् गृहम् अनादयत्॥ 78.12 ॥

evam uktā ca tena āśu sakhī jana samāvṛtā| gṛhītā balavat kubjā sā tat gṛham anādayat

So saying, he swiftly seized the hunchback with a powerful grip, surrounded though she was by her companions, and she made that house resound with her cries.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.78.13)

ततः सुभृश सम्तप्तः तस्याः सर्वः सखी जनः। क्रुद्धम् आज्ञाय शत्रुघ्नम् व्यपलायत सर्वशः॥ 78.13 ॥

tataḥ subhṛśa samtaptaḥ tasyāḥ sarvaḥ sakhī janaḥ| kruddham ājñāya śatrughnam vyapalāyata sarvaśaḥ

Then all her companions, greatly alarmed and knowing Shatrughna to be enraged, fled in every direction.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.78.14)

अमन्त्रयत कृत्स्नः च तस्याः सर्व सखी जनः। यथा अयम् समुपक्रान्तः निह्शेषम् नः करिष्यति॥ 78.14 ॥

amantrayata kṛtsnaḥ ca tasyāḥ sarva sakhī janaḥ| yathā ayam samupakrāntaḥ nihśeṣam naḥ kariṣyati

All her companions counselled among themselves: "The way he has set upon this course, he will surely destroy us utterly.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.78.15)

सानुक्रोशाम् वदान्याम् च धर्मज्ञाम् च यशस्विनीम्। कौसल्याम् शरणम् यामः सा हि नो अस्तु ध्रुवा गतिः॥ 78.15 ॥

sānukrośām vadānyām ca dharmajñām ca yaśasvinīm| kausalyām śaraṇam yāmaḥ sā hi no astu dhruvā gatiḥ

Let us go for refuge to Kaushalya—compassionate, generous, righteous, and renowned; let her alone be our sure resort."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.78.16)

स च रोषेण ताम्र अक्षः शत्रुघ्नः शत्रु तापनः। विचकर्ष तदा कुब्जाम् क्रोशन्तीम् पृथिवी तले॥ 78.16 ॥

sa ca roṣeṇa tāmra akṣaḥ śatrughnaḥ śatru tāpanaḥ| vicakarṣa tadā kubjām krośantīm pṛthivī tale

And Shatrughna, the scourge of his foes, his eyes reddened with rage, dragged the shrieking hunchback along the ground.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.78.17)

तस्या हि आकृष्यमाणाया मन्थरायाः ततः ततः। चित्रम् बहु विधम् भाण्डम् पृथिव्याम् तत् व्यशीर्यत॥ 78.17 ॥

tasyā hi ākṛṣyamāṇāyā mantharāyāḥ tataḥ tataḥ| citram bahu vidham bhāṇḍam pṛthivyām tat vyaśīryata

As Manthara was dragged this way and that, her many colourful ornaments scattered and fell about the floor.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.78.18)

तेन भाण्डेन सम्कीर्णम् श्रीमद् राज निवेशनम्। अशोभत तदा भूयः शारदम् गगनम् यथा॥ 78.18 ॥

tena bhāṇḍena samkīrṇam śrīmad rāja niveśanam| aśobhata tadā bhūyaḥ śāradam gaganam yathā

Strewn with those ornaments, the splendid royal residence then shone all the more, like an autumn sky scattered with stars.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.78.19)

स बली बलवत् क्रोधात् गृहीत्वा पुरुष ऋषभः। कैकेयीम् अभिनिर्भर्त्स्य बभाषे परुषम् वचः॥ 78.19 ॥

sa balī balavat krodhāt gṛhītvā puruṣa ṛṣabhaḥ| kaikeyīm abhinirbhartsya babhāṣe paruṣam vacaḥ

That mighty foremost of men, seizing her still more firmly in his violent rage, then rebuked Kaikeyi harshly and spoke severe words:

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.78.20)

तैः वाक्यैः परुषैः दुह्खैः कैकेयी भृश दुह्हिता। शत्रुघ्न भय सम्त्रस्ता पुत्रम् शरणम् आगता॥ 78.20 ॥

taiḥ vākyaiḥ paruṣaiḥ duhkhaiḥ kaikeyī bhṛśa duhhitā| śatrughna bhaya samtrastā putram śaraṇam āgatā

Wounded deeply by those harsh and painful words, Kaikeyi, terrified by fear of Shatrughna, came seeking refuge with her son.

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.78.21)

ताम् प्रेक्ष्य भरतः क्रुद्धम् शत्रुघ्नम् इदम् अब्रवीत्। अवध्याः सर्व भूतानाम् प्रमदाः क्षम्यताम् इति॥ 78.21 ॥

tām prekṣya bharataḥ kruddham śatrughnam idam abravīt| avadhyāḥ sarva bhūtānām pramadāḥ kṣamyatām iti

Seeing her thus, Bharata said to the enraged Shatrughna, "Women are not to be slain by any creature—let her be forgiven."

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.78.22)

हन्याम् अहम् इमाम् पापाम् कैकेयीम् दुष्ट चारिणीम्। यदि माम् धार्मिको रामः न असूयेन् मातृ घातकम्॥ 78.22 ॥

hanyām aham imām pāpām kaikeyīm duṣṭa cāriṇīm| yadi mām dhārmiko rāmaḥ na asūyen mātṛ ghātakam

"I myself would slay this sinful Kaikeyi of wicked conduct, were it not that the righteous Rama would resent me as a slayer of my own mother.

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.78.23)

इमाम् अपि हताम् कुब्जाम् यदि जानाति राघवः। त्वाम् च माम् चैव धर्म आत्मा न अभिभाषिष्यते ध्रुवम्॥ 78.23 ॥

imām api hatām kubjām yadi jānāti rāghavaḥ| tvām ca mām caiva dharma ātmā na abhibhāṣiṣyate dhruvam

And if Raghava should learn that even this hunchback has been slain, that righteous soul would surely never speak to you or to me again."

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.78.24)

भरतस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शत्रुघ्नः लक्ष्मण अनुजः। न्यवर्तत ततः रोषात् ताम् मुमोच च मन्थराम्॥ 78.24 ॥

bharatasya vacaḥ śrutvā śatrughnaḥ lakṣmaṇa anujaḥ| nyavartata tataḥ roṣāt tām mumoca ca mantharām

Hearing Bharata's words, Shatrughna, Lakshmana's younger brother, turned back from his rage and released Manthara.

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.78.25)

सा पाद मूले कैकेय्या मन्थरा निपपात ह। निह्श्वसन्ती सुदुह्ख आर्ता कृपणम् विललाप च॥ 78.25 ॥

sā pāda mūle kaikeyyā mantharā nipapāta ha| nihśvasantī suduhkha ārtā kṛpaṇam vilalāpa ca

That Manthara fell at Kaikeyi's feet, sighing heavily, stricken with grief, and wept most piteously.

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.78.26)

शत्रुघ्न विक्षेप विमूढ सम्ज्ञाम्। समीक्ष्य कुब्जाम् भरतस्य माता। शनैः समाश्वासयद् आर्त रूपाम्। क्रौन्चीम् विलग्नाम् इव वीक्षमाणाम्॥ 78.26 ॥

śatrughna vikṣepa vimūḍha samjñām| samīkṣya kubjām bharatasya mātā| śanaiḥ samāśvāsayad ārta rūpām| krauncīm vilagnām iva vīkṣamāṇām

Seeing the hunchback, her senses dazed by Shatrughna's violence, wearing a look of anguish, gazing about like a curlew caught fast in a snare, Bharata's mother gently comforted her.