Manthara's Counsel of Fear

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.8.1)

मन्थरा त्वभ्यसूय्यैनामुत्सृज्याभरणं हि तत् । उवाचेदं ततो वाक्यं कोपदुःखसमन्विता ॥ 8.1 ॥

mantharā tvabhyasūyyaināmutsṛjyābharaṇaṃ hi tat | uvācedaṃ tato vākyaṃ kopaduḥkhasamanvitā

But Manthara, filled with contempt at this, flung down that very ornament, and then, seized with anger and grief, spoke these words:

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.8.2)

हर्षं किमर्थमस्थाने कृतवत्यसि बालिशे । शोकसागरमध्यस्थं नात्मानमवबुध्यसे ॥ 8.2 ॥

harṣaṃ kimarthamasthāne kṛtavatyasi bāliśe | śokasāgaramadhyasthaṃ nātmānamavabudhyase

"Why, O foolish one, do you rejoice at such an unfitting moment? You do not even realize that you stand in the very midst of an ocean of grief."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.8.3)

मनसा प्रसहामि त्वां देवि दुःखार्दिता सती । यच्छोचितव्ये हृष्टासि प्राप्य त्वं व्यसनं महत् ॥ 8.3 ॥

manasā prasahāmi tvāṃ devi duḥkhārditā satī | yacchocitavye hṛṣṭāsi prāpya tvaṃ vyasanaṃ mahat

"O Queen, grieved myself, I can only laugh within at you — that you rejoice at the very moment when this great calamity, which should be mourned, has come upon you."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.8.4)

शोचामि दुर्मतित्वं ते का हि प्राज्ञा प्रहर्षयेत् । अरेः सपत्नीपुत्रस्य वृद्धिं मृत्योरिवागताम् ॥ 8.4 ॥

śocāmi durmatitvaṃ te kā hi prājñā praharṣayet | areḥ sapatnīputrasya vṛddhiṃ mṛtyorivāgatām

"I grieve for your poor judgment. What wise woman would rejoice at the rise of a rival's son, who is her enemy, as though welcoming her own death?"

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.8.5)

भरतादेव रामस्य राज्यसाधारणाद् भयम् । तद् विचिन्त्य विषण्णास्मि भयं भीताद्धि जायते ॥ 8.5 ॥

bharatādeva rāmasya rājyasādhāraṇād bhayam | tad vicintya viṣaṇṇāsmi bhayaṃ bhītāddhi jāyate

"Rama has cause to fear Bharata alone, for he has equal claim to the throne. Thinking on this, I am filled with dread — for danger is born of those who themselves have cause to fear."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.8.6)

लक्ष्मणो हि महाबाहू रामं सर्वात्मना गतः । शत्रुघ्नश्चापि भरतं काकुत्स्थं लक्ष्मणो यथा ॥ 8.6 ॥

lakṣmaṇo hi mahābāhū rāmaṃ sarvātmanā gataḥ | śatrughnaścāpi bharataṃ kākutsthaṃ lakṣmaṇo yathā

"Mighty-armed Lakshmana has given himself over wholly to Rama; and Shatrughna, in the same way, is devoted to Bharata as Lakshmana is to Rama."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.8.7)

प्रत्यासन्नक्रमेणापि भरतस्यैव भामिनि । राज्यक्रमो विसृष्टस्तु तयोस्तावद्यवीयसोः ॥ 8.7 ॥

pratyāsannakrameṇāpi bharatasyaiva bhāmini | rājyakramo visṛṣṭastu tayostāvadyavīyasoḥ

"O lady, by the order of nearness in birth too, the succession to the throne belongs to Bharata alone; for the two younger ones, it lies at a distance."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.8.8)

विदुषः क्षत्रचारित्रे प्राज्ञस्य प्राप्तकारिणः । भयात् प्रवेपे रामस्य चिन्तयन्ती तवात्मजम् ॥ 8.8 ॥

viduṣaḥ kṣatracāritre prājñasya prāptakāriṇaḥ | bhayāt pravepe rāmasya cintayantī tavātmajam

"Rama is learned in the ways of kings, wise, and always acts at the right moment. Thinking of your son's fate at his hands, I tremble with fear."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.8.9)

सुभगा किल कौसल्या यस्याः पुत्रोऽभिषेक्ष्यते । यौवराज्येन महता श्वः पुष्येण द्विजोत्तमैः ॥ 8.9 ॥

subhagā kila kausalyā yasyāḥ putro'bhiṣekṣyate | yauvarājyena mahatā śvaḥ puṣyeṇa dvijottamaiḥ

"Truly fortunate is Kausalya, whose son is to be anointed tomorrow, under the star Pushya, to the great office of crown prince, by the foremost of Brahmins."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.8.10)

प्राप्तां वसुमतीं प्रीतिं प्रतीतां हतविद्विषम् । उपस्थास्यसि कौसल्यां दासीवत् त्वं कृताञ्जलिः ॥ 8.10 ॥

prāptāṃ vasumatīṃ prītiṃ pratītāṃ hatavidviṣam | upasthāsyasi kausalyāṃ dāsīvat tvaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ

"And you will stand before that Kausalya, who will have won the earth, exultant, her rivals crushed, with joined palms, like a serving-maid."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.8.11)

एवं च त्वं सहास्माभिस्तस्याः प्रेष्या भविष्यसि । पुत्रश्च तव रामस्य प्रेष्यत्वं हि गमिष्यति ॥ 8.11 ॥

evaṃ ca tvaṃ sahāsmābhistasyāḥ preṣyā bhaviṣyasi | putraśca tava rāmasya preṣyatvaṃ hi gamiṣyati

"Thus you, along with the rest of us, will become her servant — and your own son will fall into servitude under Rama."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.8.12)

हृष्टाः खलु भविष्यन्ति रामस्य परमाः स्त्रियः । अप्रहृष्टा भविष्यन्ति स्नुषास्ते भरतक्षये ॥ 8.12 ॥

hṛṣṭāḥ khalu bhaviṣyanti rāmasya paramāḥ striyaḥ | aprahṛṣṭā bhaviṣyanti snuṣāste bharatakṣaye

"Rama's chief queens will surely rejoice, while your daughters-in-law will grieve, as Bharata's fortunes decline."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.8.13)

तां दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतां ब्रुवन्तीं मन्थरां ततः । रामस्यैव गुणान् देवी कैकेयी प्रशशंस ह ॥ 8.13 ॥

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītāṃ bruvantīṃ mantharāṃ tataḥ | rāmasyaiva guṇān devī kaikeyī praśaśaṃsa ha

Seeing Manthara speaking thus, most displeased, Queen Kaikeyi then began to praise the very virtues of Rama:

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.8.14)

धर्मज्ञो गुणवान् दान्तः कृतज्ञः सत्यवान् शुचिः । रामो राजसुतो ज्येष्ठो यौवराज्यमतोऽर्हति ॥ 8.14 ॥

dharmajño guṇavān dāntaḥ kṛtajñaḥ satyavān śuciḥ | rāmo rājasuto jyeṣṭho yauvarājyamato'rhati

"Rama knows righteousness, is virtuous, self-controlled, grateful, truthful, and pure of conduct. He is the king's eldest son — therefore he deserves the crown-princeship."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.8.15)

भ्रातॄन् भृत्यांश्च दीर्घायुः पितृवत् पालयिष्यति । संतप्यसे कथं कुब्जे श्रुत्वा रामाभिषेचनम् ॥ 8.15 ॥

bhrātṝn bhṛtyāṃśca dīrghāyuḥ pitṛvat pālayiṣyati | saṃtapyase kathaṃ kubje śrutvā rāmābhiṣecanam

"Long may he live — he will protect his brothers and servants alike, as a father would. Why then, hunchback, are you so distressed to hear of Rama's anointment?"

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.8.16)

भरतश्चापि रामस्य ध्रुवं वर्षशतात् परम् । पितृपैतामहं राज्यमवाप्स्यति नरर्षभः ॥ 8.16 ॥

bharataścāpi rāmasya dhruvaṃ varṣaśatāt param | pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyamavāpsyati nararṣabhaḥ

"And Bharata too, that bull among men, will surely obtain, after a hundred years have passed, the kingdom of his fathers and forefathers, following after Rama."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.8.17)

सा त्वमभ्युदये प्राप्ते दह्यमानेव मन्थरे । भविष्यति च कल्याणे किमिदं परितप्यसे ॥ 8.17 ॥

sā tvamabhyudaye prāpte dahyamāneva manthare | bhaviṣyati ca kalyāṇe kimidaṃ paritapyase

"So, Manthara, why do you burn as though scorched, both at this present good fortune and at the happy fortune yet to come?"

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.8.18)

यथा वै भरतो मान्यस्तथा भूयोऽपि राघवः । कौसल्यातोऽतिरिक्तं च मम शुश्रूषते बहु ॥ 8.18 ॥

yathā vai bharato mānyastathā bhūyo'pi rāghavaḥ | kausalyāto'tiriktaṃ ca mama śuśrūṣate bahu

"Just as Bharata is dear to me, so too, even more, is Raghava; indeed he serves me even more attentively than he does Kausalya herself."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.8.19)

राज्यं यदि हि रामस्य भरतस्यापि तत् तदा । मन्यते हि यथाऽऽत्मानं यथा भ्रातॄंस्तु राघवः ॥ 8.19 ॥

rājyaṃ yadi hi rāmasya bharatasyāpi tat tadā | manyate hi yathā''tmānaṃ yathā bhrātṝṃstu rāghavaḥ

"If the kingdom is Rama's, then it is Bharata's as well — for Raghava regards his brothers exactly as he regards himself."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.8.20)

कैकेय्या वचनं श्रुत्वा मन्थरा भृशदुःखिता । दीर्घमुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 8.20 ॥

kaikeyyā vacanaṃ śrutvā mantharā bhṛśaduḥkhitā | dīrghamuṣṇaṃ viniḥśvasya kaikeyīmidamabravīt

Hearing Kaikeyi's words, Manthara, deeply pained, let out a long, hot sigh, and said this to Kaikeyi:

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.8.21)

अनर्थदर्शिनी मौर्ख्यान्नात्मानमवबुध्यसे । शोकव्यसनविस्तीर्णे मज्जन्ती दुःखसागरे ॥ 8.21 ॥

anarthadarśinī maurkhyānnātmānamavabudhyase | śokavyasanavistīrṇe majjantī duḥkhasāgare

"Blind to your own ruin through sheer folly, you do not know yourself — sinking, even now, into a vast ocean of sorrow and misfortune!"

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.8.22)

भविता राघवो राजा राघवस्य च यः सुतः । राजवंशात्तु भरतः कैकेयि परिहास्यते ॥ 8.22 ॥

bhavitā rāghavo rājā rāghavasya ca yaḥ sutaḥ | rājavaṃśāttu bharataḥ kaikeyi parihāsyate

"Raghava will become king, and after him his own son; and Bharata, O Kaikeyi, will simply be erased from the royal line."

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.8.23)

नहि राज्ञः सुताः सर्वे राज्ये तिष्ठन्ति भामिनि । स्थाप्यमानेषु सर्वेषु सुमहाननयो भवेत् ॥ 8.23 ॥

nahi rājñaḥ sutāḥ sarve rājye tiṣṭhanti bhāmini | sthāpyamāneṣu sarveṣu sumahānanayo bhavet

"O lady, not all of a king's sons remain established in the kingdom; if every one of them were installed, it would lead to the greatest disorder."

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.8.24)

तस्माज्ज्येष्ठे हि कैकेयि राज्यतन्त्राणि पार्थिवाः । स्थापयन्त्यनवद्याङ्गि गुणवत्स्वितरेष्वपि ॥ 8.24 ॥

tasmājjyeṣṭhe hi kaikeyi rājyatantrāṇi pārthivāḥ | sthāpayantyanavadyāṅgi guṇavatsvitareṣvapi

"That is why, O flawless Kaikeyi, kings entrust the reins of the kingdom to the eldest son, even when the others too are full of virtue."

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.8.25)

असावत्यन्तनिर्भग्नस्तव पुत्रो भविष्यति । अनाथवत् सुखेभ्यश्च राजवंशाच्च वत्सले ॥ 8.25 ॥

asāvatyantanirbhagnastava putro bhaviṣyati | anāthavat sukhebhyaśca rājavaṃśācca vatsale

"O tender-hearted one, this son of yours will be utterly ruined — cut off, like an orphan, both from happiness and from the royal line."

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.8.26)

साहं त्वदर्थे सम्प्राप्ता त्वं तु मां नावबुद्ध्यसे । सपत्निवृद्धौ या मे त्वं प्रदेयं दातुमर्हसि ॥ 8.26 ॥

sāhaṃ tvadarthe samprāptā tvaṃ tu māṃ nāvabuddhyase | sapatnivṛddhau yā me tvaṃ pradeyaṃ dātumarhasi

"I came here only for your sake, yet you do not understand me at all — you think it fitting instead to reward me, of all things, at the very moment of your rival's rise!"

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.8.27)

ध्रुवं तु भरतं रामः प्राप्य राज्यमकण्टकम् । देशान्तरं नाययिता लोकान्तरमथापि वा ॥ 8.27 ॥

dhruvaṃ tu bharataṃ rāmaḥ prāpya rājyamakaṇṭakam | deśāntaraṃ nāyayitā lokāntaramathāpi vā

"Once Rama has secured the kingdom free of every thorn, he will surely send Bharata away to some other land — or else to the other world."

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.8.28)

बाल एव तु मातुल्यं भरतो नायितस्त्वया । संनिकर्षाच्च सौहार्दं जायते स्थावरेष्विव ॥ 8.28 ॥

bāla eva tu mātulyaṃ bharato nāyitastvayā | saṃnikarṣācca sauhārdaṃ jāyate sthāvareṣviva

"You yourself sent Bharata away, while still a child, to his uncle's house; and affection, like that even among unmoving things, is born of nearness alone."

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.8.29)

भरतानुवशात् सोऽपि शत्रुघ्नस्तत्समं गतः । लक्ष्मणो हि यथा रामं तथायं भरतं गतः ॥ 8.29 ॥

bharatānuvaśāt so'pi śatrughnastatsamaṃ gataḥ | lakṣmaṇo hi yathā rāmaṃ tathāyaṃ bharataṃ gataḥ

"Out of devotion to Bharata, Shatrughna too went along with him just the same — just as Lakshmana attached himself to Rama, so has this one attached himself to Bharata."

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.8.30)

श्रूयते हि द्रुमः कश्चिच्छेत्तव्यो वनजीवनैः । संनिकर्षादिषीकाभिर्मोचितः परमाद् भयात् ॥ 8.30 ॥

śrūyate hi drumaḥ kaścicchettavyo vanajīvanaiḥ | saṃnikarṣādiṣīkābhirmocitaḥ paramād bhayāt

"It is said that a certain tree, marked by the forest-dwellers for felling, was saved from that great danger simply by the reed-grass growing close beside it."

Shloka 31 (ayodhya.8.31)

गोप्ता हि रामं सौमित्रिर्लक्ष्मणं चापि राघवः । अश्विनोरिव सौभ्रात्रं तयोर्लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ॥ 8.31 ॥

goptā hi rāmaṃ saumitrirlakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāghavaḥ | aśvinoriva saubhrātraṃ tayorlokeṣu viśrutam

"Lakshmana, son of Sumitra, guards Rama, and Rama in turn guards Lakshmana; their brotherly bond, like that of the twin Ashvins, is renowned throughout the worlds."

Shloka 32 (ayodhya.8.32)

तस्मान्न लक्ष्मणे रामः पापं किंचित् करिष्यति । रामस्तु भरते पापं कुर्यादेव न संशयः ॥ 8.32 ॥

tasmānna lakṣmaṇe rāmaḥ pāpaṃ kiṃcit kariṣyati | rāmastu bharate pāpaṃ kuryādeva na saṃśayaḥ

"Therefore Rama will do no harm whatever to Lakshmana; but that Rama would do harm to Bharata is beyond all doubt."

Shloka 33 (ayodhya.8.33)

तस्माद् राजगृहादेव वनं गच्छतु राघवः । एतद्धि रोचते मह्यं भृशं चापि हितं तव ॥ 8.33 ॥

tasmād rājagṛhādeva vanaṃ gacchatu rāghavaḥ | etaddhi rocate mahyaṃ bhṛśaṃ cāpi hitaṃ tava

"Therefore let Raghava go from the royal house straight into the forest. This is what seems best to me — and it is also very much to your advantage."

Shloka 34 (ayodhya.8.34)

एवं ते ज्ञातिपक्षस्य श्रेयश्चैव भविष्यति । यदि चेद् भरतो धर्मात् पित्र्यं राज्यमवाप्स्यति ॥ 8.34 ॥

evaṃ te jñātipakṣasya śreyaścaiva bhaviṣyati | yadi ced bharato dharmāt pitryaṃ rājyamavāpsyati

"Thus it will be for the good of your own kinsfolk as well, if Bharata rightfully obtains his father's kingdom."

Shloka 35 (ayodhya.8.35)

स ते सुखोचितो बालो रामस्य सहजो रिपुः । समृद्धार्थस्य नष्टार्थो जीविष्यति कथं वशे ॥ 8.35 ॥

sa te sukhocito bālo rāmasya sahajo ripuḥ | samṛddhārthasya naṣṭārtho jīviṣyati kathaṃ vaśe

"That young son of yours, accustomed to every comfort, is Rama's natural rival — how could he, once thwarted of his purpose, go on living under the sway of one whose purpose has succeeded?"

Shloka 36 (ayodhya.8.36)

अभिद्रुतमिवारण्ये सिंहेन गजयूथपम् । प्रच्छाद्यमानं रामेण भरतं त्रातुमर्हसि ॥ 8.36 ॥

abhidrutamivāraṇye siṃhena gajayūthapam | pracchādyamānaṃ rāmeṇa bharataṃ trātumarhasi

"You must save Bharata, who is even now being overshadowed by Rama, as one would save a herd-leading elephant that a lion has run down in the forest."

Shloka 37 (ayodhya.8.37)

दर्पान्निराकृता पूर्वं त्वया सौभाग्यवत्तया । राममाता सपत्नी ते कथं वैरं न यापयेत् ॥ 8.37 ॥

darpānnirākṛtā pūrvaṃ tvayā saubhāgyavattayā | rāmamātā sapatnī te kathaṃ vairaṃ na yāpayet

"You once slighted Rama's mother, your co-wife, out of pride in your own good fortune — how should she not now repay that enmity?"

Shloka 38 (ayodhya.8.38)

यदा च रामः पृथिवीमवाप्स्यते प्रभूतरत्नाकरशैलसंयुताम् । तदा गमिष्यस्यशुभं पराभवं सहैव दीना भरतेन भामिनि ॥ 8.38 ॥

yadā ca rāmaḥ pṛthivīmavāpsyate prabhūtaratnākaraśailasaṃyutām | tadā gamiṣyasyaśubhaṃ parābhavaṃ sahaiva dīnā bharatena bhāmini

"And O lady, the day Rama gains this earth, girded with its abundant seas and mountains, that day you and Bharata together will sink, wretched, into an evil and utter downfall."

Shloka 39 (ayodhya.8.39)

यदा हि रामः पृथिवीमवाप्स्यते ध्रुवं प्रणष्टो भरतो भविष्यति । अतो हि संचिन्तय राज्यमात्मजे परस्य चैवास्य विवासकारणम् ॥ 8.39 ॥

yadā hi rāmaḥ pṛthivīmavāpsyate dhruvaṃ praṇaṣṭo bharato bhaviṣyati | ato hi saṃcintaya rājyamātmaje parasya caivāsya vivāsakāraṇam

"For when Rama gains the earth, Bharata will certainly be ruined. Therefore, think well on how the kingdom may go to your own son, and how this other one, Rama, may be made to leave for exile."